Health Impact Assessment: Australian Waste Management Strategies

This report provides a health impact assessment of waste management practices in Australia, examining the effects of both solid and liquid waste disposal on human health and the environment. It begins with a literature review discussing the adverse effects of unsustainable waste disposal, including diseases, soil contamination, and environmental degradation. The report then compares current waste management strategies with those of other countries, focusing on the need for alternative approaches. It details the specific health impacts from different types of waste, such as industrial, agricultural, and hospital waste, as well as domestic and liquid waste. The report also suggests treatments and precautions to mitigate the negative health effects. The report highlights the importance of sustainable waste management practices for public health, environmental protection, and the well-being of Indigenous Australians.

HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Literature Review ............................................................................................................................1
Comparison of current waste management strategies with other country's waste management
strategy that prioritises alternative strategies...............................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Health impact assessment can be described as combinations of all the procedures,
policies, tools and methods which may be judged to its potential effects on the health and
environment safety by minimising the polluting effects and providing a best suitable solution of
those effects in the population. It aims to the reduction of pollutants and maximising positive
health effects.
This assessment includes health and safety concerns in Australia with the effect
on the environment and health because of unsustainable disposal practices the Australia.
Unsustainable health practices in Australia leads to the health and environmental effect which
disturbs proper functioning of the firm. Comparison of current scenario with the other countries
like America where the waste management is done on the regular basis. Certain norms developed
by government for waste management and wise use of health impacts.
Literature Review
According to Padma lal and Litieta Takau the impact of unsustainable disposal of solid and
liquid waste on human health and Environment is a major concern in Australia. Waste is divided
into four categories- solid waste, liquid waste (including human and animal waste), agrochemical
waste and other waste. Each waste causes significant effects on health and environment.
Due to unsustainable disposal of solid waste all the Mosquito born diseases such as
dengue fever and others are come out. Unsustainable disposal of waste created diseases such as
skin diseases, dysentery, diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal illnesses caused by drinking water
infected by waste and almost 50% of households reported suffering waste related illnesses. By
increasing nutrients in coastal waters and groundwater environment get affected. Increase
aesthetic effects of litter and indiscriminate dumping of solid waste in drains and waterways, on
unoccupied private places, roadsides and public land that can creates serious threats the
environment.
Liquid waste is also a major source of pollution in Australia. Liquid waste is either swept into a
rubbish heap or dumped in nearby bush. It is still left open to the elements and during rainy
weather organic matter and bacteria enter the groundwater that will make environment pollutant.
Environmental outcomes of eutrophication include a decrement in biological diversity, impacts
to coastal fisheries, and a decrease in water quality(Mueller & et.al.,(2015)). Furthermore, as a
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effect of limited recycling of items such as aluminium cans, beer bottles and metal the life of
landfill sites is decreased that directly affect the plants growth, quality and environmental
operations.
According to Seemann, K., McLean, S., & Fiocco, P. Potential health and environmental
issues are connected with every point of the handling, treatment and disposal of waste. Waste is a
complex assortment of different substances and they are intrinsically hazardous to health. Many
environmental hazaed parts found in waste and they causes more human diseases. Thus the value
of a safe water supply, and sewerage and liquid waste removal is recognized in the effort to
maintain hygiene and prevent gastrointestinal disease(Mueller & et.al., (2016)). Indigenous
Australians have mainly poorer health outcomes and a lower life expectancy compared with non-
Indigenous Australians. They are suffering from burden of diseases such as Chronic diseases,
including cardiovascular disease, and mental and substance abuse disorders contribute
significantly to the load of disease experienced by people. Improper liquid and solid waste
disposal is the major factor that contributes to this poor health.
Improperly disposal of solid and liquid waste has been identified as one of the main
causes of pollution. Unsustainable disposal practices is becoming a major concern for
government and environmentalist because it causes serious threats to health and the environment.
