WHAT IS WASTE?

Waste is a product or substance which is no longer suited for its intended use.
Whereas in natural ecosystems waste (i.e. oxygen, carbon dioxide and dead
organic matter) is used as food or a reactant, waste materials resulting from
human activities are often highly resilient and take a long time to decompose.

It is often also called trash, garbage, rubbish, or junk. It can be solid, liquid, or gas.

Waste (or wastes) are unwanted or unusable materials. Waste is any substance
which is discarded after primary use, or is worthless, defective and of no use.
 CONCEPT OF WASTE MANAGEMENT
Waste management is the collection, transport, processing,(waste treatment), recycling or
disposal of waste materials, usually ones produced by human activity, in an effort to reduce
their effect on human health or local aesthetics or amenity.

Waste management refers to the various schemes to manage and dispose of wastes. It can
be by discarding, destroying, processing, recycling, reusing, or controlling wastes. The prime
objective of waste management is to reduce the amount of unusable materials and to avert
potential health and environmental hazards.

The collected wastes are disposed of by various methods, e.g. by landfill compaction and
incineration. Solid wastes, most especially, are incinerated to reduce their volume by 80 to
95%, and to convert them into gas, steam, ash, and heat. However, air pollution is a concern
when disposing of wastes by means of incineration.

Thus, other means are encouraged, such as recycling, reprocessing, and re-use. Organic
wastes, especially those that are biodegradable, are allowed to be decomposed so that they
can be used as mulch or compost in agriculture and the methane gas from the biological
degradation be collected and used for generating electricity and heat. Liquid wastes, such as
wastewater, undergo treatment producing sewage sludge that can be disposed of by
incineration, composting, and landfill. Synonym: waste disposal.
CLASSIFICATION OF WASTE
• I. Reduce: Buy only what you need because a
better way to reduce waste is by not creating
it.
• II. Reuse: If you have to acquire goods, try
getting used ones or obtaining substitutes.
• III. Recycle: When discarding your waste, find
ways to recycle it instead of letting it go to
landfill.
 I. Reduce
• Reducing the amount you buy is the most significant of all the options to manage waste. The key is
to only purchase goods that we need and in the right amount

• Reducing the amount you buy can help reduce waste in surprising ways:
• Phone books: When was the last time you used a phone book? The white pages alone cost 5 million
trees a year. They generated 650,000 tons of waste in 2009 (EPA, 2010). You can opt out of phone
book delivery by registering your address at sites like www.yellowpagesoptout.com.
• Disposable razors: More than 2 billion disposable razors are disposed of each year in the U.S. alone
(EPA, n.d.).
• Disposable diapers: In 2010, 50,000 tons of wood pulp were used to produce disposable diapers,
and almost 4 million diapers were discarded in landfills (EPA, 2011). As listed in Table 1, it takes 450
years to decompose a disposable diaper.
• Cell phones: Despite great strides in manufacturing, a typical new cellphone consists of 40% metals
and 40% plastics, which use oil for their manufacturing, as well as other resources for packaging and
transportation. EPA estimates that more than 125 million cell phones are discarded each year,
generating more than 65,000 tons of waste (EPA, 2004). Because cell phones contain hazardous
materials, you should always trade in, donate, or recycle your old phones.
 Reduce: What Can We Do?
• Choosing items that you need, not want: People who keep upgrading their electronics (e.g.,
cellphones) to the latest design are very likely to waste their money and also unnecessarily waste
natural resources.

• Shopping for high-quality items: You may have to pay more, but high-quality items may last
longer, perform better, and give fewer problems than lower-quality items. Instead of disposable
items, opt for durable ones such as silverware, reusable cups, and reusable water bottles.

• Using minimum packaging: Packaging materials like plastic bags, boxes, packing peanuts, and
plastic wrappers often wind up in landfills. Bring your own shopping bags instead of using plastic
bags. If you don't have shopping bags, use paper bags instead of plastic because they decompose
faster. Many stores have reusable bags for sale at the register, and some stores even have used
plastic bags for consumers to use.

• Buying local products: Besides stimulating the local economy, buying local products means we can
reduce negative environmental impacts from transportation.
 II. Reuse
• The idea of being wasteful makes many people uncomfortable. Yet most of us continue to
waste because we can't think of anything better to do with last year's phone book, draperies
that are too short, or a closet door that was scratched by a favorite pet. We are conditioned
to think of things that are old, empty, worn, broken, ugly, or marred as useless, so we throw
them away without much thought about the consequences. Most Americans buy far more
than they can use effectively, as evidenced by bulging attics and garages.

• The process of reusing starts with the assumption that the used materials that flow through
our lives can be a resource rather than refuse. Waste, after all, is in the eye of the beholder.
One person's trash is another person's treasure. If we really look at things we are throwing
away, we can learn to see them as materials that can be reused to solve everyday problems
and satisfy everyday needs. Most of us, however, haven't even begun to exploit the
resources in our trash. Once you have made up your mind to use trash for positive uses, you
can begin to brainstorm and generate ideas. Reusing saves money, conserves resources, and
satisfies the human urge to be creative.
 Reuse: What Can We Do?
• The following are some examples of reuse.
• Containers can be reused at home or for school projects.
• Reuse wrapping paper, plastic bags, boxes, and lumber.
• Give outgrown clothing to friends or charity.
• Buy beverages in returnable containers.
• Donate broken appliances to charity or a local vocational school, which can use them for art classes or for
students to practice repairing.
• Offer furniture and household items that are no longer needed to people in need, friends, or charity.
• Sheets of paper that have been used on only one side can be used for note-taking or rough drafts.
• Old, outdated furniture can be reupholstered or slipcovered. Have padding added to the furniture to give it a
new look. Often the frame can be modified slightly to change the way it looks.
• Old towels and sheets can be cut in small pieces and used for dust cloths.
• Books and magazines can be donated to schools, public libraries, or nursing homes.
• Newspapers can be donated to pet stores.
• Packing materials, such as polystyrene, plastic quilting, and similar materials, can be saved and reused again for
packing.
• Carry a reusable tote bag or take bags to the store when you go shopping. There are attractive nylon mesh bags
available that can be stored easily in the glove compartment of your car. Durable canvas bags, which take very
little space to tuck away when not in use, can also be used.
• If you buy prepared microwaveable dinners, save the plates for outdoor parties or for children.
• Old tires can be used in the garden and in the play yard.
• Some of the strategies are very closely related in these "Three Rs" categories. For instance, we need to reduce
the use of plastic bags for grocery shopping, but we can use tote bags instead and reuse them while making sure
that they are clean.
 III. Recycle
• The main benefits of recycling are:

• Recycling generates industry: As New Mexicans recycle, there will be a growing supply of materials
generated. In order to utilize these recycled materials, manufacturing facilities will emerge to find
uses for them. As more recycling plants are built and more products are manufactured, we will gain
a greater understanding of the entire process.

• Recycling creates jobs: EPA estimates that recycling 10,000 tons of materials would create 36 jobs
compared to six for landfilling the same amount (EPA, 2002). Some communities have formed
working partnerships with workshops for the disabled, developed and administered job-training
partnerships, or otherwise found work for unemployed labor in recycling programs.

