WASTE MANAGEMENT extra notes

1) What is known as waste?

Ans) Waste is a thing is not required by the producer, processor or
owner. It is generally discarded or thrown away by households,
industries, etc.

(i) Name three diseases which occur because of waste accumulation

on land.

Ans) Diarrhoea, cholera, viral hepatitis.

ii) Name two diseases spread by pet animals.

Ans) Dog: Rabies and hydrated diseases. Cat: Dermatophytosis,

anthrax.

iii) Name three water borne diseases

Ans) Two water borne diseases are jaundice and Hepatitis A,

cholera and typhoid fever, diarrhoea, dysentery, polio and
meningitis.

3) What are the types of waste?

Ans) Wastes are of three types: Solid, liquid, or gaseous.

3) i) What are the sources of waste?

Ans) Waste is generated from a number of sources. The major
sources of waste are domestic waste, industrial waste, agricultural
waste, biomedical waste, municipal waste etc.

4) What are the sources of agricultural wastes?

Ans) Fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides and other chemical
agents.
5) What is meant by domestic waste?
Ans) Wastes generated due to domestic activities are called
domestic wastes. Fruits and vegetable peels, paper, polythenes,
discarded clothes etc. are the sources of domestic waste.

6) Define gaseous waste.

Ans) It includes fuel exhausts containing carbon dioxide, nitrogen
oxides, carbon monoxide, etc., and smog which is formed as a hazy
mixture of gases when fuel exhaust reacts with sunlight.

7) What does industrial waste include?

Ans) Industrial wastes include any material that is rendered useless
during a manufacturing process for example, Metals, Chemicals,
Gases.

8) What is biomedical waste?

Ans) Biomedical waste generated from hospital activities, pathology,
laboratory and other associated areas, for eg., Blades, Needles,
syringes etc.

9) What form of waste is generated from the oil refineries?

Ans) Refineries produce oil sludge as waste by the processing of
crude oil. Petroleum is found in raw form while refining, it releases a
large amount of gaseous and liquid waste also.

10) What is hazardous waste? How is it generated?

Ans) Hazardous waste is waste material, often in chemical form that
comes from agriculture, radioactive sources, and industries can pose
a long-term risk to health and environment.

11) What is segregation?

Ans) Segregation is the initial stage of waste disposal. The waste can
be segregated according to their features like wet waste, dry waste,
metals, sharp edged waste like blades, knives, plastic glass, bottles,
etc.
12) What is open dumping of wastes?
Ans) Open dumping of wastes mean waste materials are dumped in
open low lands far away from the city. It is a common and cheapest
method of disposing waste on land.

13) How is solid waste disposed of in an incinerator?

Ans) Solid waste disposal is its reduction in weight and volume. In
the incinerator the waste is burned and it reduces by 90% in weight
and volume.

14) What do you understand by Sanitary landfill?

Ans) Sanitary landfill is a way of disposing refuse on land without
creating nuisances or hazards to public health or safety. The waste is
packed and dumped at the site and is covered with earth daily to
prevent insects or rodents from entering into the landfill.

15) What is composting?

Ans) Composting is a natural degradation process in which
biodegradable materials are decomposed by microbes and converted
into manure.

16) What do you mean by a scrubber?

Ans) Scrubbers are often used in waste disposal system. Scrubbers
along with condenses and traps are used to contain and collect
waste solvents, toxic vapours or dust.

17) What is recycling?

Ans) Recycling is the process of collecting, separating, processing,
and selling recyclable materials so they can be turned into new
products. Simply put, recycling is taking something old and worn- out
and turning it into something new.

18) What do you mean by reuse?

Ans) ‘Reuse’ of materials in their original form is practiced instead of
throwing them away, or passing those materials on to others who
could use them.

19: What is ‘Source reduction’?

Ans) “Source reduction” is reducing waste before purchasing or by
purchasing products which are not wasteful in their packaging or use.

