WHO European activities on solid waste management

WHO European activities on solid waste management

Waste Management & Resecrrch( 1983) 1. 95-102 REPORTS AND REVIEWS REPORT: WHO EUROPEAN ACTIVITIES ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT. by M. J. Suess, World ...

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Waste Management & Resecrrch( 1983) 1. 95-102

REPORTS AND

REVIEWS

REPORT: WHO EUROPEAN ACTIVITIES ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT. by M. J. Suess, World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, Sherfigsvej 8, 2100 Hellerup, Denmark.

A report

Activities within the field of solid waste management have been part of the WHO work for many years. This report concentrates on a few recent activities in Europe which have, or will have, a significant effect. Selected topics on solid waste management. The WHO European Regional Office developed early in the 1970s a sectorial programme on solid waste management with the intention to prepare a series of documents which would cover many different aspects related to municipal and industrial waste. Seven chapters were completed and issued (Patrick 1973; Fish 1977; Macauley 1978; Taiganides 1978; Taylor 1979; Bruce & Leckie 1979; Brunt et al. 1980) and one is now in its final preparation (Annex 1). The chapter on Animal Waste resulted from a symposium on this subject in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, organized within the framework of a United Nations Development Programme/WHO country project (Taiganides 1977). The other chapters were prepared with the support of international review and discussions by respective working groups. The Model Code of Practice for the disposal of solid waste on land, issued first in I973 in English, was particularly popular, and was translated and issued also in French, German, Greek, Italian, Polish, Spanish and Russian. Glossary. A Glossary on Solid Waste, compiled by P. K. Patrick (1980) was published by the European Office within a series of glossaries on various environmental subjects. The technology and methods of solid waste management are very much in the evolutionary stage, but form essential elements of environmental pollution control. Solid waste management is interdisciplinary, involving many branches of engineering, chemistry, hydrogeology and other sciences. However, while much of the technological terms used in the literature on solid waste management emanate from these disciplines, a considerable amount of specialized terminology has evolved. Many of the specialized terms may not be readily understandable to laymen and administrators not familiar with the subject. Confusion can also arise because different terms may be used to describe the same activity of equipment; this is particularly the case in the English language, where differences in terminology have developed, for example. between the United Kingdom and the U.S.A. (e.g. “controlled tip” and “sanitary landfill”~~~mean the same thing). The preparation of a glossary inevitably presents many difficulties in trying to unify terms and concepts. Definitions were taken from existing glossaries and other similar works of reference. Where no suitable definitions could be found, they were drafted anew. A new edition, which is already in preparation, will include new terms related particularly to the hazardous waste subject. C‘orltrol of’haxrrdous waste. With the increased importance of toxic chemicals and the leading role WHO has taken in evaluating the human and environmental health related aspects. a working group was jointly convened by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and UNEP in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Federal Republic of Germany. 17-20

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March 1981. to discuss a code of practice and policy guidelines for the management of hazardous waste. The participants included 36 environmental scientists. chemists, civil engineers, chemical engineers, toxicologists, physicians, economists, lawyers and administrators from 20 countries in Europe, North America and Asia. The establishment of policy guidelines and a code of practice for decision makers and management concerned with the control of hazardous waste is important in conjunction with international and national programmes. It has been recognized now for some time that certain formerly acceptable methods for disposal of industrial waste products (e.g. land disposal in a way that contaminates groundwater) are serious sources of pollution and constitute hazards to human health, making it imperative that guidelines be prepared that will help countries to take appropriate action to reduce these hazards. A more recent concern is the transfrontier transportation of hazardous waste and, in particular, the possibility of exports of such waste to developing countries. The second major objective to the meeting was, therefore, to consider pertinent measures to control such transportation. The working group addressed both of these topics in their broadest aspects. Most of the work was conducted in four subgroups. The first of these considered definitions and aspects of public workers’ health. Various definitions were formulated to clarify the scope of the meeting; these were all of a pragmatic nature, it being noted that more precise legal definitions are seldom valid outside the country of origin. In general, it was felt that a hazardous waste should be defined or described by its effects rather than by its form or composition. The adverse effects on human health from hazardous waste may be either immediate or long-term as, for example, when a groundwater supply is slowly polluted by improper land disposal. The second subgroup considered the technological aspects of hazardous waste management, including waste minimization, recovery or reuse, treatment, storage and disposal. Particular attention was given to aspects such as the management philosophy adopted for leachate control (e.g. “concentrate and contain” versus “dilute and disperse”) and post-closure care. The cost of a technology is also important in deciding on the “best practicable means” for hazardous waste management. The third subgroup considered hazardous waste transportation, including its management and control, both within and between countries. Particular attention was given to special problems of transfrontier transportation and of the potential export of hazardous waste from developed to developing countries. The fourth subgroup tackled the problem of planning and administration in hazardous waste management. Topics considered included general policy, planning, types of legislation, mechanisms of regulation and control, enforcement, financial responsibility, insurance, manpower training and public participation. A report on the meeting and a publication of the policy guidelines and code of practice (Stress & Huismans 1982) have been issued. The Istanbul solid waste project. The most recent UNEP supported solid waste management country project was completed by the European Regional Office in the Istanbul Metropolitan Area. The project was intended to support the efforts of the Turkish Government in promoting urban planning and development, and will have a direct bearing on its activities related to health and welfare of the population and to protection of the environment in rapidly developing urban centres. The objective of the project was to carry out a feasibility study and to prepare the master plan for solid waste management in Istanbul Metropolitan Area up to the end

Reports and reviews

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of the century. The project was also structured to provide on-the-job training and to develop local professional expertise in solid waste management.A project team was set up in Istanbul in May 1979, and included a WHO Senior Technical Adviser, a Turkish counterpart and developing local manufacturing capacity for vehicles and equipment and maximizing the recovery and recycling of materials. References Bruce, J. McN. & Leckie, A. H. (1979), Ferrous Metal Waste, pp. 63. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen. Brunt, L. P., Dean, R. B. & Tabasaran, 0. (1980) Cornposting, pp. 20. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen. Fish, R. A. (1977), Toxic and other Hazardous Waste, pp. 41. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen. Macauley, D. C. (1978), Petrochemical Waste, pp. 45. WHO Regional Office for Europe. Copenhagen. Patrick, P. (1973), Model Code of Practice for the Disposal of Solid Waste on Land, pp. 32. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen. Patrick, P. K. (1980), Glossary on Solid Waste, pp. 92. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen. Suess. M. J. & Huismans, J. W. (Eds) (1982), Management of’ Hazardous Waste I, pp. 100. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen. (WHO Regional Publications, European Series 14.) Taiganides, E. P. (Ed.) (1977), Animal Waste, pp. 429. Applied Science Publishers, London. (Proceedings of a symposium at Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, 29 September-4 October 1975. organized by the Regional Office as part of the UNDP/WHO-assisted project CZEjCEP 001.) Taiganides, E. P. (1978), Animal Waste, pp. 42. WHO Regional Office for Europe. Copenhagen. Taylor, R. K. (1979) Mining Waste, pp. 89. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen. Annex I Selected topics on solid waste management Treatment

and disposal

(I) Model Code of Practice for the disposal of solid waste on land. (2) Cornposting. (3) Incineration (in final preparation). Waste from industrial sources (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Toxic and other hazardous waste. Petrochemical waste. Mining waste. Ferrous metal waste. Animal waste.

Note. This paper expresses the views of the writer and does not necessarily represent the

decisions and stated policies of the World Health Organization.