Solid waste management includes all
activities that seek to minimize the health, environmental and aesthetic
impacts of solid wastes. Solid waste can be defined as material that no longer
has any value to the person who is responsible for it, and is not intended to
be discharged through a pipe. It does not normally include human excreta. It is generated by domestic, commercial, industrial, healthcare,
agricultural and mineral extraction activities and accumulates in streets and
public places. The words "garbage", "trash",
"refuse" and "rubbish" are used to refer to some forms of
solid waste.
Very large quantities are produced by
agriculture and mining, but these wastes will not be considered in this
introduction. Wastes from houses, streets, shops, offices, industries and
hospitals are usually the responsibility of municipal or other governmental
authorities
Many people feel that solid waste
management is a simple affair - simply putting waste into a vehicle and
unloading it at a dump. If this were true, then why do so many towns suffer
from uncollected refuse blocking streets and drains, harbouring flies and rats,
and degrading urban environments? Successful solid waste management is rarely
achieved without thought, effort and much learning from mistakes.
When most of us think of litter, we picture someone casually
dropping a candy wrapper while strolling down the street. According to experts,
there are seven major sources of litter: pedestrian, motorist, loading docks,
improper household containment, improper commercial containment, construction
and demolition sites, and uncovered trucks.
Risks and problems associated with solid
wastes If solid wastes are not managed properly, there are many negative
impacts that may result. The relative importance of each depends very much on local
conditions. Uncollected wastes often end up in drains, causing blockages which
result in flooding and insanitary conditions. Flies breed in some constituents
of solid wastes, and flies are very effective vectors that spread disease.
Mosquitoes breed in blocked drains and in rainwater that is retained in
discarded cans, tyres and other objects. Mosquitoes spread disease, including
malaria and dengue. Rats find shelter and food in waste dumps. Rats consume and
spoil food, spread disease, damage electrical cables and other materials and
inflict unpleasant bites. Waste that is treated or disposed of in
unsatisfactory ways can cause a severe aesthetic nuisance in terms of smell and
appearance. Liquids and fumes, escaping from deposits of chemical wastes.
