waste management & climate change: intuitions and interactions · 2020-01-31 · c .visvanathan...

Waste Management & Climate Change: Intuitions and Interactions

C. VisvanathanProfessor

School of Environment, Resources and Development

Email: [email protected]

Webpage: http://www.faculty.ait.ac.th/visu/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.faculty.ait.ac.th/visu/

C .Visvanathan Waste Management and CC

• What I will NOT cover:

• What Is Climate Change? Is it real? What Causes CC and its impacts, etc.

• Science of Climate Change;

• Adaptation to Climate Change

• What I WILL cover:

• What is waste and what are the Waste Management issues? (urban MSW)

• Climate Change mitigation and the link to Waste Management

• 3R and Circular Economy

• What YOU can to at AIT…. Talk ..Talk or do something within your small means?

2

Presentation in a Snapshot! If only I had 30 Seconds


What is Waste?

3

A wrong substance

At a wrong time

WASTE At a wrong place In the wrong

quantity


Waste – A Problem Right from the Beginning…

4

……… So waste is INEVITABLE

C .Visvanathan Waste Management through 3R 5

1.2

1.21

1.33

1.34

1.38

1.4

1.54

1.72

1.94

2.24

Spain

Malasia

United Kingdom

Italy

France

Saudi Arabia

Australia

Germany

Canada

United states

Waste Generation – Let Us Face the Facts5

By 2050, global waste generation will rise to 70% in a business

as usual scenario – 3.4 billion tonnes over the next 30 years, up

from 2.01 billion tonnes in 2016

231290

369

Latin America &

the Caribbean

289342

396

North America 129177

255

Middle East &

north Africa

174269

516

Sub-Saharan Africa

392440

490

Europe &

Central Asia

334466

661

South Asia

Waste generation, million tonnes 2016 2030 2050

Global waste generation (billion tonnes)

2.02 2.59 3.40

201620502030

2016 2050

India 277.1 543.3

United States 263.7 359.9

China 220.4 335.8

Brazil 79.1 114.3

Indonesia 65.2 118.6

Russia 59.6 71.6

Mexico 54.2 90.4

Germany 51.4 66.4

Japan 44.4 43.3

Nigeria 34.6 107.1

Solid waste generation:

top 10, 2016 & 2050 (MT)

Daily per capita waste

generation, 2016

468

602714

East Asia & the Pacific


• 3 billion more middle-class consumers expected to be in

the global economy by 2030

• 147% increase in real commodity prices since the turn of

the century

• 44 million people driven into poverty by rising food prices

in the second half of 2010, according to World Bank

• Up to USD 1.1 trillion spent annually on resource subsidies

Resource Prices are on the Rise

DEMAND for Resource !!!

AVAILABILITY of Resource


Implications

What if we go on with current production and consumption patterns?

By 2050, we need two planets to

satisfy our resource requirements !!!

1900 2002 2050 2100


If the world economy continued to grow following its current development path, i.e.

a "business-as-usual" scenario, worldwide extraction of natural resources in the year

2030 could be as high as 100 billion tonnes, almost a double the extraction in 2005

BUT can such growth be possible to continue?

What is Next?

Is Business-As-Usual Scenario of Resource Extraction Possible?


Resource Pressure

Historical and estimated growth in demand for resources

from 1980 to 2030Driven by population growth

and additional consumer

pressure in emerging

economies, global demand

across all major environmental

resources will increase over the

coming years.

287

349

398

492

568

654

+33%

567

649

761

1,270

1,850

2,290

+80%

1,696

1433

2,276

1,868

2,550

2,900

+27%

3,200

3,600

4,000

4,500

5,000

6,350

+41%

This combined with risks and

environmental stresses derived

from climate change, such as

water and land availability and

biodiversity loss, means that

the pressures on these

resources are considerable

and likely to grow.


Can We Tame Our Consumption?

Will this help

Climate Change?


Lifecycle of Products

All stages contribute to climate change

Direct – production, transportation, process and waste related GHG emissions,

Indirect – decrease in sinks e.g., deforestation for paper and wood etc.

End of life

Consumer use

Raw materials

Production

Distribution and retail


GHG in a Products Life

Raw Material

Extraction

Manufacturing

UseEnd-of-life

disposal

Landfill

Composting

Waste

Collection

Transportation

Energy and

Non-Energy

Related Emissions

Reduced Carbon

Sequestration in

Forests

GHG Sources

Energy

Related

EmissionsCO2

Incineration

CO2

N2O

CO2

CH4

Uncontrolled

Emissions


GHG Avoidance Through 3R

Raw Material

Extraction

Manufacturing

UseEnd-of-life

disposal

Landfill

Composting

Waste

Collection

Transportation

Energy and

Non-Energy

Related Emissions

Reduced Carbon

Sequestration in

Forests

GHG Sources

CO2

Incineration

Carbon

Storage

in soil

Energy

Recovery:

Avoided

Fossil fuel

Methane

capture:

Avoided

Fossil fuel

Reuse

Recycle

Avoided

Fossil fuel

Decreased

virgin material

requirement


Waste and Climate Change… Some Facts

Post consumer waste: a small contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions (<5%)

Waste related GHGs:

• Landfill Methane ( Landfill Gas )

• Nitrous oxide

• carbon dioxide from incineration of waste containing fossil carbon (plastics;

synthetic textiles) (very small quantities)

Importance of waste sector in reducing global GHG emissions has been

underestimated

• waste management decisions often made locally without quantification of GHG

mitigation


Global GHG Emissions

Remember it is only post consumer waste… after we throw

or generate… not the lifecycle GHGs

1stR, Reduce - can reduce GHG from other sectors too…

Small fraction compared to

other sectors…

Can we be happy about it !!!

