MODULE 4 : water recycling- solid waste management -
house hold recycling waste-technique-composting at
home-town/city level recycling-construction waste-
state of the art of vilapplishala waste recycling plant of
thiruvananthapuram
Waste recycling
Waste recycling is the process of converting waste material into new products
or material. This process helps to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills
, conserves natural resources and reduces the environmental impact of waste
disposal
Type of waste recycling :
1. Paper recycling : this involves the collection and processing of used paper
and cardboard to make new paper products.
2. Plastic recycling : this process involves collecting and processing used
plastics materials to create new plastic products.
3. Metal recycling : this involves collecting and processing of scrap metal , which is then melted
down and used to make new metal products.
4. Glass recycling : this process involves the collecting and processing of used glass products , which
are then melted down and used to make new glass products.
5. Electronic recycling : this process involves the collection and processing of electronic waste,
which includes items such as computer , cell phone etc.
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
The term solid waste management mainly refers to the complete
process of collecting, treating and disposing of solid wastes.
The process of solid waste management begins with the collection
of waste from households , businesses , and public places.
The waste is then transported to a facility for treatment which may
include sorting, recycling, composting , or incineration .
There are several challenges associated with solid waste
management including limited space for landfill sites, inadequate
infrastructure and lack of public awareness about waste reduction
and recycling.
HOUSE HOLD WASTE
Household waste refer to the waste generated from the daily activities of households, including
garbage,recyclable,and organic waste.
It can include items such as food scraps, packaging materials , paper, plastics, and metals.
Methods of managing household waste include recycling, composting and disposal in landfills or
incineration facilities.
Household waste cannot be recycled or composted , it is often sent to a landfill or incineration
facility for disposal.
RECYCLING TECHNIQUES
Recycling : it is the process of converting waste material
into new products.
Some recycling techniques:
1) Mechanical recycling : this is the most common form of
recycling where waste material are collected ,sorted, and
processed into new products.
2) Chemical recycling : this technique involves breaking
down plastic waste into its constituent chemicals which can
then be used to make new plastic.
3) Compositing : this is the process of breaking down organic
waste such as food scraps and yard waste into nutrient rich soil
that can be used for gardening and agriculture.
4) Upcycling : this technique involves transforming waste
material into new products that are higher value than the
original material.
5) Energy recovery : this is the process of converting non-
recyclable waste into energy such as electricity or heat .
Flow chart of recycling technique
COMPOSITING
Composting is a controlled, aerobic (oxygen-required) process that converts organic
materials into a nutrient-rich soil amendment or mulch through natural decomposition
Microorganisms feed on the materials added to the compost pile during the composting
process.
They use carbon and nitrogen to grow and reproduce, water to digest materials, and
oxygen to breathe.
COMPOST AT HOME
Turning our food scraps and yard trim into compost, we can transform our
waste streams into a beneficial, value-added soil amendment and use it to
protect the environment and create resilient communities.
Composting is a resourceful way to recycle the food scraps and yard trim you
generate at home all year and manage your waste more sustainably.
You reduce the volume of materials that might otherwise be disposed in
landfills or trash incinerators - leaves, grass clippings, yard trim, and food
scraps – and prevent powerful greenhouse gases from being emitted into the
atmosphere.
Composting involves minimal effort, equipment, expense, and expertise, and
can be fun. You save money by producing a free, high quality soil amendment
– compost, which reduces your use of fertilizer and pesticides.
CONSTRUCTION WASTE
Construction waste is defined as fairly clean, heterogenous building materials which are produced from the
various construction activities.
Quantity and quality of construction waste generated from any specific project would vary depending on the
circumstances and types of materials used in the project.
Recycling of construction waste is one way to counter risk to construction wastes.
SOURCE OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE
• Design source
• Procurement source
• Handling of materials source
• Operation source
• Residual source
• Other sources
TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE
1. Brick: Brick wastes are generated as a result of demolition, and may be contaminated
with mortar and plaster.
2. Concrete: Concrete wastes can be generated due to demolition of existing structures and
testing of concrete samples etc.
3. Ferrous Metal: Ferrous metal is another type of wastes which not only highly profitable
but also can be recycled nearly completely.
4. Masonry:Masonry waste is produced as a result of demolition of masonry buildings.
5. Paper and Cardboard:Paper and paper board is another type of waste materials which is
estimated to comprise one-third construction and demolition wastes by volume.
6. Timber: Timber waste from construction and demolition works is produced in large
quantity all over the world.
7. Non-ferrous Metal: Aluminum, copper, lead, and zinc are examples of nonferrous
materials wastes produced at construction sites.
State of the art of vilappilshala waste
recycling plant of Thiruvananthapuram
Vilappilsala village located about 15 Kilometer away from
Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital of Kerala.
The village was selected for the dumping of urban waste generated
from Thiruvananthapuram city.
Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, in 2000 established this
centralised waste processing plant for the capital city.
Initially about 12-acre of government land was selected at
Vilappilsala village for this purpose.
The land was acquired by Kerala State government in 1995 for the
city corporation’s use.
The plant was planned by the city corporation and the initial plan
to establish the plant was given to a private company.
The plan was to install well equipped modern processing facilities
to generate fertilizer from the biodegradable waste and leachate
treatment.