The skewed ratio of hazardous waste generated daily to innovations in hazardous waste management, points to a large unmet need for novel hazardous waste management technologies and processes. Apart from the rising volumes of hazardous waste, technology development in this space will also get a huge boost from the treaties signed by various countries for stopping transboundary waste shipping and public opposition to landfills.
Information from United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) shows that by 2017 the amount of e-waste discarded would increase by 33 percent compared to 2012, and will weigh eight times the weight of the great pyramids of Egypt. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Innovations in Hazardous Waste Management, finds that waste minimization and reuse, recycle and recovery (the 3Rs) can be efficient methods for managing hazardous waste now and in the future. It also finds that the major hazardous waste generators like North America and Europe mostly use high temperature incineration and deep well injections (disposal method) for treating hazardous waste.
Waste generators such as those in the industrial, construction, health services and electronics sectors can manage hazardous waste by minimizing the waste at source or by reusing and recycling it. They are recognizing the value of managing the waste as in some cases, valuable materials can be recovered from the waste. Once the hazardous waste such as medical waste is eliminated using novel technologies such as plasma gasification, ozone sterilization, or combinations of physical and chemical treatments, the treated waste can be disposed like municipal solid waste.
“The highest opportunity across end-user segments is likely to be in the hazardous waste treatment segment, while disposal is expected to have the lowest potential,” noted Technical Insights Research Analyst. Despite the availability of new technologies, the lack of awareness about the effects of hazardous waste among many developing countries has restrained technology adoption. The dearth of government resources to monitor hazardous waste management facilities regularly for violations has further discouraged industries from implementing advanced solutions.
For the waste management technology to gain traction, every stakeholder in the value chain has to be actively involved in creating awareness about the effects of hazardous waste. They also have to strive to realize the concept of zero landfill in the near future. “The technology will benefit greatly from governments’ proactive participation in the waste management space,” noted the analyst. “Governments of emerging countries need to invest significant resources in technology development, which will eventually lead to higher technology implementation.”
Innovations in Hazardous Waste Management, a part of the Technical Insights (http://www.technicalinsights.frost.com) subscription, provides a snapshot of the industry landscape, management methods available, stakeholders and technology development, and an analysis of emerging opportunities for the different end-user segments of the hazardous waste management industry. Technical Insights is an international technology analysis business that produces a variety of technical news alerts, newsletters, and studies.
