GOOD

MORNING

2

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

SEMINAR – 6

DR. NABEELA BASHA

3 CONTENTS

Introduction History Sources and types of waste Solid waste Disposal of solid waste Magnitude of the problem and Current status Disposal of Health Care Wastes Waste Management Initiatives taken Public Health Significance

4

Conclusion References Previous year questions

5 INTRODUCTION

6 What is Waste?

Waste can be defined as something which the original

owner or user no longer values, and has been discarded

or discharged by the original owner or user.

It is something one does not want any more and want to

throw away. Waste is therefore an inevitable by-product

of any process that one can think of.

7 As defined under the Environment Protection Act 1993,

Waste means —

Any discarded, rejected, abandoned, unwanted or

surplus matter, whether or not intended for sale or for

recycling, reprocessing, recovery or purification by a

separate operation from that which produced the matter.

8 A Timeline of Trash….. Trash has played a tremendous role in history. The

Bubonic Plague, cholera and typhoid fever, to

mention a few, were diseases that altered the

populations of Europe and influenced monarchies.

They were perpetuated by filth that harbored rats, and

contaminated water supply.

It was not uncommon for Europeans to throw their

garbage and even human wastes out of the window. Kenneth Barbalace. The History of Waste. EnvironmentalChemistry.com. Aug. 2003.

http://EnvironmentalChemistry.com/yogi/environmental/wastehistory.html

9 They figured that stray dogs would eat whatever they

threw out.

How does the waste we toss today compare to the

waste that was thrown away by other civilizations??

It is hard to be specific. Until recently trash quantity

was calculated by volume not weight. Volume is

dependant upon how much the trash is compacted.

Weight is influenced by moisture content, which

varies greatly depending upon climate and weather

conditions.

10

6,500 BC - North America - Archeological studies

shows a clan of Native Americans in what is now

Colorado produced an average of 5.3 pounds of

waste a day.

500 BC - Athens Greece - First municipal dump in

western world organized. Regulations required

waste to be dumped at least a mile from the city

limits.

1388 – England - English Parliament bars waste

dispersal in public waterways

11 1400 – Paris, France - Garbage piles so high outside

of Paris gates that it interfered with city defense.

1842 – England - A report links disease to filthy

environmental conditions - "age of sanitation"

begins.

1874 - Nottingham England - A new technology

called "the Destructor" provided the first systematic

incineration of refuse in Nottingham, England.

Until this time, much of the burning was accidental,

a result of methane production.

12 1896 - United States – Waste Reduction plants arrive

in US. (for compressing organic wastes). Later closed

because of noxious emissions.

Turn of Century - By the turn of the century the

garbage problem was seen as one of the greatest

problems for local authorities.

1900 - "Piggeries" were developed to eat fresh or

cooked garbage (In the mid-50's an outbreak of

vesicluar exenthama resulted in the destruction of

1,000s of pigs that had eaten raw garbage.

13 1920's – U.S - Landfills were becoming a popular

way of reclaiming swamp land while getting rid of

trash.

1965 – U.S - The first federal solid waste

management laws were enacted.

1970 - U.S - The First Earth Day was celebrated,

the Environmental Protection Agency EPA was

created and the Resource Recovery Act enacted.

1979 – U.S - The EPA issued criteria prohibiting

open dumping.

14SOURCES AND OTHER TYPES

OF WASTE

19 Disposal of wastes is now largely the domain of

sanitarians and public health engineers.

However health professionals need to have a basic

knowledge of the subject since improper disposal of

wastes constitute a health hazard.

Further the health professionals may be called upon to

give advice in sanitation camps or coping with waste

disposal problems when there is a disruption or

breakdown of community health services in natural

disasters.

20 Healthy cities & villages cannot thrive with in sanitary

waste & indifferent sewage disposal.

In interest of community it is essential to safely put

these unwanted/discarded material away.

Wastes nevertheless cannot be avoided totally from

mans existence either.

The output of daily waste depends upon the dietary

habits, lifestyles, living standards and degree of

urbanization and industrialization.

