ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES SPECIAL PROJECT
WASTE MANAGEMENT AND METHODS in
tourist destinations of calicut SUBMITTED TO: MR.PRABHAKAR
UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF: MR.ROHIT
JOSE (Ad-hoc faculty, MED NITC)
(Ad-hoc faculty, MED NITC)
Group members: MURSHID P K(B150423PE) ANAND JOSE(B150959PE) VISAKH R(B150359PE)
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LIJO MATHEW GEORGE(B150118PE) M VISHNU GOPINATH(B150333PE)
Certificate of Approval
This is to certify that the work entitled “W “Waste aste management And methods in tourist destinations of Calicut” Calicut” submitted by Visakh R (B150359PE) , M Vishnu Gopinath (B150333PE), Murshid P K(B150423PE), Anand Jose(B150959PE) and Lijo Mathew George(B150118PE) has been carried out under my supervision in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) at National Institute Of Technology Calicut and this work has not been submitted elsewhere for any other academic degree to the best of my knowledge.
Mr. Rohit jose Adhoc faculty Department of Mechanical Engineering. National Institute of Technology Calicut-673601, Kerala
Date : Place : NIT Calicut
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LIJO MATHEW GEORGE(B150118PE) M VISHNU GOPINATH(B150333PE)
Certificate of Approval
This is to certify that the work entitled “W “Waste aste management And methods in tourist destinations of Calicut” Calicut” submitted by Visakh R (B150359PE) , M Vishnu Gopinath (B150333PE), Murshid P K(B150423PE), Anand Jose(B150959PE) and Lijo Mathew George(B150118PE) has been carried out under my supervision in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) at National Institute Of Technology Calicut and this work has not been submitted elsewhere for any other academic degree to the best of my knowledge.
Mr. Rohit jose Adhoc faculty Department of Mechanical Engineering. National Institute of Technology Calicut-673601, Kerala
Date : Place : NIT Calicut
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CONTENTS
SL NO. 1
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
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2
ABSTRACT
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3
OBJECTIVE
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4
INTRODUCTION
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4.1 5
SIGNIFICANCE OF WASTE MANAGEMENT
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METHODOLOGY
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5.1
METHOD OF EXECUTION
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5.2
POSTERS USED
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SCOPE OF FUTURE OF THE WORK
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ENGINEERING METHODS OF WASTE DISPOSAL
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6.1.1
METAL WASTE PRESS
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6.1.2
KITCHEN WASTE SHREDDER
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6.1
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CONCLUSION AND INFERENCES
7.1 8
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TITLE
PAGE NO.
SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all thanks to God, for giving me and my friends the strength and will to complete this task just in time. Even though we faced a lot of difficulties while trying to complete this task, the group still managed to complete it and we are glad about it. A special thanks to Mr Rohit Jose, for being such a good guidance to us while we were doing this task. He had given us an appropriate example and knowledge in order to make us understand more about this topic. He spends his time to explain the execution of this idea in all the way. I also appreciate Mr Prabhakar, for he supported us to do this project in all the way and made it possible. We also want to thank other groups who were willing to share their information about this topic. They gave us a lot of new ideas about the task. Also a great thanks to my family and friends who tried their best to give their support either by giving me a lot of encouragement to keep up with this task or by supporting us financially and pay all the cost required to complete this task.
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ABSTRACT BRIEF DESCRIPTION
A beauty spot or tourism destination is a great source of picnic and enjoyment if they are maintained properly and people take care of them. Unfortunately visiting folks don’t think about it and in fun and enjoyment they litter them without any care for it. Therefore it is of grave importance to implement proper waste management measures and spread awareness about the same at primary tourist destinations of Calicut. IMPORTANCE
It’s important to take steps to maintain clean tourism spots and protect them to ensure they’re healthy, not just for us, but for the wildlife that exists in these habitats. It is of utmost importance to preserve these places for the future generations and this can only be done by spreading awareness among people on various steps to do the same. PLAN OF ACTION
1. Visiting Calicut Beach, Mananchira square, Beypore beach and inspect the present waste disposal measures taken up by the respective authorities. 2.
Spreading awareness through pamphlets, posters on proper waste disposal systems.
3. Conducting a questionnaire about the way in which people dispose waste at beach and how they behave in a beach. 4. Based on the questionnaire arrive at our conclusions and include suggestions to improve the situation.
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OBJECTIVE A) Identify and project for the planning period the volume and types of waste generated in the tourist place.
