Types of Industrial Waste

Industrial wastes can be categorised according to their properties, which are as follows:

Solid:

However, some contaminants inside the waste are in liquid or fluid form, as in the case of the crockery industry or the washing of minerals and coal.

Liquid:

Waste is dissolved, and the pollutant is in liquid form, as in the case of the dairy sector, among other things. Dirt and gravel, masonry and concrete, scrap metal, oil, solvents, chemicals, scrap lumber, and even vegetable waste from restaurants are all examples of industrial waste. Industrial waste can be found in a variety of forms, including solid, semi-solid, and liquid. It can be either hazardous waste (some of which are toxic) or non-hazardous waste, depending on the situation. Industrial waste has the potential to harm neighbouring soil and water bodies, and it has the potential to affect groundwater, lakes, streams, rivers, and coastal waterways. Because industrial trash is frequently combined with municipal waste, it is difficult to make reliable assessments. The amount of industrial waste produced annually in the United States has been estimated to be as high as 7.6 billion tonnes as of 2017. Most countries have passed legislation to deal with the problem of industrial waste, although the strictness of the legislation and the compliance regimes differ from one country to the next. The question of enforcement is always a concern.

Biodegradable waste

Waste that degrades into carbon dioxide, water, methane, or simple organic molecules can be classified as biodegradable waste if it can be broken down into these by microorganisms and other living things through processes such as composting, aerobic digestion, anaerobic digestion, or other similar processes. There are some inorganic compounds that can be degraded by bacteria that are included in waste management as well. Such materials include gypsum and its compounds, such as plasterboard, as well as other simple organic sulphates, which can break down under anaerobic land-fill conditions to produce hydrogen sulphide and other toxic gases. Biodegradable trash may be restricted in home waste collection to only those degradable wastes that can be handled in the local waste management facilities, if this is feasible. Untreated biodegradable waste can have a significant impact on climate change, particularly through methane emissions from anaerobic fermentation, which results in landfill gas being released into the environment. In addition, decreasing the amount of waste created, for example, by the reduction of food waste, can help to lessen its negative impact. Microbes have a relatively easy time degrading this type of trash. It primarily consists of kitchen trash (spoiled food, fruits, and vegetables), ash, soil, dung, and plant pieces, among other things. This waste is primarily of the organic variety, and it is referred to as “wet solid waste” or “wet garbage.”

Non-biodegradable

Non-biodegradable wastes are waste that cannot be destroyed by biological processes and must be disposed of in a different manner. The majority of inorganic trash is non-biodegradable in nature.   Non-biodegradable garbage that can be recycled is referred to as “Recyclable waste,” whereas non-biodegradable waste that cannot be recycled is referred to as “Non-recyclable waste.” Non-biodegradable wastes, in contrast to biodegradable wastes, are difficult to manage. Non-Biodegradable wastes are those that are unable to be degraded or dissolved by naturally occurring processes. They can survive on the planet for thousands of years without degrading in any way. Thus, the threat posed by them becomes even more serious. Plastics, for example, are a widely utilised material in practically every industry and are a good example of this. These polymers are being made from higher-quality plastics in order to provide them with a longer shelf life. This increased their temperature resistance and made them more robust even after being used. Cans, metals, and chemicals used in agriculture and industry are examples of other recyclable materials. They are the primary contributors to air, water, and soil pollution, as well as diseases like cancer. Because non-biodegradable wastes are detrimental to the environment, they must be replaced. As part of the creation of alternatives, scientists have proposed a variety of ideas, such as biodegradable plastics and other materials. They combined some biodegradable materials with plastics in order to make them degradable more quickly and easily than before. However, this is an extremely expensive operation.

Biodegradable Waste Examples

• Food waste
•  human waste
• paper waste, manure
• sewage
• Sludge from sewage systems
• Waste from the slaughterhouse
• hospital waste

Non-biodegradable examples:

Examples of non biodegradable waste are:–

• Glass
• Metal
• Batteries
• Bottles made of plastic
• Tetra packs
• Medical waste
• Carbon paper

Conclusion

Technology has improved the overall quality of life and spawned a new, more creative way of living in the process. This has an unpredictable impact on the ecology and the life of other creatures on the planet. Water bottles, for example, are made of plastic, which makes them handy to use and transport, but their disposal puts the environment to the test. Thousands of tonnes of waste materials, both biodegradable and nonbiodegradable, are generated each year. As a result, waste must be classified and properly disposed of in order to be recycled. As a result, waste materials are divided into two categories: biodegradable and non-biodegradable.