Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Wastes in the Wastes in the EnvironmentEnvironment

Old AutomobilesOld Automobiles In NA, close to 12 million vehicles are In NA, close to 12 million vehicles are

discardeddiscarded 75% of a car can be reused or recycled75% of a car can be reused or recycled Reduces air and water Reduces air and water pollutionpollution Challenge: recycling Challenge: recycling plasticplastic

Automakers making changesAutomakers making changes Many companies developing Many companies developing

completely recyclable carscompletely recyclable cars EU requiring cars to EU requiring cars to

be 95% recoverablebe 95% recoverable by 2015by 2015

Old AutomobilesOld Automobiles

Solid Waste FactsSolid Waste Facts U.S. generates most per capita, with U.S. generates most per capita, with

Canada secondCanada second How much produced per person per How much produced per person per

day?day? Why do we produce so much solid Why do we produce so much solid

waste?waste?

Solid WasteSolid Waste Most produced by mining, agriculture, Most produced by mining, agriculture,

industryindustry Nonmunicipal solid wasteNonmunicipal solid waste 98.5% of waste produced98.5% of waste produced

Municipal Solid WasteMunicipal Solid Waste Residential and commercial waste Residential and commercial waste

produced in an areaproduced in an area Heterogeneous mixtureHeterogeneous mixture

Disposal Of Solid WasteDisposal Of Solid Waste Open DumpsOpen Dumps

Now illegalNow illegal Sanitary LandfillsSanitary Landfills

Receive close to 55% of the municipal Receive close to 55% of the municipal solid waste generated in NAsolid waste generated in NA

Compacts waste and buries it under a Compacts waste and buries it under a shallow layer of soilshallow layer of soil

Plastic is a special problem, Why?Plastic is a special problem, Why?

Sanitary LandfillsSanitary Landfills ≈ ≈ 54% MSW54% MSW Dig hole, add waste, compact, buryDig hole, add waste, compact, bury Liner at the bottomLiner at the bottom LeachateLeachate

Liquid that seeps Liquid that seeps downdown Collection systemCollection system

Sanitary LandfillsSanitary Landfills

Problems With LandfillsProblems With Landfills No location is idealNo location is ideal Methane may build upMethane may build up Leachate may contaminate water Leachate may contaminate water

suppliessupplies They fill upThey fill up Passing problem onPassing problem on

PlasticsPlastics Fastest growing part of the waste Fastest growing part of the waste

streamstream Why do we use so much plastic?Why do we use so much plastic? Don’t degradeDon’t degrade Some countries banning/taxing useSome countries banning/taxing use Photodegradable?Photodegradable? Biodegradable?Biodegradable?

IncinerationIncineration Burning solid wasteBurning solid waste Two benefitsTwo benefits

Volume reduced up to 90%Volume reduced up to 90% Produces heat that Produces heat that

can be usedcan be used

Waste-to-energy Waste-to-energy incineratorsincinerators Less COLess CO22 produced produced

Best materialsBest materials Paper, plastics, Paper, plastics,

rubberrubber TiresTires

Produce a lot Produce a lot of heatof heat

Use instead Use instead of coal?of coal?

IncinerationIncineration

Types Of IncineratorsTypes Of Incinerators Mass burn: recover energy producedMass burn: recover energy produced Modular: small, less expensiveModular: small, less expensive Refuse-derivedRefuse-derived

Remove noncombustible wasteRemove noncombustible waste Burn combustibles onlyBurn combustibles only

Mass Burn IncineratorMass Burn Incinerator

Problems With IncinerationProblems With Incineration Air pollutionAir pollution Large amounts of ash producedLarge amounts of ash produced

Bottom ashBottom ash Fly ashFly ash

No ideal locationNo ideal location ExpensiveExpensive Passing problem onPassing problem on

CompostingComposting Biodegradable solid wasteBiodegradable solid waste Yard waste, food scraps, sewage Yard waste, food scraps, sewage

sludgesludge Forms compostForms compost Uses?Uses?

Reducing Solid WasteReducing Solid Waste Three goalsThree goals

ReduceReduce ReuseReuse RecycleRecycle

Needs vs. wantsNeeds vs. wants Make good choices!Make good choices!

Source ReductionSource Reduction Waste reduced at the sourceWaste reduced at the source Aluminum cans 35% lighterAluminum cans 35% lighter Dry-cell batteries contain less mercuryDry-cell batteries contain less mercury DematerializationDematerialization

Decrease in size and weight of a Decrease in size and weight of a product as technology improvesproduct as technology improves

Must be durable!Must be durable!

How Can You Reduce?How Can You Reduce? Use reusable grocery bagsUse reusable grocery bags Eliminate your junk mail!Eliminate your junk mail!

