Solid Waste Dumping Research Articles

Environmental Impact Assessment of Solid Waste Disposal on Groundwater Quality

<p class="CxSpFirst" style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;text-autospace:none;">This study focuses on the impact of solid waste on groundwater quality in the region of Ramayanpatti, Tirunelveli. Tirunelveli city generates 100 tonnes of solid waste in a day. Solid waste has organic matter, inorganic matter, and moisture content which leaches dissolved organic matter, and heavy metals to the groundwater. Rainfall runoff carries all the dissolved contaminants from the solid waste and infiltrates into the groundwater. Groundwater quality is characterized at 30 locations around the dumping yard. Water Quality Index (WQI) is calculated using important characteristics such as pH, TDS, Calcium, Magnesium, Alkalinity, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Nitrate, and Sulphate by its relative weightage. The Spatial distribution of WQI is drawn.  Groundwater Quality is very poor in the surrounding region of solid waste dump yard and also in the areas of agriculture irrigated areas. Groundwater in other areas shall be used for domestic purposes except drinking with proper disinfection.</span></p><p class="CxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;text-autospace:none;"><strong>Keywords:</strong> Solid waste, Groundwater Quality, Characterization, Water Quality Index, Groundwater use</span></p>

Soil degradation around Orji municipal solid waste dump site: a spatial assessment.

The present study assessed the impact of municipal solid waste dump on the degradation of soil around Orji dump site. A total of 15 soil samples were collected for this study. Twelve soil samples were collected around the dump site at 0m, 10m, and 20m distance and three from Imo State University (IMSU) research farm as control. The samples were collected from the east, west, north, and south of the dump site. The samples were subjected to laboratory analyses. The mean results obtained indicate that the values of the dump site soil parameters analyzed ranged from 86.67 to 89.00% (sand), 4.33 to 5.67% (silt), 7.00 to 7.67% (clay), 6.80 to 7.50 (pH), 4.33 to 7.00 dS m-1 electric conductivity (EC), 0.0028 to 0.0045mgkg-1 (salinity), 2.36 to 3.76% soil organic matter (SOM), 24.13 to 38.93 cmolc kg-1 cation exchange capacity (CEC), 4.50 to 9.57 cmolc kg-1 calcium (Ca), and 1.0 to 2.25 cmolc kg-1 magnesium (Mg). At the control, mean values were 81.24% (sand), 6.39% (silt), 12.45% (clay), 5.69 (pH), 0.47 dS m-1 (EC), 0.0005mgkg-1 (salinity), 1.99% (SOM), 5.08 cmolc kg-1 (CEC), 2.17 cmolc kg-1 (Ca), and 1.67 cmolc kg-1 (Mg). These values showed substantial enrichment. Correlations indicate that EC, salinity, and CEC majorly determined the availability of most of the parameters analyzed. Soil degradation index (SDI) was used to determine degradation around the dump site. It ranged from 2.546.61% (0m) to 1573.50% (10m) and 1.603.73% (20m). Thus, distance affected the rate of soil degradation in all directions away from the dump site.

Assessment Of Soil Quality Index In Municipal Solid Waste Dumping Area Of Chandrapur City, Maharashtra

Assessment Of Soil Quality Index In Municipal Solid Waste Dumping Area Of Chandrapur City, Maharashtra

Unraveling the Potentials of Extremophiles in Bioextraction of Valuable Metals from Industrial Solid Wastes: An Overview

The continuous dumping of industrial solid wastes into the immediate environment is incommodious since these waste materials cause pollution and serious hazards to human health. In addition, these solid wastes are complex and consist of toxic chemical substances, heavy metals, and valuable metals, hence warranting treatment before disposal. Bioleaching is a green and sustainable technology for the solubilization and mobilization of metals from solid matrices. The leaching efficacy is contingent on the types and physiology of the organisms, the elemental content of the solid wastes, and the presence of appropriate bioprocess parameters at optimum conditions. Extremophilic microbes, including thermophiles, acidophiles, alkaliphiles, and halophiles, are recognized as excellent biological agents for the efficient bioextraction of metals from industrial solid wastes due to their aptitude for survival under harsh bioleaching conditions. Therefore, this review provides insights into the employability of extremophilic microorganisms as a biofactory for the recovery of valuable metals from various industrial solid wastes. More so, it discusses the sustainability of the bioleaching technique in terms of its life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis.

