Class 9
Created by Titas Mallick
Biology Teacher • M.Sc. Botany • B.Ed. • CTET (CBSE) • CISCE Examiner
Created by Titas Mallick
Biology Teacher • M.Sc. Botany • B.Ed. • CTET (CBSE) • CISCE Examiner
A detailed classification of different types of waste and their origins.
Waste is any material that is no longer useful and is discarded. As human civilization progresses and populations grow, the volume and complexity of waste generated increase significantly.
Waste can be broadly classified based on its decomposition properties:
Waste generated from households and residential areas.
Waste produced by various manufacturing processes and industries.
Waste generated from farming and livestock activities.
Waste generated during medical diagnosis, treatment, or research.
Discarded electronic devices which contain toxic components like Lead, Mercury, and Beryllium.
Urban Mining Electronic waste contains precious metals like gold, silver, and copper. "Urban mining" refers to the process of recovering these valuable materials from discarded electronics, which also prevents toxic leakage.
| Source | Primary Impact |
|---|---|
| Domestic | Clogging of drains, foul smell, breeding ground for pests. |
| Industrial | Water and soil pollution, bioaccumulation of heavy metals. |
| Agricultural | Eutrophication of water bodies due to fertilizer runoff. |
| Biomedical | Spread of infectious diseases like Hepatitis and HIV. |
| E-Waste | Leaching of toxic chemicals into groundwater. |
Metals like Mercury (from battery and thermometer factories) and Lead (from paint and plumbing industries) are highly toxic and enter the food chain.
Generated from nuclear power plants and medical research. It can cause genetic mutations and cancer.
Industrial chimneys release , , and which contribute to acid rain and global warming.
Bioaccumulation Non-biodegradable toxins like DDT increase in concentration as they move up the food chain, a process known as Biomagnification. This can lead to severe health issues in top predators, including humans.
/Class-9/7_1_Sources_of_Waste.mdx