Why in News ?

With an ever increasing population and rapid pace of urbanization, the country is facing a huge challenge of waste management. Sustainable Processing of Solid Waste is the need for the hour.

What is issue ?

• The volume of waste is projected to rise from the present 62 million tonnes to about 150 million tonnes by 2030.
• Indiscriminate dumping of garbage at the current rate without appropriate scientific treatment, would impose huge requirement of landfill area per year.
• This necessitates the importance of scientific solid waste management.
• Municipal Solid Wastes generated in India mostly consists of alarge fraction (> 50%) of organic wastes.
• Unscientific disposal of organic waste produces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissionsand other air pollutants.
• The ineffective processing of MSWalso is the root cause of many diseases as the dumped landfills transform into Contamination Hubs for Pathogens, Bacteria and Viruses.
• The most commonly used processing composting also does not yield impactful economic returns for the entrepreneurs as it requires more land space, more labour, pasteurization for effective disinfectionand has restricted utilization due to presence of heavy metals.
  • During the rainy season managing composting becomes difficult due to the presence of excessive moisture.

Various Methods for Sustainable Processing of Solid Waste

• Solid Waste treatment and disposal utilizing plasma arc gasification process
  • An option for eco-friendly solid waste management in which large volume reduction of waste up to 95% is possible.
  • The plasma gasification process uses electricity to generate high temperature plasma arc inside the plasma reactor which converts the waste into syngas.
  • The produced syngas when passed through a series of gas purification system comprising of catalytic converter, redox reactor, cyclone separator, scrubber and condenser is ready for use in gas engines for generation of electricity.
  • The residual ash can be mixed with cement for preparation of recycled bricks for usage in construction.
  • This technology is not economically viable
• Biomass Waste Disposal
  • Biomass waste such as dry leaves, dead branches, dry grass etc. are disposed of by first shredding it to suitable size followed by mixing with the slurry of the biogas digester.
  • This mixture is feedstock for briquette, which is utilized as fuel for cooking.
• Polymer Waste Disposal
  • The polymer waste consisting of plastics, sanitary waste etc. is being disposed of through two main processes i.e. pyrolysis and plasma gasification.
• Sanitary Waste Disposal
  • sanitary items including masks, sanitary napkins, diapers etc. are disposed-off utilizing high temperature plasma.

Source : PIB

GS III : Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Current Affairs Compilation : 24 October 2020