Category: Waste Management

Research Methods Applicable To the Question

When planning to research the evaluation and enhancement of e-waste management in Dubai, one of the initial steps that one has to make is to come up with an appropriate methodology that can be used to collect and analyze data. According to Card (2016), research can only achieve the intended goal if it is carefully planned and executed effectively. Sources of data, instruments, and resources needed for the study and the timeline within which various activities should be completed need to be outlined. In this section of the paper, the researcher focuses on various research methods applicable to the research question. As Walliman (2016) observes, it is always prudent to discuss all the methods that can be used in a given study before explaining which one of them was considered most appropriate. The following are some of the possible research methods that can be used to evaluate how to enhance e-waste management in the United Arab Emirates, specifically in the city of Dubai.

Life Cycle Assessment Approach

The life cycle assessment approach, also known as eco-balance or cradle-to-grave analysis, is defined by Izatt (2016, p. 67) as “a technique to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product’s life from raw material extraction through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance and disposal or recycling.” As shown in figure 1 below, the first step is the acquisition of raw materials. The focus should be to minimize waste at this stage of extraction as much as possible. The second phase is manufacturing. It is the responsibility of a firm to ensure that manufacturing is conducted by the set policies on waste management.

Packaging of the products and their distribution are the next phases. The firm should monitor wastes at each of these stages. The direct responsibility of a firm to manage e-wastes ends at the distribution stage when the product is handed over to the customer. The user will then be responsible for the effective use of the product within its lifespan. According to Card (2016), some of the leading electronic companies are currently coordinating with their customers to coordinate the disposal of electronic products at the end of their life cycle. As a way of reducing the environmental burden caused by these electronic wastes, there is an attempt to recycle parts of these products.

When using this method of assessment, the researcher will focus on how waste generation can be minimized as much as possible. The model above shows that a firm has a significant role in minimizing waste generation within the lifecycle. It also shows that there is a need for both the user and the manufacturer to work closely together in ensuring that there are effective disposal and possible recycling of the electronic wastes. Several studies that were used in this paper used this method of assessment. They include “Innovating E-Waste Management: From Macroscopic to Microscopic Scales” by Zeng et al. (2017) and “Life Cycle Assessment of Electronic Waste Treatment” by Hong et al. (2015). These authors used the systematic approach of monitoring waste generation at various stages of production and consumption, and strategies that can be used to curb such issues. The researcher can use this method to assess ways of enhancing electronic wastes in the city of Dubai.

Literature Review Approach

A literature review is another popular approach to assessment when conducting research. Also known as, desk research, this assessment method involves reviewing existing studies on a given topic (McNabb, 2015). The primary goal of the researcher is to find out what other scholars have found out in a given field of knowledge. When conducting a research project, the aim is always to generate new knowledge other than duplicating the already existing information. In a literature review, the focus is not to duplicate the information but to compare the findings made to identify any existing knowledge gaps. The review may also help in comparing the effectiveness of different methods of managing wastes discussed in various studies. According to Pruzan (2016), through the literature review, one can classify different methods of managing wastes based on their efficiency as found in different studies. It means that such a study will consolidate information from various sources to provide an informative document that is based on studies conducted by different individuals.

Most studies often conduct a literature review before collecting and analyzing primary data. The process helps in providing background information about a given study. It creates a platform on which a researcher should collect primary data by identifying the existing gaps and contradictions in the existing knowledge. Some of the examples of studies that used the literature review approach include “China E-Waste Management: Struggling for Future Success” by Chen et al. (2018). Another one is “Electronic Waste Management and Security in GCC Countries: A Growing Challenge” by Alghazo and Ouda (2016). In both cases, the authors relied only on secondary data they collected from various sources. However, they were able to address some of the concerns of previous scholars by reviewing what other authors found out on this issue. The use of a large number of credible sources in their studies enhances the credibility of their findings. This method is appropriate when evaluating ways of enhancing electronic waste management in Dubai. It would help in answering the research question.

Modeling Approach

The modeling approach is also another approach that can be used when conducting this investigation. According to McKinney (2017, p. 56), the modeling approach is often used “to understand and communicate about a system of interest with the ultimate aim of bringing a positive change to how a given issue is built or managed.” In this case, such models would be needed to improve how electronic wastes in Dubai are managed. Traditionally, one would dump an old phone, radio, television sets, and computers among other electronic wastes alongside other household garbage. However, most of these electronic wastes have a serious impact on the environment. Some of them emit dangerous radiations, which pose a threat to the immediate community living close to the dumping sites and those working in the garbage management in the city. The modeling approach may help in coming up with a comprehensive plan of collecting, sorting, and managing such wastes in a way that poses minimal threat possible to members of the public.

According to Card (2016), a study can use physical, mathematical, or conceptual models that can help effectively explain an issue. Most scientific investigations often use mathematical models to provide a clear pattern of addressing a given concern. Using known mathematical models and arriving at a realistic solution helps in enhancing the credibility of the outcome of the investigation. On the other hand, most of the social sciences often rely on conceptual models to help in explaining the relationship between various factors under investigation. For instance, this study can use a conceptual model to explain the relationship between the use of modern garbage management techniques and the reduction of dangerous electronic wastes within the city. The model can also help in identifying various steps that can be taken by different stakeholders in the city to reduce the mass generation of electronic wastes from the domestic and industrial sectors.

Field Monitoring Approach

The field monitoring approach is another popular method that can be used when conducting this study. According to McNabb (2015), this method involves collecting primary data from the field. Instead of relying on secondary data from published sources, a researcher would be required to go to the field and collect information using different strategies. One of the common ways of field research is through interviews. In this case, a researcher would be required to identify a sample of individuals who have adequate knowledge about an issue under investigation. The participants would be required to answer specific questions relating to the research topic through different forms of interviews. Face-to-face interviews are often the most appropriate way of collecting primary data. However, sometimes time and distance between a researcher and the respondents may limit the ability to use the method. In such cases, one can conduct telephone interviews or send questionnaires via e-mail to the participants. They will be expected to answer the questions within a given period and e-mail back their responses. Officials working in Dubai City’s sewerage and waste management system, workers in electronic companies, and experts in electronic waste management would be the best candidates for such interviews.

Observation is another common type of field monitoring research approach. In this case, a researcher will need to visit a waste management system within the city. Instead of collecting data in offices, restaurants, and homes of the participants, the researcher would focus on understanding the nature of the problem by observing it. The strategy would involve monitoring how waste is generated and managed in the city. The researcher will focus on identifying major weaknesses with the current systems and propose ways of overcoming them. The approach can also help in identifying individuals who should be responsible for undertaking different duties to help address the problem. McNabb (2015) warns that observation would require a skilled investigator who can identify the problem when they see it. One should know how electronic wastes should be managed and ways in which different stakeholders should act to reduce the massive generation of such materials. When conducting the observation, the investigator will be focusing on what these stakeholders are not doing correctly and propose ways of overcoming the identified challenges. One can also use recording instruments such as cameras for a later detailed analysis of the problem.

Field research is often considered the most effective method of collecting up-to-date information about a specific issue. When one is keen on collecting the most recent data on a given issue, the best way of doing that is to go to the field to understand the current affairs. Some of the secondary sources may be outdated. For instance, electronic waste management systems that were popular a decade ago may not be effective in modern society. The only way of understanding the current trends may be to conduct field research. Examples of field research are “The Reverse Supply Chain of the E-Waste Management Processes in a Circular Economy Framework: Evidence from Italy” by Isernia et al. (2019). When evaluating ways of enhancing e-waste management in Dubai, this method cannot be ignored. It will be of great help in understanding the current practices that authorities in the city are using and determining whether the strategies are in line with the best practices from other parts of the developed world.

Historical Approach

The historical approach is a common method of conducting research. Depending on the nature of the question, the researcher will focus on collecting historical data to address the issue under investigation (Williams 2016). It is often appropriate when one is interested in determining the pattern of occurrence of an issue. When using this method to evaluate ways of enhancing electronic waste management in Dubai, the researcher will be expected to collect information about past and present practices. The information would help in identifying the trend that has been taken to help in predicting the future. It is an effective method of investigation when trying to address concerns such as resistance to change within an organization. Enhancing electronic waste management within a given city would require changing the current practices and embracing new ones, which have been tested and proven effective. However, when a firm has a history of resisting change, such plans may be defeated.

As such, the historical approach would help in understanding how relevant authorities approached new concepts in the past to help in the planning process. If the historical analysis shows that there is the potential of some top leaders resisting change, the team can develop ways of addressing this concern. It will be possible to find ways of explaining to them the relevance of the new waste management techniques, financial and environmental benefits, and the fact that it would not have negative consequences on the organization or stakeholders involved. Veit and Bernardes (2015) note that when using the historical approach, one may also want to consider using other additional approaches to have a detailed understanding of the issue under investigation.

Mixed-Mode Approach

The mixed-mode research approach is a popular method of researching different studies. As the name suggests, it involves the use of different methods of investigation. According to Card (2016), sometimes it may not be possible to use a single method of collecting data from participants. Interviews may be effective yet a researcher may find it necessary to use observation or review of the literature as well to have a deep understanding of an issue. In most cases, a researcher would start by reviewing the literature to find what other scholars have found out and to identify the existing research gaps. After identifying gaps in the existing body of knowledge, a researcher would then focus on the collection of primary data to address the identified gap. It makes it possible to avoid cases where a researcher collects primary data only to reiterate what other studies had confirmed. In this context, it becomes possible to explain an issue from different angles.

The mixed-mode approach has remained the most popular method of researching social scientists. Examples of a mixed-method approach include “Economic and Environmental Assessment of Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Waste: Multiple Case Studies in Brazil and Switzerland” by Neto, Correia, and Schroeder (2017) that used interviews, observations, and literature review. Another one is “Inventorisation of E-Waste and Developing a Policy: Bulk Consumer Perspective” by Senophiyah and Meenambal (2016) that used a literature review and field study. Studies by Souza et al. (2016) and Pookkasorn and Sharp (2016) also relied on both primary and secondary data. A review of these studies shows that the authors relied on the literature review to provide the initial information about the issue. It made it possible for the scholars to understand the current gaps and contradictions and issues that other scholars believe should be investigated further. Then they used interviews, observations, or other methods to collect primary data to address the identified concerns.

Most Appropriate Approach to the Problem

The section above has identified the appropriate research approaches that can be used to inform the study. In this section, it is important to explain the most appropriate method that will be used and to explain reasons why it was considered the most appropriate over the rest. According to Pruzan (2016), if one is selecting an appropriate research approach in a given study, one of the guiding factors should be the research question. The selected approach should be capable of answering the research question in the most effective way possible. Flexibility in conducting the research is another factor that should not be ignored. McNabb (2015) explains that the approach should allow a researcher to explore different avenues of answering the research question. The available time for the study, policies set by the relevant institution such as the school, and personal preferences may define the approach that is used. Based on these factors, the mixed-mode approach was considered the most appropriate for the study.

The researcher will use the review of the literature to understand the current practices when it comes to electronic waste management. First, the researcher will focus on establishing practices that have been used in the United Arab Emirates and other parts of the world. Secondary data sources will also help in identifying best practices that countries in the developing world are currently using to manage wastes, especially those in Europe and North America. The researcher will then focus on determining the current practices in waste management within the city of Dubai. Conducting interviews with the relevant authorities within the country would enable the researcher to understand the level of generation and approach to managing electronic wastes in the city. Information from these sources will help in defining the appropriate plans that should be used in the country.

