The existence of biological waste is inextricably linked to the presence of organic life. For millions of years, the planet independently regulated their utilization and built it into the global ecosystem. Today, the issue of collection and disposal of biological waste is relevant for the reason that nature is no longer able to cope with the amount that is generated daily by humans.
Definition of the term
There are several interpretations of this concept. For example, you can use the one that is given in the official documentation of Russia, in GOST 30722-2001 called "Resource Saving. Waste management. Terms and Definitions". This document clearly explains the essence of the concept.
According to official data, biological wastes are tissues and organs whose formation occurred due to the application of operational practice in medicine or veterinary medicine, as a result of biomedical experiments, as well as the death of animals, birds and livestock; it also includes other wastes that were obtained by processing food and non-food raw materials of animal origin or waste from production processes in the biotechnological industry.
Group classification
There are various options for sorting and separation. However, in the classic version, biological waste is anything related to one of the following groups:
- Confiscated veterinary products. Includes fish, meat or other animal products. Identified during special veterinary and sanitary examinations conducted at various slaughterhouses and slaughterhouses, markets and meat processing companies, trade organizations or other similar facilities.
- Stillborn and aborted fruits, the corpses of dead and wild birds and animals, which appeared as a result of the natural course of events, as well as due to any laboratory tests.
- Biological waste that appears at the sites of operation and maintenance of poultry farms, industrial meat processing facilities, as well as fish farming complexes.
- Processing of food or non-food raw materials of animal origin. Often leads to the appearance of a certain amount of biowaste.
Hazard classes
When it comes to the issue of disposal, the decision is made according to which specific group the object in question officially belongs to. The disposal of biological waste (the rules are given in the article) of the first hazard class, which includes stillborn or fallen laboratory and domestic animals, is carried out in one of three available ways. These include the cremation of the remains, disinfection or burial in the ground.
With the second hazard class, which includes various parts of the body, any physiological excretion of people and animals with viral diseases, and residues from the infectious departments, are much simpler and more effective. Such waste goes, as a rule, for recycling and subsequent use in any area.
ABV classification
The above grouping is not as widespread as described above, however, it has the right to review. In this case, the classification of biological wastes is their sorting according to the potential danger to others and nature. The list is as follows.
- Class A. Potentially radioactive hazardous waste.
- Class B. Potential toxicological hazardous waste.
- Class B. Waste, probably hazardous in epidemiological terms.
The last two classes have a common background. They may include biological waste that can be infected with potentially dangerous viruses like SARS or anthrax. If they are not disposed of in a timely and qualified manner, then there are risks of the spread of yet another deadly epidemic. The authorities warn that if any owner finds such remains on his territory, he must call the veterinary supervision within 24 hours and ask for help. Specialists will take care of waste disposal. Otherwise, such an owner may incur administrative liability.
Self Disposal
Veterinary institutions have written a list of rules by which employees perform the procedure. Cremation or landfilling of biological waste is strongly discouraged. However, practice shows that many private farmers completely neglect these regulations and regularly bury birds and animals in the ground, which is absolutely not in accordance with the existing sanitary standards in the country. This problem is more relevant in those regions of the Russian Federation where animal husbandry is one of the leading areas of small business. Such actions of farmers do not lead to immediate complications, but to those that may occur much later in the future.
Also, do not forget that biological waste is a product that can be recycled, for example, for livestock feed. This option is based on two modern technologies - extrusion and biotechnological conversion. The first allows you to process any material in a water, thermal or mechanical way in order to obtain bone meal, dry feed for animals and birds. Conversion splits waste into ethanol, hydrocarbons and biogas.
Crematorium Burning
A very popular and easy way. Employees of veterinary and sanitary institutions collect preliminary waste on call, and then take it to specialized crematoriums. The combustion temperature in the chamber is about 800 degrees Celsius. This value is quite enough for all harmful microorganisms, peddlers and pathogens to die. The remains themselves are almost completely burned to the state of sterile ash or a fragile pile of ground bones.
As a result, such remains can be disposed of in any way. The fact is that the dust will not attract the attention of any rodents or insects in the future. Burning in the crematorium is considered the most optimal option for the burial of a deceased pet. In the future, the owners will be able to receive an urn with ashes, which they will dispose of at their discretion.
Cattle cemeteries
Nowadays, an irrelevant method of burial of animal remains. Widespread use fell on the days of the Soviet Union. The option has gained popularity due to the presence of huge unoccupied territories. With the collapse of the USSR, cattle cemeteries were officially banned by law. This happened due to the fact that the rules for the collection of biological waste and their disposal in compliance with sanitary standards no longer allowed the burial of animals in the ground.
Earlier on the territory of the country, there were certain sections with pits that were located on hills. At the same time, the level of groundwater should not exceed 2.5 meters, and the district required the absence of at least 500 meters from any settlements, forests, pastures and cattle runs, wells and reservoirs. Now in such areas you can find special signs with descriptions and warnings.
Collection and Disposal Rules
For various categories, there is a list of restrictions and regulations. For example, for food biological waste SanPiN prescribed mandatory transportation in special closed tanks or containers. Collection and removal is prohibited in ordinary garbage bags. In urban settings, responsible services daily release, clean and disinfect waste sites.
The law also states that private individuals are prohibited from using any professional equipment whose purpose is to dispose of it. The same SanPiN prescribes that storage of biological waste is allowed at special sites, while the height of the sides of the tanks should not exceed 12 centimeters. The latter serve as limiters that prevent liquids and residues from flowing and falling out, respectively.
Ways of the future
Scientists are developing a special method for the destruction of biological waste, called "bioremediation." The bottom line is that various microorganisms utilize and neutralize products of biological origin. The advantages of this approach are obvious: no harm to nature, purposeful use, high safety, efficiency and controllability. The introduced microorganisms multiply in the dead organics, and then completely absorb and process it into carbon dioxide, water and humus.