ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

CHAPTER 16:Solid and

Hazardous Waste

Core Case Study: Electronic Waste

• What is electronic waste or e-waste?

• Fastest growing category of waste• ____% recyclable• Contains toxic materials

Fig. 16-1, p. 403

Wasting Resources (1)

• Solid Waste• Industrial solid waste

______________________________________________________

• Municipal solid waste ____________________________________

Wasting Resources (2)

• Hazardous or toxic waste– Threatens human health or environment– Poisonous– Reactive– Corrosive– Flammable– Developed countries produce ________%

Wasting Resources (3)

• Solid waste and hazardous waste– About ____ unnecessary resource waste– Create air & water pollution,

land degradation

What Harmful Chemicals Are in Your Home?

CleaningDisinfectantsDrain, toilet, and window cleanersSpot removersSeptic tank cleaners

Paint ProductsPaints, stains, varnishes, and lacquersPaint thinners, solvents, and strippers

Wood preservativesArtist paints and inks

GardeningPesticidesWeed killersAnt and rodent killersFlea powders

GeneralDry-cell batteries (mercury and cadmium)

Glues and cements

AutomotiveGasolineUsed motor oilAntifreezeBattery acidBrake and transmission fluid

Stepped ArtFig. 16-2, p. 405

Fig. 16-3, p. 405

Case Study:Solid Waste in the United States

• Produces ____ of world’s solid waste• Mining, agricultural, industrial: _____%• Municipal solid waste: _____%• High-waste economy• Examples?

sustainable approach to solid waste

• Waste management

• Waste reduction–reduce it!

• Integrated waste management–then reuse or recycle it–& safely dispose of what is left

Fertilizer

CompostHazardous waste

management Landfill

Hazardouswaste

Remainingmixed waste

To manufacturers for reuse orfor recycling

Processing andmanufacturing

Plastic Glass PaperFood/yard

waste

Solid and hazardouswastes generated during

the manufacturing process

Waste generated byhouseholds and

businesses

Products

Raw materials

Metal

Incinerator

Fig. 16-4, p. 407

Last Priority

Waste Management

Treat waste to reduce toxicity

Incinerate waste

Bury waste in landfills

Release waste into environment for dispersal or dilution

Stepped Art

Second Priority

Second Pollution and Waste Prevention

Reuse

Repair

Recycle

Compost

Buy reusable and recyclable products

First Priority

Primary Pollution and Waste Prevention

Change industrial process to eliminate use of harmful chemicals

Use less of a harmful product

Reduce packaging and materials in products

Make products that last longer and are recyclable, reusable, or easy to repair

Fig. 16-5, p. 407

Fig. 16-6, p. 408

Science Focus: Garbology

• Garbologists• Like archaeologists • Trash persists for decades

Why Is Reusing and Recycling Materials So Important?

Reusing items: • decreases use of matter & energy resources• reduces pollution & natural capital degradation • recycling does so to a lesser degree

Reuse

• Reuse as a form of waste reduction• Salvaging• Yard sales, flea markets, secondhand

stores, auctions, newspaper ads, Craigslist, ebay

• Technology: rechargeable batteries• Refillable containers and cloth bags

Fig. 16-7, p. 409

5 major types of materials can be recycled1. ________________________

2. ________________________

3. ________________________

4. ________________________

5. ________________________

Recycling

• Primary (closed-loop) recycling• Secondary recycling• Pre-consumer (internal) waste• Post-consumer (external) waste• Feasibility and marketing

Mixed vs Separate Household Recycling

• Material recovery facilities (MRF)

___________________________• Source separation

– By households and businesses– ___________________________________

___________________________________

Composting

• Decomposing bacteria• Household composting• Organic waste collection facilities• Successful large-scale composting

Individuals Matter: Recycling Plastics

• _____% plastics recycled• MBA Polymers, Inc – commercial

recycling process– Mike Biddle and Trip Allen, co-founders

• Pellets cheaper than virgin plastics• More environmentally friendly

Fig. 16-8, p. 411

Trade-Offs

RecyclingAdvantages DisadvantagesReduces air and waterpollution

Saves energy

Reduces mineral demand

Reduces greenhouse gas emissions

Reduces solid wasteproduction and disposal

Helps protect biodiversity

Can save landfill space

Important part of economy

Can cost more thanburying in areas withample landfill space

May lose money for items such as glass and some plastics

Reduces profits for landfill and incinerator owners

Source separation isinconvenient for somepeople

Science Focus: Bioplastics

• Most plastics are organic polymers produced from petrochemicals

• Bioplastics made from plant materials• Biodegradable

– Composting

Encouraging Reuse & Recycling

• Market prices must reflect true costs• Even economic playing field:

_____________________________• Stabilize prices for recycled materials• _______________________________• ______________________________

Boiler

Wetscrubber

Dirtywater

BottomashConveyor

Wateradded

Furnace

Steam Turbine

Generator

Smokestack

Electricity

Electrostaticprecipitator

Ash for treatment,disposal in landfill, oruse as landfill cover

Fly ash

Wastepit

Crane

Fig. 16-9, p. 413

Fig. 16-10, p. 414

Trade-OffsIncineration

Advantages DisadvantagesReduces trashvolume

Less need forlandfills

Low waterpollution

Concentrateshazardoussubstances intoash for burial

Sale of energyreduces cost

Modern controlsreduce airpollution

Some facilitiesrecover and sellmetals

Expensive to build

Costs more thanshort-distance hauling to landfills

Difficult to site becauseof citizen opposition

Some air pollution andCO2 emissions

Older or poorly managed facilities can release large amounts of air pollution

Output approach thatencourages wasteproduction

Can compete withrecycling for burnablematerials such asnewspaper

Burying Solid Wastes

• Open dumps• Sanitary landfills• Leachates

Clay and plastic liningto prevent leaks; pipescollect leachate frombottom of landfill