Mail Preference ServiceMail Preference Service Don’t use paper plates, cups, towelsDon’t use paper plates, cups, towels Use a lunchbox & reusable containersUse a lunchbox & reusable containers Buy in concentrateBuy in concentrate Buy in bulkBuy in bulk

Buy durable productsBuy durable products Use rechargeable batteriesUse rechargeable batteries Buy items with the least amount of Buy items with the least amount of

packagingpackaging Eat less fast foodEat less fast food Think about your purchases before Think about your purchases before

you buyyou buy

How Can You Reduce?How Can You Reduce?

Reusing ProductsReusing Products Many reduce ideas also good for reusing!Many reduce ideas also good for reusing! Donate or sell used itemsDonate or sell used items Should beverage containers be refillable?Should beverage containers be refillable? Why don’t we reuse items?Why don’t we reuse items?

RecyclingRecycling Reclaiming a resourceReclaiming a resource Use it for same or different productUse it for same or different product ≈ ≈ 32% MSW32% MSW Increased during the 1990sIncreased during the 1990s There must be a market for recycled There must be a market for recycled

goodsgoods Buy items made from recycled Buy items made from recycled

materials!materials!

Recycling BenefitsRecycling Benefits Conserves resourcesConserves resources Saves energySaves energy Creates jobsCreates jobs

Recycling ConcernsRecycling Concerns Generates pollution: de-inking paperGenerates pollution: de-inking paper Separation may be difficultSeparation may be difficult Market fluctuates Market fluctuates Still encourages consumption Still encourages consumption

Recycling PaperRecycling Paper ≈ ≈ 1/31/3rdrd of waste in Canada is paper of waste in Canada is paper

and paperboard and paperboard Denmark ≈ 97% of its paper is Denmark ≈ 97% of its paper is

recycledrecycled Legislation can make a difference: Legislation can make a difference:

how?how? Buy recycled paper!Buy recycled paper!

Recycling GlassRecycling Glass Each year Canadians Each year Canadians

throw away 6 million throw away 6 million tones of glasstones of glass

Forms culletForms cullet Make new productsMake new products Add to roadways: Add to roadways:

glassphaltglassphalt

Recycling MetalsRecycling Metals AluminumAluminum

Big success story!Big success story! In U.S. ≈ 44% In U.S. ≈ 44%

beverage cans beverage cans recycledrecycled

Other metals also Other metals also recycledrecycled

May be difficult: why?May be difficult: why?

Recycling PlasticRecycling Plastic In Canada, plastic equals 7% of In Canada, plastic equals 7% of

total weight in a typical landfilltotal weight in a typical landfill May be more expensive to recycle: May be more expensive to recycle:

why?why? Challenge: different kindsChallenge: different kinds Separation necessarySeparation necessary

Recycling TiresRecycling Tires EPA indicates ≈ 36% of tires recycledEPA indicates ≈ 36% of tires recycled What are they used for?What are they used for? Future holds many opportunitiesFuture holds many opportunities

Recycling electronics and Recycling electronics and Electrical EquipmentElectrical Equipment

In Canada, provincial responsibility to In Canada, provincial responsibility to regulate electronic wasteregulate electronic waste

““Take Back” program exists in a Take Back” program exists in a number of promisesnumber of promises

E-waste is still a massive problem in E-waste is still a massive problem in CanadaCanada

Exporting used electronics to places Exporting used electronics to places like Guiyu, China is a huge problemlike Guiyu, China is a huge problem

Integrated Waste ManagementIntegrated Waste Management Development of an overall waste Development of an overall waste

management planmanagement plan Use the three R’s and other disposal Use the three R’s and other disposal

methodsmethods

Hazardous WasteHazardous Waste Any discarded chemical that threatens Any discarded chemical that threatens

human health or the environmenthuman health or the environment Reactive, corrosive, ignitable & toxic Reactive, corrosive, ignitable & toxic

substancessubstances ≈ ≈ 1% of North America solid waste 1% of North America solid waste

streamstream 700,000+ chemicals known to exist700,000+ chemicals known to exist

Love CanalLove Canal Neighborhood in Niagara Falls, NYNeighborhood in Niagara Falls, NY 19771977 Hooker Chemical Co.Hooker Chemical Co.

