Waste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal, managing and monitoring of waste materials.

The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics. Waste management is a distinct practice from resource recovery, which focuses on delaying the rate of consumption of natural resources. All wastes materials, whether they are solid, liquid, gaseous or radioactive fall within the remit of waste management Waste management practices can differ for developed and developing nations, for urban and rural areas, and for residential and industrial producers. Management of non-hazardous waste residential and institutional waste in metropolitan areas is usually the responsibility of local government authorities, while management for non-hazardous commercial and industrial waste is usually the responsibility of the generator subject to local, national or international controls.

Methods of disposal
Landfill
Landfill

Landfill operation in Hawaii.

A landfill compaction vehicle in action.

Spittelau incineration plant in Vienna

Disposal of waste in a landfill involves burying the waste, and this remains a common practice in most countries. Landfills were often established in abandoned or unused quarries, mining voids or borrow pits. A properly designed and well-managed landfill can be a hygienic and relatively inexpensive method of disposing of waste materials. Older, poorly designed or poorly managed landfills can create a number of adverse environmental impacts such as wind-blown litter, attraction of vermin, and generation of liquid leachate. Another common product of landfills is gas (mostly composed of methane and carbon dioxide), which is produced as organic waste breaks down anaerobically. This gas can create odor problems, kill surface vegetation, and is a greenhouse gas. Design characteristics of a modern landfill include methods to contain leachate such as clay or plastic lining material. Deposited waste is normally compacted to increase its density and stability, and covered to prevent attracting vermin (such as mice or rats). Many landfills also have landfill gas extraction systems installed to extract the landfill gas. Gas is pumped out of the landfill using perforated pipes and flared off or burnt in a gas engine to generate electricity. [edit]

Incineration
Main article: Incineration Incineration is a disposal method in which solid organic wastes are subjected to combustion so as to convert them into residue and gaseous products. This method is useful for disposal of residue of both solid waste management and solid residue from waste water management.This process reduces the volumes of solid waste to 20 to 30 percent of the original volume. Incineration and other high temperature waste treatment systems are sometimes described as

"thermal treatment". Incinerators convert waste materials into heat, gas, steam and ash. Incineration is carried out both on a small scale by individuals and on a large scale by industry. It is used to dispose of solid, liquid and gaseous waste. It is recognized as a practical method of disposing of certain hazardous waste materials (such as biological medical waste). Incineration is a controversial method of waste disposal, due to issues such as emission of gaseous pollutants. Incineration is common in countries such as Japan where land is more scarce , as these facilities generally do not require as much area as landfills. Waste-to-energy (WtE) or energy-from-waste (EfW) are broad terms for facilities that burn waste in a furnace or boiler to generate heat, steam or electricity. Combustion in an incinerator is not always perfect and there have been concerns about pollutants in gaseous emissions from incinerator stacks. Particular concern has focused on some very persistent organics such as dioxins, furans, PAHs which may be created which may have serious environmental consequences. [edit]

Recycling
Main article: Recycling

Steel crushed and baled for recycling

Recycling is a resource recovery practice that refers to the collection and reuse of waste materials such as empty beverage containers. The materials from which the items are made can be reprocessed into new products. Material for recycling may be collected separately from general waste using dedicated bins and collection vehicles are sorted directly from mixed waste streams and are known as kerb-side recycling, it requires the owner of the waste to separate it into various different bins (typically wheelie bins) prior to its collection. The most common consumer products recycled include aluminum such as beverage cans, copper such as wire, steel food and aerosol cans, old steel furnishings or equipment, polyethylene and PET bottles, glass

bottles and jars, paperboard cartons, newspapers, magazines and light paper, and corrugated fiberboard boxes. PVC, LDPE, PP, and PS (see resin identification code) are also recyclable. These items are usually composed of a single type of material, making them relatively easy to recycle into new products. The recycling of complex products (such as computers and electronic equipment) is more difficult, due to the additional dismantling and separation required. The type of material accepted for recycling varies by city and country. Each city and country have different recycling programs in place that can handle the various types of recyclable materials. However, certain variation in acceptance is reflected in the resale value of the material once it is reprocessed. [edit]

Sustainability
The management of waste is a key component in a business' ability to maintaining ISO14001 accreditation. Companies are encouraged to improve their environmental efficiencies each year by eliminating waste through resource recovery practices, which are sustainability-related activities. One way to do this is by shifting away from waste management to resource recovery practices like recycling materials such as glass, food scraps, paper and cardboard, plastic bottles and metal.