• Cost avoidance of recycling: For years, recycling has been hampered by the belief that it should
make money. That may be true for some recyclables, but not for others. Rather, recycling should
be thought of as a cost-effective disposal option. It usually requires fewer government subsidies
than landfilling or incineration. It saves natural resources and helps protect the environment.
Lower taxes, energy savings, and a cleaner environment are the real "bottom lines" in favor of
recycling.
 WASTE TYPES
Agricultural waste Green waste Mixed waste
Animal by-products Grey water Municipal solid waste
Biodegradable waste Hazardous waste Nuclear waste (see Radioactive waste)
Biomedical waste Household waste Organic waste
Household hazardous
Bulky waste waste Packaging waste
Business waste Human waste Post-consumer waste
Chemical waste Sewage sludge Radioactive waste
Clinical waste Industrial waste Low level waste
Coffee wastewater Slag High level waste
Commercial waste Fly ash Mixed waste (radioactive/hazardous)
Composite waste Sludge Spent nuclear fuel
Construction and demolition
waste (C&D waste) Inert waste Recyclable waste
Consumable waste Inorganic waste Residual waste
Controlled waste Kitchen waste Retail hazardous waste
Demolition waste Litter Sewage
Dog waste Liquid waste Sharps waste
Domestic waste Marine debris Ship disposal
Electronic waste (e-waste) Medical waste Slaughterhouse waste
Food waste Metabolic waste Special waste (see Hazardous waste)
Gaseous wastes Mineral waste
BIODEGRADABLE WASTE includes any organic matter in waste which can be broken down
into carbon dioxide, water, methane or simple organic molecules by micro-organisms and other
living things by composting, aerobic digestion, anaerobic digestion or similar processes.

BIOMEDICAL WASTE OR HOSPITAL WASTE is any kind of waste containing infectious (or potentially
infectious) materials. It may also include waste associated with the generation of biomedical waste
that visually appears to be of medical or laboratory origin (e.g. packaging, unused bandages,
infusion kits etc.), as well research laboratory waste containing bio molecules or organisms that are
mainly restricted from environmental release.

BULKY WASTE OR BULKY REFUSE is a technical term taken from waste management to
describe waste types that are too large to be accepted by the regular waste collection. Bulky waste
items include discarded furniture (couches, recliners, tables), large appliances
(refrigerators, ovens, TVs), and plumbing fixtures (bathtubs, toilets, sinks).

BUSINESS (OR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL) WASTE – cover the commercial waste and
industrial waste types. Generally, businesses are expected to make their own arrangements for the
collection, treatment and disposal of their wastes. Waste from smaller shops and trading estates
where local authority waste collection agreements are in place will generally be treated
as municipal waste. These wastes are also known as industrial wastes and are released in the
environment.

CHEMICAL WASTE is a waste that is made from harmful chemicals (mostly produced by large
factories)
COFFEE WASTEWATER, also known as coffee effluent, is a byproduct of coffee processing.The
unpicked fruit of the coffee tree, known as the coffee cherry, undergoes a long process to make it
ready for consumption. This process often entails use of large quantities of water and the
production of considerable amounts of solid and liquid waste. The type of waste is a result of the
type of process that the coffee cherries go through. The conversion of the cherry to oro or green
bean (the dried coffee bean which is ready to be exported) is achieved through either a dry, semi-
washed or fully washed process.

COMMERCIAL WASTE consists of waste from premises used mainly for the purposes of
a trade or business or for the purpose of sport, recreation, education or entertainment, but
excluding household, agricultural or industrial waste.

CONSTRUCTION WASTE OR DEBRIS is any kind of debris from the construction process.

CONTROLLED WASTE is waste that is subject to legislative control in either its handling or its
disposal.[1] As a legal term, Controlled waste applies exclusively to the UK but the concept is
enshrined in laws of many other countries. The types of waste covered includes domestic,
commercial and industrial waste.

DEMOLITION WASTE is waste debris from destruction of buildings, roads, bridges, or other
structures.

Municipal solid waste (MSW), commonly known as trash or garbage, is a waste type consisting of
everyday items that are discarded by the public. "Garbage" can also refer specifically to food waste,
as in a garbage disposal.
ELECTRONIC WASTE OR E-WASTE describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. Used electronics
which are destined for refurbishment, reuse, resale, salvage recycling through material recovery, or
disposal are also considered e-waste. Informal processing of e-waste in developing countries can lead to
adverse human health effects and environmental pollution.

FOOD LOSS AND WASTE is food that is not eaten. The causes of food waste or loss are numerous and
occur throughout the food system, during production, processing, distribution, retail and food service
sales, and consumption. Overall, about one-third of the world's food is thrown away.

