Opportunities and Challenges for Establishing Sustainable Waste Management

A systematic waste management is crucial for sustainable development of society and protection of environment and human health. However, the concept of waste management has not yet been established in the developing and underdeveloped countries. The economic, environmental, and sustainability implications have triggered the necessity of a proper waste management system all over the world. The poor collection systems, illegal dumping of hazardous medical and electronic waste, and unhealthy recycling practices are the significant concerns associated with a poor waste management infrastructure. The degree of environmental pollution and climate change are severely exacerbated by poor waste management practices. A proper waste management system can turn waste into value-added products. The waste can be turned into profitable business sources if handled properly. This chapter deals with the basic concepts of waste management. Moreover, challenges and opportunities for a systematic waste management have been critically analysed for better understanding. There are several challenges that need to be addressed for a sustainable waste management system. The poor collection/disposal system, lack of financial support, unawareness of localities, inefficient recycling, technological constraints, lack of funding in waste-to-energy projects, weak regulations and unclear legislations, all of these are the challenges of waste management. However, there are several opportunities to establish a structured waste management system. To solve these issues, an efficient waste processing system has to be introduced, containing systematic waste pick-up, and well-structured routes for time and resource saving. Incentives, and educational campaigns have to be provided to adopt sustainable waste management. Investment in recycling and composting facilities should be encouraged.