Evaluating Surface Water Quality of Euphrates River in Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf, Iraq with Water Quality Index (WQI)

The present study illustrates the rapid pollution of Euphrates River, inwards Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf governance (Al-Kufa River) in Iraq, which is one of the most important rivers in the region. The river faces formidable pressure due to encroachments, discharge of untreated domestic and industrial waste, drainage water from cultivated orchards, and dumping of solid waste. This study was conducted to assess the temporary and locative organic pollution in the region. Water Quality Index (WQI) of the Al-Kufa river was determined according to the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME) method by calculating seven parameters (water temperature, DO, COD, EC, TDS, turbidity, and pH) in two sampling stations. Surface water samples were collected in a period of four months (September to December) in 2023. WQI level, correlation analysis between parameters, and Iraqi and CCME drinking water specification standards were employed to classify the surface water status. The results show that the ecological condition can be classified as marginal with WQI= 49 and poor with WQI= 42 in stations 1 and 2, respectively.

SPATIO-TEMPORAL ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN ECOSYSTEMS OF MUNICIPAL WASTE LOCALISATION AREAS USING GIS AND REMOTE SENSING DATA

The Zdovbytsia municipal solid waste (MSW) dump (the Rivne region, Ukraine) as a case study allows demonstrating informativeness of identifying waste dump sites and the adjusted areas using the spectral characteristics and texture of earth’s covers obtained from the satellite images for the different years. To identify the MSW dump in the surveyed area, direct coding features were considered, which characterized the properties of the object and are directly represented in the images. These are such features as geometric (shape, shadow, size), brightness (phototone, brightness level, color, spectral image), structural (texture, structure) ones. In addition, satellite images reliably identified the presence of discharging from the dump area, their directions, areas of unloading, the damage to herbaceous cover and other vegetation, etc. The informativeness of the study of dynamics for dump geometrical parameters, the change of its internal “structure,” the functional changes in the surrounding ecosystem elements (first, the changes in the forest stands and agricultural lands) is demonstrated. In particular, satellite image data for the period of 2003 to 2021 allow identifying the increase in a number of the Zdovbytsia MSW dump sites at the expense of adjacent forest stands. Thus, in 2003 one site of the dump is operated, whereas in 2019—already three ones, that integrated in 2021. The study of dynamics for the change of the total area of dump has revealed the increase of this area by approximately 6.25 times (from 6 521 m2 in 2003 to 20 438 m2 in 2021). In addition, the total perimeter along the contours of its stages has enlarged more than 3.35 times (from 438 to 1 466 m, respectively). The use of satellite images of higher spatial resolution in the area of about 0.6 m/pixel will specify the cases of unsatisfactory condition of the dump.

Impact of solid waste dumping on soil quality and its potential risk on human health and environment.

The soil, comprising minerals, organic matter, and living organisms, serves as a critical component of our environment. However, anthropogenic activities, such as uncontrolled sewage disposal and industrial waste, have led to pervasive soil pollution, impacting ecosystems and human health. This comprehensive study scrutinizes the intricate dynamics of soil pollution resulting from open waste dumping, specifically examining its impact on the health of local communities and the environment in Haridwar municipality. In this study, four solid waste dumping sites were meticulously surveyed, with soil samples analyzed for 19 parameters through statistical tools like one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis tests, soil pollution indices, and potential health risk assessment. The Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo) and contamination factor (CF) followed the heavy metals in the order of Zn > Mn > Fe > Cu in all selected sites. Additionally, a potential health risk assessment considered ingestion, inhalation, and dermal exposure pathways, revealing a high non-carcinogenic risk of metals (Mn > Fe > Zn > Cu) for both children and adults. In the ingestion pathway, the hazard quotient indicated a high risk of metals for both children and adults in the range of 1192.73 to 2066.94 for child and 191.98 to 312.16 for adults. Crucially, the HQ revealed potential health risks, emphasizing the urgency of addressing metal contamination. However, the findings indicate that dumping sites directly or indirectly affects the local people of Haridwar municipality. Therefore, this study provides a baseline framework for minimizing the impact of dumping sites on local population and the environment.