The Research Plan

The previous task has identified the appropriate research approach that will be used in this study. This section focuses on providing a detailed plan of specific activities and methods that will be used in the study. The section starts by defining the aim and objective of the study to help determine the nature of data that should be collected and appropriate sources. It explains the method that will be used to collect data, justifying the method that was chosen. The instrument used in the data collection is discussed to help enhance the validity of the research. Methods of data analysis and the expected outcome are also provided. McNabb (2015) explains that the preliminary information obtained from the initial review of literature can help point at the expected outcome of the study. The section talks about the resources needed for the study. The researcher must effectively plan for the project by ensuring that the needed resources are available before initiating the project. Finally, the timeline of different activities within this project is discussed.

Aim and Objectives of the Research

When planning to conduct research, one of the first steps that should be taken is to define the aim and objectives that should be achieved. Defining the aim provides the needed focus on collecting and analyzing primary data. The objectives break down the aim into specific goals that should be realized by the end of the study. According to Walliman (2016), developed objectives ensure that a researcher does not sway from the focus of the study. It eliminates cases where one collects a massive amount of information that is not directly related to the research topic. As such, they help in avoiding cases of time wastage in the study. The primary aim of this research is to evaluate ways of enhancing electronic waste management in Dubai. The following are the specific objectives that the researcher should achieve through this research:

• To identify current electronic waste management practices in Dubai;
• To identify major weaknesses in the current electronic waste management practices within the city;
• To determine the stakeholders involved in the country’s electronic waste management;
• To determine the current best practices in electronic waste management around the world;
• To establish how local stakeholders in Dubai can embrace global best practices to enhance electronic waste management in the city.

The research objectives defined the questions that were used in collecting data from various sources. Achieving these objectives will enable the researcher to have a comprehensive plan that can be used by relevant authorities within Dubai to enhance electronic waste management. The study will use data from both primary and secondary sources to help achieve the research aim and objectives.

Methodology to Be Used

The methodology that a researcher chooses to collect data should depend on factors such as time, the nature of research questions, and the primary aim of the study. As stated above, the researcher intends to use both primary and secondary data sources. Secondary data will be obtained from books, journal articles, and reliable online sources. They will form the basis of the literature review. Primary data will be obtained from a sample of participants who have the right knowledge, through experience and academics, to respond to the research questions. The appropriate method of collecting primary data would be through the method of interview. This method will be conducted in two ways. The researcher will focus on conducting face-to-face interviews with the participants. Card (2016) explains that physical interaction between a data collector and a respondent lowers cases where one provides invalid answers to complete the process in the shortest time possible. For those who will not be available for physical interviews because of time or geographic constraints, phone interviews will be used instead.

The researcher intends to use judgmental sampling to select those who will participate in the study. This non-probability sampling method involves identifying specific individuals who meet inclusion criteria for the study. The inclusion criteria, in this case, include the fact that all participants must be currently living in Dubai or neighboring cities. They should be working in firms related to waste management or a lecturer in environmental studies. They should have some form of experience in electronic waste management. Once an appropriate sample size is obtained, the researcher will contact them through phone calls to prepare them for the study. They will be informed about the significance of the study and the role that they will play. Both the researcher and individual respondent will define the place of meeting for the interview.

Instruments or Tools to Be Used

The researcher will use a questionnaire as the most appropriate instrument to facilitate the collection of primary data from participants. The researcher considered this tool critical in the effective planning of the research. The instrument will be developed during the process of literature review. As McNabb (2015) notes, during the process of reviewing secondary data, a researcher will identify existing knowledge gaps that need to be addressed. At such a stage, one is in the best position to develop questions that should be answered when collecting primary data. The questions should not only reflect the primary question and the topic of the study, but also the gaps identified in the existing body of knowledge that the specific study should address (Walliman 2016). The questionnaire had three sections. The first section focused on the demographics of the participants. The researcher was interested in determining their age place of residence within the country, and nationality. The section was important in ensuring that all participants have stayed in the city long enough to understand practices in electronic waste management.

The second part of the instrument focused on the academic qualification and experience of the participants in waste management in general. Pruzan (2016) explains that a high level of education and experience gives an individual the authority to explain a given phenomenon. An individual with a doctoral degree who has been working at the Centre of Waste Management is in the best position to explain challenges faced when electronic waste management and how to address the problems than a high school graduate who has just been hired to drive garbage trucks. The third part of the questionnaire delved into issues directly relating to electronic waste management in Dubai. The last section of this tool employed both structured and unstructured questions. Structured questions were needed to facilitate the statistical analysis of data using quantitative methods. On the other hand, the unstructured question made it possible to collect information needed in qualitative analysis. The two methods of analyzing data are discussed in detail in the section below.

Analysis Methods and Expected Outcomes

When data has been collected from primary sources, the next important stage is to conduct an analysis. McNabb (2015) says that data has to be processed to ensure that it is meaningful and provides a direct response to the research question. The method that one chooses to use should help in meeting the research aim and objectives. In this study, the focus of the researcher is to evaluate ways of enhancing electronic waste management in Dubai. Mixed method research will be the most appropriate method of analysis that will be used in the study. Quantitative data analysis will help in explaining the magnitude of the problem. It will allow the researcher to quantify the problem and the proposed solution. It will be possible to point out a certain number of participants who feel that a given approach would be effective in addressing the problem. Quantitative analysis will be conducted using a mathematical approach with the help of the SPSS software or excel spreadsheet. It will involve the use of structured questions to ensure that the data collected can be coded for statistical analysis.

The qualitative method of analyzing data will equally be important in this study. As Card (2016) explains, the qualitative method goes beyond statistics to explain why a given phenomenon happened in a given way. It makes it possible to explain the pattern of events in the study. in this case, it will be used to help explain why the city is currently using a specific approach of managing electronic wastes, the effectiveness of the current methods, and ways in which they can be improved. The analysis will also explain the challenges that stakeholders are facing when trying to enhance waste management within the city. The open-ended questions allow respondents to provide a detailed explanation of a question based on personal experience and knowledge.

At this stage, it is important to avoid being pre-emptive, as McNabb (2015) advises, to ensure that the researcher remains objective throughout the investigation. Having a fixed mind about the possible outcome of the study may affect the ability to be open-minded during the process of collecting and analyzing data. However, the preliminary review of the literature indicates that Dubai has made a significant improvement in the manner in which it manages electronic wastes. The city has developed plans to help recycle and expand the lifecycle of some of these electronics. The researcher expects to find ways in which this city can improve its effort of minimizing electronic wastes in the local dumpsites.

Resource Requirements

When conducting this study, it will be necessary to have specific resources to facilitate various activities from various stages of the research. The researcher will need a questionnaire to help in collecting primary data. According to Pruzan (2016), a questionnaire is an important tool for enabling an individual to plan for an interview and to standardize the data collection process. It ensures that similar questions are posed to the participants to facilitate a standard way of responding. It saves time during the actual process of data collection and eliminates cases where a researcher forgets to ask critical questions. The questionnaire was developed before the interviews. Secondary data was collected from books and journal articles available in various online databases. As such, reliable high-speed internet is another important resource that will be needed to facilitate secondary data collection. Through the online platform, the researcher will also be capable of collecting data from different websites that have current data on the issue.

The researcher intended to interview some of the individuals working in the waste management department within the city of Dubai and those who are involved in promoting the recycling of electronic wastes within the country. As such, travel costs will have to be met to enhance the success of the study. The amount of money may vary significantly depending on the location of the participants. The financial resource will also be used to purchase airtime that will be used to call those who will be part of the investigation. Once data is collected, both qualitative and quantitative approaches of analysis will be needed. When conducting quantitative analysis, the researcher will need a statistical package for social scientists (SPSS) software to facilitate the process. Alternatively, the researcher will need excel software to ensure that the needed graphs and charts are presented in a neat format based on information collected from respondents. Given this is academic research, there will be no additional personnel that will be needed. The researcher will be directly involved in the collection and analysis of primary data.

Timeline for Doing the Research

Effective planning is always critical in ensuring that a given project is completed within a specific period. According to Walliman (2016), academic projects often have a strict timeline within which specific activities have to be completed. As such, the researcher was keen on ensuring that this project is completed within the time set by the school to get the maximum points. Specific milestones that had to be achieved include developing a research proposal, approval of the proposal by the tutor, conducting the literature review, developing a research questionnaire, collecting primary data from the respondents, analyzing the data, preparing the final document, and proofing activities. According to McNabb (2015), a timeline for doing research should be set realistically to ensure that the set activities can be completed within the period. When one activity delays, such as developing a questionnaire, it may affect the rest of the activities in the project. Primary data may not be collected as required if the questionnaire is not complete. The table below shows how time as a resource will be used to conduct various activities in the study:

Table 1: Timeline of the activities.

It is important to note that some activities will be running alongside others. For instance, the literature review will start at the initial stage of proposal development until the last date of developing the final draft because of the need to provide references at every stage of the study. Similarly, the questionnaire can be developed at a time when the researcher is reviewing the literature. It is equally important to note that some activities may take longer or shorter than the period proposed in the table above. For instance, when the researcher will be able to reach out to the participants within the city of Dubai in a short period, the process of primary data collection may take a shorter period than what has been proposed. Conversely, if it takes longer to track down and interview the respondents, the time may be longer.

Reference List

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Card, A 2016, Applied meta-analysis for social science research, 2nd edn, The Guilford Press, New York, NY.

Chen, M, Ogunseitan, OA, Duan, H, Zeng, X & Li, J 2018, ‘China E-waste management: struggling for future success’, Resources, Conservation & Recycling, vol. 139, no. 1, pp. 48-49.

Hong, J, Shi, W, Wang, Y, Chen, W & Li, 2015, ‘Life cycle assessment of electronic waste treatment’, Waste Management, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 357-367.

Isernia, R, Passaro, R, Quinto, I & Thomas, A 2019, ‘The reverse supply chain of the e-waste management processes in a circular economy framework: evidence from Italy’, Sustainability, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1-19.

Izatt, RM 2016, Metal sustainability: global challenges, consequences, and prospects, Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ.

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Pruzan, P 2016, Research methodology: the aims, practices and ethics of science, Cengage, London.

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Production and consumption takes place in every economy worldwide. Companies utilize various raw materials in order to produce goods and services that are consumed by the public. After their consumption, there are some wastes both during production and after consumption. Countries have stipulations governing wastes disposals.

Thus, wastes are disposed off in specific locations in order to prevent unwarranted reactions that might have harmful environmental effects. It is estimated that waste production throughout the world in any given year is about 4 billion tons of which 1.2 tons is solid waste. Not much of the waste is recycled since only 600 of annual disposed solid waste are recycled while the rest is either burned or buried.

Most countries and management of major cities and towns are responsible for maintaining cleanliness in the cities and the general environmental cleanliness. Following this obligation, they have put several waste collection bins around the cities and towns for the public to deposit any wastes. Waste management involves the collection of garbage, its removal and recycling.

Abu Dhabi has contracted several firms to manage post consumer wastes. The firms responsible for managing wastes set up collection centers such as bins and dumpsites in which they conduct routine collection of wastes. Either the wastes can be disposed off in a better manner or it can be recycled.

This study examines waste management in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The emirate is not well developed and in its efforts to manage waste, it faces various challenges such as financial, economic and social challenges. The study will examine waste management practices and strategies used in Abu Dhabi compared to the rest of the world.

The study utilized waste data collection system for secondary data while primary data on waste management in Abu Dhabi was collected using questionnaires that were distributed to the responsible organization.

The Waste Data Collection System analyzes that was used in this study different types of waste, tonnages of the wastes, Kilometers of street swept, and identify various assets where the waste is transferred or disposed such as the transfer station and the landfill. The collected data measured the level of waste collected in Abu Dhabi.

From the analysis, it is evident that firms in waste management in Abu Dhabi face various challenges that sometimes make them exit the industry such as financial, socio-cultural and economic challenges. The data collected highlighted some of these challenges facing waste management in the emirate hence making necessary recommendations for the effective waste collection and continuance of the company.

