Waste Management: A Paradigm Shift

According to the available data worldwide, more than 4 billion tons of waste is generated annually. This includes municipal, industrial, biomedical, hazardous, and e-waste. Generation of solid waste is directly proportional to the size of economy and population. Management of waste is a responsibility of every human being living on this earth. Recent report of World Health Organization (WHO) states that about 25% diseases in developing countries are due to improper waste management, leading to environmental pollution and ultimately to diseases. Waste can be classified into five broad categories including solid, industrial, plastic, e-waste, and biomedical wastes. Policy guidelines at national and international level were drafted and implemented for management of wastes, environmental protection, and sustainable development. Converting waste into energy like biogas, biofuels, and novozymes (an enzyme-based solution that converts low-grade oils and cooking oils into biodiesel) is a smart approach. Another important aspect is the recyclability of certain products like plastics. Identification of one plastic polymer from another is very challenging and hence their recyclability. All the developing countries need to ratchet up the recyclability procedures. Further, the attitude of people needs to change drastically for waste generation, e.g., people being charged for the amount of food wasted by them, enforcing them to change their attitude. In addition to that, process like bioremediation is playing a significant role in environmental cleanup and to remove toxins. It is the emerging green technology of environment conservation which explores the potential of microbes for degradation of xenobiotic compounds as well as eradication, transformation, and infringement of various other contaminants.