Lecture Notes on

Course Code: PCT 102.3 (Pollution Control Technologies)

Solid and Hazardous Waste Pollution

(M.Sc. /II Semester, SS 2009)

- A.R. Tuladhar
- M.E. (W. Germany)

Table of Contents

1. Environment and Pollution

1.1 Environment
1.2 Environment and Development
1.3 Environmental Pollution

2. Waste and Solid Waste Pollution

1.1 Definition of Solid Waste
1.2 Solid Waste pollution
1.3 Environmental Pollution and Hazards of SW Mismanagement

3. Sources and Types of Solid Waste

2.1 Sources of Solid Waste
2.2 Types of Solid Waste
2.3 Sources vs. Types of Solid Waste

4. Composition of Solid Waste

3.1 Composition of MSW in Industrialized Countries
3.2 Composition of MSW in Developing Countries
3.3 Composition of MSW in Nepal

5. Trend in SW Generation
4.1 Rate of MSW Generation
4.2 Variability of MSW Generation

6. Integrated Solid Waste Management

5.1 Hierarchy of SWM
5.2 Concept of ISWM

7. Municipal Solid Waste Management

6.1 Operational Management System
6.2 Operational Functions

8. Hazardous Waste Management

8.1 Definitions of Hazardous Waste
8.2 Sources/Types/Characteristics of hazardous Waste
8.3 Concerns on HWM
8.4 Problems of Developing Countries
9. Policy and Legislation for SWM in Nepal
9.1 Background
9.2 Policy Initiatives
9.3 Legislative Measures
1. Environment and Pollution
1.1 Environment
A total system encompassing human beings and their surroundings.

 Natural Environment
Sum of all surrounding natural conditions affecting the life, development and survival of a
living being.

1. Physical Environment
- all surrounding physical conditions of nature such as air, water, land etc.
2. Biological Environment
- all surrounding biological conditions of nature related to flora and fauna
such as plants, animals, insects etc

 Man-made Environment
Sum of all surrounding man-made conditions affecting the development of our life, e.g. : -
Built environment: environment created by all structures built by
man (e.g. roads, houses, buildings bridges etc.) and related infrastructure
services.
- Socio-cultural environment,
- Socio-economic environment etc.
1.2 Environment and Development

 Development
- Rapid development (mainly industrial development to the maximum possible level)
for fast economic growth to raise the people’s living standard- especially in the US, Europe and
Japan after the World War II.

 Environment and Development

- Integration of environment in development with due consideration of potential
adverse environmental impacts in development activities in the industrialized countries after
~1980.

 Sustainable Development
- Development to the optimum level (i.e. environmentally acceptable level) that it
can sustain.

1.3 Environmental Pollution

Decline in the acceptable quality of environment under which we live.

 Types of Environmental Pollution

Pollution on any parameter of environment, e.g.
- air pollution,
- water pollution,
- land pollution,
- noise pollution etc.

 Causes of Environmental Pollution

Main causes in to-day’s global context :
- uncontrolled population growth,
- haphazard urbanization, and
- unbalanced development.

Remarks:
1) uncontrolled pop. growth – root cause in most of the developing countries
2) unbalanced development or no due consideration of potential adverse
environmental impacts – root cause in most of the developed countries

2. Waste and Solid Waste Pollution

2.1 Definition of Waste

 a material worthless to somebody and

which the person wants to get rid of.

 a resource material and a source of danger as well, depending upon situations.

Resource:
 Waste for one person or purpose may be a
material resource for other person or purpose. ( ! Waste is not waste until it is wasted)

Source of danger:
Waste may be a source of danger to
natural environment and public health,
if not managed properly.

 a valuable resource material at wrong place

2.1 Definition of Solid Waste (contd.)

 Remarks:

Other terminologies used for solid waste in West Europe/North America :

 Refuse: Another term for municipal solid waste (often used

interchangeably with solid waste)

 Garbage: An American term for domestic waste fraction of MSW

which includes the biodegradable organic wastes such as vegetable/ fruit
wastes, food wastes etc.

 Rubbish : The US EPA defines rubbish as MSW, excluding food

waste and ashes from homes, institutions and working places.

2.2 Solid Waste Pollution

Solid waste is:

• a pollutant (i.e. cause) of air, water and soil pollution with ultimate implications on public
health.

