Waste

Waste is the material being discarded as it has no longer served its purpose and is no longer
useful.

Pollution is the unfavorable modification of the natural environment caused entirely or partially
by the actions of human beings.

Spoilage of landscape is the accumulation of heaps of garbage or waste dumped in vacant land
to decompose, which not only ruins the natural beauty but also provides homes for rats and
other diseases-carrying organisms.

Impact of Waste Accumulation

Both open dumps and landfills may contain toxins that seep into the soil and the water bodies
and cause soil and water pollution respectively.
Scavengers and stray animals invade the open garbage dumps and spread the waste over a
large area, thus, spreading germs and diseases and destroying the beauty of the place.
Industrial waste contains harmful chemicals, particulate matter, and toxic heavy metals such as
lead and mercury.
These toxic chemicals and heavy metals get deposited in animal tissues and harm living along
the food chain.
As accumulated waste decomposes, it produces a large amount of methane gas which can be
explosive if not handled properly.
Water pollution occurs when people discharge large amounts of waste into water bodies, and
the natural cleansing process in the water bodies cannot function properly.
Eutrophication is the depletion of oxygen from water bodies, which occurs naturally or due to
humans.
Algae and Phytoplankton use carbon dioxide, inorganic nitrogen, and phosphate from the water
as food.
When nutrients become abundant due to waste accumulation, the growth of phytoplankton and
algae increases.
As a result, aquatic plants are unable to carry on photosynthesis reducing the oxygen content of
water.
This causes the death of most of the aquatic life.

Health Hazards
​ ​ Spread of Disease through contamination
Unattended waste dumped in the open attracts flies, rats, and other creatures that act as
vectors of the diseases and spread them among human beings.
Domestic waste poses a serious threat since it is organic it undergoes fermentation and creates
conditions favorable for the survival and growth of pathogens.
The decomposition of waste produces harmful gases that pollute the air around us.
Direct dumping of untreated waste in water bodies results in the accumulation of toxic
substances in the water bodies and further in the food chain through plants and animals that
feed on it.
Choking of drains and gully pits by the solid wastes results in water logging, especially during
the rainy season.
The water logging results in the breeding of mosquitoes.
Lead is a harmful toxin and it can affect the development of a child’s brain.
Asbestos can cause a respiratory disease known as asbestosis as well as chest and lung
cancer.
Mercury is a highly toxic chemical that damages the nervous system, causing brain damage and
even death.
Arsenic has been shown to cause cancer.
​ Effect on Terrestrial Life
Effect on Human Beings
Accumulation of waste looks ugly, smells foul, and attracts insects, rats, and other animals that
spread diseases.
Burning of waste in open dump yards causes smoke and foul-smelling air.
Sanitary landfills are not fit for human settlements because methane and carbon dioxide are
released in the first two years.
​ ​ Effect on Plants :
Different types of leaf injuries.
Premature in transpiration.
Reduction in the rate of photosynthesis
Reduction in biological nitrogen fixation

​ ​ Effect on Animals
Stray animals consume toxins or non - degradable substances present in the waste and die due
to choking.
The waste consumed by animals also leads to many diseases and other problems.
Birds feeding on agricultural waste have thinner and weaker eggshells and increased mortality.

​ ​ Effect on Aquatic Life

Pesticides that run off agricultural lands, and industrial and domestic waste that are improperly
disposed of into water bodies cause damage to aquatic life.
Mammals, turtles, fish, sharks, etc are killed each year due to plastic debris in the oceans.
Marine turtles are more susceptible to the effects of consuming marine debris because they
have downward-facing spines which prevent the possibility of regurgitation.
The aquatic organisms are also affected by a phenomenon called Biomagnification.
Biomagnification refers to the increase in the concentration of various toxic substances along
the food chain.
Toxic substances at the level of primary produce get concentrated as the food chain.
This is also called bioaccumulation.
A small amount of toxic constituent which is neither excreted nor metabolised gets increased as
the food chain moves upward from one trophic level to the next.
Oil spills in the seas and oceans pollute water and damage beaches.
Oil spills decrease the penetration of light and hamper the photosynthesis process.
They also lead to gastrointestinal irritation, liver and kidney problems and damage the nervous
system of marine animals.
Mercury contamination in the sea in a coastal town in Japan caused illness in some fishermen
because of consuming fish caught from Minamata Bay.
This is called the Minamata Disease.
Paper and pulp industry, chlorine industry, and pesticide industry result in mercury
contamination.

