Journal of Community and Social Health Nursing

Volume 2, Issue 1

Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable Waste

Management
Ms. R. Pushpakalambiga1, Prof. Dr. J. Jasmine 2
PG Sudent1, Professor in Nursing 2, Mother Theresa Post Graduate Research Institute of
Health Sciences, Government of Puducherry, Indira Nagar, Gorimedu, Pondicherry, India

INFO ABSTRACT
Corresponding Author:
E-mail Id: In India, the environmental problems are growing
[email protected] rapidly. Plastic waste and household waste are a major
source of pollution. In our day to day life, plastics
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3593082 become more unpreventable. It generates around 0.2 to
0.3 million tons of waste every day. Waste is an
unwanted material that has no value in normal use. The
management of wastes assumes importance because of
environmental hazards. According to UNICEF, solid
waste can be classified into biodegradable and non-bio
degradable waste. Sources of waste can be mainly
classified into four types: Industrial, Commercial,
Domestic, and Agricultural waste Therefore, the proper
disposal of wastes has to be done. This is not only the
responsibility of the Government, and each can
contribute. The three Rs- Recycle, Reuse, and Reduce
are the simplest steps that can take by each person. This
can save energy and other resources as well. Another
step is to separate biodegradable waste from non-
biodegradable waste at home and disposes of them
separately. But most of them are not aware of the proper
segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable
waste.

Keywords: waste, biodegradable, and non-biodegradable

waste.

INTRODUCTION repairing empty containers, packaging,

In India, the environmental problems are hugs use of plastic bags. There is no
growing rapidly. Plastic waste and proper segregation of organic, inorganic
household waste are a major source of and recyclable wastes at the household
pollution. In our day to day life, plastics level. Inappropriately managed disposal of
become more unpreventable. It generates waste can cause significant risk to health
around 0.2 to 0.3 million tons of waste and environment concerns. Improper waste
every day. The management of wastes management leads to substantial negative
assumes importance given the environmental impacts for eg: pollution of
environmental hazards [1]. The waste is air, soil, and water. The environmental
generated as consequences of household problems are growing rapidly. Plastic
activities such as cleaning, cooking, bags, plastic thin sheets, plastic waste, and

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 Journal of Community and Social Health Nursing
Volume 2, Issue 1

household waste are a major source of TYPES OF WASTE

pollution. In our day to day life, plastics
become more unpreventable. But most of
them are not aware of the proper
segregation of biodegradable and non-
biodegradable waste. A clean environment
influences good health and improves the
quality of a human's life. Awareness and
education are very essential for waste Figure 1: Types of Waste
disposal for household people[11].
BIODEGRADABLE WASTE
WASTE Biodegradable waste can be defined as a
Waste is defined as unwanted material material that can be decomposed by
which has no value in normal use. Solid bacteria or microbes and abiotic elements
wastes are those useless and unwanted like temperature, UV, oxygen, etc shown
materials and substances that come from as fig: 1.
human and animal activities [1].
Plants and animals waste, fruits, paper,
SOURCES OF WASTE vegetables, etc. get convert into the
Sources of waste can be mainly classified simpler units, which further get into the
into four types: Industrial, Commercial, soil and are used as manure, biogas,
Domestic, and Agricultural waste [3]. fertilizers, compost, etc. They are non-
toxic, non-pollutants, eco-friendly to the
environment [2].
Industrial Waste
The wastes are created in factories and
NON-BIODEGRADABLE WASTE
industries. Most industries dump their Material which can be not be decomposed
wastes in rivers and seas which causes a by the natural organism is called non-
lot of pollution. e.g. plastic, glass, etc [5]. biodegradable waste. E.g. metals, plastic,
bottles, glass, poly bags, chemicals,
Commercial Waste batteries etc.but as these readily available,
The wastes are produced in schools, convenient to use, and low cost, they are
colleges, shops, and offices. e.g. plastic, toxic, pollution-causing and are not
paper, etc [5]. considered as eco-friendly to the
environment[1].
Domestic Waste
The different household wastes which are Many measures are taken, concerning the
collected during household activities like use of non-biodegradable materials.
cooking, cleaning, etc. are known as The three ‘R’ concepts which say Reduce-
domestic wastes. e.g. leaves, vegetable Recycle -Reuse is in trend, which explains
peels, excreta, etc [5]. the use of non-biodegradable materials. As
we already discussed that these substances
Agricultural Waste do not decompose or dissolve easily so
they can be recycled and reuse [1].
Various wastes produced in the
agricultural field are known as agricultural
METHODS OF WASTE DISPOSAL
wastes. e.g. Cattle waste, weed, husk, etc
LANDFILLS
[5]. Throwing daily waste/garbage in
the landfills is the most common method
of waste disposal used today. This process
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 Journal of Community and Social Health Nursing
Volume 2, Issue 1

of waste disposal focuses their attention on

burying the waste in the land. It is a
process used that eliminates the odors and
dangers of waste before it is placed into
the ground. It is certainly far from the only
procedure and one that may also bring
with it an assortment of space [7].
Figure 3: Incineration
This method is becoming less these days
due to lack of space available and the RECYCLING
strong presence of methane and other The process of reusing unwanted materials
landfill gases. Landfills give rise to and converting them into new is known as
air and water pollution which severely ‘Recycling’. It’s the third main element in
affects the environment and can prove to the process of ‘Reduce, Reuse and
give hazards to the lives of humans and Recycle’. Recycling reduces the harmful
animals. Many areas are reconsidering the effect of greenhouse gases and helps in the
use of landfills [5]. conservation of resources for the future
[12].

Figure 4: Methods of Recycling

Reduce
Figure 2: Land Filling Methods We need to reduce the amount of waste
generated by consuming more and
INCINERATION throwing away less. We often buy more
Incineration is a type of disposal method in things than we need. Now a day’s
which municipal solid wastes are burned at disposable items have become more
high temperatures to convert them into popular. We are using them frequently
residue and gaseous products. The biggest without giving a thought to their hazardous
advantage of this method is can reduce the effects [2].
volume of solid waste to 20 to 30 percent
of the original volume, decreases the Reuse
space; take up and reduce the stress We can reuse certain things for more than
on landfills. one purpose. If we reuse them for other
purposes, we can help in reducing waste
[9].
This process is also known as a thermal
treatment where solid waste materials are
COMPOSTING
converted by Incinerators into heat, gas, Composting is a biological process in
steam, and ash [4]. which micro-organisms like fungi and

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 Journal of Community and Social Health Nursing
Volume 2, Issue 1

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