Disposal Methodology Research Articles

Factors Associated with Improving Appropriate Medical Sharps Disposal Practice Among Diabetic Patients Using Insulin Therapy

Background Diabetic patients are always in contact with medical sharps, such as pen needles, lancets, and syringes. Sometimes, patients improperly dispose of these items and cause needle stick injuries. This study aimed to identify factors that improve appropriate manner in which individuals with diabetes who require insulin therapy dispose of medical sharps. Methods In December 2019, a cross-sectional investigation was undertaken amongst insulin therapy-dependent diabetic patients visiting Jakarta’s Fatmawati General Hospital. A questionnaire was formulated to appraise medical sharps’ disposal methodology. The data gathered from the said patients, including their age, gender, educational level, employment status, length of time as a diabetic, duration of insulin treatment, and receipt of formal medical training, were also recorded. Results Of 103 diabetic patients, 77.3% were over 50 years old, 58.3% were female, 68% were a low level of education, 74.8% were not working, 84.5% were diagnosed with diabetes for more than 5 years, 53.4% were using insulin therapy for more than 5 years, and only 65% had got formal training on medical sharp products disposal. Nearby 83.5% still recap the pen needle insulin with the inner needle cap after injecting insulin, and 92.2% still threw medical sharps on the street when traveling outside. Approximately 81.6% of respondents stored their unused needles and lancets in a secured manner that was inaccessible to children. The practice score for proper medical sharps disposal increased from 4.5 to 6.0 as a result of formal training provided by healthcare professionals, as determined by the Mann Whitney Test (p=0.001). Conclusions Formal training by healthcare workers was the only factor that improved medical sharp products disposal practice among diabetic patients using insulin therapy.

Factors Associated with Improving Appropriate Medical Sharps Disposal Practice Among Diabetic Patients Using Insulin Therapy

Background: Diabetic patients are always in contact with medical sharps, such as pen needles, lancets, and syringes. Sometimes, patients improperly dispose of these items and cause needle stick injuries. This study aimed to identify factors that improve appropriate manner in which individuals with diabetes who require insulin therapy dispose of medical sharps. Methods: In December 2019, a cross-sectional investigation was undertaken amongst insulin therapy-dependent diabetic patients visiting Jakarta's Fatmawati General Hospital. A questionnaire was formulated to appraise medical sharps' disposal methodology. The data gathered from the said patients, including their age, gender, educational level, employment status, length of time as a diabetic, duration of insulin treatment, and receipt of formal medical training, were also recorded. Results: Of 103 diabetic patients, 77.3% were over 50 years old, 58.3% were female, 68% were a low level of education, 74.8% were not working, 84.5% were diagnosed with diabetes for more than 5 years, 53.4% were using insulin therapy, and only 65% had got formal training on medical sharp products disposal. Nearby 83.5% still recap the pen needle insulin with the inner needle cap after injecting insulin, and 92.2% still threw medical sharps on the street when traveling outside. Approximately 81.6% of respondents stored their unused needles and lancets in a secured manner that was inaccessible to children. The practice score for proper medical sharps disposal increased from 4.5 to 6.0 as a result of formal training provided by healthcare professionals, as determined by the Mann Whitney Test (p=0.001). Conclusions: Formal training by healthcare workers was the only factor that improved medical sharp products disposal practice among diabetic patients using insulin therapy

Multi-criteria group decision-making method in disposal of municipal solid waste based on cubic Pythagorean fuzzy EDAS approach with incomplete weight information

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) has always been a typical issue in India. The rapid population growth, impetuous adoption of modern lifestyle, and fast urbanization resulted in India’s swift generation of complicated municipal solid waste (MSW). Consequently, municipalities of different cities in India face various difficulties in MSW collection, treatment and disposal methodology. Inefficient or poorly managed MSW causes numerous troubles, including air pollution, soil fouling, contamination in drinking water and health hazard, and it also impacts socio-economic deterioration. MSWM technique selection is based on several criteria, which are generally imprecise, uncertain, and vague. This paper uses the cubic Pythagorean fuzzy number to comprise the fuzzy characteristics of the criteria value concerning the five alternatives (Thermochemical methods in MSW treatment and disposal). The best MSW treatment and disposal method is selected amongst the five alternatives under the novel multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) approach, the cubic Pythagorean fuzzy EDAS (Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution) in the Indian context. The weight information of the criteria has yet to be wholly known. A non-linear optimization scheme is proposed to determine the criteria weights that are partially known to maximize the generalized total distance measure between alternatives corresponding to all criteria. The present method is explained with a case study. Finally, a comparative analysis is drawn between the present and some existing methods, showing that the present method is consistent and robust enough to apply in practice.

