Waste Management II - Geography

Growth of Solid Waste in India

According to the Ministry of Environment

Need for Waste Management in India

To ensure a sustainable future India needs long-term waste management strategies supported by government

Role of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in Waste Management

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan aims for a cleaner and sustainable future by identifying

First Step in Effective Waste Management

Proper segregation of waste at source to enable recycling and resource recovery

Role of Community in Waste Management

Active community participation and Public-Private Partnerships promote responsible waste practices

Government Role in Waste Management

Government investment in infrastructure for waste treatment technologies such as composting plants and energy-from-waste plants is essential

Definition of Segregation of Waste

Segregation means dividing waste into different categories like dry and wet or biodegradable and non-biodegradable before disposal

Definition of Dry Waste

Dry waste is non-biodegradable and does not decay

Definition of Wet Waste

Wet waste is biodegradable and organic in nature

Benefits of Waste Segregation

Segregation reduces landfill waste

Methods of Waste Segregation

Waste is divided into biodegradable and non-biodegradable categories

Examples of Biodegradable Waste

Kitchen waste

Examples of Non-Biodegradable Waste

Plastics

Subcategories of Non-Biodegradable Waste

Recyclable (plastic

Precaution for Toxic and Soiled Waste

Such waste must be handled with utmost care and disposed of safely due to health hazards

Definition of Composting

Composting is the process of decomposing organic biodegradable waste such as kitchen scraps

Benefits of Composting

Reduces the volume of solid waste

Definition of Vermicomposting

Vermicomposting is the method of composting organic waste using earthworms to accelerate decomposition and produce vermicast

Advantages of Vermicomposting

Produces superior quality manure compared to regular compost

Definition of Recycling

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials such as paper

Benefits of Recycling

Conserves natural resources

Definition of Incineration

Incineration is a waste treatment process where solid waste is burned at high temperatures

Advantages of Incineration

Reduces the volume of waste by up to 90%

Disadvantages of Incineration

High cost of construction and maintenance

Definition of Sanitary Landfill

Sanitary landfill is a scientific method of waste disposal where waste is spread in layers

Advantages of Sanitary Landfills

Simple and economical for managing large volumes of waste

Disadvantages of Sanitary Landfills

Requires large land areas

Definition of Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis is a process of chemically decomposing organic waste at high temperatures in absence of oxygen

Definition of Energy Recovery from Waste

Energy recovery refers to generating energy in the form of electricity

Advantages of Energy Recovery

Reduces dependency on fossil fuels

Government Initiatives for Waste Management in India

Initiatives include Swachh Bharat Mission

Role of Public Awareness in Waste Management

Awareness programs encourage people to segregate waste

Role of Technology in Waste Management

New technologies improve waste collection