Water, air and soil pollution all are because of improper disposal of waste(Kim, Kabir, & Kabir
(2015)). This improper waste disposal can also have adverse effects such as cause significant
harm to marine and wildlife and also create green house gas effects. This can cause harmful
health effects on humans as over the years it has been liable for causing various diseases and in
some cases even death. Harmful Chemicals like pathogens, toxic chemical or medical waste
combined with water making it harmful to use. Diseases like leptospirosis, Cholera, Dysentery
are recognised to be spread through contaminated water and cause hazardous health infection in
a people.
One more dangerous effect of unsustainable solid and liquid waste disposal is soil
contamination, it occurs when solid or liquid hazardous sustains come into contact with soil. This
chemical are intent by plants which are later used by human beings this can cause serious
diseases(Mueller & et.al., (2018)). Solid and liquid waste seriously spoiling the environment
functions. Negative environment impacts from unsustainable disposal of waste is increasing day
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by day, create serious infection diseases, loss of biodiversity, obstruction of drain and many
pollution and may also contribute to a worsening environmental degradation of the community.
HEALTH TREATMENT FROM SOLID AND LIQUID WASTE
As per the view of Bakobie, (2018), unsustainable disposal has an impact on public health or
environmental in Australia. Australian public health can be majorly affected by the pollution
caused by the people which must be minimised as per the safety and healthy living of humans.
Solid waste:
In the opinion of Emma Selin, (2013), Solid waste dumping site are industrial waste,
agricultural waste, hospital waste and environmental pollutant are heavy metals, persistent
organic pollutant. These all waste are hazardous for human or animal health. These all are waste
causes public sufferings from dangerous disease like cancer, child birth defect, reproduction,
dental disorder, ear infection, eye infection, blood disorder, skin disorder, other disorder(malaria,
chicken pox, cardio vascular disease) etc.
Industrial waste like Falloff unused chemicals and raw material, experted products and
substandard etc produce disease like skin disorder, eye infection, respiratory abnormalities.
These disease causes human health comes in danger zone. Respiratory tract infection normally
occurs through inhalation (breathing)(Mueller & et.al., (2018)). Treatment of this disease can
possible by using some precaution like mask which will prevent inhalation of chemical through
breathing. Ear infection can be treat out by wearing ear plugs which will save from deafness etc.
Some heavy metals like lead, cadmium, mercury are also impact health of public. Treatment of
this impact by using gloves in hands.
Agricultural wastes are caused by use of pesticides(herbicides and fungicides) these waste are
sign of skin disease, lung disease, eye infection, ear infection etc. Treatment of these infection is
done by using health strategy. For example per week health check up, proper diet plan, using
warm water, using mask before going outside, using curtains on windows all precaution will
helpful to treatment of all disease(Khreis & et.al., (2018)).
Hospital waste are caused by Packaging materials and containers, used syringe and sharps,
biological waste and pharmaceuticals etc. leads to infection like HIV, drug interaction, septic
wounds and congenital abnormalities, blood infection etc. Treatment of infection is done by
keeping precaution in hospital by patient, doctors and nurses like incineration of syringe after
injecting, checking out expiry date or side effect day to day, using gloves before using any
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medical apparatus, using sensitiser after touching any objects, discard or incineration of syringe
after taking blood, daily blood or health check up etc are helpful treatment of disease.
Domestic waste are caused by Poly thins, bottles, wasted food etc. Domestic waste produces
some toxic gases during burning it that causes lung disease , cardio vascular disease etc.
treatment of this disease is done by daily check up of health(Scallan & et.al., (2015)) . Proper
medication, proper diet plans, keep home hygienics, using paper or clothes bags rather poly thins
etc. will helpful to keep away from disease and pollution.
Liquid waste:
In the opinion of Bakobie , 2018 liquid as wastewater, fats, oil or grease(fog), used oil,
liquids like industrial waste liquid, hospital waste liquid, domestic waste liquid e.g. faeces,toilet
paper and food waste coming from toilets, showers and sewage,troughs and sinks. etc. These
liquid, that are hazardous or potentially harmful to human health or environment. Liquid waste
dumping sites are industrial waste, hospital waste and domestic waste liquid.