Development of safe products from local waste of oil and fat production

Quicklime is a mixture of pieces of different sizes formed after coarse grinding of the fried product. According to its chemical composition, it is a mixture of calcium and magnesium oxides, the main composition of which is CaO. In small quantities, it may contain undecomposed calcium carbonate, as well as silicates, aluminates and ferrites of calcium and magnesium, formed during the interaction of clay and quartz sand with calcium and magnesium oxides. Quicklime ground lime is a powder product of fine grinding of lump lime. The formulation of the bitumen-replacing mixture consists of the following components, such as oil sludge, gossypol resin, quicklime and technical sulfur. Oil sludge is the most significant waste of the oil industry in terms of mass. A waste disposal methodology towards obtaining a bitumen-replacing mixture for the use of insulating and roofing coatings was created. According to the results, comparative tests of pilot batches of building bitumen -replacing mixture in terms of physical and mechanical characteristics in accordance with State standards 6617-76 showed that almost all 4 experimental batches of building bitumen -replacing mixture gave good performance. However, the experimental batch #4 changed stability and increased bitumen brittleness when 4% quicklime was added. After the test, the experimental batch #3 received good indicators of stability and brittleness.

A Comprehensive Review on Utilization of Slaughterhouse By-Product: Current Status and Prospect

The meat processing industry produces a huge quantity of by-products, approximately 150 million tonnes per year. The live weight of the animals is distinguished as edible, inedible, and discardable by-products, with the discardable parts equating to 66%, 52%, and 80% of the overall live weight of cattle, lamb, and pigs, respectively. Only a small percentage of those by-products are nowadays exploited for the production of high added value products such as animal feed, glue, fertilizers, etc., whereas the main management method is direct disposal to landfills. As such, the current disposal methodologies of these by-products are problematic, contributing to environmental contamination, soil degradation, air pollution, and possible health problems. Nevertheless, these by-products are rich in collagen, keratin, and minerals, being thus promising sources of high-value materials such as bioenergy, biochemical and other biomaterials that could be exploited in various industrial applications. In this paper, the possible utilization of slaughterhouse by-products for the production of various high added value materials is discussed. In this context, the various processes presented provide solutions to more sustainable management of the slaughterhouse industry, contributing to the reduction of environmental degradation via soil and water pollution, the avoidance of space depletion due to landfills, and the development of a green economy.

AQUA ROVER

Water has been stated as one of the fundamental elements for the existence of life on Earth, and is being contaminated as a sign of human development and negligence towards the ecosystem. In spite of many waste disposal methodologies that have been proposed and brought into practice, the pollution rate is not differentiable. Around 80% of the Indian local body water sources have been reported as tainted due to waste dumping. Every year, around 1.5 million Indian children die from diarrhea. While looking at the water pollutants, plastic has a significant contribution towards this. They pile up, creating a layer on the water surface resisting the light to enter the water; also, the chemicals used in coating the plastic objects turn out to be life threatening for the aquatic lives as well as human lives. A considerable population use these local water body sources for drinking purposes and it adds up to the responsibility for us to keep them hygienic and safe. Many methods for abreaction have been initiated by the Government and other resources. This paper proposes an efficient, cost-effective, simple and habitat-friendly "AQUA ROVER" (prototype) which is a dedicated device to this concern.

A methodology for recycling waste expanded polystyrene using flower essential oils

While polystyrene polymers see broad usage in homes as well as various industrial sectors, their generation of pollutants and disposal remain issues yet to be fully addressed. Expanded polystyrene is commonly used as an insulator and industrial packaging material due to its properties, but the lack of benign, efficient, and economically viable recycling and disposal methodologies to address the global volume of waste material generated has become problematic. Herein, we present an environmentally friendly methodology to recycle waste expanded polystyrene. As an alternative to toxic solvents, essential oils found in flowers are used to dissolve waste expanded polystyrene for purposes of recycling. Characterizations of the polystyrene (both pre-and post-recovery), essential oils, and the dissolutions were performed using infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that these flower-based essential oils function well as safer alternatives to treat waste expanded polystyrene.