Biological reprocessing
Main articles: Composting, Home composting, anaerobic digestion, and Microbial fuel cell

An active compost heap.

Recoverable materials that are organic in nature, such as plant material, food scraps, and paper products, can be recovered through composting and digestion processes to decompose the organic matter. The

resulting organic material is then recycled as mulch or compost for agricultural or landscaping purposes. In addition, waste gas from the process (such as methane) can be captured and used for generating electricity and heat (CHP/cogeneration) maximizing efficiencies. The intention of biological processing in waste management is to control and accelerate the natural process of decomposition of organic matter. (See resource recovery).

Energy recovery
Waste-to-energy

Anaerobic digestion component of Lbeck mechanical biological treatment plant in Germany, 2007

The energy content of waste products can be harnessed directly by using them as a direct combustion fuel, or indirectly by processing them into another type of fuel. Thermal treatment ranges from using waste as a fuel source for cooking or heating and the use of the gas fuel (see above), to fuel for boilers to generate steam and electricity in a turbine. Pyrolysis and gasification are two related forms of thermal treatment where waste materials are heated to high temperatures with limited oxygen availability. The process usually occurs in a sealed vessel under high pressure. Pyrolysis of solid waste converts the material into solid, liquid and gas products. The liquid and gas can be burnt to produce energy or refined into other chemical products (chemical refinery). The solid residue (char) can be further refined into products such as activated carbon. Gasification and advanced Plasma arc gasification are used to convert organic materials directly into a synthetic gas (syngas) composed of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The gas is then burnt to produce electricity and steam. An alternative to pyrolisis is high temperature and pressure supercritical water decomposition (hydrothermal monophasic oxidation).

Resource recovery
Resource recovery (as opposed to waste management) uses LCA (life cycle analysis) attempts to offer alternatives to waste management. For mixed MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) a number of broad studies have indicated that administration, source separation and collection followed

by reuse and recycling of the non-organic fraction and energy and compost/fertilizer production of the organic material via anaerobic digestion to be the favored path.

Avoidance and reduction methods

Waste minimization An important method of waste management is the prevention of waste material being created, also known as waste reduction. Methods of avoidance include reuse of second-hand products, repairing broken items instead of buying new, designing products to be refillable or reusable (such as cotton instead of plastic shopping bags), encouraging consumers to avoid using disposable products (such as disposable cutlery), removing any food/liquid remains from cans, packaging, ...[1] and designing products that use less material to achieve the same purpose (for example, light weighting of beverage cans).[2]

Waste handling and transport

Waste collection vehicle, Dustbin, and Waste sorting

Molded plastic, wheeled waste bin in Berkshire, England

Waste collection methods vary widely among different countries and regions. Domestic waste collection services are often provided by local government authorities, or by private companies in the industry. Some areas, especially those in less developed countries, do not have a formal waste-collection system. Examples of waste handling systems include: In Europe and a few other places around the world, a few communities use a proprietary collection system known as Envac, which conveys refuse via underground conduits using a vacuum system. Other vacuum-based solutions include the MetroTaifun single-line and ring-line systems. In Canadian urban centers curbside collection is the most common method of disposal, whereby the city collects waste and/or recyclables and/or organics on a scheduled basis. In rural areas people often dispose of their waste by hauling it to a transfer station. Waste collected is then transported to a regional landfill.

