Solid Waste Management (22605)
1. What Is Waste Management?
Waste management is the collection, transportation and disposal of waste
materials.
2. What Are The Rules And Regulations Guiding Waste Management In India?
·
Municipal Solid Waste (Management and
Handling) Rules 2000: regulate the management and
handling of the municipal solid wastes and are applicable to every municipal
authority responsible for collection, segregation, storage, transportation,
processing and disposal of municipal solid wastes
·
BioMedical Waste (Management and
Handling) Rules, 1998: regulate the management and
handling of bio-medical waste and are applicable to all persons who generate,
collect, receive, store, transport, treat, dispose, or handle bio medical waste
in any form.
·
E-Waste (Management and Handling)
Rules, 2010 :regulate the management and
handling of electrical and electronic waste and is applicable to every
producer, consumer involved in manufacture, sale, purchase and processing of
these equipments or its components.
3. What Are The Common Methods Of Waste Disposal?
The commonly practiced technologies for SWM can be grouped under three
major categories, i.e., bio-processing, thermal processing and sanitary
landfill. The bio-processing method includes aerobic and anaerobic composting.
Thermal methods are incineration and pyrolysis. Sanitary landfill is generally
used to dispose off the final rejects coming out of the biological and thermal
waste processing units.
4. What Is Aerobic Composting?
Aerobic composting is the creation of fertilizing compost using bacteria
that thrive in an oxygen-rich environment. Aerobic composting is considered the
fastest method of composting, but involves more work interms of rotating the
organic material periodically.
5. What Is Anaerobic Composting?
Anaerobic composting is the creation of fertilising compost using
bacteria that cannot thrive in the presence of oxygen. Anaerobic composting is
known to work slowly, but also requires lesser work.
6. What Is Incineration?
Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion
of organic substances contained in waste materials. Incineration of waste
materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas, and heat. In some cases, the
heat generated by incineration can be used to generate electric power.
7. What Is A Sanitary Landfill?
A sanitary landfill is a low-lying area that is filled with waste
rejects. It has a liner at the bottom to prevent the groundwater from
contaminating with the mix of the liquid that oozes from the waste that is
buried called the leachate. Waste is buried in-between layers of soil and is
compacted nicely to make it a hard surface. When the landfill is completed, it
is capped with a layer of clay or a synthetic liner in order to prevent water
from entering. A final topsoil cover is placed, compacted and graded, and
various forms of vegetation may be planted in order to reclaim the otherwise
useless land.
8. How Do I Practice Waste Management At Home?
- Keep separate containers for dry and wet waste in the kitchen.
- Keep two bags for dry waste collection- paper and plastic, for the
rest of the household waste.
- Keep plastic from the kitchen clean and dry and drop into the dry
waste bin. Keep glass /plastic containers rinsed of food matter.
- Keep a paper bag for throwing sanitary waste.
9. What Are The First Few Steps To Initiate A Waste Management Programme
In Your Apartment Complex?
- Form a group with like-minded people.
- Explain waste segregation to your family / neighbours in your
apartment building.
- Get the staff in the apartment building to also understand its
importance.
- Get separate storage drums for storing dry and wet waste.
- Have the dry waste picked up by the dry waste collection centre or
your local scrap dealer.
10. What Are The Different Types Of Waste?
- Wet waste:Wet waste
consists of kitchen waste - including vegetable and fruit peels and
pieces, tea leaves, coffee grounds, eggshells, bones and entrails, fish
scales, as well as cooked food (both veg and non-veg).
- Dry Waste:Paper,
plastics, metal, glass, rubber, thermocol, styrofoam, fabric, leather,
rexine, wood – anything that can be kept for an extended period without
decomposing is classified as dry waste.
- Hazardous waste:Household
hazardous waste or HHW include three sub-categories – E-waste; toxic
substances such as paints, cleaning agents, solvents, insecticides and
their containers, other chemicals; and biomedical waste.
- E-waste:E-waste or electronic waste consists of
batteries, computer parts, wires, electrical equipment of any kind,
electrical and electronic toys, remotes, watches, cell phones, bulbs, tube
lights and CFLs.
