Waste management and disposal

 

 

By Taslim Ahammad:

 

 

Humans are the merely part of ecosystems that generate waste hugely. Increasing development, waste management is a major global issue that people face day-to-day, causing huge negative impacts on our environment. Waste reduction need to be taken very seriously through sustainable solutions for waste disposal and management. Most importantly, sustainable waste management can cut greenhouse gas emissions for our existence.

Waste management involves strategic planning, prescribing options, collection, transport, valorisation and disposal of this waste, prevention of the contamination of environment, conservation of resources, minimizing the amount and toxicity of waste creation. More broadly, it includes any activity involved in the waste management system from beginning to the final treatment.

Each year, an estimated 11.2 billion tonnes of solid waste is collected globally. All this waste streams, that from electrical and electronic equipment containing new and complex hazardous substances presents the fastest-growing challenge in both developed and developing countries. Usually those types of 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 or recyclable waste and hazardous waste.

The main goal of the sustainable waste management is to reduce the amount of natural resources consumed, confirm that any materials that are taken from nature are reused as many times as possible and that the waste created is kept to the highest minimum level. Every one of us has a responsibility to maintain sustainability waste management system for the benefit of our environment as well as the long-term success of the creation and business.

Waste management theory will have to be built, such that embraces the following notions: (i) Waste management to prevent waste causing harm to human health and environment (ii) The primary aim of waste management need to be the conservation of resources (iii) People must avoid waste creation by making useful objects primarily (iv) Waste management need to be encompass the goal of turning waste into non-waste (v) providing answers to conceptual questions by explaining waste and concepts (vi) Giving guide for choosing waste management options (vii) Giving foundation for how and when to select and integrate waste management options (viii) Forecasting the outcomes of the use of waste management actions (ix) Maintaining legislation in how to prescribe activity upon waste.

Core features of the waste management strategy are; (i) offer stronger incentives for businesses, local authorities and individuals to reduce waste (ii) inspire much greater consideration of waste as a resource through increased importance on re-use, recycling and recovery of energy from waste (iii) create regulation more effective so that it reduces costs to compliant businesses and the regulator while stopping illegal waste activity (iv) mark action on materials, products and sectors with greatest scope for improving environmental and economic outcomes (v) excite investment in collection, recycling and recovery infrastructure, and markets for recovered materials that will maximise the value of materials and energy saving (vi) make sure that, if waste is recycled overseas, it makes an environmentally sound contribution to reducing demand for global resources (vii) develop national, regional and local governance, with a stronger performance and institutional framework to deliver better coordinated action and services (viii) develop the engagement of business and the public by communicating and supporting the changed behaviour needed by all us with authority taking a lead.

Effective regulation plays vital role in ensuring sound environmental and public health safeguard. This regulation also achieves its aims to the extent to which it complied with, so effective action on fly-tipping and on unlawful dumping abroad is essential. The government therefore need to simplifying the regulatory system, making it more proportionate and risk based, through waste protocols that clarify when waste ceases to be waste; reforms of the allowing and exemption systems and the controls on handling, transfer and transport of waste for cost savings to business; and better and earlier communication with all stakeholders.

If business organisations looking for ideas to implement in their workplace then here are some examples of how organizations may reduce waste as part of a sustainable plan. Methods of reducing the amount of waste produced at workplace includes: (i) Ensure on-floor centralised bins so everyone engage with what they throw away (ii) Go paperless for example, on invoicing, reporting, minutes and notes and so on, mainly hardcopy documents are discarded very shortly after it printed (iii) Use of IT and new technology may also decrease the amount of waste generated. Online collaboration platforms and file sharing may escape the need for production, distribution and storage of paper-based documents and reduce the requirement for meeting/ business travel (iv) Phones and printer cartridges. Some charities provide recycling services for mobile phones and toner cartridges. However, it is important to be aware that the waste producer is responsible for the correct disposal of electronic goods and must make sure that any third party waste management organisation has the correct permits in place. Be mindful of the secure destruction of data bearers that contain sensitive or confidential information.

Change the culture, how people deal with their waste requires action by all of them as individuals, consumers, householders, at work, leisure and elsewhere. Lots of people are already participating actively in recycling. The government need to build on this to rouse further action by both individuals and businesses so they change behaviour set in across all aspects of lives.

Sustainable waste management system is a key concept for the better society and economy; it offers many opportunities to the community order. Transitioning to a sustainable waste management system requires identification and application of influenced points which will effectively change.

Taslim Ahammad

Chairman, Tourism and Hospitality Management

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, Bangladesh