The government has not been serious with waste management because much of the collected solid wastes had not been recycled yet it could. Other wastes collected such as liquid wastes had not been treated and could cause much harm to the environment.

The effectiveness of the industry and the waste management industry depends on the support the state provides in the waste management and collection. The government in the emirate should formulate regulations governing waste management and restricting any form of disposal that could be harmful to the environment.

Firms operating in the industry should be helped through cost reduction and public awareness on the importance of waste management. The study proposes these recommendations in addition to the government establishing necessary recycling plants that cannot be afforded by privately owned corporations.

Introduction

As many countries around the world face high population and development growth, the water systems in place continue to face pressure as the demand for water continues to increase by the day. This high demand and use of water has led to an increase in effluent water discharges and raw sewage into the environment leading to environmental degradation and pollution.

Wastewater management activities have been developed to deal with the amount of effluent water in the environment and how this water can be recycled for reuse in domestic, industrial and agricultural functions (Shuping et al 2006).

For water to be termed as wastewater, it has to undergo degradation in the form of contamination by organic waste materials, nitrate and phosphate pollution as well as bacterial contamination. Wastewater can however be treated for re-use by incorporating wastewater management activities that will reduce the amount of contamination to a level that is not harmful.

Waste water management involves carrying out refinery activities on waste water so that it can be reused again for domestic, agricultural, and industrial purposes. Waste water management is carried out to reduce the amount of water that is disposed off in the environment as well as reduce the level of contamination in natural water sources.

Many countries practice wastewater management so that they can limit the overdependence of natural water sources such as rivers, lakes and streams. Waste water reduces the amount of energy, time and costs that go in to treating water for reuse in water treatment plants. The most crucial aspect of waste water management processes is the collection and treatment of the effluent water.

Wastewater Management

The main aim of conducting treatment procedures on waste water is to remove any suspended solid materials that are in the effluent water before it can be discharged into the environment (Perlman 2010). When it comes to wastewater management activities, many industrial facilities rely heavily on the use of physical, chemical, physio-chemical and biological processes to treat wastewater and make it safe for disposal.

Water processing plants that use chemical processes to manage the waste water have now turned to the use of zero-effluent techniques of waste management that ensure that the waste water can be re-used and the volume of waste water that is meant for disposal to the environment is minimized (Labrecque and Bedard 2004).

The satisfactory disposal of waste water will depend on the type of treatment that is used in treating the water before it is disposed off. Treating waste water before disposal is viewed to be an important activity as it prevents the contamination of the environment as well as preventing the contamination of other water resources such as rivers, lakes and streams.

Waste water management involves the use of technology to improve the quality of the waste water before it can be disposed or re-used.

The main aspects that underlie wastewater management involve the collection of the waste water to a central location such as a treatment tank where the water will be subjected to various treatment procedures. Because of the large volumes of wastewater, the treatment processes that are usually performed on the water have to be continuous to deal with the huge water volumes.

Types of Wastewater Treatment Systems

The features for most waste water treatment systems are usually determined by the nature of wastewater that is being treated and the amount of treatment that will be required to reduce the level contamination in the water. Wastewater can be treated by incorporating systems such as physical, biological, primary, secondary, chemical and tertiary treatment systems.

The minimum level of treatment required for waste water is the secondary treatment level but in cases where the level of contamination and pollution is high, the tertiary or advanced level of treatment is used (Viessman 2010) The various methods and techniques that can be used to treat wastewater are outlined below.

Conventional Treatment System

This wastewater approach incorporates the use of preliminary processes to remove heavy solid materials from the effluent water. The conventional treatment process eliminates the oxygen levels in the wastewater by metabolizing and flocculating the organic and non organic materials in the water.

The preliminary processes will incorporate screening techniques which will screen out coarse and medium sedimentary materials in the wastewater.

The process will also measure the water flows and remove grit, solid waste from the water by shredding these solids to eliminate them from the wastewater. The sludge that results from the purification of the waste water is usually thickened and processed for disposal or use in land filling or for agricultural purposes (Viessman 2010).

Primary and Secondary Treatment of Water

The most common method that is used in the primary wastewater treatment system is that of sedimentation. This method removes 30 to 50 percent of solid materials in the wastewater by suspending them for elimination. To suspend these solids, the waste water is aerated and oxygen levels increased in the settling tanks to allow for floatation.

The process of sedimentation in primary treatment systems must be done before any biological filtration process is performed. The organic material that remains from the primary treatment of waste water is usually extracted for use in the secondary treatment process for biological materials (Viessman 2010).

The use of the primary treatment system ensures that 60% of the suspended materials in the wastewater are removed (Perlman 2010). The main purpose of using primary treatment systems is to reduce the velocity of the wastewater so that suspended solids and floatable materials can settle in the surface of the water.

The primary treatment devices that are used in treating the water include septic tanks, sedimentation tanks, flocculators, chemical feed units and upward flow clarifiers.

The primary methods of treatment that are used in the secondary system are the use of activated sludge processes, biological contactors that are rotating and trickling filters.

The activated sludge process involves feeding the wastewater into a tank that is aerated to allow for the breakdown of microorganisms in the effluent water which results in the formation of a microbial floc that settles below the tank. The sludge is then returned to the aerated tank for secondary settling.

The aerated tanks have trickling filters and rotating biological contactors that are used to support the microbial flocs which have slime growths. The trickling filters and biological contactors are used in the treatment process to extract the organic materials or suspended solid materials from wastewater as it flows through the various stages of treatment.

The sludge deposits or microbial flocs that settle below the tank are collected in a tank known as the secondary clarifier as the water flows out. The secondary treatment of wastewater removes 90 percent of suspended solids in the water (Viessman 2010).

Tertiary Water Treatment

Tertiary treatment systems are viewed to be the additional processes that are performed on the wastewater after it has gone through both the primary and secondary treatment systems. This method is employed when the two stages have failed to reduce the level of contamination in the water.

For example, to reduce the amount of phosphorous in the water, the waste waters that are discharged to the receiving waters will have to undergo a eutrophic treatment procedure (Veissman 2010).

Physical Treatment Processes

For the treatment of waste water to be complete and effective physical treatment processes have to be performed on the water to ensure it is safe for disposal or re use. The physical process of waste water treatment will involve performing sedimentation, filtering, and aeration procedures on the water.

In the sedimentation process, physical aspects that are related to the settling of suspended solids such as gravity are performed on the waste water. The sedimentation process involves holding the waste water for a short period of time in a storage tank that has been put under quiescent conditions. These conditions will allow for the heavy solids to settle and also eliminate the clarified effluent (Naik 2010)

Sedimentation is one of the common physical procedures that are conducted at the beginning and end of the treatment process. The aeration process involves adding oxygen to the wastewater so that the chemical compounds and bacteria in the water are reduced.

Another physical process that can be used to treat waste water is by filtering where the water is passed through a filter that separates the suspended solids from the waste water (Naik 2010)

Chemical Treatment Process

The chemical treatment system involves the use of chemical processes such as chlorination, neutralization, coagulation and ozonation to reduce the amount of chemicals and bacteria in the water. Chlorination involves mixing the waste water with chlorine so as to kill bacteria and reduce the rate of decomposition in the water.

Ozonation involves the use of a chemical known as ozone to disinfect the water form any bacteria that might be present as well as reduce the levels of contamination in the water. Neutralization is another chemical process technique that is used to treat waste water. This process involves adding acid such as lime to the water so that the pH levels can be adjusted to a neutral level (Naik 2010).

Apart from neutralization, waste water can also be treated by performing the coagulation process which will entail adding chemicals such as polyvalent metals, ferric sulfate, ferric chloride, lime or aluminum sulfate to the waste water through a chemical reaction that will result in the formation of insoluble end products.

These insoluble end products will be used to remove toxic substances such as hazardous chemicals or bacteria from the wastewater (Gautam et al 2007).

Biological Treatment Processes

This treatment process involves the use of biological micro organisms such as bacteria in the decomposition of the waste water to create stable end products. Micro organisms or sludges are formed in the waste water after which the waste is converted into carbon dioxide, or clean water. The biological treatment methods that can be used to treat wastewater are aerobic and anaerobic treatment methods.

The aerobic process involves the use of bacteria to consume the organic matter in the wastewater and convert it to carbon dioxide. Composting is also used in the aerobic process to treat the wastewater. The process of composting involves mixing the sludge with carbonated sources of material such as sawdust that will be used to treat the water (Naik 2010).

The anaerobic treatment process involves fermenting the sludge at a particular temperature that excludes the presence of oxygen. The use of biological treatment in wastewater management activities is meant to remove any solids that might be organic or inorganic in nature.

Biological processes are also performed on the water to reduce bad odor as well as destroy pathogenic organisms that might be harmful to the environment and that might impede biological activities (Gautam et al 2007).

Preliminary Wastewater Treatment Systems

This method of water treatment is used in most factory plants to protect the pumping of equipment and facilitate the treatment of wastewater by removing or reducing the size of suspended solids or organic materials that are in the wastewater. Such solids include items such as plastic bottles, paper bags or other solid materials that float in water.

The devices are also used to remove any heavy inorganic materials that are present in the waste water during the treatment process. The devices that are mostly used for this procedure include grit chambers, pre-aeration tanks, grinders, cutters and shredders as well as screen that will be used to separate the cut up materials from the waste water.

Chlorination can also be used in the preliminary treatment to kill bacteria or organic bacteria that is in the water (Waste materials 2010).

Sludge Treatment

The solid waste that is removed after the primary and secondary treatment of the water is performed constitutes what is referred to as sludge. It is important to treat sludge before it is disposed off into the environmental as this material contains some hazardous chemicals that might pose some risk to the environment.

The treatment of sludge basically involves the removal of part or all of the water in the sludge to reduce the water volume. The treatment of sludge is also done to increase the decomposition of organic solids that are putrescible in nature to mineral or stable organic solids. The methods that can be used to accomplish this process include elutriation, wet oxidation, centrifuging or incineration (UNEP 2010).

Screening Systems

This is viewed to be one of the oldest systems of water treatment. Wastewater screening removes gross pollutants from the water so that the downstream equipment is protected from extensive damage and also prevent floating solids from entering the settling and septic tanks. The devices that are used in the screening process include wire meshes, rods, parallel bars and grating bars.

The types of screen are divided into four categories which include the coarse screens, fine screens, very fine screens and microscreens. The coarse screens have openings that are more than 6 millimeters that are used to remove large solids such as bottles, rags, paper bags and debris. Such screens include catenary screens, reciprocating rake screens and cable driven coarse screens (ESCWA 2003).

The fine screens have size openings of 1.5 to 6 millimeters that are used for reducing the amount of suspended solids during the primary treatment levels. Fine screens include rotary drum screens, rotary vertical disk screens, endless band screens and vibrating screens.

The very fine screens have a size opening of 0.2 to 1.5 millimeters that are used to reduce the amount of suspended solids during the primary treatment level. The micro screens have small size openings that are 0.001 to 0.3 millimeters in size. These types of screens are used in the secondary and tertiary levels of wastewater treatment (ESCWA 2003).

Flotation Wastewater Treatment

This is an operation that is used to remove the solid or liquid particles in the wastewater by incorporating the use of fine gas and air bubbles. The gas bubbles are trapped in the particle structure of the suspended solids that will make the solid buoyant.

Particles that have a higher density than the liquid will rise with the buoyancy. Once the particles have floated to the surface they are eliminated out of the water by filtering or screening. The primary device that is used in the flotation process is oxygen or air. Other devices that can be used in the process include chemical additives that can be used in enhancing the skimming process.

The flotation methods that can be used on suspended solids include air flotation where gas in introduced into the liquid stage, dissolved air flotation where air is injected while the wastewater is subjected to high atmospheric pressure, vacuum flotation where the wastewater is saturated by using air in an aeration tank or in a waste water pump. A partial vacuum is then applied to dissolve the air.

