Global Impact of Waste Disposal
Global Impact of Waste Disposal
A Research Paper
Submitted to:
Ms. Charmaine C. Cortes
English Language Arts 10 Instructor
In Partial Fulfilment Of the requirement for the subject,
English Language Arts 10
By:
Mea Vanilli G. Arboleras
Prois International Christian School System
1
Abstract
Waste Disposal has been helpful through out the years and reducing the waste that we
have been consuming , revitalizing the environment to live safe and having a healthy lifestyle.
But some of their disposal method has been the biggest contributor of making environment
unclean and not safe to the community to live in and clearly not beneficial and diminishing all
kinds of waste. Waste Management has aiming the goal of a much clean environment but goes
through irony as they been helping but not really at all. Through using evidences and facts that
related to this topic, I have the impression of dissecting these idea in making some of the waste
disposal methods to be exposed as this created a global impact to the society.
Introduction
2
“There is no such thing as ‘away’. When we throw anything away it must go
somewhere.”(Annie Leonard, Proponent of Sustainability).As we humans are responsible for the
changes of the environment, we have been ignoring our surroundings and have thought that the
waste we discarded has completely taken care of . We never think about how it goes to the
process and how does it helping and beneficial to the environment.
Waste has become the notorious reason why the environment is getting contaminated and
polluted for being continuously neglected to the people. It is known to be harmful to the health of
all living things as such it contains chemicals that is highly toxic especially with a family and a
community that is living beside areas with a unhealthy environment. It also contributes diseases
and illnesses that can be high hazardous and even causes death. To reduce the problem,
they utilize and do the solid waste management to ensure safe and healthy environment to all
living kind.
Waste management is the precise name for the collection, transportation, disposal or
recycling and monitoring of waste. This term is assigned to the material, waste material that is
produced through human being activity. This material is managed to avoid its adverse effect over
3
human health and environment. Most of the time, waste is managed to get resources from it. The
waste to be managed includes all forms of matter i.e. gaseous, liquid, solid and radioactive
matter.1
Waste Management has been part of the community to lessen and avert all kinds of
waste, garbage and litter. Many have which people had been disciplined and educated
themselves to proper waste segregation and practicing the “Biodegradable and NonBiodegradable” label at home, school or any places. Waste management has all kind of ways to
clean the environment such as recycling and reusing. But some ways of doing waste
management should be minimized as this could develop some dangerous changes to the
environment.
History of Waste Management
1
Waste Management Resources (2009). Retrieved from http://www.wrfound.org.uk/
4
In the earlier days of human history our solid waste was not always managed properly.
To learn how our waste management was handled in ancient historical times and the advances
that led us to our current waste management procedures, we would like to give you the history of
solid waste management in three parts.
Pre-Industrial Times
In earlier human history, solid waste was made up of ash, wood, bones, bodies and
vegetable waste. During this period waste was disposed of in the ground where it acted like a
compost and helped improve the soil. Archaeological digs confirmed that everything was
repaired and reused resulting in minimal waste. Tiny amounts of ash, broken tools, and pottery
were the type of waste found in ancient rubbish dumps when excavated.
Archaeological excavations also confirmed that bits of garbage which fell on the floor
were walked on by the household residents. This is referred to as the fringe effect where the
trash was brushed into corners or along the edge of walls. Instead of cleaning the trash from
their floors, they would cover it with fresh, clean clay which resulted in cities having higher
elevations. An example of this is the city of Troy where debris accumulation resulted in the
cities elevation increasing 5 feet per century.
When populations started to grow there was less space to dispose of waste. This led to
development of necessary waste disposal systems. Ancient civilizations that created waste
procedures in ancient history were found in Crete, Athens and Rome.
5
Middle Ages
It was during the Middle Ages when people began to realize that garbage and waste
were a threat to human life. People would burn their trash, bury it or let it pile up. As the waste
began to accumulate in urban settings, the garbage resulted in a horrid stench and a growing
population of rats which then contaminated water supplies and strengthened human diseases.
These conditions caused some of the greatest plagues to impact humanity. It was during this
period that the earliest organized waste management techniques were developed.
In the 1340s, the Black Plague which spread to Western Europe and North Africa
was responsible for the deaths of approximately 75,000,000 people worldwide. The Black
Plague was also referred to as the Black Death and is believed to have killed 30 to 60 percent of
Europe’s population. Although the black plague subsided some it still impacted Europe up until
the 16th century. The Bubonic Plague was another disease which resulted from the filthy
conditions of the Middle Ages2.
