Waste Disposal: Mismanagement and Risks

Waste Disposal: Mismanagement and Risks

GS-3: Ecology and Environment

(UPSC/State PSC)

January 09, 2024

Context:

Sanitation of human waste is a serious problem in our country. At present, thousands of sanitation workers either die or live with disability due to waste mismanagement. Sewer cleaners are forced to risk their lives in violation of legal guidelines. Waste mismanagement not only increases the risk to life but is also affecting our entire ecosystem.

Waste:

  • Waste refers to the remaining ‘unwanted’ and ‘unusable substance’.
  • Waste can be solid, liquid or gaseous and each type has different methods of disposal and management. Waste management deals with all types of waste including industrial, biological, domestic, municipal, biomedical, radioactive waste.
  • Biodegradable Waste: Any organic matter that can be synthesized into carbon dioxide, water, and methane by organisms in the soil.
  • Non-biodegradable Waste: Any organic substance that cannot be synthesized into carbon dioxide, water, and methane.

Waste management:

  • Waste management or waste disposal includes the processes and actions required to manage waste from its inception to final disposal. It includes the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste, along with monitoring and regulation of the waste management process and waste-related laws, technologies and economic mechanisms.

Legal Provisions:

  • Despite a law banning manual scavenging in 2013, it continues even today.
  • For violation of this law, there is a provision of fine up to one lakh rupees or imprisonment of two years. The legal guidelines are that no person, authority or agency can employ manual scavengers and carry out such work under the Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993. Yet thousands of people are still forced to enter sewers and septic tanks for cleaning. Despite legal instructions, cleaning agencies often avoid even providing protective equipment like gloves and gloves to such workers. Even though machines are available for cleaning, personnel are lowered into the tanks. Surprisingly, there is no reliable data available on sewer cleaners.

Impact of waste mismanagement:

  • Impact on human health and environment: According to a survey, the waste of 7.8 billion people in the world is having a serious impact on human health and environment.
  • Wastewater also releases approximately 6.2 million tons of nitrogen into coastal waters each year, as well as unknown quantities of other pollutants ranging from pharmaceutical waste to microplastics.
  • According to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, 308 workers lost their lives while cleaning sewers in the last five years. Most of such deaths have occurred in Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
  • Impact on climate change: It is also having a serious impact on climate change. The current situation is that almost six out of ten people across the world do not have access to proper sanitation. Without such services, people are becoming vulnerable to harmful bacteria and diseases.

Way forward:

  • Use of modern technology: Existing satellite launch technology and automated machines should be used to clean deep septic tanks and sewers.
  • It is noteworthy that the jetting machines of Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, launching of Bandikoot, robotic machines built by engineers of Thiruvananthapuram, sewer crack of scientists of Hyderabad etc. have not received any kind of incentive till now.
  • Compensation: A minimum compensation of Rs 30 lakh should be given to the families of all those killed during sewer cleaning and a minimum compensation of Rs 20 lakh to those suffering permanent disability.
  • According to the National Commission for Safai Karmacharis (NCSK), only 925 out of 1,081 such deceased dependents have received compensation between 1993 and March 31, 2023.
  • In October 2023, the Supreme Court had issued an important order saying that a minimum compensation of Rs 30 lakh will have to be paid to the families of those killed while cleaning sewers and a minimum compensation of Rs 20 lakh to those suffering from permanent disability.
  • If a sweeper suffers from any other kind of disability, he will have to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.
  • Strictly banning the practice of manual scavenging: The practice of manual scavenging has been abolished by law, but according to two surveys in 2013 and 2018, 58,098 people are still employed in this inhumane profession.
  • Provision for punishment: There should be a provision for punishment against the accused responsible for the death of the sanitation workers because after registering several FIRs, not a single one has been punished till date.
  • Sewer rules should be strictly followed: It should be ensured that the complete data of how many sanitation workers are working on regular and contract basis across the country is made available to the National Sanitation Workers Commission so that the Commission can monitor and control.
  • In adverse circumstances, twenty-seven rules have to be followed to enter the sewer, but these rules are openly violated.
  • Necessary facilities should be provided: Sewer cleaners should be provided with necessary facilities – oxygen cylinders, masks, special suits so that they can be protected from the risk of diseases like respiratory and skin diseases.
    • Due to lack of necessary facilities, two-three workers die in 'manholes' every day in the country.
  • Renovation of cities: India's cities need to be redesigned to address future challenges and enable sustainable water and waste water management.
    • According to planners and experts, nature-based solutions could be a much more accessible and affordable option for reimagining urban areas.
  • Decentralized systems are necessary to deal with waste water pollution: The problem with traditional systems, i.e. waste water treatment, is that they are generally proving to be very expensive, highly centralized and unable to cope with the changing urban growth patterns.
    • Urban planning and design can be revolutionized through green infrastructure, constructed wetlands, neighborhood green spaces, rain gardens, rooftop gardens, etc. to effectively address the challenges and benefit from biodiversity. Additionally, rain cisterns as well as permeable pavements to absorb, store and reuse storm water runoff could also be among the innovations.
  • Resolving untreated waste water: To conserve the coastal ecosystem, the flow of untreated waste water into the sea should be prevented.
  • It is estimated that eighty-five percent of waste water flows into the ocean untreated. It will be necessary to increase training and awareness, improve planning and design, invest more resources in scientific analysis and monitoring, enhance legal and regulatory actions, and develop dedicated funding for water health.
  • Resolving pollution problem: To deal with the pollution problem permanently, all the waste should be recycled, reused and converted into a valuable resource.
  • For example, nitrogen and phosphorus are the major elements contained in human waste. The volume of human feces produced annually, now often polluting aquatic ecosystems, could replace twenty-five percent of the nitrogen currently used to fertilize agricultural land in the form of synthetic fertilizers, and fifteen percent of the phosphorus with enough water.
  • A startup in the US has developed a system to not only remove nitrogen and phosphorus, but also make waste water reusable. Through that, nitrogen and phosphorus can now be kept compatible with the ecosystem. Although this system cannot remove all nitrogen and phosphorus, it can reduce it to low levels.

Source: Jansatta

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Mains Question:

Waste mismanagement has a negative impact on the environment with increased human risks? Discuss appropriate solutions for waste management.