B) Identify the solid waste management system components that will handle all nonhazardous solid waste generated. C) Maintain a comprehensive, integrated solid waste management approach that addresses collection, transportation, and disposal. The approach will address the Solid Waste Hierarchy elements of source reduction, reuse, recycling, resource recovery, incineration, and landfilling, in proportions appropriate for the District's needs. D) Establish a single point of contact for provision and management of technical solid waste information to support future planning decisions. E) Provide a framework that will allow for a periodic review and evaluation of the recommendations and guidelines set forth in the waste management plan to ensure that the plan remains responsive. F) Foster the participation and involvement of the general public in solid waste management planning and implementation. G) Create a google form to know the response of public and involvement of authority in the proper waste management.
Identify and foster mechanisms to ensure that adequate waste collection services are available throughout the District.
A) Identify collection system components that currently meet the Dist rict’s needs. B) Identify a schedule for action to sustain the current collection system components that meet the place’s needs. C) Identify approaches to address collection and tr ansportation system deficits.
Identify and provide for the availability of facilities to ensure that adequate options for waste disposal are available throughout the tourist place.
A) Identify disposal system components that meet the District’s curre nt needs. B) Identify a schedule for action to sustain collection system components that currently meet the District’s needs.
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Identify, implement, and/or maintain programs for ensuring that solid wastes are managed in accordance with Federal and State laws and regulations in a manner that protects public health, safety, and the environment.
A) Distribute the pamphlets to the people visiting the tourist area about the laws and effect of waste disposal in public place. B) Regulate the burning of solid and/or vegetative waste and the processing and/or disposal of waste dirt to protect the environment. C) Protect the environment by fulfilling the laws, regulations, ordinances and other requirements as set forth by the Country.
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INTRODUCTION
Knowledge about solid waste sources and types as well as information on its composition and rates of production and disposal is essential for the design and operational facets of the functional elements concomitant to solid waste management.
Tourism plays a substantial role in the development of a small island like Langkawi. Yet, it results in creation of additional wastes which have indirect and direct impacts on the somewhat unique and quite vulnerable environmental resources. In light of this, an identification of the negative and positive effects of the growing tourism industry in Langkawi Island as well as evaluation of the net balance between these is an objective that is necessary for development of a sustainable tourism industry in the area. It is well established that development of the global tourism industry in islands in the recent years has led to increased production of wastes and to altering the composition of these wastes as well. Securing sustainable tourism industry in islands should set reducing resource consumption and waste generation as a basic principle and priority. Reducing overconsumption and the amounts of waste produced has two dimensions: conserving the resources utilized by the tourists to be employed in production of different goods and releasing pressure on environmental resources that result from treatment and disposal of wastes. As far as waste production and management are concerned, what is really important is confirming dominance of sustainable waste management patterns rather than the amounts of waste which are produced.
Waste management is the process of treating solid wastes and offers variety of solutions for recycling items that don’t belong to trash. It is about how garbage can be used as a valuable resource. Waste management is something that each and every household and business owner in the world needs. Waste management disposes of the products and substances that you have use in a safe and efficient manner.
Americans alone are responsible for producing a hopping 220 million tons of waste a year. This number is far more than any other nation in the world. Because of this fact both the 8
government and environmental associations have developed numerous methods of dealing with the problem. Waste management is that solution, a rather complex issue that encompasses more than 20 different industries. Waste management is collection, transportation, and disposal of garbage, sewage and other waste products
According to Wikipedia,
“Waste management or Waste disposal is all the activities and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. This includes amongst other things, collection, transport, treatment and disposal of waste together with monitoring and regulation. It also encompasses the legal and regulatory framework that relates to waste management encompassing guidance on recycling etc.”
You will find there are eight major groups of waste management methods, each of them divided into numerous categories. Those groups include source reduction and reuse, animal feeding, recycling, composting, fermentation, landfills, incineration and land application. You can start using many techniques right at home, like reduction and reuse, which works to reduce the amount of disposable material used.
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SIGNIFICANCE OF WASTE MANAGEMENT
Planning the waste management and recycling for all of the rubbish produced in this country is an enormous task which involves both logistical planning and scientific knowledge and understanding in order to balance the impact on the environment and the cost effectiveness of the process. Waste management and recycling companies are also feeling an extra pressure to perform their role in the greenest ways possible. It is important to remember that the UK’s resources and landfill sites are limited and this has a major bearing on the kind of activities that are carried out. Waste collection and rubbish disposal play an extremely important role in the global cleanliness and sustainability drive, with people’s health and the conservation of resources being the responsibility of every government. To ease the pressure on government agencies, numerous privately-managed organisations also play a part in these waste management and recycling programs. In many cities it means that local government agencies have been left with the responsibility of overseeing the work done by these privatel y held organisations.
