Discuss briefly the following:
(a) Radioactive wastes
(b) Defunct ships and e-wastes
(c) Municipal solid wastes
Answers
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(a) Radioactive wastes are wastes that contain radioactive material. Radioactive wastes are usually by-products of nuclear power generation and other applications ofnuclear fission or nuclear technology, such as research and medicine. Radioactive waste is hazardous to most forms of life and the environment, and is regulated by government agencies in order to protect human health and the environment.
(b) Defunct ships and e-wastes: - Defunctships are dead ships that are no longer in use. Such ships are brokendown for scrap metal in countries such as India and Pakistan. Theseships are a source of various toxicants such as asbestos, lead,mercury etc. Thus, they contribute to solid wastes that are hazardousto health.
E-wastes or electronic wastes generally includeelectronic goods such as computers etc. Such wastes are rich inmetals such as copper, iron, silicon, gold etc. These metals arehighly toxic and pose serious health hazards. People of developingcountries are involved in the recycling process of these metals andtherefore, get exposed to toxic substances present in these wastes.
(c) Municipal solid wastes: - Municipal solidwastes are generated from schools, offices, homes, and stores. It isgenerally rich in glass, metal, paper waste, food, rubber, leather,and textiles. The open dumps of municipal wastes serve as a breedingground for flies, mosquitoes, and other disease-causing microbes.Hence, it is necessary to dispose municipal solid waste properly toprevent the spreading of diseases. Sanitary landfills andincineration are the methods for the safe disposal of solid wastes.
Answer:
(a) Radioactive wastes
These are the wastes produced when nuclear energy is generated from radioactive materials. This nuclear waste is richly supplied with radioactive material which generate large quantities of ionizing radiations like the gamma rays causing mutation in entities resulting in ailments such as skin cancer. These rays can be lethal at high dosages. Harmless disposal of radioactive wastes is a huge challenge. Ideally, nuclear wastes should be stored after pre-treatment in appropriate shielded containers and later buried in rocks.
(b) Defunct ships and e-wastes
The dead ships that are no more used as referred to as Defunct ships. These ships are dismantled for scrap materials in Pakistan and India. There are different toxicants in such ships such as lead, mercury, asbestos etc. which lead to solid wastes that can be dangerous to health. E-wastes or electronic wastes include electronic goods such as mobiles, computers and other gadgets that are rich in metals like iron, copper, gold, silicon etc. Such metals are extremely toxic, posing severe health hazards. Hence people of developing countries who participate in the recycling process of such metals are debunked to toxic matter found in the wastes.
(c) Municipal solid wastes
These are the wastes that is produced from offices, schools, stores and homes which is typically rich in metal, glass, food, rubber, leather, paper waste and textiles. Municipal wastes are dumped in landfills and open dumps which serve as a breeding area for mosquitoes, flies and other microbes who have the potential to cause diseases. Therefore, it is crucial to dispose municipal wastes appropriately in order to prevent the diseases from spreading. Some measures for safe disposal of solid wastes are incineration and sanitary landfills.