Waste Management 1

1. Waste Management 1 Leslie Sullivan, Steven Pennett, Angela Hammell, Ben Pracopcyk, Judy Peatman Mods 9-10

2. 28.2 Modern Trends • “Zero Waste” movement • Under this concept there would be no waste because it is all being reused but if there is waste then it just used as another resource • This is also known as Industrial Ecology which is the study if industrial systems and their links to natural systems • By using this “zero waste” concept our industrial society would work like a natural ecosystem The “zero waste” movement was until recently considered unreasonable because it seemed to hard to achieve Cities in Australia and the Netherlands have been setting goals to have a 70-90% reduction of waste under this “zero waste” concept They are trying to achieve these goals by taxing people for the amount of waste they produce

3. Modern Trends continued • Our previous notions of waste disposal are no longer acceptable so we need to rethink the way we dispose of our waste There is a growing awareness that much of our waste is being moved but not managed properly Waste from cities is put into landfills and eventually these landfills produce methane gas and noxious liquids that leak from the site into the surrounding areas But if the landfills are managed properly then these by products of waste can be used as a valuable resource that can be burned as fuel

4. 28.3: Integrated Waste Management (IMW) • Integrated Waste Management: A set of management alternatives that includes reuse, source reduction, recycling, composting, landfill, and incineration. • Waste stream: The summation of the waste produced.

5. 3 R’s to remember: • The goal is to reduce the amount of waste that must be managed. • By using IWM technology, waste disposed of in landfills or incinerated can be reduced by 50-70%. • Better design of packaging: 10% • Recycling programs: 30% • Large-scale composting programs: 10%

6. Recycling methods • Recycling can and has reduced the waste stream by 50% in the United States. • Intensive recycling can reduce the waste stream by 80-90%. • Most realistic method: Partial recycling (can reduce waste stream by 50%+) • Targets specific materials such as • Glass • Aluminum Cans • Plastic • Organic Material • Newsprint

7. Public Support for Recycling • It’s easier for consumers to support recycling when industries and businesses show their support. • Use less packaging for products • Provide on-site bins for recycling paper and plastic • Grocery stores can help people recycle plastic bags and can also sell inexpensive, reusable canvas shopping bags • Redesigning products so they can be easily disassembled after use, facilitating the recycling of the different parts • Small home appliances • Automobiles • Making easily recyclable products for consumers, or products that come in easily recyclable and compostable containers • Appliances that can crush bottles and cans to reduce the volume of waste and facilitate recycling

8. Integrated Waste Management Facility • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t5w2FyyBPM

9. If recycling is to be successful, markets and processing facilities must be developed to ensure the financial benefits of recycling and recycling must remain an important part of Integrated Waste Management.

10. Recycling of Human Waste • Historically, human waste has been used in agriculture. • Land application of sewage was one of the primary methods of disposal in many metropolitan areas, including some in the US.

11. Sewage in Agriculture • The land application of sewage is potentially dangerous because it can spread infectious diseases through bacteria, viruses, and parasites. • Thousands of chemicals and metals flow through the waste stream and can easily contaminate crops. • Composted garden waste can also contain harmful pesticides.

12. Concerns of Contamination • Heavy metals, petroleum products, industrial solvents, and pesticides can all end up in wastewater collection systems and sewage treatment plants. • Since waste can be toxic, it should not be used for land application without skepticism. • Many industries pretreat waste to remove materials that have previously contaminated wastewater. • Sewage sludge should not contain toxic chemicals.

13. Possible solutions • Sewage sludge should not contain any toxic chemicals to ensure the safety of humans and other living things. • Sewage lines from urban homes are the same ones utilized by industry. • Our waste disposal technology is unlikely to produce sludge that is safe. • In different communities, different approaches have been taken to the problem of sewage contamination: • Separate urban waste from industrial waste • Pretreat waste from industry to remove hazardous components before they enter the wastewater stream • Smaller treatment facilities can treat waste from homes; the recycled waste can be used by local farms. • Since oil is necessary to produce fertilizers, in the future recycling human waste will be necessary for agriculture.

14. 28.4 Materials Management Recycling -Has generated entire systems of waste management; producing tens of thousands of jobs. -Has reduced the amount of waste sent from homes from 90% in 1980 to 65% today. The overall goal of futuristic waste management is to have zero production of waste. This goal would require materials management; A more sustainable use of materials combined with resource conservation. This goal can be pursued in the following ways; -Elimination of subsidies for extraction of virgin materials such as minerals, oil, and timber. -Establishment of “green building” incentives which encourage the use of recycled materials and products in construction.

15. -Assess financial penalties for production that uses negative materials management practices. -Provide financial incentives for industrial practices and products that benefit the environment by enhancing sustainability. Materials management in the United states is beginning to effect where industries are located . An example of this would be with steel production; Approximately 50 % of steel produced in the country comes from scrap. Because of this new steel mills aren’t being built where resources like coal and iron are close by. These mills are located in a variety of places from California to North Carolina; their resource is the local supply of scrap steel. Because of this the new facilities use far less energy and cause much less pollution. Another example of this would be the placement of paper mills. Because of the increased amount of recycled paper, paper mills are beginning to be built around large cities.

16. In the state of New Jersey there are 13 paper mills utilizing recycled paper and 8 steel mills producing steel from scrap metal. These resources come from materials that had already been used, this exemplifies the power of materials management. Although materials management is providing very useful alternatives to waste disposal, we still need to deal with the solid waste we produce in both urban and rural areas.