GroundwaterLeachatemonitoringwell

GroundwatermonitoringwellLeachate pumped

up to storage tankfor safe disposal

Leachate pumpedup to storage tankfor safe disposal

Leachatestoragetank

Leachatestoragetank

Leachatetreatment system

Pipes collect explosivemethane for use as fuelto generate electricity

Pipes collect explosivemethane for use as fuelto generate electricity

Electricitygeneratorbuilding

When landfill is full,layers of soil and clayseal in trash

Methane storageand compressorbuilding

Methane gasrecovery wellMethane gasrecovery well

Compactedsolid waste

Leachatepipes

Leachatepipes

Probes todetectmethaneleaks

Topsoil

Garbage

ClaySand

Garbage

Subsoil

Synthetic liner

SandClay

Sand

Fig. 16-11, p. 414

Fig. 16-12, p. 415

Trade-Offs

Sanitary LandfillsAdvantages Disadvantages

No open burning Noise and traffic

No shortage of landfill spacein many areas

Filled land can be used forother purposes

Eventually leaks and cancontaminate groundwater

Output approach thatencourages waste production

Slow decomposition of wastes

Releases greenhouse gases(methane and CO2) unlessthey are collected

Air pollution from toxic gasesand trucks

Dust

Can handle large amountsof waste

Low operating costs

Can be built quickly

Low groundwater pollutionif sited properly

Little odor

Put inPerpetual Storage

Landfill

Underground injection wells

Surface impoundments

Underground salt formations

Stepped Art

Convert to Less Hazardous or Nonhazardous Substances

Natural decomposition

Incineration

Thermal treatment

Chemical, physical, and biological treatment

Dilution in air or water

Produce Less Hazardous Waste

Change industrial processes to reduce or eliminate hazardous waste production

Recycle and reuse hazardous waste

Fig. 16-13, p. 415

Integrated hazardous waste management

Detoxifying Hazardous Waste

• Bioremediation• Phytoremediation• Incineration• Plasma arc torch

Storing Hazardous Waste

• Deep-well disposal__________________________________________

• Surface impoundments– ______ % in U.S. have _______________________– ______ % may threaten ______________________

• Secure landfills

Fig. 16-14, p. 417

Fig. 16-15, p. 417

Trade-Offs

Surface Impoundments

Advantages Disadvantages

Wastes can oftenbe retrieved ifnecessary

Groundwatercontamination fromleaking liners (or nolining)

Low constructioncosts

Low operatingcosts

Can be builtquickly

Can store wastesindefinitely withsecure doubleliners

Output approach thatencourages wasteproduction

Disruption and leakage from earthquakes

Air pollution fromvolatile organiccompoundsOverflow fromflooding

Leakdetectionsystem

Groundwatermonitoringwell

Reactivewastesin drums

Plasticdoubleliner

Watertable

Earth

Double leachatecollection system

Groundwater

Claycap

Imperviousclay cap

Plastic cover

imperviousclay

Bulkwaste

Gasvent

Topsoil

EarthSand

Fig. 16-16, p. 418

Fig. 16-17, p. 418

Hazardous Waste Regulation in USA

• Resource Conservation & Recovery Act– EPA administers– Cradle to grave

• Laws regulate only ____% of hazardous wastes

Superfund– 1980 - created– Cleans hazardous waste sites– Nov. 2008: 1,255 sites on list; 322 sites

cleaned– Now broke– Who pays for clean up?

Brownfields– Turning toxic areas into parks and

nature reserves

Dealing with Lead (Pb) Poisoning

• Neurotoxin• Especially harmful to children

– 1976-2004: # children with unsafe blood Pb levels dropped from

_____% to _____%– Gov’t banned ________________________

____________________________________

• _____ countries still use leaded gasoline

Fig. 16-18, p. 419

Solutions

Lead PoisoningPrevention ControlPhase outleaded gasolineworldwide

Phase out wasteincineration

Ban use of leadsolder

Ban use of leadin computer andTV monitors

Ban lead glazingfor ceramicwareused to servefood

Test blood forlead by age 1

Replace lead pipesand plumbing fixtures containing lead solder

Wash fresh fruits and vegetables

Test existing candles for lead

Test for lead in existing ceramic-ware used to serve food

Remove lead from TV sets and computermonitors beforeincineration or land disposal

Sharply reduce lead emissions from incinerators

Remove leaded paint and lead dust from older houses and apartments

Ban candles withlead cores

Achieving a Low-Waste Society

• Grassroots action• Environmental justice• International treaties

– Basel Convention– Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

Five Principles for Achieving a Low-Waste Society

1. Everything is connected

2. There is no “away” for wastes

3. Polluters & producers must pay for wastes

4. Different categories of hazardous waste and recyclable waste should not be mixed

5. Reuse, recycle, & compost solid wastes

Three Big Ideas from This Chapter: #1

order of priorities for dealing with solid waste

should be:

Three Big Ideas from This Chapter: #2

Order of priorities for dealing with

hazardous waste should be:

Three Big Ideas from This Chapter: #3

We need to view solid wastes as

wasted resources

and hazardous wastes as

materials that we should not be

producing in the first place.