The chemical additives method of flotation involves the use of chemicals in creating a surface that will easily adsorb the air bubbles in the settling tank. Chemicals such as ferric salts and aluminum are used in this technique of flotation (Metcalf and Eddy et al 2003).

Natural Treatment Systems

These wastewater treatment techniques are designed to incorporate the use of physical, biological and chemical processes that occur in natural ecosystems such as the interactions that take place in plants and vegetation, soil composition and nutrients, water and micro organisms. Natural treatment systems include the treatment of land, floating acquatic plants, and constructed wetlands.

These treatment processes are usually performed after mechanical pretreatment techniques have been done on the wastewater.

Land treatment involves the controlled application of the wastewater at a rate that can be compared to the natural chemical, biological and physical process that takes place naturally on the land. The types of land treatment systems that are used are slow rate systems, overflow and rapid infiltration systems (Metcalf and Eddy et al 2003).

The slow rate system involves applying the wastewater to vegetated lands through the incorporation of techniques such as sprinklers and irrigation methods. The wastewater is applied within a duration of 4 to 10 days so that the aerobic conditions in the water can be maintained.

The rapid infiltration technique involves using intensive methods to apply the water such as hydraulic and organic loadings at an intermittently and shallow infiltration rate. The overflow treatment process involves treating the wastewater as it flows down a network of vegetated terraces that are sloppy. The water is applied in an intermittent pattern to the upper parts of each terrace.

This allows the water to flow down to the other terraces through runoff collection channels. The devices that are used in the overflow technique include high pressure sprinklers, gated pipes, and low pressure sprays (ESCWA 2003).

Conclusion

The treatment of waste water has become a critical activity due to the diminishing water resources in the world that have arisen due to high population growth and developments in the urban worlds. The treatment of wastewater is therefore seen to be an important activity in minimizing the over reliance on natural water resources as well as reduce the amount of water that is disposed off into the environment.

Wastewater treatment activities are also viewed to be important in reducing the amount of hazardous chemicals and solid wastes that are found in the water as they eliminate these materials during the treatment process. The various techniques that have been outlined are all effective methods of carrying out wastewater management activities.

References

Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) (2003) Wastewater treatment technologies: a general review. Web.

Gautam, A, K., Kumar, S., and Sabumon, P.C., (2007) Preliminary study of physico- chemical treatment options for hospital wastewater. Journal of Environmental Management, Vol.83, No.3, pp.298-306.

Labrecque, R. and Bedard, N. (2004) Combining membranes with mechanical vapor Recompression. Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol.111, No.2, pp.51-54.

Metcalf and Eddy Inc., Tchobanoqlous, G., Burton, F., and Stensel, D.H. (2003) Wastewater engineering: treatment and reuse. 4^th Edition. New York: McGraw Hill.

Naik, A. (2010) Wastewater treatment methods. Web.

Perlman, H. (2010) Water use: wastewater treatment. Web.

Shuping, L., Siuqing, L., Chocat, B., and Barraud, S., (2006) Requirements for sustainable management of urban water systems. Environmental Informatics, Vol.6, pp.116-128,

UNEP (2010) Sludge treatment, reuse and disposal. Web.

Viessman, W. (2010) Wastewater treatment and management. Web.

Waste Material (2010) Wastewater treatment methods. Web.

Executive Summary

Waste management is vital in any organisation. Managers should have a waste management plan in place at their respective places of work. The University of Queensland is one of the largest and oldest learning institutions in the state of Australia, producing thousands of graduates every year. The institution also contributes to research and policy development in the country. The report focuses on one main campus of the institution located in St. Lucia. This campus started over 100 years ago. It covers over 114 hectares.

The methodology used in this report mainly consists of interviews, waste area assessment, and waste analysis. A survey was also conducted. The waste management assessment at the institution showed an efficient waste management plan in place. The main waste types produced at this institution include paper, food particles, hazardous waste from the laboratories, and the plastics mainly from the packaging materials.

A private contractor and the local city council do the collection and disposal of these wastes. The general waste is land filled while the rest of the waste is either recycled or incinerated. At the time of the collection of the waste from the bins, the bins are over 50% full, with the general waste bins being 95% full. Analysis of the data obtained from this waste assessment at the institution is provided in the report.

The recommendations from the analysis of waste management at the institution were based on the opportunities available. The institution has a waste minimisation strategy, which involves the reduction of materials for land filling to cut on the greenhouse gas emissions (EPA Information Bulletin, 1993).

The report recommends the creation of a committee at the institution to oversee the waste minimisation strategy, which should be headed by a qualified individual. The bulk of the organic waste can be reduced through inventory management at the catering department with some of the food materials being fed to animals such as pigs (Panikkar, Riley & Shrestha n.d). The proposed waste minimisation plan at the institution has a timeline of five years.

Background

Description of the Facility

The waste management plan developed in this paper is for the University of Queensland that is situated in Australia. The institution is among the oldest universities in Australia, having been started back in 1909. This public university has thousands of students in the many campuses, with the main campus being located near Brisbane city at a place called St. Lucia (Sweet 2008).

The facility is credited with the provision of higher education to students in Queensland and Australia at large. It has been ranked among the best performing institutions in the world.

The institution has over 2,000 teaching and non-teaching staff working all over the campuses. Apart from the training of students, the university is also tasked with research and development of policies in the various disciplines.

There have been a number of research works from the university. It operates a number of research facilities such as the Heron Island research station. The floor size of this institution is relatively large. No figure is provided for the combined space for all its campuses. However, the report will focus on waste management at the main campus at St. Lucia. This campus sits on 114 hectares.

The current waste management practices at the campus have been constantly revised. The institution has grown in terms of the number of students being enrolled. A simple system is used where private companies are contracted in the disposal of the waste. The institution has embarked on a waste minimisation strategy. The costs utilised in this system are mainly the bills used in the payment of the private companies contracted to collect the waste at the St. Lucia Campus.

Rationale for Waste Assessment

Several reasons reveal why waste assessment at the campus is crucial. The major reason for the assessment and development of the waste management plan is to allow the institution to comply with the state of Queensland and the Australian national policies on waste management.

The National Waste Policy of 2009 in Australia is geared towards the reduction of the disposed waste, thus ensuring environmental sustainability and providing associated economic and environmental benefits (Albu, & Chiţu 2011; Wei, Burritt, & Monroe 2011). Therefore, the university, which is a leader in policy formulation and implementation, is required to be at the forefront of the implementation of this policy.

The university also has a policy of engaging in clean and reliable processes in its operation. Environmental conservation is one of its policies. The waste assessment and management plan will contribute towards the development of an effective method for the institution to reduce its wastes and costs, thus ensuring that it lives up to the expectations of the society. The university has developed a number of waste management plans over the years. Most of the plans have the goal of waste minimisation.

Methodology

The objective of the exercise was to carry out a waste assessment at the institution in the effort of developing a waste management plan for St. Lucia Campus. The assessment of waste management at the St. Lucia Campus of Queensland University was done in various ways. Several methods including interviews, survey, collection of bins, and waste assessment were used to ensure that all the facts gathered concerning how the organisation handles its waste were available.

Interviews were conducted where the management was interviewed on the waste management plan in place, especially on the cost of the methods in place at the institution. The interviews were also conducted with the participation of other stakeholders such as students to establish the general waste management culture at the campus.

A survey was also conducted, with students and staff at the institution being evaluated in terms of waste management practices. This task was meant to establish whether the waste minimisation and management policies in place at the institution were working as anticipated.

The next step that was followed in the waste management assessment was the analysis of wastes in the institution for a period of one week together with the financial implications of the same for a month (EPA Victoria 2009). The process of waste collection and/or collection of bins was also assessed. After the analysis of the waste management system in the institution, the description of the waste generation process was possible.

The generation of waste at the St. Lucia Campus is a complex process where all shareholders in the institution are involved. The institution generates all kinds of wastes, including the organic and inorganic wastes. The organic wastes at the institution come from the cafeterias and the refreshment areas in the institution. Specially designed bins are in place to allow room for the collection of these wastes.

The other types of wastes generated at the institution include paper materials, plastics, and dung from the animals at the research centre. In every month, the organisation produces over 5 tonnes of waste. Several disposal routes are used in the organisation, including the contracting of garbage collection companies and private firms that do the same. The city council is also involved in the collection of waste from the institution.

The main problem encountered while carrying out the assessment of the waste management at the St. Lucia Campus of the University of Queensland is the lack of access to the kitchen areas where a more detailed assessment of the organic waste needed to have been done. There was also limited time to carry out the waste assessment, with limited information being available for the assessment. However, the waste assessment was fruitful. Therefore, the data obtained from this exercise will be discussed below.

Key Findings

Results from the Waste Assessment

From the waste assessment exercise at the St. Lucia Campus, a series of information can be obtained. The institution’s waste can be categorised into general waste, paper waste, ICT waste, and hazardous waste. The collection frequency for these varieties of waste ranges from daily to weekly. The main contractor is the St. Lucia City Council (The University of Queensland, Property & Facilities Division, Sustainability Office 2011).

The bulk of the waste collected is recycled for disposal, with the general waste being disposed by land filling at the City Council’s main waste disposal centre. The general waste is first sorted out at the institution, with various bins in place for the different types of wastes such as organic and inorganic wastes.

Inorganic wastes mainly come from the plastics, which are mainly used for packaging drinking water and other soft drinks at the institution’s catering areas. A summary of the waste management, including the types and collection frequencies were obtained and provided in the table below.

Table 1: Summary of waste management at St. Luis Campus

The general waste at the institution consists mainly of food particles from the dining area, hand towel and tissues from the sanitary areas, garbage bags, animal droppings, soft plastics, and plastic fastenings. The material types in paper waste include white paper, notes, shredded paper, and waxed cardboards.

Mails and other confidential materials are also present in the paper wastes. The ICT wastes consist mainly of computer materials, communication gadgets (Government of Victoria, 2013; Rudăreanu, 2013), and other ICT wastes from students (Bender, 2013). The hazardous wastes from the institution are mainly from the laboratories.

They consist mainly of used chemicals and reactants. These materials are not mixed with the general wastes. However, they are packaged in special materials that cannot react with the chemicals. An analysis of these components is provided below.

Table 2: Table showing the distribution of general waste

Pie Chart 1: Table showing the distribution of general wastes

An analysis of the bins showed that they were almost full in most of the instances before the collection of the waste. The percentage capacities for these bins were more than 50% occupied at the time of analysis. The analysis time was done before the collection of each of these bins. The general waste was the largest in amount, with the bins being 95% full at the time of analysis.

Table 3: percentage that the bins were full at the time of analysis

Graph showing the bin-percentage full in waste analysis at the institution

Analysis of Results

The institution has a number of waste minimisation opportunities. The reduction of the organic waste at the institution can be achieved through efficient procurement and inventory management at the catering department. Some of the food materials disposed are expired food products. The institution can put in place proper procurement strategies to reduce this form of waste. Through this opportunity, the organisation can reduce the amount of money it spends by about 20,000 dollars a month.

Opportunities are available in the institution such as a working incinerator, proper waste collection system, and organisation management. Such opportunities are aimed at reducing carbon emission through a reduction of wastes to b landfilled (EPA Victoria 1993). The institution also has a waste minimisation plan in place. This plan is scheduled to run for the next few years as shown in the figure below.

Figure showing the waste minimisation plan for University of Queensland. (Source: The University of Queensland, Property & Facilities Division, Sustainability Office, 2011)

Recommendations for Waste Minimisation

The aim of the future waste minimisation practice at the institution is the reduction of greenhouse gas emission and a cutback in the costs of waste disposal at the institution. The aim of any waste management and minimisation strategy according to Gakhar (2013) is to produce the greatest waste reduction in the greatest way possible.

