Introduction to Various Types of Wastes

The increase in urbanization has paralleled itself with the rise in human population owing to the activities essential for fulfilling the basic requirements and improving the lifestyle of the masses. This improvement has, however, resulted in a tremendous amount of waste generation. Waste is an inevitable byproduct of most human activities, and as living standards have risen and economies have been developed around the world, especially in the Asian and Pacific regions, substantial amounts of industrial hazardous waste and biomedical waste have been added to the waste stream. Both types of waste (industrial hazardous waste and biomedical waste) have the high potential to cause severe environmental and human harm. Solid and liquid waste management is a significant social issue that must be addressed with cutting-edge technology to protect public health and the environment. Thus, developing effective and efficient solid waste management plans requires a thorough understanding of the type of waste, its characteristics, and the quantities being produced. This chapter will give an overview of solid and liquid wastes such as municipal solid, hazardous, biomedical, radioactive, construction, demolition, electronic, battery, and sewage sludge. The chapter will also briefly cover the current trend of solid and liquid waste generation around the globe and in India. This chapter would serve as a primary knowledge base for researchers, stakeholders, and environmental engineers in solid waste management.