Method of evaluating the economic efficiency of waste utilization from trade enterprises

The article analyses the implementation of the principles of environmental self-restoration and dynamic adaptability of trade enterprises. Solving the problems of introducing environmental aspects of sustainable development into the activities of trade enterprises and developing waste disposal methodologies are important tasks for the country's economy. It is offered to develop a methodology (system) of waste processing, which are formed in the process of consumption of commodity-material values in trade. The methodology includes the following factors: cost-effectiveness, social significance of disposal, safety of waste processing, resource saving, environmental reputation. The method includes several stages: analysis of the regulatory framework, the settlement and analytical stage, and the final stage - the assessment of economic efficiency. The main difference between the method and the one developed earlier is in an integrated approach to justifying the creation of a modern waste treatment system in commercial enterprises. The offered method develops the theory of economic and investment analysis, as well as the theory of making management decisions in managing the development of commercial enterprises.

Fabrication of hydrochar based on food waste (FWHTC) and its application in aqueous solution rare earth ions adsorptive removal: Process, mechanisms and disposal methodology

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of food waste is a promising technology to dispose these widely generated and notorious wastes. Food waste hydrochar (FWHTC) was produced during this process. However, production and application of FWHTC remained at embryo stage. Herein, this study for the first time produced leftover steamed bread hydrochar (LSHTC) and pitaya peel hydrochar (PPHTC), and then applied them to adsorptive remove rare earth ions (REI) from wastewater. FWHTCs were systematically characterized by SEM, FTIR, XPS, BET, elemental analysis and TG-DSC. Isotherm study showed that Langmuir model fitted the data well at lower initial REI concentrations while Freundlich model fitted better at higher concentrations. The maximum adsorption capacity of LSHTC for La3+ reached 108 mg g−1. Continuous adsorption experiment in adsorption column was also conducted and key operation parameters were predicted by Yoon-Nelson model. The adsorption mechanisms were dominated by physisorption (electrostatic attraction) at the very starting stage, followed by chemisorption (ion exchange and/or surface complexation) playing a key role. At last, a sustainable “Reduce-Reuse-Recycle” pattern of food waste disposal methodology was proposed.

Solid Waste Disposal Practices of the Atis (Aeta) of Boracay

The rising quality of life and high rates of resource consumption patterns had an unintended and negative impact both on the urban and rural environments and even on indigenous communities. Cities are now grappling with the problems of high volumes of waste, the costs involved, the disposal technologies and methodologies, and the impact of wastes on the local and global environment. This study is entitled Solid Waste Disposal Practices of the Atis (Aetas) of Boracay. The study was conducted to identify the Solid Waste Disposal Practices of the Atis in Boracay in terms of method of garbage storage and their methods of garbage disposal. It also seeks to identify activities/ programs implemented or practiced in the community to minimize improper waste disposal practices of every household in the community. The researcher to gather the information needed to be utilized a survey questionnaire. Interviews with 25 households and observations were conducted to further validate the authenticity of the data. Findings revealed that in terms of household garbage storage the respondents stored their garbage in a plastic bag, in an open container, and others pile it in the yard especially those biodegradable wastes. Concerning their garbage disposal practices, every household practiced proper segregation of waste. For their food waste, they put it in basket compost, while plastic containers, bottles, metals, and glass were segregated properly and disposed to a dumpsite through garbage collection. Trashes such as papers/cardboards were used for cooking by the Atis. Yard trimmings were used as compost as organic fertilizer. A once a week community cleaning is conducted by the Atis to maintain the cleanliness of their community where proper segregation of wastes was also monitored by the community organizer. In partnership with the Department of Agriculture Atis of Boracay were trained on basket composting to manage their biodegradable wastes. They were also guided by the policy of the Local Government Unit of Malay on proper wastes disposal.

The greenhouse gas inventory as a tool for planning integrated waste management systems: a case study in central Italy

This paper presents the GHG (greenhouse gas) inventory of the integrated waste management system of the Province of Siena (central Italy), for the years 2008–2011, according to the “2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories”. The study presents the detailed calculation of GHG emissions from different plants (landfills, incinerators, composting plants, selection and valorization lines, etc.), which may orient emission reduction strategies and decrease the environmental impact of the waste sector. Total emissions decreased from 2009 to 2011 mainly through better management of landfills. Production of electricity from renewable (in situ photovoltaic panel installation) and alternative resources (incinerated waste and biogas recovery from landfills) avoids GHG emissions because it limits import of electricity from thermoelectric power stations. The experience presented in this study can be used as a waste sector model, since the evaluations can be repeated in time and concern different interacting waste disposal methodologies. Various public and private organizations may take part in the analysis, so as to calibrate the waste management system according to the results obtained by GHG inventories. The results of the analysis can be verified and validated according to international standards (e.g. ISO 14064 or 14067) by an independent organization in order to systematically facilitate the link between GHG computation and political action.

