Waste Management: From Trash to Treasure

Waste generation is a global issue, with waste piles increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. The total amount of waste generated annually worldwide is predicted to reach 2.2 billion tons by 2025. This new book addresses this crucial issue, offering a comprehensive guide on waste management, its types, characteristics, regulations, and management and reuse strategies. The volume discusses various ways to convert waste into useful materials, starting with waste from fruits and vegetables and agricultural wastes, and moving on to various other types of waste, such as plastics and electronics. The book discusses how food and agro-waste can be effective tools for the preparation of functional materials. Various mitigation strategies are discussed, such as the use of termites in waste management, employing microbial enzymes aid in bioremediation, vermicomposting, and more. Also explored is the use of artificial intelligence in waste management as a time and money saver. A chapter discusses bioplastics and biopolymers—the ideal and the reality. Finally, the health impacts of unscientific waste disposal are explored, providing insight into the health hazards caused by wrong ways of waste disposal.