• also an aesthetic or visual pollutant.

• primarily an urban problem in Nepal, with localized problems in some rural areas of socio-
cultural/ religious importance, trekking routes and tourist destinations.

 General solutions :
Safe and environmentally sound SWM with effective and efficient collection & disposal
service.
2.3 Environmental Pollution and Hazards Caused
by the Mismanagement of SW
Mismanagement of solid wastes, in general, causes
hazards to:

 natural environment, and

 public health
 Fig. 1:Routes of Exposure to Hazards Caused By the Mismanagement of Solid Waste

Source: Urban Environmental Guidelines of Nepal/ UDLE-Project

3. Sources and Types of Solid Waste

3.1 Sources of Solid Waste

Wastes are generated from various sources of activities.

The major sources of waste to be considered, in general:

• Households
• Commercial Establishments
• Institutions
• Industries
• Municipal Cleaning Waste
• Open Space Defecation
• Agriculture
• Construction & Demolition
3.2 Types of Solid Waste
3.2.1 Classification of Solid Waste in Industrialized Countries

Country Classification of Solid Waste Remarks

Belgium 1. Class I : Industrial waste A.Bouazza and
2. Class II : Municipal waste W.F.Vanimpe
3. Class III : Stable waste: medical waste, hazardous - Regulatory
items and radioactive wastes not accepted. Aspects
Denmark 1. Hazardous waste of Landfill Liner
2. Controlled waste (not hazardous municipal waste) Design in some
3. Stable waste: all hazardous waste must be put through countries. (1996)
preliminary treatment, e.g. incineration.
France 1. Class I : Approved industrial waste
2. Class II : Municipal waste and commercial waste
3. Class III : Stable waste and construction waste
Italy 1. Municipal waste
2. Class II Stable type II b & II c: Hazardous waste
3. Industrial waste
4. Stable waste
Nether- 1. Waste that is not hazardous ㌌㏒ 좈 琰茞
lands 2. Chemical waste and hazardous waste ᓀ Ü
U.K. 1. Household waste (domestic)
2. Commercial waste
3. Industrial waste
4. Stable waste
Germany 1. Municipal waste (Siedlungsabfall) TA Siedlungsabfall
2. Waste requiring special monitoring TA Abfall
(equivalent to industrial waste) (Sondermüll)
U.S. 1. Non-hazardous waste: urban waste, sewage sludge,
Masaru Tanaka, ed;
construction waste, agricultural waste, mining waste,
Industrial waste
hazardous waste from small volume sources, non-
treatment in Japan,
hazardous industrial waste
U.S. & Europe.
2. Hazardous waste
(1996)
- those included in the EPA list
Japan 1. Municipal waste Waste Disposal &
2. Industrial waste Cleaning Act
Source: Landfill sites in Japan 2000/ Journal of WM, Fukuoka University & Hokkaido
University
 3.2 Types of Solid Waste
3.2.1 Classification of Solid Waste in Industrialized Countries
Country Classification of Solid Waste Remarks
Belgium 1. Class I : Industrial waste A.Bouazza
2. Class II : Municipal waste and
3. Class III : Stable waste: medical waste, W.F.Vanimpe
hazardous - Regulatory
items and radioactive wastes Aspects
not accepted. of Landfill
Denmark 1. Hazardous waste Liner
2. Controlled waste (not hazardous Design in
municipal waste) some
3. Stable waste: all hazardous waste must countries.
be put through (1996)
preliminary treatment, e.g.
incineration.
France 1. Class I : Approved industrial waste
2. Class II : Municipal waste and
commercial waste
3. Class III : Stable waste and construction
waste
Italy 1. Municipal waste
2. Class II Stable type II b & II c:
Hazardous waste
3. Industrial waste
4. Stable waste

3.2.2 Classification of SW in Nepalese Context

 Municipal Waste
All general waste of non-hazardous nature- generated mainly from residential and
other related activities, which usually include:

o Domestic waste
o Commercial waste.