The waste minimisation strategy for the institution should involve the identification of the existing practices in waste disposal, development of indicators of waste reduction performance, development of strategies and policies for waste reduction and identification of the implications of the proposed waste management plan.

The necessary actions include the formation of a committee to oversee the process of waste minimisation at the institution. A professional in waste management will lead this committee. The second plan will involve the creation of special designated areas of waste disposal at the institution where the inorganic waste and hazardous materials should be incinerated.

The other strategy to ensure reduction in waste is the reduction in the number of products sold at the catering department that are packaged with plastic materials. These products include water and soft drinks. The sizes of containers can be increased to ensure a reduction in the number of these containers.

The institution aims to reduce the greenhouse emissions from the landfill that the organic waste is disposed. One way of accomplishing this role is the reduction of organic waste being deposited in the landfills. The organic waste can be reduced through keeping of animals that can feed on the food materials.

Animals such as pigs may be used to consume the food materials, thus saving the institution in waste disposal and/or earning revenue for the institution. The timeline for the waste minimisation plan should be five years. All the components need to be functional by the end of this period.

References

Albu, R & Chiţu, I 2011, ‘Waste management within the context of waste management national strategy (WMNS) and regional waste management plan (RWMP) from centru region’, Bulletin Of the Transylvania University Of Brasov. Series V: Economic Sciences, vol. 4 no. 2, pp. 87-92.

Bender, A 2013, ‘Standards Australia un wrapse-waste standard for ANZ’, Cio, vol. 1 no. 1, p.13.

EPA Information Bulletin, 1993, Guidelines for Preparation of Waste Management Plans, Publication 383, Routlege, London.

EPA Victoria 1993, Waste Minimisation: Assessments and Opportunities for Industry, A Practical Guide to Cleaner Production’ Publication 351, Routlege, London.

EPA Victoria 2009, Industrial Waste Resource Guidelines: Introduction to the Environment Protection (Industrial Waste Resource) regulations, .

Gakhar, S 2013, ‘An Effective Waste Management System for a Better Future’, Aweshkar Research Journal, vol. 15 no. 1, pp.129-136.

Government of Victoria 2013, Getting full’ value the Victorian waste and resource recovery policy, Finsbury Green, .

Panikkar, A, Riley, S & Shrestha, S n.d, ‘Risk Management in Vermi composting of Domestic Organic Waste’, Environmental Health, vol. 4 no. 2, p.11.

Rudăreanu, C 2013, ‘Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) management in Europe’, Economics, Management &Financial Markets, vol. 8 no. 3, pp. 119-125.

Sweet, M 2008, ‘It’s Time the University of Queensland Came Clean Properly’, New Doctor, vol. 88 no. 1, p. 17.

The University of Queensland, Property & Facilities Division, Sustainability Office 2011, Waste Minimisation Plan, The Sustainability Office, Waste Minimisation Plan 2010-2015, The University of Queensland, Australia.

Wei, Q, Burritt, R & Monroe, G 2011, ‘Environmental management accounting in local government: A case of waste management’, Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. 24 no. 1, pp. 9-128.

Introduction

Although a fast growing economic hub, Abu Dhabi remains a relatively dry land that needs maximum water preservation. In addition, the increasing population and number of local, regional and multinational organizations and businesses seeking to operate in the city require adequate supply of water.

At the same time, wastewater management remains a challenge to the city, especially in terms of managing the city’s sewage. However, technology has the potential to recycle much of the wastewater with an aim of preserving the city’s precious water resources while at the same preserving the environment (Tseng & Lin, 2004). The purpose of this paper is to define a wastewater treatment planning for Abu Dhabi’s future.

The plan describes the best technology for wastewater treatment and the process involved. Moreover, it will provide the best possible location as well as the type of operation necessary to enhance wastewater management.

Description of an ideal wastewater management technology for Abu Dhabi

The proposed wastewater treatment plant will be located at Allamahah, some 20 kilometers west of the Abu Dhabi. The purpose is to serve the city’s population both as a source of water and as a water treatment facility. The aim is to treat some 600,000M³/d of sewage per year and produce some 400,000m³/d of clean water per annum for use in the industries and partly for domestic use (Tseng & Lin, 2004).

The plan is to create a conventional treatment plant that will involve a technology to treat the water with efficiency and reliability. The technology will include a preliminary, a primary and a secondary treatment sections. They will include an activated sludge to which a secondary settlement will be developed.

The proposed technology will be primarily a biological model in which there will be minimal use of fuel. The biological section will also be coupled with filtration and a serial disinfection process to ensure that the water is microorganisms-free (McCarty, Bae & Kim, 2011).

In this case, the biological procedure will follow the conventional anaerobic treatment of domestic wastewater (Tseng & Lin, 2004). From a biological analysis, it is evident that anaerobic treatment of wastewater, especially the sewage water, has the potential to enhance energy production while as the same time producing high quality water for domestic and industrial use.

The program has identified a number of issues that need be addressed in order to avoid a case where the production of water will fail. For instance, the problems of low temperature and low organic concentration might be the barrier to the program, as cited in theory.

However, the problem of low temperature is not likely to affect the plant in Abu Dhabi because the area is relatively hot, which makes the survival of microorganism is generally high. Secondly, the plant will involve a high-energy sufficient technique that will oversee the overall preservation of energy (McCarty, Bae & Kim, 2011).

Within the context of biological treatment, the technology will involve genetically engineered bacteria with a high capacity to remove nutrients, organic and inorganic substances as well as kill other microorganisms. It is also expected to include a number of bacteria species with different capacities to ensure that all these substances are removed from the water.

It is also important to include additional caution because some bacteria may act on others, producing certain effects or rending the process ineffective. For this reason, each species of bacteria used will be positioned in separate chambers, where water will pass through to ensure the full effect of the bacteria on the water.

References

McCarty, P. L., Bae, J., & Kim, J. (2011).Domestic Wastewater Treatment as a Net Energy Producer Can This be Achieved? Environ. Sci. Technol, 45, 7100–7106

Tseng, S. K., & Lin, M. R. (2004). Treatment of organic wastewater by anaerobic biological fluidized bed reactor. Water Sci. Technol, 29(12), 157–166.

Practical Assignment

According to EPA Victoria (2014, Par. 2), environment is very delicate and should be treated as such. It supports life for all the living organisms hence a lot of care should be taken when handling wastes to avoid any form of environmental contamination. Waste is something that is not useful in its current state, but can be treated, recycled, or re-used.

Since waste is generated both in domestic and industrial activities, effective waste management is key towards environmental sustainability. Industrial activities contribute the greatest amount of environmental pollutants in many countries. Australia faces various challenges of environmental pollution. This country lacks proper national policies on environmental conservation.

According to the State Government of Victoria (2014, par. 3), there are proper guidelines to be followed when disposing any given type of waste. A company that produces a quantity of waste oil and cleaning chemicals should follow the right waste disposal rules to avoid pollution. Waste oil and cleaning chemicals contains hazardous substances like Lead, Cadmium, and Chromium that are toxic to humans and other biotic organisms.

This company can dispose this waste in various ways. It can carry the waste oil and chemicals to the off-site or waste disposal facilities that are legally allowed to handle such wastes. However, the best option for this company is to burn the waste oil and chemicals.

This should be done in accordance to the regulations by the burner standards. The burning should be done in a well-regulated and approved furnace to avoid any form of environmental pollution.

The Logo

This Logo has five main parts, all of which are focused on emphasizing the need to reduce contamination levels in Kerbside recycling bins. The first item of the log that is at the top is meant to define the authority under which the bins are managed.

This is particularly important in enhancing the legitimacy of the bins. The second item shows the department that is directly responsible for the distribution and management of the recycle bins. The department has been given the mandate by the council.

Just like the first item, this item helps in making the targeted people to have a sense of responsibility. They will know that the council is demanding that they should be responsible for the management of the environment. The third item then pushes the responsibility to the target population.

This part is meant to make the target group develop a feeling that they have a role to play in protecting the environment. The green color emphasizes on the fact that they can help in protecting the nature. The fourth item is the intended instruction.

The choice of words makes it clear that the users do commit to use the bins responsibly. The choice of color emphasizes the fact that going against the commitment may have unpleasant consequences. The last item is the motto.

List of References

EPA Victoria 2014, Hazardous waste management in Victoria. Web.

State Government of Victoria 2014, Council waste and recycling services. Web.

Consultation on disposing waste oil and cleaning chemicals

The city of Victoria has strict rules on hazardous waste disposal and environmental sustainability through the zero waste policy. A company interested in disposing a quantity of waste oil and cleaning chemicals in Victoria should follow the safety measures through the Environment Protection Regulation of the year 2009.

The regulations include licensing, waste tracking, immobilization approvals, liquid waste levy, and chemical control orders. Since the quality of wastes is above the amount which is allowed for disposal through the council, the company should begin by getting waste disposal certificate and observe the rules of disposing the hazardous wastes.

The certificate is an accreditation criterion for waste management sustainability. The certification will guarantee efficient and sustainable disposal since the accreditation process is very comprehensive (Wang & Tay 2002).

After obtaining certification, the company should follow the Environmental Protection Act through observing the friendliest way of waste disposal. The act ensures that cases of spillage, poor transportation, and unfriendly disposal are minimized.

This is achievable through proactive inclusion of the council in designing, implementing, and managing the disposal. The guideline includes clear definition of the quantity of the wastes and observance of the sustainability of the disposal procedure.

Since the oil and chemical wastes non-biodegradable, the company should partner with the council to facilitate disposal of waste of that magnitude. The wastes should be packaged in appropriate containers which are tightly sealed to minimize spillage during transportation to the designated disposal site since they are classified as hazardous (Wang & Tay 2002).

Waste management logo

The process of creating an effective waste management logo is complex and requires series of considerations especially on content and the target audience. In the case of the council of Victoria, the logo should accommodate the basics of recycling food wastes and other household wastes.

This message should then be communicated in a very simple and practical language to capture full concentration and interests of the households around Victoria (Fisher 2001). The first step in creating the logo involves identifying the degradable food wastes and non degradable wastes within the home environment (Wang and Tay 2002).

This step is followed by reviewing the sustainable but simple waste management strategies within the council’s budget. The third stage involves application of creatively in design for the logo to command wider appeal. Finally, the elements of design, proportionality and summary of information should be balanced to reduce message ambiguity (Wang & Tay 2002).

These elements were considered when designing and creating the waste management logo below for the council of Victoria. The logo is applicable in the office and home environment dustbins.

Reference List

Fisher, E 2001, “Sustainability: The principle, its implementation, and its Enforcement.” Environmental and Planning Law Journal, vol. 18 no. 1, pp. 361-367.

Wang, J., & Tay, H 2002, “A hybrid two-phase system for anaerobic digestion of food waste,” Water Science and Technology, vol. 45 no. 12, pp. 159–165.

Solid waste collection worldwide catch

The word waste has a number of definitions depending on the context in which it is used and has been defined differently by different organizations and institutions. For purposes of this paper, waste is defined as an unwanted material or that material which one cannot use and considers unprofitable to him or her.

The United Nations Environmental Program (UNDP) offers a number of definitions to the term waste as they are provided by its different departments and from its conventions. Some of these definitions are given below. According to the Basel convention, “wastes are substances or objects which are disposed or are intended to be disposed or are required to be disposed of by the provisions of national laws” (UNEP/GRID, 2010, para. 2).

The United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) also gives the definition of wastes as “materials that are not prime products (that is products produced for the market) for which the generator has no further use in terms of his/her own purposes of production, transformation or consumption, and of which he/she wants to dispose” (Para. 3).

Wastes are generated in the process of acquiring raw materials, processing them and even in the process of consumption. Waste is also known as trash, rubbish, refuse, garbage or junk. People consider materials as waste when those materials are no longer rendering any value to them.

