Waste management refers to the process of collecting, transporting, disposing of, treating, and recycling waste material produced by human activities. The objective is to protect the public from adverse health conditions and to prevent environmental pollution. Over the years, the global population has substantially increased, therefore raising the demand for food and other human essentials. As a result, the amount of waste discharged in every household has risen.
Poor waste management strategies pose a threat by exposing the public to serious health hazards. It promotes the spread of infectious diseases, especially in children, being more vulnerable to such pollutants. The community, together with public health workers and local councils, work as a team in preparing and executing waste management plans. The government also plays an essential responsibility in establishing waste management policies as well as ensuring proper disposal of solid and liquid waste materials (Hoornweg & Bhada-Tata, 2012). California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are among the state and federal agencies delegated with the responsibility of preventing environmental risks caused by poorly disposed waste material.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The functions of waste management agencies are based on the available scientific information that explains the dangers of toxic waste. Among the roles of the agencies include the issuance of permits for waste treatment entities such as waste treatment plants and landfills (Demirbas, 2011), the implementation of laws and regulations that govern the transportation and disposal of waste, and the development of new waste management schemes.
The agencies perform their functions through the incorporation of the various principles and methods of waste management. The polluter-pays policy is an example of waste management principles, which requires that the polluting party pay for poor waste disposal. Waste management agencies ensure proper waste disposal through incineration plants, plasma gasification, and landfills. Also, the enforcement of environmental laws prevents reckless waste disposal from the members of the society.
References
Demirbas, A. (2011). Waste management, waste resource facilities and waste conversion processes. Energy Conversion and Management , 52 (2), 1280-1287.
Hoornweg, D., & Bhada-Tata, P. (2012). What a waste: a global review of solid waste management. Word Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/17388?source=post_page------------- --------------&locale-attribute=en
