Solid waste generation in Sri Lanka

Waste generation is often expressed in terms of a waste generation rate, this being the quantity of waste produced per person per day (kg/person.day). The waste generating rate is vary useful for planning and comparison purposes. For example, household waste generation increases with income. Low income: 0.37Kg/person.day, Middle income: 0.47Kg/person.day,High income: 0.67Kg/person.day and municipal waste generation is always greater than household waste generation.municipal waste generation is also closely related to the state of the town/city economy, increasing during time of rapid economic growth and decreasing during times of economic recession. Developing countries: o.3-1.0 Kg/person.day, Developed countries: 1.0-2.5 Kg/person.day.waste generation also affected by the floating population, this being the number of people who pass through a town/city during the day,season and festival and other especial occations.

පරිසර දුෂණය

Environmental pollution is a growing problem in Sri Lanka aggravated in the absence of proper management systems of waste and by the existence of a large number of industries that are located in every part of the country at various scales. However, rate of generation of waste is also increasing with the increase of population, technological development and the changes of life styles of the people. Mismanagement of waste and its improper disposal lead to health and environmental problems. Most obvious environmental problem that has more public concern is damages to aesthetic view. However more serious visible, invisible and some times irreversible environmental damages occur due to surface and ground water pollution by the leachate from uncontrolled open dumping of solid waste. Air pollution can also be caused from the inefficient burning of waste either in an open air or in plants with inadequate emission control systems.

Waste disposal

Direct dumping of MSW in open site is the most common practice in many developing countries including Sri Lanka. Disposal of MSW in Sri Lanka is primarily by open site dumping located at lowland areas where leads to surface and ground water pollution .source and separation is still not practiced for MSW thought it is an essential process to recycle and reuse possible materials for example collection of glassware in island wide is successful thus it reduces the manufacture of bottles by 60%. Common problem with open site dumping can be explained as odour emission to the atmosphere, ground water pollution by leachate transport, health and hygiene problem for living beings, pollution of aesthetic appearance, natural water bodies’ pollution, scavenger’s problems and fly and mosquito problems. But this requires large land area and has to handle massive quantities, further it creates many problems mentioned above and has to be stopped immediatel