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Solid and Hazardous Waste

Solid and Hazardous Waste. G. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment 13 th Edition Chapter 21. Dr. Richard Clements Chattanooga State Technical Community College Modified by Charlotte Kirkpatrick. Key Concepts. Types and amounts of wastes. Methods to reduce waste.

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Solid and Hazardous Waste

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  1. Solid and Hazardous Waste G. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment 13th Edition Chapter 21 Dr. Richard Clements Chattanooga State Technical Community College Modified by Charlotte Kirkpatrick

  2. Key Concepts • Types and amounts of wastes • Methods to reduce waste • Methods of dealing with wastes • Hazardous waste regulation in the US

  3. Wasting Resources • Industrial and agricultural waste • Municipal solid waste Fig. 21-2 p. 526 • US: 1,700 lb/person/year: (54% in landfills, 30% recycled or composted and 16% incinerated)

  4. Hazardous Wastes • Contains one or more of 39 toxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic or teratogenic compounds at levels that exceed established limits: (see sect. 11-3) • Catches fire easily: gasoline, paints, solvents • Reactive, explosive or able to release toxic fumes: acids, bases, ammonia, and bleach • Corrodes metal containers: industrial cleaning agents, oven and drain cleaners

  5. Not Hazardous Wastes • Radioactive wastes • Household wastes • Mining wastes See Table 21-1 p. 527 • Oil and gas drilling wastes • Liquids containing organic hydrocarbons • Cement kiln dust • <100 kg (220 lb) per month • Therefore hazardous waste laws do not regulate 95% of the country’s hazardous waste

  6. Producing Less Waste and Pollution • Waste management (high waste approach) see list page 526 • Burying, burning, shipping • Waste prevention (low waste approach) • Reduce, reuse, recycle • Chemical or biological treatment • Burial

  7. Dealing with Material Use and Wastes Fig. 21-3 p. 528

  8. Dealing with Hazardous Wastes Fig. 21-4 p. 530

  9. Solutions: Cleaner Production • Ecoindustrial revolution • Industrial ecology: cleaner production see p. 536 • Closed material cycles • Wastes become raw materials • Biomimicry see fig. 21-5 p.532 Refer to Solutions p. 533

  10. Figure 21-5Page 532 Industrial Ecosystem Waste from one business become the raw materials for another Sludge Pharmaceutical plant Local farmers Greenhouses Sludge Fish farming Waste Surplus Waste Heat Sulfur Waste Heat Heat Waste Electric power plant Oil refinery Cement manufacturer Heat Surplus Natural gas Waste Waste Heat Surplus Area homes Calcium sulfate Sulfuric acid producer Natural gas Wallboard factory

  11. Solutions: Selling Services Instead of Things (p. 533-534) • Service-flow economy instead of materials flow • Uses a minimum amount of material • Products last longer • Products are easier to maintain, repair, and recycle • Customized services needed by customers See Individuals Matter p. 534

  12. Reuse • Extends resource supplies • Maintains high-quality matter • Reduces energy use • Bad news: we continue to replace reusable material with throwaway materials • Refillable beverage containers • Reusable shipping containers and grocery bags See Solutions p. 535

  13. Recycling Fig. 21-6 p. 535 • Primary (closed-loop): reproduce the same product • Post consumer waste: wastes discarded by the consumer • Secondary or downcycling (open loop): Reproduce a new product

  14. Characteristics of Recyclable Materials • Easily isolated from other waste • Available in large quantities • Valuable • Pay-as-you-throw garbage collection

  15. Benefits of Recycling Fig. 21-7 p. 536

  16. Recycling in the US • Centralized recycling of mixed waste (MRFs) • Separated recycling • Economic benefits • Increasing recycling in the US See Case Study p. 540

  17. Materials Recovery Facility (MRF’s) Figure 21-8Page 538 Outside users Incinerator (paper, plastics, rubber, food, yard waste) Energy recovery (steam and electricity) Food, grass, leaves Separator Shredder Pipeline Metals Rubber Glass Plastics Paper Residue Compost Landfill and reclaiming disturbed land Recycled to primary manufacturers Fertilizer Consumer (user)

  18. Case Studies: Recycling Aluminum, Wastepaper, and Plastics • 40% of aluminum recycled in US • Recycled aluminum uses over 90% fewer resources • Paper: preconsumer vs. postconsumer recycling • 10% or less of plastic recycled in US • Plastics can be very difficult to recycle

  19. Detoxifying Wastes • Bioremediation • Microorganisms break down wastes • Phytoremediation • Removal of wastes from the soil

  20. Burning Wastes Fig. 21-11 p. 543 • Mass burn incineration • Air pollution • Waste to energy

  21. Wastes to Energy Incinerator

  22. Burying Wastes • Sanitary landfill • Leachate collection • Monitoring wells • Emit greenhouse gases (CO2 and methane) • Space near where waste is produced

  23. Sanitary Landfill Fig. 21-12 p. 544

  24. Sanitary Landfill

  25. Deep-well Disposal of Liquid Hazardous Waste Fig. 21-14 p. 546

  26. Hazardous Waste Landfill Fig. 21-16 p. 547

  27. Above Ground Hazardous Waste Disposal Fig. 21-17 p. 547

  28. Surface Impoundments Excavated depressions such as ponds, pits, or lagoons for disposing of liquid hazardous wastes

  29. Exporting Wastes • Shipping to developing countries • Potentially huge profits for exporters • Basel Convention on Hazardous Waste • Many developing countries refusing wastes

  30. Case Studies: Lead • Lead poisoning (neurotoxin) major problem in children; leads to death and survivors can suffer form palsy, partial paralysis, blindness, and mental retardation Primary Sources of Lead • Leaded gasoline (phased out by 1986) • Lead paint (banned in 1970) • Lead in plastics • Lead in plumbing • Progress is being made in reducing lead

  31. Sources of Lead

  32. Case Studies: Mercury • Vaporized elemental Mercury • Fish contaminated with methyl mercury • Natural inputs • Emission control • Prevention of contamination

  33. Mercury Cycling

  34. Case Studies: Chlorine • Environmentally damaging and potential health threat Sources of Chlorine • Plastics • Solvents • Paper and pulp bleaching • Water disinfection • Many safer and cheaper substitutes are available

  35. Case Studies: Dioxins • Potentially highly toxic chlorinated hydrocarbons Sources of Dioxins • Waste incineration • Fireplaces • Coal-fired power plants • Paper production • Sewage sludge

  36. Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United States • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act: ID hazardous wastes and set standards, firms with more than 100 kg of hazardous waste must be permitted, cradle to grave monitoring • Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act: a.k.a. Superfund Act • National Priority List • Polluter-pays principle See Solutions p. 554 • Brownfields: abandoned industrial and commercial sites that in most cases are contaminated: clean up and converted

  37. Solutions: Achieving a Low-Waste Society • Local grassroots action: bottom up change to fight environmental injustice • POP’s Treaty: International ban on 12 persistent organic pollutants (the dirty dozen) see list p. 555 • Cleaner production • Improved resource productivity • Service flow economies

  38. Four Key Principles to Live by Everything is connected There is no away for our wastes Dilution is not always the solution to pollution The best and cheapest way to deal with waste and pollution is to produce less of them and then reuse and recycle most of the materials we use.

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