They then throw away these materials or gather them together for disposal (waste collection). This is part of waste management, which includes identification, gathering, sorting, storage, processing at the source, transportation, recycling and/or disposal.

Solid wastes are that type of wastes that are not fluid and include solid materials, semi solid materials and even gaseous and liquid materials in containers. The sources and concentration of solid waste differ in urban and rural settings. The major sources of solid wastes in these areas are from agriculture, mining, industry and municipal (Ophardt, 2003).

Therefore, the sources and types of solid waste include industrial, commercial, institutional, construction and demolition, municipal, process and agricultural wastes (Daniel and Thomas, 1999). Broadly, these solid wastes are classified as municipal solid wastes and non-municipal solid wastes.

Wastes from residential areas, businesses, and buildings debris in the cities produce municipal solid wastes, while non-municipal solid wastes are mainly agricultural, industrial and mining wastes. The wastes from all the above-mentioned sources can be hazardous when they contain toxic substances.

Collection of solid wastes involves gathering of the waste, sorting it out (sometimes) and transporting it to the required location. This location can be in a processing plant for recycling the material, landfill sites or other disposal sites.

Municipal councils and City councils of various towns and cities in the world are responsible for the collection of waste materials. However, there are private organizations that are also involved in collection of waste from the source and deliver them to the suitable destination.

There a number of actors and partners who are involved in the collection of both household and municipal wastes all over the world. These act as users or providers of the garbage collection services, regulators and/or intermediaries.

These actors include households, communities, non-Governmental organizations (NGOs), Local governments, National governments, private sector enterprises, informal private sector and external support agencies (ESAs) (Schubeler, 1996). The major concern of residential households and communities is to live in a clean environment.

Since they must buy the waste collection services, they normally require quality service providers and at the least cost possible. In low-income residential areas, solid waste collection is not given priority and therefore the people dump their solid wastes on open areas near their residency, along the roads and railway lines as well as in rivers and waterways (Thomas-Hope, 1998; Lankao, 2008; Dangi, n.d.).

This in turn poses a health risk to the residents of these areas. Residents who are not satisfied with the garbage collection services offered usually form community based organizations (CBOs) to help them improve their local environmental conditions or help them seek help from their government for service improvement.

NGOs may originate from the community but mostly from outside the communities in which they operate. The NGOs act as a link between the government and the local community to help improve the service delivery.

They help the people to understand the need for environmental management, the danger of careless waste disposal, raise their concerns to the government and relevant waste collection authorities and access credit facilities for the local people. The NGOs also offer employment opportunities to the people.

Local governments on the other hand are fully responsible for collection and disposal of solid waste. They do this as stipulated in their by laws and sometimes as motivated by their political and personal interests. The local authorities rely on the higher government authorities such as the national government to give it powers to enforce bylaws necessary for efficient waste collection.

The local authorities also rely on the national government to give it financial support it needs to carry out solid waste collection and transportation to the required destinations. These local governments also have powers to give contracts to private organizations offering garbage collection services.

In order to achieve efficiency in solid waste collection, the local governments have to enhance public awareness on the significance of waste collection and proper disposal (Hosetti, 2006). This also helps the local community to assist the local authorities in solid waste collection.

The national government plays a critical role in solid waste collection and maintaining environmental soundness in any country.

It is the mandate of the national government to put into place the legal and institutional framework for all activities necessary to enhance solid waste collection and empowering the local authorities to carry out its activities. It also equips the local government with relevant guidelines and capacity building relevant to this service delivery.

Both formal and informal private sector also plays a critical role as far as solid waste collection and management is concerned. The formal private sector majorly offers waste collection services as a business in order to gain profit (Golush, 2008). The formal private sector works in close collaboration with the public sector to provide the services the community requires in waste collection.

This sector is more likely to offer effective garbage collection services at a lower price than the public sector in order to make more customers for their services. The informal private sector on the other hand comprises of individuals, families or unregistered groups carrying out activities that are not regulated. These people are usually from poverty-stricken areas who are seeking for a source of income.

Effectiveness in the collection of solid wastes depends on the rate of production of the wastes and availability of resources and equipment to facilitate this collection (Nair, 1993; Schubeler 1996). Some low-income communities in the world experience low or lack of waste collection leading to waste disposal in open areas and vacant plots nearby (Medina, n.d).

The level and mechanism of waste collection also differs from country to country and from developed countries to developing countries due to differences in resource endowment s and level of technology available for use.

The increasing urban population aggravates the problem of solid waste collection and management in most developing countries. These nations spend a lot of money in the collection of solid wastes and yet they are not able to keep pace with the level of waste production (Zerbock, 2003). The composition of solid wastes generated in developing countries varies greatly from that produced in developed countries.

The wastes produced in developing countries are of higher density, higher moisture content, and large amounts of organic matter as well as small in particle size (Dhamija, 2006). Most of these countries depend on the municipal revenue they collect to address the problem of solid waste collection. This further leads to delayed and decreased rate of waste collection leading to waste accumulation in or near residential areas.

The delayed service delivery also sometimes makes the people to decline to pay for garbage collection, which further add to the problem build up. The private sector seems to be doing a better job in offering solid waste collection services making people to prefer their services to those offered by the public sector.

Most governments in the developing countries have opted to use the private sector for waste collection. This however does not deprive the local authorities their role of overseeing waste collection in their areas of jurisdiction (Zerbock, 2003).

The national governments in most developing countries give little attention to solid waste collection and transport (Ogawa, n.d.). These governments pay much attention to rapid urbanization and put plans in place to facilitate rapid urban developments and industrialization but do not put in place enough measures to avert waste accumulation and to enhance proper solid waste collection procedures.

The rapid urbanization and growing population in towns also hinders the ease of transportation of solid wastes (Gandy, 1994). Transportation of wastes through towns is slowed down due to congestion of the roads by traffic, poor roads and weather conditions (Zerboch, 2003; Rotich, Yongsheng, & Jun, 2005).

In areas where there are no or poorly organized waste collection facilities and patterns, the residents resort to dumping their solid wastes in the nearby vacant spaces. This is mostly the case in low-income places where the residents are unable to pay for waste collection services.

As stated above, these residents resort to dumping in open places, rivers and roadsides an issue that puts their health at risk. Some place, especially in slums are also too congested and inaccessible by garbage collectors.

In areas where the residents are able to pay for the waste collection services, they are at an advantage of getting these services from private service providers. Even though this is the case, in most instances there are no standard containers to store the waste before it is collected. The solid wastes in such places are kept either in drums or plastic containers or even in paper bags prior to collection.

The collectors come and pick the garbage from these containers. However people and animals scavenging for valuables from the waste leads to garbage disturbance and distribution in the area, an issue that affect the efficiency of solid waste collection.

Most developing countries still use the traditional methods of solid waste collection such as garbage trucks and road sweeping (Thomas-Hope, 1998). Waste collectors commonly use trucks to transport waste from the sources of production to the disposal sited. In some cases, the household owners assist the waste collectors to load the garbage into the trucks in medium income areas.

In low-income areas where people dump on open grounds, the responsible authorities take responsibility to collect the waste and transport it to the rightful dumping sites.

Most of the solid wastes collected in developing countries are dumped in open dumpsites, an issue which posed environmental health threats especially if dumping is done for a prolonged period (Ogawa, n.d.). The countries use only a small amount in landfills. The plastic containers and scrap metals are usually recycled.

Most developed countries produce higher solid wastes as compared to developing countries. This is because these countries have a higher consumption rate than developing countries. The solid wastes they produce is large and of low organic matter. Government policies and environmental concerns in these countries enable the concerned waste collection agencies to carry out effective service delivery especially in urban areas.

Solid waste collection methods in these countries greatly vary from region to region. In some places, the individuals who produce the wastes collect the wastes and place them in temporary storage containers or any other materials strategically placed for the commercial garbage collectors to pick them (Nag & Vizayakumar, 2005).

Due to environmental issues associated with waste dumping, some developed countries have opted to ship their solid wastes and dump them in other countries. In this case, the developed countries target those developing countries with less restriction in dumping or those that do not adhere to environmental laws.

The solid wastes that these countries mostly transport across borders include electronic wastes, fabrics, and plastic containers among others (Luther, 2009). Developed countries export these materials to developing countries for reuse, recycling or dumping.

Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and some other countries that use the Curbside method to collect household solid wastes in the urban and peri urban areas (Tchobanoglous and Kreith, 2002). This method uses specially constructed trucks for the purpose of waste collection.

In many cases, the municipal or city councils provide urban households with special containers in which they put their solid wastes and place them on the roadsides where the trucks pick them as they pass (Hayes, 2008).

This method is suitable for collecting recyclable materials, which the collectors then transport to designated places, sort and send them to treatment plants for recycling. The major aim of this method is to increase the level of recycling materials and reduce the amount of disposed solid wastes.

Some countries also use underground channels to convey their wastes to the designated places. This is an example of high technology application in solid waste collection. The waste moves through the channels through the influence of a vacuum system. The common systems the waste collectors use to collect waste through this means include Envac method, Metro Taifun single-line and ring-line systems among others.

A combination of solid waste collection methods and strategies is important to enhance efficient service delivery. Some developed countries regulate the maximum amount of wastes a household is allowed to produce by a specific period.

Such governments are efficient in managing and controlling waste collection activities within their country. This is the case in Taipei city in China, where the government has succeeded in regulating the level of wastes the residents of the city produce.

In general, there are common methods used to collect solid wastes in the world. These range from simple to complex methods. Some of these methods require minimal economic investment while others require very high economic and technological investment.

The methods include the use of wheelbarrows, hand pushed carts, simple bicycle mounted carts, animal drawn carts, trolleys, small trucks, agricultural tractor drawn trailers, open trucks, specialized trucks, open and closed tunnels and many others. The simple implements like hand drawn carts are used to collect solid wastes from simple households with minimal solid waste production levels.

Individuals and small groups offering waste collection services can easily use these implements. The methods require less investment and use in small-scale waste collection. Road sweeping is also another traditional method most municipal councils employ to collect solid wastes, especially dust in towns.

Commercial waste collection requires the application of the best available and economically viable methods. Developed countries use specialized trucks and other technical methods to collect and transport their solid wastes. Some developing countries also receive some assistance from developed countries to collect their wastes.

In conclusion, solid waste collection is a major concern to most governments and environmental management authorities in the world. Governments spend a lot of money to effect effective solid waste collection to avert environmental degradation and maintain the integrity of their towns and cities. Various actors are involved in various activities involving solid waste collection.

These include individuals, formal organizations, informal organizations, local authorities, national governments, non-governmental organizations and international organizations. All these actors represent various interests. Some engage in this activity to gain financially, others to represent environmental organizations for keeping the environment healthy, while others do charity work.

To others, it is either their moral, social, or political obligation to carry out solid waste collection. The demands for solid waste collection differ from country to country and from place to place within the same country (Schubeler 1996; Daniel 1999). The urban areas produce more municipal solid wastes as compared to the rural areas or the less populated towns.

The level of technology available for use as well as the availability of sufficient waste collectors can either hinder or enhance the rate and efficiency of waste collection in a particular country or region. Highly populated residential areas, poor weather and poor roads can also reduce the rate of solid waste collection leading to accumulation.

The poor or low-income city dwellers dump solid wastes in open areas leading to pollution of land, air and water. The rich countries are also determined to keep their environment clean at the expense of exporting their solid wastes to less developed countries, thereby adding more garbage problems to them.

There is need for policy development to govern solid waste collection in the world to avoid accumulation of wastes, which can pose health danger to residents as well as destroy the aesthetic value of towns and cities.

Reference List

Dangi, M. M. Kathmandu’s Solid Waste Problem: What Works, What Doesn’t. Nepal News. Web.

Daniel, H. & Thomas L. (1999). Sources and types of solid wastes. Urban Development Sector Unit. Web.

