This document discusses different methods of solid waste and sewage disposal. It defines solid waste and sewage and identifies their sources. Methods of solid waste disposal discussed include dumping, landfills, composting, and incineration. Landfills can be improved by making them sanitary and controlled. Composting and recycling are better options. Sewage disposal methods include pit latrines, flush toilets, and aqua privies. The role of community health nurses in educating about proper waste disposal and preventing disease transmission is also covered.

1. Waste Management
Session
By
SHAHINA BANO
Objectives
 Define solid waste and sewage.
 Discuss methods of solid waste disposal and sewage disposal.
 List fecal-borne diseases and it’s control.
 Share role of a community health nurse in community for waste management.
 Discuss about rodents, their role in disease transmission and control.
 Waste disposal is an important part of the environment to which human being is continuously
exposed.
Reasons of increased waste
 Changing lifestyles (affluent i.e. increasing use of disposable materials e.g. plastic bags instead of
taking container for milk).
 Excessive packaging
 Urbanization ( low or irregular collection coverage)
 Global concern as quantity and diversity of the nature of waste has changed.
 Technical, financial, institutional, and social constraints in developing countries.
 The problem is not only confined to land. It includes air and water as well.

2. Why dispose waste?
Why dispose waste?
 It causes
 Water, air and food pollution.
 Breed vermin pests and insects (mosquitoes, house flies, cockroaches, ants, and rats).
 Intolerable nuisance of sight and smell.
 Infections, diseases and allergies.
 Affects physical, mental and social health.
 Negative impacts on official and tourist visits and foreign investment
Sources of Waste
Three sources
a) Household waste (municipal waste)
b) Industrial waste (hazardous waste)
c) Biomedical waste or hospital waste (infectious waste).
Types of waste

3. Refuse/ Solid Waste
Waste material coming from houses, streets, commercial, industrial and agricultural activities of man is
called refuse it is further classified into three types:
 Garbage (waste from food stuff)
 Rubbish (Dirt, dust, paper, clothing, glass, rubber, wood and plastic material)
 Ash (residual of fuel)
Sullage
 Type of waste containing all liquid wastes water or slop water including industrial waste but
excludes night soil
Excreta / Sewage
 Implies to faeces.
 Sullage containing night soil (faeces) is called sewage.
Stages of Solid Waste Removal
1. Segregation
2. Storage
3. Collection
4. Transportation to disposal point
5. Disposal

4. Collection methods
 Hauled Container System
One container is kept at area, when filled with municipal waste, the container is taken to the
disposal site, emptied and brought back to the same site or to the next site.
In Pakistan, the container is mostly transported from one place to another with the help of a
truck or tractor.
 Stationary Container System
In this system, the containers are emptied into vehicles, so a number of containers can be
emptied in one trip.
Hauled Container System
Stationary Container System

5. Methods of refuse disposal
Dumping
 Refused is dumped on vacant land.
 It should be done away from residential area.
 The waste is untreated, uncovered, and not segregated.
 It is the breeding ground for flies, rats, and other insects that spread disease.
 The rainwater run-off from these dumps contaminates nearby land and water thereby spreading
disease.
 In 1967 WHO declared that it is unhealthy and should be stopped.
Land fill/ tipping/burial
 A pit is dug in the ground. The garbage is dumped and pit is covered. Thus preventing the smell,
flies and rats.

6.  The filled space used for buildings and parks
 Leaching is common problem with this method
 Once filled needs another space
Sanitary landfills/ controlled tipping
• Modern landfill
• Area is dug to 6 feet deep in ground.
• At the end of each day it is covered with earth and compacted to exclude air so that material is
decomposed.
• 4-6 months it is converted to manure.
• Pollution of surface water and groundwater is minimized by lining and contouring the fill,
diverting drainage, and selecting proper soil in sites not subject to flooding. (such as clay --less
permeable)
• Materials disposed in a landfill can be further secured from leakage by lining the pit with
cement, or other hard material
Sanitary landfills/ controlled tipping
Advantages
 No leach
 In some countries through this method methane being produced and sold as CNG.
Disadvantages
 Not all material degrade
 Expensive
 Needs planning and technical work
Composting
 Refuse along with the excreta is disposed off.
Process:
 Pits or trenches are dug 3 ft deep

7.  Alternate layers of refuse and night soil are spread in trenches in proportion of 6 inch thickness
of refuse and 2 inch thickness of night soil.
 The pits are then covered with earth and compacted
 Due to bacterial action, intense heat is generated within the compost pits, which kills all the
pathogen and other organisms.
 Pit gradually cools down
 After 4-6 months the decomposing is complete. The result produced is manure /fertilizer, which
is used for agriculture. This method is called a hot fermentation process.
Incineration/burning
 It is used where refuse can not be carried away over long distance. It is best used for
hospital/infectious refuse disposal.( syringes, needles and drips) Incinerator should be properly
planned and designated that it does not cause harm to the environment. Ash generated from
this process can be toxic, if discarded inland fill can enter in ground water and may contaminate
it.
Recycling and Reuse
Items that can be reused or recycled:
 Paper: old copies, old books, paper bags, newspapers
 Plastic: containers, bottles, bags, sheets
 Glass: bottles, plates, cups, bowls
 Miscellaneous: old cans, utensils, clothes, furniture
Advantages of recycling
Waste recycling has some significant advantages.
 It leads to less utilization of raw materials.
 It reduces environmental impacts arising from waste treatment and disposal.
 It saves money.
 It reduces the amount of energy required to manufacture new products.
 It saves landfill space.
 It makes the surroundings cleaner and healthier.

8. 26
Waste
Management
--
RMH
Take home activity
 Make 6 groups
 Read and present in next class types of latrines
 Pit hole latrine
 Bore hole latrine
 Aqua Privy
 Bucket latrine
 Over hung privy
 Flush latrines
References
 http://www.greenstar.ie/htm/education/whathappenstoyourwaste.htm.
 Iliyas, M., & Shah, K. S. (2000). Disposal of
Waste. In Iliyas, M., Malik, G.Q., Ansari,
M.A., Mubasher, M., & Khan, I. A.
(Editors). Community Medicine and Public
Health. (5th
ed). pp. 601–631. Karachi:

9. Time Traders.