20) State the main objective of the treatment of gaseous waste.

Ans) The objectives of the treatment of gaseous waste are to drain
the harmful particles and allow clean air to escape through
chimneys.

21) What is acid rain? Mention any four harmful effects of acid rain.

Ans) When pollutants like sulphuric acid and nitrogen oxides

(released by burning of fossil fuels and industrial emissions) present
in the air combine with droplets of water in the air and comes down
as rain, it is known as acid rain.
The following are the harmful effects of acid rain:
• Acid rain can affect the human nervous system by causing
neurological diseases.
• It may affect the lives of aquatic animals.
• Acid rain may lead to the corrosion of buildings, monuments,
bridges etc.
• It increases the acidity in the soil leading to its reduced fertility.

22) Name greenhouse gases.

Ans) Carbon dioxide and methane, nitrous oxide, water vapour and
CFCs are examples of greenhouse gases.

23) What is Greenhouse effect? How is it related to global warming?

Ans) The greenhouse effect is a natural process that warms the
Earth's surface. When the Sun's energy reaches the Earth's
atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to space and the rest is
absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases.
Global warming is associated with the greenhouse effect that is
produced when the Earth's surface and atmosphere absorb solar
energy and reradiates the energy back into space. A portion of the
absorbed energy is emitted by land and oceans, absorbed by the
Earth's atmosphere, and reradiated back to the Earth.

24) How is waste management related to global warming?

Ans) When organic waste decomposes, carbon dioxide and methane
gas is created. Methane is created when there is no air present while
carbon dioxide is the natural product when anything rots in air. Both
carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouse gases, which contribute
to global warming and climate change.

25) What is Ozone? Where is it found in our atmosphere?

Ans) Ozone is a molecule that contains three oxygen atoms. At any
given time, ozone molecules are constantly formed and destroyed in
the stratosphere.
Most atmospheric ozone is concentrated in a layer in the
stratosphere, about 9 to 18 miles (15 to 30 km) above the Earth's
surface.

26) What role does ozone layer play?

Ans) The ozone layer acts as a shield for life on Earth. Ozone is good
at trapping a type of radiation called ultraviolet radiation, or UV light,
which can penetrate organisms' protective layers, like skin, damaging
DNA molecules in plants and animals.

27) Why is there need for waste management?

Ans) Waste management involves the regular collection,
transportation as well as processing and disposal or recycling and
monitoring of different types of waste materials. These services
prevent the environment from being harmed.
Short Questions
1) What is pollution?
Ans) Pollution may be described as the unfavourable alteration of
our surroundings which occurs mainly because of human activities.
Pollution created by waste accumulation is mainly of three types –
air pollution, water pollution and soil pollution.
1) i) Name two common diseases caused as a result of gaseous
pollution.

Ans) Bronchitis/asthma and lung cancer.

2) What is municipal waste?

Ans) Municipal waste is the waste generated in a municipality or a
local government area. Such waste is produced by shops, offices,
restaurants, schools, hospitals; etc. and is collected from public
waste bins.

3) What is waste disposal?

Ans) Waste disposal is the management of waste to prevent harm to
the environment, injury or long -term progressive damage to health.
Disposal of waste is where the intention is to permanently store, the
waste for the duration of its biological and chemical activity, such
that it is rendered harmless.

4) What are some items at your home that can be recycled?

Ans) There are many items in your home that can often be recycled
in your community. These items include aluminium and steel cans,
newspapers, corrugated boxes, telephone books, plastic and glass
bottles, used motor oil, large appliances, rechargeable batteries,
automotive batteries and tires, clothing and yard and food waste.

5) What are the three R’s of waste management?

