Biodegradable vs non-biodegradable and other Hazardous Waste

Biodegradable waste is a type of waste, typically originating from plant or animal sources, which may be broken down by other living organisms. Waste that cannot be broken down by other living organisms may be called non-biodegradable.

Rubbish, garbage, trash, junk, litter, refuse; we throw stuff out every day and nearly every aspect of our modern life creates some form of waste. We throw waste in the bin and we wash waste products down our drains when bathing and cleaning. But, we live on a finite planet and all the waste we are creating is having a very real and negative impact on the Earth.

Our waste can be recognised as either biodegradable or non-biodegradable and this can be a useful distinction when we consider our product choices and our waste disposal.

Biodegradable Materials
Biodegradable matter is generally material from an organic origin that when disposed of will decompose by a natural process. This means it will breakdown and decay into simpler forms of matter.

The process of decomposition is essential within the natural environment for new growth and development of living organisms; it is the way nature is able to recycle the finite matter of the living world. When organic matter breaks down it returns energy and materials used by nature to generate more energy and organic materials. This is the process by which the planet is able to sustain life.

Biodegradable matter is any food scraps, garden waste, or materials or products made from plant or animal derived substances or artificial/man-made materials that are similar enough to organic matter and thus can still be broken down by a natural process.

Non-biodegradable Materials
Non-biodegradable material is in-organic or man-made matter that will not decompose. Any material that is non-biodegradable does not decay or breakdown into simpler forms of matter.

This means that when disposed of by us, nature cannot reuse these materials to fuel the cycle of life and it will remain as pollution in the environment. It also means, all the resources and energy used to make the material in the first place, are trapped within the waste. Because nature cannot breakdown the material; the matter and energy cannot be reclaimed and reused by the environment to generate more organic matter and energy.

A hazardous waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment.

• ignitable (i.e., flammable)
• reactive
• corrosive
• toxic

These wastes may be found in different physical states such as gaseous, liquids, or solids. Furthermore, a hazardous waste is a special type of waste because it cannot be disposed of by common means like other by-products of our everyday lives. Depending on the physical state of the waste, treatment and solidification processes might be available. In other cases, however, there is not much that can be done to prevent harm.

Reference:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Waste-and-Sustainability---Biodegradable-and-Non-Biodegradable-Materials&id=3395026
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazardous_waste

Solid Waste Management (RA 9003)

Solid waste refers to wastes from households, municipal services, construction debris and
the agricultural sector. This also includes non-hazardous, non-liquid wastes from institutions and
industries. (RA 9003) According to the World Bank (2001), its generation is greatly affected by a
country’s development. Generally, the more economically prosperous a country is, the more waste
is generated per capita. Table 1.1 presents a comparison of municipal waste generation of different
cities in the world.

Table 1.1 International Comparison of Municipal Solid Waste Generation by City*
City and Country Generation (kg/capita/day)

Industrialized Countries:
New York, USA 1.80
Hamburg, Germany 0.85
Rome, Italy 0.69

Middle-income Countries:
Cairo, Egypt 0.50
Kano, Nigeria 0.46
Manila, Philippines 0.60
Tunis, Tunisia 0.56

Low-income Countries:
Calcutta, India 0.51
Karachi, Pakistan 0.50
Jakarta, Indonesia 0.60

*(WB, 2001)
Solid waste management (SWM), on the other hand, pertains to the control of the
“generation, storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing and disposal (RA 9003)” of
solid waste in a fashion that is in accordance to societal and economic needs while at the same time
compliant to environmental standards and principles.
Solid waste is a telltale sign of how citizens’ lifestyles change as a result of economic
development. Furthermore, the distribution of waste generation in the different regions of a country
is indicative of its degree of urbanization. In cities, where standard of living is higher, there is
usually a higher waste output compared to rural areas. This is reflective of the case of the
Philippines where its capital and largest urban center, Metro Manila, generates almost a quarter of
the country’s total waste generation (WB, 2001).
The issue of solid waste in Metro Manila gained international attention in the 1980s through
the Smokey Mountain dumpsite, which became representative of poverty in the Philippines
(Gonzales, 2002). It used to be the country’s largest dump and is also one of the largest slums in
the world (Yashwant, 2002). The government was concerned about the negative image that this
gave the country that it was eventually closed in 1995.

