SOLID WASTE

Define solid waste Reduce, reuse and recycle Recycling glass Recycling paper Recycling plastic Recycling metals Discuss impacts of solid

waste on terrestrial environment

Objective

What is solid waste? Solid products or materials generated by

the activity of living things or of natural origin that are disposed of, as useless unwanted substances.

Commercial waste Construction

waste

Hospital waste

Domestic waste

Types of Waste

Solid Waste Management

Solid waste management is a system for handling all of the garbage produced.

Before industrialization, solid waste was made up of mostly biodegradable materials. And was recycled in the soil.

However, modern societies generate far more solid waste than early humans ever did.

Larger amounts of non-biodegradable materials are now produced.

In order to maintain a healthy environment the large sums of garbage produced can be controlled by following the 3 R’s

REDUCE, RESUE AND RECYCLE

REDUCEDefinition: To lessen the amount of items consumed

and discarded.

Reducing involves; Purchasing items that are produced using

minimum amount of raw materials. Using items that have longer life. Items that can be used several times.

REUSEDefinition: To extend the life of an item beyond its

original use, instead of discarding it.

Reusing involves; Using empty jars and bottles as storage

containers. Repairing items that are broken or damaged. Donating old clothes, toys, magazines, etc. to

charity.

RECYCLINGDefinition: Is the processing of discarded old items to

produce useful products.

Recycling involves; Conserving raw materials and energy. Reducing the amount of material going into

landfills. Lessens the pollution that may result from waste

disposal

RECYCLING GLASS

STEPS IN THE RECYCLING GLASS PROCESS

1. Glass bottles are collected at recycling centers.

2. Bottles are then cleaned and separated by colour.

3. Glass is then crushed in a processor; the crushed class is called the cullet

*NOTE: A magnet is passed over cullet to remove any metal such as bottle caps CULLET

COLLECTED GLASS

4. The cullet is place into a furnace; where it becomes molten.

5. Soda ash, sand and limestone are added to the molten cullet; to form molten glass.

6. This molten glass can now be molded or blown into new glass materials.

MOLTEN GLASS

MOLDED GLASS

BLOWN GLASS

Glass is 100% recyclable.

Glass can be recycled repeatedly without loosing its quality.

Soda ash, limestone and sand are cheap raw materials, that saves about half the energy required when making glass from all new materials

About Glass Recycling

Other glass objects such as light bulbs, ceramics, mirrors; can not be recycled with bottles as they are composed of different materials.

Neither can coloured glass be recycled with clear glass.

Recycling Paper

1) COLLECTION

2) SORTED

3) PULPER WITH WATER

Pulp slurry

4) SCREENING

5) DE-INKING

6) COMPRESSION

20-30 trees are saved for every one ton (2 000 lbs) of paper recycled

Can only be recycled 5-7 times New wood is often mixed in pulp slurry

About Paper