GREEN WASTE, ALSO KNOWN AS "BIOLOGICAL WASTE", is any organic waste that can be composted. It is
most usually composed of refuse from gardens such as grass clippings or leaves, and domestic or
industrial kitchen wastes. Green waste does not include things such as dried leaves, pine straw, or hay.
Such materials are rich in carbon and considered "BROWN WASTES," while green wastes contain high in
concentrations of nitrogen. Green waste can be used to increase the efficiency of many composting
operations and can be added to soil to sustain local nutrient cycling.

GREYWATER OR GREY WATER, SULLAGE, ALSO SPELLED GRAY WATER refers to domestic
wastewater generated in households or office buildings from streams without fecal contamination, i.e., all
streams except for the wastewater from toilets. Sources of greywater
include sinks, showers, baths, washing machines or dishwashers. As greywater contains
fewer pathogens than domestic wastewater, it is generally safer to handle and easier to treat
and reuse onsite for toilet flushing, landscape or crop irrigation, and other non-potable uses.

HAZARDOUS WASTE is waste that has substantial or potential threats to public health or
the environment.
Characteristically, hazardous wastes are materials that are known or tested to exhibit one or more of
the following hazardous traits: Ignitability, Reactivity, Corrosive, Toxicity.

Household hazardous waste HHW products exhibit many of the same dangerous characteristics as
fully regulated hazardous waste which are their potential for reactivity,
ignitability, corrosivity, toxicity, or persistence. Examples include drain cleaners, oil paint, motor
oil, antifreeze, fuel, poisons, pesticides, herbicides and rodenticides, fluorescent lamps, lamp ballasts
containing PCBs, some smoke detectors, and in some states, consumer electronics (such as
televisions, computers, and cell phones).

HUMAN WASTE (OR HUMAN EXCRETA) refers to the waste products of the human digestive
system, menses, and human metabolism including urine and faeces. As part of a sanitation system
that is in place, human waste is collected, transported, treated and disposed of or reused by one
method or another, depending on the type of toilet being used, ability by the users to pay for services
and other factors

SEWAGE SLUDGE is the residual, semi-solid material that is produced as a by-product during sewage
treatment of industrial or municipal wastewater.

INDUSTRIAL WASTE is the waste produced by industrial activity which includes any material that is
rendered useless during a manufacturing process such as that of factories, mills, and mining
operations. Types of industrial waste include dirt and gravel, masonry and concrete, scrap metal, oil,
solvents, chemicals, scrap lumber, even vegetable matter from restaurants. Industrial waste may be
solid, semi-solid or liquid in form.
Slag is a by-product of smelting (hydrometallurgical) ores and used metals. Broadly, it can be classified
as ferrous (by-products of processing iron and steel), ferroalloy (by-product of ferroalloy production)
or non-ferrous/base metals (by-products of recovering non-ferrous materials like copper, nickel, zinc
and phosphorus).

Fly ash, flue ash, coal ash, or pulverised fuel ash (in the UK) – plural tantum: coal combustion
residuals (CCRs) – is a coal combustion product that is composed of the particulates (fine particles of
burned fuel) that are driven out of coal-fired boilers together with the flue gases. Ash that falls to the
bottom of the boiler's combustion chamber (commonly called a firebox) is called bottom ash.

Sludge is a semi-solid slurry that can be produced from a range of industrial processes, from water
treatment, wastewater treatment or on-site sanitation systems. For example, it can be produced as a
settled suspension obtained from conventional drinking water treatment,as sewage sludge from
wastewater treatment processes.

Inert waste is waste which is neither chemically nor biologically reactive and will not decompose or only
very slowly. Examples of this are sand and concrete. This has particular relevance to landfills as inert
waste typically requires lower disposal fees than biodegradable waste or hazardous waste.

Inorganic waste is a type of waste that does not contain organic compounds. This waste is generally
very difficult to decompose by microorganisms. Glass, aluminium cans, dust, and metal are some
examples of inorganic waste. Inorganic waste remains free from decay, with more than 500 years
needed being common for effective decomposition, therefore disposal can be challenging. Reducing
consumption, reusing, and recycling are possible solutions for coping with this type of waste
Food loss and waste is food that is not eaten. The causes of food waste or loss are numerous and
occur throughout the food system, during production, processing, distribution, retail and food
service sales, and consumption. Overall, about one-third of the world's food is thrown away.

