SOLID ENVIRONMENT

Land/Soil Pollution and Solid

Waste Management

Land Pollution
Land pollution - Land pollution is any type of
destruction of the Earth's land. It can either
occur naturally or as a result of human
activities, such as industrial development,
agricultural development, coal mining,
deforestation and overcrowded landfills.

Land Pollution
Major Causes of Land Pollution
Urbanization Increased waste disposal
Industrialization - Due to increase in demand for food,
shelter and house, more goods are produced. To meet the
demand of the growing population, more industries were
developed which led to deforestation and can cause soil
erosion.
Agriculture - The fertilizers and pesticides run off into the
streams and rivers or seep into the groundwater. These
fertilizers and Pesticides are a form of land pollution.

Land Pollution
Mining - which disrupts communities, damage landscapes and
pollute water(affects ground and surface water), causes acid
mine drainage which pollute streams and kills aquatic life,
releases toxic chemicals which harm animals and aquatic life and
their habitat
Construction - where some harmful chemicals may run off with
water and sediments e.g., oils, debris, paint which can cause
damage to soil, aquatic life and promote hazardous chemicals to
get into drinking water

Soil Contamination/Pollution
Soil contamination/soil pollution caused by the presence of xenobiotic
(human made) chemicals or other
alteration in the natural soil
environment

Soil Contamination/Pollution

Causes of soil contamination

Rupture of underground tanks

Application of pesticides

Oil and fuel dumping

Direct discharge of industrial wastes to the soil

Soil Contamination/Pollution
Common soil contaminants
Petroleum hydrocarbons
Solvents
Pesticides
Lead
Heavy metals

Soil Contamination/Pollution
Effects
Health risks from direct contact with the
contaminated soil, vapors from
contaminants
Secondary contamination of water supplies
within and underlying the soil

Soil Contamination/Pollution
Effects
Health effects where health consequences vary
depending on pollutant type, pathway of attack and
vulnerability of exposed population
ie. carcinogenic, chronic health conditions
Destruction of both animal and human habitats.

Impacts of Land Pollution

Destruction of habitat of aquatic animals possibly due to toxic

substances from wastes contaminating waterways

Reduced oxygen levels from decomposition of organic material dumped

from drains since oxygen is consumed by aerobic decomposers

Reduced light penetration in water column from sediments leading to

death of aquatic autotrophs, resulting in oxygen depletion of water

Increased human health risks from broken glass, cans etc.

Reduced aesthetic appeal of areas from litter strewn on banks and

beaches, affects tourism appeal

Acid rain occurs when sulfur and nitrogen gas from wastes combine
with rain which damages trees and other plants

Remediation or cleanup principles

Excavate soil and take it to disposal site away from ready
pathways for human or sensitive ecosystem contact; applies
dredging of bay muds containing toxins
Aeration of soils at the contaminated site (with attendant risk of
creating air pollution). This is done by spreading the soil across
the site to let toxic, volatile substances to evaporate.
Thermal remediation by introduction of heat to raise subsurface
temperatures sufficiently high to volatilize chemical
contaminants out of the soil for vapor extraction (electrical
resistance heating)

Remediation or cleanup principles

Bioremediation involving microbial digestion of certain organic
chemicals; techniques used include land farming, biostimulation
and bioaugmentating soil biota with commercially available
microflora
Extraction of groundwater or soil vapor with an active
electromechanical system with subsequent stripping of
contaminants from the extract
Containment of the soil contaminants (by capping or paving over
in place) to isolate toxins from the environment
Phytoremediation or using plants (e.g., willow) to extract heavy
metals, usually from depleted mining areas

Engineered Remediation Processes

for Hazardous Waste Site
In site remediation, which involves directly treating
the contaminated soil or water in the area, for
treatment of groundwater and vadose zone
Vadose zone is the unsaturated zone between land
surface and the water table. The zone gets
contaminated when toxic substances leaks from the
surface

Ex site remediation which involves excavation of

affected soil and subsequent treatment at the surface

Engineered Remediation Processes

for Hazardous Waste Site
For contaminated groundwater:
Air sparging involves injecting pressurized air into the
saturated zone to strip volatile contaminants; sites
contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and
fuels are amenable to air sparging
Pump and treat systems removed contaminated groundwater
from the subsurface and once at the surface, treated by a
variety of physical, chemical and biological processes like
airstripping, carbon adsorption, chemical oxidation,
membrane filtration, biodegradation, reverse osmosis,
precipitation, ion exchange, etc.