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[1] Thousands of years ago humans simply dug a hole and buried their refuse and waste. This was an effective technique for these early people because their population was relatively small and they did not produce waste on the same scale or with the levels of complexity that modern humans do. Burying the rubbish helped to prevent bugs and rodents from becoming a nuisance and spreading diseases. In the modern world burying all of our rubbish is not a sustainable solution. While primitive humans produced very little waste, and that which was produced would biodegrade quickly, modern humans produce much larger amounts of waste, much of which is not biodegradable. Additionally, many types of waste may be damaging to the soil, ground water and surrounding habitat. The most important reason for waste collection is the protection of the environment and the health of the population. Rubbish and waste can cause air and water pollution. Rotting garbage is also known to produce harmful gases that mix with the air and can cause breathing problems in people. By inspecting the vegetation around landfill sites carefully you can determine the damage that 11
can be caused by garbage and waste if left untreated in the open. To address this problem modern waste management professionals place garbage in l ined holes and use bacteria to help facilitate its rapid decomposition. Rotting garbage and waste emanates a foul smell that can cause nausea among people who come into contact with it. It can also be a source for waterborne diseases such as cholera and abdominal conditions and discomfort. Since water sources need to be protected the role of waste disposal companies is very important. These organisations should make it a priority to secure their landfill sites so that water bodies are not affected by the garbage and waste collected from homes and commercial establishments. Waste collection companies also sort the garbage into recyclable columns, as recycling the products that leave our homes is of utmost importance. Recycling not only helps in conserving our natural resources but also reduces the cost of production of many products. Products such as glass, oil, plastic, paper can all be recycled which will ultimately put less pressure on the natural resources used to manufacture these products.
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Lastly, waste management and recycling collection can help conserve our planet’s natural beauty which can be flawed by thoughtless disposal of waste, fly-tipping and senseless 12
littering. Landscapes can be ruined through littering and places of tourist interest can lose their attraction; it is also a blight for those who live in areas where waste collection and recycling is not managed effectively and responsibly. Natural beauty is a legacy and a right for future generations and conserving it, as well as our natural resources, for their benefit is our responsibility today.
There are many challenges facing the waste management and recycling industry but there is also a lot of excellent work going on to ensure that this is an industry to be proud of and one that will continue to secure effective, sustainable and ecologically sound waste management and recycling for many years to come.
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Reasons why proper waste management is important
Protects the environment. When waste is disposed of properly, you can prevent hazardous materials from contaminating the environment. Recycling helps you make extra money. Sort all your recyclables and make some money out of it! Waste disposal can be pricey at times and you should do all that you can to recycle first and then dispose of all waste materials. Reduce waste. Recycle! Recycle! Recycle! The beauty about recycling is you can reduce waste and reuse your materials.
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Safety. You need to make sure you are properly storing and disposing your trash because it can be harmful to others. Whether it’s disposing your trash in the right type of trash liner or container, it can be critical to yours and other people’s safety.
We operate with a fleet of trucks and empty more than 5,000 dumpsters a month. We can handle any job and we hope you do business with you in the near future.
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METHODOLOGY
The first step in our project was to visit various tourist spots in Calicut like Mananchira Square Park, Sarovaram Bio Park, Beypore beach, Kozhikode beach and Kappad beach and to categorise those places based on cleanliness and waste management. The next step was to analyse the data obtained about different places. As a next step we conducted a survey about the different tourist places in Calicut and obtained different opinions and suggestions. Awareness was spread among the common people based on the analysis by distributing posters about the poor waste management systems.
MANANCHIRA SQUARE PARK
[4] Mananchira is a man-made freshwater pond situated in the centre of Calicut. The pond is 3.49 acres in area, is rectangular in shape and is fed by a natural spring. Mananchira Square, a park complex surrounding the lake was opened in 1994. Mananchira Square is named after the man-made lake Mananchira around which it is situated in the centre of the city. It is named after Manadevan Samoothiri, the erstwhile ruler of the Kozhikode Kingdom, known as Mana-vedan Chira (pond) and later transformed to Mana-an-Chira. The historic ground, adjacent to Mananchira has been converted into an arcadia with trees and plants, an artificial hill, shrubs, sculpture, an open-air theatre, and a musical fountain. The Mananchira square is being maintained by the city Corporation. Tourist visits this serene location to spend a relaxing evening amidst the meticulous landscapes of the park, surrounded by trees and plants. The working hour of the park is from 3:30pm to 8:00pm. 15
The pond is indeed an important source of drinking water for Kozhikode, but is vulnerable to pollution from municipal sewage, domestic waste, and pollutants from nearby small-scale factories. An analysis of the water in 2000 by scientists from the Central Water Analysis Laboratory and Pondicherry Central University found that the pond was particularly bacteriologically contaminated during the monsoon season, and was highly alkaline afterwards. Overgrown lawns invaded by wild shrubs, fallen trees across the paved pathways and feral creepers growing across the steel railings, besides Koi fish ponds turned into mosquito breeding ponds are what welcome the visitors to the Square now. Even though the grass on the ground is not maintained on a regular basis, the waste management system is pretty well setup. More than 20 waste bins are setup in the 3 acres area. The corporation has assigned cleaning staff for the park. The cleaning is done every morning when the park is closed. The waste bins are also emptied and given to waste collecting trucks. The corporation has also done a good job in keeping punctuality in opening and closing the park. The staffs are very strict in making everyone leave the park just before 8pm.