21

The per capita daily solid waste produced ranges

between 0.25-2.5 kg in different countries

22 Wastes are of 3 types

Solid Waste

Sewage – Waste water from a community containing

solid and liquid excreta, derived from houses, street and

yard washings, factories and industries.

Sullage – Waste water which does not contain human

excreta.

23 SOLID WASTE

The term solid wastes include

Garbage (food wastes).

Rubbish (paper, plastics, wood, metal, glass etc).

Demolition products (bricks, masonry, pipes).

Sewage treatment residues (sludge & solids from the

coarse screening of domestic sewage).

Dead animals, manure and other discarded materials.

24 Solid waste: “a health hazard”

It decomposes and favours fly breeding.

Attracts rodents and vermin.

The pathogens may be conveyed back to man’s food

through flies and dust.

Possibility of water, soil and air pollution.

Heaps of refuse present an unsightly appearance and

nuisance from bad odors.

Sources of Refuse Refuse that is collected by the street cleansing

service or scavenging is called street refuse. It

consists of leaves, straw, paper, animal droppings

and litter of all kinds.

Refuse that is collected from markets is called

market refuse. It contains a large proportion of

putrid vegetable and animal matter.

26 Refuse that is collected from stables is called stable litter. It

contains mainly animal droppings and left-over animal feeds.

Industrial refuse comprises a wide variety of wastes

ranging from completely inert materials such as calcium

carbonate to highly toxic and explosive compounds.

The domestic refuse consists of ash, rubbish and garbage.

Ash is the residue from fire used for cooking and heating.

Rubbish comprises paper, clothing, bits of wood, metal,

glass, dust and dirt.

Garbage is waste matter arising from the preparation,

cooking and consumption of food.

Stable litter Industrial refuse

Domestic refuse

28 STORAGE The galvanized steel dust bin with close fitting cover

is a suitable receptacle for storing refuse. The capacity

of a bin will depend upon the number of users and

frequency of collection.

The output of refuse per capita per day

in India is estimated to vary from 1/10

to 1/20 c.ft.

29 For a family of 5 members, a bin having a capacity of

5/10 or 1/2 c.ft. would be needed. If collection is done

once in 3 days, a bin having a capacity of 1 1/2 or 2

c.ft. would be adequate.

A recent innovation in the western countries is the

"paper sack." Refuse is stored in the paper sack, and

the sack itself is removed with the contents for

disposal and a new sack is substituted.

30 Public Bins - They are kept on a concrete platform

raised 2 to 3 inches above ground level to prevent

flood water entering the bins. In bigger

municipalities, the bins are handled and emptied

mechanically by lorries fitted with cranes.

31 COLLECTION The method of collection depends upon the funds

available. House-to-house collection is by far the best

method of collecting refuse.

In India, there is no house-to-house collection system.

People are expected to dump the refuse in the nearest

public bin, which is usually not done.

The refuse is then transported in refuse collection

vehicles to the place of ultimate disposal.

32 The Environmental Hygiene Committee (1949)

recommended that municipalities and other local

bodies should arrange for collection of refuse not

only from the public bins but also from individual

houses.

A house-to-house collection will result in a

simultaneous reduction in the number of public bins.

The open refuse cart should be abandoned and

replaced by enclosed vans.

33 METHODS OF DISPOSAL

The principal methods of refuse disposal are :-

a) Dumping

b) Controlled tipping or sanitary land-fill

c) Incineration

d) Composting

e) Manure pits

f) Burial

34 DUMPING Refuse is dumped in low lying areas partly as a method

of reclamation of land but mainly as an easy method of

disposal of dry refuse. As a result of bacterial action,

refuse decreases considerably in volume and is

converted gradually into humus.

Kolkata disposes of its refuse by

dumping and the reclaimed

land is leased out for cultivation

35

WHO Expert Committee (1967) condemned

dumping as "a most insanitary method that creates

public health hazards, a nuisance, and severe

pollution of the environment". Dumping should be

outlawed and replaced by sound procedures.