Dhamija, U. (2006). Sustainable Solid Waste Management: Issues, Policies, and Structures. New Delhi: Academic Foundation.

Gandy, M. (1994). Recycling and the politics of urban waste. New York St. Martin’s Press.

Golush, T. V. (2008). Waste management research trends. New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Hayes J. H. (2008). Dear City of Houston recycling customer. City of Huston: Department of Solid Waste Management. Web.

Hosetti, B. B. (2006). Prospects and perspective of solid waste management. New Delhi: New Age International.

Lankao, R. P. (2008). Urban Areas and Climate Change: Review of Current Issues and Trends. Institute for the Study of Society and Environment. Web.

Luther, L. (2009). Managing Electronic Waste: Issues with Exporting E-Waste. Congressional Research Service. Web.

Medina, M. Globalization, Development, and Municipal Solid Waste Management in Third World Cities. El Colegio de la Frontera Norte. Web.

Nag, A. & Vizayakumar, K. (2005). Environmental education and solid waste management. New Delhi: New Age International Publishers

Nair, C. (1993). Solid waste management in emerging industrialized countries. Web.

Ogawa, H. Sustainable Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries. WHO Western Pacific Regional Environmental Health Centre (EHC). Web.

Ophardit, E. C. (2003). Solid Waste. Virtual Chembook. Web.

Rotich, K., Yongsheng, Z. & Jun D. (2005). Municipal solid waste management challenges in developing countries – Kenyan case study. College of Environment and Resources, Jilin University, Changchun. Web.

Schubeler, P. (1996). Conceptual Framework for Municipal Solid Waste Management in Low-Income Countries. URBAN MANAGEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE. UNDP/UNCHS (Habitat)/World Bank/SDC Collaborative Programme on Municipal Solid Waste management in Low-Income Countries. Web.

Tchobanoglous, G. & Kreith F. (2002). Handbook of solid waste management. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Thomas-Hope, E. (1998). Solid Waste Management: Critical Issues For Developing Countries. Kingston: Canoe Press, Univ. of the West Indies.

UNEP/GRID. (2010). What is waste – A multitude of approaches and definitions. UNEP/GRID – Arendal. Web.

Zerbock, O. (2003). Urban Solid Waste Management: Waste Reduction in Developing Nations. Web.

Introduction

The main challenge associated with the nuclear energy is the disposal of the resultant waste. Although several ways of storing nuclear waste have been established, nuclear waste disposal remains to be a major issue as none of the available alternatives are comprehensive enough in their solutions. The biggest challenge emanates from the fact that storage of the nuclear waste requires an incredibly long time, running into thousands of years.

The question of nuclear waste management remains a challenging one given that projections indicate a possible rise in the use of nuclear power in the future. The already existing nuclear power stations have a big stockpile of the nuclear waste, with permanent disposal still unresolved.

This paper seeks to discuss the question of nuclear waste disposal and the challenges faced by the developed countries relying on the technology for their power production.

In particular, this research will analyse the different ways through which other countries deal with the problem, determine whether Australia can adopt a better alternative in disposing its nuclear waste, and elaborate on two alternative methods through which nuclear waste disposal can be done.

Literature Review

Up to one-third of Europe’s electricity is sourced from nuclear power reactors. Europe had 145 reactors operating across 15 countries in the continent by 2007, with an addition of eight more reactors being planned (European Commission Joint Research Centre, 2010, para 2).

These nuclear reactors have already disposed of a significant amount of nuclear waste into the environment. The problem of nuclear waste will prove to be a complicated situation as the numbers of the reactors increase.

Japan is dealing with the nuclear waste disposal challenge by shipping waste to Rokkasho processing plant for storage. Although the country has a special policy addressing disposal of nuclear waste, its plans have fallen way behind the schedule. The policy concerns the closed-fuel-cycle that governs the disposal of its close to 1,000 tonnes of nuclear waste.

Plans are underway to establish a commercial fast-breeder scheme by 2050 (Bream et al., 2006, p. 8). An underground repository is being constructed for the disposal of radioactive waste in Finland. The country intends to place its old nuclear fuel bars in steel canisters before encasing them in copper (Bream et al., 2006, p. 8).

The UK government has obtained recommendations from its appointed body to bury its nuclear waste deep underground. In the case of the USA, a similar waste disposal method has been established, where the Yucca Mountain has been selected as the right site for undertaking the disposal.

Although the site had been identified back in 1957, controversies had been slowing the actual undertaking of the programme. However, 2017 has been selected as the official date when the disposal activities will take place (Bream et al., 2006, p. 8).

Method

This research has mainly focused on secondary sources of data to form its basis of discussion and analysis. The sources of information used include research reports on the same topical issue, journal articles published mainly by professionals in the field of nuclear energy, as well as textbook materials and other useful publications.

The secondary sources of information used in this research were all prepared after undertaking a critical research on the subject matter.

Results

Problems and Issues

Australia faces the challenge of finding a long-term solution concerning the disposal of its nuclear power waste. As a challenge that also faces all other countries in the world with nuclear power plants, the main issue revolves around developing an internationally accepted high-isolation disposal site that is also approved as per the international standards.

This requires interconnectivity between the docking facilities at the seaport with railway lines to facilitate transport of the waste. The presence of nuclear reactors in Australia presents the country with an even greater challenge because of the high radioactivity initial levels.

The long-term duration expected for the safe disposal of the radioactive materials could require at least 5,000 years. Abiding by the stringent regulations requires the development of methods that can allow nuclear waste to be kept in isolation for very long durations. The graph below depicts decay of materials containing high-level radioactivity in years.

Source: Quirk (2005, p. 15)

Nuclear power remains to the best alternative that can effectively replace fossil energy and power, given that many developed countries in the world still pursue plans to advance their industrialisation.

The countries are investing their resources to increase the number of the nuclear reactors that have since been established in their territories. As Marvin (2005, p. 41) highlights, the total number of nuclear reactors worldwide has increased to 440, with the disposal problems also increasing proportionally.

Source: Marvin (2005, p. 43)

How Other Countries Deal with nuclear waste disposal problem

Canada has been storing its nuclear waste material in water-filled pools located near the reactor sites since the 1950s (Kraft, 2000, p. 206). Although this is the storage method that has been adopted, it is critical to point out that the initial intention of this technique was only to allow for the dissipation of the intense heat of the materials. The original plan was to have the storage last for a few years only.

The materials were then intended for reprocessing to separate the fission by-products from the usable uranium and plutonium, with the remaining waste being disposed as high-level solid waste. However, fuel reprocessing was previously not pursued seriously in both Canada and the United States of America (Kraft, 2000, p. 206).

Both countries are expected to dispose of the radioactive materials in mined geological repositories. Both Canada and the US intend to undertake waste retrieval, leaving disposal as the permanent method likely to be used for the management of the waste materials (Kraft, 2000, p. 206).

Canada is considering waste placement within long-lasting canisters, measuring between 1,500 and 3,000 feet below the granite or platonic rock. These, however, remain to be plans on paper as a specific site for the dumping has not been selected by the government (Kraft, 2000, p. 209).

Russia has introduced a law that allows the country to import spent nuclear fuel from other countries and consequently store the waste materials within her territory (Dawson & Darst, 2005, p. 10). The country fronted itself as the only willing nation in the industrialised world seeking to construct a permanent repository that would see it dispose of nuclear waste materials from its reactors and other countries in the world safely.

Although the country has huge areas of land that are sparsely populated, which can act as the best sites for the dumping of the waste materials, its willingness to accept the importation of waste materials from other countries raises serious environmental concerns (Dawson & Darst, 2005, p. 10).

Adoption of an Alternative Approach

High-temperature gas reactors

The best approach that countries should consider is the use of high temperature gas reactors in dealing with the challenges of disposing nuclear waste materials (Marvin, 2005, p. 41). In particular, the high temperature gas reactors that rely on the use of triple-coated carbon or silicon carbide, abbreviated as TRISO, are highly efficient in redressing the material disposal challenges (Marvin, 2005, p. 41).

This technique does not disgorge huge amounts of excess heat and it mainly ameliorates the critical waste disposal issues at present. In essence, though the high-temperature gas reactors may not be able to address the problem of material disposal comprehensively, their high efficiency will help in reducing the problem that is currently being experienced.

How important the issue of nuclear waste disposal is for Australia

Australia is a developed country that experiences the challenge of providing additional electricity to cater for its demand. Like other developed countries, there is an increasing urge for the country to add more nuclear reactors in order to serve the rising demand. However, Australia is increasingly facing the dilemma of addressing the disposal challenges even as it seeks to add the number of nuclear reactors in the country.

The resultant environmental repercussions could be an issue of great concern for the future generations in the country given the long duration required to safely dump and recycle the nuclear materials.

How Nuclear Disposal can be improved in Australia

Transmutation

Australia can consider adopting transmutation as a way of improving nuclear waste material problem in the country. This technique will help in the conversion of chemical elements into less harmful materials. In this case, the highly radioactive materials can change from Potassium to Argon or from Chlorine to Argon (Keiser et al, 2008, p. 29).

Thus, a solution to the disposal challenge of having to store materials for long will be found by using this alternative method. Australia can rely on transmutation to lower the environmental dangers of burying the used materials, instead of using repositories.

Space disposal

Space disposal involves literally dumping the nuclear waste materials in space. The waste material is stuffed in a space shuttle before launching it into space. Although this method provides a perfect alternative to the environmental challenge posed by the burying of the waste material, its practicality is questionable.

Only a small amount of the waste material can be shipped at every given instance. The expenses involved are also exorbitant, thereby reducing its value altogether (Coopersmith, 2005, p. 600).

Australia’s Disposal of Nuclear Waste

Australia’s general waste disposal techniques and methods are comparatively good. The nuclear waste material in the country contains low-level radioactivity that is safe for the environment. Although no central disposal facility exists in the country for the dumping of the low-level wastes, there are several dispersed locations throughout the country where the disposal of the waste materials is done (ANSTO, 2011, p. 8).

The country has a comprehensive regulatory framework that seeks to protect it from uncontrolled dumping of the highly radioactive materials. It is worth pointing out that although Australia has a rich deposit of Uranium, no nuclear power reactors are established in the country (Asialaw, 2007, para 1). Instead, the nuclear chemical is sold to other countries, such as South Korea and China, which have established nuclear reactors.

This is significant in addressing the question of disposing of nuclear waste materials because often the nuclear reactors produce the biggest amount of the waste materials. The regulatory framework also bars the importation of nuclear waste materials in the country, further enhancing the good disposal practice observed by Australia (Asialaw, 2007, para 3).

Conclusion

Nuclear power is increasingly becoming the best source of energy, especially as demand and advancements are experienced in the developed world. However, waste materials from nuclear power reactors pose a big challenge in terms of dumping. The radioactive materials require between 5,000 years and a million years to decompose safely.

Most countries in the world with nuclear reactors dump their resultant waste materials in geological repositories. However, this practice is not well adopted as most of the countries are either still searching for appropriate locations, or they are still constructing the repositories. Nuclear waste materials can alternatively be disposed of by transmutation or space disposal.

In transmutation, the waste materials are transformed from their original chemical form to a different chemical form that is less harmful. On the other hand, space disposal involves transporting the nuclear waste materials in space shuttles to the space.

Australia’s nuclear waste material is comparatively good. The country has several dump sites that are situated all over the country. These are sites where its low-level radioactive materials can be disposed of safely.

List of References

ANSTO 2011, Management of radioactive waste in Australia, Australian Government. Web.

Asialaw, 2007, Uranium mining in Australia: Challenges & opportunities. Web.

Bream, R., Dickie, M., Harvey, F., & Piling D., 2006, ‘How other nations deal with disposal’, Financial Times, UK. Web.