SAROVARAM BIO PARK
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Sarovaram is an eco-friendly development near Kottooly in Kozhikode city in India. The park is situated adjacent to Canoly Canal. The project has been developed with an eco-friendly theme and is located in an ecosystem consisting of wetlands and mangrove forests containing bird habitats. A fully government-owned project, the Sarovaram Park is meant for the conservation of wetlands by sustainable methods. This park also aims to boost tourism in the 16
Malabar region. This park is a protected place to conserve mangrove species and other flora. This park is identified as one of the 27 wetlands of India. There are 7 mangrove species and 29 associated species. This park is the habitat for 34 types of birds. The canal is eleven kilometres long and connects the Korapuzha and Kallayi rivers. The park contains boating facilities, musical fountain and an open-air theatre. Of late the park has gained a reputation as a popular hangout of college couples. The construction has been done in traditional Kerala style. The working hour of the park is from 10:00AM to 7:30PM.
Surroundings of the Sarovaram Bio Park, which currently has an area of over five acres of land, is the worst-hit in the reckless dumping of trash, both industrial and domestic. Areas rich with mangroves and plants inside the park are on the verge of ruin in the practice, where the situation is becoming worse with the monsoon gaining strength. Though cleaning drives are occasionally conducted in the area to ensure a clean ambience inside the park, the surroundings are surprisingly left out from such drives. ‘Kalipoika,’ a small pond inside the park for promoting water tourism, is also facing the threat with delayed measures to ensure proper protection from such pollution attempts. Recently, the boating service here has been stopped after it was found that slaughterhouse waste had been dumped inside the pond. District tourism promotion council (DTPC) here is planning to prohibit the use of plastic carry bags and bottles inside the Sarovaram bio park. BEYPORE BEACH
Beypore beach is located 15 km away from Kadavu, at the jaws of Chaliyar River. The charming beach is just like a treasure of peace and tranquillity with its picturesque atmosphere, wide stretches of golden sands and fascinating coconut trees; swaying tenderly in the cool breeze. This beach is pristine and perfect for a quiet escapade.
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Beypore beach is the one of the prominent beach of Calicut. The beach gave an cooling environment to the mind and body. Here we can also see the magnificent beauty of Arabian sea. The beautification work of Beypore beach is done fantastically. But the carrying capacity of seat is comparatively lesser than the mob. During festival season tourist flock to the area will increase. People can enjoy swimming in the area, there is coast guards who will guide and assist in swimming. We can swim according to their direction. Beypore beach is safest beach in Kerala we can have all adventurous tourism activities except Kayaking in the beach. Kayaking is only suitable for higher depth beach were sea will be higher than the land. Beypore is also a perfect place for Ayurveda tourism. Recently a German tourist coordinator Ms Mary Theresa came to beach and also she submitted a report to the tourism authorities. In that report , says that Beypore is the perfect place to develop beach tourism .She said that normally tourist likes to engage with health related activities like:- Solar d activities like:Solar Yoga, Fish massage, Flower Bath, Fish bath, Sun bed, Sun bath and Kalari treatment. Actually these Ocean spa treatments are helpful to promote tourism. This can attract both domestic and international tourist. Another attraction of Beypore beach is here we can enjoy the real taste of typical Malabar Cuisine. Food stalls near to the beach offering Malabar Cuisines - Famous for traditional Muslim food items, mainly sea food items (crab, prawns, lobster and shell creature called – kallummukkaya. The Beypore Assembly constituency has launched a comprehensive waste management project to cover the three panchayats that come under its purview. The project, inaugurated by Minister for Urban Affairs Manjalamkuzhi Ali on December 28, envisages to effectively follow a zero-budget waste-management scheme that was successfully implemented by a city-based residential forum called Niravu Vengeri in different parts of the State. Beypore beach is clean and the waste in the beach side are seldom thanks to the waste management projects undertaken by the Beypore assembly constitution.
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KOZHIKODE BEACH
Kozhikode Beach is a beach on the western side of Kozhikode, situated on the Malabar Coast of India. The beach is accessible through four road overbridges in the city. The beach has paved stones and illumination. There is one Lions Park for the children and an aquarium. Kozhikode beach has always been a prominent place for conducting public meetings. The beach road was renamed 'Gandhi Road' in 1934 after Gandhi visited Calicut in 1934.
