Waste is defined as any material or object that is no longer useful, needed, or wanted and is discarded or abandoned. It can exist in various forms such as solids, liquids, or gases, originating from different sources including households, businesses, and industries.
Waste can be categorized based on its composition or source into several types:
- Organic Waste: Biodegradable materials like food scraps and garden waste.
- Recyclable Waste: Materials such as paper, plastic, and glass that can be reprocessed and reused.
- Hazardous Waste: Materials harmful to human health or the environment, including chemicals, medical waste, and e-waste.
- Municipal Waste: Everyday trash from households and businesses.
- Industrial Waste: Waste generated by manufacturing processes, including chemicals and metals.
- E-waste: Discarded electronic devices such as phones, computers, and televisions.
In Nepal, the primary categories of waste generated by households, industries, and healthcare facilities include organic waste, plastic waste, and hazardous waste.
Regarding Kathmandu's waste composition:
- A study in 2013 by the Asian Development Bank found that organic waste was the highest contributor, accounting for 64.24% of the total waste composition. This is consistent with household responses indicating organic waste as their major waste type.
- Plastics were the second-largest component, making up 15.96% in 2013. In 2018, plastic waste constituted 12% of the 1,000 metric tonnes of solid waste produced daily in Kathmandu. By 2019, nearly 20% of municipal waste in Kathmandu was plastic.
- Paper and paper products accounted for 8.66% of the waste in 2013.
- Other components in 2013 included glass (3.75%), metals (1.72%), textiles (3.40%), rubber and leather (1.12%), and other materials (1.15%).
The high organic content in Kathmandu's waste stream indicates significant potential for composting and biogas generation. The presence of recyclables like plastics and paper also shows prospects for resource recovery.
0 Comments