Waste Management in Developed Countries and Developing Countries
World cites creates about 1.3 tonnes of solid waste per year. The expected volume to
increase is 2.2 billion tonnes by 2025. Globally solid waste management cost will increase from
2
Express Recycling and Sanitation (2013,May) Retrived from http://expressrecyclingandsanitation.com
/2013/05/15/the-history-of-solid-waste-management-part-i/
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today ‘s annual of $205.4 billion to about $375.5 billion in 2025. Cost increases will be most
severe in low income countries (more than 5- fold increase) and lower-middle income countries
(more than 4- fold increases). 3
Government by lower class countries needs funding in order to maintain a healthy
environment but since then they are indeed lower class countries. If their economy is absolutely
not currently rising, the most funding will be most contributed to the supply of food and basic
needs of people. On the other hand, developed countries has a more cleaner environment and
evidently, they are disciplined and taking action as the create organizations and to help one
another to evaluate the problem.
In Developed Countries
In some of the developed countries, there are using advance management techniques
such as Germany that are likely to help eluding the waste as they also increase the probability of
recycling and reuse. Just as they are using this techniques, the “recycling” level was increase by
62 % in 2010, and land filling was almost reduced to zero by that time (3). Although, adequate
laws are required to run a country waste free as Germany put a ban on land filling MSW by
3
Hoornway D. & Bhada-Tata P. (2012) What a Waste. World Bank, 15 ,1-3. Retrieved from the World
Bank database.
7
defining requirements to the organic content. Direct land filled (maximum 5% carbon content) or
maximum 18% if the waste has been pre-treated. The first initiative was taken in 1993 that
followed up in 2001 and 2002 and was fully implemented in 2005.4
But not all developed countries does this techniques as much as possible to minimize
of using some of the methods to discard the waste like in the USA and Canada because of
inadequate jobs. They maximize the use of landfills and collected a metric ton of waste.
5
4
Srivastava, Rishabh ( 2016) Waste Management: Developed and Developing
Countries .International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 5,202-203.
5
Simmons, A .(2016,April 22).The world's trash crisis, and why many Americans are oblivious.Los
Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com
/world/global-development/la-fg-global-trash-20160422-20160421-snap-htmlstory.html
8
This data shows how much waste generated for each day in 2011. How long would it
be if this goes to the year 2025 in only in developed countries ? As the majority of the waste
produced , USA has more 624,700 metric ton per day.
9
In Developing Countries
Philippines Republic Act No. 9001 ( Ecological Solid Waste Management) in Sector
2 states that to “ Ensure the protection of public health and environment”. But as the article in
the “ The World Bank” in press release
“Under the Republic Act 9003, local government are responsible for proper waste
management within their constituencies, ensuring segregation at source, composting,
recycling, efficient collection, and environmentally sound disposal . However,
compliance with the law among local government varies widely due to constraints like limited
financial resources, limited markets for recyclable materials, and lack of technical capacity.”6
Even for a plan on environmental change, they also need economic change as this
can contribute to funding of a better environment. Some of the developed countries donated like
Japan (the Kyoto Protocol) to help the other country needing of money for the improvement of
the environment.
Integrated solid waste management (SWM) in developing countries like Egypt has
traditionally focused on organizational and technical concerns. However, this approach neglects
the many activities and actors that waste management comprises. A new paradigm of SWM is
6
The World Bank.(2016, January). Retrieved from http://www.worldbank.org
/en/news/press-release/2016/01/21/philippines-modernizing-landfills-to-reduce-harmful-methane-emissions
10
needed which must extend the technical model to tackle a range of problems associated with
waste management in order to achieve socially and environmentally responsible waste
management.
Waste management in Egypt as all developing countries is a challenge, both behavior
of citizens and the poor management of waste contribute to the issues of waste. A typical
Egyptian city like Cairo generates around 11,450 tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) per day
with 45% moisture content, 30% volatile matter and calorific value of 1500 Kcal/kg. Software
model was run for various technologies. The primary purposes of solid waste management
(SWM) strategies are to address the health, environmental, aesthetic, land-use, resource, and
economic concerns associated with the improper disposal of waste.
Although many sophisticated models are available, they are of little use to
developing countries like Egypt since it does not take into account typical developing countries,
municipal solid waste characteristics such as high organic content, poor performance of the
formal sector, high activity of scavengers and waste pickers etc. So, there is a need to have a
fresh look at parameters involved in the municipal solid waste (MSW) management and
developing a model from the third world’s perspective.