It is situated at 1.5 Km away from the city. Calicut beach is a perfect place to spend your evening. The sea piers almost 125 years old extending well inside the se a are specialty, The piers are builded during the Europeans time. The Lions Club Children’s Park along with the nearby ice-cream parlors make evenings pleasant for visiting families. Sun set and sun rice are worth to see here. People can take a long walk and get refresh, the beach calmness will surely rejuvenate the body and mind. Fishermen with their small rowing boats entering the sea, fighting the waves and returning with varieties of fish is worth watching. Many people from different place come and gathered at this place. With night surveillance of the coastline on the decline, beaches in the city are fast turning into a waste dump. Festivals make the situation worse, with waste safely dumped under the cover of darkness. Plastic and food waste were found dumped on the beach adjacent to the Gandhi Road junction. The cleaning staff of the city Corporation also seemed to give the beach a miss. Street vendors along the main beach say waste is mostly brought here from venues of private parties and social gatherings. Food and other waste from wedding celebrations too are dumped in the sea. Night vigil on the beach is insufficient to dissuade anti-social elements. Only two or three security personnel are posted to guard several kilometres of the coastline. 19
KAPPAD BEACH
Kappad or Kappakadavu locally, is a famous beach near Kozhikode, India, where the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama landed on 20 May 1498. His voyage established the sea route from Europe to India. This established a permanent route from Europe to India. This heralded the arrival and permanent presence of various European merchant companies, leading to eventual domination and rule by the East India Company and later the period of British colonial rule.
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Kappad finds mention in history and geography texts as the gateway to the Malabar Coast. Here, more than 500 years ago on 27th May 1498, 170 men led by the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama (1460-1524) sailed in and stepped into Kerala to create a new chapter in history; the story of a long and tumultuous socio-political relationship between India and Europe. Today only a little stone monument is left at the Kappad beach to speak of its great historic importance. On the rocks nearby is a temple believed to be 800 years old. To the tourist, this little seafaring town is a haven. The best route to Kappad is along the backwaters. Unspoilt and uncrowded, the picturesque backwaters of Kozhikode offer a bewitching experience. A ride down the backwaters through the Korappuzha River brings you to the beach. In 2007 a 20
R.s. 1.5-crore program to beautify the beach was launched by Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. It is now completed and Kappad beach has a beautiful corniche and park. The park includes a restroom, restaurant and seating. Local authorities make great efforts to keep the beach cleaned every day. It is one of the cleanest beaches in Kerala. METHOD OF EXECUTION
As a first step we visited the most common tourist places in Calicut district such as Mananchira square, Sarovaram Bio Park, Kappad Beach, Kozhikode Beach, Beypore Beach to understand the waste management systems implemented in these areas and how effectively they are being carried out. The current scenarios of the waste management systems were understood and the present states of these tourist places were noted. Upon inspection we could notice a few things about the present condition of these places. Mananchira square, Sarovaram Bio Park and Kappad beach were found to be extremely clean compared to the other places especially Kozhikode beach which was seen to be in a dilapidated state. More than 20 waste bins are setup in the 3 acres area. The corporation has assigned cleaning staff for these places. The cleaning is done every morning when the place is closed. The waste bins are also emptied and given to waste collecting trucks. The corporation has also done a good job in keeping punctuality in the maintenance of these places. Certain posters and pamphlets were prepared and print outs were taken to distribute it to the tourists and local folk present in these places in order to make them understand the current need of an effective waste management system and the various steps to be adopted to do the same. The poster distribution method was met with a genial response from the people who appreciated us for the cause we were working on. As a final step we conducted a survey in Google forms to understand the current situation of these tourist places as we may have missed out any owing to our time constraint. The data consisted of different tourist places and the polluted areas and the suggestions offered by them, which can be taken up by the authorities to reduce waste. The data was compiled and based on that some points were evident about the waste management in tourist spots. Some of the posters and pamphlets we distributed are attached below.