36CONTROLLED TIPPING

Controlled tipping or sanitary landfill is the most

satisfactory method of refuse disposal where suitable

land is available. It differs from ordinary dumping in

that the material is placed in a trench or other prepared

area, adequately compacted, and covered with earth at

the end of the working day.

The term "modified sanitary landfill" has been applied

to those operations where compaction and covering are

accomplished once or twice a week.

37 The trench method : Where level ground is available,

the trench method is usually chosen. A long trench is

dug out - 2 to 3m (6-10 ft.) deep, 4 to 12 m(12-36 ft.)

wide, depending upon local conditions.

The refuse is compacted and covered with excavated

earth. Where compacted refuse is placed in the fill to a

depth of 2 m (6 ft.), it is estimated that

one acre of land per year will be

required for 10,000 population.

38 The ramp method : This method is well suited where

the terrain is moderately sloping. Some excavation

is done to secure the covering material.

The area method : This method is used for filling

land depressions, disused quarries and clay pits. The

refuse is deposited, packed and consolidated in

uniform layers up to 2 to 2.5 m (6-8 ft.) deep.

39 Each layer is sealed on its exposed surface with a

mud cover at least 30 cm (12 inches) thick. Such

sealing prevents infestation by flies and rodents and

suppresses the nuisance of smell and dust. This

method often has the disadvantage of requiring

supplemental earth from outside sources.

40 INCINERATION

It is the method of choice where suitable land is not

available.

Hospital refuse which is particularly dangerous is best

disposed of by incineration.

Incineration is not a popular method in India because the

refuse contains a fair proportion of fine ash which makes

the burning difficult.

41 A preliminary separation of dust or ash is needed.

All this involves heavy outlay and expenditure,

besides manipulative difficulties in the incinerator.

There are 3 basic kinds of incinerators:

a) Double – chamber pyrolytic

b) Single – chamber furnaces

c) Rotary kilns

42 Pyrolytic Incinerators Most reliable and commonly used process for health

care waste.

They are called Double – chamber incinerators as they

comprise of:

A Pyrolytic chamber

A Post combustion chamber

43 Suitable for: Infectious waste (including sharps) and pathological

waste Pharmaceutical and chemical residues.

Inadequate for: Genotoxic waste Radioactive waste Non risk health care waste

44 Single – Chamber Incinerator

This can be used for health – care waste if a pyrolytic

incinerator cannot be afforded.

This type of incinerator treats waste in batches.

Loading and de-ashing operations are performed

manually.

45 This method should only be used as a last resort as it is

difficult to burn the waste completely without

generating potentially harmful smoke.

Drawbacks:

The process will cause emission of black smoke, fly

ash and potentially toxic gases.

Exhaust gas cleaning is not practical – can cause air

pollution

46 Rotary Kiln

They comprise of a rotating oven and a post-

combustion chamber.

Rotary kilns may operate continuously and adaptable

to a wide range of loading devices. Used for: Infectious waste and pathological

wastes. Cytotoxic waste

47 Inadequate for:

• Radio – active wastes

Capacity of rotary kilns: 0.5 – 3 tonnes/hour

Disadvantages:

• Well trained personnel required

• Energy consumption is high.

• Equipment and operation costs are high.

48 COMPOSTING It is a process of nature whereby organic matter

breaks down under bacterial action resulting in the

formation of relatively stable humus-like material,

called the compost which has considerable manurial

value for the soil.

The principal by products are carbon dioxide, water

and heat.

49 The heat produced during composting - 60 deg C or

higher, over a period of several days- destroys eggs and

larvae of flies, weed seeds and pathogenic agents.

The end-product compost contains few or no disease

producing organisms, and is a good soil builder

containing small amounts of the major plant nutrients

such as nitrates and phosphates.

The following methods of composting are now used :

Bangalore method (Anaerobic method)

Mechanical composting (Aerobic method)

50

51BANGALORE METHOD

This method of composting was developed at Bangalore

in India in 1939 (FAO, 1980).

It has been recommended as a satisfactory method of

disposal of town wastes and night soil

It is also called the hot fermentation process.

