Solid Waste Management

Solid Waste Management Waste Characterization Waste Audit 4Rs (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) Collection and Disposal Incineration, Composting

Solid Waste shall refer to all discarded household, commercial waste, non-hazardous institutional and industrial waste, street sweepings, construction debris, agricultural waste, and other non-hazardous/non-toxic solid waste. ("Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.“)

Solid Waste Management shall refer to the discipline associated with the control of generation, storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing, and disposal of solid wastes in a manner that is in accord with the best principles of public health, economics, engineering, conservation, aesthetics, and other environmental considerations, and that is also responsive to public attitudes;

Waste Characterization Waste characterization means finding out how much paper, glass, food waste, etc. is discarded in your waste stream. Waste characterization information helps in planning how to reduce waste, set up recycling programs, and conserve money and resources. (http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/wastechar/)

A waste audit is a formal, structured process used to quantify the amount and types of waste being generated by an organisation. Information from audits will help identify current waste practices and how they can be improved. Being waste-wise can mean: a more efficient and effective organisation reduced waste management costs better use of limited natural resources. Waste Audit http://www.solidwastedistrict.com/projects/waste_audit.htm

Types of waste audit Audits can be done on any type of waste e.g. paper and office waste, municipal waste, commercial and industrial waste, construction and demolition waste etc. There are a number of different ways to conduct a waste audit, such as visual waste audits, waste characterisation, desktop audits and others. The type of audit you use depends on the type of waste, where it is and what you want to get out of the audit. http://www.solidwastedistrict.com/projects/waste_audit.htm

How do you do an audit? Organizations are encouraged to contact the EPA for more information on waste auditing. Audits can be done either in-house (using agency staff), contracted out or a combination of both. Before launching into an audit a number of issues need to be considered: http://www.solidwastedistrict.com/projects/waste_audit.htm

What are the objectives of the audit? The audit's objectives will largely determine the waste types and physical locations to be audited. Some examples of audit objectives could be: to determine composition and quantities of waste being generated to measure effectiveness of existing waste management systems to identify opportunities for improving waste management systems and strategies to collect baseline data for measuring the effectiveness of waste minimisation strategies. http://www.solidwastedistrict.com/projects/waste_audit.htm

Steps to do a waste audit Auditing waste is a relatively simple process but can be fiddly. The four basic steps to doing an audit are summarised here: 1. PLAN the audit carefully and define the study area Good planning is essential to ensuring the audit goes smoothly. You will need to get management support, define the objectives of the audit, organise people and deal with other issues raised as a result of the audit. This may take some time but the more effort you put in up front will pay dividends when the audit is under way. http://www.solidwastedistrict.com/projects/waste_audit.htm

Steps to do a waste audit 2. COLLECT the waste from the study area Cleaners or waste contractors can collect the waste for you. You will need to talk to building managers and cleaning supervisors to get their support. Cleaners must have clear instructions about the types of waste they are to collect and how to label the bags to identify the source of the waste (that is, where it came from, e.g. `Level 1 kitchen', `Level 2 offices' etc). A trial run before the start of the official collection period is a good idea. This way you can step cleaners through the collection process and iron out any problems. http://www.solidwastedistrict.com/projects/waste_audit.htm

Steps to do a waste audit 3. SORT the waste into different categories and record the data Sorting the waste is the interesting part. A basic layout for a sorting area is illustrated below. After the locations from which the bag of waste comes is recorded, the bag is weighed and emptied onto the table and sorted into material categories (e.g. glass, office plastics, metal etc.). Each category is then individually weighed and recorded. The table is cleaned and the sorted waste disposed of, and the process is repeated for the next bag and so on. http://www.solidwastedistrict.com/projects/waste_audit.htm

Steps to do a waste audit 4. ANALYSE the data and write up the results Once all the waste is sorted you will have a large number of data sheets showing the quantity of waste by material categories that was generated within each area sampled. This data is then entered into a database and analysed. Once analysed the results can be written up and recommendations made. http://www.solidwastedistrict.com/projects/waste_audit.htm

4Rs - Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Refuse: Do not buy or accept anything you do really need. Say ‘No’ to plastic bags: One of the biggest sources of pollution in Indian cities is the ubiquitous plastic bag. Refuse to accept one. Instead, carry a cloth shopping bag with you. Reduce the amount of garbage generated. Make sure that whatever is being thrown is being done so after it has been used and refused to the maximum extent possible. Consuming fewer resources and this process greatly reduces the garbage. http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/97558-The-R-s-waste-Management.aspx

4Rs - Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Reuse: Reuse everything to its maximum after properly cleaning it. Recycle: Keep things which can be recycled to be given to rag pickers or waste pickers. http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/97558-The-R-s-waste-Management.aspx

("Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.“) Collection Collection shall refer to the act of removing solid waste from the source or from a communal storage point ("Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.“)

Disposal Disposal shall refer to the discharge, deposit, dumping, spilling, leaking or placing of any solid waste into or in an land;

Incineration Waste destruction in a furnace by controlled burning at high temperatures. Incineration removes water from hazardous sludge, reduces its mass and/or volume, and converts it to a non-burnable ash that can be safely disposed of on land, in some waters, or in underground pits. However, it is a highly contentious method because incomplete incineration can produce carbon monoxide gas, gaseous dioxins, and/or other harmful substances. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/incineration.html#ixzz20wvy2Qv3

Waste incineration plant schematic (Image: LondonWaste)

Composting Composting shall refer to the controlled decomposition of organic matter by micro-organisms, mainly bacteria and fungi, into a humus-like product; ("Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.“)

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