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Solid Waste

Solid Waste. Ecological Issues Winter 2007. Mobro 4000. March 22, 1987 – 3,168 tons of garbage refused as landfill in Islip, NY Transferred onto the barge Mobro 4000, headed for North Carolina Refused there, traveled 6,000 miles, five states, 3 countries

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Solid Waste

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  1. Solid Waste Ecological Issues Winter 2007

  2. Mobro 4000 • March 22, 1987 – 3,168 tons of garbage refused as landfill in Islip, NY • Transferred onto the barge Mobro 4000, headed for North Carolina • Refused there, traveled 6,000 miles, five states, 3 countries • Eventually incinerated in Brooklyn in July, 1987

  3. Municipal Solid Waste • MSW – (mostly) non-hazardous waste generated in households, commercial establishments and institutions • Does not include industrial process wastes, agricultural wastes, mining wastes, and sewage sludge

  4. MSW • We throw away over 200 million tons of MSW each year • Average of 4.5 pounds per person, per day

  5. http://www.epa.gov/msw/facts.htm

  6. MSW Management • Source Reduction/Reuse • Recycling • Composting • Landfills • Combustion-to-Energy

  7. Source Reduction • Altering the design, manufacture, or use of products and materials to reduce the amount and toxicity of what gets thrown away • Grasscycling, backyard composting, transport packaging reduction • Prevents emissions of greenhouse gases, reduces pollutants, saves energy • Other ways????

  8. Recycling • Diverted 79 million tons of material away from disposal in 2005 • About 32% of our MSW is recycled, up from 6.5% in 1960!!!! • Materials are recycled through curbside pick-up, drop-off programs, buy-back programs and deposit centers

  9. Recycling Benefits • Prevents emission of greenhouse gases • Saves energy and resources • Creates jobs • Conserves resources • Reduces need for new landfills and combustors • recycling benefits

  10. Composting • Compost is organic material that can be used as a soil amendment or as a medium to grow plants. • Created by combining organic wastes (e.g., yard trimmings, food wastes, manures) in proper ratios • High temperatures destroy weed seeds and pathogens

  11. Landfills • Number of landfills is steadily decreasing – down from 8,000 in 1988 to 1,654 in 2005 • New landfills are much larger • New landfills are called “sanitary landfills” and are different than “dumps”

  12. Combustion/Incineration • Burning MSW can generate energy while reducing amount of waste by up to 90% • Scrubbers must be used to clean emissions • Ash must still be disposed of – often contains high levels of toxic materials

  13. Public Education • You must take the responsibility to use and dispose of products you buy properly • Solid Waste Disposal Act – 1965 • First Federal law to require safeguards • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act -1976 • Protect human health and environment • Conserve energy and natural resources

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