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SCOPE OF FUTURE OF WORK
The idea of zero waste communities operating closed-loop systems that emulate a circular economy is currently a popular movement across the globe. Though without fundamental changes in the way waste is handled, these phrases are destined to remain buzzwords rather than become reality. While the business of collecting, processing and disposing of material has gotten far more efficient in recent decades, many essential concepts have remained: burying waste in landfills is still an inexpensive option, many people are resistant to living near waste-related facilities and large amounts of debris still enter the ocean. Changing these dynamics in a significant way will not be easy, but in recent years multiple architects and designers have taken on the challenge. Bans on Plastic
It’s not a secret that most plastics take hundreds, if not thousands of years to photodegrade (which is still bad for the environment anyway), or that they’re wildly hazardous to local ecosystems and wildlife. That’s why many cities are starting to address the plastic waste generated within their borders. Styrofoam in particular has been discussed widely throughout the years, and cities and towns across the country have increasingly been resorting to bans on food packaging made out of polystyrene foam. While it’s cost -effective and durable enough for packaging, its light weight makes it prone to being easily spread by the wind, and it can seep compounds like styrene into the earth and groundwater. Between prohibitions on Styrofoam, plastic shopping bag bans, and even bans on plastic bottles, hopefully the push to phase-out unsustainable and pervasive plastics like these will continue.
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[10]
From Paper to Digital
In 2012, President Obama signed legislation requiring the EPA to move to a completely digital system of records by 2015. This would allow retailers and commercial businesses to report their hazardous waste data directly to the EPA via an “e -manifest,” making industrial and commercial waste tracking a much more streamlined, efficient process. The need for digital record keeping has never been needed more across industries and government institutions, especially in a time where even the Department of Veterans Affairs has seen such a backlog of physical paperwork that disability claims can be delayed for years. Considering the efficiency benefits and that digital record systems generate considerably less waste, it's likely that more businesses and institutions will be pressured into jumping on the digital train as well. “Biodegradable” Plastics
The market for biodegradable plastic resins has been increasing steadily for years and is currently expected to increase by 19% a year into 2017. Plant-derived resins like polylactic acid – a #7 plastic labelled “PLA”– continue to be at the forefront of a campaign to introduce bio-based resins into a variety of markets and industries. While some possible applications include car parts, clothing, and even electrical components, there is still the issue of labeling certain plastics “biodegradable.” Without proper municipal recycling and composting
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systems in place to break down the plant- based material, these plastics won’t degrade. When polylactic acid packaging in particular is mixed with other types of plastics during processing, it can even contaminate the entire batch of recycled plastic, rendering it all useless. This risky push for resins from feedstock can only be properly managed if we start adopting widespread systems capable of truly composting the material. Otherwise, we risk simply mitigating consumer guilt without actually providing any real solutions. Skepticism abounds as the market for these plastics continues to grow… Mandatory Composting
Only 5% of the 26 million tons of food waste in 2012 avoided a landfill. This means there are still millions of tons of food sitting at the bottom of a landfill that could have otherwise been turned into a healthy compost material for personal or municipal use. That’s why mor e municipalities across the country are starting to institute programs for organic material composting, and some are even making it mandatory. It’s not just the urban eco -titan San Francisco playing with this type of legislation: Rhode Island has started the discussion, and even New York City did when Michael Bloomberg was the active mayor. We can only hope this increased interest in composting continues to grow. Sustainable Innovation
A Swedish student at the Umeá Institute of Design developed back in 2013 a conceptual design for the ERO – a robot that can actually recycle buildings made out of concrete and rebar. The amazing concept even won the designer, Omer Haciomeroglu, a 2013 International Design Excellence Award from the Industrial Designers Society of America. While only a conceptual project at this point – and an incredibly ambitious one at that – the fact that an entire concrete building can be theoretically recycled is a groundbreaking achievement of design. The possibilities of sustainability are constantly being redefined by innovations like this, and we can expect to see similar revelations continually evolving at a faster rate. 3-D Printing
3-D printing has opened up doors to manufacturing that were never before thought to be opened: from commercial use and mass-production, even down to more private, personal use at home. 3-D printing technology might even be able to build a house in a day. Of course, this technology risks increasing our dependence on plastic even further. Thankfully, some are finding grinded-up plastics from around your home – even used Legos and other plastic waste – can be a viable option for printing. Just imagine if a whole new market was opened up for plastic waste to be used in 3-D printing? Certain recycled plastics are often cheaper per pound than virgin plastics anyway. 3-D printing has innumerable positive applications, but we should ensure that the materials used are as sustainably-sourced as possible. Energy from Organic Waste
California is often a place were budding eco-technology is piloted, and anaerobic digestion technology is no exception. Sacramento County’s “Sacramento BioDigester” can take food 27
and other biodegradable waste and turn it into sustainable bioenergy. This benchmark in anaerobic digestion may be an indication of things to come, especially when the Sacramento digester is so efficient it can process about 100 tons of organic material a day. Imagine if there were one of these in every major city across the U.S. Recycling… Cigarettes?
