Waste Management: Industrial, Radioactive, and Municipal Solid Waste

Posted on Feb 16, 2025 in Business Administration and Innovation Management

Industrial Waste

  • Industrial waste is material derived from industrial activity intended to be discarded. Separating the production process from waste generation is impossible. We distinguish two groups of industrial waste:
    • Those that require specific treatment for their compositional characteristics and treatments.
    • Those that resemble solid waste and can be treated as such.
  • Waste generation is associated with the chemical industry, but all manufacturing operations generate waste.
  • Most industrialized countries have enacted specific laws concerning this problem. Great technology has developed to allow for proper treatment and disposal of virtually all types of waste produced, particularly focusing on the dangerous. This, in turn, generates a new source of industrial activity in this field: the hazardous waste manager.

Radioactive Waste Management

  • Radioactive waste should be managed so as not to endanger people or the environment. Detention and isolation are the best options to ensure the security of today’s society and future generations.

Classification of Radioactive Waste

  • Low-level and intermediate-level waste emit small amounts of radiation. This includes tools, clothing, spare parts, etc.
  • High-level waste emits high doses of radiation. This is formed by the debris left by the rods of uranium used as fuel in power plants.

Management of Radioactive Waste

Management lies in its restraint and isolation by bringing a series of artificial and natural barriers.

The solution for low-level and intermediate isolation is conditioned warehouses on land:

  • Ground storage, with the addition of engineered barriers.
  • Underground storage at low to medium depth. The high-intensity radioactive wastes are mainly derived from the processes carried out at nuclear power plants.

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

  • MSW is considered solid waste collected by municipal services or related services contracted by the municipalities.

Production of Municipal Solid Waste

The best indicator to analyze this type of waste is municipal waste production in kg per person per year.

Management of Municipal Solid Waste

  • In view of the situation, the objectives are:

– More efficient use of resources and their management to generate greater sustainability.

– Overall reduction in waste volume significantly.

– Substantial decrease in the amount of waste for disposal.

– Promotion of reusing the waste that is still generated, giving preference to recovery and especially to recycling.

Creation and Management of Packaging Waste

  • The most easily reused and recycled items are containers.

– Global measures to highlight:

– Increase accountability of products from producers to reduce, reuse, and recycle packaging.

– Create recyclers.

– Improve systems for collection and recycling of packaging waste that already exist.