Trenches are dug 3ft deep,5-8 mts broad and 15-30 ft

long

It should be located 800 m away from city limits.

52 First a layer of refuse about 15 cm (6 in) thick is

spread at the bottom of the trench. Over this, night

soil is added corresponding to a thickness of 5cm(2

in).

Then alternate layers of refuse and night soil are

added in the proportion of 15 cm (6 in) and 5 cm (2

in) respectively, till the heap rises to 30cm (1 ft.)

above the ground level.

53 The top layer should be of refuse, at least 25 cm (9

in) thickness. Then the heap is covered with

excavated earth.

Within 7 days as a result of bacterial action

considerable heat (over 60 deg.C) is generated in the

compost mass. This intense heat which persists over

2 or 3 weeks, serves to decompose the refuse and

night soil and to destroy all pathogenic and parasitic

organisms.

54

At the end of 4 to 6 months, decomposition is complete and

the resulting manure is a well decomposed, odourless,

innocuous material of high manurial value.

55 MECHANICAL COMPOSTING

Aerobic method/ Indore method

Compost is manufactured on large scale.

The refuse is first cleared of salvable materials such as

rags, bones, metal glass, items which are rendered to

interfere in grinding.

It is then pulverized in pulverizing equipment in order to

reduce size of the particle to less than 2 inches.

56 The pulverized refuse is then mixed with sewage,

sludge or night soil in a rotating machine and

incubated.

The entire process of composting is complete in 4-6

weeks.

57 This method of composting is in function in some of

the developed countries, e.g., Holland, Germany,

Switzerland, Israel.

Cities such as Delhi, Nagpur, Mumbai, Chennai,

Pune, Allahabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Kanpur

have offered to join the Government for setting up

pilot plants for mechanical composting.

58 MANURE PITS

Manure pits is the best method of refuse disposal by

individual house holders.

The garbage ,cattle dung, straw and leaves should be

dumped into the manure pits.

59 Two such pits will be needed, when one is closed,

the other will be in use. In 5 to 6 month's time, the

refuse is converted into manure which can be

returned to the field. This method of refuse disposal

is effective and relatively simple in rural

communities.

60 BURIAL

This method is suitable for small camps.

A trench 1.5cm wide and 2 m deep is excavated

and at end of each day the refuse is covered with

20 -30 cm of earth

61 VERMICOMPOSTING

Municipal solid waste is highly organic in nature, so

vermicomposting has become an appropriate

alternative for the safe, hygienic and cost effective

disposal of it.

In this method earthworms feed on the organic matter

present in the solid waste and convert into casting

(ejected matter) rich in plant nutrients.

62

Vermicomposting has been used in various cities

of India like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai and

Faridabad.

63 Magnitude of Problem in India

Per capita waste generation increasing by 1.3%

per annum

With urban population increasing between 3 - 3.5%

per annum

Yearly increase in waste generation is around

5% annually

64 India produces 42.0 million tons of municipal solid

waste annually at present.

Per capita generation of waste varies from 200 gm

to 600 gm per capita / day. Average generation rate

at 0.4 kg per capita per day.

Collection efficiency ranges between 50% to

90% of the solid waste generated.

65 Urban Local Bodies spend around Rs.500/- to

Rs.1500/- per ton on solid waste management of

which,

* 60% -70% of the amount is on collection

alone

* 20% - 30% on transportation

* Hardly any fund is spent on treatment and

disposal of waste

Crude dumping of waste in most of the cities

66 PRESENT STATUS OF WASTE MANAGEMENT

Storage of waste at source is lacking

Domestic waste is thrown on streets

Trade waste on Roads / Streets

Construction debris left unattended

Bio-medical Waste disposed in Municipal waste

stream

67 Industrial waste disposed of in open areas

Segregation of recyclable waste at source not done

Design & location of Municipal waste storage depots

are inappropriate, resulting in littering of garbage.

Street sweeping not done everyday.

Waste transportation is done in open vehicles

Rag pickers collect recyclables from municipal bins/

dumpsites and litter the waste causing insanitary

conditions.

