Introduction
Waste management and related dilemma have been a problem in the modern lifestyle, especially in the urban centers occupied by industries disposing of waste daily. Due to continuous waste production in these areas, many issues must be addressed by developing effective waste management programs. These areas have had sprawls in current days as the town grows (Wycliffe, 2019). The paper discusses the waste dilemmas in the cities, waste management approaches, urban sprawls, and urban sustainability and how each can be solved.
Scale of the Waste Dilemma
Nowadays, the scale of the waste dilemma formulates an urgent issue since there are many challenges facing industries in waste disposal. Disposal involves the destruction the refuse from the production areas such as industries. It can either be done by burning, recycling, releasing to water sources such as rivers, or burying, depending on its nature since wastes may be liquid, solid, or gaseous. Waste industries disposal has been a challenge since the industrial revolution as many industries were introduced, but the challenge is that no primary method was presented. The main difficulties are waste overproduction and landfilling (Wycliffe, 2019). Therefore, one can conclude that landfill pollution is a significant problem, that requires a quick solution.
Most of the production sites lack waste disposal areas leading to leachate formation. This liquid is highly toxic and can lead to round water production and land pollution. Landfills can happen in greenhouses, too, where food waste breakdown leads to methane release, which is more harmful than carbon dioxide and is known to cause global warming. Lack of technological advancements has brought the dilemma too (Bharti et al., 2019). Although newer methods of waste disposal were introduced, most countries have been reluctant to advance to these technologies, and instead, they depend on the quick but inefficient disposal methods.
Waste overproduction has contributed to waste disposal as well. From the research conducted in America, it was discovered that over 220 million tons of waste are released every year (Wycliffe, 2019). It formulates the importance of a universal disposal method throughout the world to deal with a significant amount of waste. The leading cause of this has been producing a product whose waste cannot be recycled or reused. The release of toxic waste products such as batteries, pesticides, paints, and cleaning chemicals used even in our homes has made waste management difficult. Most of them do not decompose to completion but instead release toxins into the environment, causing air pollution. Overproduction and usage of plastics in most nations have contributed to the waste dilemma. Most of the products used daily are made up of plastics, from carrier bags to bottles. Plastics fail to decompose even when buried underground (Wycliffe, 2019). Industries prefer burning them to completion, leading to the release of carbon monoxide, which causes carbonic rain affecting plants.
Effective Methods for Waste Management
Waste management involves the treatment of both liquid and solid wastes. The principal methods for waste management include recycling, reuse and fermentation. Recycling waste involves collection of byproducts of an already produced item and processes them back into a new thing. It involves a series of steps, including collecting, processing, manufacturing, and purchasing the newly made product (Wycliffe, 2019). There are different processes such as recycling, including plastic, metal, e-waste, wood, glass, clothing, and textile recycling. The main aim of recycling is to reduce wastes being disposed.
Reuse is another waste management method, which involves repeated product usage for the same purpose, reducing waste overproduction. Waste management is achieved through the process since a product expected to be disposed is used again reducing the number of the disposed. It is a convenient method since one should not spend resources on the technical tools for the deletion of wastes (Bharti et al., 2019). Fermentation can be used to change materials with lipids such as acetic acids to produce carbon dioxide instead of the expected hazardous acids, hence preserving the environment and achieving waste management.
Waste from production areas can be managed by reducing the release sources. Most plastic products released, such as drinking bottles, can be reduced by looking for already used ones and recycling instead of disposal since they are pollutants. Thermal treatments such as increnation can be used as waste treatment methods that involve combustion of the waste. Combustion of the waste involves using high temperature to liquidate tailings. It is essential since it reduces the waste quantity, releases heat which is a source of power, and they have filters that reduce pollutants by trapping them (Wycliffe, 2019). Waste can be managed by the land application method, which involves the release of the garbage into the agricultural field, decay, and release of nutrients that promote agriculture’s an effective method since it reduces the consumption of fertilizers that are pollutants.
The mainly applied waste management methods in the community are reuse and land application. Most of the used products such as plastic bottles are reused to store other liquids such as water at home. Since the main activity done in the remote areas is plantation, farmers dispose such wastes to decay and add nutrients to plants (Bharti et al., 2019). The unapplied ones are recycling, incarnation, and fermentation since they require the use of machines that are not available at home.
