Organic wastes
- Damage by degradable organic matter
- Oxygen depleting wastes
- Oxygen consuming processes
- BOD
- COD
- Oxygen demanding matter
Nature
Organic wastes, improperly disposed, cause problems of oxygen depletion, pollution and foul smells.
Background
The breakdown and decay of living material requires oxygen. The amount of oxygen consumed by a given amount and type of organic material when broken down in nature is know as its biological oxygen demand (BOD). Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is the even greater amount of oxygen that would be needed to completely oxidize the material in a laboratory. Both indices are used as measures of the organic content of waters.
Claim
Organic wastes are being widely used as a fuel in many parts of the world instead of being returned to the soil.
Counter-claim
Organic waste is often overstated as a pressing issue. In reality, nature has an incredible ability to decompose organic materials, returning nutrients to the soil without human intervention. The focus on organic waste management distracts from more critical environmental challenges, such as plastic pollution and climate change. Instead of overemphasizing organic waste, we should prioritize solutions that address the more significant threats to our planet's health and sustainability.
Broader
Narrower
Aggravates
Aggravated by
Reduced by
Strategy
Value
SDG
Metadata
Database
World problems
Type
(D) Detailed problems
Biological classification
N/A
Subject
Conservation » Conservation
Fish, reptiles » Fish
Fundamental sciences » Material
Fundamental sciences » Non-metallic chemical elements
Fundamental sciences » Organic chemical compounds
Societal problems » Destruction
Societal problems » Inadequacy
Societal problems » Waste
Content quality
Unpresentable
Language
English
1A4N
J6128
DOCID
12061280
D7NID
134201
Last update
Oct 4, 2020