Litter consists of waste products that have been discarded incorrectly, without consent, at an
unsuitable location. Litter can also be used as a verb; to litter means to drop and leave objects,
often man-made, such as aluminum cans, paper cups, food wrappers, cardboard boxes or plastic
bottles on the ground, and leave them there indefinitely or for other people to dispose of as
opposed to disposing of them correctly.

Marine debris, also known as marine litter, is human-created waste that has deliberately or
accidentally been released in a sea or ocean. Floating oceanic debris tends to accumulate at the
center of gyres and on coastlines, frequently washing aground, when it is known as beach litter or
tidewrack.

Metabolic wastes or excrements are substances left over from metabolic processes (such as cellular
respiration) which cannot be used by the organism (they are surplus or toxic), and must therefore
be excreted. This includes nitrogen compounds, water, CO2, phosphates, sulphates,
etc. Animals treat these compounds as excretes. Plants have chemical "machinery" which
transforms some of them (primarily the nitrogen compounds) into useful substances.
Radioactive waste is a type of hazardous waste that contains radioactive material. Radioactive
waste is a result of many activities, including nuclear medicine, nuclear research, nuclear
power generation, rare-earth mining, and nuclear weapons reprocessing.The storage and disposal
of radioactive waste is regulated by government agencies in order to protect human health and the
environment.

Biodegradable waste includes any organic matter in waste which can be broken down into carbon
dioxide, water, methane or simple organic molecules by micro-organisms and other living things
by composting, aerobic digestion, anaerobic digestion or similar processes.

Packaging waste, the part of the waste that consists of packaging and packaging material, is a major
part of the total global waste.

Post-consumer waste is a waste type produced by the end consumer of a material stream; that is,
where the waste-producing use did not involve the production of another product.

Radioactive waste is a type of hazardous waste that contains radioactive material. Radioactive
waste is a result of many activities, including nuclear medicine, nuclear research, nuclear
power generation, rare-earth mining, and nuclear weapons reprocessing.
SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, occasionally called used nuclear fuel, is nuclear fuel that has been irradiated
in a nuclear reactor (usually at a nuclear power plant).

SHIP DISPOSAL A number of different methods exist for disposing of a ship after it has reached the
end of its effective or economic service life with an organisation.

ANIMAL PRODUCT is any material derived from the body of an animal. Examples are fat, flesh,
blood, milk, eggs, and lesser known products, such as is in glass and rennet.

METABOLIC WASTES OR EXCREMENTS are substances left over from metabolic processes (such
as cellular respiration) which cannot be used by the organism (they are surplus or toxic), and must
therefore be excreted. This includes nitrogen compounds, water, CO2, phosphates, sulphates,
etc. Animals treat these compounds as excretes.

Post-consumer waste is a waste type produced by the end consumer of a material stream; that is,
where the waste-producing use did not involve the production of another product.
The terms of pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled materials are not defined in
the ISO standard number 14021 (1999) but pre-consumer and post-consumer materials are. These
definitions are the most widely recognized and verified definitions as used by manufacturers and
procurement officers worldwide.
 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid waste refers here to all non-liquid wastes. In general this does not
include excreta, although sometimes nappies and the faeces of young children
may be mixed with solid waste. Solid waste can create significant health
problems and a very unpleasant living environment if not disposed of safely
and appropriately. If not correctly disposed of, waste may provide breeding
sites for insect-vectors, pests, snakes and vermin (rats) that increase the
likelihood of disease transmission. It may also pollute water sources and the
environment.
ASSOCIATED RISK WITH SOLID WASTE
1. DISEASE TRANSMISSION
2. POLLUTION
3. EFFECT ON MORALE
 ASSOCIATED RISK WITH SOLID WASTE
1. DISEASE TRANSMISSION

• Decomposing organic waste attracts animals, vermin and flies. Flies may play
a major role in the transmission of faecal-oral diseases, particularly where
domestic waste contains faeces (often those of children). Rodents may
increase the transmission of diseases such as leptospirosis and salmonella,
and attract snakes to waste heaps.

