This document provides an overview of solid waste management. It defines solid waste management as the process of controlling waste generation, storage, collection, transport, processing and disposal in a way that considers public health, conservation and the environment. The document outlines the history of solid waste management, categories and sources of waste, effects of poor management, and common management methods like sanitary landfilling, incineration, composting and recycling. The goals of management are to reduce waste impacts on human health and the environment in an efficient, low-cost manner.

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Seminar
On
Solid Waste
Management

2. TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
What Is Solid Waste Management?
Solid Waste Management History
Objectives of Solid Waste Management
Functional Elements of the Waste Management System
Categories of Waste
Various Sources of Solid Waste
Effects of Poor Solid Waste Management
Methods of Solid Waste Management
Advantages
Conclusion

3. INTRODUCTION
Solid waste refers to the range of garbage materials—arising from
animal and human activities—that are discarded as unwanted and
useless. Solid waste is generated from industrial, residential, and
commercial activities in a given area, and may be handled in a variety
of ways. As such, landfills are typically classified as
sanitary, municipal, construction and demolition, or industrial waste
sites.
Waste can be categorized based on material, such as plastic, paper,
glass, metal, and organic waste. Categorization may also be based on
hazard potential, including radioactive, flammable, infectious, toxic,
or non-toxic wastes. Categories may also pertain to the origin of the
waste, whether industrial, domestic, commercial, institutional, or
construction and demolition.

4. WHAT IS SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT?
Solid waste management is defined as the
discipline associated with control of
generation, storage, collection, transport or
transfer, processing and disposal of solid
waste materials in a way that best addresses
the range of public health, conservation,
economic, aesthetic, engineering, and other
environmental considerations.
In its scope, solid waste management includes
planning, administrative, financial,
engineering, and legal functions. Solutions
might include complex inter-disciplinary
relations among fields such as public health,
city and regional planning, political science,
geography, sociology, economics,
communication and conservation,

5. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
HISTORY
During the ancient times, waste materials were carelessly thrown into streets
and rivers and left to accumulate. The growing piles of waste soon became a
threat to public health, causing plagues and epidemics. In 320 BC, the city of
Athens created the first known law that prohibits such careless disposal.
Soon, in ancient Rome, property owners were held responsible for tidying up
the streets in front of their properties.
At the end of the 14th century, scavengers were tasked with carting away
waste materials to dump sites outside the European city walls. It was in
America during the end of the 18th century that crude municipal garbage
collection began to take place, particularly in the cities of New York, Boston,
and Philadelphia.
A true technological and systematic approach to solid waste management in
the US was developed at the end of the 19th century. Innovations such as
watertight garbage cans, compactor vehicles, garbage grinders, incinerators,
and pneumatic collection systems began to flourish.

6. OBJECTIVES OF WASTE
MANAGEMENT
The primary goal of solid waste management is
reducing and eliminating adverse impacts of
waste materials on human health and the
environment to support economic development
and superior quality of life.
This is to be done in the most efficient manner
possible, to keep costs low and prevent waste
buildup.

7. FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF THE
WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
1. Waste generation: This encompasses any activities involved in
identifying materials that are no longer usable and are either
gathered for systematic disposal or thrown away.
2. Onsite handling, storage, and processing: This relates to activities
at the point of waste generation, which facilitate easier collection.
For example, waste bins are placed at sites that generate sufficient
waste.
3. Waste collection: A crucial phase of waste management, this
includes activities such as placing waste collection bins, collecting
waste from those bins, and accumulating trash in the location
where the collection vehicles are emptied. Although the collection
phase involves transportation, this is typically not the main stage
of waste transportation.

8. FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF THE
WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
………..
1. Waste transfer and transport: These are the activities involved in
moving waste from the local waste collection locations to the
regional waste disposal site in large waste transport vehicles.
2. Waste processing and recovery: This refers to the facilities,
equipment, and techniques employed to recover reusable or
recyclable materials from the waste stream and to improve the
effectiveness of other functional elements of waste management.
3. Disposal: The final stage of waste management. It involves the
activities aimed at the systematic disposal of waste materials in
locations such as landfills or waste-to-energy facilities.

9. CATEGORIES OF WASTE
1. Organic waste: Kitchen waste, waste from food preparation,
vegetables, flowers, leaves, fruits, and market places.
2. Combustibles: Paper, wood, dried leaves, packaging for relief items
etc. that are highly organic and having low moisture content.
3. Non-combustibles: Metal, Tins, Cans, bottles, stones, etc.
4. Toxic waste: Old medicines, paints, chemicals, bulbs, spray cans,
fertilizer and pesticide containers, batteries, shoe polish.
5. Recyclables: Paper, glass, metals, plastics.