Evaluating the environmental effects of open dumps and waste farming: A case study

Dhapa, the landfill situated in Kolkata, is a very active site for municipal dumping. A humongous amount of municipal solid waste is added in this dump daily and the nearby farmlands produce a significant yield for the local population. The current study seeks to examine the environmental associated with leachate migration due to open dumping of unsorted solid waste in Dhapa, Kolkata, India. Also, the second goal of the study is to assess the risk to public health associated with the consumption of agricultural products possibly contaminated with heavy metals through soil and groundwater. The seasonal soil and groundwater sample, and samples of products grown near the landfill were collected around the periphery of Dhapa. The presence of heavy metals in the samples was determined using classical methods in a specialized laboratory. The soil and groundwater results compared to FAO/WHO, and BIS/WHO was found that toxic metal Cd, Cr, Zn, Pb & Hg were present in high concentrations. For the vegetables grown at the site fields, multiple samples were collected as multiple different vegetables are grown around the year, it was found that mainly Cd, Cr, Zn, Pb and Hg exceeding Indian permissible standards of consumptions many fold. Finally by the use of multiple indices like Average Daily Dose (ADD) & Chronic Daily Intake (CDI) along with Hazard Quotient (HQ) it was found that carcinogenic risk, on human health, was highest in the ground water and vegetables. The current study fills the gap associated with the scientific substantiation of actively developing environmental hazards at the regional level.

Bacteriological quality of drinking water from wells located near municipal solid waste dumps and liquid waste sites in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT This study aimed to determine the contamination level, seasonal distribution and the persistence of Salmonella sp, Vibrio cholera, and E. coli in well waters located near municipal solid and liquid waste dumpsites in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of 186 samples: well water samples (96), soils from waste dump sites (72) and waste water (18), were collected for this study. Samples were plated using freshly prepared molten plate count, Eosine methylene blue agars, poured and swirled properly for a uniform mixture. The presence of E. coli, Salmonella, and Vibrio sp were determined for the two seasons (dry and wet). The bacteria count revealed a significant difference between well waters, soil samples, liquid waste and the control (total plate count - p < 0.005; 0.0001, total coliform count - p < 0.005; 0.0021). All the sampled well water had coliform counts higher than the recommended standard. The counts were higher in the wet season than the dry season. Out of a total of 125 suspected isolates tested, 70 (56%) were positive for Vibrio cholerae, out of this, 38 (54.3%), 28 (40%) and four (5.7%) isolates were from well water, solid waste dumps and liquid waste respectively. Out of the 177 suspected E. coli isolates from well water, solid waste dumps and liquid waste tested, 162 (91.5%) were positive with 82 (50.6%) of the positive E. coli further confirmed to be E. coli 0157:H7. The results showed significant (p < 0.05) statistical difference between the wet and the dry seasons for all the water samples studied and between control and the other well water samples. Adequate treatments of well water, as well as public health education are highly recommended.

Identification of municipal solid waste disposal sites for sustainable solid waste management in Cooch Behar Municipality, West Bengal: A RS-GIS based MCDA approach

The proper disposal of solid waste represents one of the most intricate environmental challenges encountered by the municipalities of West Bengal. The municipality of Cooch Behar, a rapidly developing part of the Koch Bihar district of West Bengal, was selected as a case study. A health and environmental threat is created by the disposal of solid waste from the municipality area in an open place in Guriahati G.P., 6 km from the town and near the Torsa River. This study aimsto identify the most suitable areas for the disposal and dumping of municipal solid waste. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process, the weights of the seventeen causative factors were allocated based on their relevance to identify the appropriate locations. The present study also introduces an innovative methodology employing GIS-based sensitivity analyses to enhance the optimisation of factors influencing suitable solid waste disposal site selection. Three possible waste disposal sites have been identified based on low land costs, the availability of barren land and the distance to settlements and sensitive places. The area under the ROC curve reveals that the AUC value is 0.895, which indicates that the level of accuracy of the model is 89.50 %. With a weight of 0.184, land value was found to be the most important criterion in the model, followed by distance to settlement (0.135) and distance to road (0.123). By carefully choosing suitable locations, this research could assist urban planners in developing a waste management system that is resilient and environmentally sustainable.

