Question

Discuss briefly the following:
A. Radioactive wastes
B. Defunct ships and e-wastes
C. Municipal solid wastes

Answer 1

Hint: The radioactive waste includes any material that is either intrinsically radioactive or has been contaminated by the radioactivity, and that is deemed to have no other use. The defunct ships are the dead ships that are no longer in use and the e-waste is any electrical or electronic equipment that has been discarded or is of no use. Municipal solid waste is a waste consisting of the everyday items that are discarded by the public. The garbage can also refer to food waste; these two are collected separately.

Complete answer: A. Radioactive wastes: Radioactive waste is a type of hazardous waste that contains radioactive material. The radioactive waste is a by-product of different processes of nuclear technology. The industrial radioactive waste includes nuclear medicine, nuclear research, nuclear power, manufacturing, construction, coal, and rare-earth mining also nuclear weapons reprocessing. The radioactive waste is regulated by government agencies in order to protect human health and the environment as well.
B. Defunct ships and e-wastes: The defunct ships are ships that are of no use. Such ships are broken down for scrap metal in countries such as India and Pakistan. These ships are a source of various toxicants such as asbestos, lead, mercury, etc. Therefore, they contribute to the solid wastes that are hazardous to their health. E-waste or electronic waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. The used electronics which are destined for refurbishment, reuse, resale, salvage recycling through material recovery, or disposal are also considered e-waste. The informal processing of e-waste in developing countries can lead to major human health effects and also environmental pollution.
C. Municipal solid waste: It is commonly known as trash or garbage. It consists of everyday items that are used and then thrown away, such as the product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food waste, newspapers, appliances, paint, and batteries.

Note: The major environmental concern related to nuclear power is the creation of radioactive wastes such as uranium mill tailings, used reactor fuel, and other radioactive wastes. These materials can remain radioactive and dangerous to human health for thousands of years. When the e-waste is warmed up the toxic chemicals are released into the air which damages the atmosphere. The damage to the atmosphere is one of the biggest environmental impacts of e-waste. The municipal solid waste can contain dangerous substances which include volatile organic compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, heavy metals, radioactive materials, and pharmaceuticals as well.