69

DISPOSAL OF HEALTH CARE

WASTES

70 Health care waste: It is defined as all the waste

generated by health – care establishments, research

facilities and laboratories.

Bio-medical waste: According to Bio-Medical Waste

(Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 of India,

“Bio-medical waste” means any waste, which is

generated during the diagnosis, treatment or

immunization of human-beings or animals, or in

research activities pertaining thereto or in the

production or testing of biologicals.

71 Waste produced in the course of health care activities

carries a higher potential for infection and injury than

any other types of waste.

Inappropriate and inadequate handling of health care

waste may have serious public health consequences

and a significant impact on the environment.

Wherever it is generated, safe and reliable methods

are therefore essential.

72CLASSIFICATION OF

HEALTH CARE WASTE

73

74

75 Sources of Health Care Waste

76 Composition of Hospital Waste

The amount of waste generated per bed varies with the

type of hospital, however, on an average, 1-5kg of waste

per bed per day is generated. The type of waste

generated is :

85% Non - hazardous

15% Hazardous

• 5% Hazardous but not infective

• 10% Hazardous and infective

77

78 RATIONALE FOR WASTE DISPOSAL

To prevent Nosocomial infections.

To protect Health care providers.

To prevent risk to general population (when

hospital waste is thrown in open area without

proper treatment, it is hazardous)

To protect the environment.

80 Steps in Management of Health Care Waste

The key to minimization and effective management of

health care waste is segregation (separation) and

identification of the waste, appropriate handling,

treatment and disposal of waste by the types.

81 SEGREGATION

To separate the waste into different categories at

the POINT OF GENERATION to reduce chances

of injury and the quantity of hazardous waste.

Color coded containers.

Containers should never be overfilled.

82 COLLECTION

Waste should not be allowed to accumulate at the

point of production,

Waste should be collected daily and transported to the

storage site.

No bags should be removed unless they are labeled.

The bags and containers should be replaced

immediately with new ones of the same type.

83 STORAGE The waste should be stored in a separate area, room

or building of a size appropriate to the quantity of

waste produced and the frequency of collection.

The storage area should have an impermeable hard

standing floor with good drainage. It should be easy

to clean and disinfect.

There should be a water supply for cleaning

purposes.

84 LABELLING

All waste bags or containers should be labeled with basic

instructions on their content and information on the waste

producer. This instructions may be written directly on the

bag or container or on preprinted labels, securely

attached.

It is also recommended that the 2 digits of the yr of

manufacture of the packing specified on the package, - Waste category - Date of collection - Place in hospital where produced (ex. wards) - Waste destination

86 TRANSPORTATION

Wastes should be transported by means of wheeled

trolleys, containers or carts that are not used for any

other purposes.

They should be easy to load and unload.

No sharp edges that could damage waste bags

Easy to clean

The vehicles should be cleaned and disinfected daily.

87 Treatment and Disposal of Health care waste

The various disposal technologies are:

Incineration

Chemical disinfection

Wet and Dry thermal treatment

Microwave Irradiation

Inertization

88 Chemical Disinfection

Chemical are added to waste kill or inactivate the

pathogens it contains, this treatment usually results

in disinfection rather than sterilization. Chemical

disinfection is most suitable for treating liquid waste

such as blood, urine, stools or hospital sewage.

However, solid wastes including microbiological

cultures, sharps etc, may also be disinfected

chemically with certain limitations.

89 Wet and Dry Thermal Treatment

Wet thermal treatment: Wet thermal treatment or

steam disinfection is based on exposure of shredded

infectious waste to high temperature, high pressure

steam, and is similar to the autoclave sterilization

process.

The process is inappropriate for the treatment of

anatomical waste and animal carcassess, and will not

efficiently treat chemical and pharmaceutical waste.

90Screw-feed technology:

Screw –feed technology is the basis of a non-burn,

dry thermal disinfection process in which waste is

shredded and heated and rotated. The waste is

reduced by 80 % in volume and by 20-35 % in

weight.

