Waste management

Waste management or waste disposal includes the activities

and actions required to manage waste from its inception to
its final disposal.
Waste management includes the -
 Collection of waste
 Transport of waste
 Treatment of waste
 Disposal of waste
 Monitoring and regulation of the waste management
process.
 Waste-related laws, technologies, economic
mechanisms.
What are the different types of waste management?
There are eight major categories of waste management. The
categories include source
1. Reduction and reuse
2. Animal feeding
3. Composting
4. Biogas production
5. Fermentation (lagoon)
6. Landfills
7. Incineration
8. Land application.
Lagoon:
 An artificial pool for the treatment of effluent.
 Lagoons are earthen structures that function as digesters
where bacteria decompose organic matter.
Effluent:
Effluent is waste water that comes from farm or factories or
industries.
Sewage:
Sewage is a type of wastewater that is produced by a
community of people.
Types of lagoon
1. Anaerobic Lagoons
2. Aerobic lagoon
Anaerobic lagoons
An anaerobic lagoon or manure lagoon is a man-made
outdoor earthen basin filled with animal waste that
undergoes anaerobic respiration .
Aerobic lagoons
An aerated lagoon is a simple wastewater treatment system
consisting of a pond with artificial aeration to promote the
biological oxidation of wastewaters.
Landfill
A landfill site, also known as a tip, dump, rubbish dump,
garbage dump, or dumping ground, is a site for the disposal
of waste materials.
Spray field
 Spray Field means a specified area where properly treated
wastes, treated effluent from process, agricultural or
domestic wastewater, sewage sludge, industrial sludge or
other sources is applied to the land.
 The terms “application area,” “application site,” or “spray
disposal area” may also be used.
Use of animal wastes in fish pond
Tips for proper waste utilization:
 Pond preparation and scrapping off pond bottom.
 First application about 1-2 weeks before fish stocking.
 Manure application after sunrise.
 Maintaining regular routine of application.
Precautions for Use of animal wastes in fish pond
 Too much manure application in fish ponds can cause
dissolved oxygen depletion.
 When manure application is high , too much
decomposition occur thus the biological oxygen demand
is high. Then using up the available dissolved oxygen.
 Low dissolved oxygen may cause fish mortality.