Application of optical images and analytical hierarchy process model for solid waste dumping site analysis in Kombolcha town, Northeastern, Ethiopia

Improper open dumping of solid wastes caused different serious problems in fast-growing towns in Ethiopia like Kombolcha town. This unsuitable solid waste dumping management brings health challenges by spreading diseases, contaminating water, polluting air, and spreading of different disease-causing insects such as mosquitoes. Therefore, selecting suitable solid waste dumping site analysis (SWDSA) is very essential to minimize these negative effects related to improper solid waste dumping in such towns. The primary goal of this study is to use optical images and the AHP model to find appropriate solid waste dumping sites in Kombolcha Town. The nine governing factors such as soil texture, geology, faults, groundwater well points (GWWPs, rivers, roads, built-up, Land use land cover (LULC) and slopes, were considered to achieve the aim of this study. These factors were extracted and delineated from the various optical data such as Landsat 8 images, digital elevation model, Google Earth images, geological map, soil map, and also field survey. The factor classes and factors were ranked and weighted utilizing a comparison matrix according to importance and finally by applying the AHP spatial analysis extension tool in Arc GIS software the SWDSA map of the study area was generated. Therefore, as a result of this study about 19.4 km2 (22.8 %), 22.8 km2 (26.8 %), 20.5 km2 (24.1 %), 16.1 km2 (18.9 %), and 6.2 km2 (7.3 %) of the study area falls in not suitable, less suitable, moderately suitable, suitable and highly suitable ranges respectively. Based on the result of this further analysis, D is the 1st suitable site with a score is 83.6 %, site B is the 2nd suitable site is a score is 83.2 %, site C is the 3rd suitable site with a score of 65.1 % and site A is the last suitable site and scored 60.4 %. Therefore, this study strongly recommends that the waste management municipal office of Kombolcha town and other concerned government and non-government bodies apply and consider these identified the best suitable solid waste dumping sites.

Drones and Sustainability: How Technology Can Assist in the Automatic Detection of Waste In Hard-to-Access Areas

Purpose: This work aims to present Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), known as drones, as an alternative for environmental monitoring, considering the difficulty of identifying events of illegal dumping in remote areas, whether due to government omission or the difficulty of accessing these locations. These devices provide several benefits, including portability and the capacity to take pictures in real-time from remote and difficult-to-reach places at a cheaper cost without endangering the operator's safety. Design/methodology/approach: The quantity of data gathered by drones needs an enormous amount of effort to analyze and interpret properly due to Rio de Janeiro's difficult topography and large geographic area. To overcome this challenge, artificial intelligence should be used to automatically evaluate and georeference the photos and videos gathered during the investigation. The present work aims to demonstrate the feasibility of this technique in the early and effective identification of remote areas with illegal solid waste dumping by combining a variety of methods, including the use of a global positioning system (GPS), high-precision cameras and sensors on an electronic device for remote sensing (drone), and image processing and interpretation using computational resources. Findings: Following extensive remote sensing in the selected areas, with the assistance of a UAV, the obtained photos were batch-processed utilizing Deep Learning algorithms and digital image processing techniques. After a significant amount of training, these algorithms were able to automatically identify and classify photos that showed signs of solid waste disposal from those that did not, showing that this rapid-automated segregation produced a 92% efficacy. Discussion: Rio de Janeiro produces a lot of trash, much of it is improperly disposed of and indiscriminately deposited in urban and surrounding regions, on hills, and in difficult-to-reach locations. This issue is particularly worse in areas where the government is absent and ineffective, causing citizens to dispose of their garbage in dangerous and hard-to-reach locations. This study offers a Deep Learning-based method for automatically identifying underprivileged communities that require government intervention to reduce irregular garbage disposal and all of the associated environmental consequences.

Assessment of the risk to public health from soil contamination on the territory of solid waste landfills