New Approaches Pursued to the Community
Talking about the disposal methods in my community, I can indicate that there is one incinerator. However, the technologies used in this plant are outdated, which leads to negative consequences. These are bad odor and air pollution, promoting environmental degradation (Bharti et al., 2019). Thus, I can suggest that my community should pursue the combustion of waste, however, applying modern technologies. For example, filtration plants will help eliminate the smell and release of harmful materials during combustion.
For effective waste management back in the community, it would be better if people could start applying combustion method. Most of the chemicals used in homes, such as paintings and batteries, are disposed of poorly and cause pollution in the environment. For example, dye is usually poured into rivers affecting the animals and underground waters into the ground (Bharti et al., 2019). Batteries do not decompose quickly; instead, during the rainy season, community people cause the production of leachate water. It could have much conducive if the workers left the paints to ferment or evaporate instead of disposing of them as they do.
Causes and Consequences of Urban Sprawl
Urban sprawl is the expansion of urban centers with low numbers of rental houses and private mobile transportation methods. It results from the increasing number of urban populations in most centers, while in a few, it is caused by increased demand for living space. The leading causes include improved infrastructures, poor urban planning, a rise in levels of living, reduced land rates, and a surge in urban population (Wycliffe, 2019). Therefore, governments should take the initiative to create development strategies for the factors mentioned above.
The main negative consequence of urban sprawl is poor land use compared to the population occupied. Although sprawl leads to the accommodation of the urban people, it only happens during working hours, and at night, it is usually vacant. Most people are homeless, and if given a chance to stay in some buildings, it can solve the challenge (Wycliffe, 2019). The situation is associated with environmental pollution too. Sprawl is caused by the industrial revolution, which entails the production of goods. Since the city is already congested, there are a few areas for waste segregation, pushing such companies to release their waste poorly, causing chemical hazards.
Ways Cities Are Reducing Urban Sprawls
The new urbanism states that growth in city centers occurs without terrain destruction and pollution in the name of expansion. Urban sprawl is done by revitalizing the existing centers without expansion and reducing sprawl (Man & Jessica, 2021). Smart growth is a solution provided by the planners and architects who aim to apply the mixed-use phenomenon, which brings together commercial centers and residential reducing sprawl. In most centers, those working after sprawl do not know their impacts, such as increased traffic due to the use of private automobiles and increased population. They need to be educated on its negative impacts.
Significant Issues for Urban Sustainability
Urban sustainability is the study and the practices of building a city with the plan to lengthen its viability and reduce its adverse impacts on people and the place. The major issues for the matter include social equity, protection of the environment, and viability of the economy. The environment is protected by ensuring that all the waste is well disposed of with as little negative impact as possible (Man & Jessica, 2021). Finally, economic viability is achieved by ensuring the urban centers catch up with the current lifestyles, which are sources of finances.
Role of Urban Ecology in Urban Sustainability
Urban ecology is the study of how living things relate with each other in an urban environment while urban sustainability aims at ensuring the city does not cause adverse effects to its people. The primary purpose of urban ecology is to promote balance between the natural environment and human culture (Man & Jessica, 2021). Urban ecology achieves sustainability by ensuring human wellbeing and ecosystem services are well taken care of by providing all the ecological, social, and economic actions.
Conclusion
The scale of waste dilemmas is characterized by the challenges of its disposal, caused by waste overproduction, among others. The difficulties can be solved through management methods which include recycling, reuse, and fermentation of the waste. It is good for the community to use combustion since it is simple and preserves the environment than burning off the wastes available. The leading cause of urban sprawl is the increased urban population, while the main consequence is poor land use, and it can be reduced by urbanism, smart growth, and providing education to town members. The major issues for sustainability are social equity, protection of the environment and viability of the economy, and ecology’s primary role in promoting balance in both the natural environment and human culture.
References
Bharti, P. K., Tabassum, B., Bajaj, P., Kumar, V., Ray, J., & Naeem, F. (2019). Waste disposal and management. Discovery Publishing House Pvt. Ltd.
Man, J. (2019). What is urban sustainability? The overview. Diversity for Social Impact™. Web.
Wycliffe. (2019). Urban sprawl. Urban Sprawl – an overview | Science Direct Topics. Web.