Domestic liquid are Sewage water or toilets( people don't practice good toilet hygiene),These all
are waste causes disease occurs like diarrhoea, gastroenteritis and giardiasis and it spreads
quickly to other people within a community(Miri & et.al., (2017)). Treatment of these disease is
done by keep some precaution like daily flushing of toilets, use sensitisers, consumption
healthful foods, take warm or filter water, follow diet plan, per 3 moths blood check up etc. will
keep away from disease.
Hospital liquids waste are Biomedical waste liquid, TTH, TCH and TWH , the reuses untreated
clinical liquid waste causes disease such as cholera, plague, tuberculosis, hepatitis B, diphtheria,
improper health management of healthcare waste causes direct impact such as the spread of drug
resistant micro-organize From health facilities(Nedelescu & et.al., (2017)). To treatment of these
disease keeps precaution by hospital management For example incineration of hazardous waste
liquid and non hazardous liquid drain out, reuse clinical treated waste so it will keep away from
disease, keep hygiene wash rooms, floors, use sensitisers, proper give health treatment to patient
etc. are keep people away from disease.
Industrial waste are Non aqueous waste( wastes that firstly contain a liquid or another water
such as: oils, chemical mixtures, coolants) and aqueous waste are hazardous for public health,
animal species, plants. Waste chemical liquid is drained freely in rivers and ponds. It makes
water toxic which is drunk by animals or used in plants. It makes plant toxic and animal die
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after drinking polluted water. To avoid such situation keeps some precaution like chemical
mixture liquid waste treat out 3-4 times before draining in river so it will keep animal safe and
won't get wrong effect on plant species otherwise chemical liquid waste should reuse after
treating in industry.
Comparison of current waste management strategies with other country's waste management
strategy that prioritises alternative strategies.
Solid waste refers to every kind of garbage, sludge resulting from wastewater treatment facility
or water supply treatment facility, air pollution control plant and different disposed substance,
counting solid or semi solid, liquid or gaseous substance arising from agricultural, industrial,
mining, commercial operations along with community actions(Yorifuji & et.al., (2015)). Solid
waste is not part of solid or dissolved substance in household sewage or dissolved substances
during irrigation or industrial dismissals. It should be managed in various ways and government
employs different levels of policy and instruments for waste management.
AUSTRALIA
Australia being material intensive economy, produces around 67 million tonnes solid waste
every year which is treated in 2846 waste management facilities distributed as transfer stations,
resource recovery facilities and landfill locate d in different places all across Australia.
Transfer stations are connection points in the waste management process, collected waste is
accumulated, compressed and stuffed into long-haul transport vehicles and big cargo containers
for transportation to different disposal locations(Boulay & et.al., (2015)).
Resource recovery facilities are specifically arranged to sort and then further process waste
materials deploying various biological, mechanical and thermal technologies. It uses:
 Alternative Waste Treatment facilities
 Garden Organics Processing facilities
 Thermal Waste Technologies
 Material Recovery facilities
 Recycling facilities
Landfills amounts to 40 percent of Australia’s waste and are most common landing place for
mixture of all kinds of waste, because of available capacity of these existing facilities. The cost
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of landfilling is moderately low when compared to recovering more resources. Australia has
around 1168 licensed and unlicensed operational landfills which receives approximately 20
million tonnes waste every year(van Zelm & et.al., (2016)). It consists of both small trench-
based facility with smaller capacity to hold waste and large engineered facilities with huge
capacity. Around 75 percent disposal is done in large landfills and rest in small landfills.
National Waste Policy in Australia mentions continuation of alliance between government,
industries and business for proper management and disposal of waste.
Trading of waste
According to analysis of international trade data catering to waste amount exported by Australia
is it generates 67 million tonnes waste and exports 55% which is 37 million tonnes for recycling,
3% for energy recovery purposes and remaining for landfilling and burning up. Around 4.3
million tonnes was exported by Australia including 0.75 million tonnes to China, mentioning that
almost all exports are headed towards recycling and energy recovery purposes. Along with that
Australian government plays major role to implement various waste treatment measures to
ensure disposal of waste.
