Hazardous Waste Management, Research Paper Example

Healthcare providers have for long now tried to emphasize on the importance of proper waste management (LaGrega, 2000). Trash disposal trends have a great impact on human health. These adverse effects have becoming even more pronounced due to population growth explosion in many urban centers. Most cities and towns have experienced phenomenal growth in population, with increased births, reduced deaths and greater migration. In many parts of the world, the population growth has overstretched sanitation infrastructure, waste disposal management ability of local councils and even the residential potential of such urban areas (White and McDouball, 2006). Consequently, trash has been improperly disposed in land fill near human dwellings while in slum areas; the trash has become part of the local scenery. In poor areas, trash is also a source of income for recyclers (White and McDouball, 2006).

The efficiency and effectiveness of waste management has a great significance on the human health trends of people living in the concerned jurisdiction. According to Hawkins and Shaw (2004), a community’s health is as good as their waste management efficiency. The chemical content of improperly disposed waste always finds its way to rivers and water sources. The chemical content usually leaks into the aquifers (water holding rocks) in the underground and join up with the water sources that feeds the rivers, streams and wells in an area (Hawkins and Shaw, 2004).

Landfills built on top of water piping systems also rust consequent to high corrosive chemical content. The water becomes much more dangerous when drank from the taps. The taps also allow dangerous germs into the water due to damaging corrosion.  The landfills and worn out incinerators release highly toxic dioxins and other carcinogens that are a major cause of cancer. The landfills also produce air pollutants like SO_{x and} NO_x. These two have been identified as the major causes of acid rain. Health specialists have pinpointed these two gases as causative agents of many respiratory illnesses ranging from bronchitis to Asthma (Kreith and Tchobanoglous, 2002).

The increase of air toxins and water borne chemicals released from trash has increased cases of gastrointestinal tract problems, headaches, and constant fatigue. Besides breathing problems, skin complications, eye, nose and mouth irritations, emphysema, coughing and heart malfunctions are also attributable to improper waste disposal (Kreith and Tchobanoglous, 2002). Finally, poorly disposed trash is home to disease-causing-agent carriers like coach roaches, rats, flies and other vermin. Conclusively therefore, the higher the population density in an area and the poorer an area is, the more susceptible to waste management caused health problems.

 References

Hawkins, R. & Shaw, H. (2004). The Practical Guide to Waste Management Law. London: Thomas Telford Publishing.

Kreith, F. & Tchobanoglous, G. (2002). Handbook of Solid Waste Management. New York: McGraw-Hill.

LaGrega, M et al. (2000). Hazardous Waste Management. New York: McGraw-Hill.

White, P. & McDouball, F. (2006). Integrated Solid Waste Management: A Life Cycle Inventory. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Company.