Final Exam Notes: Waste Management (All 7 Chapters Covered)
---
Chapter 1: Waste Generation and Characteristics
1. Waste & Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM)
Waste refers to unwanted materials from various sources. ISWM is a comprehensive approach to manage
waste using reduce, reuse, recycle, composting, and landfilling.
2. Functional Elements
- Generation
- Storage
- Collection
- Transfer and transport
- Processing
- Disposal
3. Types of Solid Waste
- Residential (households)
- Commercial (shops, offices)
- Institutional (schools, hospitals)
- Industrial (factories)
- Municipal (roads, parks)
- Agricultural and hazardous wastes
4. Sources of Solid Waste
- Households
- Commercial centers
- Industrial zones
- Construction sites
- Healthcare facilities
5. Properties of Solid Waste
- Physical: density, moisture, particle size
- Chemical: carbon, nitrogen, ash content
- Biological: degradable vs. non-degradable
6. Composition of MSW & Its Variation
- Varies by location, season, income level
- Common components: food waste, paper, plastic, glass, metal
7. Other Properties of Waste
- Calorific value
- Biodegradability
- Toxicity
---
Chapter 2: Physical Aspects - Collection and Transport
1. Methods of Waste Collection
- Communal collection
- Door-to-door collection
- Curbside collection
2. Storage System
- Bins (covered/uncovered)
- Transfer stations
- Segregated containers for recyclable and organic waste
3. Selection of Waste Collection Vehicles
- Hand carts
- Compactor trucks
- Container carriers
- Based on road condition, volume, cost
4. Transfer
- Moving waste from small vehicles to large ones
- Improves efficiency and reduces cost
5. Operation and Maintenance of Collection Vehicles
- Regular cleaning
- Fuel checks
- Mechanical inspection
- Driver training
---
Chapter 3: Resource Value
1. Materials
- Recoverable: paper, plastic, metal, glass
- Organic: food and garden waste
2. Segregation
- Sorting waste at source or facility
- Improves recycling and resource recovery
3. Reduce
- Minimize waste production
- Use fewer resources
4. Reuse
- Using items multiple times (bottles, bags)
- Saves energy and resources
5. Recycling MSW
- Process of converting waste into new products
- Reduces raw material demand
6. Production Process
- Collection -> Segregation -> Processing -> Product
7. Global Fact
- Developed countries recycle more
- E-waste is growing globally
8. Environmental Aspect
- Reduces pollution
- Saves energy
- Conserves natural resources
---
Chapter 4: Thermal Treatment
1. Thermal Process
- Waste treated using high temperature
- Reduces volume and destroys pathogens
2. Incineration
- Burning waste in closed chambers
- Produces heat and ash
- May produce harmful gases
3. Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT)
- Combines mechanical sorting and biological composting
- Reduces biodegradable waste
4. Refused Derived Fuel (RDF)
- Fuel made from non-recyclable waste
- Used in cement kilns and power plants
5. Thermochemical Conversion of Biomass
- Converts biomass into energy
- Includes gasification, pyrolysis
6. Pyrolysis
- Heating waste in absence of oxygen
- Produces oil, gas, char
7. Gasification
- Partial oxidation of waste at high temperature
- Produces synthetic gas (syngas)
8. Combustion
- Burning waste with oxygen
- Simple and direct heat generation
---
Chapter 5: Biological Treatment
1. Composting & Technology
- Aerobic decomposition of organic waste
- Produces compost (natural fertilizer)
- Can be windrow, in-vessel, aerated pile
2. Case Study: Dhaka Composting
- Public-private partnership
- Converts organic market waste into compost
- Reduces landfill pressure
3. Anaerobic Digestion of Bio-Waste
- Breakdown in absence of oxygen
- Produces biogas (methane) and digestate
- Used for electricity or cooking
- Based on organic content and retention time
4. Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Fermentation
- Aerobic: with oxygen, faster, produces compost
- Anaerobic: without oxygen, slower, produces gas
5. Vermicomposting
- Using earthworms to decompose organic waste
- Produces nutrient-rich compost
6. Biodegradable Waste
- Waste that decomposes naturally
- Includes food waste, paper, garden waste
---
Chapter 6: Waste Disposal and Landfill
1. Landfill Issue
- Controlled disposal site
- Liner and cover systems prevent pollution
- Long-term land use
2. Dumpsite Issue
- Open, uncontrolled
- Causes air, water, and soil pollution
- Health hazards
3. Landfill and Dumpsite Operation
- Compaction of waste
- Covering layers with soil
- Leachate and gas management
4. Landfill Construction
- Liner installation
- Drainage and gas collection system
- Final cap after closure
---
Chapter 7: Hazardous Waste
1. Types
- Industrial (chemicals, heavy metals)
- Medical (syringes, body fluids)
- E-waste (lead, mercury)
- Chemical (pesticides, paints)
- Radioactive (nuclear waste)
- Household (batteries, cleaners)
2. Characteristics
- Ignitability
- Corrosivity
- Reactivity
- Toxicity
- Persistence
3. Risk Perception and Assessment
- Understanding danger
- Risk Assessment Steps:
- Hazard Identification
- Dose-Response
- Exposure Assessment
- Risk Characterization
4. Toxicity
- Harmful effects on health
- Acute (sudden) vs. Chronic (long-term)
- Examples: Lead, arsenic, mercury
5. Medical Waste
- From hospitals
- Infectious, sharp, chemical, pharmaceutical
- Needs safe disposal
6. E-waste
- Discarded electronics
- Contains toxic metals
- Unsafe handling causes pollution and health issues
---
