What is solid waste management?
Solid waste management refers to collecting, treating and disposing of solid wastes. These solid wastes come from different sources. Solid waste can be domestic, agricultural or even industrial wastes. Additionally, solid waste management needs monitoring of the entire process from collection to disposal.
Solid waste can be recyclable also. Recycling at the sources reduces waste clearance costs. However, it is imperative to have a proper waste disposal process in place.
The Central Pollution Control Board shares that the total solid waste generated daily in India is approximately 160,000 MT. Out of which, about 50% of waste is treated, 18.4% goes to the landfill, and a huge 31.2% is unaccounted for.
What are industrial wastes?
Industrial wastes are byproducts of chemical plants, cement factories, power plants, textile, food processing, leather, plastic, iron & steel, fertiliser and petroleum industries. Each industry has different types of waste products.
They generate solid waste like coal ash, blast furnace slag, steel melting slag, red mud, tailings, press mud, lime, gypsum etc.
Industries have many solid waste byproducts as a result of the production process. These must be treated and handled as per the Pollution Control Board norms. The MEP design consultants for factories must ensure that they recommend the handling and treatment as per the guidelines of PCB. The treatment of industrial wastes results in the production of waste sludge, which, if untreated may cause ground and surface water pollution.
Typically for solid waste management, the MEP design consultants for industrial projects follow a two-tier approach, i.e.
- Prevention of pollution and
- Control of pollution.
Pollution prevention aims at minimising waste at the source, and on the other hand, control of pollution aims at the treatment and proper disposal of waste. Waste disposal depends on the type of waste, whether it is hazardous or non-hazardous. Some of the common modes of disposal are landfill, incineration and composting.
What are the side effects of poor waste management?
Poor waste management has many harmful effects. Some of them are:
- Health Impact: It affects the health of those handling solid waste. This impact also could be due to improper training or lack of education. Moreover, mixing medical and hazardous wastes exacerbates health issues.
- Environmental Impact: Improper disposal of solid waste could also pollute the groundwater. Waste in landfills may form harmful gases polluting the air. Sometimes, land wastes may also impact marine life.
To conclude MEP design consultants for factories must be update with the statutory compliance. The Government of India provides guidelines to Solid Waste Management, and are updated regularly.