Co-processing of Industrial Waste in Cement Kiln – A Robust System for Material and Energy Recovery

Waste management is a serious issue around the world. It is most prominent in the developing countries. Non–hazardous industrial waste is another aspect at 100 million tons/year with coal ash accounting for 70 million ton/year in India. It is the second highest waste stream ending up in landfill site. The quantity is projected to be increased at faster rate in coming years with increasing industrialization. This industrial waste has characteristics of municipal solid waste with percentage of non-biodegradable waste on the higher side. Co-processing of this waste for energy recovery and as an alternative raw material in cement kiln can be an effective management methodology for this waste stream. This is being practiced sustainably in number of countries but in India the process lacks proper implementation. The auxiliary technological requirement is less and the process is highly economical and effective. This study specifically shows the effectiveness of the co-processing in cement plants in India, as a way for an effective utilization of energy and recoverable raw materials locked in the industrial waste. The robustness of the co-processing of industrial waste has been analyzed based on three cases studies in India. The findings revealed that it can be one of the most effective industrial waste disposal techniques in India and in other developing countries considering other practices of waste disposal methodology in terms of zero ash generation, emission, less auxiliary technology requirements, less set up cost, etc. The robustness of the co-processing as a waste disposal technique was also revealed by the economic and environmental statistical analysis. The study shows the sustainability of co-processing as an energy and material recovery process and addresses the issues related to sustainable management of industrial wastes. Number of study is available in the literature but analysis based on multiple case studies specific to Indian scenario is scarce.

Solid waste disposal methodology selection using multi-criteria decision making methods and an application in Turkey

Rapidly increasing population, rising living standards and developments in the fields of science and technology cause continuously increase in the quantity and variety of solid waste. This situation results in a further contamination of natural resources. A variety of technologies for solid waste disposal have been developed to reduce the detrimental effects of solid waste to a minimum level. In literature, studies that are focused on solid waste disposal are generally considering thermal, biological, recovery methodologies or they are just devoted for solid waste technologies used in a determined country, city or region. Besides, in this study all alternatives that are currently used all around the world are investigated and suggestions are made based on the idea of possible implementations in Istanbul, Turkey. For that purpose, firstly overview definition and types of solid waste and general information about solid waste management were given. Afterwards, 10 disposal alternatives of solid waste were evaluated via 18 criteria's which are determined by Istanbul Environmental Management Industry and Trade Co., Ltd. experts to select best disposal technology. Three different multi-criteria decision making methods, Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution – TOPSIS, Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations – PROMETHEE and Fuzzy TOPSIS were used for the selection. In this comparison current disposal methodologies are evaluated and tried to determine the most feasible one. According to final results, ordered storing and burning systems are selected as top two methodologies for Istanbul case.

Hazardous Wastes Generated in the Manufacture of High-Explosive 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene

AbstractThe hazardous wastes generated in the manufacture of high-explosive 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) from starting material 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene are described. The process generates three kinds of effluents: water-based nitration effluent (WNE), toluene-based amination effluent (TAE), and water-based amination effluent (WAE). These three effluents are analyzed as per the country’s pollution control norms. Both WNE and WAE need treatment before discharge to the environment. These treatment methodologies are discussed. The solvent recovery from TAE was found highly feasible. However, some solid organic explosive waste (∼100 kg/ton TATB produced) is generated from the residue of TAE after solvent recovery. The composition of this solid waste is analyzed by gas chromatography and its potential explosiveness is characterized by a sensitivity test. The disposal methodology of the solid wastes generated from WNE, TAE, and WAE are also discussed.

Adsorption of dyestuff from aqueous solutions through oxalic acid-modified swede rape straw: Adsorption process and disposal methodology of depleted bioadsorbents

Swede rape straw (Brassica napus L.) was modified by oxalic acid under mild conditions producing an efficient dye adsorbent (SRSOA). This low-cost and environmental friendly bioadsorbent was characterized by various techniques and then applied to purify dye-contaminated aqueous solutions. Equilibrium study showed that the Langmuir model demonstrated the best fit to the equilibrium data and the methylene blue (MB) adsorption capacity calculated by this model was 432mgg(-1). The adsorption process and mechanism is also discussed. To properly deal with the dye-loaded bioadsorbents, the disposal methodology is discussed and a biochar based on depleted bioadsorbents was for the first time produced and examined. This method both solved the disposal problem of contaminant-loaded bioadsorbents and produced an useful adsorbent thereafter. The study indicates that SRSOA is a promising substitute for ACs in purifying dye-contaminated wastewater and that producing biochars from contaminant-loaded bioadsorbents maybe a feasible disposal method.

