Solid Waste Disposal: Alternative Methods

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Two Alternatives: Comparison
Environment
Health
The Best Applicable Approach to the Scenario
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Solid waste disposal and management are critical tasks that are insufficiently addressed by the municipality, as can be seen from a negative outlook for the continuation of the existing landfill. In addition, the idea of relocating is not an optimal solution to the problem since it will only postpone the adverse consequences of the examined challenge. From this point of view, the suggestion to introduce alternative methods of processing solid waste is required, but numerous difficulties accompany this decision. They are mostly related to the economic, social, and environmental aspects of community life alongside population health.

Any proposals in this regard should be assessed by evaluating the impact of corresponding factors. Hence, the introduction of solid waste recycling or incineration as the possible ways of improving the situation is connected to the above areas. At the same time, the latter approach seems more beneficial from the efficiency perspective.

Two Alternatives: Comparison

Economy

The economy is the first sphere of influence, which correlates with adopting practices for solid waste management. This connection is explained by the need to redistribute valuable resources, which stems from the project. Scholars claim that this standpoint applies to the economic operations of municipalities and households, which are to be aware of the adopted methods (Mwanza & Mbohwa, 2017).

From this perspective, the necessity to recycle specific types of waste is easier to explain to the citizens than the benefits of incineration, as the former approach is more explicit. In other words, people recognize their responsibility for disposing of solid waste and see the advantages of sorting the garbage from the perspective of the usefulness of different materials in the long run. On the contrary, the conversion of non-recyclable substances into energy is not shown, and the lack of participation in performing this task (The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2020). Therefore, incineration will require additional efforts of the officers intended to educate the population regarding the economic advantages of this solution to gain their support, which is not required when recycling.

Society

The second consideration, which affects the subsequent decision regarding adopting alternatives for efficient solid waste management, is social drivers. They include public awareness of the population dynamics, which determine the necessity to modify the procedures, such as, for example, the growth of consumer needs and, consequently, waste (Mwanza & Mbohwa, 2017). This area is intertwined with the economy since there is a correlation between the number of people and the resources they need, and it also contributes to the promotion of education among citizens (Mwanza & Mbohwa, 2017).

Nevertheless, its role in the selection of management methods is not the same since it implies the inclusion of communities in work and the change in behavior on a more global level. In this case, there is no essential difference between recycling and incineration as both approaches can be efficiently introduced after the allocation of funds on corresponding campaigns for increasing awareness (Exposito & Velasco, 2018). For them, the main factor determining the success of the initiative will be the technological readiness of the municipality to implement the project rather than societal issues.

Environment

The third aspect, which is one of the most vital factors for determining a better alternative for the municipality under consideration, is environmental impacts. From this perspective, the suggested methods are drastically different, and this fact explains the importance of such choices in the long run. The first approach, recycling, is reported to be insufficiently developed to fully replace landfills to ensure the safety of solid waste disposal; however, its potential is great for further development (Exposito & Velasco, 2018). For instance, according to a recent study, sustainable recycling of post-consumer plastic waste is an efficient way to protect the environment while preventing climate change or global warming (Mwanza & Mbohwa, 2017). Meanwhile, these statements do not ensure further opportunities for improving the existing practices, and this circumstance does not allow viewing recycling as the most efficient long-term environmental initiative.

In turn, incineration is a more complicated process, which, nevertheless, also has its benefits in this respect. According to Ashraf et al. (2019), the latest ideas concerning the use of residues of this alternative, such as the production of eco-cement, allow reducing emissions due to the storage of carbon dioxide. This achievement adds to the possibility of further promoting this method as eco-friendly, and the potential recovery of energy when applying combustion technologies is invaluable (The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2020). Thus, incineration is more advantageous than recycling from the viewpoint of environmental issues and their development, which the introduction of new practices for managing solid waste can foster.

Health

The fourth and final factor, which affects the selection of solid waste management practices, is population health. In terms of the increasing focus on sustainability, it plays a significant role in the planning process (Marshall & Farahbakhsh, 2013). Hence, recycling is optimal for people’s wellbeing since it does not lead to any critical consequences in this respect (Marshall & Farahbakhsh, 2013). As for incineration, the harm is connected to potentially hazardous emissions and gaseous pollutants in the atmosphere and, therefore, cannot be viewed as a safe way to reduce waste (Ashraf et al., 2019). In this case, the introduction of the latter method will require additional measures for protecting citizens’ health, and the costs of performing this task reduce the feasibility of its application.

The Best Applicable Approach to the Scenario

The conducted comparison reveals the benefits and drawbacks of recycling and incineration as alternatives to landfills in the municipality and allows a conclusion on the latter’s feasibility to comply with the goals. This choice also corresponds to the objectives of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which include corrective action or cleanup (The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2021).

Thus, the rationale for the selection of this method is better efficiency in coping with the growing amounts of waste, which is the community’s problem. Even though recycling is more beneficial in terms of clarity for citizens and their health, it does not contribute to making a change within the specified time limits. Moreover, incineration’s harm to health can be addressed through the elaboration of preventive measures, which are not more expensive than the development of recycling practices with dubious effectiveness.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the examination of recycling and incineration as the ways to solve the municipality’s problem with the situation regarding inefficient solid waste management was based on economic, societal, environmental, and health considerations. Their comparison of these factors showed that the latter alternative is more suitable for the current tasks of this community. In this way, both methods are economically feasible, socially acceptable, and relatively eco-friendly, but recycling is insufficient for improving the system’s functioning in a timely manner.

References

Ashraf, M. S., Ghouleh, Z., & Shao, Y. (2019). Production of eco-cement exclusively from municipal solid waste incineration residues. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 149, 332-342. Web.

Exposito, A., & Velasco, F. (2018). Municipal solid-waste recycling market and the European 2020 Horizon Strategy: A regional efficiency analysis in Spain. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 938-948. Web.

Marshall, R. E., & Farahbakhsh, K. (2013). Systems approaches to integrated solid waste management in developing countries. Waste Management, 33(4), 988-1003. Web.

Mwanza, B. G., & Mbohwa, C. (2017). Drivers to sustainable plastic solid waste recycling: A review. Procedia Manufacturing, 8, 649-656. Web.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2020). Energy recovery from the combustion of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Web.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2021). Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) overview. Web.

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