Whether or not you believe cigarette smoking is a gross habit, the fact remains that 38% of litter on the road is cigarette and tobacco product waste. It’s a ubiquitous and nasty issue that, until now, we’ve had to just deal with. Now, through TerraCycle's Cigarette Waste Brigade recycling program, an person, organization or business over the age of 21 can actually collect and send cigarette waste directly to TerraCycle. The tobacco and paper gets composted and the cellulose acetate filters are recycled into industrial plastic products like shipping pallets. A similar city-wide program was even launched by the city of Vancouver last November with the help of TerraCycle. As more people begin to realize that there actually is a solution to this enormous waste stream, we hope to see more people and municipalities following suit. Increased Corporate Responsibility
It’s easy to make hollow promises lauding “corporate social responsibility,” but more and more companies and businesses are seeing that actions do indeed speak louder than words. The age of the conscious consumer and conscious public is upon us, and firms will naturally be increasing their self-generated waste recycling efforts, as well as being more vocal about sustainability in general. Greenwashing is getting increasingly difficult to manage, as people are more vigilant and ready to pounce on illegitimate sustainability efforts. Besides, there are upsides to businesses becoming more sustainable, like increased supply line efficiency and reductions in industrial waste. We can expect to see more of this as well-informed consumers continue to demand that the companies they buy their products from be more socially responsible and environmentally-conscious.
Growing Issues With E-Waste
48.9 million tons of E-Waste were generated in 2012, according to the Solving the E-Waste Problem (STEP) Initiative. The U.S. generated more than 258 million units of E-Waste in 2010 alone, and that was four years ago. Much of this extremely toxic waste stream gets sent to third-world countries where it sits unrecycled in giant, electronic mass-graves. Both the United Nations’ Global Partnership on Waste Management and the EPA have continually tracked international E-Waste generation, but the E-Waste problem is as pervasive as ever. As the struggle to manage this dangerous waste stream continues and becomes increasingly difficult to ignore, we can expect to see a larger international discussion developing. Also various mechanical machinery such as the waste press indicated below use the knowledge of mechanical engineering to properly dispose of waste in various places and they can be remotely installed.
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ENGINEERING METHODS OF WASTE DISPOSAL METAL WASTE PRESS
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A metallic waste press can be fabricated from mild steel and aluminium by simple joining processes such as welding, riveting etc to crush out the metallic waste generated in homes and since it requires very minimal amount of energy input it is a highly efficient machine.
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KITCHEN WASTE SHREDDER
The waste from kitchen can be easily decomposed by a kitchen waste shredder which can be run by a motor and can thereby produce compost which in turn is used for the production of biogas.
[8]
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Conclusions Our survey on waste management at tourist places of Calicut had a mixed response. As many were unsure about the hygiene of these places, rest of them had a clear cut idea about these localities. Their suggestions were quite useful and informative in helping us set up a report on the cleanliness of these localities. These are some of the responses and conclusions from our survey :
This pie chart dealt with the basic question of how clean our tourist places are .Their responses were well enough to show that our major tourist spots are not well maintained and looked after. A majority of 49.4 percent of the people reported these places to be unclean. Surprisingly, 26 percent of the people found them to be clean which is quite contrary to the situation in which we find them. The blue chart is a clear indication of how much unaware we are about our localities and environment. It is both necessary and essential to keep everything around us clean. This should not be restricted only to tourist spots. However, it is much more important to keep tourist attractions clean because they're a source of revenue generation for the country. The problem of unclean tourist places plagues the whole of India.
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There are a lot of beautiful places to see in Calicut but they're generally maintained shabbily. People who blame only the Municipality of not maintaining these spots are misinformed about the whole idea of cleanliness. The onus is on every citizen to maintain cleanliness wherever he/she goes.
The next question that we asked in the survey was an interesting one. It demanded the survey takers to ponder a little and give in suggestions.
Interestingly, this question was a consequence of the previous one. Waste disposal systems, like any other public space, are important in a tourist spot. Lack of dustbins in the Calicut beach is a huge demerit in an otherwise beautiful city. The beach is an important part of the city’s tourism and lack of dustbins make the beach a dirty one. The report gave us a fair idea that in most of the tourist places, the waste disposal systems are not properly implemented. A whopping 60 percent of the survey takers too believe in this. It is quite clear from the pie chart that a serious action need to be taken by the municipality and the corporation together so that these beaches remain clean. An interesting trend that can be noted at most of the 32
tourist hubs is that although the premises are clean, as you move further away towards the parking lots and the shops outside the gates, it gets filthier.
A SWEEPER GAVE US AN ANSWER LIKE THIS: “WHEN
YOU SEE SOMETHING SO BEAUTIFUL, HOW CAN YOU LITTER IT?
CHILDREN COMING FOR PICNICS AND LITTERING THE PLACE.
THEIR
IT
IS SAD TO SEE
TEACHERS SAY NOTHING,
WHICH IS SAD AS YOU HAVE TO TEACH YOUNGSTERS TO INCULCATE THE RIGHT HABITS.
