S.I.R.

T
TOPIC : Composting, medical
wastes and E-wastes
Submitted by:
Alkesh khare
Roll no.-0133IT121008
Branch- IT

Composting
Compost is organic material that can be used as a soil amendment or
as a medium to grow plants. Mature compost is a stable material
with a content called humus that is dark brown or black and has a
soil-like, earthy smell. It is created by: combining organic wastes
(e.g., yard trimmings, food wastes, manures) in proper ratios into
piles, rows, or vessels; adding bulking agents (e.g., wood chips) as
necessary to accelerate the breakdown of organic materials; and
allowing the finished material to fully stabilize and mature through a
curing process.
Natural composting, or biological decomposition, began with the first
plants on earth and has been going on ever since. As vegetation falls
to the ground, it slowly decays, providing minerals and nutrients
needed for plants, animals, and microorganisms. Mature compost,
however, includes the production of high temperatures to destroy
pathogens and weed seeds that natural decomposition does not
destroy.

The types of composting

Composting by trenching
Trench composting is very simple. You dig a
trench (we're using the word trench
loosely here; it doesn't matter what shape
your hole is) approximately twelve inches
deep, add roughly four to six inches of
compostable materials, such as kitchen
scraps, spent garden plants, prunings,
thinnings, and weeds, and bury it with the
soil you dug out of the trench.

 Open windrow composting

In agriculture, windrow composting is the production of
compost by piling organic matter or biodegradable waste, such
as animal manure and crop residues, in long rows (windrows).
This method is suited to producing large volumes of compost.
These rows are generally turned to improve porosity and oxygen
content, mix in or remove moisture, and redistribute cooler and
hotter portions of the pile. Windrow composting is a commonly
used farm scale composting method. Composting process
control parameters include the initial ratios of carbon and
nitrogen rich materials, the amount of bulking agent added to
assure air porosity, the pile size, moisture content, and turning
frequency.
The temperatures of the windrows must be measured and
logged constantly to determine the optimum time to turn the
windrows for quicker compost production.

Mechanical Composting
As an alternative to windrow
composting, it is possible to produce
humus within 5-7 days using
mechanical systems often the
composted material is removed and
cured in open windows for an
additional period of about 3 weeks.
Once the solid waste has been
converted to humus, they are ready
for the third step of product

 Medical Waste
Pharmaceutical Waste
Pharmaceuticals in Water
Medical waste is all waste materials generated at health care facilities, such
as hospitals, clinics, physician's offices, dental practices, blood banks, and
veterinary hospitals/clinics, as well as medical research facilities and
laboratories.
The Medical Waste tracking Act of 1988 defines medical waste as "any solid
waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of
human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in the production
or testing of biologicals." This definition includes, but is not limited to:
blood-soaked bandages
culture dishes and other glassware
discarded surgical gloves
discarded surgical instruments
discarded needles used to give shots or draw blood (e.g., medical sharps)
cultures, stocks, swabs used to inoculate cultures
removed body organs (e.g., tonsils, appendices, limbs)
discarded lancets

E-waste
Electronic waste, e-waste, e-scrap, or waste electrical and
electronic equipment (WEEE) describes discarded electrical or
electronic devices. There is a lack of consensus as to whether the
term should apply to resale, reuse, and refurbishing industries, or
only to a product that cannot be used for its intended purpose.
Informal processing of electronic waste in developing countries may
cause serious health and pollution problems, though these countries
are also most likely to reuse and repair electronics.
All electronic scrap components, such as CRTs, may contain
contaminants such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, or brominated flame
retardants. Even in developed countries recycling and disposal of ewaste may involve significant risk to workers and communities and
great care must be taken to avoid unsafe exposure in recycling
operations and leaching of material such as heavy metals from
landfills and incinerator ashes. Scrap industry and USA EPA officials
agree that materials should be managed with caution