Session Name:

SOLID AND HAZARDOUS

WASTE MANAGEMENT
Delivered By:
Dr. Abanikanta Bhadra
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Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

 Define the Concepts of solid and hazardous waste

 Discuss the Hazardous waste management

 Discuss the Solid waste management

Introduction

• A hazardous waste is a solid waste that may cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality
or increase in serious irreversible or incapacitating reversible illness or pose a substantial present or
potential hazard.

Definition of hazardous waste

• A hazardous waste is a solid waste that may cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or
increase in serious irreversible or in capacititating reversible illness or pose a substantial present or
potential hazard to human health or the environment when it is improperly treated, stored, transported
disposed of or otherwise managed.

• The characteristics of the hazardous waste (HW) are ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity and toxicity.
Hazardous waste characteristics
• Hazardous waste (management and handling) rules 1989 amended
latest in 2009 adopted USEPA concept of hazardous waste. Six basic
characteristics of hazardous waste as recognized by ministry of
environment and forest (MoEF) are as follows:
Ignitability
1. A hazardous waste shows the characteristics, when it has more than 24% organic matter and has a flash
point less than 60 c.
2. It is capable of causing free through friction and abrasion.
3. Any oxidizing substance when in contact with moisture, air and other materials/waste results in
spontaneous fire. Example: Petroleum Products.
 Corrosivity
1. A hazardous waste shows corrosivity of any liquid that has pH > 12.5. A Hazardous waste which can
corrode steel at a rate greater than 6.35 mm per year at temperature of 55 C. Example: mineral acids
like HCL, HNO, HF, concentrated alkalis like Na OH, KOH, etc.

Reactivity
1. A waste exhibiting reactivity of hazardous waste characteristics, if it is unstable, readily undergoes
violent changes.
2. It reacts violently with water.
3. It forms explosive mixture with water.
4. It is cyanide or sulfide bearing waste at pH 2.0 to 12.5 and can generate toxic gases and vapours.
For example: Ammonium nitrate, trinitrotoluene (TNT) and other explosives.
Toxicity

Toxicity is characterised by health injury, fatality, carcinogenic and mutagenic disorder, etc. A solid waste
exhibits toxicity hazards when it fails toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) test, if it exceeds the
limit prescribed by govt. of India/CPCB. For example, solid waste containing toxic heavy metals like Cd, Cr,
Pb, Hg, etc, chloro organics pesticide residue, etc.

Acute toxicity
Acute toxicity is a serious degree of toxicity which can cause fatality and serious injury, carcinogen and
mutagenic disorder, etc. For example, halogenated phenols, pesticide residues, halogenated benzene, etc.

Infectious property
Infectious property is a hazardous waste characteristic when the waste causes diseases while coming in
contact with pathogenic microbes, toxins which cause disease in human or animals. Hazardous waste
(handling and management) rules come under the presence of hazardous waste handling, storage and
management rule 1989 amended in 2000 and 2009.
Medical hazardous waste/bio-medical waste
It comes under bio-medical waste rule – 1998. These are the waste generated from hospitals, medical colleges, nursing
home, clinical laboratories, operation theatres, etc.

These wastes include:

1. Expired/ obsolete
2. Infectious material-dressings, cottons, linen, and transfusion equipment.
3. Pathological waste-waste from laboratories, operation theatres
4. Sharp and pointed items
5. Waste from dental clinics
6. Biological waste from humans
7. Biological waste from animals
8. Microbiological culture wastes
9. Biomedical waste is treated in incinerators with elaborate air pollution control. Sometimes autoclaving and chemical
treatments are recommended.
 Household hazardous waste
Constitute up to 1% of total MSW
1. Used/ exhausted batteries
2. Exhausted/ expired medicines
3. Pesticides and other chemicals
4. Used oil and lubricants
5. Other chemicals like dye, paint, perfumes, etc.

Transportation of hazardous waste

1. Guided by international regulation
2. Identification of hazardous waste carrying vehicles
3. Designated colour, code, symbols
4. Designated UN number for international transport
5. Separate collection system for hazardous waste
6. Separate transfer system of hazardous waste
7. Separate collection centre for hazardous waste
Nuclear hazards
• Nuclear hazards refer to the radioactive (nuclear) pollution that affects the living
components through air, water, and soil.

• It is a special form of physical pollution and its nature of contamination is different from
other types of pollution.

