● `color{brown}("Solid wastes")` refer to everything that goes out in `color{violet}("trash.")`

● `color{brown}("Municipal solid wastes")` are wastes from `color{violet}("homes, offices, stores, schools, hospitals")`, etc., that are collected and disposed by the `color{violet}("municipality.")`

● The `color{violet}("municipal solid wastes")` generally comprise `color{violet}("paper, food wastes,")` `color{violet}("plastics, glass, metals, rubber, leather, textile,")` etc.

● Burning reduces the `color{violet}("volume of the wastes,")` although it is generally not burnt to completion and open dumps often serve as the `color{violet}("breeding ground")` for `color{violet}("rats")` and `color{violet}("flies")`.



● `color{brown}("Sanitary landfills")` were adopted as the substitute for `color{violet}("open-burning dumps.")`

● In a `color{violet}("sanitary landfill, wastes")` are `color{violet}("dumped in a depression")` or trench after compaction, and covered with dirt everyday.

● `color{Brown}("Landfills")` are also not really much of a solution since the `color{violet}("amount of garbage")` generation specially in the metros has increased so much that these sites are getting filled too.

● Also there is `color{violet}("danger of seepage of chemicals")`, etc., from these `color{violet}("landfills polluting")` the underground water resources.

● A solution to all this can only be in `color{violet}("human beings")` becoming `color{violet}("more sensitive")` to these environment issues.

● All waste that we generate can be categorised into three types –

`color{brown}("(a) bio-degradable,")`
`color{brown}(" (b) recyclable ")`
`color{brown}("(c) the non-biodegradable.")`

● It is important that all `color{violet}("garbage generated")` is `color{violet}("sorted.")`

● What can be `color{violet}("reused")` or `color{violet}("recycled separated out")`; our `color{violet}("kabadiwallahs")` and `color{violet}("rag-pickers")` do a great job of separation of materials for `color{violet}("recycling.")`

● The `color{violet}("biodegradable materials")` can be put into deep pits in the ground and be left for `color{violet}("natural breakdown.")`

● That leaves only the `color{violet}("non-biodegradable")` to be disposed off.

● The need to `color{violet}("reduce our garbage")` generation should be a prime goal, instead, we are increasing the use of `color{violet}("non-biodegradable products")`

● In cities, fruits and vegetables can be bought packed in beautiful `color{violet}("polysterene")` and `color{violet}("plastic packaging")` – we pay so much and what do we do.

● Contribute heavily to `color{violet}("environmental pollution.")`

● State Governments across the country are trying to `color{violet}("push for reduction")` in use of `color{violet}("plastics")` and use of `color{violet}("eco-friendly packaging.")`

● We can do our bit by carrying cloth or other `color{violet}("natural fibre carry-bags")` when we go shopping and by `color{violet}("refusing polythene bags.")`

● A `color{violet}("plastic sack manufacturer")` in Bangalore has managed to find the `color{violet}("ideal solution")` to the ever-increasing problem of `color{violet}("accumulating plastic waste.")`

● `color{brown}("Ahmed Khan")`, aged 57 years old, has been `color{violet}("producing plastic sacks ")` for 20 years.

● About 8 years ago, he realised that `color{violet}("plastic waste")` was a `color{violet}("real problem.")`

● `color{brown}("Polyblend")`, a `color{violet}("fine powder")` of `color{violet}("recycled modified plastic,")` was developed then by his company.

● This mixture is mixed with the `color{violet}("bitumen")` that is used to `color{violet}("lay roads.")`

● In collaboration with R.V.College of Engineering and the Bangalore City Corporation, Ahmed Khan proved
that `color{violet}("blends of Polyblend")` and `color{violet}("bitumen")`, when used to `color{violet}("lay roads")`, enhanced the bitumen’s water repellant properties, and helped to increase road life by a factor of three.

● The raw material for creating `color{violet}("Polyblend")` is any `color{violet}("plastic film waste.")`

● So, against the price of Rs. 0.40 per kg that rag pickers had been getting for `color{violet}("plastic waste,")` Khan now offers Rs.6.

● Using Khan’s technique, by the year 2002, more than 40 kms of road in Bangalore has already been laid.

● At this `color{violet}("rate,")` Khan will soon be running short of `color{violet}("plastic waste")` in Bangalore, to `color{violet}("produce Polyblend.")`

● Thanks to innovations like `color{violet}("Polyblend,")` we might still avoid being smothered by `color{violet}("plastic waste.")`

● `color{brown}("Hospitals")` generate `color{violet}("hazardous wastes")` that contain `color{violet}("disinfectants")` and other `color{violet}("harmful chemicals")`, and also `color{violet}("pathogenic micro-organisms. ")`

● Such `color{violet}("wastes")` also require careful `color{violet}("treatment")` and `color{violet}("disposal.")`

● The use of incinerators is crucial to disposal of `color{violet}("hospital waste.")`