Waste and Waste Disposal I

Back to: Basic Science Primary 5

WASTE AND WASTE DISPOSAL I

INTRODUCTION: With view to keeping our environment healthy we will focus on waste and waste disposal this week, in the past weeks we learnt about the advantages of a healthy environment, we saw ways that we can contribute in maintaining a healthy environment, we also looked at agencies that concern themselves with environmental protection.

 

Meaning of Waste:

Waste is any substance which is discarded after primary use, or is worthless, defective and of no use. Waste is something that is thrown away because it is no longer useful. Waste is refuse or garbage. Waste can pollute our environment. It should be properly disposed to ensure a healthy environment.

 

Types of Waste:

Wastes can be put into three categories or groups: which are

Liquid waste

Gaseous waste

Solid wastes

Man’s activities are bound to generate a lot of waste but without proper waste management strategy, it will result in environmental degradation which endangers the life of living organisms. It is our duty to ensure that the waste that results from our activities are properly disposed of.

There are two types of waste, namely: REFUSE and SEWAGE

 

Refuse: This is the solid dry waste materials such as papers, pieces of wood, broken bottles, waste foods and plastic containers. Some of these refuse can be decomposed by moulds and bacteria while others cannot. Those that can be decomposed are called biodegradable refuse example food, meat, paper. Those that cannot be decomposed are said to be non-degradable examples plastics, rubber, polyethylene etc.

 

Sewage: This is liquid wet waste. This kind of waste includes faeces, urine, and mineral salts, wastewater and other domestic and industrial waste in liquid form. Sewage can be turned to fertilizer if treated and well managed.

Both forms of waste are very dangerous as they both contain germs and other vectors of diseases.

 

EVALUATION:

1. What is waste?
2. Mention two categories that waste can be grouped into.
3. Differentiate between the two categories.