Debris crushing
Introduction
The name waste treatment refers to the operation or set of operations that aim to modify the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of a waste to reduce or neutralize the dangerous substances it contains, recover recoverable materials or substances, facilitate its use as a source of energy or adapt the rejection for subsequent final treatment.[1][2].
Currently, throughout the world, a large amount of solid waste is produced as a by-product of different human activities. These wastes can be as simple as food remains, ashes from fires, and human and animal excrement, or more complex, such as metals, glass, packaging remains, or obsolete computer equipment.[3]On the other hand, industrial activities handle a large amount of substances while generating waste that, if not handled or treated properly, can pose serious dangers due to its toxicity, in some cases, or because it is flammable or prone to explosion, in others. [4]The amounts of waste produced by intensive agriculture and modern industry are staggering, not to mention the waste generated by ordinary citizens in a consumer-oriented urban environment. The waste generated in the domestic sphere represents a significant percentage of the total solid waste produced by the different activities carried out by the human species. The following table shows the different solid waste products associated with various human activities.[3].
Origin of waste
There are many types of waste, their origin being very diverse and varied:[2].
Waste management
Contenido
Dada la variedad y complejidad de los residuos tanto urbanos como industriales, en la actualidad se buscan metodologías de gestión para el manejo adecuado de dichos residuos así como para desarrollar medidas de minimización, reciclado y eliminación. El proceso que recibe cada residuo es diferente: varía en función del tipo de residuo, de la cantidad del mismo y sobre todo, si va mezclado o separado de origen. En cualquier caso, la finalidad última del proceso de tratamiento de los residuos se plantea como objetivos modificar las características físicas, químicas o biológicas para:[6].