16.3 SOLID WASTES

16.3 SOLID WASTES

• Solid wastes refer to everything that goes out in trash. 
• Municipal solid wastes are wastes from homes, offices, stores, schools, hospitals, etc., that are collected and disposed by the municipality. 
• The municipal solid wastes generally comprise paper, food wastes, plastics, glass, metals, rubber, leather, textile, etc. 
• Burning reduces the volume of the wastes, although it is generally not burnt to completion and open dumps often serve as the breeding ground for rats and flies. 
• Sanitary landfills were adopted as the substitute for open-burning dumps. 
• In a sanitary landfill, wastes are dumped in a depression or trench after compaction, and covered with dirt everyday. 
• If you live in a town or city, do you know where the nearest landfill site is? 
• Landfills are also not really much of a solution since the amount of garbage generation specially in the metros has increased so much that these sites are getting filled too. 
• Also there is danger of seepage of chemicals, etc., from these landfills polluting the underground water resources. 
• A solution to all this can only be in human beings becoming more sensitive to these environment issues. 

All waste that we generate can be categorised into three types –

• (a) Bio-degradable, 
• (b) Recyclable and 
• (c) Non-biodegradable. 

• It is important that all garbage generated is sorted. 
• What can be reused or recycled should be separated out; our kabadiwallahs and rag-pickers do a great job of separation of materials for recycling. 
• The biodegradable materials can be put into deep pits in the ground and be left for natural breakdown. 
• That leaves only the non-biodegradable to be disposed off. 
• The need to reduce our garbage generation should be a prime goal, instead, we are increasing the use of non-biodegradable products. 
• Just pick any readymade packet of any ‘good quality’ eatable, say a biscuit packet, and study the packaging – do you see the number of protective layers used? Note that at least one layer is of plastic. 
• We have started packaging even our daily use products like milk and water in polybags!! In cities, fruits and vegetables can be bought packed in beautiful polysterene and plastic packaging – we pay so much and what do we do? Contribute heavily to environmental pollution. 
• State Governments across the country are trying to push for reduction in use of plastics and use of eco-friendly packaging. 
• We can do our bit by carrying cloth or other natural fibre carry-bags when we go shopping and by refusing polythene bags. 
• Hospitals generate hazardous wastes that contain disinfectants and other harmful chemicals, and also pathogenic micro-organisms. 
• Such wastes also require careful treatment and disposal. 
• The use of incinerators is crucial to disposal of hospital waste. 

Electronic wastes (e-wastes):

• Irreparable computers and other electronic goods are known as electronic wastes (e-wastes). 
• E-wastes are buried in landfills or incinerated. 
• Over half of the e-wastes generated in the developed world are exported to developing countries, mainly to China, India and Pakistan, where metals like copper, iron, silicon, nickel and gold are recovered during recycling process. 
• Unlike developed countries, which have specifically built facilities for recycling of e-wastes, recycling in developing countries often involves manual participation thus exposing workers to toxic substances present in e-wastes. 
• Recycling is the only solution for the treatment of e-waste, provided it is carried out in an environmentfriendly manner. 

16.3.1 Case Study of Remedy for Plastic Waste

• A plastic sack manufacturer in Bangalore has managed to find the ideal solution to the ever-increasing problem of accumulating plastic waste. 
• Ahmed Khan, aged 57 years old, has been producing plastic sacks for 20 years. About 8 years ago, he realised that plastic waste was a real problem. 
• Polyblend, a fine powder of recycled modified plastic, was developed then by his company. 
• This mixture is mixed with the bitumen that is used to lay roads. 
• In collaboration with R.V.College of Engineering and the Bangalore City Corporation, Ahmed Khan proved that blends of Polyblend and bitumen, when used to lay roads, enhanced the bitumen’s water repellant properties, and helped to increase road life by a factor of three. 
• The raw material for creating Polyblend is any plastic film waste. 
• So, against the price of Rs. 0.40 per kg that rag pickers had been getting for plastic waste, Khan now offers Rs.6. 
• Using Khan’s technique, by the year 2002, more than 40 kms of road in Bangalore has already been laid. 
• At this rate, Khan will soon be running short of plastic waste in Bangalore, to produce Polyblend. 
• Thanks to innovations like Polyblend, we might still avoid being smothered by plastic waste.