Need for Waste Management

Waste can never be removed completely.
It causes pollution of the air, degradation of soils, and contamination of water sources.
Dangers posed by global pollution due to the accumulation of waste threaten the survival of the
ecosystem and call for the need to manage waste.

​ Transmission of Diseases
​ ​ Waste on land
Vectors like flies, mosquitoes, rodents, and pet animals transmit diseases.
The waste is a breeding ground for these vectors.
Common diseases spread by these vectors are:
Housefly - Cholera
Sandly - Sandfly fever
Tsetse fly - Sleeping sickness
Mosquitoes - Dengue
Rodents - Plague
Dog - Rabies
Cat - Anthrax

​ ​ Waste in Water
Sewage contains organic matter that cannot be decomposed. The sewage also has pathogenic
agents.
Industrial and commercial waste has toxic agents including metal salts and complex synthetic
organic chemicals.
Fertilizers and pesticides produce pollutants.
There are also other pollutants like radioactive substances.
​ ​ ​ Damage to Humans
By drinking contaminated water.
By using contaminated water for purposes of personal hygiene and recreation.
​ Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming
The rate of absorption of solar radiation by Earth and its emission back into space as infrared
rays balance the heat on the Earth.
Carbon dioxide and other gases form a blanket around the globe which prevents the passage of
infrared waves from the Earth back into space.
Solar radiation produces heat making the Earth a warm place.
This is very similar to the working of a greenhouse gas.
Hence Global Warming is also known as the Greenhouse Effect.

​ ​ Greenhouse Gases
Carbon Dioxide
Methane
Chlorofluorocarbons
Water vapour
Burning of fossil fuels increases the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere
This leads to increased temperatures of global warming.
If this continues, the glaciers will recede and the ice caps in the Antarctic and Arctic will begin to
melt.
The sea level will then rise, submerging coastal areas.
​ ​ Impact of Global Warming
Global temperature is likely to rise from 2 ℃ to 5℃.
There is a chance of melting ice caps on the Earth’s poles. This melting of ice caps will lead to
the rise in sea level. Large stretches of low-lying areas will submerge and many islands will face
deep encroachment and may disappear.
There will be serious climatic changes, which will bring various changes in wind and rain
patterns.
It will cause a rise in transpiration, affecting the groundwater table.
Insects and pests will increase in warmer climatic conditions. Pathogenic diseases will multiply.

​ Depletion of Ozone Layer

The atmosphere is divided into 4 layers
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Ionosphere
Exosphere
The Stratosphere contains the Ozone layer.
Ultraviolet and infrared rays from the sun are blocked by the Ozone layer.
It absorbs the harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun and protects the life on the Earth from their
harmful effects.
​ ​ Causes of the Ozone Layer Depletion
The oxides of nitrogen react with Ozone which destroys the Ozone layer.
Supersonic airplanes that move through the stratosphere emit this nitrogen oxide.
Chlorofluorocarbons have strong power to damage the Ozone layer.
Most countries use CFC - types of chemicals as refrigerants in aerosols, paints, plastics, foam,
etc.
A hole has been observed in the Ozone Layer near Antarctica.
The hole allows ultraviolet rays to reach the Earth directly without any obstacles.
This causes diseases such as skin cancer and cataracts.
The ultraviolet rays cause genetic disorders which ultimately affect heredity.
Plastics become brittle when they come in contact with these rays.

​ Acid Rays
Acid Rain means the presence of excessive acids in rainwater.
Burning of coal produces sulfur and nitrogen
These react with oxygen and are converted to their respective oxides - sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxide.
These are soluble in water.
These oxides react with large quantities of water vapor to form acids like sulphuric acid,
sulfurous acid, and nitric acid.
When they precipitate together with rain or snow they form acid.
​ ​ Effects of Acid Rain
Acid rains increase acidity and aridity in the soil and destroy forests and crops.
It corrodes buildings, monuments, statues, bridges, fences and railings.
Pollutants from the Mathurs oil refinery have been turning the white marble surface of the Taj
Mahal into yellow.
It poses a serious threat to human health since it contaminates air and water.
It affects the human nervous system by causing neurological diseases.
Aquatic organisms are affected due to acid rain
Acid rain affects the plant growth. Plant leaves get burnt and dry.
​ Soil Health
Chemicals and minerals in the soil react with chemical pollutants.
These pollutants combine with plant nutrients and the plants are consumed by animals.
Soil fertility and aeration are also reduced.