Beyond its effects on human health, inadequate waste management practices can result in serious, negative ecological and environmental consequences. These impacts can be observed through disrupted air and water quality, as well as through decreased quality of life for plants and animals. This section will cover some of the causes which lead to such alarming outcomes, as well as the importance of adequate sanitation and monitoring.
Even with the use of synthetic liners to provide better containment of landfills, the environmental risk still exists as a possibility for contamination. If the liner were to be punctured or fail, leachate residue (the liquid residue of disposed garbage) containing harmful chemicals or pollutants, could potentially hinder the quality of groundwater sources. Additionally, through the breakdown and decomposition of organic garbage materials, methane and carbon dioxide (two harmful greenhouse gasses) are emitted. Generally, most modern landfills have systems in place to monitor and collect these gasses for future use. However, in the developing world, open dump sites and potentially less advanced landfills may not have such technology and monitoring equipment. If methane gas accumulates enough in the landfill with enough pressure, potential explosions are possible (1).
Furthermore, unsanitary landfills and open dump sites can drastically affect soils. The accumulation of heavy metals or other hazards may make it more difficult for certain vegetation or microbial species to flourish in the area. Studies have also found that landfills can inhibit or accelerate enzyme activity of soils. Such results have the potential for long term consequences and could alter the species types (for plants, insects, and animals) that flourish in the area (2).
Incineration
Depending on the containment and recovery methods, incineration may also contribute significantly to water and air pollution. If not collected, the harmful emissions released from combustion process will certainly contribute to air pollution but can also eventually settle in bodies of water and soil. Comparable to the process described earlier, this may alter the microbial species in soils through two potential mediums. Certain insect or plant species that are highly prevalent may potentially die off, or other species may become more dominant and impact the overall ecosystem (3).
The next and final section of this blog will serve as a wrap-up and focus on cities with innovative strategies that may be avenues for the future.
Sources:
1) Garcia-Gil, J.C., Plaza, C., Soler-Rovira, P., Polo. 2000. Long-term effects of municipal solid waste compost application on soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass. Soil Biology & Biochemistry. 32, Pages 1907-1913
2) The World Bank. 2016. “Urban Solid Waste Management Environmental Issues”.
3) Alam, P; Ahmade, K. 2013. Impact of Solid Waste on Health and the Environment. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Green Economics. 2(1)