This process is suitable for treating infectious waste

and sharps, but it should not be used to process

pathological, cytotoxic or radioactive waste.

91 Microwave Irradiation

Most microorganisms are destroyed by the action of

microwave of a frequency of about 2450 MHZ and a

wave length of 12.24 cm. The water contained within

the waste is rapidly heated by the microwaves and the

infectious components are destroyed by heat

conduction.

The efficiency of the microwave disinfection should be

checked routinely through bacteriological and

virological tests.

92 Inertization

The process of “Inertization” involves mixing waste with

cement and other substances before disposal, in order to

minimize the risk of toxic substances contained in the

wastes migrating into the surfaces water or ground water.

A typical proportion of the mixture is 65%

pharmaceutical waste. 15 %lime, 15% cement and 5 %

water. A homogeneous mass is formed an cubes or pellets

are produced on site and then transported to suitable

storage sites.

93 Bio-Medical Waste Management in India

Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rule

1998, prescribed by the Ministry of Environment and

Forests, Government of India, came into force on 28th

July 1998.

This rule applies to those who generate, collect,

receive, store, dispose, treat or handle bio-Medical

Waste in any manner.

94

95

96

97 Waste Management in Dental Office

• Dental waste is obtained from all its branches

• Proper management of few of them is highly

necessary

E.g., Mercury, Fixer solution, lead foils, collars,

aprons

• Others include impression materials, Plaster of Paris,

Needles, Cotton swabs etc

98 MERCURY STORAGE AND SPILLS

Stored in tight container containing fixer solution

Training of all professionals in handling and

maintaining mercury hygiene crucial.

Office Engineering:• Well ventilated work areas• If using air-conditioner then filters changed

periodically• No use of carpet• Periodic checkup of dental operatory

99 Mercury Hygiene recommendations: Use of pre-capsulated amalgam alloys and

amalgamator Avoid skin contact with fresh mixes Use high volume suction machines connected to

amalgam separators

Management of Mercury spills: Never use a vacuum cleaner Never allow people to move around spill areas Use fresh mix of amalgam to remove them Large spills - call environmental contractors

Lead foils, collars, aprons should be collected and

sent for recycling through authorized companies

Plaster of Paris can be can be crushed to powder and

used as raw material for cement manufacturing

Impression materials can be incinerated

Needles can be clipped off in puncture resistant

containers

Swabs, Tissues etc can be incinerated.

100

MANAGEMENT OF

WASTE

101

Waste management is a problem in urban and rural areas.

Many areas, particularly in developing countries, still have

inadequate waste management; poorly controlled open

dumps and illegal roadside dumping remain a problem.

Such dumping spoils scenic resources, pollutes soil and

water resources, and is a potential health hazard to plants,

animals and people.

According to the United Nation’s Centre for Human

Settlements, only between 25 and 55 per cent of all waste

generated in large cities is collected by municipal

authorities.

102

4 R’s CONCEPT103

104

Management of Solid Waste Duties of waste generators.- (1) Every waste generator shall,-

(a) Segregate and store the waste generated by them in

three separate streams namely bio-degradable or wet

waste, non bio-degradable or dry waste and domestic

hazardous wastes in suitable bins and handover

segregated wastes to waste collectors as per the

direction by the urban local body from time to time;

105

(b) Wrap securely the used sanitary waste as and when

generated in a newspaper or suitable bio-degradable

wrapping material and place the same in the domestic bin

meant for non bio-degradable waste or dry waste;

(c) Store separately construction and demolition waste

in your own premises, as and when generated and shall

dispose off as per the rules;

(d) Store separately horticulture waste and garden waste

in your premises and dispose of the same as may be

prescribed by urban local body from time to time.

106

(2) No waste generator shall throw the waste generated

by him on the street, open spaces, drain or water

bodies.

(3) All waste generators shall pay such user fee or

charge or fines as may be specified in the bye-laws

of the urban local bodies for solid waste

management.

