Question

Answer the following question in about 30 words.

Mention the major problems associated with urban waste disposal in India.

Answer 1

Solid waste refers to a variety of discarded items. For example, small pieces of metal, broken glassware, plastic containers, polythene bags, ashes, floppies, CDs, etc., are dumped at different places. Environmental pollution from solid waste has now gained significance due to the enormous growth in the amount of waste generated from various sources. The huge outpouring of ash and debris from industries, thermal power houses, and building construction or demolition has posed serious problems. Solid waste causes health hazards through the creation of obnoxious smells and the harbouring of flies and rodents, which act as carriers of diseases such as typhoid, diphtheria, diarrhoea, malaria, and cholera.

These wastes cause frequent nuisances when they are carelessly handled, spread by the wind, and splattered by rainwater. The concentration of industrial units in and around urban centres leads to the disposal of industrial waste. The dumping of industrial waste into rivers leads to water pollution. River pollution from city-based industries and untreated sewage leads to serious health problems downstream. 50 per cent of the waste generated is left uncollected, accumulating on streets, in open spaces between houses, and in wastelands, leading to serious health hazards. Untreated waste ferments slowly and releases toxic biogas, including methane, into the atmosphere. Land is limited in urban centres, so finding landfills to dispose of the waste generated there is a major problem.