Solid waste is a global problem in which the environmental impacts are

being underestimated. Solid waste is a highly important topic that needs

to be addressed and managed urgently. The production of solid waste is
inevitable; however engineers have the skills and innovation to reduce the
volume of waste produced, to alter what wastes are produced, how to
manage the wastes and how to dispose of the waste produced in an
environmentally friendly manner.
In the civil engineering discipline, a various number of waste products are
produced. The two examples of solid waste that is produced from the civil
engineering disciplines include construction wastes such as rebar, rubble
and wiring, as well as solid waste generated from wastewater treatment
works, including plastics, paper and a number of other substances.
Construction waste consists of any unwanted material that is produced
directly from the construction as well as indirectly. During demolition of
existing infrastructure materials such rubble, rebar and wiring are
removed off site and dumped at landfill sites as generally cannot be used
for anything else, and are thus considered wastes. Certain components
such as plasterboard and asbestos pipes are hazardous once land filled,
and as new infrastructure is built more and more construction wastes are
being generated.
Solid waste produced from waste water treatment works, is usually
termed as garbage or trash. The solid waste consists of various
substances including plastic bags, rugs, papers, sanitary towels, nappies,
condoms and many other substances; these wastes are produced when
the wastewater enters the treatment works and is screened to remove
large objects. The solid waste is normally flushed down toilets or washed
into storm water drains.
The solid waste produced from waste water treatment works are buried in
landfill sites, and generally so is the waste produced from construction.
The waste produced from construction and the treatment works needs to
be better managed in order to reduce the volume of solid waste dumped
onto landfills. The waste produced from construction can be reduced
significantly by reuse. Many materials can be salvaged from renovation
and demolition sites and sold, donated, stored for later use and even used
on other projects; recycling of materials such as rubble into aggregate or
fills would ensure a reduction in the wastes produced. In order to reduce
the wastes produced from treatment works that end up on landfill sites,
once the waste has been collected, recyclable materials such as paper,
plastic and fabrics can be sorted and recycled. Solid waste from treatment

works can also be incinerated in order to reduce the volumes of waste

deposited onto landfill sites.
Recycling and reuse of the generated waste will not only be
environmentally beneficial, but may also serve as an economical benefit.
Recycling and reuse of solid waste is the key in sustainable living, and the
sooner the production of solid waste is addressed and emphasised as a
priority, the better we can manage it, ensuring a better life for not only us,
but our children.

Figure 1- Screen at Northern Waste Treatment Works collecting solid waste source: My
photo from Site Visit

Figure 2 Northern Waste Treatment Works - Collection of Solid waste from screens to be
buried at landfill a site source: My photo from Site Visit