Land, Water, and Air ResourcesChapter 4

4.2 Waste Disposal and Recycling

The Problem of Waste Disposal• There are three methods of handling solid

waste. Burning Burying Recycling• Each method has advantages and

disadvantages

Burning –Incineration <-vocab word

• ADVANTAGES1. Incinerator buildings

take up less space than landfills.

2. Do not pollute ground water

3. The heat can be used to generate power

• DISADVANTAGES1. Possible air pollution2. Some waste-ash still

goes into a landfill3. They are expensive to

build

Burying – Landfills page 123

• Dumping waste into the ground has been the most common method.

.

• Rainwater can soak into the dumps and create. . .

.

. . . LEACHATE , a polluted liquid produced when rain water passes through buried waste in a landfill.

Sanitary Landfill <-vocab word picture page 124

• Holds waste more safely.

Recycling <-vocab word

• Matter naturally cycles(Remember water, carbon-oxygen, and nitrogen)• Biodegradable is any

material that can be broken down naturally by bacteria and decomposers

• Nature can recycle many things – biodegrade (rot)

Non-biodegradable

• Many manufactured (man-made) items are not biodegradable

• Metal• Plastic• Glass• Paper(can biodegrade but is better to recycle)

What People Can doRecycle materials.

To keep them out of the landfills.

Hazardous Waste <-vocab word

Four main types, based on their impact on people and the environment.

1.Toxic-poisons: Can harm all biotic organisms.2.Explosive: React when exposed to air, heat or are dropped3.Flammable: catch fire easily4.Corrosive: Easily dissolves many materials.

The end