TEACHERS SOMETIMES TIP US TO CLEAN THE MESS BUT THAT DOES NOT SERVE
THE PURPOSE.”
This alone is enough to say that contribution should be from each and every individual and not by a single person. The next question that we asked also raised some eyebrows. The answers were quite helpful. The question was as follows:
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This survey report suggest that about 69 percent about the people inform the concerned authorities about the poor state. Similarly, small inputs from every individual could contribute a lot in cleaning the city. Meanwhile, 17.5 percent of the individuals never even mind about the hygiene of the place. They visit and leave the spot littering it more and causing a nuisance to the spot. Tourism is an agent of development and an engine for economic growth and employment generation. Inconsistent sanitation standards would, similarly, have a negative impact. This would be unfortunate especially at a time when our tourism industry is projecting the unique beauty of our cultural sites.
The next question that we asked formed the crux of the discussion. Many people brought in a a lot of ideas and suggestions for the betterment of the Calicut city. We were quite overwhelmed by the number of suggestions that we received. Many of them are good enough to be implemented.
Suggestions to improve
The city of Calicut has always been a dream destination for all the nature loving and the foodies of Kerala. Hence, it is important that a city of such historical and cultural magnificence be preserved to its best. Our survey gave us a lot of ideas and ways to improve the hygiene and waste management of the tourist spots of the city. Some of the better ways of improving the facilities discussed from the survey are as follows:
The first and the most common suggestion is to place dustbins in all the important locations of the city including these places of interest like beaches, Mananchira square etc.
This will help in cleaning these destinations to a greater extent.
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Reduce use of plastics is a common method being repeated every time. This is to be implemented individually with the help of the municipality and implementation of this will be a serious merit in the disposal of wastes in tourist spots.
A highly organised waste disposal method is to be introduced.
Scrap recycling and processing is yet another element of waste management. After segregating the garbage, after organic and inert waste has been removed, what remains is recyclable material, mostly PET bottles, cold drink cans, metal scrap, paper cartons and certain types of plastic products. These could be sold to companies who recycle such products.
Another method of solid organic waste management currently gaining popularity is composting. Organic waste such as food materials can be used for preparing compost.
Spreading awareness by distributing pamphlets and posters was a useful way in supporting the cause. As the citizens read through these posters, some awareness is spread which results in an individual wise monitoring of these places. A fine can be imposed for littering the beach premises. All these methods collectively can result in a better Calicut city.
Outsourcing the work with an outward agency by paying them a small amount is also an acceptable and formidable way of cleaning the spots.
[9]
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Throwing daily waste/garbage in the landfills is the most popularly used method of waste disposal used today. This process of waste disposal focuses attention on burying the waste in the land. There is a process used that eliminates the odours and dangers of waste before it is placed into the ground. While it is true this is the most popular form of waste disposal, it is certainly far from the only procedure and one that may also bring with it an assortment of space.
Composting is a easy and natural bio-degradation process that takes organic wastes i.e. remains of plants and garden and kitchen waste and turns into nutrient rich food for your plants. Composting, normally used for organic farming, occurs by allowing organic materials to sit in one place for months until microbes decompose it. Composting is one of the best method of waste disposal as it can turn unsafe organic products into safe compost. On the other side, it is slow process and takes lot of space.
[10]
Overall, the report and the project gave us the opportunity to dig deep into the functioning of the tourist spots of Calicut. It also gave us a clear cut idea of as to how much the individuals care about their tourism spots and how willing they are to work for the cause. The survey gave us a number of suggestions and methods which were quite impeccable and practical enough to be implemented. The awareness drive conducted would certainly bring about change in the way individuals perceive their city. Let the tourists flow in. Keep the city clean.
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Bibliography
www.wm.com
www.inderscience.com
www.thehindu.com
www.universalecoservices.com
www.images.google.com
[1]-Image courtesy of https://www.abc-training.co.uk/Driver-CPC-First-Aid-JAUPT-p72.html [2]-Image courtesy of https://www.news.mn/r/185758 [3]-Image courtesy of http://www.tigersanitationutah.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/12/trash_cans-550x214px.jpg [4]-Image courtesy of http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/in-communion-withnature/article4917143.ece [5]- Image courtesy of http://www.kozhikodeonline.in/city-guide/sarovaram-biopark-inkozhikode [6]- Image courtesy of http://www.touristplacesnear.com/india/kerala/kozhikkode/beypore beach [7]- Image courtesy of https://www.tourmyindia.com/beaches/kappad-beach.html [8]- Image courtesy of www.grabcad.com [9]- Image courtesy of https://www.epa.gov/recycle [10]- Image courtesy of www.thehindu.com/articles/waste17
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