Introduction
Solid waste refers to any garbage, refuse, sludge, and other unwanted material generated from human activities, such as commercial, agricultural, industrial, and mining operations in form of solid, semi-solid, liquid, or gaseous state (EMS Environmental, Inc., 2017). Solid waste can generally be categorized on the basis of origin (domestic, construction, industrial, institutional, or commercial), contents (plastic, glass, metal, or organic materials), and hazard potential (flammable, toxic, non-toxic, infectious, or radioactive) ( India Waterportal, n.d.).
However, solid waste is mainly classified according to their sources, which include municipal solid waste, agricultural waste, industrial waste, bio-medical wastes, and hazardous waste. Municipal solid waste (MSW) encompasses all waste generated from residential and commercial complexes and includes household waste, sanitation residue, street waste, and construction and demolition debris. Industrial solid waste is hazardous due to its toxic, reactive, and highly flammable nature when improperly managed. Biomedical waste consists of infectious waste with serious human health risks generated from healthcare facilities and it includes soiled waste, sharps, disposables, chemical waste, discarded medicines, and anatomical waste ( India Waterportal, n.d.).
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Objectives of Solid Waste Management in Relation to Healthy People 2020
Solid and hazardous waste and disposal is a critical public health issue because of the serious health problems associated with water, land, and air pollution which are all attributes of poor or improper solid waste management. In the United States, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) was legislated to control and regulate solid and hazardous waste and disposal (US EPA, 2018). The Act’s objectives support those of the Healthy People 2020 which all point towards promoting the protection of health and the conservation of the environment. Whereas the Act is an umbrella regulation under this topic, the Healthy People 2020 tends to emphasize the significance of sustaining healthy environment as a way of ensuring a population’s high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature death (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2011). Healthy People 2020 recognize the social, ethnic, and minority disparities associated with improper solid waste disposal and thus champions for environmental safety through proper solid waste management as a way of eliminating these disparities and creating health equity thereby promoting good health for all.
Social and Ethnic Disparities
Low-income and color populations are more vulnerable to solid waste pollution due to proximity to landfills; hence more exposed to harmful toxicants from landfill gases. Norton et al. (2007) highlights that the odor, noise, visual and traffic pollution from landfills scare away health-promoting amenities thus limiting the residents’ access to medical care, diet, and physical activity (1349). These populations have lesser ability to improve their built environment, install bigger buffers, better engineering, and management practices when solid waste management facilities are sited within their surroundings (Norton et al., 2007).
Community’s Health Risks
The community’s health risks from solid and hazardous waste are caused by a variety of factors. First, the nature and composition of the waste e.g. toxic, allergic, and infectious substances which are normally in gaseous, dust, leachate and sharp forms is a dangerous health risk (Jerie, 2016). Moreover, there are health risks caused by the waste’s nature and change in ability to cause allergic, toxic, or infectious health response as it decomposes. Also, there is a risk in handling waste such as in accidents in the process of shoveling, lifting, and equipment vibrations. In addition, the processing of wastes poses health risks as a result of odor, accidents, explosions, fires, noise, residuals, and air and water emissions. Finally, in the disposal of waste, the noise, odor, air and water emissions, explosions, fires, vibrations, and stability of waste piles are also potential health risks (Jerie, 2016).
Diseases Related to Solid and Hazardous Waste
The health hazards associated with solid and hazardous waste are catastrophic. Accidents and cuts from rusted metal residues can cause tetanus and other poisonings. Disease vectors such as rats and insects may spread plague, salmonellosis, and endemic typhus. Water-borne diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery, amoebic dysentery, cholera, hepatitis, and jaundice can arise due to water and food contamination (De & Debnath, 2016). Waterlogging caused by blocked drainage and gully pits may lead to breeding of mosquitoes resulting in the spread of malaria and plague. Exposure to fumes or air pollutants emitted from solid waste can cause serious respiratory tract problems such as bronchitis, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Mattiello et al., 2013). Mercury and lead residues in water bodies can get into fish leading to poisoning, and killing of fish consumers. Furthermore, contact with, ingestion, or inhalation of chemicals containing chlorine, fluorine, plastic additives, herbicides, insecticides, and equipment cleaning solvents can lead to dermatitis, central nervous system disorders, kidney, and liver damage, while chronic exposure to heavy metals can lead to gastroenteric diseases and cancer (Jerie, 2016).
Target Group
Solid and hazardous waste management is a state subject and as a result, state government and particularly the local government was chosen as the audience. State and local governments have the responsibility of ensuring appropriate solid waste management interventions are implemented across all towns and cities within their jurisdictions (Statista, 2018). States must, therefore, ensure municipal authorities plan, design, operate, and maintain proper solid waste management in their towns (Malik et al., 2015).