Disposed of toxic waste in canal Disposed of toxic waste in canal

After filled, covered with topsoil After filled, covered with topsoil

and donated land and donated land

School and houses School and houses builtbuilt

Toxic waste oozed outToxic waste oozed out 1978: many families 1978: many families

evacuatedevacuated 1990: area safe for 1990: area safe for

resettlementresettlement

Love CanalLove Canal

Types of Hazardous WastesTypes of Hazardous Wastes AcidsAcids DioxinsDioxins Abandoned explosivesAbandoned explosives Heavy metalsHeavy metals Infectious wasteInfectious waste Nerve gasNerve gas Organic solventsOrganic solvents PCBsPCBs

DioxinsDioxins Group of 75 chemical Group of 75 chemical

compoundscompounds Formed by Formed by

combustion of combustion of chlorine compoundschlorine compounds

Incineration, Incineration, smelters, paper millssmelters, paper mills

Emitted in smokeEmitted in smoke Settle on landSettle on land Incorporated into food webIncorporated into food web Virtually everyone has them in Virtually everyone has them in

their bodytheir body CarcinogenicCarcinogenic

DioxinsDioxins

PCBsPCBs Polychlorinated biphenylsPolychlorinated biphenyls Group of 209 industrial chemicalsGroup of 209 industrial chemicals manufactured between 1929-1979manufactured between 1929-1979 Cooling fluids, vacuum pumps, inksCooling fluids, vacuum pumps, inks Dangers discovered in 1968Dangers discovered in 1968

Harm skin, eyes, reproductive organs, GI Harm skin, eyes, reproductive organs, GI tracttract

Hormone disruptersHormone disrupters Intellectual impairmentsIntellectual impairments Carcinogenic?Carcinogenic? Hard to get out of Hard to get out of environmentenvironment Some bacteria can degradeSome bacteria can degrade

PCBsPCBs

Managing Hazardous WasteManaging Hazardous Waste Technology exists for Technology exists for

environmentally sound managementenvironmentally sound management Very expensive!Very expensive! No country currently has an effective No country currently has an effective

programprogram Using fewer Using fewer chemicals would helpchemicals would help

Chemical AccidentsChemical Accidents In Canada, each province has a “hazmat In Canada, each province has a “hazmat

team”team” Most involve oil, gasoline, petroleumMost involve oil, gasoline, petroleum Principle of inherent safetyPrinciple of inherent safety

Use less toxic materialsUse less toxic materials Fewer dangerous accidentsFewer dangerous accidents

1984, Bhopal chemical spill, one of the 1984, Bhopal chemical spill, one of the worst in world’s historyworst in world’s history

Public Policy & Toxic Public Policy & Toxic Waste CleanupWaste Cleanup

Transportation of Dangerous Goods ActTransportation of Dangerous Goods Act Canadian Environmental Protection Canadian Environmental Protection

Act, Clean Air Act, Canada Water Act, Act, Clean Air Act, Canada Water Act, Ocean Dumping Control ActOcean Dumping Control Act

Basel ConventionBasel Convention A global convention under the United A global convention under the United

NationsNations Goal is to harmonize hazardous waste Goal is to harmonize hazardous waste

disposal among nationsdisposal among nations As of October 2006, 168 countries As of October 2006, 168 countries

were a part of the conventionwere a part of the convention

Managing Toxic Waste Managing Toxic Waste ProductionProduction

Three waysThree ways Source reductionSource reduction Conversion to less hazardous Conversion to less hazardous

materialsmaterials Long-term storageLong-term storage

Source ReductionSource Reduction Most effective approachMost effective approach Green chemistryGreen chemistry

Redesigning chemical processesRedesigning chemical processes Reduce environmental harmReduce environmental harm

Will not eliminate hazardous wasteWill not eliminate hazardous waste

Convert MaterialsConvert Materials Reduce dangerous compounds to Reduce dangerous compounds to

less dangerous onesless dangerous ones High-temperature incinerationHigh-temperature incineration

PCBs PCBs water, CO water, CO22 Still must dispose of ashStill must dispose of ash

Long-Term StorageLong-Term Storage Hazardous waste landfillsHazardous waste landfills Strict environmental criteria and Strict environmental criteria and

designdesign Leaching must be preventedLeaching must be prevented

Hazardous Waste LandfillHazardous Waste Landfill

Eco Canada Career FocusEco Canada Career Focus Consider a career Consider a career

as a Hazardous as a Hazardous Waste TechnicianWaste Technician

Handle, process, Handle, process, pack and track pack and track hazardous waste hazardous waste for shipment, for shipment, treatment and treatment and disposaldisposal

Case Study: Montreal’s Case Study: Montreal’s Waste Management PlanWaste Management Plan

Waste management is a big concern for Waste management is a big concern for industrial societiesindustrial societies

Montreal implemented a Metropolitan Montreal implemented a Metropolitan Waste Management Master Plan (MWMMP)Waste Management Master Plan (MWMMP)

Plan outlines reduction, recovery, reuse, Plan outlines reduction, recovery, reuse, and disposaland disposal

Focuses on increased citizen involvementFocuses on increased citizen involvement

Aims to recover and Aims to recover and reuse 60 % of wastereuse 60 % of waste

Is the MWMMP Is the MWMMP meeting it’s goals?meeting it’s goals?

Meanwhile other Meanwhile other cities in Canada are cities in Canada are diverting between diverting between 52and 60% of their 52and 60% of their waste waste

Case Study: Montreal’s Case Study: Montreal’s Waste Management PlanWaste Management Plan