Public Health issues in Waste Management

Transcription

1 Public Health issues in Waste Management Dr. Harshad Thakur, MBBS, MD, DBM Professor, Centre for Public Health School of Health Systems Studies Tata Institute of Social Sciences MUMBAI, INDIA

2 What is Waste? Till few years back, Waste was considered as unwanted or unusable material. Any substance which is discarded after primary use, or Worthless, defective and of no use at that point of time. NOW, with better understanding, as we are using and converting resources into waste, it is being considered as a resource at wrong place. Thus waste can be actually useful since our resources are limited. For this, it is essential that we re convert waste into a resource again for future use.

3 Waste types Biodegradable and non-biodegradable Solid, liquid and gaseous waste Municipal waste includes Household waste, Commercial waste, and Demolition waste Hazardous waste includes Industrial waste, Radioactive waste, Explosive waste, and Electronic waste (e-waste) Biomedical waste including clinical waste

4 Per capita Waste generation

5 Importance of Health in Waste Management Sustainable Development is development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is socio-economic development that is conducted without depletion of natural resources. Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed. by Mahatma Gandhi. Health is one of the most important basic need of every living being including humans. Many diseases directly or indirectly related to waste.

6 Waste collection site

7 Waste disposal site

8 Effect of Deonar dumping yard (Mumbai)

9 Epidemiologic triad for disease occurrence Host Demographic characteristics Biological characteristics Socio-economic characteristics Behavioral characteristics Agent Biological agents Physical agents Chemical agents Nutrient agents Mechanical agents Social agents Environment Physical environment Biological environment Social environment

10 Communicable diseases Modes of transmission Direct transmission Direct contact Droplet infection Contact with soil Inoculation into skin or mucosa Trans-placental (vertical) Indirect transmission Water-borne Vector-borne Air-borne Fomite-born Unclean hands and fingers

11 Sewage and disease transmission

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13 Effect of waste on Living world Effect on health of Human Beings due to Solid waste: e.g., Diseases due to flies Liquid waste: e.g., Fecal-oral transmission of communicable diseases, Diseases due to mosquitoes Gaseous waste: Air pollution leading to respiratory problems Others: Low birth weight, Congenital Malformations, Cancers, etc.. And we should not forget that waste also has. Effect on Plants and Animal kingdom leading to Deforestation, extinction of species, loss of biodiversity, etc..

14 Waste Management Hierarchy Primordial Prevention (Reduce) Primary Prevention (Reuse) Secondary Prevention (Recycle, Recover) Tertiary Prevention (Landfill)

15 Challenges and Issues Migration or dumping of waste From developed countries to developing countries (especially hazardous waste) From cities to rural / tribal / forest areas From land to sea / rivers / water bodies From Earth to Space (maybe in future) Modern waste management technology need to be More focused on reducing waste generation, re-use and re-cycle Available, Accessible, Affordable, Adaptable, etc. E.g., it is not made available to all (especially developing countries) Lack of awareness among citizens, policy-makers, etc.

16 What can be done? More Research required to understand Social, Economic, Political impact of health related issues of waste management Linking Health and Development Following and achieving SDGs Sustainable Development Goals Creating awareness among Common man, waste handlers Policy makers and policy implementers at local / regional / national / international levels

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