Introduction. Domestic waste management is an extremely important issue for all countries of the world, especially for the countries of the former Soviet Union, as the current state of solid waste disposal in Ukraine is extremely unsatisfactory. According to the European Commission, the amount of waste in the European Union has increased in recent years to more than 2.5 billion tons per year. The results of the Waste Atlas report on the world's 50 largest landfills show that 64 million people are affected by the 50 largest landfills every day. Ukraine has a total of 6045 landfills and dumpsites. The general trend in Ukraine, in contrast to European countries, is a low level of recycling and utilization of solid waste and a high rate of landfill disposal. The vast majority of landfills (80 to 90%) operate in overload mode. Landfills, in particular solid waste landfills, are the main pollutants of the atmosphere, hydrosphere and soil. Therefore, determining the level of environmental hazard of heavy metals in the soil as a result of the impact of landfills and solid waste dumps is very important. Objective. The purpose of the article is to determine the impact of solid waste landfills on public health due to soil contamination with heavy metals. Methodology. In order to determine the level of environmental hazard of household waste storage at landfills and dumps, the paper assesses the risk to public health from soil contamination in the area of the Hrybovychi landfill (Lviv oblast), Rohan landfill (Kharkiv oblast), and Novovodolazhske landfill (Kharkiv oblast). The risk to public health from soil contamination at solid waste landfills was assessed using the traditional US EPA method and a new method for determining the potential risk to public health from soil contamination with heavy metals. Results. The article compares two fundamentally different methodological approaches to determining the level of environmental hazard of soil contamination with heavy metals. The risk to public health from soil contamination on the territory of solid waste landfills according to the US EPA method corresponds to hazard class 5 (extremely high hazard level) according to all calculations. The results of the assessment of the potential risk to public health from soil contamination using the new method at solid waste landfills correspond to hazard classes 2-4. Comparison of methodological principles for assessing the risk to public health from soil pollution has shown the advantages of using the new method of potential risk assessment. The use of the new method of assessing the potential risk to public health from soil pollution will help improve science-based management of household waste and direct financial resources to reduce the environmental hazard of soil and land pollution in Ukraine. Scientific novelty. The article presents an improved method for assessing the risk to public health from soil pollution, which represents the scientific novelty of the work Practical significance. Determining the environmental hazard of soil pollution due to the impact of landfills and solid waste dumps makes it possible to prioritize the implementation of environmental protection measures and will contribute to the implementation of environmentally sound environmental management, so the research is of practical importance.

Sand-bentonite backfill amended with composite polymer exposed to organic acid: Hydraulic performance and microstructural properties

Soil-bentonite (SB) backfills in vertical cutoff walls are used extensively to contain contaminated groundwater. Previous studies show that the hydraulic conductivity of backfill can exceed the typically recommended maximum value (k = 1 × 10−9 m/s) if exposed to groundwater impacted by organic acids commonly released from uncontrolled landfills and municipal solid waste dumps. Polymer amended backfills exhibit excellent chemical compatibility to metal-laden groundwater. However, few studies to date have explored the effect of organic acid contaminated groundwater on hydraulic performance of polymer amended backfills. This study presents an experimental investigation on the hydraulic performance and microstructural properties of a composite polymer amended backfill used to contain flow of acetic acid-laden groundwater. A series of laboratory experiments were performed to evaluate free-swell indices of the composite polymer amended bentonites, liquid limits of the composite polymer amended and unamended bentonites, and slump heights and hydraulic conductivity (k) values of the amended backfills to acetic acid solutions with varying concentrations. The results were compared with those of the unamended bentonites and unamended backfills reported in a previous study. The results showed that the free-swell index and liquid limit of the amended bentonites were higher than those of the unamended bentonites. Permeation with acetic acid solutions with concentrations ranging from 40 mmol/L to 320 mmol/L conducted on the amended backfill only resulted in an increase in k of less than a factor of about 10 related to that based on permeation with tap water (1.68 × 10−10 -4.41 × 10−11 m/s to acetic acid solution versus 1.65 × 10−11 m/s to tap water). Mechanisms contributing to enhanced chemical compatibility of amended backfill were ascertained based on scanning electron microscopy, mercury intrusion porosimetry, and zeta potential analyses.

Appropriate solid waste dumping site selection for Patna City by using GIS-TOPSIS method

Appropriate solid waste dumping site selection for Patna City by using GIS-TOPSIS method

Geoenvironmental Assessment of the Impacts of Ewu-Elepe Dumpsite on Soil and Groundwater Resources at Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria

The environmental status of the municipal solid waste dumpsite at Ewu-Elepe, Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State was investigated. A total of seventeen (17) samples consisting of twelve (12) soils, three (3) groundwater and two (2) leachate samples were collected and analyzed for different parameters using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The results revealed that in the leachate samples, all the heavy metals, Cl- , COD, salinity, and conductivity contents showed significant increase. The physicochemical results for the groundwater samples agreed with the international standards for drinking water, except for high cadmium content (0.009mg/l) recorded in the groundwater sample W1 which exceeded the NSDWQ and WHO permissible limits of 0.003 and 0.005mg/l respectively for drinking water, and high manganese content (0.09mg/l) recorded also in W1. The results of soil samples from the dumpsite showed that the concentration of all the heavy metals, Zn (23.5mg/kg), Cu (10.8mg/kg), Cr (14.2mg/kg), Ni (3.47mg/kg) and Pb (19.0mg/kg) fall below the Sediment Quality Criteria ISQG-Low level and the Lowest Effect Range of the New York Sediment Criteria except for Cd (16.60mg/kg) which is even higher than the High Effect Range of both the New York sediment Criteria and the Sediment Quality Criteria that the soil within the dumpsite have been moderately impacted is further demonstrated by the application of environmentric parameters treatment such as Contamination Factor (CF), Geo-accumulation Index, Enrichment Factor (EF) and Ecological Risk Factor Analyses. The results of the sediment quality assessment are good evidence to confirm that the soil of the dumpsite is highly polluted with cadmium (Cd), and moderately contaminated with lead (Pb). This study reveals that the solid waste dumpsite is affecting the natural quality of the ambient environment. Therefore, indiscriminate dumping of solid waste at the dumpsite should be prohibited.

Comprehensive characterization of unscientifically disposed municipal solid waste (MSW) in Kashmir Region, India.

Unscientific dumping of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a common practice in Kashmir. To have an environmentally friendly and sustainable waste management system, MSW was collected from nine study locations of this region. They were air-dried, then oven-dried at 105°C for 24h, segregated, and characterized for various components. The overall average organic waste was > 55%, plastic waste about 17%, inert material about 10%, paper 9%, and cloth waste 7%. The calorific value of paper and plastic wastes exhibited was 4910kcal/kg, while organic waste had a calorific value of 1980kcal/kg. The proximate analysis showed that the moisture content ranged from 16 to 29%, volatile matter ranged from 49 to 72%, ash content ranged from 0.03 to 5%, and fixed carbon ranged from 5 to 20%. In S7, the volatile matter content recorded the lowest value at 49.15%, while in S5, the volatile matter content was notably higher at 71.84%, indicating easier ignition. Further, elemental analysis revealed that the major elements in MSW were carbon and oxygen, 53% and 37%, respectively, with small traces of heavy metals with an average of 0.02% cadmium (Cd) and 0.006% lead (Pb). Moreover, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) micrographs provided confirmation that the majority of components in the MSW exhibited either partial or complete degradation, resulting in a rough surface texture. In addition, the presence of silica and other silicate groups was also detected. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis revealed that the main functional groups were alcohol. In the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, all the major mineral phases were detected between 20 and 30° 2θ, except for the peaks at 50-60° 2θ in S3 and S9 where catalysts such as zeolite Y and zeolite X were detected. Overall, the MSW had low moisture content but higher calorific value, making it a viable feedstock.

Evaluation of composites based on virgin rubber/devulcanized rubber reinforced with chemically and radiation activated polyurethane scrap for possible applications

AbstractReusing industrial waste is one of the new tactics being used to fight the dumping of solid waste for environmental protection. In the current work, the waste polyurethane (WPU) was ground to a fine powder and used for reinforcement of devulcanized waste rubber/styrene butadiene rubber (DWR/SBR) blends. DWR/SBR/WPU composites were prepared using (0, 3, 6, 9, 15, 30) phr (parts per hundred of rubber) of WPU. It was hypothesized that the treatment of WPU with trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTMA) and irradiated at 10 kGy would improve its compatibility with the DWR/SBR blend and, consequently, its reinforcement efficacy. The incorporation of 30 phr of treated WPU (TWPU) improved the tensile strength (TS) by 47.7% and 8.6% compared to neat DWR/SBR and composites containing 30 phr of untreated WPU (UWPU). In addition, the incorporation of TWPU improved other mechanical characteristics such as tear strength, hardness, and abrasion resistance. As a result of increasing polarity and cross‐link density within the DWR/SBR blend after the addition of polar WPU, the resistance to motor oil was improved. The outcomes are encouraging from the standpoint of the circular economy and help produce high‐performing, reasonably priced DWR/SBR composites for a range of industrial uses, especially in the floor tiles application.Highlights Waste polyurethane (WPU) was activated using gamma irradiation in the presence of TMPTMA. The treatment of WPU improved its compatibility with DWR/SBR blend. The impact of WPU treatment on the properties of DWR/SBR blend was investigated. TWPU improved the mechanical properties of DWR/SBR blend more than UWPU. TWPU increased the motor oil resistance of DWR/SBR blend more than UWPU.