• Solid waste may also provide breeding sites for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes of
the Aedes genus lay eggs in water stored in discarded items such as tins and
drums; these are responsible for the spread of dengue and yellow fevers.
Such conditions may also attract mosquitoes of the Anopheles genus, which
transmit malaria. Mosquitoes of the Culex genus breed in stagnant water
with high organic content and transmit microfilariases (Médecins Sans
Frontières, 1994), appropriate conditions are likely to arise where leachate
from waste enters pooling water.
•
ASSOCIATED RISK WITH SOLID WASTE
2. POLLUTION
Poor management of the collection and disposal of solid waste may lead
to leachate pollution of surface water or groundwater. This may cause
significant problems if the waste contains toxic substances, or if nearby
water sources are used for water supplies.
Where large quantities of dry waste are stored in hot climates this may
create a fire hazard. Related hazards include smoke pollution and fire
threat to buildings and people.
ASSOCIATED RISK WITH SOLID WASTE
3. EFFECT ON MORALE

The effect of living in an unhygienic and untidy environment

may lead people to become demoralised and less motivated
to improve conditions around them. Waste attracts more
waste and leads to less hygienic behaviour in general.
 SOURCES AND TYPES OF SOLID WASTE

• Sources of solid waste

• In most situations the main sources of solid waste are:

1. Medical centres
2. Food stores
3. Feeding centres
4. Food distribution points
5. Slaughter areas
6. Warehouses
7. Agency premises
8. Markets
9. Domestic areas
 TYPE AND QUANTITY OF WASTE

• The type and quantity of waste generated in situations varies and the main factors
affecting these are:

• The Geographical Region (Developed Or Less-developed Country Or Region);

• Socio-cultural Practices And Material Levels Among Affected Population;
• Seasonal Variations (Affecting Types Of Food Available);
• The Stage Of Emergency (Volume And Composition Of Waste May Change Over Time);
• The Packaging Of Food Rations.

• In general, the volume of waste generated is likely to be small and largely degradable
where the population is of rural origin and the food rations supplied are unpackaged
dry foodstuffs. Displaced urban populations are more likely to generate larger volumes
of non-degradable waste, especially where packaged food rations are provided.

•
Different categories of solid waste include:

1. Organic waste: Waste from preparation of food, market places, etc.

2. Combustibles: Paper, wood, dried leaves, packaging for relief items, etc. (high
organic and low moisture content)
3. Non-combustibles: Metal, tin cans, bottles, stones, etc.
4. Ashes/dust: Residue from fires used for cooking.
5. Bulky waste: Tree branches, tyres, etc.
6. Dead animals: Carcasses of domestic animals and livestock Hazardous waste:
Oil, battery acid, medical waste Construction waste: Roofing,
rubble, broken concrete, etc.
STEPS FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
Identify the types of waste

Identify the sources of waste

Determine the potential health hazards from waste

Determine the volume of waste generated

Identify safe collection method/s

Identify safe transportation method/s

Identify safe disposal method/s

KEY COMPONENTS OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Solid waste management can be divided into five key

components:

