Garbage in, Garbage out

An undesired material or any discarded object is known as Garbage. It is produced everywhere, ranging from households to factories and industries. This waste needs to be managed effectively in order to prevent problems such as pollution, and the death of animals due to the consumption of waste materials. Apart from objects, sewage can also be counted as waste, as it is also called wastewater. There are several methods of waste management. Sanitation is essential to maintain the health of individuals as well as protect the environment from various problems.  

Waste Management

All the activities and actions that are performed in order to manage waste from its collection to its final disposal are known as Waste management. The complete process includes collection, transport, treatment, segregation, and disposal.

Significance of Waste Management

• We can get several valuable products by recycling the waste.

• It will help in preventing the death of stray animals. E.g., If plastic waste is unhandled, it may be swollen by Stray animals leading to their death.
• Unhandled plastic can choke the drainage system and cause flood-like situations during heavy rains. Therefore, proper handling of plastic waste is essential.
• Plastics cannot be composted easily. Thus there is a need to minimise the overuse of plastics.
• Proper waste management helps in the prevention of diseases in humans as well as animals.
• It doesn’t just protect the environment, but it also benefits companies by making efficient changes. Recycling practices, for example, can prove to profit businesses. 
• Reusing materials in industries and companies can reduce the cost of production.

Wastewater

The dirty black-brown water that goes down the drains from sinks, showers, toilets, laundries is called Wastewater. Wastewater is cleaned through the process of removing pollutants and impurities before it enters a water body or is reused. This wastewater treatment process is commonly known as “Sewage Treatment,” and it takes place in several stages.

Sewage

• Sewage refers to the polluted or impure water that can be seen released from homes, offices, and other such areas.
• It also includes rainwater that has been mixed with other impurities during a storm or heavy rain.
• It is a mixture of suspended solids, organic and inorganic impurities, nutrients, saprophytes, and disease-causing bacteria and other microbes.
• Sewage treatment is a way through which wastewater can be managed. 
• There are many methods of sewage treatment, such as physical treatment, chemical treatment, and sludge treatment.. 
• The chemical treatment begins with the removal of impurities, purification of the water and, finally, the neutralisation of the water. 

Various methods of Garbage Handling

• A low-lying open area used to dispose of waste materials is called a landfill. Useful and non-useful components of the garbage are segregated before the dumping in the landfill.
• Waste segregation is also done at the source using coloured dustbins. The blue bin is for reusable materials such as plastics, metals, and glass. The green bins are for collecting plant or animal wastes.
• The conversion of waste materials into manure is called ‘composting.’ Harvested residue like husk, dried leaves, and part of crop plants could be converted into valuable compost. 
• Through composting, organic waste material can be converted to nutrition for plants. 
• The preparation of compost through the help of redworms is known as Vermicomposting. 
• Redworms do not survive in extreme climates and need moisture. Redworms do not have teeth. Instead, they have structures called ‘gizzard,’ which help them grind their food. 
• Recycling is another method of waste management. It is the conversion of waste into new, useful products. This is effective especially when landfills are overloaded, or for the reduction of pollution. 
• Incineration is a waste management system where garbage is incinerated, or burned. This results in the transformation of waste to ash, gas, or steam.

Sanitation and Disease

Sanitation refers to the conditions of an area with respect to clean drinking water, successful waste management and disposal, and sewage management.  

• Poor sanitation and contaminated drinking water are the primary causes of many diseases and environmental issues.
• Untreated human excreta can be hazardous to health. It may cause water and soil pollution, resulting in water-borne diseases like cholera, typhoid, polio, meningitis, hepatitis, and dysentery.
• An open-drain system is a breeding ground for flies, mosquitoes, and organisms which cause diseases.

The Government of India has initiated a new mission known as “Swachh Bharat,” under which many drives such as proper sewage disposal and providing toilets for everyone have been started. This mission is a country-wide campaign initiated in 2014 to eliminate open defecation and improve solid waste management. Adopting good sanitation practices should be our way of life. Mahatma Gandhi has said, “no one needs to wait for anyone else to adopt a humane and enlightened course of action.”

Conclusion

Waste management refers to the process of handling waste at all stages, from collection to final disposal. It is important to manage waste in order to prevent environmental problems and deaths. Waste management also helps in prevention of choked drains and mishandling of plastics. Several methods of garbage handling exist, such as incineration, which is the burning of wastes, recycling of waste to produce new products, and composting to utilise the waste to make manure. These methods have proven to be useful in management of wastes. Sewage is a kind of liquid waste, also known as wastewater and needs to be managed to protect the health of people and the environment. There are several steps involved in the treatment of sewage. Sanitation refers to health conditions where clean drinking water and proper waste management are given importance and promoted. It was promoted in India through the Swachh Bharat mission.