 In Taipei, the city government charges its households and industries for the volume of rubbish they produce. Waste will only be collected by the city council if waste is disposed in government issued rubbish bags. This policy has successfully reduced the amount of waste the city produces and increased the recycling rate. In Israel, the Arrow Ecology Company has developed the ArrowBio system, which takes trash directly from collection trucks and separates organic and inorganic materials through gravitational settling, screening, and hydro-mechanical shredding. The system is capable of sorting huge volumes of solid waste, salvaging recyclables, and turning the rest into biogas and rich agricultural compost. The system is used in California, Australia, Greece, Mexico, the United Kingdom and in Israel. For example, an Arrow Bio plant that has been operational at the Hiriya landfill site since December 2003 serves the Tel Aviv area, and processes up to 150 tons of garbage a day.[3] While waste transport within a given country falls under national regulations, trans-boundary movement of waste is often subject to international treaties. A major concern to many countries in the world has been hazardous waste. The Basel Convention, ratified by 172 countries, deprecates movement of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries. The provisions of the Basel convention have been integrated into the EU waste shipment regulation. Nuclear waste, although considered hazardous, does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Basel Convention.

Technologies
Traditionally the waste management industry has been slow to adopt new technologies such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags, GPS and integrated software packages which enable better quality data to be collected without the use of estimation or manual data entry. Technologies like RFID tags are now being used to collect data on presentation rates for curbside pick-ups. Benefits of GPS tracking is particularly evident when considering the efficiency of ad hoc pick-ups (like skip bins or dumpsters) where the collection is done on a consumer request basis. Integrated software packages are useful in aggregating this data for use in optimization of operations for waste collection operations. Rear vision cameras are commonly used for OH&S reasons and video recording devices are becoming more widely used, particularly concerning residential services. [edit]

Waste management concepts

Diagram of the waste hierarchy.

There are a number of concepts about waste management which vary in their usage between countries or regions. Some of the most general, widely used concepts include: Waste hierarchy - The waste hierarchy refers to the "3 Rs" reduce, reuse and recycle, which classify waste management strategies according to their desirability in terms of waste minimization. The waste hierarchy remains the cornerstone of most waste minimization strategies. The aim of the waste hierarchy is to extract the maximum practical benefits from products and to generate the minimum amount of waste see: resource recovery. Polluter pays principle - the Polluter Pays Principle is a principle where the polluting party pays for the impact caused to the environment. With respect to waste management, this generally refers to the requirement for a waste generator to pay for appropriate disposal of the unrecoverable material.

Sources of waste:

Source
Residential

Typical waste generators

Types of solid wastes

Single and multifamily dwellings Food wastes, paper, cardboard, plastics, textiles, leather, yard wastes, wood, glass, metals, ashes, special wastes (e.g., bulky items, consumer electronics, white goods, batteries, oil, tires), and household hazardous wastes.). Light and heavy manufacturing, Housekeeping wastes, fabrication, construction sites, packaging, food wastes, power and chemical plants. construction and demolition materials, hazardous wastes, ashes, special wastes. Stores, hotels, restaurants, markets, office buildings, etc. Paper, cardboard, plastics, wood, food wastes, glass, metals, special wastes, hazardous wastes. Same as commercial. Wood, steel, concrete, dirt, etc.

Industrial

Commercial

Institutional Construction and demolition

Schools, hospitals, prisons, government centers. New construction sites, road repair, renovation sites, demolition of buildings Street cleaning, landscaping, parks, beaches, other recreational areas, water and wastewater treatment plants.

Municipal services

Street sweepings; landscape and tree trimmings; general wastes from parks, beaches, and other recreational areas; sludge.

Process (manufacturing, etc.)

Heavy and light manufacturing, Industrial process wastes, scrap refineries, chemical plants, materials, off-specification power plants, mineral extraction products, slay, tailings. and processing. Crops, orchards, vineyards, dairies, feedlots, farms. Spoiled food wastes, agricultural wastes, hazardous wastes (e.g., pesticides).

