Solid waste was already a problem long before water and air pollution issues attracted public attention. Historically the problem associated with solid waste can be dated back to prehistoric days. Due to the invention of new products, technologies and services the quantity and quality of the waste have changed over the years. Waste characteristics not only depend on income, culture and geography but also on a society's economy and, situations like disasters that affect that economy. There was tremendous industrial activity in Europe during the industrial revolution. The twentieth century is recognized as the American Century and the twenty-first century is recognized as the Asian Century in which everyone wants to earn ‘as much as possible’. After Asia the currently developing Africa could next take the center stage. With transitions in their economies many countries have also witnessed an explosion of waste quantities. Solid waste problems and approaches to tackling them vary from country to country. For example, while efforts are made to collect and dispose hospital waste through separate mechanisms in India it is burnt together with municipal solid waste in Sweden. While trans-boundary movement of waste has been addressed in numerous international agreements, it still reaches developing countries in many forms. While thousands of people depend on waste for their livelihood throughout the world, many others face problems due to poor waste management. In this context solid waste has not remained an issue to be tackled by the local urban bodies alone. It has become a subject of importance for engineers as well as doctors, psychologist, economists, and climate scientists and any others. There are huge changes in waste management in different parts of the world at different times in history. To address these issues, an effort has been made by the authors to combine their experience and bring together a new text book on the theory and practice of the subject covering the important relevant literature at the same time.

Solid waste management issues are a highly emotive topic. Disposal costs need to be balanced against environmental impact, which often results in heated public debate. Disposal options such as incineration and landfill, whilst unpopular with both the public and environmental pressure groups, do not pose the same environmental and health risks as, for example, recycling plants. This book, written by international experts, discusses the various waste disposal options that are available (landfill, incineration, composting, recycling) and then reviews their impact on the environment, and particularly on human health. Comprehensive and highly topical, Environmental and Health Impact of Solid Waste Management Activities will make a strong contribution to scientific knowledge in the area, and will be of value to scientists and policy-makers in particular.

This book contains detailed and structured approaches to tackling practical decision-making troubles using economic consideration and analytical methods in Municipal solid waste (MSW) management. Among all other types of environmental burdens, MSW management is still a mammoth task, and the worst part is that a suitable technique to curb the situation in developing countries has still not emerged. Municipal Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries will help fill this information gap based on information provided by field professionals. This information will be helpful to improve and manage solid waste systems through the application of modern management techniques. It covers all the fundamental concepts of MSWM; the various component systems, such as collection, transportation, processing, and disposal; and their integration. This book also discusses various component technologies available for the treatment, processing, and disposal of MSW. Written in view of actual scenarios in developing countries, it provides knowledge to develop solutions for prolonged problems in these nations. It is mainly for undergraduate and postgraduate students, research scholars, professionals, and policy makers.

A practical guide for the identification and management of a range of hazardous wastes, Waste Management Practices: Municipal, Hazardous, and Industrial integrates technical information including chemistry, microbiology, and engineering, with current regulations. Emphasizing basic environmental science and related technical fields, the book is an i

By combining integrated solid waste management with the traditional coverage of landfills, this new edition offers the first comprehensive guide to managing the entire solid waste cycle, from collection, to recycling, to eventual disposal. * Includes new material on source reduction, recycling, composting, contamination soil remediation, incineration, and medical waste management. * Presents up-to-date chapters on bioreactor landfills, wetland mitigation, and landfill remediation. * Offers comprehensive coverage of the role of geotechnical engineering in a wide variety of environmental issues.