solid waste

waste management

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July 14, 2026

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Solid-waste management involves collecting, treating, and disposing of discarded materials. Improper disposal can lead to unsanitary conditions, pollution, and disease outbreaks. Waste sources include residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial activities. Non-hazardous waste from communities is termed refuse or municipal solid waste (MSW), which includes garbage (decomposable food waste) and rubbish (dry materials like paper and glass). Construction and demolition debris, and electronic waste (e-waste) are also significant components.12

The most common disposal method is the sanitary landfill, a carefully engineered site designed to protect the environment and public health by preventing contact between waste and groundwater. Treatment processes can reduce waste volume and recover materials or energy. Managing solid waste presents technical, administrative, economic, and social challenges.31

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solid-waste management
Improper disposal of municipal solid waste can create unsanitary conditions, and these conditions in turn can lead to pollution of the environment and to outbreaks of vector-borne disease—that is, diseases spread by rodents and insects. The tasks of solid-waste management present complex technical challenges. They also pose a wide…
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Improper disposal of municipal solid waste can create unsanitary conditions, and these conditions in turn can lead to pollution of the environment and to outbreaks of vector-borne disease—that is, diseases spread by rodents and insects. The tasks of solid-waste management present complex technical challenges. They also pose a wide…
Read More