Agriculture

Health impacts of solid waste

Modernization and progress has had its share of disadvantages and one of the main aspects of concern is the pollution it is causing to the earth be it land, air, and water. With increase in the global population and the rising demand for food and other essentials, there has been a rise in the amount of waste being generated daily by each household. This waste is ultimately thrown into municipal waste collection centers from where it is collected by the area municipalities to be further thrown into the landfills and dumps. However, either due to resource crunch or inefficient infrastructure, not all of this waste gets collected and transported to the final dumpsites. If at this stage the management and disposal is improperly done, it can cause serious impacts on health and problems to the surrounding environment. Waste that is not properly managed, especially excreta and other liquid and solid waste from households and the community, are a serious health hazard and lead to the spread of infectious diseases. Unattended waste lying around attracts flies, rats, and other creatures that in turn spread disease. Normally it is the wet waste that decomposes and releases a bad odour. This leads to unhygienic conditions and thereby to a rise in the health problems. The plague outbreak in Surat is a good example of a city suffering due to the callous attitude of the local body in maintaining cleanliness in the city. Plastic waste is another cause for ill health. Thus taking certain preventive measures should control excessive solid waste that is generated.

Impacts of solid waste on health

The group at risk from the unscientific disposal of solid waste include the population in areas where there is no proper waste disposal method, especially the pre-school children; waste workers; and workers in facilities producing toxic and infectious material. Other high-risk group includes population living close to a waste dump and those, whose water supply has become contaminated either due to waste dumping or leakage from landfill sites. Uncollected solid waste also increases risk of injury, and infection. In particular, organic domestic waste poses a serious threat, since they ferment, creating conditions favorable to the survival and growth of microbial pathogens. Direct handling of solid waste can

result in various types of infectious and chronic diseases with the waste workers and the rag pickers being the most vulnerable. Exposure to hazardous waste can affect human health, children being more vulnerable to these pollutants. In fact, direct exposure can lead to diseases through chemical exposure as the release of chemical waste into the environment leads to chemical poisoning. Many studies have been carried out in various parts of the world to establish a connection between health and hazardous waste. Waste from agriculture and industries can also cause serious health risks. Other than this, co-disposal of industrial hazardous waste with municipal waste can expose people to chemical and radioactive hazards. Uncollected solid waste can also obstruct storm water runoff, resulting in the forming of stagnant water bodies that become the breeding ground of disease. Waste dumped near a water source also causes contamination of the water body or the ground water source. Direct dumping of untreated waste in rivers, seas, and lakes results in the accumulation of toxic substances in the food chain through the plants and animals that feed on it. Disposal of hospital and other medical waste requires special attention since this can create major health hazards. This waste generated from the hospitals, health care centers, medical laboratories, and research centers such as discarded syringe needles, bandages, swabs, plasters, and other types of infectious waste are often disposed with the regular non-infectious waste. Waste treatment and disposal sites can also create health hazards for the neighborhood. Improperly operated incineration plants cause air pollution and improperly managed and designed landfills attract all types of insects and rodents that spread disease. Ideally these sites should be located at a safe distance from all human settlement. Landfill sites should be well lined and walled to ensure that there is no leakage into the nearby ground water sources. Recycling too carries health risks if proper precautions are not taken. Workers working with waste containing chemical and metals may experience toxic exposure. Disposal of health-care wastes require special attention since it can create major health hazards, such as Hepatitis B and C, through wounds caused by discarded syringes. Rag pickers and others, who are involved in scavenging in the waste

dumps for items that can be recycled, may sustain injuries and come into direct contact with these infectious items.

The Effects of Composting

Composting creates new soil, removes vegetable matter from the waste stream and provides a thriving ecosystem for various wildlife such as worms, insects and birds. There are composting techniques being tried that would allow more food, including meat, into the commercial composting operations.

The Effects of Recycling

Recycling is effective in recovering materials for reuse. These materials include wood, metals, plastic and glass. Recycling helps conserve natural resources and energy. Most incinerators in the U.S. today are waste-to-energy plants. These incinerators take in waste and burn the waste into energy. Unfortunately, many of these plants release toxins into the atmosphere. Waste disposal is a billion dollar industry. Regardless of whether waste is deposited into landfills, recycled or incinerated, the waste has to go somewhere. The industry is growing as more people look toward better recycling techniques and better land-use practices.

