Waste is a by-product of all living organisms. We humans, though, hold the prize
for waste among the animal kingdom. Worldwide, the human community produces
billions of gallons of sewage, millions of tons of solid waste, and millions of tons
of hazardous waste each day! This chapter examines two types of waste: municipal
solid waste and hazardous waste. (Chapter 11 examined sewage.) Here you will learn
where our waste comes from, how we deal with it, and how to deal with it more satisfactorily.
Its aim is to outline sustainable waste management strategies.
Concepts
- 17.1 Municipal Waste:
Tapping a Wasted Resource
- 17.2 Managing Our Municipal
Solid Wastes Sustainably
- 17.3 Waste Disposal: The Final Option
- 17.4 Hazardous Wastes
Learning Objectives
- understand that all human activities generate some waste
- distinguish hazardous and non-hazardous waste, biodegradable and non-biodegradable
- practice waste reduction, reuse and recycling, and responsible waste disposal in your life and community
