Solid and Hazardous Waste

Abstract

In addition to the liquid and gaseous pollutants discussed in the preceding chapters, communities continue to wrestle with the problem of solid waste management. Unlike wastewater, which can be collected through a system of mains for central treatment, or gaseous discharges, which are simply put back into the atmosphere, most solid wastes must be collected and transported manually, increasing the costs and the potential for exposure of workers. The exceptions are individual incinerators (converting solid waste to air pollution), which have largely been rendered obsolete, and garbage grinders, which convert readily biodegradable solid waste into liquid waste but are restricted to a small percentage of the total waste generated. Thus, it is important to define the categories of solid waste to select the most efficient management system available for each.