The Effects of Incineration

Overall Effect

Methane Emission

Methane is a strong greenhouse gas and one of the primary factors contributing to global warming. It is emitted in considerable quantities by waste that fills landfill sites around the world. Landfills are one of the most widely used waste disposal methods. In simple words, household and industrial waste is accumulated in one large area, along with mining and quarrying waste, and is left to decompose.

Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide and a number of potentially hazardous air pollutants in smaller concentrations are released during the process of incineration. Waste incineration is the burning of waste, which releases a large amount of energy, along with the aforementioned pollutants. Modern incinerators use mechanical, biological, heat and thermal treatment technology to contain the energy produced. This energy can be used for the production of electricity as well as heat.

Soil Contamination
In landfill sites, leachate fluids from the decomposing waste penetrate the underlying and surrounding soil and contaminate the groundwater. Plants, which perish as a result of the soil pollution, either use this water or it can even be used as a drinking water source. For this purpose, elaborate -- but also more expensive -- containment landfills are used to prevent the leak.

Contribution to Acid Rain

Sulfur and nitrous oxides are two of the main substances that contribute to acid rain. They are released into the air during waste incineration, and when airborne they are brought back to earth through rain, creating a pollution cycle. Along with carbon dioxide, these pollutants are the main focus of modern technology incinerators, since their emission can have multiple effects on the environment, from air pollution, to water and soil contamination.

Waste Handling and Transport

Full customization to meet your needs To deliver a totally customized cuttings handling and transport solution to you, our equipment is designed in a modular format enabling the implementation of unique configurations that fit a wide range of operating locations. Cost-effective cuttings handling solutions that maximize drilling efficiency Before deploying manpower and equipment, we carefully plan the waste management solution according to local conditions, to maximize drilling efficiency, ensure sustainability and meet or exceed safety and environmental standards. By adhering to our mainstay processes; deploying the right technology; and integrating people and processes, we are able to help improve drilling performance and avoid NPT. Assurance that your environmental compliance requirements are fulfilled In areas where environmental regulations prohibit discharging or dumping waste material, it must be properly handled and contained at the rig site until the collected material can be transported to a treatment area. Transportation of cuttings from shakers to containers/skips is most commonly done with screw conveyors (augers). However, blowers or vacuum units such as Baroids SupaVac SV 400 vacuum transfer system are often used as primary transfer in place of screw conveyors because of the HSE advantages. Safe cuttings removal Recent technology advances offered by Baroid including bulk cuttings handling/transferhelp reduce the potential for manual handling involved while filling skips/containers. Our proprietary Honey Comb Base (HCB) tanks are used in conjunction with the SupaVac vacuum transfer system to help reduce risk and increase efficiency in bulk transfer. This also helps to reduce, or removes totally, the need for a crane to lift large numbers of small cuttings skips/containers in order to load them on board a transportation vessel.

Solid waste policy in India specifies the duties and responsibilities for hygienic waste management for cities and citizens of India. This policy was framed in September 2000. These also serve as a guide on how to comply with the MSW rules. Both the report and the rules, summarized below, are based on the principle that the best way to keep streets clean is not to dirty them in the first place. So a city without street bins will ultimately become clean and stay clean. They advocate daily doorstep collection of wet (food) wastes for composting, which is the best option for India. This is not only because composting is a cost-effective process practiced since Vedic times, but also because Indias soils need organic manures to prevent loss of fertility

through unbalanced use of chemical fertilizers.

