What Are the Causes of Solid Waste Disposal?

Solid waste is composed of non-biodegradable trash. Non-biodegradable trash is discarded material that does not get broken down by bacteria and other natural biological means, such as microbial enzymes. Solid waste can be a liquid, gas, semi-solid or solid. Even some biodegradable material does not get completely broken down by microbial enzymes. Consumers and businesses alike play large roles in creating solid waste.

Farming

• Animal waste causes air pollution, water pollution and solid waste. Irrigation systems that don't collect and store waste lead to pollution of nearby natural habitats and the air. The waste from animals and pesticides from plants gets transported by irrigation systems and rain water. Animal feed, animal waste, pesticides and herbicides contain pathogens, hormones, and ammonia that can be harmful to public health and other wildlife. Animal waste can be controlled by planting grass buffers around waste runoff areas.

Mining/Industrial Waste

• Factories and mining operations have often received the brunt of environmentalist complaints about waste. Facilities such as sewage treatment facilities, paper mills, plastic manufacturers and power plants produce hazardous chemicals. To excavate coal for the purpose of generating electricity and power, mountains have to be blown open or stripped. Waste rock is created when open pits are dug out for mines. Extracting minerals from rocks by crushing, grinding and washing also creates waste called mineral processing waste, or "special waste," that harms natural habitats and pollutes water if not properly disposed.

Population Growth

• Human consumers are a major cause of waste. The most populous countries in the world, such as India, China and the United States, produce the most waste, according to the United Nations. As populations in those countries increase, so does the solid waste disposal and its negative impact on the environment. Large populations of consumers buy more goods and therefore dispose of more waste.

Medical Waste

• Hospitals generate waste from patient care. Solid waste discarded by hospitals includes needles, syringes, scalpels, blood products and radioactive waste. This waste can contain pathogens that are detrimental to the health of communities. Researchers from the International Journal of Integrative Biology have discovered that viruses can survive in discarded solid waste. Specially marked receptacles are used in hospitals to collect hazardous materials to be disposed of according to government regulations.