Ans) In the modem industrial world, the waste has become an
environmental and public health hazard. Waste can be effectively
managed by using the following three strategies:
(a) Reducing the waste (b) Reusing the waste and (c) Recycling the
waste.
6) Why are recycled plastic bags considered harmful for the
environment?
Ans) Plastics are recycled by plastic manufacturers. Plastic is non-
biodegradable. The bonds of carbon in plastic are impossible to
break down through a physical or chemical process. They have to be
incinerated, recycled or buried in landfills. The plastic bags which are
extensively used in India are made from recycled plastic. The
recycled plastic bags are harmful because the melting of plastic and
plastic products breaks some polymer chains into smaller units which
are harmful.

7) Is source reduction good for the environment?

Ans) Source reduction is definitely good for the environment. It is
actually a better alternative than recycling, incineration and land
filling. In the case of source reduction, if you don’t produce the waste
in the first place then there is nothing to recycle, incinerate or landfill
Source reduction means fewer resources are used in the production
of a product.

8) Explain the role of an individual in maintaining environmental

standards (Individual Initiative).
Ans) The role of every individual in environmental protection is of
great importance because if every individual contributes
substantially, the effect will be visible not only at the community, city
or national level but also at the global level. Each individual should
change his or her life style in such a way as to reduce environmental
pollution. It can be done by following ways:
(i) Use carry bags made of paper or cloth instead of polythene.
(ii) Use eco-friendly products.
(iii) Use CFC free refrigerators.
(iv) Use organic manure instead of commercial inorganic fertilizers.
(v) Plant more trees, as trees can absorb many toxic gases and can
purify the air by releasing oxygen.
9) Explain the role of government in waste management.
Ans) The government is hot just the protector of the country’s
environment but also has a major responsibility for sustaining
environmental conscience. The government’s environmental policy
focusses on the following areas:
(i) The check degradation of land and water through wasteland
management and restorations of river water quality programmes.
(ii) To monitor development through environmental impact
assessment studies of major project proposals; and
(iii) To make laws and acts for environment protection and to initiate
penal measures against those who violate these laws.

10) What happens to the garbage after it is put into a landfill?

Ans) After the garbage is buried in the landfill it will begin to
breakdown as aerobic and anaerobic micro-organisms decompose
the garbage. This activity causes methane gas to be created, which is
collected and burned off at one or more points on the landfill. Over
time most biodegradation slows down dramatically. This happens
because the anaerobic micro. organisms act much more slowly on
materials. If these same materials were exposed to oxygen, water
and sunlight the aerobic micro-organisms would decompose the
waste materials much faster.

11) How does composting work?

Ans) When grass, leaves, food waste, manure and woody material
are placed of the ground, micro-organisms from the ground begin to
eat the material. The breakdown of this material is quick with
assistance from air (oxygen), water, and sunlight. It will take several
months for the material to compost and that will also depend on
how often you turn the pile of material.

12) Explain why is it so important to recycle?

Ans) Recycling is important for several reasons:
(i) Recycling conserves natural resources. Some of these natural
resources such as oil, natural gas and minerals are non-renewable
resources. Simply put, they don’t get replaced as we pull them out of
the ground. Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.
(ii) Recycling conserves landfill space. Landfill space will last longer if
we only put items that are not recyclable into them. It costs a great
deal of money to build a landfill and we need to be careful how much
and how fast we fill them up.
(iii) Recycling employs people. Recycling employs people who (a)
collect the recyclable material, (b) process the material or get it
ready to sell to a manufacturer, (c) transport the materials to
factories where it will be turned into new products, (d) take the
material and manufacture it into new products, (e) manufacture
equipment and products used by the recycling industry, and (f)
manage local, state and federal government recycling programs and
private and non-profit recycling programs.
(iv) Recycling conserves energy. Without question, recycling
conserves the energy that would be necessary to create the same
product from its raw resource.
(v) Recycling reduces our dependence on overseas natural resources.
This is important in two very important ways, (a) it reduces our
dependence on overseas oil and gas which has national security
implications and (b) it reduces our foreign trade deficit which is
important to the strength of our economy.

