Solid Waste Management:

Type,Legal aspect and Impact

on health and environment
Dr. Babita Kumari
Definition

1. The dictionary meaning of waste is ‘material which has been

used and is no longer wanted, because the valuable or useful
part of it has been taken out’.
2. Central pollution control board (CPCB) in India defines solid
waste as ‘solid or semi-solid domestic waste, sanitary waste,
commercial waste, institutional waste, catering and market
waste and other nonresidential wastes, street sweepings, silt
removed or collected from the surface drains, horticulture
waste, agriculture and dairy waste, treated biomedical waste
excluding industrial waste, bio-medical waste and e-waste,
battery waste, radio-active waste generated in the area’.
3. As defined in United States Environmental protection
agency (US EPA) ‘solid waste means any garbage or
refuse, sludge from a wastewater treatment plant, water
supply treatment plant, or air pollution control facility and
other discarded material, resulting from industrial,
commercial, mining, and agricultural operations, and from
community activities.
Solid waste management is a state issue in India which is
aggravated by increasing population and unscientific
management practice, and attitude. This unit deals with
the source and categories of waste, chemical composition,
classification of solid wastes and their management.
Classification of solid waste
1. Classification based on Source
The most common types of wastes which are originated at source particularly found
in our societies. These are discussed below:
a) Domestic waste: These wastes are produced at the household levels or from
dwellings, apartments and residential buildings. These include leftover food,
contaminated wastewater by the use of detergent, household garbage, ashes,
furniture material, clothes, plastic and so on.
b) Agricultural waste: These include wastes from the agricultural area or due to the
result of agricultural activity and associated processes. These are organic wastes
from plants and animals, spoiled food grains, crop residue after harvesting,
contaminated water after the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides and other
agricultural remains.
c) Industrial waste: The source of these types of wastes is industries, factories
and several other manufacturing processing units. Various types of solid and
liquid effluents are major wastes generated from here. It mainly consists of
processed wastes, chemicals, tanneries, building material, burning of coal and
wood, charcoal and ashes, hazardous solid and gaseous wastes are produced as
a result of industrial activities.

d) Municipal waste: The waste generated by various municipal activities while

constructing roads, public facilities, buildings, railways lines, street cleaning,
landscaping of an area, etc. are known as municipal wastes. Municipal solid
waste (MSW) is defined to include household waste, commercial and market area
waste, slaughter house waste, institutional waste (e.g., from schools, community
halls), horticultural waste (from parks and gardens), waste from road sweeping,
silt from drainage, and treated biomedical waste.
e) Biomedical waste: Wastes from hospitals, clinics, path labs, experimental labs
in the form of blood, diseased organs, the material used during medical
operations, poisonous gases during experiments and several such items are
termed as biomedical wastes.

f) Waste from natural disasters: After the occurrence of natural or human made
disasters, various materials are left behind as waste. It includes slag and ash from
a volcanic eruption, building debris after the earthquake/landslides, and various
remains left behind due to flood, cyclone/tsunamis, fire, structural collapse, etc.
2. Classification based on Type

Based on the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, wastes are

classified mainly into two types: biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes.

i) Biodegradable wastes: These wastes are those leftover materials of organic

matter which get degraded from complex to simpler compounds. These include
paper, textiles, wood, food wastes, fruit and vegetable peels, etc. These are also
produced as a result of various human activities at the household, industrial and
commercial levels.

ii) Non-biodegradable wastes: These wastes include inorganic and to a certain

extent recyclable waste products. It includes plastic wastes, glass wastes, cans,
metals, etc.
Fig.: Composition of Municipal Solid Waste in India (Source: Municipal solid waste management
manual Part II: 2016, CPHEEO, MUD, Govt. of India)
Table: The degeneration time for biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes.
Solid Waste generation in India
Table : SOLID WASTE GENERATION PER CAPITA
INDUSTRIAL WASTE
Sources of Industrial waste

