A STUDY ON WASTE MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL OF HOUSEHOLD WASTES

IN THAZHATHANGADY

MUMTHAS PK

B.Ed Student, Natural Science

Mount Carmel College of Teacher Education for Women

Mount Carmel CollegeABSTRACT

of Teacher Education For Women

A study on waste management and disposal of household wastes in Thazhathangady were

conducted during 28-10-2015 to 04-11-2015 .I have used survey method and the present study is
conducted for 50 houses in Thazhathangady. The result shows that most of the people are unaware
of proper waste management. The major reason for waste accumulation is lack of space and
improper method for waste disposal. Also non biodegradable wastes create a lot of problems in that
place. The effective methods used for the disposal of wastes are composting, production of biogas
from waste materials, pipe composting, and recycling.

INTRODUCTION

House hold wastes are solid wastes comprising of garbage and rubbish (such as bottles, cans,
clothing, compost, disposables, food packaging, food scraps, newspapers and magazines and
yard trimmings) that originate from private homes or apartments. It may also contain household
hazardous wastes also called domestic waste or residential wastes.

Domestic wastes are generated as a result of the ordinary day to day use of a domestic premise.
It may be degradable or non biodegradable, the waste like newspapers , food scraps
,vegetables ,waste from kitchen are undergo decaying while plastics and electronic waste are
remain in the soil and persist for a long time.

Generally waste could be liquid or solid waste. Both of them could be hazardous. Liquid and
solid waste types can also be grouped in to organic, reusable, and recyclable waste .Liquid waste
can come in non solid form. Examples of liquid wastes include wash water from homes, liquid
used for cleaning clothes and waste water containing detergents. Solid waste include garbage
,refuse or rubbish that we make in our homes and other places. These include old car tires, old
newspapers, broken furniture and even food wastes.

An organic waste comes from plant and animal sources. Commonly they include food waste,
fruit and vegetable peels, flower trimmings and even dog poop can be classified as organic
wastes (this means they are easily broken down by other organisms over time and turned in to
manure), many people turn their organic wastes in to compost and use them in their gardens.

Disposal of food waste is becoming increasingly difficult in urban areas. Lack of space is one of
the major problems faced by urban people. Decayed food breeds bacteria, emits an offensive
odor, attract flies and is the first source of pollution at home. We find a considerable growth in
the use of plastic everywhere due to various beneficial properties of plastics such as its extreme
versatility and ability to be tailored to meet very specific technical needs , lighter than competing
materials , extreme durability , resistance to chemicals water, better safety and hygiene properties
of food packaging ,relatively in expensive to produce . However plastic wastes create lots of
nuisance and degrade environment in a big way

Peoples are careless about disposal of plastic wastes. The major cause of plastic pollution are
plastic carry bags because they are functional , light weight, strong , cheap and hygienic way to
transport food and other products. After use, most of the people are thrown directly in to the soil
or burn in an open place. Plastic bags create pollution problems and they persist in the soil for
long time .Burning plastic waste in an open place cause serious respiratory diseases like
asthma ,lung cancer etc.

Waste management in homes commercial establishments, hospital industries and construction

sites becoming a nightmare for citizens and local authorities. The major reason for rise in waste
generation is increasing urbanization and population .The higher urban population, the greater
amount of wastes that are generated. Also changing life style lead to rising disposable incomes.
The use and throw culture is now more pronounced. There is also insidious presence of plastic in
our lives .Its not just plastic bags that are the problems. Food, water, phones, computers almost
everything we use in our daily lives uses plastic in some form or other. This just increases the
problems of disposal, as the current composting and recycling rates in India are highly
encouraging. The improper waste disposal can be major problem in rivers, scenic areas and road
sides.

NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

Waste management and disposal is a very serious problem in the present situation especially in
town area. The main reason is the lack of space for proper waste management. In town area
houses are constructed very close to each other and they have no space for dumping of waste
from their house .So we have to find out a solution for this problem.