13) What is made from recyclable materials?

Ans) (i) Aluminium cans are melted down and recycled into new
aluminium cans and other products made of aluminium.
(ii) Newspapers and telephone books are ground up and made into
newsprint, cereal boxes, cellulose insulation for keeping homes
warm, paper egg cartons, and ceiling tiles.
(iii) Glass bottles are crushed, melted and recycled into more glass
bottles, or used along with sand and gravel in asphalt roads.
(iv) Automobile scrap tires are generally chipped and burned as a
fuel in place of or in addition to coal. Scrap tires are also
manufactured into numerous rubber products including rubber mats
and rubber bumpers.
(v) Yard and food waste can be composted in your backyard. Since
the compost contains plenty of nitrogen and other organic nutrients,
it is great in gardens and flower beds.

Give Geographical Reasons for the following:

1) What are the reasons for spoilage of landscape?

Ans) Spoilage of landscape is due to improper disposal wastes,
especially solid waste, it may include heaps from paper mills, waste
from mines, fertilizer, etc. Even our household contributes to a lot of
solid wastes like paper, plastic, vegetable waste, etc.

2) Why is composting important?

Ans) Composting is important because it puts organic materials back
into the ground which is necessary for a naturally healthy lawn and
garden. In addition, composting is important because it’s a better
alternative than sending these natural organic materials to the
landfill.

3) Why do we have landfills and are they really necessary?

Ans) The garbage that is disposed of each day by municipalities,
governments, business and industries must be done so in an
environmentally safe way in order to protect human health and the
environment. Landfills are one way to dispose of our solid waste in a
safe way. We have landfills because not every item thrown out or
discarded can be recycling or reused.

4) Differentiate between - Biodegradable and Non-biodegradable

waste.
The biodegradable wastes break down and decompose by
microorganism like bacteria and fungi in the soil like wood, paper
etc. Non-biodegradable waste includes that material which does not
breakdown or decompose in the soil like plastic, polythene bags,
metals etc.
5) Mention any two initiatives to protect environment taken by-
(i) The Government - The government is not just the protector of
the country’s environment but also has a major responsibility for
sustaining environmental conscience. The Ministry of Environmental
and forests have implemented schemes and policies focuses on the
following areas:
(i) To check degradation of land and water through wasteland
management and restorations of river water quality programmes.
(ii) To monitor development through environmental impact
assessment studies of major project proposals; and
(iii) To make laws and acts for environment protection and to initiate
penal measures against those who violate these laws.

(ii) Individuals - The role of every individual in environmental

protection is of great importance because if every individual
contributes substantially, the effect will be visible not only at the
community, city or national level but also at the global level. Each
individual should change his or her life style in such a way as to
reduce environmental pollution. It can be done by following ways:
(i) Use carry bags made of paper or cloth instead of polythene.
(ii) Use eco-friendly products.
(iii) Use CFC free refrigerators.
(iv) Use organic manure instead of commercial inorganic fertilizers.
(v) Plant more trees, as trees can absorb many toxic gases and can
purify the air by releasing oxygen.

(iii) The Society – The social initiatives are- (i) It is every individual’s
duty to see that his or her actions do not pollute the environment.
(ii) the people of the area should organise themselves and force
responsible agencies to take necessary actions if air and water
resources in their area are unfit and do not meet acceptable
standards. (iii) In case the agency does not take suitable action, they
can file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to get their problems solved.
(iv) Group Housing Societies can initiate steps for waste management
by segregating, recycling, reducing and reusing waste thereby
making a huge difference in maintaining environmental standards.
(v) Adopt car pool method to minimise vehicular pollution and save
money. (vi) Create awareness and educate people about
conservation and management of natural resources like rain water
harvesting to conserve rain water, provide infrastructure for using
solar energy, make arrangements for collecting and segregating
wastes and composting bio-degradable waste, impose fines on
households which waste electricity and water.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------