News• http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2009/11/24/obama_to

_offer_target_for_cutting_greenhouse_gas_emissions/• http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091119/ap_on_sc/us_sci_odd_crocs• http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-climate-cartage

na22-2009nov22,0,7731005.story• http://www.thebostonchannel.com/investigative/21676663/detail.htm

l• http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2009/11/23/study_find

s_thousands_of_deep_sea_species/• http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2009/11/24/big_bang_

atom_smasher_starts_speeding_proton_beams/• http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/11/19/

us_liable_in_katrina_flood_judge_says/•

Fig. 22-2, p. 520

Solid Waste

Image courtesy of Marc Morell

Fig. 22-4, p. 522

Image courtesy of georgehotelling, flickr.com

Household Waste

• Systems

• Conservation of Mass

• Inputs vs. Outputs

Systems

• Boston Harbor

• BioSphere 2

• Eco-Sphere

• Globe

• Your house

Image courtesy of Cindy Funk, flickr.com

Budget

• Groceries (food)– Packaging– Beverages

• Books, newspapers, magazines

• Clothing• Furniture• Yardwaste• Water• Fuel

• Garbage disposal, sewage, compost, trash, recycle

• Recycle, trash

• Reuse, trash• Reuse, trash• Compost, degrade, dump• Sewage• Carbon dioxide

Figure by UMB OpenCourseWare

Figure by UMB OpenCourseWare

Where does it go?• A national recycling rate of 30%, up from 28% in 1999,

• 57% of yard trimmings were recovered for composting in 2000, nearly a fourfold increase since 1990.

• 45% of paper and paperboard were recovered for recycling in 2000.

• Americans generated nearly 232 million tons of MSW, a slight .3% increase from a 1999.

• 14.5 % of MSW was combusted

•  55.3% of MSW was land filled, down somewhat from 57.2% in 1999.

Where does it go?

Image courtesy of EPA

US Disposal

Figure by UMB OpenCourseWare

Cost of trash

• New York (2002)--$132 per ton processed, $239/ton recycled

• Costs range from $45 to $71 per ton to dispose

• $70 per ton in Massachusetts (2001) for incinerator, landfill or processing facility

Landfills

• 16 total in Massachusetts

• Nantucket, Westborough, Bourne, Chicopee, Dartmouth, Fall River, Hadley, Hull, Northampton, Sturbridge, Southbridge, Taunton, Warren, Wayland, Westminster

Image courtesy of Marc Morell

Fig. 22-12, p. 532

Sand

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

Methane storageand compressorbuilding

Leachatestoragetank

Leachatemonitoringwell

Groundwatermonitoringwell

Electricitygeneratorbuilding Leachate

treatment system

Methane gasrecovery well

Compactedsolid waste

Leachatepipes

Leachate pumpedup to storage tankfor safe disposal

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

Topsoil

SandClaySubsoil

Probes todetectmethaneleaks

Garbage

Garbage

Syntheticliner

Sand

Clay

Pipes collect explosive methane as used as fuel to generate electricity

Images removed due to copyright restrictions.

Incinerators

• Agawam

• Haverhill

• Millbury

• North Andover

• Rochester

Image courtesy of USEPA

Fig. 22-10, p. 530

Crane

Hazardouswaste landfill

Wastetreatment

Conventionallandfill

Wastepit

Bottomash

Fly ashConveyor

Wateradded Dirty

water

Furnace Wetscrubber

Electrostaticprecipitator

Boiler

Smokestack

Electricity

Steam Turbine

Generator

Images removed due to copyright restrictions.

Conservation

• Reduce– Fewer inputs

• Reuse– Fewer inputs, fewer outputs

• Recycle– Have others use– Reduce production wastes

Recycling Rates

Figure by UMB OpenCourseWare

Compost

• Backyard Compost Bin

Image courtesy of mjmonty

Waste Generated from Products you Purchase

Images removed due to copyright restrictions.

Hazardous Waste

• Batteries• Paint• Cleaners• Pharmaceuticals• Pesticides

• Americans generate 1.6 million tons of HHW per year.• The average home can accumulate as much as 100 pounds

of HHW in the basement and garage and in storage closets.• During the 1980s, many communities started special

collection days or permanent collection sites for handling HHW. In 1997, there were more than 3,000 HHW permanent programs and collection events throughout the United States.

Fig. 22-22, p. 540

Bulkwaste

Gasvent

Topsoil

EarthPlastic cover

Claycap

Double leachatecollection system

Plasticdoubleliner

Imperviousclay cap

Leakdetectionsystem

Reactivewastesin drums

Groundwatermonitoringwell

Groundwater

Watertable

Earth

Imperviousclay

Sand

Images removed due to copyright restrictions.

Problems and Solutions

• Conservation of Mass– There is no “away”– Not in my backyard

• Pollution– Water pollution (leaching landfills)– Air pollution (incinerators)– Hazardous wastes

• Costs– Full cost accounting

• Reduce, reuse, recycle

Hazardous Toxic Household Materials

Cleaning Products

•Disinfectants, bleach and ammonia•Drain, toilet and window cleaners•Oven cleaners•Cleaning solvents and spot remover•Septic tank cleaners

Paint and Building Products•Latex and oil-based paints•Paint thinner, solvents, and strippers•Stains, varnishes, and lacquers•Wood preservatives•Acids for etching and rust removal

Gardening and Pest Control Products•Pesticide sprays and dusts; flea killers•Weed killers•Ant and rodent killers

Automotive Products•Gasoline and used motor oils•Antifreeze; solvents; battery acid•Brake and transmission fluid; rust inhibitors

General Products•Dry-cell batteries (mercury and cadmium)•Artist’s paints and inks; glues and cements