Following are the major sources of industrial pollution in India, which are
producing hazardous waste-. There are many industries which are producing
hazardous, affecting the integrity and composition of the environment and its
components mainly includes Synthetic Organic Chemical Industries, Mining,
Fertilizer Industry, battery and allied industries, cement, Chlor-alkali industries,
healthcare institutes, metal refining, Petrochemical industries, solvents, Plastics,
Insecticides, etc.
Classification of Industrial Waste
According to the 2016 rules the hazardous wastes are broadly classified in the following
according to their Hazardous Characteristics:
1) Explosive An explosive substance or waste is a solid or liquid substance or waste (or
mixture of substances or wastes) which is in itself capable by chemical reaction of
producing gas at such a temperature and pressure and at such a speed as to cause
damage to the surrounding.
2) Flammable liquids The word “flammable” has the same meaning as “inflammable”.
Flammable liquids are liquids, or mixtures of liquids, or liquids containing solids in solution
or suspension (for example, paints, varnishes, lacquers, etc. but not including substances
or wastes otherwise classified on account of their dangerous characteristics) which give off
a flammable vapour at temperatures of not more than 60.5ºC, closed-cup test, or not more
than 65.6ºC, open-cup test.
3) Flammable solids Solids, or waste solids, other than those classed as explosives, which
under conditions encountered in transport are readily combustible, or may cause or
contribute to fire through friction.
4) Substances or wastes liable to spontaneous combustion Substances or wastes
which are liable to spontaneous heating under normal conditions encountered in
transport, or to heating up on contact with air, and being then liable to catch fire.

5) Substances or wastes which, in contact with water emit flammable gases

Substances or wastes which, by interaction with water, are liable to become
spontaneously flammable or to give off flammable gases in dangerous quantities.

6) Oxidizing Substances or wastes which, while in themselves not necessarily

combustible, may, generally by yielding oxygen cause, or contribute to, the
combustion or other materials.

7) Organic Peroxides Organic substances or wastes which contain the

bivalent-o-o-structure are thermally unstable substances which may undergo
exothermic selfaccelerating decomposition.
8) Poisons (acute) Substances or wastes liable either to cause death or serious
injury or to harm human health if swallowed or inhaled or by skin contact.

9) Infectious substances Substances or wastes containing viable micro-organisms

or their toxins which are known or suspected to cause disease in animals or
humans.

10) Corrosives Substances or wastes which, by chemical action, will cause severe
damage when in contact with living tissue, or, in the case of leakage, will materially
damage, or even destroy, other goods or the means of transport; they may also
cause other hazards.

11) Liberation of toxic gases in contact with air or water Substances or wastes
which, by interaction with air or water, are liable to give off toxic gases in dangerous
quantities.
12) Toxic (delayed or chronic) Substances or wastes which, if they are inhaled or
ingested or if they penetrate the skin, may involve delayed or chronic effects,
including carcinogenicity).
Non- hazardous Industrial Waste
Non-hazardous or ordinary industrial waste is generated by industrial or
commercial activities, but is similar to household waste by its nature and
composition. It is not toxic, presents no hazard and thus requires no special
treatment. In particular, it includes ordinary waste produced by companies,
shopkeepers and traders (paper, cardboard, wood, textiles, packaging, etc.). Due
to its non-hazardous nature, this waste is often sorted and treated in the same
facilities as household waste
BIOMEDICAL WASTE
Biomedical Waste (BMW), also tremens as infectious waste or medical waste. The
main source of generation of BMW are medical facilities at rural and urban places
like hospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries, private clinics, veterinary hospitals,
pathological laboratories, blood banks, ayush hospitals, clinical establishments,
research or educational institutions, Government Health Camps (medical/ surgical/
vaccination/ blood donation) first aid rooms of educational institutes, forensic
laboratories, research labs, etc.
Classification of biomedical waste Approximately 10-25 % biomedical waste is
hazardous and can have deleterious effects on human and animal health and the
remaining 75-90% of the biomedical waste is non-hazardous and as harmless as any
other municipal waste. The hazardous waste is a major risk to the health care
personnel at all the level and also for the general population if not handled, treated
and disposed properly. The following figure describes the classification of biomedical
waste.
The Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change have classified the
biomedical waste in the following categories according to the type, their magnitude to
impose hazard and source of generation:
a) Human Anatomical Waste: Human tissues, organs, body parts and fetus,blood and
other fluids.
b) Animal Anatomical Waste: Experimental animal carcasses, body parts, organs,
tissues, including the waste generated from animals used in experiments or testing in
veterinary hospitals or colleges or animal houses.
c) Soiled Waste: Items contaminated with blood, body fluids like dressings, plaster
casts, cotton swabs and bags containing residual or discarded blood and blood
components.
d) Expired or Discarded Medicines: includes pharmaceutical waste like antibiotics,
cytotoxic drugs along with glass or plastic ampoules, vials etc.
e) Chemical Waste: Chemicals used in production of biological and used or discarded
disinfectants.
f) Chemical Liquid Waste :Liquid waste generated due to use of chemicals or
discarded disinfectants, Silver X-ray film developing liquid, discarded Formalin,
aspirated body fluids, liquid from laboratories and floor washings, cleaning,
house-keeping and disinfecting activities etc.