10. CATEGORIES OF WASTE
6. Ashes or Dust: Residue from fires that are used for cooking.
7. Construction waste: Rubble, roofing, broken concrete etc.
8. Hazardous waste: Oil, battery acid, medical waste, industrial waste,
hospital waste.
9. Dead animals: Carcasses of dead livestock or other animals.
10.Bulky waste: Tree branches, tires etc.
11.Soiled waste: Hospital waste such as cloth soiled with blood and
other body fluids.

11. VARIOUS SOURCES OF SOLID
WASTE
1. Residential
Residences and homes where people live are
some of the major sources of solid waste.
The garbage from these places includes food
wastes, plastics, paper, glass, leather,
cardboard, metals, yard wastes, ashes and
special wastes like bulky household items
such as electronics, tires, batteries, old
mattresses and used oil.
2. Industrial
Industries are known to be one of the biggest
contributors to solid waste. They include
light and heavy manufacturing industries,
construction sites, fabrication plants, canning
plants, power and chemical plants.

12. 3. Commercial
Commercial facilities and buildings are yet
another source of solid waste today. Commercial
buildings and facilities, in this case, refer to
hotels, markets, restaurants, godowns, stores
and office buildings.
Some of the solid wastes generated from these
places include plastics, food wastes, metals,
paper, glass, wood, cardboard materials, special
wastes and other hazardous wastes.
4. Institutional
The institutional centers like schools, colleges,
prisons, military barracks and other government
centers also produce solid waste. Some of the
common solid wastes obtained from these places
include glass, rubber waste, plastics, food
wastes, wood, paper, metals, cardboard

13. 5. Construction and Demolition Areas
Construction and demolition sites also
contribute to the solid waste problem.
Construction sites include new construction
sites for buildings and roads, road repair
sites, building renovation sites and building
demolition sites.
6. Municipal Services
The urban centers also contribute
immensely to the solid waste crisis in most
countries today. Some of the solid waste
brought about by the municipal services
include street cleaning, wastes from parks
and beaches, wastewater treatment plants,
landscaping wastes and wastes from
recreational areas, including sludge.

14. 7. Treatment Plants and Sites
Heavy and light manufacturing plants also
produce solid waste. They include
refineries, power plants, processing
plants, mineral extraction plants and
chemical plants.
Among the wastes produced by these
plants, there are industrial process
wastes, unwanted specification products,
plastics, metal parts, just to mention a
few.
8. Agriculture
Crop farms, orchards, dairies, vineyards
and feedlots are also sources of solid
wastes. Among the wastes they produce
are agricultural wastes, spoiled food,
pesticide containers and other hazardous

15. 9. Biomedical
This refers to hospitals and biomedical
equipment and chemical manufacturing
firms. In hospitals, there are different
types of solid wastes produced.
Some of these solid wastes include
syringes, bandages, used gloves, drugs,
paper, plastics, food wastes and
chemicals. All these require proper
disposal or else they will cause a
huge problem for the environment and the
people in these facilities.

16. EFFECTS OF POOR SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT
1. Litter Surroundings
Due to improper waste disposal systems, particularly by municipal
waste management teams, wastes heap up and become a
menace. While people clean their homes and places of work,
they litter their surroundings, which affect the environment and the
community.
2. Impact on Human Health
Improper waste disposal can affect the health of the population
living nearby the polluted area or landfills. The health of waste
disposal workers and other employees involved with these landfill
facilities are also at a greater risk.
Exposure to wastes that handled improperly can cause skin

17. 3. Disease-causing Pests
This type of dumping of waste materials forces biodegradable
materials to rot and decompose under improper, unhygienic and
uncontrolled conditions.
After a few days of decomposition, a foul smell is produced, and it
becomes a breeding ground for different types of disease-
causing insects as well as infectious organisms. On top of that, it also
spoils the aesthetic value of the area.
4. Environmental Problems
Solid wastes from industries are a source of toxic metals, hazardous
wastes, and chemicals. When released to the environment, the solid
wastes can cause biological and physicochemical problems to the
environment that may affect or alter the productivity of the soils in
that particular area.

18. 5. Soil and Groundwater Pollution
Toxic materials and chemicals may seep into the soil and pollute the
groundwater. During the process of collecting solid waste, hazardous
wastes usually mix with ordinary garbage and other flammable
wastes making the disposal process even harder and risky.
6. Emission of Toxic Gases
When hazardous wastes like pesticides, batteries containing lead,
mercury or zinc, cleaning solvents, radioactive materials, e-waste and
plastics mixed up with paper and other non-toxic scraps are burned
they produce dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other
gases. These toxic gases have the potential of causing various
diseases, including cancer.

