Table of contents |
|
Waste |
|
Need for Management of Wastes |
|
Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming |
|
Depletion of the Ozone Layer |
|
Acid Rain |
|
Waste refers to any material that is discarded because it is no longer useful. According to the Environment Protection Act of 1990, waste includes scrap materials, effluents, and unwanted surpluses that result from various processes. There are three main types of waste: solid, liquid, and gaseous.
Waste can also be classified into toxic and non-toxic categories:
Wastes are classified based on their origin into the following categories:
Domestic Wastes
Industrial Wastes
Agricultural waste refers to the waste produced by the agricultural sector, which is inclusive of agricultural activities such as planting, harvesting, and processing of agricultural products. Agricultural waste includes plant, animal, and agro-processing waste.
Agricultural waste is classified into the following:
1. Plant Remains or Crop Residues
Field Residues:
Process Residue:
2. Animal Wastes
Slurry:
Poultry Litters:
3. Processing Wastes
Agro-Based Industries:
Examples:
4. Fertilizer Components
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium:
5. Pesticides and Insecticides
Dangerous Chemicals:
Impact on Humans:
Municipal waste refers to the waste generated within a municipality or local area, typically from sources such as shops, offices, banks, hospitals, and schools. This type of waste can be categorized into several types, including sewage.
Sewage is a specific type of municipal waste that consists of liquid waste discharged from various facilities, including kitchens, bathrooms, lavatories, laundries, and laboratories. Sewage contains a mix of mineral and organic matter, wastewater, and human excreta. Due to the high levels of nitrogen and organic matter present in municipal sewage, untreated sewage can have a detrimental impact on the ecosystem.
Degradable and Non-Degradable Wastes
Biodegradable Pollutants:
Non-biodegradable Pollutants:
Biodegradable wastes can be further classified into two categories:
Biomedical wastes refer to the waste materials generated during the medical treatment, diagnosis, and immunization of humans and animals. This category also includes waste produced during research and experiments conducted in laboratories. Examples of biomedical wastes are needles, syringes, tissues, body parts, chemicals used in pathological tests, and polythene bags.
Nuclear waste consists of radioactive materials generated from nuclear reactors, nuclear power plants, trident submarines, and X-ray machines. Among all types of waste, nuclear waste is considered the most hazardous due to its emission of harmful radiation, which can lead to various diseases, including cancer and genetic disorders. For instance, medical X-rays account for about 18% of the artificial radiation used in radiotherapy for diagnostic purposes.
Waste on Lands
Wastes in Water
The Earth receives sunlight, which keeps it warm. However, the Earth does not absorb all the heat; it emits some of it back into space. This process helps maintain a uniform temperature on the Earth's surface. A greenhouse, where plants are grown, works on a similar principle. The glass building absorbs the Sun's heat but prevents it from escaping, thereby increasing the temperature inside. Similarly, greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, absorb the Sun's energy and do not reflect it back into space, leading to an increase in the Earth's temperature. Four gases are mainly responsible for creating the greenhouse effect on Earth : carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Many human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, have contributed to global warming.
Effects of Global Warming
The Earth's temperature is expected to rise by 2°C to 5°C in the next hundred years. This increase in temperature will lead to several significant impacts:
Acid rain occurs when pollutants like sulfuric acid and nitrogen oxides, released from the burning of fossil fuels and industrial activities, combine with water droplets in the air and fall as rain.
The effects of acid rain include:
Acid rain can lead to soil pollution, which negatively impacts the processes of mineralization and decomposition in the soil. This, in turn, reduces soil fertility and soil aeration. Therefore, it is crucial to prevent the accumulation of waste and minimize soil pollution to maintain healthy soil conditions.
Effective waste management is essential to protect our environment.
One of the simplest ways to manage waste is by following the 3-R system : reduction, reuse, and recycling.
33 videos|148 docs|19 tests
|
1. What is waste management and why is it important? | ![]() |
2. What are the main types of waste that need management? | ![]() |
3. How does waste contribute to the greenhouse effect and global warming? | ![]() |
4. What is the relationship between waste management and the depletion of the ozone layer? | ![]() |
5. What are the causes and effects of acid rain, and how does it relate to waste management? | ![]() |