Waste Management and Sustainable Energy Consumption
The Problem of Waste
Population growth and industrialization have led to a large increase in the volume of urban and industrial solid waste. These are divided into:
- Urban: From domestic activities, businesses, healthcare, etc.
- Industrial: The largest producers of industrial wastes are the chemical industry and mining.
- Rural: Primarily includes agricultural and livestock waste.
Waste generation depends on the standard of living and level of development. The composition of municipal solid waste varies.
Wastes accumulate and can pollute rivers, seas, and the environment. The priority is to reduce the quantity of waste as much as possible, taking advantage of all materials that can be re-incorporated into the productive system through reuse and recycling (reusing waste materials for another application).
Incinerators: A system that uses heat treatment to reduce the volume and amount of waste by combustion. This can reduce waste by 70-80%, transforming it into combustion gases and slag. Gases are filtered and released into the atmosphere, while slag can sometimes be used as construction material (e.g., for roads). However, incinerators present environmental problems, as gases such as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides are pollutants.
Controlled Landfills: Require smaller investments and simpler technology but occupy a large surface area for storage. Problems arise from the release of odors and gaseous pollutants. Another drawback is soil and groundwater contamination, although some organic waste can be used to produce compost.
Energy consumption and sustainable development require reflection on the best development model for the planet.
Energy Consumption and Sustainable Development
Extraction, transport, and burning of fossil fuels are major causes of environmental problems. When energy consumption pollutes the air and water, it is necessary to implement energy-saving measures. Furthermore, we must accelerate the substitution of fossil fuels with renewable energy sources that do not pollute the environment.
Energy consumption in the industrialized world is much higher than in developing countries. However, energy consumption is increasing at a faster pace in the developing world due to high population growth and the spread of progress in rural areas. If developing countries follow the same development model, the emission of greenhouse gases will double. Industrialized states cannot impose environmental regulations as an obstacle to development; instead, they must promote a sustainable development model that allows developing countries to avoid aggravating global environmental problems.
Towards Sustainable Development
Sustainable development improves the quality of human life without exceeding the carrying capacity of the ecosystems that support it. The purpose is to maintain essential ecological processes and systems that sustain life, preserving genetic diversity. Imbalances between industrialized and developing countries should be addressed, with a development level that allows for the sustainable exploitation of resources in the future.
Key agreements and initiatives include:
- Rio Declaration
- Agenda 21
- Convention on Biological Diversity
- Framework Convention on Climate Change
- Declaration of Principles on Forests
- 1997 Kyoto Protocol (Japan) – World Conference on Climate