Chapter 24Chapter 24Solid and Hazardous WasteSolid and Hazardous Waste
Overview of Chapter 24Overview of Chapter 24
o Solid WasteSolid Waste• Types of Solid WasteTypes of Solid Waste
o Waste PreventionWaste Prevention• Reducing the Amount of WasteReducing the Amount of Waste• Reusing ProductsReusing Products• Recycling MaterialsRecycling Materials
o Hazardous WasteHazardous Waste• Types of Hazardous WasteTypes of Hazardous Waste• Management of Hazardous WasteManagement of Hazardous Waste
o Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice
Solid WasteSolid Waste
o US generates more solid waste per US generates more solid waste per capita than any other countrycapita than any other country• 2.1kg per person per day2.1kg per person per day
o Types of Solid WasteTypes of Solid Waste• Municipal solid wasteMunicipal solid waste
• Solid material discarded by homes, office Solid material discarded by homes, office buildings, retail stores, schools, hospitals, prisons, buildings, retail stores, schools, hospitals, prisons, etcetc
• Relatively small portion of solid waste producedRelatively small portion of solid waste produced• Non-municipal solid wasteNon-municipal solid waste
• Solid waste generated by industry, agriculture, Solid waste generated by industry, agriculture, and miningand mining
Composition of Municipal Solid Composition of Municipal Solid WasteWaste
Disposal of Solid WasteDisposal of Solid Waste
o Three methodsThree methods• Sanitary LandfillsSanitary Landfills• IncinerationIncineration• RecyclingRecycling
Sanitary Sanitary LandfillLandfill
o Compacting Compacting and burying and burying waste under waste under a shallow a shallow layer of soillayer of soil
o Most Most common common method of method of disposaldisposal
Sanitary LandfillSanitary Landfill
o ProblemsProblems• Methane gas production by microorganismsMethane gas production by microorganisms• Contamination of surface water & ground Contamination of surface water & ground
water by leachatewater by leachate• Not a long-term remedyNot a long-term remedy• Few new facilities being openedFew new facilities being opened• Closing a full landfill is very expensiveClosing a full landfill is very expensive
Sanitary LandfillSanitary Landfillo Special Problem of PlasticSpecial Problem of Plastic
• Much of plastic is from packagingMuch of plastic is from packaging• Chemically stable and do not readily break Chemically stable and do not readily break
down and decomposedown and decomposeo Special Problem of TiresSpecial Problem of Tires
• Cannot be melted and Cannot be melted and reused for tiresreused for tires
• Made from materials that Made from materials that cannot be recycledcannot be recycled
• Can be incinerated or Can be incinerated or shreddedshredded
IncinerationIncineration
o Volume of solid Volume of solid waste reduced by waste reduced by 90%90%
o Produces heat that Produces heat that can make steam to can make steam to generate electricitygenerate electricity• Produce less carbon Produce less carbon
emissions than fossil emissions than fossil fuel power plants fuel power plants (right)(right)
IncinerationIncinerationo Types of IncineratorsTypes of Incinerators
• Mass burn (below)Mass burn (below)• ModularModular• Refuse-derivedRefuse-derived
IncineratorIncinerator
o Problems Associated with IncinerationProblems Associated with Incineration• Yields air pollutionYields air pollution• Produce large amounts of ashProduce large amounts of ash• Site selection often controversialSite selection often controversial
CompostingComposting
o Includes:Includes:• Food scrapsFood scraps• Sewage sludgeSewage sludge• Agricultural manureAgricultural manure• Yard wasteYard waste
o Reduces yard waste in landfillsReduces yard waste in landfillso Can be sold or distributed to Can be sold or distributed to
communitycommunity
Waste PreventionWaste Prevention
o Three GoalsThree Goals• (1) Reduce the amount of waste(1) Reduce the amount of waste• (2) Reuse products (2) Reuse products • (3) Recycle materials(3) Recycle materials
Reducing WasteReducing Waste
o Purchase products with less packagingPurchase products with less packaging
Reducing WasteReducing Waste
o Source reductionSource reduction• Products are designed and manufactured in Products are designed and manufactured in
ways that decrease the volume of solid ways that decrease the volume of solid waste in the waste streamwaste in the waste stream
o Pollution Prevention Act (1990)Pollution Prevention Act (1990)o DematerializationDematerialization
• Progressive decrease in the size and weight Progressive decrease in the size and weight of a product as a result of technological of a product as a result of technological improvementsimprovements
Reusing ProductsReusing Products
o Refilling glass beverage bottlesRefilling glass beverage bottles• Heavier glass that costs moreHeavier glass that costs more
o Japan recycles almost all bottlesJapan recycles almost all bottles• Reused 20 timesReused 20 times
Recycling MaterialsRecycling Materials
o Every ton of recycled Every ton of recycled paper saves:paper saves:• 17 trees17 trees• 7000 gallons of water7000 gallons of water• 4100 kwatt-hrs of energy4100 kwatt-hrs of energy• 3 cubic yards of landfill 3 cubic yards of landfill
spacespace
