Waste disposal – This book covers the entire syllabus of “Community Health Nursing” prescribed by the Universities of Bangladesh- for Basic and diploma nursing students. We tried to accommodate latest information and topics.
This book is examination friendly setup according to the teachers’ lectures and examination’s questions. At the end of the book previous university questions are given. We hope in touch with the book students’ knowledge will be upgraded and flourished. The unique way of presentation may make your reading of the book a pleasurable experience.
Waste disposal
Definition of waste
Waste is any substance which is discarded after primary use, or it is worthless, defective and of no use. Examples include municipal solid waste (household trash/refuse), hazardous waste, wastewater (such as sewage, which contains bodily wastes (feces and urine) and surface runoff), radioactive waste, and others.
Waste disposal
Removing and destroying or storing damaged, used or other unwanted domestic, agricultural or industrial products and substances. Disposal includes burning, burial at landfill sites or at sea, and recycling.
Types of wastes disposal
- Refuse or solid waste.
- Excreta or night soil.
- Sullage.
1. Refuse:
Definition: These are unwanted or discarded solid waste material from houses, street sweeping, commercial, industrial and agricultural operations, arising from man’s activities. In the cities, it is called refuse and in the countryside, it is called litter.
2. Excreta or night soil: – It implies faces.
Sewage: –
In short: The suilage water containing night soil.
- Definition: Sewage is waste from a community, containing solid and liquid excreta, derived from houses, street and yard washings, factories and industries.
3. Sullage:
The term “”sullage is applied to waste water which does not contain human excreta, e.g. waste water from kitchens and bathrooms.
Excreta disposal
Excreta disposal is undoubtedly one of the key elements of any emergency sanitation programme. Containment and safe disposal of. human excreta is the primary barrier to transmission of excreta-related disease.
Sources of waste /refuse
Sources of waste can be broadly classified into four types: Industrial, Commercial, Domestic, and Agricultural.
Industrial Waste
These are the wastes created in factories and industries. Most industries dump their wastes in rivers and seas which cause a lot of pollution.
- Example: plastic, glass, etc.
Commercial Waste
Commercial wastes are produced in schools, colleges, shops, and offices.
- Example: plastic, paper, etc.
Domestic Waste
The different household wastes which are collected during household activities like cooking, cleaning, etc. are known as domestic wastes.
- Example: leaves, vegetable peels, excreta, etc.
Agricultural Waste
Various wastes produced in the agricultural field are known as agricultural wastes.
- Example: cattle waste, weed, husk, etc.
Method of excreta disposal
A. In unsewered areas:
1. Service type latrines (conservancy system):
- Pail or bucket latrines
- Chemical closet
2. Non-serivce type (sanitary latrines):
- Bore hole latrine
- Dug well or pit latrine
- Water seal latrine
- Septic tank
- Aqua privy
3 . Temporary latrines useful for camps:
- Shallow trench latrine
- Deep trench latrine
- Pit latrine
- Bore hole latrine
B. In sewered areas:
Water-carriage system and sewage treatment:
1. Primary treatment
- Screening
- Removal of grit
- Plain sedimentation
2. Secondary treatment
- Trickling filters
- Activated sludge process
- Digestion of sludge
3. Other methods
- Sea outfall
- River outfall
- Sewage farming
- Oxidation ponds
Health Hazards of improper Excreta Disposal
Proper waste/garbage collection and disposal is important for the following reasons:
If waste/garbage is allowed to accumulate –
i) It decomposes and favours fly breeding
ii) It attracts rodents and vermin.
iii) It may pollute water and soil,
iv) It may also pollute air due to scattering of waste by birds or rats.
v) The pathogens which may be present in the refuse/garbage may be conveyed back to man’s food through flies and dust.
vi) Heaps of refuse present an unsightly appearance and nuisance from bad odors.
See More: