Question

Describe the role of citizens in solid waste management.

Answer 1

Hint: Solid waste refers to any garbage or sludge resulting from any wastewater treatment plant or air pollution control facility and discarded material from the industrial, mining, commercial, and agricultural operations. Solid-waste management includes collection, treatment, and the disposition of the solid waste.

Complete step by step answer:
Citizens play a significant role in solid waste management. Citizens have a greater responsibility to ensure the cleanliness in their surroundings. The government has launched ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ campaign to solve sanitation related problems and waste management in order to ensure hygiene across India. Citizens must follow the seven principles (7 R’s) of solid waste management to reduce wastes as mentioned below:
Rethink: Citizens must rethink before buying any product as unnecessarily buying of useless products can lead to land and water pollution. For example: citizens should use reusable water bottles like glass to avoid usage of the plastic bottles.
Refuse: Citizens must refuse the buying of over-packaged products that have been packed in plastic bags. For example: citizens should carry a reusable bag while buying from the grocery stores.
Reduce: Citizens must initiate reducing the waste at homes by making lesser use of plastic, reusing the storage containers and glass jars, and using the recycled paper for packing.
Reuse: Recycling must be promoted to reuse the discarded items and reduce the waste thus saving energy, cost and time. For example: making manure from decomposable waste, making note-books from unused papers.
Repair: Before disposing of any material that can’t be reduced or re-used, citizens must repair it in order to decrease the waste. For example: Broken drawers and shelves in the kitchen must be fixed.
Repurpose: Repurposing or up-cycling mainly helps in reducing the waste. For example: Converting your old cups into candle stand
Rot: Composting recycles the food waste into the nutrient-dense soil. The process transforms the biodegradable waste into the fertilizers that can be further used in planting trees.

Note:Improper waste management or improper waste disposal can lead to several diseases from pollution like Lung diseases, skin irritation, heart problems, abnormality in breathing. For example, if dangerous wastes get dumped into the environment, it can leach into the ground and ground water where some of the communities get drinking water.