1. Generation
2. Storage
3. Collection
4. Transportation
5. Disposal
1. GENERATION

Generation of solid waste is the stage at which materials become valueless to

the owner and since they have no use for them and require them no longer,
they wish to get rid of them. Items which may be valueless to one individual
may not necessarily be valueless to another. For example, waste items such
as tins and cans may be highly sought after by young children.
2. Storage
Storage is a system for keeping materials after they have been discarded and
prior to collection and final disposal. Where on-site disposal systems are
implemented, such as where people discard items directly into family pits,
storage may not be necessary. In emergency situations, especially in the
early stages, it is likely that the affected population will discard domestic
waste in poorly defined heaps close to dwelling areas. If this is the case,
improved disposal or storage facilities should be provided fairly quickly and
these should be located where people are able to use them easily. Improved
storage facilities include:
• Small containers: household containers, plastic bins, etc.
• Large containers: communal bins, oil drums, etc.
• Shallow pits
• Communal depots: walled or fenced-in areas
• In determining the size, quantity and distribution of storage facilities the
number of users, type of waste and maximum walking distance must be
considered. The frequency of emptying must also be determined, and it
should be ensured that all facilities are reasonably safe from theft or
vandalism.
 3. Collection
Collection simply refers to how waste is collected for transportation to the
final disposal site. Any collection system should be carefully planned to
ensure that storage facilities do not become overloaded. Collection
intervals and volumes of collected waste must be estimated carefully.

4. Transportation
This is the stage when solid waste is transported to the final disposal site
There are various modes of transport which may be adopted and the
chosen method depends upon local availability and the volume of waste to
be transported. Types of transportation can be divided into three
categories
1. Human-powered: open hand-cart, hand-cart with bins, wheelbarrow,
tricycle
2. Animal-powered: donkey / bullock cart-drawn cart
3. Motorized: tractor and trailer, standard truck, tipper-truck
 5. Disposal
The final stage of solid waste management is safe disposal where
associated risks are minimised. There are four main methods for the
disposal of solid waste:

1. Land application: burial or landfilling

2. Composting
3. Burning or incineration
4. Recycling (resource recovery)
 ON-SITE DISPOSAL OPTIONS
• COMMUNAL PIT DISPOSAL
• Perhaps the simplest solid waste management system is where consumers
dispose of waste directly into a communal pit. The size of this pit will
depend on the number of people it serves. The long-term recommended
objective is six cubic metres per fifty people. The pit should be fenced off to
prevent small children falling in and should generally not be more than
100m from the dwellings to be served. Ideally, waste should be covered at
least weekly with a thin layer of soil to minimise flies and other pests.

• Advantages: It is rapid to implement; and requires little operation and

maintenance.

• Constraints: The distance to communal pit may cause indiscriminate

disposal; and waste workers required to manage pits
• FAMILY PIT DISPOSAL

• Family pits may provide a better long-term option where there is

adequate space. These should be fairly shallow (up to 1m deep) and
families should be encouraged to regularly cover waste with soil from
sweeping or ash from fires used for cooking. This method is best suited
where families have large plots and where organic food wastes are the
main compo- nent of domestic refuse.
• Advantages: Families are responsible for managing their own waste; no
external waste workers are required; and community mobilisation can be
incorporated into hygiene promo- tion programme.
• Constraints: Involves considerable community mobilisation for
construction, operation and
• maintenance of pits; and considerable space is needed.
• Communal bins
• Communal bins or containers are designed to collect waste where
it will not be dispersed by wind or animals, and where it can easily
be removed for transportation and disposal. Plastic containers are
generally inappropriate since these may be blown over by the
wind, can easily be removed and may be desirable for alternative
uses. A popular solution is to provide oil drums cut in half. The
bases of these should be perforated to allow liquid to pass out and
to prevent their use for other purposes. A lid and handles can be
provided if necessary.
 TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
• Where bins or collection containers require emptying, transportation to
the final disposal point is required. As described, waste transportation
methods may be human-powered, animal-powered or motorised.
Agricultural wastewater treatment is a farm management agenda for controlling
pollution from confined animal operations and from surface runoff that may be
contaminated by chemicals in fertilizer, pesticides, animal slurry, crop
residues or irrigation water.
• Agricultural waste is waste produced as a
result of various agricultural operations. It
includes manure and other wastes from
farms, poultry houses and slaughterhouses;
harvest waste; fertilizer run- off from fields;
pesticides that enter into water, air or soils;
and salt and silt drained from fields
• Reusing is the act of taking old items that you
might consider throwing away and finding a
new use for them. Get the most mileage out
of the materials you encounter. Jars from
grocery store foods can be used to store
leftovers or to take lunch to work.