Posts Tagged
‘environment’

Did you know? The food services industry generates close to 4 billion pounds of inedible grease waste each year. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), every restaurant in the US alone generates grease waste ranging from 8,000 to 17,000 pounds. In the absence of a commercial grease trap, most of this waste ends up being discarded directly into the sewage system, or worse, local water bodies.

In recent years, the modern agriculture system is facing the dual challenge of meeting food security goals due to the growing world population and the increasing demand for sustainable processes. More precisely, on one hand, it is expected to use efficient agricultural solutions that can boost productivity, which in turn, can meet the growing food demand. On the other hand, agriculture should be eco-friendly and follow farming practices that protect human health and the environment.

To accommodate growing food demand due to the ever-increasing population worldwide, agricultural systems have adopted various unsustainable practices to obtain higher yields. It includes the extensive use of chemicals. As a result, multiple global issues have emerged such as climate change, soil degradation, soil erosion, water and soil pollution and loss of biodiversity. Organic farming has emerged as a great alternative that can help in meeting sustainable agriculture and food security goals.

Removal of excess crop material is an integral part of the agricultural system worldwide as it is essential to prepare the soil for new seeds and enables better weed and pest control. In India, rice harvesting is about to begin in different regions such as Punjab and Haryana, and farmers are engaged in managing the rice straw or stubble.

Every year, farmers generally choose the stubble burning method to clear the crop residue as it is less expensive and less labour-intensive, eventually leading to rising air pollution levels in the region. However, better agro-waste management and sustainable farming practices can help in overcoming this challenge.

A conventional septic tank system performs the important function of holding and treating raw wastewater. Millions of living microorganisms, naturally present in the septic tank, play an important role in the decomposition of organic solid waste. After being acted upon by microbes, the effluent is dispersed into a soil leaching field to be treated further. Finally, the treated effluent is released into the environment. However, extensive usage of chemicals at home can affect the natural enzymes in the septic tank

Everyday household cleaners generally lack the strength to remove grease mixed with hard dirt deposits and tough stains from different rough surfaces. Take, for instance, a commercial kitchen. Grease builds up everywhere, from your kitchen cabinets, containers to cooking platforms and counter tops. The spills on the floor can make it difficult as well.

Dal Lake, one of the largest water bodies in Kashmir and a world-famous tourist attraction, contributes significantly to its economy through tourism, agriculture and fisheries. In addition, it has been a major source of food and water for the people residing in the area. However, pollution in Dal lake has become a concern in recent times as the water characteristics have drastically changed. Moreover, the unpleasant condition has affected the aesthetic value and has reduced the number of tourists visiting the lake.

Millions of people in India do not have sanitation infrastructure or toilet facilities due to low income and water scarcity issues. This leads to open defecation practices which eventually causes public health hazards, water contamination and environmental pollution. In rural and urban areas with sanitation facilities, poor faecal management, disposal mechanism and lack of connectivity to waste treatment plants are major concerns. Portable toilets, also know as bio-toilets can help in overcoming this challenge in India.

Typically, a wastewater treatment plant follows three methods: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary, which utilizes physical, biological and chemical processes respectively to treat wastewater. The biological treatment process plays a vital role in the breakdown of organic waste matter generated from households and different industries. There are mainly two types of biological wastewater treatment which are Aerobic biological treatment and Anaerobic biological treatment of effluent. This blog aims to discuss the former.