ABSTRACT
The rising population, along with massive industrial growth, is generating a substantial amount of waste. The inefficient use of materials leads to waste generation, which affects human health and ecology. A few common categories of this generated waste include municipal solid waste, radioactive waste, agricultural and animal waste, e-waste, medical waste, and industrial waste. These produced wastes can be biodegradable or non-biodegradable and hazardous or non-hazardous. This waste not only harms the environment, but also is aesthetically displeasing. This waste also has an energy potential that can act as a valuable feedstock toward renewable energy sources. Waste management is the process of managing waste from its inception to its final disposal. The waste management process includes (i) collection of garbage, (ii) sorting of waste based on its category, (iii) transport of categorized waste, (iv) waste treatment, and (v) waste disposal along with proper monitoring and regulation. The standard waste treatment methods include reusing, recycling, and disposing of waste. The disposal methods of landfilling and incineration have to be stopped because of environmental and ecological concerns. These disposal methods create air pollution, groundwater contamination, climate change, global warming, and biodiversity loss. The 3Rs need to be followed, i.e., reduce, reuse, and recycle, to make the world a better place to live. Therefore, converting this waste to high-value products will give proper waste management techniques and contribute to cleaner energy sources. This chapter aims at discussing waste production and waste management practices. It also emphasizes the health and environmental effects of waste management. Further technological advancements of various waste-to-energy pathways are also described for the best possible utilization and management of waste.