• Radioactive pollution arises due to the emission of high energy radiations called ionizing
radiations, e.g., α-particles, β-particle and γ-rays from the radioactive isotopes (i.e.,
unstable isotopes), such as Carbon-14, Uranium-235, Uranium-238, Uranium-239,
Radium-226, etc.
Causes of nuclear hazards
The sources of radioactive pollution are both natural and man-made.

Natural sources

(i) Cosmic rays which are fast moving highly energetic radiations reach the earth from the outer space. Since
the intensity of cosmic rays is low in biosphere, they are not a health hazard. But, they are a major hazard in
space.

(ii) Emissions from radioactive materials, such as U-235, U-238, Rn-222, Ra-224, Th-232, C-14, etc. present in
the earth’s crust (e.g., rocks, soil, and water) may be cause nuclear hazards. Since people on the earth have
been exposed to the radiations emitted from these natural sources for several millennia, these radiations are
not the health hazards. But, the man-made sources are the health hazards. Generally, nuclear wastes
containing radioactive nuclei are the sources of nuclear pollution.
Causes of nuclear hazards
Man-made sources
(i) Waste material obtained in the mining and processing of radioactive ores.
(ii) Nuclear wastes produced during the use of radioactive materials in nuclear weapons, e.g., U-235,
and Pu-239, for fission, and hydrogen or lithium as fusion materials.
(iii)Waste materials obtained in the use of radioactive isotopes in medical, industrial and research
applications.
(iv)Waste materials obtained in the use of radioactive materials as nuclear fuel in atomic reactors and
nuclear power plants.
(v) From the diagnostic use of X-rays, radioactive isotopes as tracers and treatment of cancer and other
ailments.
 Effects of nuclear hazards

• The effects of radioactive pollutants depend on the half-life, energy releasing capacity and the
intensity, rate of diffusion, time-exposure and rate of deposition of the radioactive pollutants.

• The atmospheric and climatic conditions, such as wind, temperature and rainfall also determine their
effects.

• The intensity of radiation is determined by the number of particles emitted in unit time. Radiation
intensity is measured in Curie (ci), millicurie (mCi) and microcurie (ci).

• All living organisms are affected by radiation pollution. The effects may be somatic (individual) or
genetic (future generation) damage.
Control measure of nuclear hazards
Nuclear hazards can be controlled by means of the following safety measures.

(i) Radiation exposure protection: Utmost care should be taken to get protected from radiation exposure.
(ii) Leakages from nuclear reactors, transport and use of radioactive fuels, fission products and radioactive isotopes
are to be totally stopped.
(iii) Radioactive wastes should be carefully, efficiently, and effectively discharged.
(iv) Radioactive contamination protection: One should be very much careful to get protected from the radioactive
contamination.
(v) Prohibited area: Area which causes exposure of radiation should be constructed for screening working from
radioactive materials.
(vi) Collection and storage: Radioactive wastes should be converted into harmless materials and stored in deep
layers of the soil where their harmful effects can be decayed gradually.
(vii) Safety measures should be enforced strictly.
(viii) Regular monitoring and quantitative analysis through frequent sampling in the risk areas should be carried out.
Solid waste management
• The rapid growth of human population, increased industrialization, urbanization,
etc. increases the waste materials.
• Since the waste materials create many environmental problems including
health hazards to human beings, if not properly disposed of, it is, therefore highly
essential to consider the waste management.

Why is waste management required?

Waste products are obtained from different source, such as domestic, industrial,
commercial construction sites, medical etc. Since some of the waste materials can be
recycled and reused, i.e., can be used as valuable resources before their disposal, it
is important to go for waste management because of the following reasons:
Why is waste management required?
 Extraction of valuable resources from the waste.
 Separation of biodegradable waste from the non-biodegradable waste and to treat them separately.
 The dumping of waste materials at one place may affect the environment, water and soil) for which
waste management is needed.
 Discharge of waste materials into water bodies or the open space, leading to pollute air, water and soil
for which waste management is required to reduce the environment population, and hence to provide
clear air and water to the living organism.