Engineered Remediation Processes

for Hazardous Waste Site
For vadose zone treatment:
Soil Vapor Evaporation (SVE) a vacuum is applied
to unsaturated soils causing air movement that
volatilize VOCs, etc. to be removed and exit gas is
treated
Bioventing (BV) forces air through treatment area
enhancing the activity of indigenous bacteria to
encourage biodegradation rather than removal
through volatilization

What is SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT?

Refers to the supervised handling of waste
material from generation at the source
through the recovery processes to disposal.
Refers to the sorting of solid waste into some
or all of its component parts at the point of
generation.

Technologies available for processing, treatment,

and disposal of solid waste

Composting - is the decomposition of organic matter by microorganism

in warm, moist, aerobic and anaerobic environment.

Vermi Composting - is the natural organic manure produced from the

excreta of earthworms fed on scientifically semi-decomposed organic
waste.

Biomethanation - is a comparatively well-established technology for

disinfections, deodorization and stabilization of sewage sludge, farmyard
manures, animal slurries, and industrial sludge.

Why SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

is important?
Waste management is important because improperly
stored refuse can cause health, safety and economic
problems.All living organisms create waste, but
humans create far more waste than other species. To
prevent damaging the Earths ecosystems and
maintain a high quality of life for the planets
inhabitants, humans must manage and store their
waste efficiently and safely.

Recyclable materials
Glass
Metals
Paper
Plastics

What is source reduction?

The elimination of waste before it is created. It
involves the design, manufacture, purchase or use of
materials and products to reduce the amount or
toxicity of what is thrown away.
also reduces the costs of problems associated with
recycling, composting, landfilling or incinerating
waste; also conserves precious natural resources and
reduce pollution

Waste reduction
(Or prevention) is the preferred approach
towastemanagement becausewastethat
never gets created doesn't
havewastemanagement costs. An example
ofwaste reductionisreducingunnecessary
packaging from manufactured products and
produce.

Reuse
By taking, but not reprocessing,
previously used items helps save
time, money, energy, and
resources.

Solid Waste
Solid Waste - material such as household garbage
(includes recycling), food wastes, yard wastes, and
demolition or construction debris. It also includes
discarded items like household appliances, furniture,
scrap metal, machinery, car parts and abandoned or
junk vehicles.
EPA definition: things destined for reuse, recycle, or
reclamation; sludges; and hazardous wastes; excludes
radioactive wastes and in situ mining wastes

Sources of Solid Waste

Residential or domestic
Types: Food wastes, paper, cardboard, plastics, textiles, leather, yard wastes,
wood, glass, metals, ashes, special wastes (e.g., bulky items, consumer
electronics, white goods, batteries, oil, tires, and household hazardous
wastes.).

Commercial
Types: Paper, cardboard, plastics, wood, food wastes, glass, metals, special
wastes, hazardous wastes. oods, batteries, oil, tires), and household
hazardous wastes.).

Institutional
Types: Same as commercial.

Sources of Solid Waste

Municipal Services
Types: Street sweepings; landscape and tree trimmings; general wastes
from parks, beaches, and other recreational areas; sludge.

Agricultural
Types: Spoiled food wastes, agricultural wastes, hazardous wastes (e.g.,
pesticides).

Process (manufacturing, etc.)

Types: Industrial process wastes, scrap materials, off-specification
products, slay, tailings.

Industrial
Types: Spoiled food wastes, agricultural wastes, hazardous wastes (e.g.,
pesticides).

Solid Waste

Municipal Solid Waste - is defined at the national level as wastes

consisting of everyday items such as product packaging, grass clippings,
furniture, clothing, bottles and cans, food scraps, newspapers,
appliances, consumer electronics, and batteries.

Putrescible Waste is solidwastethat contains organic matter capable

of being decomposed by microorganisms and of such a character and
proportion as to cause obnoxious odors and to be capable of attracting
or providing food for birds or animals.

Solid Waste
Not Included are:
(1) Waste identified or listed as hazardous
waste of a solid, liquid, contained gaseous
or semisolid form which may cause or
contribute to an increase in mortality or in
serious or incapacitating reversible illness,
or acute/chronic effect on the health of
persons and other organisms;

Solid Waste
Not Included are:
(2) Infectious waste from hospitals such as equipment,
instruments, utensils, and fomites of a disposable nature
from patients who are suspected to have or have been
diagnosed as having communicable diseases and must
therefore be isolated as required by public health agencies,
laboratory wastes such as pathological specimens (i.e. all
tissues, specimens of blood elements, excreta, and
secretions obtained from patients or laboratory animals)
and disposable fomites that may harbor or transmit
pathogenic organisms, and surgical operating room
pathologic materials from outpatient areas and emergency
rooms; and

Solid Waste
Not Included are:
(3) Waste resulting from mining
activities, including contaminated
soil and debris.