Solid waste is solid-state materials derived from production and consumer processes that are initially discarded, but can be reused or recycled. They are characterized by being materials that, if not disposed of properly, become environmental pollutants.
However, if properly managed, some of these wastes can be transformed into useful raw materials. They have characteristics such as a determined moisture content, a specific weight, and a defined particle size and distribution..
The contaminating potential of solid waste makes it necessary for it to be properly managed, which implies that it is taken into account from the moment it is generated until it is disposed of. In this context, the ecological principle of the 3Rs is key, in terms of reducing, reusing and recycling solid waste.
How to identify a solid waste? Any organic or inorganic waste that can be found in a landfill is solid waste.
Solid waste has a series of characteristics that differentiate it from other types of waste:
Solid waste can also be semi-solid, that is, liquid waste or gas emissions are exempt from this type of waste..
Being solid, these wastes have a defined shape and are kept in a given space, so they do not flow freely. This has consequences for their handling, their ability to degrade and their impact as pollutants..
Solid waste, depending on its nature, has certain physical characteristics:
All solid waste has a defined chemical composition, which affects its polluting power and its handling possibilities. The cellulose content of paper or cardboard is not the same as the content of heavy metals in electronic waste or radioactive solid waste.
Depending on the type of solid waste and its origin, they will have a greater or lesser relationship with the biological aspects. Organic solid waste is directly related to biological characteristics. However, inorganic solid waste can also carry biological elements, including pathogenic organisms..
Like all waste, they originate from a production process that generates certain consumer products. Then, these products are consumed, which generates a destruction or decomposition that results in remains that are discarded by the consumer..
A solid waste implies a fraction of a useful product that is not consumed, therefore it is associated with inefficiency of the production or consumption process. Hence the importance of reducing waste generation, this being the first element of the 3Rs of ecology, Reduce.
The modern concept of waste, unlike the old conception of garbage, implies potential utility. Therefore, all solid waste has a potential utility for its use, linked to the 3Rs of ecology, since they can be Reused or Recycled.
Like other wastes, if they are not properly managed and released into the environment, they are pollutants. In fact, today one of the main pollutants is plastic, the most abundant of solid waste.
Similarly, electronic waste is a major pollutant due to its high content of heavy metals. On the other hand, faeces and other animal waste are vehicles for diseases and contribute to phenomena such as eutrophication of water bodies..
The basic classification of solid waste refers to its nature, dividing it into organic and inorganic.
They are all those solid wastes that come from living organisms, parts of these or derivatives of them. Such is the case of food scraps, crop residues, wood, paper without additives, animal feces, bones, skin, seeds, flowers and grass. In addition, carcasses of animals or parts thereof, including humans.
They are characterized by their basic structure of carbon and hydrogen, their biological origin, their ability to decompose and be biodegraded. The latter refers to the degradation suffered by these residues by the action of decomposing organisms, such as bacteria, archaea, fungi and others..
They are a source of biological contamination because they can carry pathogens, that is, organisms that cause diseases.
It is all solid waste composed of materials that do not come from living beings or parts of these. In any case, if they include material of biological origin, such amount of additives have been added that their inorganic character predominates..
Such is the case of paper and cardboard, that although its base is the cellulose of the wood, rubbers, bleaches and other substances are added to them. In addition, all kinds of materials of artificial or natural origin without biological characteristics are included..
Among these we find plastics, mining waste, and electronic or electrical devices or parts. Like metals, scrap metal, fabrics, tires, batteries, batteries, and construction debris.
They are characterized by their non-biological origin, not degrading or in any case doing so in extremely long periods of time. On the other hand, most inorganic solid waste is reusable and recyclable..
There are two basic reasons why proper solid waste management is important. One is their polluting nature once they are freely introduced into the environment, the other is the need to reduce the extraction of raw materials from nature..
Therefore, the management of solid waste is approached today from the perspective of sustainable development.
In sustainable development, the central rule is the 3Rs of ecology, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The first thing then is to avoid the production of solid waste or at least reduce it to the maximum.
This is achieved by making production processes more efficient, as well as closing the production line in loops, within the framework of the circular economy..
By following the principles of the circular economy, it leads to reuse and recycling, that is, to incorporate the waste generated back into the production cycle. Which means that waste in a production phase can be raw material in the same process or in another.
On the other hand, once the product leaves the production phase and is consumed, there are reuse and recycling options for its waste. The classic example of the first case is the bottle of returnable soda or soda.
While recycling can be the use of the remnants of consumption or production as raw material for other production processes. However, it must be taken into account that some solid waste, mainly inorganic, is not recyclable..
Such is the case of glass and porcelain due to their lead oxide content, also disposable diapers due to their complex structure. Just as heavy metals are not easy to recycle in foundry sludge.
In any case, it is essential to avoid the release of solid waste into the environment, so it is necessary to guarantee control from its generation to its final disposal. This varies depending on the type of solid waste in particular, but in general there are phases of collection, transport, treatment, disposal and control and supervision of the process..
Regarding the collection and transport, there are special containers for each type of solid waste. Today we try to classify waste from its generation in order to facilitate the other phases and avoid contamination.
In general, the containers have specific designs and colors that identify them. Orange for organic, green for glass, blue for paper and cardboard, and yellow for plastic and metal packaging, for example.
Similarly, transportation is carried out with vehicles and suitable personnel, in accordance with the nature of the solid waste. For example, compactor trucks for organic waste, transport of glass containers or special transport for hospital waste.
Likewise, the treatment and final disposal varies according to the type of waste and different forms of treatment may coexist. For example, open dumps, with highly specialized recycling plants. There are also intermediate forms such as so-called sanitary landfills, suitable for non-hospital organic solid waste.
Recycling plants can be generic where all kinds of materials are separated and others are very specialized. Among the latter, for example, Apple has plants where high-tech robots disassemble and recycle cell or mobile phone parts.
Finally, the entire process must have adequate supervision and control in order to avoid the leakage of contaminants..
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