g) Cloths used in the medical practices like discarded linen, mattresses, beddings
contaminated with blood or body fluid.

h) Microbiology, Biotechnology and other clinical laboratory waste: Blood bags,

cultures, discarded stocks or specimens of microorganisms, live or attenuated
vaccines, research based human and animal cell cultures, waste from industrial
laboratories, residual toxins, dishes and devices used for cultures etc.
i)Contaminated Waste (Recyclable): BMW generated from disposable items such as
tubing, bottles, intravenous tubes and sets, catheters, urine bags, syringes (without
needles and fixed needle syringes) and gloves.

j) Waste sharps including Metals: the objects that may cause cut or punter,
including used, discarded and contaminated metal sharps like needles, syringes,
needles from needle tip cutter or burner, scalpels, blades, or any other contaminated
sharp object.
k) Glassware: Broken or discarded and contaminated glass including medicine
bottles/ vials and ampoules except those contaminated with cytotoxic wastes.

l) Metallic BodyImplants Another categorization is based on the safe treatment and

disposal method of the above mentioned wastes which are specifically colour coded
viz. yellow, red, white and blue. The table below discusses the Category, Type of
waste; Type of container to be used and Treatment and disposal options.
Effects on Public Health

● Solid wastes dumped at a place provide a suitable environment for the

development of the vermin population. These vermin like mosquitoes, flies,
rodents and pigs are the major agents of various types of diseases. These
diseases become a health problem when they spread into the local
community and surrounding area. Mosquitoes transmit malaria, chikungunya,
dengue fevers, etc., whereas, flies spread typhoid, dysentery problems.
● Rats (rodents) movements create conditions for the spread of the plague. For
rats, solid wastes dumping areas are the main sources of food as well as
provide shelters. Besides rodents, other animals like dogs, cats, and pigs are
also the carriers of various diseases.
● The people who are working in these areas are directly exposed to these
diseases and are highly vulnerable. Sometimes, while handling solid or liquid
wastes, they came across to contact with sharp edges of glass or metal and get
skin and blood infections.
● Further, they are vulnerable to animal bites and associated diseases at solid
waste disposal sites. They can experience eye and chronic respiratory diseases
including cancer resulting from exposure to dust and hazardous materials.
Burns and other injuries are also possible due to careless dumping of
chemicals, acid, electronic waste materials leading to serious health hazards.
● The waste generated from hospitals and laboratories like syringe needles,
swabs, bandages, etc. is very dangerous and infectious. Workers working with
these chemicals and metals for research laboratories may experience toxic
exposure. It is not limited to the public health, it also effects our environment so
badly.
Effects on Environment
● Solid and liquid wastes have an adverse impact on the environment. The dumping
of waste in open areas and drains creates lots of problems.
● The burning of wastes generate different types of pollution which affect the local
population and also the environment. Improper burning of solid wastes led to air
pollution at landfill sites.
● Emission in the form of carbon monoxide, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and
sulphur oxides creates huge problems in the atmosphere. Dumping of wastes in
storm water drains leads to water pollution. When these drains move from the
surrounding agricultural area also affects the local land and quality of groundwater.
● During the rain, the leaching of wastewater from the landfill sites gets mixed with
groundwater and affects its quality. This contamination changes the chemical
properties of groundwater which is harmful if it is being used in surrounding areas
for agricultural or domestic purposes.
● Foul odour produced from the decomposition of the solid and liquid wastes,
has a significant effect on the environment. The obnoxious smell created by
the huge piles of wastes and around the wastewater drains is unhygienic as
well as intolerable when we move nearby. In residential areas also, the waste
collection centres smell a lot. The smell is the result of the presence of mixed
types of organic material.
● Further, these sites are affecting the visual attractiveness of the place. These
sites located along the roads, highways, public/residential bins provide easy
accessibility to animals, scavengers for the collection of food and other
materials. Therefore, the environment of these areas is affected by solid and
liquid wastes in various ways.