However, unfortunately due to lack of proper management facilities, it may

also contain:

o Institutional waste
o industrial waste
o Sanitation residues
o Municipal cleaning waste
o Agricultural waste
o Construction waste
 Special Waste (contd.)

b) Classification by source of generation

  Hospital Waste
 Industrial Waste
 Dead Animals
 Slaughter Waste
 Construction Waste
 Wastes from other similar sources

3.3 Sources vs. Types of Solid Waste

Sources and types of solid waste can be related as follows:

 Households Domestic waste

 Commercial Establishments Commercial waste
 Institutions Institutional waste
 Industries Industrial waste
 Open space defecation Sanitation residues
 Municipal cleaning service Municipal cleaning waste
 Agriculture Agricultural waste
 Construction/demolition Construction waste

4. Composition of Solid Waste

4.1 Composition of MSW in Industrialized Countries (average wet-wt%)

S.N. Fractions USA DEUTSCHLAND SCHWEIZ ENGLAND

Decomposable
organic
1 matter 26.0 29.9 12.0 20.0
2 Paper 37.0 16.0 40.0 33.0
3 Plastics 7.0 5.4 4.0 5.0
4 Textile 2.0 4.0 10.0
5 Leather 5.0
6 Wood 4.0
Screening
7 fraction 22.8
Total waste of organic
origin 70.0 76.1 69.0 68.0
8 Metal 10.0 3.2 2.0 7.0
9 Glass 10.0 9.2 12.0 11.0
10 Ashes and slag (34.3)* 6.0
11 Miscellaneous 10.0 11.5 17.0 8.0
Total waste of
inorganic origin 30.0 23.9 31.0 32.0
Grand Total 100 100.0 100.0 100.0
References Carra Umweltbundesamt Messmer Barber
1987 * :2/3 combustible 1988 1986

4.2 Composition of MSW in Developing Countries (average wet- wt%)

PAKISTAN INDONESIA EGYPT

Fractions Lahore
S. N. (1993) (1986) Cairo
1 Food waste 13.3 23.0 41.0
Grass, leaves,
2 straw 41.6 12.0
3 Wood 0.7 8.0
4 Paper 1.2 17.0 9.0
5 Animal manure 18.7
6 Bones 0.5 1.0
7 Rags 5.8 5.0 3.0
8 Polyethelene bags 5.2
9 Plastics, rubber 1.6 10.0 2.0
10 Others 15.0 3.0
Total waste of organic origin 88.6 82.0 67.0
11 Glass 0.3 4.0 2.0
12 Metals 0.0 4.0 3.0
13 Bricks, stone etc. 11.1 10.0 4.0
14 Others 24.0
Total waste (inorganic origin) 11.4 18.0 33.0
Grand Total 100.0 100.0 100.0
Total Moisture ㌌㏒ 좈 琰茞
15 Content 54.0 Ü
Source: Report on “Waste Management and Recovery – Landfilling” / Lund University, SWEDEN

4.3 Composition of MSW in Nepal (average in wt%)

Gr.
KT
MATERIALS M Pokhara Nepalgunj Bhktapur Banepa
1991 1998 1993 1980 1993
Inert material
(sand, dust,
ashes etc.) 18.5 17.3
Inert material
(stone,
ceramics,
fragments etc.) 3.1 6.0
Compostable 44.3
org. matter
(vegetable,
leaves,
Kitchen/garden ㌌㏒ 좈 琰茞 ᓀ
waste etc. 59.4 Ü 53.2 81.4 65.1
Other partially
compostable
org. matter
(straw, bamboo
etc.) 1.4
Metal 0.5 0.7 0.1 0.3 0.4
Paper 5.9 5.8 2.8 9.6
Carton 0.9 0.0 0.3 0.0
Glass 3.2 2.0 0.2 0.4 1.1
Plastics 2.6 13.2 0.9 0.4 3.3
Textile/Jute 3.8 4.4 0.7 1.4 1.5
Rubber and
Leather 0.5 2.2 0.3 0.4 0.2
Wood 0.8 1.3 1.0 0.3 0.1
Bones 0.8 0.5 0.1 0.2 0.0
Others 0.0 0.9 0.8 0.0 0.8
㌌㏒ 좈 琰
Total (wt.%) 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Ü
Bulk Density
(kg/l) 0.41 0.36 0.30 0.39
Total Moisture
Content (wt.
%) 46.20 46.60 8.53 50.00
Total Moisture
Content:No.3+
No.4 (wt.%) 35.20 37.90 34.50 50.10
Resource material