Handling of Wastes and Treatment Methods
The best way of handling wastes is to handle in ways that will reduce their harmful effect on human health and the environment.
Waste Management
The collection, transportation, processing, disposal and monitoring of waste materials are referred to as waste management. Waste management also involves the recovering of resources as well as the recycling of waste materials.
Waste management practices depend on the type of wastes and differ from place to place.
Read Also: Industrial Waste and their Impact on the Environment
Disposal of Wastes
The method used to dispose wastes will depend on so many factors.
The methods of disposing wastes, include:
Integrated waste management method – This involves the separation and collection and then the reuse and recycling of non-organic portion of the waste as well as the production of fertilizer or compost.
Landfill method – This involves burying the wastes usually in abandoned or unused quarries, mining voids or borrow pits.
Incineration method – This method involves burning organic wastes to convert them to heat, steam, gas, ashes and other residues.
Incineration is used to dispose solid, liquid and gaseous wastes. This method of disposing wastes can be carried out on small scale by individuals and on large scale in the industry.
Incineration reduces the volume of wastes. The main disadvantage of incineration is the liberation of gaseous pollutants.
Read Also: Industrial Wastewater Treatment Procedure
Reduction of wastes
Reduction of wastes is an important way of managing wastes. In the reduction process of wastes, the waste materials are prevented from being generated. This can be achieved by:
- The reuse of second-hand products
- Repairing broken items instead of buying new ones
- Designing products to be refillable or re-usable
- Encouraging consumers to avoid using disposable products.
- Removing any food or liquid leftovers from cans
- Packaging and designing products that use less materials to achieve the same purpose.
All these will help avoid and /or reduce waste which is far better than any management practice.
In conclusion,handling of wastes include the collection, transportation, processing, disposal as well as monitoring and reduction of the waste materials.