OBJECTIVES

The following objectives have been formulated for the present study

1. To find out the various method adopted by people in the Thazhathangady to manage house
hold wastes.

2. To find out how much people of Thazhathangady are aware of the problem caused by
improper waste disposal.

3. To give idea about proper waste management methods like composting and biogas.

4. To change the attitude of people in the Thazhathangady about proper waste management

PROCEDURE

The present study was conducted among people of Thazhathangady in kottayam district. The
study was conducted by previously prepared questionnaire. The study was conducted in fifty
houses. The study was focused only on that in which way they dispose their house hold wastes.
The questionnaire design consist of five sections: Natural environment; Household solid waste
management ;Concern about solid waste management ;Willingness to participate; Solid waste
management attitude scale.
 METHODS FOR PROPER WASTE MANAGEMENT

There are various methods adopted for proper waste management. These methods are cheap and
effective. It reduces the volume of all household wastes and prevent accumulation of degradable
wastes in our house. There by prevent foul smell and eradicate the bugs and flies that cause
disease

1. Vermicomposting
Vermicomposting is an effective method to manage biodegradable waste. Wastes like
vegetable peeling; leaf litter etc. can be used for vermicomposting. It is less expensive.
Earthworms degrade the wastes and its excreta can be used as manure.

A vermi composting area

2. Pipe composting
It is an integrated waste management procedure. It is a method used to treat fast and slow
decomposing biodegradable materials like fish water, meat waste and food waste materials,
waste water and slow degradable materials like vegetables and all green or wet plant parts.
 Composting done in pipe

3. Biogas plant

Using biogas plant all domestic biowaste including waste water can
be treated hygienically and biogas a very good cooking fuel is produced. This helps to prevent
the tendency to throw the waste materials in roads and public places. Generation of cooking gas
at house hold level helps to overcome fuel crisis to great extent. Anybody can install domestic
biowaste treatment plants with minimum investments

4.Recycling

The following are benefits of recycling

Recycling of plastics is desirable because it avoid their accumulation in landfills.

Recycling of scrap plastics by manufacturers has been highly successful and has proven
economical, but recovering discarded plastics from consumers is more difficult.
It also reduces carbon dioxide emissions.
Conservation of non renewable fossil fuels
Reduced consumption of energy
Reduced amount of solid waste going to land fill
Reduced emission of carbon dioxide , nitrous oxide and sulphurdioxide
4. Strategies for reduction of impact of plastics
The following are the strategies of reduction of impact of plastics
Reduction of use
Reuse
Standardize labeling and inform public for recycled, recyclable.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

 It is obvious that a great number of respondents are concerned about the current state of the
natural environment but a shallow knowledge on what constitute the natural environment. A
greater number of respondents considered household garbage to be the major issue that affects
the environment. The individual person was believed by majority of the respondents to have the
most effect on environment

Majority of the respondent reported that most of their house hold garbage are stored in open
container which attract flies and that may cause serious health problems while some store their s
in an open containers. Few of them are store their household garbage in plastic carry bags and
thrown in to river or road sides. Some people take initiative for empty bottles and cans left after
use are collected and sell to scrappers for recycling. Majority of the people dump in to the soil.

Generally majority of respondents showed concern about issues of solid waste management
while few were not concerned about the health risk related to burning garbage.

It is obvious that generally a greater number of respondents are willing to participate in efforts
aimed at reducing waste and recycling. Most of the people are ready to buy less throw away
products.
While most of the respondents agreed that they individually play important roles in garbage
management. The majority of respondents also agreed that environmental education should be
taught in schools and that public education about proper garbage management is away to fix the
garbage crises. When asked about whether other personal issues were more important than a
garbage free community. Majority of the respondents are not bothered about health problems
caused by burning garbage because they have no other way for waste disposal

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

This survey project has being able to provide an indication of the current house hold solid waste
management in Thazhathangady municipality. The residents are generally concerned about the
environment but are not doing enough to reduce, recycle and reuse the house hold garbage they
generate. It is clear from their responses that they are ready to help fix the garbage problem if
given the appropriate support from the local government as have been identified in this survey
report.
Waste management is the responsibility of every citizen and also local government authorities.
Every citizen has a role to play in finding lasting solutions to our waste management challenges
in the country. It is effective to dispose house hold wastes in its origin. People should carefully
dispose plastic wasters by recycling or other environmentally acceptable procedures.
The environment requires protection in order to remain healthy for all of its inhabitants. To
protect and bring about a healthy and sustainable environment requires the collective efforts of
the public, the environmental health authorities and private sector. Let us all remember these
FIVE big words about Waste Management: REFUSE, REDUCE, RECYCLE, REUSE and
RESTORE.

REFERENCES

1. F.O. Akintola .1987. Prospects of solid waste management in Ibadan city.

Seminar paper, Department of geography, university of Ibadan
2. Iearn gen .2007.asurvey of household solid waste management in otukpo:a
case study
3. Agnes jonton kamara. 2008. Household participation in domestic waste
disposal and recycling in the Tshwane metropolitan area: an environmental
education perspective