Strategic planning as a tool for accomplishing long-term objective has been
utilized on the level of both organizational and on the level of countries or cities. Governments
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should employ this to achieve a sustainable waste management process in cities and countries.
I
In regards of municipal solid waste management (MSWM), it is a process which needs
the participation of citizens as the first generator of waste who can facilitate much by supporting
and contributing to the strategy of waste management that formulated by government. Previous
authors have given insights for approaches and strategies regarding waste management in Egypt
as well as all developing countries, the majority focused on technical solution which are very
important for sure, little have focused on the role of active participation and coordination of all
stakeholders through all phases of waste management especially participation of citizens which
is not less importance.
In addition to technical arrangements of waste management (storage, collection and
disposal), the public participation should be considered. Government will need to develop the
long-term vision, communicate it to the public, and coordinate with different stakeholders to
increase the awareness to make people recognize the importance and the value will be gained
behind an effective waste management process. Citizens also should realize the significance of
their role and understand well that it is critical for the success of the waste management in the
country.
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It is a combination between the effort done by government through providing the
legislation and the facilities, and on the same level of importance, the contribution of the citizens
by demonstrating the appropriate behaviors and actions regarding the country to accomplish the
aimed goal of a cleaner country.
A participatory strategic planning process for waste management might be needed to
effectively obtain the commitment of all stakeholders toward this challenging process from waste
generation till waste disposal.7
Key Solid Waste Issues in Developing Countries
8
7
Ismail T.M. (2015) Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries. Innovative Energy & Research,
4, 119.
8
Sustainable Development.(2011,March) Retrieved from https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org
/content/documents/ldiaz.pdf
13
This table shows the connectivity of the problem on why developing countries is
slow in mitigating the waste .Thus, developing countries can’t properly manage their own waste
that they collected because of inadequacy of things and knowledge to provide and know how to
address the problem.
Kinds of Waste
Generally, waste could be liquid or solid waste. Both of them could be hazardous. Liquid
and solid waste types can also be grouped into organic, re-usable and recyclable waste.
Liquid type:
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Waste can come in non-solid form. Some solid waste can also be converted to a
liquid waste form for disposal. It includes point source and non-point source discharges such as
storm water and wastewater. Examples of liquid waste include wash water from homes, liquids
used for cleaning in industries and waste detergents.
Solid type:
Solid waste predominantly, is any garbage, refuse or rubbish that we make in our
homes and other places. These include old car tires, old newspapers, broken furniture and even
food waste. They may include any waste that is non-liquid.
Hazardous type:
Hazardous or harmful waste are those that potentially threaten public health or the
environment. Such waste could be inflammable (can easily catch fire), reactive (can easily
explode), corrosive (can easily eat through metal) or toxic (poisonous to human and animals)
especially when the chemical contains Dioxin that is more like dangerous to stay in that area. In
many countries, it is required by law to involve the appropriate authority to supervise the
disposal of such hazardous waste. Examples include fire extinguishers, old propane tanks,
pesticides, mercury-containing equipment (e.g, thermostats) and lamps (e.g. fluorescent bulbs)
and batteries. 9One event that cause by this type of waste was in 1982-83 about 2,200 people
were forced to leave their homes in Times Beach, Missouri.
9
The New Book Of Knowledge (1994) Grolier incorporated, Vol. 8, p. 72
15
Organic type:
Organic waste comes from plants or animals sources. Commonly, they include food
waste, fruit and vegetable peels, flower trimmings and even dog poop can be classified as
organic waste. They are biodegradable (this means they are easily broken down by other
organisms over time and turned into manure). Many people turn their organic waste into compost
and use them in their gardens.
Recyclable type:
Recycling is processing used materials (waste) into new, useful products. This is
done to reduce the use of raw materials that would have been used. Waste that can be potentially
recycled is termed "Recyclable waste". Aluminum products (like soda, milk and tomato cans),
Plastics (grocery shopping bags, plastic bottles), Glass products (like wine and beer bottles,
broken glass), Paper products (used envelopes, newspapers and magazines, cardboard boxes) can
be recycled and fall into this category.10
Disposal Methods
Industrialized nations are grappling with the problem of expeditious and safe waste
disposal. Non-biodegradable and toxic wastes like radioactive remnants can potentially cause
irreparable damage to the environment and human health if not strategically disposed of.
10
eSchool Today. Retrieved from http://www.eschooltoday.com/waste-recycling/types-of-waste.html
16
Though waste disposal has been a matter of concern for several decades, the main problem has
been taking massive proportions due to growth in population and industrialization, the two major
factors that contribute to waste generation. Though some advancement is being made in waste
disposal methods, they are still not adequate. The challenge is to detect newer and unhazardous
methods of waste disposal and put these methods to use.
