Solid Waste Disposal

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Solid Waste Disposal, disposal of normally solid or semisolid materials, resulting from human and animal activities, that are useless, unwanted, or hazardous. Solid wastes typically may be classified as follows:

  • Garbage - decomposable wastes from food
  • Rubbish - nondecomposable wastes, either combustible (such as paper, wood, and cloth) or noncombustible (such as metal, glass, and ceramics)
  • Ashes - residues of the combustion of solid fuels
  • Large wastes - demolition and construction debris and trees
  • Dead animals
  • Sewage-treatment solids - material retained on sewage-treatment screens, settled solids, and biomass sludge
  • Industrial wastes - such materials as chemicals, paints, and sand
  • Mining wastes - slag heaps and coal refuse piles
  • Agricultural wastes - farm animal manure and crop residues.

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