Solid Waste:Solid Waste:

The Throwaway SocietyThe Throwaway Society

Solid WasteSolid Waste

• Any discarded material that is not liquid or gas.

– 56% - Manufacturing Waste– 26% - Mining Waste– 9% - Agricultural Waste– 6% - Hazardous Waste– 2% - Municipal Solid Waste****– 1% - Other

Biodegradable WasteBiodegradable Waste

• A material that can be broken down by decomposers (fungus & bacteria).

• Created from living things.

– Newspapers– Paper Bags– Cotton– Food– Leather

Non-biodegradable WasteNon-biodegradable Waste

• Materials that cannot be degraded by living things.

• Made from oil, but chemically rearranged. – Nylon– Polyester– Plastic– Fleece

2005 MSW by TYPE (EPA)2005 MSW by TYPE (EPA)

• Paper - 34%• Yard Trimmings - 13%• Food Scraps - 12%• Plastics - 12%• Metals - 8%• Rubber, Leather & Textiles - 7%• Glass - 5%• Wood - 5%• Other - 4%

How is waste processed on Earth?How is waste processed on Earth?

• 57% Landfills

• 28% Recovered, Recycled or Composted

• 15% Incinerated (burned)

Solid Waste Management Solid Waste Management HierarchyHierarchy

LandfillsLandfills

• Modern waste-disposal facility where wastes are put on plastic-lined ground and covered each day with a layer of dirt & plastic.