- Biomedical waste:This includes
used menstrual cloth, sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, bandages and
any material that is contaminated with blood or other body fluids.
11. What Are Ways Of Storing The Waste At Homes?
- Dry waste:Store it in a bag in the utility area after
cleaning and drying till it is picked up. No food residue must be left in
the bottles and packets. Clean them as you would to reuse them. If clothes
are totally unusable, or very damaged, they are categorized as dry waste.
If clothes are soiled with body fluids, they become sanitary waste. If
they are soiled with paint, or any chemicals, they are HHW (household
hazardous waste).
- E-waste:Store them in separate container which is kept
closed, away from moisture and in which nothing else is put.
12. How Do I Dispose My Waste?
Compost your wet waste at home:Home
composting can easily be done in any aerated container. Get more details on
composting and begin composting today!
Compost your wet waste at the community level:If you live in a large apartment building, a community composting system
like tank composting could be set up for all the wet waste from the residents.
If not, the wet waste can be given out every day to your Municipality
collection system.
Biomedical waste has to be wrapped separately in a newspaper and handed
over to the municipality waste collection system. Expired medicines and
injections, used syringes also have to be disposed in the same manner.
Paint and other hazardous waste like cosmetics, mosquito repellents,
tube lights etc have to be stored separately and handed over to the Municipal
collection system.
13. How Can I Dispose Of My Old, Used Tires?
Waste tires must be dropped off at a solid waste facility permitted to
accept waste tires. There are many permitted facilities around the state where
waste tires are accepted for temporary storage and then transported to
processing or disposal facilities.
14. Is A Solid Waste Permit Required For The Disposal Or Management Of
Waste Tires?
A solid waste permit is required whenever tire wastes are stored,
buried, or partially buried.
15. My Business Generates Hazardous Waste. Do We Have To Notify Of
Hazardous Waste Generation?
A business must notify of hazardous waste generation if any of the
following apply:
- The business generates 220 pounds or more of hazardous waste in a
calendar month;
- The business generates 2.2 pounds or more of an "acute"
hazardous waste per calendar month;
- The business stores 2.2 pounds or more of an "acute"
hazardous waste at any one time; or
- The business stores 2,200 pounds or more of hazardous waste at any
one time
16. My Company Generates Hazardous Waste. Do We Have To Submit A
Biennial Hazardous Waste Report?
A business is required to complete and file a hazardous waste biennial
report if the site was a Large Quantity Generator during the past odd numbered
year (for example the years 2011 or 2013) and/or if the company was/is
permitted to treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste during the past odd
numbered year.
17. Can I Burn Used Oil In My Shop Stove?
Yes. As long as you burn used oil generated on-site or accepted from
homeowners; use a space heater manufactured for the burning of used oil; use a
space heater with a capacity of no more than 0.5 million Btu per hour; and vent
exhaust gases to the outdoors.
18. What Guidelines Have To Be Followed During Building Demolition Or
Renovation?
When you perform a building demolition or renovation job at any
institutional, commercial, public, or industrial building, you are subject to
notification requirements and emission control requirements. In addition,
inspections may be conducted. Residential buildings having four or fewer
dwelling units including houses, duplexes, barns, and other outbuildings, are
not required to meet these requirements.
19. What Are The Requirements For Removing Asbestos Floor Tile And
Asphalt Roofing Material?
There are a number of requirements that need to be followed. They
pertain to type and quantity of material and to the removal process.
20. Can I Dispose Of My Household Generated Medical Waste With My
Household Garbage?
Your household medical waste, generally consisting of syringes and
needles, can be disposed in your garbage. Prior to placement in the
garbage, it is highly recommended that the medical waste be rendered
noninfectious, placed in a rigid container, and labeled appropriately.
21. What Are The Common Recyclable Materials That I Can Recycle From My
Household Garbage? What Type Of Recycling Facilities Are Located In The Area I
Live In?
The common recyclable materials found in household garbage are: aluminum
cans, steel/tin cans, plastic, paper, magazines, newspapers, and cardboard