Below we will venture into six effective waste disposal methods.
Waste Disposal Methods
1. Preventing or reducing waste generation: Extensive use of new or unnecessary products is the
root cause of unchecked waste formation. The rapid population growth makes it imperative to
use secondhand products or judiciously use the existing ones because if not, there is a potential
risk of people succumbing to the ill effects of toxic wastes. Disposing of the wastes will also
assume formidable shape. A conscious decision should be made at the personal and professional
level to judiciously curb the menacing growth of wastes.
2. Recycling: Recycling serves to transform the wastes into products of their own genre through
industrial processing. Paper, glass, aluminum, and plastics are commonly recycled. It is
environmentally friendly to reuse the wastes instead of adding them to nature. However,
processing technologies are pretty expensive.
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3. Incineration: Incineration features combustion of wastes to transform them into base
components, with the generated heat being trapped for deriving energy. Assorted gases and inert
ash are common by-products. Pollution is caused by varied degrees dependent on nature of waste
combusted and incinerator design. Use of filters can check pollution. It is rather inexpensive to
burn wastes and the waste volume is reduced by about 90%. The nutrient rich ash derived out of
burning organic wastes can facilitate hydroponic solutions. Hazardous and toxic wastes can be
easily be rid of by using this method. The energy extracted can be used for cooking, heating, and
supplying power to turbines. However, strict vigilance and due diligence should be exercised to
check the accidental leakage of micro level contaminants, such as dioxins from incinerator lines.
4. Composting: It involves decomposition of organic wastes by microbes by allowing the waste
to stay accumulated in a pit for a long period of time. The nutrient rich compost can be used as
plant manure. However, the process is slow and consumes a significant amount of land.
Biological reprocessing tremendously improves the fertility of the soil.
5. Sanitary Landfill: This involves the dumping of wastes into a landfill. The base is prepared of
a protective lining, which serves as a barrier between wastes and ground water, and prevents the
separation of toxic chemicals into the water zone. Waste layers are subjected to compaction and
subsequently coated with an earth layer. Soil that is non-porous is preferred to mitigate the
vulnerability of accidental leakage of toxic chemicals. Landfills should be created in places with
low groundwater level and far from sources of flooding. However, a sufficient number of skilled
manpower is required to maintain sanitary landfills.
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6. Disposal in ocean/sea: Wastes generally of radioactive nature are dumped in the oceans far
from active human habitats. However, environmentalists are challenging this method, as such an
action is believed to spell doom for aquatic life by depriving the ocean waters of its inherent
nutrients.
Effective waste disposal calls for concerted efforts from all, no matter how anxious or worried
they may be about our environment.11
Serious Environmental Issues through doing the hazardous method
Usually, the common types of waste disposal methods are landfills and incineration
in urban places that the waste will be delivered away from the community for safety and health.
But as this method continues to do the process, the landfill is not enough for the waste to be
discarded. The toxic and chemicals that brought in with the wastes discarded, it will seep into
soil and running through river across to the sea that can make the water contaminated.
11
Compactor Management Company. Retrieved from http://www.norcalcompactors.net
/6-waste-disposal-methods
19
In addition, landfill is also the contributor of the bad odour and release of gas that
are toxic and harmful to the environment . When landfills is heated by the sun, the fumes that the
plastic slowly melting because the sun will spread out to a nearby community and also the
workers working in waste management .
Incineration on the other hand , the purpose of this method is to burn the waste in
order to dissolve the material that incinerated. The advantage of this method is that it decreases
the number of waste that generates everyday from12 95 to 96 percent. and the melted plastic can
be made as powder and chips the be reuse for new mold structures like plastic tube for plumbing.
But this method can be also dangerous as this release some toxic gases like sulfur dioxide and
carbon monoxide. 13The smoke can spread around the atmosphere, and once it gathers up in the
air, it will precipitate in the form of acid rain, polluting water systems and damaging trees.