19. 7. Impact on Land and Aquatic Animals
Our carelessness with our waste and
garbage also affects animals, and they
suffer the effects of pollution caused by
improperly disposed of wastes and
rubbish.
Consuming styrofoam and cigarette butts
have been known to cause deaths in
marine animals. Animals are also at risk of
poisoning while consuming grasses near
contaminated areas or landfills as the
toxins seep into the soil.

20. METHODS OF SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT
1. Sanitary Landfill
This is the most popular solid waste disposal method used today.
Garbage is basically spread out in thin layers, compressed and
covered with soil or plastic foam.
Modern landfills are designed in such a way that the bottom of the
landfill is covered with an impervious liner, which is usually made of
several layers of thick plastic and sand. This liner protects the
groundwater from being contaminated because of leaching or
percolation.
Advantage: If landfills are managed efficiently, it is an ensured
sanitary waste disposal method.
Constraint: It requires a reasonably large area.

21. 2. Incineration
This method involves the burning of solid wastes at
high temperatures until the wastes are turned into
ashes. Incinerators are made in such a way that they
do not give off extreme amounts of heat when burning
solid wastes.
This method of solid waste management can be done
by individuals, municipalities and even institutions.
The good thing about this method is the fact that it
reduces the volume of waste up to 20 or 30% of the
original volume.
Advantage: The volume of combustible waste is
reduced considerably by burning waste. In the case of
off-site pits, it is an appropriate method to minimize
scavenging.

22. 3. Recovery and Recycling
Recycling or recovery of resources is the process of taking useful but
discarded items for the next use. Plastic bags, tins, glass and
containers are often recycled automatically since, in many situations,
they are likely to be scarce commodities.
Traditionally, these items are processed and cleaned before they are
recycled. The process aims at reducing energy loss, consumption of
new material and reduction of landfills. The most developed countries
follow a strong tradition of recycling to lower volumes of waste.
Advantage: Recycling is environmentally friendly.
Constraint: It is expensive to set up, and in most emergencies, there
is limited potential.

23. 4. Composting
Due to a lack of adequate space for landfills, biodegradable yard waste is
allowed to decompose in a medium designed for the purpose. Only
biodegradable waste materials are used in composting.
It is a biological process in which micro-organisms, specifically fungi and
bacteria, convert degradable organic waste into substances like humus. This
finished product, which looks like soil, is high in carbon and nitrogen. Good
quality environmentally friendly manure is formed from the compost that is
an excellent medium for growing plants and can be used for agricultural
purposes.
Advantage: Composting is environmentally friendly as well as beneficial for
crops.
Constraint: It requires intensive management and experienced personnel for
large scale operation.

24. 5. Pyrolysis
This is a method of solid waste management whereby solid wastes
are chemically decomposed by heat without the presence of oxygen.
It usually occurs under pressure and at temperatures of up to 430
degrees Celsius. The solid wastes are changed into gasses, solid
residue of carbon and ash and small quantities of liquid.
Advantage: This will keep the environment clean and reduce health
and settlement problems.
Constraint: The systems that destroy chlorinated organic molecules
by heat may create incomplete combustion products, including
dioxins and furans. These compounds are highly toxic in the parts
per trillion ranges. The residue it generates may be hazardous
wastes, requiring proper treatment, storage, and disposal.

25. WHY SHOULD WE RECYCLE?
• Reduces reliance on landfills and
incinerators.
• Recycling protects our health and
environment when harmful substances
are
removed from the waste stream.
• Recycling conserves our natural
resources because it reduces the need
for raw materials.

26. ADVANTAGES OF SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT
Effective solid waste management reduces pollution considerably. The
green house gases like methane and carbon di oxide that is emitted
from waste accumulated also reduces in the process.
Effective solid waste management keeps the environment clean as not
much waste will be accumulated in the surroundings. There will be
considerable reduction in the landfills.
The process of solid waste management creates wide job
opportunities. This is mainly because of the different processes that
are involved in waste management.
Effective solid waste management protects the biodiversity thus
protecting the mother earth. This process conserves energy since
most of the processes involve the aspect of recycling. For example,
many trees are cut for making paper but if old paper is recycled, new
paper can be made. Deforestation will be reduces considerably.

27. CONCLUSION
As long as there is human activity, solid waste will be a part of us. But
the good thing is that by exercising a sense of responsibility and
following sensible regulations, we can definitely live a better and
cleaner life even with solid waste around.
ACT Enviro is your partner in safe, compliant solid waste
management. To know more about our services, contact our team
today.