Garbage disposal an economic view

by Nadarajah Rajeshwaran, Dept. of Commerce, Eastern University, Sri Lanka

The environmental supports life itself and is the back bone of the economy. It is the source of livelihoods as well as the national wealth. Therefore, in order to safeguard livelihoods of the people, there must be proper management and development of country's resource base.

Economic development activities invariably have some negative impact on the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to see that there is a correct balance between development activities and protection of the environment.

Human society generates large volume of garbage. Proper management of garbage disposal will benefit the citizens and the country's economy as well. It is a gaining ground scene which catches everybody's eye during torrential rain, that even the wide roads having well-built drainage beside becoming gushing streams.

The reason for this is the garbage which disposed on both sides of the roads being flushed in to the drainage and blocks the water flow and causes flood, inconvenience, traffic jam, spreading diseases, etc. i.e. in a nut shell, increase of expenditure.

Municipal Council, Town Council spend a lot of money from its revenue annually for disposal of garbage. But, by spending such a big amount of money does not give any benefit to the country economically.

When the garbage is removed from one place to another, that place also gets polluted and subject to give health hazard to the surroundings. Thereafter when action is taken to clean the said place, additional expenditure is incurred. Also, when the environment is spoiled, infectious diseases spread.

When an employed person gets affected, he keeps away from work during the period of illness as a result the country loses his services during the illness period. It is necessary to implement new schemes and bring them into practice soon with a view to benefit the economy in the long run.

The best suggestion to improve garbage disposal is reducing the volume of garbage in a fruitful manner. A recycling factory should be built in the future and the garbage could be recycled and obtain raw materials (plastics, iron, glass etc.) for producing other products. It leads to sustainable development. Sustainable development simply means the kind of development which improves the quality of life of the present generation, while minimizing the damaged caused to natural resources, saving those resources for the use of future generations.

Sustainable development is given high priority in any development plan. Negative externalities arises from economic activities could have an adverse impact on the natural environment. Economic instruments for environmental regulations, effective enforcement and creating awareness among the general public play an important role in protecting the environment.

In addition the recycling factory will provide lot of employment opportunities, uplift the living standard of people and will alleviate poverty.

Unlike present methods, most municipal and household garbage must be sent to landfill sites, especially from the densely populated cities. If the Government introduces a new tax designed, it will encourage both businessmen and customers to dispose less garbage and to recover more of the garbage produced using recycling and garbage to energy incineration scheme where the energy generated is used for other purposes. Many businesses will be reducing packing on products in an attempt to save energy costs in production and it will be reducing the volume of garbage.

On the other hand, the Government gets a small amount of income from which it could fill a small portion of the deficit budget of Sri Lanka. This type of financing system will not create inflation in the country.

Recycling also reduce the total volume of garbage requiring disposal. Garbage contains valuable materials that can be reclaimed and reused, reducing the need to exploit new supplies of a resource. Reclamation and recycling of scrap metals rather than mining new metal is an obvious example.

The energy requirements and pollution associated with recycling are often much less than those caused by mining and ore-processing methods. Garbage collection authorities can be established. They will rely on the bring system where the householder takes the recyclables to a collection point which restricts those who participate. A new Environment Act can be passed on the garbage disposal.

Under that Act, fines and surcharges have to be charged for disobedient businessmen and customers. The country gets a small amount of income from the imposition of fines and surcharges. The recycling factory could be developed by utilizing this money.

The authorities will have to experiment with kerbside collection schemes for different garbage in an attempt to increase householder participation rates.

Much municipal garbage is bio degradable. During this process, Methane, a highly flammable and important green house gas is produced. By using carefully designed recovery systems, the methane can be collected and used for generating electricity. If this method is brought into practice, both the fuel expense for the thermo electric stations and the expense against air pollution will be reduced by a noticeable amount.

When hydroelectric power is not sufficient, back up power has to be generated from thermal sources. But crude oil prices hit a new record of $71 per barrel in the international market and fear loom that the price will pass the $80 in the near future. When the industrial sector uses high cost electric power (thermal power) to produce goods, it is unavoidable to increase the price of such product.

When the industrial sector uses electric power in lower price from the processing of garbage, it will reduce cost of product and consequently reduce price of product. So people can consume enough products which increase living standard of people.

Ultimately this leads to economic development.

At the same time, the potential fire hazard associated with uncontrolled methane released is reduced. The Carbon Dioxide released as waste is a far less active green house gas than original gas.

Sewage processing uses decay of micro organisms, normally presents in the soil and fresh water to break down human wastes. Sewage workers employ the natural decomposition process of the micro organisms and produce nutrient rich dried sludge and Methane as by-products.

Sewage sludge is used in reclamation scheme since it improves soil-structure while providing vital missing nutrients. The Methane is also produced and can be burnt to provide heat and electricity as explained above. The expenses made for directing sewage into the sea in vain can be incurred for sewage processing.

By the use of sewage processing fertilizer could be obtained, by these means over expenditure on import of fertilizer be cut down. As the land is being cultivated over and over again by the farmers, the soil loses its manure and the use of fertilizer becomes a must.

If this fertilizer produced from sewage processing and if this is supplied to the farmers in lower price, they will purchase this fertilizer according to their needs. The farmers will utilize this fertilizer for their crops and they could obtain a better yield. By this method fertilizer can be produced to meet the demands of the country's need.

A problem has arisen due to their rise in LP gas frequently.

But by use of sewage processing, Methane gas can be produced and that could be utilized instead of the LP gas and by this method cost of living can be reduced.

In the future garbage-to-energy incineration plants are likely to become the main method of garbage disposal. Such energy production from garbage, beneficially reduce the demands on fossil fuel reserves and make them sustainable while reducing the demands for land fill.

There is no harm in getting help for the implementation of garbage-to-energy incineration schemes from some international organisations which are very much interested in the protection of environment, as our country is still a developing one. Perhaps if it is brought in to practice, every one of us will have a part in garbage-to-energy incineration scheme with dedication.