Photocatalysis of Giemsa Dye: An Approach towards Biotechnology Laboratory Effluent Treatment

Photocatalysis offers low cost and durable treatment to dyes polluted effluent. But sometimes photocatalyzed dye intermediates appear to be more toxic than parent dye molecule. Present investigation uses suspended TiO2 nanoparticles and sunlight irradiation for photocatalytic treatment of Giemsa dye at optimum pH. Giemsa dye has wide applications in molecular biology, cytology and histology laboratories across the world. Surplus and used dye is discharged in sink drain which is likely to cause hazardous concerns to environment. Paper analyzes toxicity concerns of treated and untreated Giemsa dye. Bioassays incorporating agar well diffusion assay and seed germination were employed to check the toxicity of water. Significant changes were noted in alkalinity, BOD, COD, Ca2+ , Mg2+, NO3-, SO42- ion concentration, hardness, temperature, turbidity and pH; and compared with standards for drinking water, World Health Organization. HPTLC of treated waste water confirmed that photocatalyzed dye intermediates exhibited increased absorbance in visible range of spectrum. At pH 2 various investigated parameters were found to match WHO standards for drinking water. Environmental risk assessment reveals that treated water possessed toxicity at pH 7 and was not found suitable for irrigation and potable purposes. Beside photocatalytic treatment, waste disposal methodology still needs to be accompanied with secondary treatment of water.

Characteristics of Turbidity Dispersion due to Disposal of Dredged Sediments into the Bottom of Stratified Water Column

Although backfilling of a dredged trench is an effective environmental restoration measure in many of bays, its efficient methodology has not been established so far. Thus, we considered an appropriate sediment disposal methodology to suppress dispersion of turbidity in the surrounding environment on the basis of experimental and numerical analyses. We adopted a tremie pipe, disposing sediments into the bottom of the trench, and considered the effects of the solvent and sediment densities, and the density of the lower water as well as the intensity of stratification. We clarified the characteristics of turbidity dispersion behaviors and found that a special care should be made when the density of the solvent lower than that of the bottom water in the trench, which might lead to rising and dispersion of turbid waters.

Possible solutions for sludge dewatering in China

In China, over 1.43×107 tons of dewatered sewage sludge, with 80% water content, were generated from wastewater treatment plants in 2007. About 60% of the COD removed during the wastewater treatment process becomes concentrated as sludge. Traditional disposal methods used by municipal solid waste treatment facilities, such as landfills, composting, or incineration, are unsuitable for sludge disposal because of its high water content. Disposal of sludge has therefore become a major focus of current environmental protection policies. The present status of sludge treatment and disposal methodology is introduced in this paper. Decreasing the energy consumption of sludge dewatering from 80% to 50% has been a key issue for safe and economic sludge disposal. In an analysis of sludge water distribution, thermal drying and hydrothermal conditioning processes are compared. Although thermal drying could result in an almost dry sludge, the energy consumption needed for this process is extremely high. In comparison, hydrothermal technology could achieve dewatered sewage sludge with a 50%–60% water content, which is suitable for composting, incineration, or landfill. The energy consumption of hydrothermal technology is lower than that required for thermal drying.

A Web-Based Decision Support System for the Planning of Vessel Dismantling Processes

Aiming to augment the quality of decision making in vessel dismantling, this paper presents an innovative decision support system that takes into account the diversity of the associated constraints to aid stakeholders handle issues such as the appropriateness of a disposal methodology or the level of safety in a dismantling yard. Being seamlessly integrated with an advanced simulation environment, the system also facilitates the collaborative design of dismantling processes.

Role of clays in the disposal of nuclear waste: A review

Applied and basic sciences of clay mineralogy have played significant roles in radioactive waste disposal practices. Clays and clay minerals as in situ lithologic components and engineered barriers are characterized by favorable properties from the viewpoint of radioactive-waste emplacement. Their high sorptivity, longevity, and low permeability make them promising candidates for retaining most natural and anthropogenic long-lived radionuclides within the contaminated and engineered disposal sites. In this review the following subjects are discussed: (1) source-term classification and current and proposed disposal methodology of low-level and high-level wastes: (2) selected physicochemical properties of clays pertinent to site characterization, grouting, and impermeable barrier components; (3) application of clays in current and future waste disposal practices.