Developing an Infrastructure Intervention for Solid Waste Exclusion in Pit Latrine Faecal Sludge

Pit latrine emptying is an important maintenance practice meant to increase a toilet's lifespan. However, the presence of solid waste in faecal sludge pose a great challenge during pit emptying, faecal sludge treatment and processing. Recent studies have demonstrated that solid wastes cause pits to fill up at a faster rate, destruct faecal sludge decomposition, and cause damage to emptying devices by blocking machine parts, and in some cases breaking them. When such occurs, emptying devices are usually withdrawn to manually remove the trapped debris, causing a loss of valuable time and reductions in daily revenue. One way of averting the adverse effects of solid wastes in pit latrines is by preventing them from mixing with faecal sludge in the pit. Therefore, the study aimed to design, develop and test an infrastructure intervention that would exclude solid waste from pit latrine faecal sludge. The study used a quantitative approach in which experimental methods were used to collect primary data. The methodology included the design, fabrication, and installation of a solid waste screening unit on a pit latrine. The screening unit was positioned directly below the squat hole to intercept solid waste while allowing excreta to pass through it. The unit was tested on a pit latrine that was used by 20 individuals over a period of 120 days, after which mass measurements of the intercepted solid wastes were done. The data obtained was analysed using Microsoft Excel 2016 version. It was found that the screening unit was capable of intercepting 88.2±0.6 % of the solid waste that entered the toilet through the squat hole. This confirmed that although behavioral, and education interventions have been conducted, there was little change in behavior towards the dumping of solid wastes in pit latrines. The study also showed that installing solid waste screening systems in future pit latrines can be one way of preventing solid wastes from mixing with pit latrine faecal sludge. These findings suggest that incorporating solid waste screening systems into future pit latrines could effectively prevent solid waste from mixing with faecal sludge. This intervention promises to complement existing behavioral and educational interventions prevalent in many developing countries. The study's application and findings promise improvements in faecal sludge management during pit emptying, treatment, and processing, thereby enhancing public health outcomes.

Human and Ecological Risk Assessment of Soil and Plants Metal Contamination in a Tropical Municipal Solid Waste Dumping Site

ABSTRACT The growing open waste dumpsite contributes to heavy metal leaching, harming public health and ecosystem services. Hence, the study’s novelty lies in its integrated assessment of heavy metal concentration (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in soil and plants, incorporating risk assessment using both single and combined indexes in the largest active waste dumpsite in Kelantan, Malaysia. Heavy metal in soil samples Cu (164.896 ± 205.096), Pb (122.177 ± 93.309), and Cr (32.74 ± 26.569) were recorded to exceed the standards, while in the studied plants (castor bean, papaya, pea eggplant, and water spinach), Pb concentrations in all plant parts have surpassed the Malaysia Food Regulation (1985) and FAO/WHO guidelines (2016). Translocation factor (TF) in Cu, Cr, and Pb in water spinach and Cr, Cu, and Cd in pea eggplant have TF > 1. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) was < 1 in pea eggplant and water spinach except for Pb in pea eggplant. Correlation analysis revealed a strong correlation between heavy metals in the soil while contrasts in the plants. The potential ecological risk index (PERI) reveals that the soil waste dumpsite is contaminated with heavy metals. The hazard index (HI) and lifetime cancer risk (LCR) values of heavy metals on the soil surface had negligible non-cancer risks posed to adults and indicate that soil ingestion and dermal absorption were the two primary carcinogenic risk exposure routes. These findings implied that Beris Lalang waste dumpsite is a potential source of toxic pollutants to the environment and the local population. It is recommended to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study and design an implementation plan for leachate treatment plant. Additionally, a comprehensive assessment of the specific contaminants present in the leachate and their potential impacts on the environment should be conducted to inform targeted and effective treatment strategies.