-Written by Zahra Irfan

Waste Management refers to the processes involved to manage waste from its inception to disposal. Waste Management is crucial as waste has both direct and indirect harmful effects on the health of human beings. Waste is generally considered to be filthy and impure. It is unneeded and is discarded in our environment. However, waste management allows recycling and better use of waste which not only benefits the environment but also increases efficiency of a number of processes. 

Waste management involves collection, transportation, processing,. treatment and proper disposal of wastes. Waste management also involves policies to deal with wastes in an efficient manner to maintain ecological sustainability and reduce waste. The aim of waste management is to minimize, recycle and properly dispose of waste. Waste management varies from country to country. Underdeveloped and developing countries do not have as good waste management as developed countries do. This is due to the cost required to manage waste. Similarly, the amount of waste generated by each country differs due to population difference. Thickly populated countries produce far more waste than less populated countries. Waste management is essential to promote ecological sustainability and for the establishment of hygienic conditions suitable for humans. 

Steps of Waste Management:

The series of steps involved in waste management are as follow; 

Waste Generation: 

The first step starts with generation of waste. Wastes are produced as a byproduct of a number of processes. Waste is of different types and depending upon its nature, it is treated accordingly. Industrial waste is often hazardous and needs to be dealt with precautions as compared to household waste. Waste may be biodegradable or non- biodegradable like plastic. 

Agricultural waste is biodegradable but mostly contains harmful insecticides and pesticides. Waste generation takes place in every sector and in every process. It's inevitable to avoid waste generation however it can be reduced if the principles of 3R’s, namely reduce, reuse and recycle are followed. 

Waste Collection:

Waste collection is the collection of generated wastes from its source. Waste collection depends upon the scale of waste production and infrastructure available. It may be door-to-door collection, collection points or from the containers assigned to a particular area. Waste needs to be collected with care to make sure that the right kind of waste is gone through the right treatment to avoid accidents and exposure of harmful substances to the atmosphere. 

It's crucial to have efficient waste collection systems in place to ensure proper disposal and recycling of waste materials. It may be noted that waste management is often mismanaged at this step especially in underdeveloped and developing countries. 

Transportation:

Transportation is the step which requires sufficient funds and is often the reason behind lack of waste management in many countries across the globe. An effective and efficient system of waste management is majorly dependent upon the efficiency of waste transportation. 

Waste after being collected is transported to the respective treatment facilities for further processes by means of trucks, ships, pipelines and other transport. Proper transportation plays an important role to prevent environmental contamination. 

Waste treatment:

Waste treatment is the last step of waste management. All the other steps of waste management were aimed to get the waste towards its final destination, waste treatment. Waste treatment includes different chemical, physical and biological processes to reduce toxicity of waste and minimize its volume. It also aims for the proper disposal of wastes to prevent land, air and ocean pollution.  

These methods may be incineration, anaerobic digestion, composting, chemical treatment, landfilling or recycling. 

• Incineration: 

Burning of waste at high temperature under controlled conditions to generate electricity in plants.

• Anaerobic Digestion:

Anaerobic digestion of waste by utilizing microorganisms to reduce waste which in turn yields biogas and fertilizers. 

• Composting:

Composting is another effective way to treat waste and minimize it. Composting involves usage of organic wastes i.e food leftovers, to form a nourishing and nutrient-rich soil. 

• Chemical treatment: 

Electronic and industrial wastes need to be treated chemically to avoid the exposure of harmful toxins to the environment. Thus, such wastes i.e chemical batteries, are to be treated with chemicals before disposal.

• Recycling:

The best way to treat waste is to recycle it. Wastes like that of moldable plastics, glass and paper are recycled in industries. Recycling has become a necessity to maintain ecological sustainability.

The above mentioned are the steps of waste management. Waste Management is crucial in a world where our planet's health is increasingly at risk. It has become a profound urgency to rethink how we manage waste. It's not just about discarding items; it's about acknowledging our responsibility to safeguard the environment for future generations.

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