Reference:
http://www.lumes.lu.se/database/alumni/02.03/theses/navarro_rhea_abigail.pdf

“GLOBAL WARMING VS. CLIMATE CHANGE”

Introduction:

Many people in the media (and elsewhere) use the terms "climate change" and "global warming" interchangeably, as if they were the same thing. But there are differences between the meanings of the two terms. Getting a better handle on the definitions of and differences between "global warming" and "climate change" will help us understand why the threat caused by continued warming of the planet is so serious.

Definitions:

Global Warming — An overall warming of the planet, based on average temperature over the entire surface.

Climate Change — Changes in regional climate characteristics, including temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind, and severe weather events.

Let's explore the differences between these two concepts in more detail.

Global Warming — The Heat is On

Planet Earth's current warming trend is based largely on natural warming and cooling cycles that have been happening for eons; as well as human-caused additions to greenhouse gases, which are boosting the atmosphere's ability to trap heat in the biosphere. Minor factors like an overall increase in the sun's solar intensity play a smaller role.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide have increased nearly 30%, methane concentrations have more than doubled, and nitrous oxide concentrations have risen by about 15%. These increases have enhanced the heat-trapping capability of the earth’s atmosphere. Consequently, the temperature of the planet earth is rising.

Fossil fuels burned to run cars and trucks, heat homes and businesses, and power factories are responsible for about 98% of world carbon dioxide emissions, 24% of methane emissions, and 18% of nitrous oxide emissions. Increased agriculture, deforestation, landfills, industrial production, and mining also contribute a significant share of emissions. All these have dramatically reduce the lifespan of living earth.

While greenhouse gases are an essential component of a livable planet—they're what keep Earth from being a lifeless ball of ice—humans are causing greenhouse gas levels to increase so quickly that it's causing the average global temperature to rise much faster than it would naturally.

This warming is predicted to lead to a variety of negative effects, including:

• Melting (and possible disappearance) of glaciers and mountain snow caps that feed the world's rivers and supply a large portion of the fresh water used for drinking and irrigation.
• A rise in sea levels due to the melting of the land-based ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, with many islands and coastal areas ending up more exposed to storm damage or even underwater.
• Increasingly costly "bad weather" events such as heat waves, droughts, floods, and severe storms.
• Lowered agricultural productivity due to less favorable weather conditions, less available irrigation water, increased heat stress to plants, and an increase in pest activity due to warmer temperatures.
• Increases in vector-borne infectious diseases like malaria and Lyme Disease.
• Large numbers of extinctions of higher-level species due to their inability to adapt to rapidly changing climate and habitat conditions.

Climate Change—Beyond Withering Weather

Climate change is about much more than how warm or cool our temperatures are. Whereas "global warming" refers to increasing global temperatures, "climate change" refers to regional conditions. Climate is defined by a number of factors, including:

• Average regional temperature as well as day/night temperature patterns and seasonal temperature patterns.
• Humidity.
• Precipitation (average amounts and seasonal patterns).
• Average amount of sunshine and level of cloudiness.
• Air pressure and winds.
• Storm events (type, average number per year, and seasonal patterns).

To a great extent, this is what we think of as "weather." Indeed, weather patterns are predicted to change in response to global warming:

• some areas will become drier, some will become wetter;
• many areas will experience an increase in severe weather events like killer heat waves, hurricanes, flood-level rains, and hail storms.

It is clear that the cause of global warming is the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, caused by human activities. It is also clear that rich countries produce many of these pollutants. The effects of climate change will threaten water supplies, bring more severe weather, threaten the livelihood of nations situated near sea level. It is also becoming more clear who will feel the effects of climate change: the world’s poor, those who lack the resources to insulate themselves from the problem and adapt.

References:
http://www.grinningplanet.com/2007/01-02/global-warming-vs-climate-change.htm
http://globalclimatechange.wordpress.com/2007/04/02/cause-and-effect/