A significant increase in Municipal solid waste generation is observed during the last two decades in India, this is due to rapid economic development and rapid urbanization. (Approximately around 1.5 Lac Metric tons of waste is generated daily). Solid Waste material is a potential source of air, water and land pollution thus degrading the environment we live in and creating problems for public health. The complexity of materials getting added up in terms of quantity, composition, and characteristics is creating a huge problem for disposing of solid waste. Thus in the entire cycle of generation, segregation, collection, transportation and disposal/treatment, the waste characterization and segregation plays a vital role and this is possible only at source generation itself ( households, institutions, commercial complexes, etc).
Some steps which may help in streamlining the solid waste disposal process.
1) AT SOURCE SEGREGATION: Until unless the waste segregation happens at the source generation itself (i.e., household level) any new study of disposal or adoption of existing scientific disposal methods or processes will not give required results and all setups for disposal of waste will eventually fail. People’s views and perspectives about waste segregation should change. As of now, the only segregation is done by rag pickers at bin points who collect saleable items.
2) AWARENESS AND RESPONSIBILITY: The fact that all kinds of waste (biodegradable waste, e-waste, toxic waste, plastics, all getting mixed) at each household before reaching the community bin which makes sorting difficult and unsafe. Awareness and education at the household level should be carried out by municipal personnel/volunteers about the importance of segregating household waste before dumping. This aspect of awareness to be highlighted in the form of environmental education to students in schools, colleges, and universities irrespective of the course, and motivating students to be an integral part of bringing change.
3) WASTE CHARACTERIZATION: Waste characterization will give a true picture of the different types of waste coming out of specific locations or zone, this can be used to develop or select suitable waste to energy solutions for that particular location. This will help in bringing long term benefits.
4) ENFORCEMENT: Government has to enforce a complete ban of using nonrecyclable polyethylene bags and other forms of plastic items like glasses, spoons, straws which are not only a problem in the form of solid waste but these plastic are making way to water bodies and creating different problems for aquatic life. All steps should be taken towards stopping the open dumping.
5) HEALTH: The community bins should be in the close vicinity for all people to be easily approachable and the removal of waste should be based on the load pattern of waste coming from that area. This will decrease the Stray animals (cows, pigs, dogs, rats, birds,) rummaging through the waste for food and consuming other toxic materials along with food. The dumping bins also act as a breeding ground for vectors and flies and aggravate in the spread of viral and bacterial diseases. This can act as a potential zoonotic disease waiting to happen
6) BIOMEDICAL: All biomedical waste whether from hospitals/diagnostic labs/households should be ensured that it is not mixed with other waste and should be reached directly to a common biomedical waste treatment facility
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