What is Sustainable Development and How to Achieve Sustainable Waste Management

The Brundtland Commission report provides ansolution which yet reigns supreme. There are still
excellent definition of sustainable development hasconflicting views as to the most practical,
been quoted and more recently, the United Kingdomenvironmentally beneficial and effective means of
government in the form of its Sustainableachieving sustainable waste management.
Development Strategy, published by the DETR alsoThe overall policy aims to achieve sustainable waste
defined it, and that definition can be found on themanagement, that have been established in recent
web.years across the whole of the European Union and
However, these definitions shouldn't be left tomany other nations are:
government only. The idea is after all very simple to* to reduce the amount of waste that society
understand and we thought we would give you ourproduces;
slant on their definition as follows:* to make best use of that that is produced; and
Sustainable development starts with the idea that the* to choose waste management practices which
most sustainable aim for all is a better quality of lifeminimise the risks of immediate and future
for everyone, not only now, but for generations toenvironmental pollution and harm to human health.
come.Over the last ten years or so the actions needed for
To achieve this, sustainable development isthe waste industry and individuals to follow, and
concerned with achieving economic growth, in thewhich are most sustainable have been defined by the
form of higher living standards. It is definitely notpolicy makers.
about hair shirts and scrimping and saving, orA waste disposal method for making the choice
punishing ourselves for enjoying the use of thebetween waste treatment and disposal options which
world's resources now.puts landfill disposal at the bottom of the list of
But it IS about our protecting and where possiblepossible waste disposal routes, has been provided
enhancing the environment, not just for its own sakethroughout the EU, for use by everyone. It is known
but for our own enlightened self interest, because aas the waste disposal hierarchy.
damaged environment would quite soon begin to holdLandfill does have a role in this strategy in mopping
back economic growth and lower the quality of life.up the residual waste after all pre-treatment of
It IS egalitarian, because it to be truly sustainable aswaste has already removed as much of the waste
history shows, things only work in the long term ifstream as possible, but it is a continually reducing one,
we all make sure that economic and environmentaland consensus among waste professionals still
benefits are freely available to the whole society andremains tenuously established at best.
not just a privileged few.Sustainable Landfill
Sustainability is compatible with all the major faithsFlushing bioreactor landfills have been suggested as
and can be supported by all.the only way to achieve sustainable landfills but very
So, it is commonly accepted that sustainablereal technical problems exist in developing these, not
development must encompass four broad objectives.least obtaining enough fresh clean water for the
These are; social progress which recognises theflushing in the first place.
needs of everyone, the effective protection of theHowever, there is a general consensus on the
environment, prudent use of natural resources, andobjectives of sustainable landfill, which we list as
maintenance of high and stable levels of economicfollows:
growth and employment.- The contents of the landfill must be managed so
One of the most important areas for society to actthat outputs are released to the environment in a
sustainably is in how it throws away its waste, itscontrolled and acceptable way.
trash and detritus. Nothing else, other than fossil fuel- The residues left in the site should not pose an
energy over-use causing climate change, and war,unacceptable risk to the environment, and the need
has the potential to do so much accumulatingfor aftercare and monitoring should not be passed on
damage.to the next generation.
Unsustainable waste management poisons- Future use of groundwater and other resources
watercourses and underground water, leaves littershould not be compromised.
around everywhere to maim and kill our wildlife,The striking point here though is it could be
encourages rats and vermin, pollutes the air withsuggested that slow leakage to the environment can
odours and unhealthy aerosols and can render vastbe better than a total containment if slow
areas of land damaged or largely unusable.improvement and stabilisation is achieved without any
What is Sustainable Waste Managementirreversible harm being caused.
There is no one sustainable waste management