Coopersmith, J. 2005, ‘Nuclear waste disposal in space: BEP’s best hope?’ AIP Conference Proceedings, vol. 830, pp. 600.

Dawson, J. I., & Darst, R. G., 2005, ‘Russia’s proposal for a global nuclear waste repository: safe, secure, and environmentally just?’ Environment, vol. 47, no. 4, pp. 10-21.

European Commission Joint Research Centre, 2010, Strategic cooperation sets the scene for geological disposal of nuclear waste in Europe. Web.

Keiser, D. D., Kennedy, J. R., Hilton, B. A., & Hayes, S. L. 2008, ‘The development of metallic nuclear fuels for transmutation applications: materials challenges’, JOM, vol. 60, no. 1, pp. 29-32.

Kraft, M. E. 2000, ‘Policy design and the acceptability of environmental risks: Nuclear waste disposal in Canada and the United States’, Policy Studies Journal, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 206-218.

Marvin, B. S. 2005, ‘Powering the world with nuclear energy – past, present, and inevitable future’, Foresight: the Journal of Futures Studies, Strategic Thinking and Policy, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 41-53.

Quirk, T. 2005, ‘The safe disposal of nuclear waste’, Review – Institute of Public Affairs, vol. 57, no. 2, pp. 15-17.

Introduction

Waste management responsibility of any given country lies on hands of both private and public sectors. This is a major responsibility that can not be left under the care of one sector. There are several methods applicable in the developed nations, but land fill seems to be the most preferred method by most of the nations.

For instance, in the United States, land fill is the most used method, though it has become challenging to expand the sites (EPA, 2009). The introduction of new land fill sites has also become a problem, though it is considered better than incineration. In most of the developed nations, incineration is used as only the last option of waste management.

The main reason as to why it is disregarded, it is because of air pollution and facilitating global warming more than any other system. Recycling is another method of disposing off waste, and mostly preferred as it is clean. In addition, the use of recycling reduces the chances of a country to make use of land fill and incineration and promotes the usability of waste materials again and again (Nakamura, 2007).

Energy recovery methods are not always applicable as they also contribute greatly to air pollution. This is mostly because the waste materials lack calorific content; hence the energy produced is relatively low compared to the large amount of waste materials burned. The energy involved in burning such waste materials is also too much.

Globally, the systems of waste management take responsibility of only 3-5% of air pollution worldwide . However, such a small percentage can not disqualify the nation’s efforts of waste management.

The most important aspect of decreasing pollution is through coming up with policies such as civic, environmental, education. The implementation of such policies and reinforcement of laws would solve much of these challenges. The risky waste products should always be controlled from causing harm to the environment.

This as well could be achieved through preventing some waste disposal activities and introduction of waste neutralizing treatment equipments. The waste management sector can achieve its goals, through collaboration with environmental institutions, implementation of environmental policies, and introduction of new and advanced waste management technology.

Waste Management in the United States

It is difficult to obtain the percentage of waste management methods applicable in United States. According to most of the research done, the data of waste management methods found in MSWs are revealed. According to the latest information concerning the United States waste management; it is evident that 63.5 % of municipal solid wastes are thrown into municipal solid waste landfills.

However, 5.1% are thrown into construction and devastated landfill site. A percentage of 20.9 of the solid waste products are recycled. A percentage of 4.8 are decomposable and are thrown into compost pits, while 5.8% of the wastes are incinerated (Leonard, 2007).

According to the geographical make up of United States, the availability of terrains creates good sites for landfills. In contrary, some states like New York find it difficult to have a landfill site, so they end up forcing them to be part of waste facilities and landfill sites of other sites. It has become a great challenge in United States, to find some suitable spaces that can be converted into landfill sites.

The greatly affected part is the northeastern parts since such lands are very rare in that section. The major reason behind limitation of landfill sites is due to avoid the violation of NIMBY policy, which strictly prevents the dumping of wastes in certain states, due to environmental health reasons.

The figure above gives evidence that, the most preferred method of waste management is through the use of landfill sites since 1960 to 2005 (Heidi, 2006). Recycling waste products and decomposing is another method that is increasingly preferred due to the various advantages associated with them.

Recycling as discussed above is prolonging the usage of some waste products, and cutting costs of purchasing these materials. The use or recycling is also reducing the chances of using other methods like incineration, due to their adverse effects to the environment.

Solid waste digest has provided data that reveal that, the cost of managing landfill sites is relatively cheaper as compared to incineration. On an average basis, the waste tipping fee was approximately $40 per ton in year 2001(Heidi, 2006). This price is not fixed as it depends with a location.

For instance, in the northeast part of the nation, the fee is approximately $60 per ton. No matter what region of the United Nations land, the fee for incineration is much higher than that of landfill sites. According to the data provided by solid waste digest, the fee for incineration is always higher by $20 per ton than the fee on landfill dumping.

Just like in any other nation, waste products in United States are categorized into two types, such as hazardous and non-hazardous. Moreover, the dire need for leach ate treatment equipments and liners to handle hazardous waste; it becomes more costly to handle hazardous wastes than non-hazardous wastes (Heidi, 2006).

There is the lack of clear implementation of a policy to guide the disposal of hazardous wastes; hence these wastes are dumped at the borderline of United States and Mexico. The two states dump their hazardous wastes along their border line, and this is a clear show of lacking a suitable policy, to aid such disposals. The act of disposing such risky waste products at borderline may not be necessarily the best way.

Most of organization and individuals are looking forward to see the reaction of environmental bodies like North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on the issue. The environmental cooperation of NAFTA concentrates in ensuring that such risky wastes are treated to reduce their negative impacts to the environment.

There are some instances that Mexico has portrayed of lacking to comply with the requirements of NAFTA, like lacking pollutant Release and Transfer Registry. This is an important body of environmental auditing, which takes care of solving the environmental problems, as well as conducting public-environmental education.

The accumulation of risky waste products between the United States and Mexico border increases an industrialization advances in both nations. The data dated back to 1997, shows that the hazardous waste at the border was approximately 20million tons.

The main reason behind handling hazardous waste carefully is because they are corrosive, toxic, and reactive compared to non-hazardous waste materials. There is a high likelihood for hazardous material to cause dangers to public health and environment.

Moreover, non-hazardous waste is managed by private waste management organizations, and also by some local government units. In United States, 52.6% of waste management equipments are owned by private sectors, while the other 47.5% is by the public bodies.

It is estimated that approximately 376.9 million tons of municipal solid waste is handled by private sectors, while the remaining part of about 30.8% is taken care of by the government equipments. Although private sectors play a great role in waste management, the largest waste management company that earns much revenue in U.S is Waste Management, Inc. (WM).

This company managed to make revenues worth $13.07 billion in 2005 being seconded by Allied Waste Industries Inc, which also managed revenue worth $5.37 billion. Despite the efforts of both the private and public sectors of managing waste products, there are still a number of environmental problems. Most of these problems may have arisen from lack of compliance to the existing waste management policies in the area.

For instance, in U.S there is availability of small scale generators that produce both hazardous and non-hazardous waste products in various regions. Those households that may be using such facilities, may be warned from subscribing to waste management companies, and should never seek for permission from RCRA for the management of risky waste products.

As a result, such excuses in the American waste management law end up giving permission to people to dump hazardous waste into non-hazardous waste land fill sites. This may be dangerous because the non-hazardous landfill sites do not have leach ate treatment equipments and protective processing mechanisms.

Without proper care on such disposals, dangerous chemicals may mix with water supply systems, and impose adverse effects to people’s health.

The figure below shows the percentages of various solid waste products that were generated in 2009. Paper and paperboard proofs to be the largest part of solid waste products, which were generated in 2009. This is equivalent to 28.2% of the total waste product generated. This was a result of much paper work done in various places in United States, as well as various industries to produce the same.

The total municipal solid waste that was generated in 2009 was 243 million tons before recycling. Food scrap waste products follow with approximately 14.1%, yard trimmings with 13.7 % of the total waste products. Plastics waste amounted to 12.3%, metals waste was approximately 8.6%, the total amount of rubber, leather, and textiles were 6.5%, 4.8% and 3.5% respectively.

Analysis of waste management in china

For the last two decades, china has experienced an increased growth in waste management systems. China has overtaken the United States in waste generation, due to the increased industrialization and urban population. According to the figures that were collected in 2004, it is evident that urban areas alone in china generate approximately 1.5 billion tons per year, which is equal to 1000grams per capita daily.

The increasing amount of waste in china has become uncontrollable by china’s waste management systems. The organizations responsible in collecting these waste materials fail due to lack of necessary infrastructures, people who are expert in effective collection, and more so lack of treatment and operating equipments.

The issues of waste management in china create more problems in the nation and give opportunities to foreigners. According to the latest information concerning waste management in china, it is evident that only 70 percent of municipal solid waste that is collected and only 60percent receive treatment before disposal.

The domestic firms that are found under this industry fail to execute their duties effectively, due to lack of enough finances and technical expertise. There are upcoming informal-private players that are majoring in some sectors including this. Another reason behind this industry performing to its level best is due to lack of incentive for private investments.

In the past five years, the government made extra efforts of increasing the amounts of investment in this industry of up to 9.6 billion USD. The nation had high hopes of utilizing this amount for the best of waste management. There are some other aspects that still need to be improved for waste management system to be effective such as further investments, and developing infrastructure for better transport and communication.

Most of firms that are found in the industry are small or medium sized, and lack the financial capability to handle the challenges of waste management in the country; hence the whole industry is limited to achieve the growth. In urban areas, waste management is done in two phases such as primary and secondary.

During the initial phase, which is referred to as primary phase, the main duty here s is to go round all over collecting the waste products, and then a place to dump is located.

During the secondary phase, which is the second part of waste management, the waste products are prepared ready for treatment to make them environmental friendly. Although the second stage requires the efforts of the government, the initials stage requires more improvement for the whole system to be effective.

The primary phase of waste management remains as informal activity as the job is relied on street passerby to sort the useful materials from the rest. In most of the cases, the street foragers are the ones found trying to sort out the recyclables from the rest of waste management. Most of such waste products end up in landfills, due to poor management in sorting out the recyclables.

China’s landfill sites are not managed properly, and that is why it has substandard rules and practices. The most preferred method of waste management in china is landfill, but it is evident that it might not serve them for a longer period, due to scarcity of such lands. It has been estimated that, in the next five years, the landfill method of waste management may be unmanageable in china, due to lack of such sites.

In china, there is an opportunity for foreigners to invest in waste management systems. There is a high probability for foreign investors to win contracts of handling waste products in china (Ben, 2004). The major challenge is to providing treatment technologies to all of the hazardous waste dumped. If there can be an organization that can win the tender, it can utilize the opportunity of offering such services.

Any foreign waste management company that is looking forward to expand should try the available opportunities in china. It is estimated that by 2013, the recycling rate of waste materials in china would have grown by 9.1% reaching the amount of 244.8 million tons.

No matter how much the government and other private sectors in china, dedicate to waste management, it seems hard for this government to handle the waste. Recycling and landfill sites are doing well in china, but their sustainability are limited, especially for landfill sites.

Conclusion

In conclusion, any working nation must have some waste products to dispose off. The remaining challenge is on which way a nation would handle these waste products. In both develop nations; it was evident that landfill sites and recycling are the commonly used methods, although they are also faced by some challenges.

The recycling is trying to pick and handle much of the waste products, due to the scarcity of landfill sites in United States. The same case applies to china, due to lack of landfill sites, it is seen that only a foreign body would come for their rescue. In both nations, there are increased generation of waste products and modification of the clearing systems are, therefore, required.

Every nation is made attractive through eradication of all waste products. In addition, it is risky for any nation to fail in handling waste products. More and more methods of handling waste products should be invented in both developing and developed nations. Through this, nations would be sure of good health for their citizens.

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