107

(4) No person shall organize an event or gathering

likely to generate solid waste at unlicensed place

without intimating the urban local body at least three

working days in advance and such person or the

organizer of such event shall arrange for segregation of

waste at source and ensure handing over of segregated

waste to the placed designated by urban local body or to

waste collection agency authorized by the urban local

body.

108

(5) Every institutional generators of solid waste shall

segregate and store the waste generated by them in three

separate streams namely bio-degradable or wet waste,

non bio-degradable or dry waste and domestic

hazardous wastes in suitable bins and handover

segregated wastes to authorized waste processing or

disposal facilities or deposition centers either at its own

or through the authorized waste collection agency.

109

Authorities Responsible For Waste Management

Secretary–in-charge, Urban Development Department,

in States or Union Territory. Commissioner or Director of Municipal Administration

or Director of Local Bodies in States or Union Territories.

District Magistrate or District Collector or Deputy Commissioner of District in State or Union Territory.

Central Pollution Control Board. Urban Local Body. State Pollution Control Board.

110

Occupational hazards associated with waste handling

Infections 

- Skin and blood infections resulting from direct

contact with waste, and from infected wounds.

-  Eye and respiratory infections resulting from

exposure to infected dust, especially during landfill

operations.

- Intestinal infections that are transmitted by flies

feeding on the waste.

111

Chronic diseases

 Incineration operators are at risk of chronic respiratory

diseases, including cancers resulting from exposure to

dust and hazardous compounds.

112

Accidents

- Infecting wounds resulting from contact with sharp

objects.

 - Poisoning and chemical burns resulting from

contact with small amounts of hazardous chemical

waste mixed with general waste.

 - Burns and other injuries resulting from occupational

accidents at waste disposal sites or from methane gas

explosion at landfill sites.

113

The Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011

Plastic waste means any plastic product such as carry

bags, pouches, etc. which has been discarded after use or

end-of-life.

The rules are applicable to all manufacturers, stockists,

distributors, retailers and users of plastic products.

Every manufacturer of plastic carry bags, multilayered

pouches or sachets and every recycler to seek registration

with SPCB. Such registration is valid for a period of 3

years.

114

No retailer can provide plastic carry bags free of

cost.

There is no specific penalty provided for non-

compliance and thus, penalty under EPA will apply

as per which the person-incharge may be

imprisoned for up to 5 years and/or fined up to INR

100,000 (US$ 15574).

115

SOME INITIATIVES

Solid Waste Management cannot be successful

without the involvement of all stakeholders who

have a vital role to play in successful implementation

of the scheme. It is worthwhile to examine some of

the initiatives in this regard.

116

BHAGIDARI SCHEME IN DELHI

The Delhi Government instituted the Bhagidari Scheme

for ensuring close cooperation of the Residents Welfare

Association (RWAs), civic agencies and the

government. A step in the right direction was taken by

getting a court order for compulsory segregation of

waste at the household level from January 1, 2004.

117

BANGALORE AGENDA TASK FORCE (BATF)

As a part of the overall plan of the BATF, solid waste

management has been taken up in a big way in

Bangalore City. The whole operation has been

outsourced to private agencies who provide the

infrastructure right from Safai Karamcharis, their

uniforms and caps, bins, trolleys and vehicles

(dumpers) that pick up the collected waste and

transport it to the composting site on the city’s

outskirts.

118

The Safai Karamcharis have been given strict

instructions not to collect the waste from households

if it is not segregated. Their areas of responsibility

are clearly demarcated along with their collection

schedule. These areas are under supervisors of the

contracted agency and hence, it is ensured that every

place is kept clean.

119

MUMBAI INITIATIVE

Under the dynamic leadership of Ms. Kunti Oza,

Clean Mumbai Foundation has taken up solid waste

management with the help of corporate sector.

A Ward comprising (Cuffe Parade, Nariman Point,

Strand / Colaba, Museum, Paltan Road Bora Bazar,

Ballard Estate and Churchgate / Marine Drive) had

been selected for the pilot project.

120

A collection system had been organized and the wet

garbage is taken to selected sites in parks that would

have composting pits.

What is interesting in this scheme is the novel

Pavement Tank Method of utilizing waste at some

sites.

