Waste Management: Types of Waste

Waste Management:

One of the ways to eradicate diseases in our world today is to put in place an efficient and effective waste management system.

Waste Management can be defined as the process of collecting, processing, recycling and controlling any material considered as waste.

Please read on the Effects of Improper Waste Management here.

In a country like Nigeria, Millions of tons of waste are produced yearly, but the fact is: "less than 20% of these wastes are recycled". This is one reason why lots of waste are visible on the major roads and various areas of residence. These wastes also litter on roadside, in landfills, gutters and ditches. This is generally bad for the society because:

• The waste block drainages hence resulting to flooding, especially during the rainy seasons.
  Please read on Erosion here.

• They generate bad smells which can be dangerous to health.

• They constitute nuisance and eyesore.

• They become homes to various disease causing organisms.
  Please read on Vectors of Diseases here.

Note: Wastes are generated from homes, factories, market places, hospitals, schools, industries and many other places. Apart from the fact that it’s an eyesore, it will adversely affect national growth and development.

Please read on the Functions of Government here.

Types of Waste

Wastes can be classified into into various types. Some of these classifications include:

1. Biodegradable Waste: These are wastes that can be broken down by the actions of living organisms. Examples include various food materials like yam and orange.
   You can read on the Problems of Agriculture in Nigeria here.

2. Non-Biodegradable Waste: They are wastes that cannot broken down by the actions of living organisms. Examples are nylons and plastics.
3. Refuse: They are simply considered as solid wastes. We would normally put them in the dustbin before they are eventually discarded. Examples are sachets, tins, papers, solid food materials, nylons and so on.
   Please read on the Causes of Waste in a Society here.

4. Sewage: These are generally considered as liquid wastes. Sewage wastes are generally channeled into their appropriate disposal systems. Examples include waste water (from cooking, bathing, washing and so on), urine and human excreta.
5. Recyclable Waste: These are waste materials that can be processed into new and useful products. The utilization of recyclable waste are of cost benefits to factories that process them.
   In Nigeria for instance, we see various persons on dump sites in search of recyclable wastes; which they will sell off to manufacturing factories. Examples of recyclable waste include, iron, aluminum, plastics, tin, batteries and computers.
   Please read more on Production here.

6. Electronic Waste: These are wastes that are associated with various electronic devices like monitors, televisions, keyboards, CPUs and so on. Electronic wastes are also referred to as e-waste.
   Please read the Internet of Things here.

7. Green Waste: Green wastes are biological in nature and will include any waste that can ferment to form compost. For this reason, they can serve as fertilizers to plants.
   Products that comprise green waste will include fresh leaves and kitchen waste that can be broken down by micro-organisms.
   Please read the Agricultural Terms and Meanings here.

8. Biomedical Waste: They may also be referred to as hospital waste. They include any waste that contain (or will eventually contain) an infectious substance. They also include laboratory and hospital generated wastes from various test and treatments; for instance syringes, infusion kits, blood, bandages and so on.
   You can read on the Layers of an Artery here.

9. Metabolic Waste: These are waste that are generated from various metabolic activities in living organisms. Examples are sweat, urine, carbon(IV)oxide, oxygen (in plants) and so on.
   It is important to state that feces is NOT a metabolic waste since it isn't a product of metabolism. (Think of metabolism as the processes that concerns the breaking down and building up of substances in organisms). To this end, feces are simply considered as undigested materials that weren't absorbed into the body system in the first place.
   Please read on the Basic Characteristics of Living Organisms here.

10. Radioactive Waste: These waste can be very dangerous since they contain radioactive materials.
    A waste is considered to be radioactive if they contain radionuclides at a concentration greater than their clearance values as stipulated by a country's regulatory authority.
    Radioactive products are generated via nuclear fusion and nuclear fission reactions; thus are regarded as waste products from both reactions (nuclear fusion and fission). By-products of nuclear power are typical examples of radioactive wastes in our world.
    Radioactive waste can be classified into the followings:
    (a) Very Low-Level Waste (VLLW).
    (b) Low- and Intermediate-Level Waste - Short Lived (LILW-SL).
    (c) Low- and Intermediate-Level Waste - Long Lived (LILW-LL).
    (d) High Level Waste (HLW).
11. Chemical Waste: These are wastes generated from harmful chemicals (from chemical producing industries).
    Chemical waste are required to be carefully disposed by the factories that manufacture them since some can be toxic.
    Examples of chemical waste include batteries, reagents, oils, solvents, substances containing lead and mercury, Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), acids, bases, salts and so on.
    Please read on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Acids here.

12. Animal Product Waste: These are wastes generated or harvested from agricultural animals (livestock) with the exception of meat from the animal's muscle. Examples include blood, milk, eggs and fats.