JABATAN KEJURUTERAAN AWAM

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION & CONTROL

ASSIGNMENT 2

LECTURER :

NAME

MATRIC NO. :
CLASS

MARKS

QUESTION 1

Explain municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal below:

a) Sanitary Landfil

The controlled disposal of solid waste on the upper layer of the earth mantle in a
manner the environmental hazards is minimized. Large-scale landfill sites for municipal
waste need to be designed to protect surface and groundwater from contamination by
leachate, the liquid waste that may seep out into the ground underneath the layers of
waste. Sanitary landfill sites are not just rubbish dumps for open field dumping. To be
classed as sanitary the site must be managed to minimize any negative environmental
impact. Important technical aspects in the implementation of sanitary landfills include:

Site selection.

Land filling methods and operation.

Occurrence of gasses and leachate.

Movement and control of gases and leachate.

b) Incineration

The process of burning waste in large furnaces at high temperature is know as

incineration. It is used to dispose of solid liquid and gaseous waste .Incineration facilities
generally do not require as much area as landfills. At the end of the process all that is left
behind is ash. Different types of incinerator are used for burning waste. They differ by the
temperature at which they operate, the cost of construction, the method of operation and
the maintenance requirement.
Incinerators can be used for disposal of wastes in health institutions/Health Posts
and government and private institutions/offices/industries. Incineration can reduce the
volume of refuse by up to 90%; the only remaining residual waste is ash. This
significantly reduces the volume of material needing final disposal. Incineration is only

classed as recovery in waste management if the energy (heat) that is produced is used in
some way.

c) Composting

Compost is the product resulting from the controlled biological decomposition of

organic material. The starting material for composting are commonly referred to a feed
stocks. Non-hazardous, putrescible solid wastes such as crop residues, leaves, grass and
animal manures can be managed onsite by composting. Composting is a controlled
process in which this type of waste is collected in an open pit or heap and is decomposed
by natural biological processes. The waste is broken down by the action of a variety of
microscopic and other small organisms. The waste is converted into a stabilised material
that can be used as fertiliser. Composting is an environmentally friendly way of
recovering value from organic waste. Both human waste and organic household waste
can be composted.
The process of composting ensures the waste that is produced in the kitchens is
not carelessly thrown and left to rot. It recycles the nutrients and returns them to the soil
as nutrients. Apart from being clean, cheap, and safe, composting can significantly reduce
the amount of disposable garbage.The organic fertilizer can be used instead of chemical
fertilizers and is better specially when used for vegetables. It increases the soils ability to
hold water and makes the soil easier to cultivate. It helped the soil retain more of the
plant nutrients.

QUESTION 2

Identify the effects of sanitary landfill, incineration and composting to the environment.

This types municipal solid waste release hundreds of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere
through the disposal of the ash which is the toxic substance are more concentrated in the ash.
Moreover, this methods are highly related to the economic condition which could cost high.
Municipal solid wastes heap up on the roads due to improper disposal system. People clean their
own houses and litter their immediate surroundings which affects the community including
themselves.

This type of dumping allows biodegradable materials to decompose under uncontrolled

and unhygienic conditions. This produces foul smell and breeds various types of insects and
infectious organisms besides spoiling the aesthetics of the site. Industrial solid wastes are sources
of toxic metals and hazardous wastes, which may spread on land and can cause changes in
physicochemical and biological characteristics thereby affecting productivity of soils.
Toxic substances may leach or percolate to contaminate the ground water. In refuse
mixing, the hazardous wastes are mixed with garbage and other combustible wastes. This makes
segregation and disposal all the more difficult and risky. Various types of wastes like cans,
pesticides, cleaning solvents, batteries (zinc, lead or mercury), radioactive materials, plastics and
e-waste are mixed up with paper, scraps and other non-toxic materials which could be recycled.
Burning of some of these materials produces dioxins, furans and polychlorinated biphenyls,
which have the potential to cause various types of ailments including cancer.

QUESTION 3

Explain (4R's Concept) waste reduction, reuse, recovery and recycling concepts.

a) Reduction
By initially using less, we help to conserve valuable
resources such as water and energy. Easy ways to reduce
your consumption is opting to print double sided or use a
canvas bag when shopping. By reducing, consumer and
industry can save natural resources and reduce waste
management costs where we could have a sustainable
energy on earth no matter its natural or vice versa.
b) Reuse
A conscious consumer purchases durable products that are
meant to last as opposed to disposables which add to the
waste stream. If you find a new use for an item or someone
else who could use it give it a second life instead of
throwing it away. Large production companies such as

Electronic, appliances and gadgets, should establish the

collection centre, where damaged items can be repaired
and reuse.

c) Recover
Most of the materials thrown in the garbage can be used
and processed in ways other than being destroyed. This is
what is called recovering. Reusing, recycling and
composting the most frequently used methods for
recovering waste. When its not possible to reuse or recycle
objectssuch as dead batteries, ink cartridges or cell
phones, which all contain toxic elements labeled hazardous
household wastethere is one last option before throwing them away: scrap dealers,
recycling workers and recoverers. Energy or material can be recovered from waste that
are not reused or recycled
d) Recycle
Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become
waste into valuable

resources

Recycling conserves

resources by keeping them in circulation, reducing the

depletion of non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels
and mineral ores used to manufacture products from virgin
materials. Like reuse, recycle means recovering an object
and giving it a second life. While reusing an object means
using it without really modifying it or favouring multi-purpose objects and products over
single-use ones, recycling means bringing an object back to a state of raw material: paper

goes back to pulp, plastics are melted and moulded into new products, etc. What was
once considered waste becomes a resource, thus breaking with the linear extractionproduction-consumption-destruction logic. With this new mindset, an environmentally
friendly cycle and sustainable development are established, and that reduces consumption
and its negative impact