Waste management, direction of future scientific research

Abstract

In the past protection of human health and safety represented the main reasons for waste management. Protection of human health and the environment, even today, stands as the purpose of waste management. Increased transformation of materials highly influences the waste management system. Transformation of materials for prehistoric men amounted up to 5-6 tons per year, while for modern men today it goes up to 80-90 tons per year. Such level of material use led to the fact that around 1.2 billion tons of municipal waste has been produced in the world annually. Therefore, today it is not enough to protect human health only through adequate management, but it is also necessary for waste management to be sustainable. In developed countries, where it is possible to use significant financial resources, the most common are sophisticated techniques, such as incineration, while in developing countries potential solutions are sanitary landfills with possible implementation of MBT, due to the fact that incineration, even though it is probably the best solution, can hardly be implemented in developing countries due to the high operational cost. Recycling is very popular, but only recycling could solve not all problems. Landfilling, as the final sink of numerous materials will definitely subsist in undeveloped and developed countries as well, since it represents the basis of waste management system and numerous researches have been focused on landfills as final destination of materials we use or transform through various types of waste treatment. Serbia is currently in process of joining European Union, and together with development of entire society and the economy, adequate development of waste management system is also very important. As country in transition with 3582 landfills and annual production of 0.87 kg capita-1 day-1, and very tough economic situation, Serbia seeks for solution of problem with waste. Kuznetov's curve confirms that it is impossible to skip certain steps in the development of the waste management system in undeveloped countries, which means that transition countries will have to find less expensive solution to waste management problems. Right orientation and direction of scientific research towards the regulation of this area regarding management system and finding affordable and applicable technologies, can make such research up-to-date in developed countries, where landfilling has been overcome.