Indicators of low dissolved oxygen

i. Plenty of fish are on the water surface
ii. Air or gas bubbles found in the water
iii. Pond water is brownish or greyish
iv. Pond water smells pungent
What to do when dissolved oxygen is low
 Stoppage of manure loading
 Adding fresh water
 Making provision for flow of water
 Use of mechanical aerators if available
 If the water is turbid because of suspended sedimentary
particles- then spread over the pond surface chopped rice
straw, allowing them to settle at the pond bottom.
Compost
Compost is a mixture that consists largely of decayed
organic matter and is used for fertilizing and
conditioning land.
Composting
Composting is the natural process of recycling organic
matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable
fertilizer.
Advantages or Benefits of Composting:
1. Reduces the Waste Stream
2. Cuts Methane Emissions From Landfills
3. Helps to maintain the natural quality of environment
4. Composting may be a less expensive waste reduction
process than alternative storage and treatment methods.
5. Compost stimulates beneficial organisms.
6. Compost provides a balanced source of plant nutrients.
7. Compost improves soil structure.
8. Improves Soil Health and Lessens Erosion
9. Conserves Water
10. Reduces Personal Food Waste
11. The heat generated by the composting process destroys
pathogenic organisms and weed seeds in the manure.
12. The volume and weight is less than raw manure, thus
requiring less cost to haul and spread the compost.
How Compost Happens or The composting process or
How to Compost or The Science Behind Composting:
1. Organic matter is transformed into compost through the
work of microorganisms, soil fauna, enzymes and fungi.
2. Organisms that decompose organic waste need four key
elements to thrive: nitrogen, carbon, air, and water.
3. Greens” for Nitrogen. High-nitrogen materials provide
the protein-rich components that microorganisms require
to grow and multiply. Freshly pulled weeds, fresh grass
clippings, over-ripe fruits and vegetables, kitchen scraps
and other moist green matter are the sorts of nitrogen-
rich materials. Too much nitrogen-rich material can end
up creating a slimy, wet, and smelly compost pile.
4. Browns” for Carbon. Carbon-rich materials are the energy
food for microorganisms. Identification of high-carbon plant
materials because they are dry, tough, or fibrous, and tan or
brown in color. Examples are dry leaves, straw, rotted hay,
sawdust, shredded paper, and cornstalks. If pile has too much
carbon-rich material, it will be drier and take longer to break
down.
5. The most efficient composting occurs with an optimal
carbon: nitrogen ratio of about 25:1.
6. Water. Moisture is very important for the composting
process. But too much moisture will drown the
microorganisms, and too little will dehydrate them. A general
rule of thumb is to keep the material in your compost pile as
moist as a well-wrung sponge.
7. Oxygen. To do their work most efficiently,
microorganisms require a lot of oxygen. When your pile is
first assembled, there will probably be plenty of air between
the layers of materials. But as the microorganisms begin to
work, they will start consuming oxygen. Unless you turn or
in some way aerate your compost pile, they will run out of
oxygen and become sluggish.
8. Temperature. Hot composting is achieved when the
balance of greens, browns, air, and water creates ideal
conditions for aerobic organisms to thrive. The optimal peak
temperature for aerobic composting is 130 to 140 degrees
Fahrenheit, which occurs when aerobic macro- and
microorganisms are breaking down waste and reproducing
at a fast rate. This high temperature also kills any lingering
bacteria or weed seeds.
9. Consistent Aeration. Aeration encourages an aerobic
environment, which helps to speed up the composting
process and reduce odors. It is recommended you turn your
pile around once a week during summer and at minimum
once every three to four weeks during winter.
10. Size. A 3-foot cube is the ideal size for a compost bin or
pile. Need a large volume of waste to be able to produce a
high enough temperature for aerobic organisms to thrive.
However, piles larger than 5 cubic feet are not likely to
allow enough air to reach the decomposers at the center;
they may also be harder to turn.
Chop up larger pieces of food or yard scraps before adding
to your bin or pile. The smaller the pieces, the quicker the
decomposition process will be. A good rule is not to include
anything thicker than a finger.
Phases of composting
Composting proceeds through three major phases:
1. Mesophilic phase: An initial, mesophilic phase, in
which the decomposition is carried out under moderate
temperatures by mesophilic microorganisms.
2. Thermophilic phase: As the temperature rises, a
second, thermophilic phase starts, in which the
decomposition is carried out by various thermophilic
bacteria under higher temperatures (122 to 140 °F).)
3. Maturation phase: As the supply of high-energy
compounds dwindles, the temperature starts to decrease,
and the mesophiles once again predominate in the
maturation phase.
Common Compost Ingredients
1. Brown:
Corn, paper, sawdust or wood shavings, straw, vegetable
stalks, dry leaves, etc
2. Green:
Coffee grounds, eggshells, fruit wastes, grass clippings,
feathers or hair, fresh leaves, seaweed, kitchen scraps, fresh
weeds, rotted manure. etc.
Microorganisms in composting:
There are many types of microorganisms found in active compost of
which the most common are:
 Bacteria- The most numerous of all the microorganisms found in
compost. Depending on the phase of composting, mesophilic or
thermophilic bacteria may predominate.
 Actinobacteria- Necessary for breaking down paper products such
as newspaper, bark, etc.
 Fungi- molds and yeast help break down materials that bacteria
cannot, especially lignin in woody material.
 Protozoa- Help consume bacteria, fungi and micro organic
particulates.
 Rotifers- Rotifers help control populations of bacteria and small
protozoans.
 In addition, earthworms not only ingest partly composted material,
but also continually re-create aeration and drainage tunnels as they
move through the compost.
Composting of dead carcass
During composting of dead carcass following steps are to be
followed
1. Deciding the methods of composting
2. Selection of an appropriate site
3. Selection and use of effective carbon sources
4. Preparing the carcass
5. Protecting the site from scavengers
6. Monitoring the process
7. Use of finished materials carefully