Public health and environmental conservation is also a responsibility of the state and local governments hence it is their responsibility to ensure the general public and other stakeholders are well educated and informed about the importance of proper solid waste management and its related health and environmental impacts ( India Waterportal, n.d.). Under the guidance of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state and local governments should work to ensure goals are set and leadership, technical assistance, and educational materials are provided towards enhancing and promoting the protection of health and conservation of the environment (Statista, 2018).
Environmental Protection – Solid Waste Management Methods
The most desirable methods of environmental protection as concerns solid and hazardous waste is a reduction of the quantity of waste at source and recycling of the materials for other alternative productive uses. Recycling reduces the amount of waste to be treated and the amount of energy required for the production of new products reduces the costs of its handling and disposal, conserves natural resources, and lowers environmental impacts ( India Waterportal , n.d.). However, there is also a need for treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste. Chemical treatment options include ion exchange, oxidation and reduction, and precipitation (Nathanson, 2016).
Thermal/incineration waste treatment is also considered a means of detoxifying and destroying some organic wastes while recovering energy from the waste, however, it has the potential for air pollution through emission of dioxins, lead, and mercury (Hamer, 2003, p. 78). Biological treatment of certain organic waste through aerobic and anaerobic composting such as landfarming and bioremediation are also preferred. Chemical, biological and thermal treatment options only change the molecular form of waste.
On the other hand, physical processes such as sedimentation, solidification, evaporation, filtration or flotation solidifies, concentrates or reduces the volume of the waste. Secured landfills and sanitary landfills must be monitored and equipped with leachate collection system to avoid contamination of land and water resources (Nathanson, 2016).
Community Mobilization to Improve Solid Waste Management
As a means to promote community mobilization to improve solid and hazardous waste and disposal, the state governments under EPA should provide training grants in solid waste occupation and facilitate broad public education programs. Solid waste management information materials should be disseminated to the communities and encourage broad community participation in the development of solid waste management programs through awareness-raising activities (Malik et al., 2015).
In addition, the communities should be involved in solid waste management through paying collection fees, sorting waste to facilitate recycling, and availing the waste at collection points at the appropriate time (Subash, n.d). Moreover, cooperation between community-based organizations and the local authorities should be encouraged as well as ensuring there is sufficient representation of the community in the leadership and CBOs in order to ensure community needs are considered in the projects as well.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2011, October 14). Healthy people - Healthy People 2020. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/healthy_people/hp2020.htm
India Waterportal (n.d.). Solid Waste. Retrieved from http://www.indiawaterportal.org/topics/solid-waste
De, S., & Debnath, B. (2016). Prevalence of health hazards associated with solid waste disposal- A case study of Kolkata, India. Procedia Environmental Sciences , 35 , 201-208. doi:10.1016/j.proenv.2016.07.081
EMS Environmental, Inc. (2017). Solid and hazardous waste management. Retrieved from http://emsenv.com/solid-hazardous-waste-management/
Hamer, G. (2003). Solid waste treatment and disposal: effects on public health and environmental safety. Biotechnology Advances , 22 (1-2), 71-79. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2003.08.007
Jerie, S. (2016). Occupational risks associated with solid waste management in the informal sector of Gweru, Zimbabwe. Journal of Environmental and Public Health , 2016 , 1-14. doi:10.1155/2016/9024160
Statista. (2018). Waste Management in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/topics/2630/waste-management-in-the-united-states/
Malik, N. K., Abdullah, S. H., & Manaf, L. A. (2015). Community participation on solid waste segregation through recycling programmes in Putrajaya. Procedia Environmental Sciences , 30 , 10-14. doi:10.1016/j.proenv.2015.10.002
Mattiello, A., Chiodini, P., Bianco, E., Forgione, N., Flammia, I., Gallo, C., … Panico, S. (2013). Health effects associated with the disposal of solid waste in landfills and incinerators in populations living in surrounding areas: a systematic review. International Journal of Public Health , 58 (5), 725-735. doi:10.1007/s00038-013-0496-8
Nathanson, J. A. (2016, March 7). Hazardous-waste management - Treatment, storage, and disposal. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/technology/hazardous-waste-management/Treatment-storage-and-disposal
Norton, J. M., Wing, S., Lipscomb, H. J., Kaufman, J. S., Marshall, S. W., & Cravey, A. J. (2007). Race, wealth, and solid waste facilities in North Carolina. Environmental Health Perspectives , 115 (9), 1344-1350. doi:10.1289/ehp.10161
Subash, A. (n.d.). Community participation in solid waste management. Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.504.6165&rep=rep1&type=pdf
US EPA. (2018, August 15). Summary of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-resource-conservation-and-recovery-act