 Waste materials are to be sorted out, taken for composting and used as a manure to prevent the loss of
nutrients from the soil and thereby increasing the crop production.
 Waste products are segregated and suitable fractions are recycled for reuse which can save resources
from destruction.
Why is waste management required?
 Generation of waste products is the consequences of human activities and the waste are thrown
there as a result of which the aesthetic value of nature is spoiled. In order to save and protect the
aesthetic value, waste management is essential.
 The waste may include hazardous materials. Hazardous pollutants from the dumping site may
enter into the environment. So by following the waste management, the major pathways through
which pollutants are expected to enter into the environment can be identified and hence, check.
 The waste materials on purification in the dumping site may produce CO2, H2S, O3 etc. which lead
to global warming, greenhouse effect and acid rain etc. Thus, by means of the waste management,
the environmental problems will be minimized.
 The waste materials may contain nutrients and some toxic metal. So the waste management saves
the water bodies form harmful effects of eutrophication and biomagnifications.
Solid Waste Management Steps
• Solid Waste Management involves 3 steps

i. Collection and Transportation

a. Sources of solid waste
b. Collection of solid waste
ii. Processing of solid wastes
a. Screening
b. Separation of light wastes from heavier waste
c. Incineration
iii. Disposal of solid waste
a. Segregation
b. Open Dumping
c. Composting
d. Landfills
e. Incineration
f. Pyrolysis
Segregation Methods
 Open Dumping

Transportation by Garbage Truck

Composting

Landfills
Landfills
 In this method, solid wastes are dumped into low lying area (either low land or depression created in an
impermeable soil layer with impermeable membrane).
 The waste is dumped in layers of 1.5m or so and each layer is covered with at least 20cm thick layer of soil.
Each layer is then left for at least 7 days for compaction before starting filling the next layer.
 Covering the waste is called the sanitary landfill. Insecticides like DDT are sprayed on the top to prevent
breeding of mosquitoes, flies, etc. Generally, 2 to 12 months are required for stabilization and settlement of the
wastes in the landfill.

Advantage of land filling methods

 Low lying areas can be reclaimed for other use.
 This method is simple, economical with no use of equipment.
 Since all the wastes are dumped, no separating of wastes is required with further disposal.
Disadvantages of land filling methods
 The environmental problem is groundwater pollution or surface water pollution due to the leach coming out of
the landfill.
 Insecticides are required for the sanitary landfill.
 Emission of foul smell near the landfill site.
 Large land area is required.
Incineration
In this method combustible waste (e.g., garbage, rubbish and dead animals ) is burnt at high
temperatures leaving the ash and non-combustibles(e.g., earth, broken glass, metal, china ware, etc.)
which are disposed of in a landfill.
Advantages
 All the organic matters are burnt and the foul smelling gases, if generated are oxidized.
 The ashes and clinkers produced at the end are used as aggregate for low grade concrete or as road
materials.
 The pathogens and insects bred in the wastes are destroyed.
 This method can be used to supplement other fuels and generate electrical power.
Disadvantages
 Smoke generated may cause environmental problems and some gases formed may be harmful.
 The ash produced might contain toxic heavy metals.

Pyrolysis
This is the combusting of waste in the absence of oxygen. Pyrolysis is an endothermic process and is
different from the incineration. In this method, the end products obtained are the combustible gases,
tar, charcoal, etc. are used as resource materials in different industries.
Academic Poll

Mark the following statements as TRUE or FALSE.

1. Highly acidic/alkaline waste does not exhibit corrosivity hazardous waste characteristics.
(True/False)

2. Carbon-14 is an isotope. (True/False)

3. Composting is the biological degradation or breaking of organic materials, such as cow dung,
garbage, and residues of plants and animals, through a biochemical process. (True/False)

4. The combusting of waste in the absence of oxygen is called incineration. (True/False)

5. Agro-chemical industries can release hazardous waste like Chloro-organics and pesticides.
(True/False)
Case Study / Business Application

 The business application of hazardous and solid waste management

encompasses a range of services, practices, and technologies aimed at ensuring
the safe disposal, recycling, and reduction of waste generated by industrial,
commercial, and residential activities.
 Waste management companies, manufacturers, and organizations involved in
these processes play a vital role in sustainability, environmental compliance,
and health protection.
Session Summary

In this session, we have discussed about:

 A hazardous waste is a solid waste that may cause or significantly contribute to an increase in
mortality or increase in serious irreversible or incapacitating reversible illness or pose a substantial
present or potential hazard.
 Waste products are obtained from different source, such as domestic, industrial, commercial
construction sites, medical etc. Since some of the waste material can be recycled and reused, i.e., can
be used as valuable resources before their disposal, it is important to go for waste management.
 Solid waste management involves 3 steps i.e. Collection and Transportation, Processing of solid
wastes and Disposal of solid waste.
Happy Learning!