o RecycleRecycle• Glass bottles, newspapers, Glass bottles, newspapers,
steel cans, plastic bottles, steel cans, plastic bottles, cardboard, office papercardboard, office paper
RecyclingRecycling
o Recycling PaperRecycling Paper• US recycles 50%US recycles 50%• Many developed Many developed
countries are highercountries are higher
o Recycling GlassRecycling Glass• US recycles 25%US recycles 25%• Costs less than new Costs less than new
glassglass• Can be used to make Can be used to make
glassphalt (right)glassphalt (right)
RecyclingRecyclingo Recycling AluminumRecycling Aluminum
• Making new can from recycled one costs far less Making new can from recycled one costs far less than making a brand new onethan making a brand new one
RecyclingRecycling
o Recycling Metals other Recycling Metals other than Aluminumthan Aluminum• Lead, gold, iron, steel, Lead, gold, iron, steel,
silver and zincsilver and zinc• Metallic composition is Metallic composition is
often unknownoften unknown• Makes recycling difficultMakes recycling difficult
o Recycling PlasticRecycling Plastic• Less than 20% is recycledLess than 20% is recycled• Less expensive to make Less expensive to make
from raw materialsfrom raw materials
RecyclingRecycling
o Recycling TiresRecycling Tires• Few products are made from old tiresFew products are made from old tires
• Playground equipmentPlayground equipment• TrashcansTrashcans• Garden hoseGarden hose• CarpetCarpet• Roofing materialsRoofing materials
• 36% of tires are currently recycled to make 36% of tires are currently recycled to make other productsother products
Integrated Waste ManagementIntegrated Waste Management
Hazardous WasteHazardous Waste
o Any discarded chemical Any discarded chemical that threatens human that threatens human health or the environmenthealth or the environment• Reactive, corrosive, Reactive, corrosive,
explosive or toxic chemicalsexplosive or toxic chemicals
o Types of Hazardous WasteTypes of Hazardous Waste• DioxinsDioxins• PCBsPCBs• Radioactive wasteRadioactive waste
Case-In-Point Hanford Nuclear Case-In-Point Hanford Nuclear ReservationReservation
Management of Hazardous Management of Hazardous WasteWaste
o Chemical accidentsChemical accidents• National Response Center notifiedNational Response Center notified• Typically involves oil, gasoline or Typically involves oil, gasoline or
other petroleum spillother petroleum spillo Current Management PoliciesCurrent Management Policies
• Resource Conservation and Recovery Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1976, 1984)Act (1976, 1984)
• Comprehensive Environmental Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (1980)Liability Act (1980)
Management of Management of Hazardous WasteHazardous Waste
o Cleaning up existing Cleaning up existing hazardous waste: hazardous waste: superfund programsuperfund program• 400,000 waste sites400,000 waste sites• Leaking chemical Leaking chemical
storage tanks and storage tanks and drums (right)drums (right)
• Pesticides dumpsPesticides dumps• Piles of mining Piles of mining
wasteswasteso Must be cleaned upMust be cleaned up
Management of Hazardous Management of Hazardous WasteWaste
o Superfund National Priorities ListSuperfund National Priorities List• 2006: 1558 sites on the list2006: 1558 sites on the list• States with the greatest number of sitesStates with the greatest number of sites
• New Jersey (115)New Jersey (115)• California (93)California (93)• Pennsylvania (93)Pennsylvania (93)• New York (86)New York (86)• Michigan (65)Michigan (65)
Management of Hazardous Management of Hazardous WasteWaste
o Biological Treatment of Hazardous Biological Treatment of Hazardous ChemicalsChemicals• BioremediationBioremediation• PhytoremediationPhytoremediation
o Management the Waste we are Management the Waste we are Producing NowProducing Now• (1) source reduction(1) source reduction• (2) conversion to less hazardous materials(2) conversion to less hazardous materials• (3) long-term storage(3) long-term storage
Management of Hazardous Management of Hazardous WasteWaste
o Hazardous Waste LandfillHazardous Waste Landfill
Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice
o Environmental Justice and Ethical IssuesEnvironmental Justice and Ethical Issues• Right of every citizen, regardless of age, Right of every citizen, regardless of age,
race, gender, social class, to adequate race, gender, social class, to adequate protection from environmental hazardsprotection from environmental hazards
• Fundamental human rightFundamental human right• Grassroots campaignGrassroots campaign
o Mandating environmental Justice- Mandating environmental Justice- Federal LevelFederal Level
Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice
o International Waste ManagementInternational Waste Management• Developed countries sometimes send their Developed countries sometimes send their
waste to developing countrieswaste to developing countries• Less expensive than following laws within the Less expensive than following laws within the
countrycountry• Controversial aspect of waste managementControversial aspect of waste management
• Basel Convention (1989)Basel Convention (1989)• Restricts international transport of hazardous Restricts international transport of hazardous
wastewaste