Source: Bogner et al, Working Group III, 4th Assessment Report, IPCC


Waste diversion through recycle

and reuse

Waste prevention and minimization

SOLID WASTE (post consumer)

Waste collection

MSW Technologies and GHG

Technology and Cost:

Low to IntermediateEnergy Balance:

Negative to Positive

Mechanical Biological Treatment

+

Residual landfilling

Anaerobic digestion

Incineration and other thermal processes


HighEnergy Balance:


Composting of waste fractions

Landfilling


Low to Intermediate

Energy Balance:



Trends in Waste Related GHG

1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

GH

G E

mis

sio

n (

mill

ion

to

nn

es o

f C

O2

eq

)Baseline

CDM Ending in

2012

Increased

Incineration

Increased Recycling

High LFG recovery Source: Bogner et

al, Working Group

III, 4th Assessment

Report, IPCC

3R


Points to Ponder

Waste management generates carbon dioxide and methane which are both greenhouse

gases

• biodegradable carbon based organic matter such as kitchen waste, garden waste, and

paper, and slowly biodegradable organic materials such as lignin (wood-like material).

• plastics contain carbon derived from the fossil fuels which are used as a feedstock (oil).

Treatment and disposal of these wastes directly influences the levels of greenhouse

gases we emit

Treatment and disposal of our wastes determines how the carbon will be released back

into the environment

• when materials are broken down by organisms in the presence of air, the gas released

is carbon dioxide.

• when material decompose in the absence of air, methane is produced (21 times more

Global Warming potential than CO2).


Waste Related GHG in a Town

A small town of 1 million population:

1kg/cap/day = 365 kg/year x 1 million

= 365,000,000 kg/year

= 365,000 tonnesOrganic

Waste

Paper

Plastic

Metal

Glass

Others

10% each50%

36,500

tonnes

each

182,500

tonnes

What are the possible scenarios to handle this situation?

Can we straightaway send it to a landfill and forget the issue?

Would it be sustainable?


Scenario 1 – Reduce, Reuse

Paper

Plastic

Metal

Glass

Others

36,500 tonnes x 0.8

36,500 tonnes x 0.4

36,500 tonnes x 2

36,500 tonnes x 0.12

36,500 tonnes x 1

=29,200

=14,600

=73,000

= 4,380

=36,500

Tonnes of carbon dioxide saved

when 1 tonne of material is

prevented from entering waste

streams … either reduce

consumption or find reusing options

157,680 tonnes of

carbon dioxide

Source: USEPA, 2002 and IPCC, 2006

Recyclables


Scenario 2 – Recycle

Paper

Plastic

Metal

Glass

Others

36,500 tonnes x 0.6

36,500 tonnes x 0.3

36,500 tonnes x 4

36,500 tonnes x 0.08

36,500 tonnes x 0.6

= 21,900

= 10,950

=146,000

= 2,920

= 21,900

203,670 tonnes of

carbon dioxide

Tonnes of carbon dioxide saved

when 1 tonne of material is

prevented from entering the

waste stream…recycled

Organic Waste

Source: USEPA, 2002 and IPCC, 2006

182,500 tonnes x 0.084 =

Composting

Anaerobic Digestion

182,500 tonnes x 0.021 =

Recyclables

15,330 tonnes of carbon dioxide

3,832 tonnes of carbon dioxide


Food and Weight Loss

Obesity, weight loss, healthy living…

What comes to our mind is low carb foods…

Energy from food… means food contains energy in

the form of “carbohydrates”

Synonymous with fossil fuels “ hydrocarbons”


Food we consume…

What do they contain?


What is inside the food?

C+H+O=EN

ERGY

Mainly, Carbohydrates – Carbon and Hydrogen,

Oxygen

Minerals, Vitamins

C, H, O in edible food provides energy

What happens to

the inedible and

leftovers…

They still contain

C, H, O+ …


Inedible Food and Leftovers

Dumpsite

GHGs…Global Warming, Climate Change

C6H12O6 3CO2 + 3CH4

Carbon dioxide Methane

Do you want to be a problem-creator or

problem-solver !!! How???


Growth of a Plant

H2O Minerals

CO2O2 Seed Assimilates

water (H2O), nutrients from

the soil

And then CO2 from the

atmosphere

orWhat role would you

like to play here ???


