Wastes are produced daily from our households, markets, construction sites and factories.This necessitates the creation of a landfill which is one of the earliest forms of waste management. However, do we understand the negative effects associated with them? I agree that they play a big role in ensuring that we live in a clean environment but what about the nearby estates located next to such landfills? Do we ever think of how to reduce the harm that such landfills will have on individuals living around such areas and to our country at large?

Recently,I visited one of the landfills in my country. Unfortunately,I found out that the wastes were directly piled from the ground and this is referred to as a land raise which isn't bad but a landfill (wastes filled from a hole) is better than it. The smell and the unpleasant view of such areas is also something worth being worried about.

Additionally, the toxins, leachates and the green house gases produced in these sites affect nature, wildlife and global warming something that calls for urgent measures to be put in place to eliminate or minimize these effects.

Such minimization methods include proper regulation and monitoring of such sites to ensure adherence to conditions put in place. Secondly putting up more inert wastes (wastes from construction sites which does not react with other wastes) e.g bricks and soil could be of some help.

 

Lastly, using disinfectants to reduce the bad smell and improve the safety of such wastes will reduce the harm it has on living organisms.