As there are high rise residential buildings without

any space for garbage disposal, the residents provided

funds for making rectangular brick tanks around trees

on the lane pavements.

121

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi launched the

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or Clean India Mission on the

birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2,

2014 at Rajghat in New Delhi.

122

The mission is estimated to cost around 62,009 crore

rupees.

India's biggest ever cleanliness drive. Around three million

government employees and school and college students of

India participated in the event in its initial phase.

The mission was started by Prime Minister Modi, who, on

December 25, 2014, nominated nine famous personalities

for the campaign. They took up the challenge and

nominated nine more people. Thereafter, it has been

carried forward with people from all walks of life joining

it.

123

The goal also includes the elimination of open

defecation, conversion of insanitary toilets to pour

flush toilets, eradicating of manual scavenging and

Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM). 

124

PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE

Raised incidence of low birth weight births has been

related to residence near landfill sites, as has the

occurrence of various congenital malformations.

There is little evidence for an association with

reproductive or developmental effects with proximity

to incinerators.

125

Studies of cancer incidence and mortality in

populations around landfill sites or incinerators

have varying results for different cancer sites.

Many of these studies lack individual exposure

information and data on potential confounders, such

as socio-economic status.

Waste management workers have been shown to

have increased incidence of accidents and

musculoskeletal problems.

126

CONCLUSION

The menace of solid waste in many sectors has become a

monstrous reality.

Nothing substantial has been done in most of the towns and

cities in the country.

Although India has the most comprehensive Municipal Solid

Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000, it is just a

directive on paper without any enforcement and implementation.

Very little effort has been made to train and build the capacity of

all stakeholders. Hence, there are all kinds of excuses given for

its failure

127

 Resource agencies, like NGOs, want to take the

initiative but do not wish to get involved till they

have a complete assurance of cooperation from all

stakeholders, specially the government and civic

agencies.

The government should educate and inform people

about such projects before executing any plan, so

that the desired results are obtained.

128

Biomedical waste management is as important as

treatment plan for health care professionals.

Awareness programs should be conducted for all

health care personnel and auxiliary personnel of

various health care institutes to keep side by side with

the current knowledge of scientific biomedical waste

management system and its importance and benefits

to the patients, staff and the community as an entire.

129

Safe and effective management of biomedical

waste is not only a legal necessity but also a

social responsibility.

130

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K. Park. Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social

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p. 705-742.

Textbook Of Preventive and Social Medicine Mahajan

and Gupta 3rd edition.

Dhaar G.M, Robbani I. Foundations of community

medicine. 2nd ed. Elsevier publication, Noida; 2008. p.

64-66

131

Hiremath S.S. Textbook of preventive and community

dentistry. 2nd ed. Elsevier publishers, New Delhi; 2011.

p. 51-55.

Bharadwaj P, Ramesh C . The World Scenario-Solid

waste management challenges for cities in developing

countries. Research gate. Jan 2013.5(1).123-138.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

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Section-3, Sub-section (ii).

132

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_waste_policy

http://www.cpcb.nic.in/Directions_commissioners.pdf

https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_BloodborneFacts/bbfact02.pdf

Bhaskar Agarwal, Saumyendra Vikram Singh, Sumit

Bhansali, Srishti Agarwal. Waste Management in

Dental Office. Indian J Community Med. 2012 Jul-Sep;

37(3): 201–202.

http://www.devalt.org/newsletter/jun04/lead.htm

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Singh H, Rehman R, Bumb SS. Management of

biomedical waste: a review. Int J Dent Med Res

2014;1(1):14-20.

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Pandit NA, Tabish SA, Qadri GJ, Ajaz Mustafa.

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P.Soben. Essentials of preventive and social

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134

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Disposal of Solid wastes. 10 marks. (Sumandeep

Vidyapeeth; MDS Degree Examination) DEC 2009

Biomedical Waste Management. 10 marks. (RGUHS

MDS Degree examination) APR/MAY 2007; MAY

2009; NOV 2011; MAY 2013;

135