Solid waste policy in India specifies the duties and responsibilities for hygienic waste management for cities and citizens of India. This policy was framed in September 2000, based on the March 1999 Report[citation needed] of the Committee for Solid Waste Management in Class 1 Cities of India to the Supreme Court, which urged statutory bodies to comply with the reports suggestions and recommendations. These also serve as a guide on how to comply with the MSW rules.[1] Both the report and the rules, summarized below, are based on the principle that the best way to keep streets clean is not to dirty them in the first place. So a city without street bins will ultimately become clean and stay clean.[2] They advocate daily doorstep collection of wet (food) wastes for composting, which is the best option for India. This is not only because composting is a cost-effective process practiced since Vedic times,[citation needed] but also because Indias soils need organic manures to prevent loss of fertility through unbalanced use of chemical fertilizers.[3] Municipality Solid Waste Rules To stop the present unplanned open dumping of waste outside city limits, the MSW rules have laid down a strict timetable for compliance: improvement of existing landfill sites by end-2001, identification of landfill sites for long-term future use and making them ready for operation by end-2002, setting up of wasteprocessing and disposal facilities by end-2003, and provision of a buffer zone around such sites. Biodegradable wastes should be processed by composting, vermicomposting etc. and landfilling shall be restricted to non-biodegradable inert waste and compost rejects. The rules also require municipalities to ensure community participation in waste segregation (by not mixing wet food wastes with dry recyclables like paper, plastics, glass, metal etc.) and to promote recycling or reuse of segregated materials. Garbage and dry leaves are not allowed to be burnt. Biomedical wastes and industrial wastes are not allowed to be mixed with municipal wastes. Routine use of pesticides on garbage has been banned by the Supreme Court on 28.7.1997. Littering and throwing of garbage on roads is prohibited. Citizens should keep their wet (food) wastes and dry (recyclable) wastes within their premises until collected, and must ensure delivery of wastes as per the collection and segregation system of their city, preferably by house-tohouse collection at fixed times in multi-container handcarts or tricycles (to avoid manual handling of waste) or directly into trucks stopping at street corners at regular pre-informed timings. Dry wastes should be left for collection by the informal sector (sold directly to waste-buyers or given free or otherwise to waste-pickers, who will earn their livelihood by taking the wastes they need from homes rather than from garbage

on the streets. High - rises, private colonies, institutions should provide their own big bins within their own areas, separately for dry and wet wastes. Report of a Committee for Solid Waste Management in Class 1 Cities of India to the Supreme Court The report recommends that cities should provide free waste collection for all slums and public areas, but charge the full cost of collection on Polluter-Pays Principle, from hotels, eateries, marriage halls, hospitals & clinics, wholesale markets, shops in commercial streets, office complexes, cattle - sheds, slaughter - houses, fairs & exhibitions, inner-city cottage industry & petty trade. Debris and construction waste must be stored within premises, not on the road or footpath, and disposed of at pre - designated sites or landfills by builder, on payment of full transport cost if removed by the Municipality. For improved work accountability, pin-point work assignments and 365-day cleaning are recommended, with fixed beats for individual sweepers, including the cleaning of adjoining drains less than 2 ft. deep. Drain silt should not be left on the road for drying, but loaded directly into hand-carts and taken to a transfer point. Silt and debris should not be dumped at compost - plant. The quantities of garbage collected and transported need to be monitored against targets, preferably by citizen monitoring, through effective management information systems and a recording weigh bridge: computerized for 1 million+ cities. At least 80% of wasteclearance vehicles should be on-road, and two-shift use implemented where there is a shortage of vehicles. Decentralized ward-wise composting of well-segregated wet waste in local parks is recommended, for recycling of organics and also for huge savings in garbage transport costs to scarce disposal sites. The report also recommends that waste-management infrastructure should be a strictly enforced pre-condition in new development areas. It advocates temporary toilets at all construction sites (located on the eventual sewage-disposal line) and restriction of cattle movement on streets. Livestock should be stall-fed or relocated outside large cities. Cities must fulfill their obligatory functions (like waste management) before funding any discretionary functions, while being granted fiscal autonomy to raise adequate funds. Solid-waste-management and other charges should be linked to the cost-of-living index, along with levy of administrative charges for chronic littering. Funds should be earmarked for minimum expenditure on solid waste management: Rs 100 per capita per year in 5-lakh-plus cities, or a minimum of Rs 50 per capita in smaller towns. Many cities are already providing conditional funding to residential areas or colonies willing to take responsibility for improved waste-management of their respective areas.

The Supreme Court intends to monitor compliance with the MSW rules through the High Courts in each State. This gives all citizens both the opportunity and the obligation to ensure that hygienic wastemanagement becomes a reality, soon.