 Government regulates in and out movement of hazardous waste from Australia to re-
insure that waste is managed resulting in reduced risk to surrounding environment and
public and animal health.
 Government coordinates and ensures that national waste policy is followed by different
state and territory governments along with businesses and industries.
 Government supports data collection and data reporting on solid, liquid, general and
hazardous waste.
 Government works with various industries on product administration approach for
managing impacts different products and waste materials over environment, ensuring
and promoting recovery of resources.
 Government supports state & local governments at different levels for their efforts
towards managing waste along with recovering resources in Australia.
USA
In reflection with Australia, Americans generate about 254 million tonnes of trash dwarfing
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Australia, It recycles and composts about 87 million tonnes of waste, equal to 34.3 percent rate
of recycling. Methods used by USA are:
Landfills: Similar to Australia these are specifically engineered and designed locations where
wastes are disposed in a scientific manner. USA makes more than double expense compared to
Australia for waste management(Fantke & et.al (2015)). These are characterized with liners
which prevents seepage and wash away of waste in the groundwater. Different designs of
landfills are deployed and used for municipal waste or more commonly known as household
waste, demolition waste and construction, hazardous waste.
Combustion or Incineration:Combustion or incineration of waste is majorly used in USA
which helps in reducing the huge area of landfill space required with the help of burning waste
substances in controlled environment and it is also used to generate electricity with deployment
waste-to-energy technology in USA. More techniques used are gasification, digestion,
fermentation, pyrolysis, anaerobic etc.
Transfer Stations: Transfer stations refers to intermediate plants where collected municipal
solid waste and different waste is unloaded from collection vehicles, compressed and reduced to
decrease the volume of waste substances, kept for short period and then reloaded onto huge,
long-distance vehicles or containers and shipped to different landfills and other treatment plants.
Recovery & Recycling: Wastes are sources for raw materials(Linzalone & et.al (2017)).
Recovery and recycling facilitates in reducing looking for and usage of new resources for
producing fresh products. Recycling demolition and construction waste also saves space at
landfills and huge amount of different materials like plastics, metals, glass and cardboard.
Composting:It is a technique to bring back nutrients into the environment by using
microorganisms converting waste into manure. This manure can be used in agricultural land
which can help to improve fertility of soil which is need in USA for growing crops and
vegetables to meet needs of the growing population. Estimation shows that 27.8% of the
municipal solid or household waste generated in USA was organic consisting yard trimmings
and wasted food which is compostable. Agricultural and animal waste generated in USA is also
composted to form and used as manure in agriculture activities. This manure produced is also
used in production of biogas which is methane gas, electricity, ethanol and different biofuels.
Challenges and issues:Solid waste management challenges and issues that should be observed
by USA government before designing solid waste strategies including genuine waste generation,
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separatism, aggregation, conveyance and disposal methods, managing landfill, hazardous and
other toxic substantial direction, handling, incineration, recycling and other technical regulation,
observation, assessment and constant enhancing methods. In these issues, policy has to presents
the short term and long-term costs such as economic, environmental, and social and advantages,
funding methods, and various roles and responsibilities of stakeholders.
Costs and problems associated with waste:Some of the issues which are related with waste and
faced by USA government are open dumping, smell, specific matter discharge,oozing from
lowland, greenhouse gas ejected which lead to air impurity, surface and groundwater pollution,
food chain pollution, land area decrease, impacts the human health, ecological degradation, and
also make bad impacts on plant and animal life(Tashayo, Alimohammadi & Sharif (2017)).
Policies:There are various policy tools and techniques at different levels in order to secure
efficient and harmless handling and disposal of the different types of squander, also promote
recycling and source reducing. This are the sample of tools which the United States government
engage with regards to solid squander.
CONCLUSION
This study states waste management processes and its impact on health of Human Beings and
animals residing in following environment. Proper waste management techniques used by
Australian Government and how these techniques differs from United States from America are
discussed briefly to give an idea how biggest waste producer in the world is different from a
much small waste producer and how both countries strive hard to manage the waste.
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