Diseases and Illnesses
There are multiple ways that improper disposal can result in the spread of
disease. The first of these is by introducing pathogens into the environment. This is when
bacteria or viruses are transported in the waste and introduced to new areas. There is a chance
12
Waste Management Resources (2009) Retrieved from http://www.wrfound.org.uk/articles/incineration.html
13
Sok S.& Kim K(2012, April 18). Side effects of burning waste.The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved from
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/lift/side-effects-burning-waste
20
that perhaps a human may be exposed to the waste. More likely, though, is that another animal,
such as a rat or bird, may be exposed to the pathogen and then return to a larger population
infected. This can create diseased populations that can spread the disease, possibly to other
species. The other way that improper disposal of some wastes can result in the spread of disease
is from waste acting as a food source or breeding ground for pathogens that might not have
reached such high population otherwise. This creates a very specific risk when the waste is
human biological material or other bio-waste. Bacteria and viruses are high-risk causes of
disease that are found in some waste. Of particular concern are viruses that cause hepatitis and
HIV and bacteria that cause tuberculosis. These are more commonly found in medical
environments but may exist in common waste and can grow in bio-waste from any source.14
Malaria- a disease spread by mosquitoes. It is caused by the protozoa Plasmodium. This is a very
common disease in places where mosquitoes breed very quickly. The sewers in these places
aren't taken care of properly, so the water there runs in the streets. Mosquitoes breed in still
water, so because of all this water, many mosquitoes breed and there is a large amount of them.
And, unfortunately, they all carry the malaria disease.
Typhoid- a waterborne disease. People who drink polluted water can become infected with
typhoid. Lack of sanitation makes it easier to get typhoid. The garbage in the area is a good
breeding ground for flies. The flies can then carry the disease and infect more people.
14
Healthfully( 2017, July) Retrieved from https://healthfully.com
/diseases-caused-improper-waste-disposal-5132913.html
21
Dysentery- a disease that can cause severe diarrhea. If not treated properly, someone can die
from it. This is a waterborne illness that is transmitted to a person when they drink the polluted
water.
Cholera- a disease that causes diarrhea. Cholera is a waterborne disease that can be dangerous to
everyone that lives in an unsanitized environment.
These are only four of the many diseases that can be caused by garbage pollution. There are huge
amounts of people that get sick from the lack of sanitation in their countries. This is why it's so
important to end this crisis so people can be healthy.15
15
The Problem of Garbage Pollution. Retrieved from http://garbagepollution.weebly.com/illness.html
22
Conclusion
Waste Management did help us to be safe from toxic waste to hazardous fumes that
really did make our lives get easier and breathe clean air as long as the waste will be far away
from us . We cannot uphold the negative side of waste disposal as people create tons of plastics,
metal, food waste, liquid that needed for machineries and engines that we are also the contributor
of waste we discarded. As much as they wanted to minimize the use of hazardous of this method.
We human consume a daily basis of products and material that which not eco-friendly to the
environment. Waste will generate everyday because of our consumption.
Thus, people will some suffer the consequences because it will turn back to them. It
affects the economy, habitat, health, social and the environment. Mother don’t need us. We need
her for a home to live, for the food and water we consume. This is the survival of the fittest.
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Bibliography
Compactor Management Company. Retrieved from http://www.norcalcompactors.net
/6-waste-disposal-methods
eSchool Today. Retrieved from http://www.eschooltoday.com/waste-recycling/types-of-waste.html
Express Recycling and Sanitation (2013,May) Retrived from http://expressrecyclingandsanitation.com
/2013/05/15/the-history-of-solid-waste-management-part-i/
Healthfully( 2017, July) Retrieved from https://healthfully.com/diseases-caused-improper-waste-disposal5132913.html
Hoornway D. & Bhada-Tata P. (2012) What a Waste. World Bank, 15 ,1-3. Retrieved from the World Bank
database.
Ismail T.M. (2015) Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries. Innovative Energy & Research, 4, 119.
Simmons, A .(2016,April 22).The world's trash crisis, and why many Americans are oblivious. Los Angeles Times.
Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/world/global-development/la-fg-global-trash-20160422-20160421-snaphtmlstory.html
Sok S.& Kim K(2012, April 18). Side effects of burning waste.The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved from
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/lift/side-effects-burning-waste
Sustainable Development.(2011,March) Retrieved from
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/ldiaz.pdf
Srivastava, Rishabh ( 2016) Waste Management: Developed and Developing Countries .International Journal of
Science and Research (IJSR), 5,202-203.
The New Book Of Knowledge (1994) Grolier incorporated, Vol. 8, p. 72
The Problem of Garbage Pollution. Retrieved from http://garbagepollution.weebly.com/illness.html
24
The World Bank.(2016, January). Retrieved from http://www.worldbank.org
/en/news/press-release/2016/01/21/philippines-modernizing-landfills-to-reduce-harmful-methane-emissions
Waste Management Resources (2009). Retrieved from http://www.wrfound.org.uk/
Waste Management Resources (2009) Retrieved from http://www.wrfound.org.uk/articles/incineration.html
25
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