Analytically Looking at the Plant…

What the seed does

• Absorbs water and nutrients from the soil and grows into a plant

What the plant does

• Absorbs water and nutrients from the soil and grows further (gives us fruits / vegetables)

• Takes energy from a renewable source – sunlight for photosynthesis (no energy related GHGs)

• Captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and gives back oxygen (GHG sink)

• Converts water and carbon into a form vital for human survival (role of a life support system)

What would you like to do…

• Help the plant grow by making its life easier

• Augment its growth, like how you would nourish your baby

• Or emit methane and cry about global warming


How to Help the Plant…

Give back the plant what you took from it !!!

The C, H, O from the plant which you don’t need

Organic matter, minerals, moisture and some

beneficial microorganisms - retained and returned

to the plant as compost

CO2 and Heat

Food Waste

O2

O2

This is giving back to the plant

what you took from it…


Organic

Waste

Organic

nutrients Composting

Cycle of Recycling ???

CO2

O2

Food

Inedible and

leftovers

Dumpsite /

Landfill

CH4

Help to

peat this cycleRe

And you are helping to


Old and New Technology: Step towards decoupling …

1956

2015

Weight 300 gram

Capacity 8 TB

Weight 1 TON

Capacity 5 MB

Size of two

refrigerators

Size of a

smart phone


What is Decoupling?

1988 2019

• Less use of natural resources, processing chemicals, packaging


Linear to Circular!

Circular Economy

Linear Waste Management


3R Experience in Japan – A Japanese Gift to the world!

Reuse & recycling is reflected in its cultural spirit of

‘mottainai’…. Waste not Want Not

Recycling in Japan was made legally mandatory during

1990s

Basic principle of waste disposal is to prevent waste

generation, then recycle & treat waste before disposal

• To establish a sound material cycle society

• Land scarcity in Japan to locate new landfill sites

Key drivers: Policy, Technology, Capacity, Finance,

Public Participation


3R Best Practice Scenario for Energy Level Conservation

Reduce

Reuse

Recycle

Energy

Recovery

Landfill


Source:

MOEJ, 2012

1987

15.6% Reduction

16.1% Reduction

6000

5500

5000

4500

4000

3500

3000

2500

To

tal V

olu

me

of M

un

icip

al S

olid

Wa

ste

Wa

ste

Vo

lum

e G

en

era

ted

Pe

r Pe

rso

n P

er D

ay

1500

1400

1300

1200

1100

1000

900

(gram/man-day)(Ten thousand tons/year)Total Volume of

Municipal Solid Waste

Waste Volume Generated Per

Person Per Day

3R Success in Japan- Changes in MSW Generations

After Introducing 3Rs

FY

20

09

FY

20

08

FY

20

07

FY

20

06

FY

20

05

FY

20

04

FY

20

03

FY

20

02

FY

20

01

FY

20

00

FY

19

99

FY

19

98

FY

19

97

FY

19

96

FY

19

95

FY

19

95

FY

19

93

FY

19

92

FY

19

91

FY

19

90

FY

19

89

FY

19

88

FY

19

87

FY

19

86

FY

19

85


Waste Reduction is Our Focus, than Recyling!

In Japan, the focus is more on Recycle Waste segregation > collection > recycle

Waste Reduction is

better than Recycling

The amount of total waste generation remains the

same, though there is reduction in the amount of

waste finally disposed !!!

Waste Reduction is

better than Recycling


Reducing the Packaging: Moon Cake Experience

What is

left over………

M☺☺n Cake


Wasteful Packaging vs. Wise Packaging


Paradigm Shift in Our Approach

REDUCE

REUSE

RECYCLE

REDUCEREUSE

RECYCLE


Take-home Message…

Every bit of recycling – is definitely climate positive and contributes to GHG mitigation

Remember “tiny drops of water make a might ocean” – you can also add to the drop

Reduce and reuse – more climate friendly – requires lesser energy and avoids totally, in some case

When reduce and reuse are not practicable, then the last resort must be recycle

Recycling involves higher energy compared to reduce and reuse – “something is better than nothing”

Climate Change is not an area of action only for Nobel Laureates Mr. Al Gore and Dr. Pachauri – everyone has to act


Green Campus Initiatives: Sustainable Waste Management

Dry Recyclable Waste Segregation

Activity in AIT Campus 2 waste

collection staff earns 6000 THB

(US$ 200) per month from selling

segregated waste, and housemaids

also earn additional income from

household segregated waste.

What is Your Role in this Green Campus Project?


Recycle Waste Segregation at EEM

Plastic and Aluminum Cans

Why we are doing this this?

1. Recycling minimizes pollution

2. Social Components of SDG

3. Recycling cuts down amount of waste in landfill

sites

4. Recycling contributes to creation of jobs, etc.

5. Target: 300 Kg per month: 3000 Bath /month

@ EEM Green Park

You can contribute your recyclable waste

to have extra income to someone.

Other than that,


Self commitment for waste

reduction is the way forward!!!

Within the context of climate

change mitigation, in Waste

management sector:


Thank You!

waste management & climate change: intuitions and interactions · 2020-01-31 · c .visvanathan...

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