A lot has been written and read about
waste management in recent days. From newspapers to online
communities to school workshops we get to hear a lot about this.
But in spite of all, there are many among us, who still miss the clear
picture of the subject.
My post deals about the need and importance of
waste management and the ways we can implement it in our society.
Lets start with understanding what waste management is :
Waste management comprise of two words; waste
and management. The term definitely sounds simple but the fact is that waste
management is a complex process.
So to make things simple, let’s first understand about
[WASTE] and then understand how to [MANAGE] it?
What is Waste
Waste can be in the form of solid, liquid, gas. In many cases
it can be radioactive also. Waste can be non hazardous and hazardous too. It
can be industrial or residential too. Therefore, different types of waste need
different type of handling. The handling however varies from area to area;
region to region and country to country.Waste if not managed properly can lead
to landfills, elimination of hazardous gases and spread of diseases.
Reduce, reuse and recycle are the three pillars of waste
management process. We will deal with these terms after we understand what type
of waste is generally disposed by people living in apartments and how it should
be collected.
How can we Manage waste?
For efficient management of waste at household level,
segregation is very important. BBMP has made the segregation of waste
compulsory and every household must follow the same.
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Type of waste
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Includes
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collection
|
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Wet waste
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Comprise of cooked and uncooked food, vegetable and fruit
peels
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To be collected from home on a daily basis. Should not be
mixed with dry waste.
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Dry waste
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Paper waste (such as papers, tickets, bills, flyers);
plastic( used bottles, bags, milk packs, pouches); metal waste (
utensils, cans, metal items)
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To be collected from homes on weekly basis, Should not be
mixed with wet waste
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Sanitary waste
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Includes diapers, sanitary pads and bandages
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To be collected along with wet waste. Should be wrapped
well in paper.
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Inert waste
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includes cement, mud and construction material
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To be collected separately as and when required. Should
not be mixed with dry and wet waste.
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Waste segregation is the first step towards waste
management. We can move a level ahead at individual level by following the
three main pillars of waste management.
- Reduce -
Aim at generating least possible waste. Start using jute bags instead of
plastic bags. Switch to online bills instead of paper bills.
- Reuse
- Try using stuff to their fullest. Make efficient use of papers
from both sides.
- Recycle- Recycling
is only possible when waste is segregated at the source.
Collective Segregation - When every household
has done their task of waste segregation, the next step is to ensure efficient
segregation at society level. This can be done by using different color bins
1. Red Bin - For collection of
wet waste.
2. Green bin - For dry paper
waste
3. Blue bin - for dry plastic
recyclable waste
4. Black bin - For hazardous
waste
Last but not the least - Keeping our society and
surroundings clean is the duty of every resident. Create awareness by talking
about the same to your neighbors and encouraging them to follow the
same. Lets make Orchid Enclave a clean green and peaceful society.
Call for action
If you have suggestions / clarifications / concerns or would
like to contribute to the cause, please feel free to……<do something>
