Integrated Environmental Technologies for Waste Management

With increasing population worldwide, generation of waste is also increasing exponentially day by day. Various factors contribute to this including uncontrolled urbanization, economic growth, consumer habits, etc. The carbon footprint is increasing significantly every passing day and the global solid waste generation is going to reach approximately 3.4 billion metric tons by 2050, which is very alarming for everyone around the globe. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the importance of proper recycling and management of biomedical and pharmaceutical waste products. This global health crisis has heightened awareness about the potential environmental and public health risks associated with the improper disposal of medical waste, such as used personal protective equipment (PPE), expired medications, and other hazardous materials. It has demonstrated the need for resilient waste management systems that can adapt to the challenges posed by public health emergencies while safeguarding both human health and the environment. National and international waste management sectors are fighting every day to overcome the challenges that come with this new age of urbanization because traditional waste management systems that have been used over the decades are not capable of giving a suitable solution anymore. Rapid adoption and innovation of smart, efficient integrated technologies is the only way to overcome these major challenges in the near future. Development of different integrated environmental waste management technologies has become a major area of research in recent years. This work provides critical insight into different aspects of integrated environmental technologies in waste management involving natural resource recycling and development, modelling, characteristics, benefits of different smart integrated waste management technologies, and their incorporation into conventional waste management systems, which is the only way for environmental sustainability and a better, safer future for our next generation.