ENS 301
Waste Management
2
Course Description
At the end of this course students will be able to:
1. Define and list types of wastes;
2. List the main options available for solid waste disposal and describe their advantages and
disadvantages;
3. Describe how toxic and other hazardous waste can be disposed of safely, including their
regulations;
4. Explain Classification of wastes;
5. Explain potentials of wastes as a natural resource;
6. Identify management techniques and methods used to introduce schemes for minimization,
reuse, recycle, recovery and disposal;
7. Discuss waste management hierarchy; and
8. Explain thermal processing of waste.
Course Outline
Meaning and definition of wastes. Characteristics of wastes. Classification of wastes.
Criteria/modes of classification: (i) state of the matter (ii) degradable or non-degradable. Types
of wastes. Sources of wastes, Methods of waste disposal; waste management strategies,
minimisation, recycling/reuse and composting. Potentials of wastes in the agricultural, economic
and energy sectors of the society. Hazardous Waste: Definition as a waste with substantial or
potential threats to public health or the environment. Characteristics of hazardous wastes:
ignitability, reactivity, corrosivity, and toxicity. Hazardous waste disposal/management,
classification of hazardous waste. Importance of regulations for hazardous waste regulations.
Regulatory measures and organizations for management of hazardous waste. Evaluation of
regulatory practices and organizations for hazardous waste management in Nigeria.