solid waste recycling for a sustainable world

Solid Waste Recycling for a Sustainable World

Graham L. Twaddell, MS Environmental & Sustainability Manager

Envirosure Solutions, LLC

Speakers Background

• UN• Walmart• ASU• National and International Projects• Industrial Experience• Manufacturing Experience


The objective of this presentation is to address the potential dangers that could exist in the solid waste and recyclable materials generated by your facilities.

Exposure to these dangers could cause:

• serious health problems• environmental contamination • equipment damage • possible violation of client policies leading to loss of

contract • violation of federal/state/county/local regulations leading to

legal litigation


• McDonald’s states, “Our suppliers will be held accountable for achieving mutually established waste reduction goals, as well as continuously pursuing sound production practices which minimize environmental impact.

• Compliance with these policies will receive consideration with other business criteria in evaluating both current and potential McDonald's suppliers.”

McDonald’s Corporation Worldwide Corporate Responsibility Report 2008 - Responsible Food for a Sustainable Future


McDonald’s encourages environmental values and practices and wants their product ingredients to be produced in ways that contribute positively to the development of sustainable food manufacturing practices.

McDonalds Corporation Worldwide Corporate Responsibility Report 2008 - Responsible Food for a Sustainable Future


There are many items that we live and work with everyday that while intact are not harmful to us or the environment, but can pose significant problems during the disposal and recycling process.

Potential Dangers In Solid Waste

• Pressurized containers• Storage containers• Asbestos containing materials• Materials containing polychlorinated byphenyls (PCBs) • Smoke detectors• Fluorescent tubes and lamps• Mercury switches• Electronic waste (e-waste)• Batteries• Lead

Pressurized ContainersPressured containers should not be recycled as scrapmetal as they frequently contain liquids or gasseshazardous to human health, property, equipment andthe environment.

Spent aerosols can be disposed of under manifest as ahazardous waste, or alternatively, they can becompliantly depressurized onsite. Aerosol liquidcontents is accumulated and shipped as a hazardouswaste while depressurized cans are recycled as scrapmetal.

The can puncturing unit is secured into the 2” bung hole on a drum.

The lever is pushed, which pierces a small hole in the can. The contentsdischarge into the drum.

The liquid drops out and is caught in the drum. The propellant gas thenexits via the 3/4 inch bung hole where the activated carbon filter absorbsthe volatile organic compounds (VOC's).

Storage Containers• Before disposal or recycling, ensure storage tanks,

55 gallon drums, pails, paint cans and old buckets do not contain potentially dangerous chemical residues and powders.

• Chemical residues and powders can adversely affect human health, property and the environment, and creates significant collection and disposal problems.

• Storage containers should be open when placed in scrap metal recycling bin.

Polychlorinated Byphenyls (PCBs)• PCBs are a family of chemicals with an

exceptional resistance to breakdown at high temperatures.

• Due to their high toxicity, PCBs are extremely hazardous to human health and the environment.

• PCBs can be found in transformers, fluorescent light ballasts, capacitors, voltage regulators and in small motors in refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, microwaves and other appliances. Oil used in these items can also become contaminated with PCBs.

PCBs

• If the label on a ballast, capacitor or other likely PCB containing device is eligible or does not state “NON PCB” or “NO PCBs” it must be assumed that there are PCBs inside.

• Materials containing PCBs must be disposed of under manifest as hazardous waste.

Ballasts Capacitors

Fluorescent Tubes & LampsFluorescent tubes and lamps contain mercury. Mercury isboth toxic to people and to the environment. Broken lamps can release mercury to the air and water.Recycle them and keep them out of trash. This includes fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent,

metalhalide, sodium, mercury vapor and neon lamps. This type of waste is regulated as universal waste.

Fluorescent tubes with a green-cap have low mercury

content, these lamps must also be recycled.

Fluorescent Tubes & Lamps

• Package fluorescent lamps and tubes carefully. • Store them in an area away from rain so that if

they break, the mercury from the broken lamps or tubes will not be washed by rainwater into waterways.

• Do not tape tubes together. • Store fluorescent lamps and tubes in the original

box or another protective container. • Do not mix different types of universal waste.

Fluorescent Tube Crushers

If a large quantity ofspent fluorescenttubes is generated, bulbcrushers can be used tofree up storage space.

Ensure appropriatemaintenance, personalprotective equipment andtraining is provided.

Electronic Waste (E-Waste)

Examples of e-waste include circuit boards, computers, monitors, copiers, fax machines, printers and televisions, although any piece of equipment with a plug or that takes batteries is considered e-waste.

E-Waste• The concern is that certain components of electronic

products contain hazardous materials. • Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic

are used in electronic equipment, there are brominated-flame retardants in plastic components, and toxic materials are found in printer cartridges.

• Cathode ray tubes (CRTs) are the picture tubes in older, non-flat screen, TVs and computer monitors. CRTs contain significant quantities of the heavy metal lead -which could be released to the environment when the CRTs are crushed.

E-Waste

• Electronic components and materials are resources that can be re-used or recycled.

• In order to conserve natural resources and the energy needed to produce new electronic equipment from virgin resources, electronic equipment should be refurbished, reused and recycled whenever possible.

• Use approved and licensed vendors. Request audit package.


To control the potential dangers from the solid waste and recyclable materials generated by your facility you must be able to identify the possible sources of those hazards.

Materials and Waste Exchanges

• Exchanges for buying and selling reusable and recycling commodities

• Physical warehouses and website that connect buyers and sellers

• Waste exchanges = hazardous materials & industrial process waste

• Material exchanges = nonhazardous waste

Materials and Waste Exchanges

• Post materials available or wanted

• Interested organizations contact each other directly

• For international, national and state specific exchanges see:

http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/tools/exchange.htm

Creating a Sustainable World

In a commodities driven business where all things are equal (a burger bun is a burger bun), businesses can use sustainability as a means of differentiation of product line as like minded companies partner with each other resulting in a sustainable business ventures

QUESTIONS?

solid waste recycling for a sustainable world

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