State the first signs of toxic waste problem found in Mbeya city?

INTRODUCTION

Toxic waste is a type of waste that can be hazardous to humans, other living creatures, and plants. The various types of waste materials that fall under this heading can pollute the environment and threaten life in a number of ways. They can be found not only on land, but also in the air and water. When people are exposed to toxic waste, they may become ill or die. Some types of hazardous waste cause cancer, for example, or lead to the development of birth defects; plant and animal life may also face death when exposed to some types of waste. Radioactive waste is one type of toxic waste. 

It is produced as a byproduct of other processes, including, but not limited to, those that involve the generation of power. Medical waste is another type of hazardous waste. This includes substances that cannot be disposed of with regular trash, such as blood, body tissues, medical instruments that have touched blood, and medical chemicals. The agricultural industry can also be a source of toxic waste, such as when chemical fertilizers and pesticides contaminate not only the soil, but also groundwater.

Improper chemical waste disposable is yet another contributor to toxic waste. Potentially dangerous chemicals are used in a wide variety of industries and for many different purposes. When they are not disposed of properly, they can harm many different types of life. Even some chemicals that seem innocuous can have devastating effects. (www.wisegeek.com/what-is-toxic-waste.htm).

DEFINITION OF THE KEY TERMS

Toxic waste refers to something that contains or is poisonous materials particular when capable of coursing death or serious debilitation (www.thefreedictionary.com).

Toxic waste is the waste material that causes injury of birth defeat to living creatures, it spread quiet easily and can contaminate lakes, livers and the atmosphere (www.wikipedia.com).

Five Categories of city Waste

The types of trash that are included in city waste are grouped into five different categories. The first of these is waste that is biodegradable. This includes things like food and kitchen waste such as meat trimmings or vegetable peelings, yard or green waste and paper.

The second category of city waste is recyclable materials. Paper is also included in this category but non-biodegradable items like glass, plastic bottles, other plastics, metals and aluminum cans fall into this section as well.

Inert waste is the third category of municipal or city waste. For reference, when discussed with municipal waste, inert materials are those that are not necessarily toxic to all species but can be harmful or toxic to humans. Therefore, construction and demolition waste is often categorized as inert waste.

Composite waste is the fourth category of municipal or city waste and includes items that are composed of more than one material. For example, clothing and plastics such as children's toys are composite waste.

Household hazardous waste is the final category of municipal or city waste. This includes medicines, paint, batteries, light bulbs, fertilizer and pesticide containers and e-waste like old computers, printers, and cellular phones. Household hazardous waste cannot be recycled or disposed of with other waste categories so many cities offer residents other options for hazardous waste disposal, (http://www.juneau.org/pubworks/hazardwaste.php).

The following are the first signs of toxic waste problem found in Mbeya city:-

The polluted water or river Stream Surrounding the Community;  the  water could be compromised whether toxic with  chemical pollutants from the  treatment of  water, chemicals from industries, or whether bacteria close beaches from the human  waste products “ households waste”.

Air pollution; the environment of Mbeya city found with air pollution to its surroundings of being affected with burning materials within industries as well as from households waste or decayed waste materials.

Dumps site; environment of city can be found with hazardous materials spread where over the cities from the various dumps that is more dangerous to human health especially to the children roaming street. A good example is the unfair related dump within surrounding of Teofilo kisanji University near with K’s hostel.

Increase of epidemic diseases; once many people suffers from various diseases like Cholera, Diahorea, and Skin diseases indicates the toxic effects from air and water born diseases.

Lack of education, this is the major sign of toxic waste in Mbeya city, majority of people does not have education on waste products managements and this is due to the fact that those agents such as municipal and city councils which deal with environmental protection fail to educate other people on how to protect the surrounding environments.

No posters and bullet bard, which indicate where to put the waste products. Also this is the one among the first sign of toxic waste in Mbeya City; all over the city there is no any posters which indicate the people where do they put their waste products, hence lead majority of people to put the waste products even around the roads into water streams. Taking example in Kilimanjaro region, there is variety of poster which prohibits the people to dump their waste product instead they indicate the people where to dump such waste product.

CONCLUSION

In order to make sure that environment is clean, the agents of detriment oversees the rules that regulate hazardous waste. The environmental protection agents requires that toxic waste be handled with special precaution and be disposed of disunited facilities around the city, also the city authorities must arrange the collection days where household toxic waste is gathered.

REFERENCES

Anomanyo, D.E (2004). Integration of Municipal Solid Waste Management in Accra, Ghana:                                Biofactor treatment technology as an integral part of the management process.                                Presented to Lund University, Sweden.

Retrieved o 02 April, 2014 from http://shaddya0.blogspot.com/2013/05/research-proposal.html

Retrieved 02 April, 2014 from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-toxic-waste.htm).

Retrieved o 02 April, 2014 from http www.thefreedictionary.com

Retrieved o 02 April, 2014 from http://www.juneau.org/pubworks/hazardwaste.php

Written By AUSI CHIWAMBO (2014)-Teofilo Kisanji University