5.7 solid waste

A linear economy puts importance on consumption, therefore it follows the model take, make, consume, waste A circular economy prioritises repurposing as waste is considered another kind of resource. it follows the model take, make, consume, repair, reuse, recycle, and the cycle repeats. for example, with CH4, one can make biofuel

municipal (typical household waste from municipalities such as homes, schools, offices, etc) industrial (waste from industry such as scrap metal, tanks) agricultural (waste from agricultural activity such as growing crops and raising livestock) construction/demolition (waste from excavation and building)

type of waste typically originating from animals or plant sources which may be degraded by other organisms for example paper and food

waste that cannot be broken down by other living organisms such as plastic items like bags or bottles

waste that decomposes upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation such as certain types of plastic bags and bottles they result in microplastics

poses the risk of human health and/or the environment. it needs to be handled and disposed of carefully as they could be flammable, pathogenic, corrosive, inert, reactive and toxic and leach into the nearby water tables for example oil based paints, batteries, weed killers, hospital waste

a comprehensive approach to manage waste that incorporates a variety of strategies to handle waste in an environmentally responsible and safe manner it’s objectives are to minimise the recovery of resources and reduce the environmental impact of waste disposal

reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, landfill

reducing is done by keeping our consumption to a minimum in order to prevent buying unnecessary goods. it could be done by shopping in a smart way it prevents pollution, save energy, reduce GHG which contribute to climate change, reduce amount of waste in landfills

finding a new use from the product after one has finished using it in the purpose it was bought for such as by reusing bottles, containers, jars, clothes, a car, refillable pens, etc

the process of collecting and processing materials such as aluminium, glass, paper, and rigid plastic that would otherwise be thrown away by turning them into new products instead (hence why waste is a resource). However, materials such as low quality or mixed plastic, medical waste, or soiled waste cannot be recycled therefore, it holds importance to separation of source which would be cheaper and more economically sustainable

A: creates new resources without extracting new ones and reduces the volume of waste D: the recycling site is unhygienic, costly both in recycling and in transportation and some argue that its pointless because waste will be thrown away anyway

composting, which is the process of biological decomposition of biodegradable waste (or organic material) derived from living organisms such as plants and animals. it could take place naturally or in a controlled environment in malta, organic waste is processed in wasteserv or the Civil amenity site

it is the process of recovering energy through anaerobic digestion from incineration

the process where bacteria break down organic matter such as animal manure, food waste or sludge in the absence of oxygen it reduces the volume of waste, doesn’t leach, and cheaper since it doesn’t require transportation. however, it does increase emissions, has a high cost of production and releases harmful pollutants such as NOx, CO, HCI, HCN

open dump or landfill os a place where solid waste is placed, usually above the ground and disorderly. it is cheaper but it takes up land, an eyesore, a breeding ground for flies and rats and other undesirable organisms, decreases the value of nearby properties, contaminates nearby water bodies and has strong and unpleasant fumes an engineered landfill os a place where solid waste is placed but the area has a synthetic lining (geotextile) under th waste to prevent leaching of harmful substances into the ground. although expensive, they are designed to prevent leachate percolation and use of landfill gas. it is still infested with undesirable organisms and produces pollutants such as CH4 and NH3. when sealed, anaerobic decomposition takes place.