Waste management

trash, recyclables, hazardous waste, nuclear waste, e-waste, biological

waste, . . .

Once upon a time• Any waste just thrown into a pit, covered once in a while with soil

What kinds of ``waste’’ are there?

• ``trash’’• Paper, cardboard,

books• Metals• Glass• Plastics• Organics: food, yard,

bodily waste, wood• Rubber, textiles,

leather• = MSW

• Electronic waste• Large manufactured

goods (e.g. refrigerator)• Toxic waste—

chemicals

• Mining waste 75%• Biological waste• Nuclear waste

MSW = ~3% of all waste

MSW

• U.S. produces most

• About 4-5 lbs/person

• How much do you produce?

• How can you produce less?

Burying Solid Waste• Most of the world’s MSW is buried in landfills

that eventually are expected to leak toxic liquids into the soil and underlying aquifers.– Open dumps: are fields or holes in the ground

where garbage is deposited and sometimes covered with soil. Mostly used in developing countries.

– Sanitary landfills: solid wastes are spread out in thin layers, compacted and covered daily with a fresh layer of clay or plastic foam.

Fig. 22-12, p. 532

Sand

When landfill is full,layers of soil and clayseal in trash

Methane storageand compressorbuilding

Leachatestoragetank

Leachatemonitoringwell

Groundwatermonitoringwell

Electricitygeneratorbuilding Leachate

treatment system

Methane gasrecovery well

Compactedsolid waste

Leachatepipes

Leachate pumpedup to storage tankfor safe disposal

GroundwaterClay and plastic liningto prevent leaks; pipescollect leachate frombottom of landfill

Topsoil

SandClaySubsoil

Probes todetectmethaneleaks

Garbage

Garbage

Syntheticliner

Sand

Clay

Pipes collect explosive methane as used as fuel to generate electricity

Fig. 22-13, p. 533

No open burning

Trade-OffsSanitary Landfills

Advantages Disadvantages

Eventually leaks and can contaminate groundwater

Discourages recycling, reuse, and waste reduction

Slow decompositionof wastes

Groundwater contamination

Releases greenhouse gases (methane and CO2)unless they are collected

Air pollution from toxic gases and volatile organiccompounds

Dust

Noise and traffic

No shortage of landfill space in many areas

Filled land can be used for other purposes

Can handle large amounts of waste

Can be built quickly

Low operating costs

Low groundwaterpollution if sited properly

Little odor

Dump became a ``landfill’’

• • Sanitary landfill

• Lined, to prevent leachate from reaching groundwater

• Often, escaping gas collected (methane)

• Dust and noise control

• Once covered, ``restoration’’ with native plants.

                                                                                                   

                         

Fresh Kills landfill

•

Burning Solid Waste

• Waste-to-energy incinerator with pollution controls that burns mixed solid waste.

Figure 22-Figure 22-1010

http://www.montereyinstitute.org/courses/AP%20Environmental%20Science/course%20files/multimedia/lesson82/lessonp.html?showTopic=2

Fig. 22-11, p. 531

Reduces trash volume

Can compete with recycling for burnable materials such as newspaper

Output approach that encourages waste production

Older or poorly managed facilities can release large amounts of air pollution

Some air pollution

Difficult to site because of citizen opposition

Costs more than short-distance hauling to landfills

Expensive to build

Some facilities recover and sell metals

Modern controls reduce air pollution

Sale of energy reduces cost

Concentrates hazardous substances into ash for burial or use as landfill cover

Low water pollution

Less need for landfills

Trade-OffsIncineration

Advantages

Disadvantages

The 3 R’s

• REDUCE

• REUSE

• RECYCLE– Recycle is the third option, not the first

How reduce amount of waste produced?

• Ideas?– Eliminate packaging– Change formulation of a product– Avoid excess purchases– Repair

How reuse?

• Ideas?– Bring own bags when shopping– Wash containers (Chinese food)– Back of printed paper for scrap

Recycling• Is it worth it?

• Costs and benefits– Environmental and economic

Material Energy savings Air poll decrease

Aluminum 95% 95%

Cardboard 24

Glass 5-30 20

Paper 40 73

Plastics 70

steel 60

Recovery ratesMaterial % that is recycled

or composted

Paper 52%

Plastic soft drink bottles

31

Aluminum cans 45

Steel 63

Major appliances 67

Hazardous waste

• What is it?– Ignitable, corrosive, toxic, reactive– Includes waste from large producers such as

chemical plants, petroleum refineries, electroplating industry, large paint shops.

• But also: dry cleaners, hospitals, car-repair shops, university labs

Types of hazardous waste

• Toxic chemicals

• Metals (e.g., lead)

• Infectious waste (hospitals)

• Radioactive waste

• Organic compounds

How much?

• More than 40 million tons a year in the U.S.

What to do with it?

• Produce less– Engineers in many industriesdevelop new

processess that use less materials and produce less waste

• recycle

Fig. 22-15, p. 534

What Harmful Chemicals Are in Your Home?

• Glues and cements

• Dry-cell batteries (mercury and cadmium)

• Rust inhibitor and rust remover

• Brake and transmission fluid

General

Cleaning

• Battery acid

• Wood preservatives

• Stains, varnishes, and lacquers

Automotive

• Gasoline• Used motor oil

Paint

• Latex and oil-based paints• Paint thinners, solvents, and strippers

Gardening

• Pesticides• Weed killers• Ant and rodent

killers

• Antifreeze

• Flea powders

• Disinfectants

• Septic tank cleaners• Spot removers

• Drain, toilet, and window cleaners

• Artist paints and inks

• Solvents

Hazardous Waste Regulations in the United States

• Two major federal laws regulate the management and disposal of hazardous waste in the U.S.:– Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

• Cradle-to-the-grave system to keep track waste.

– Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

• Commonly known as Superfund program.

Hazardous Waste Regulations in the United States

• The Superfund law was designed to have polluters pay for cleaning up abandoned hazardous waste sites.– Only 70% of the cleanup costs have come from the

polluters, the rest comes from a trust fund financed until 1995 by taxes on chemical raw materials and oil.

DEALING WITH HAZARDOUS WASTE

• We can produce less hazardous waste and recycle, reuse, detoxify, burn, and bury what we continue to produce. Figure 22-Figure 22-

1616

Conversion to Less Hazardous Substances

• Biological Methods: – Bioremediation: bacteria or enzymes help destroy

toxic and hazardous waste or convert them to more benign substances.

– Phytoremediation: involves using natural or genetically engineered plants to absorb, filter and remove contaminants from polluted soil and water.

PhytostabilizationPlants such as willow trees and poplars can absorb chemicals and keep them from reaching groundwater or nearby surface water.

RhizofiltrationRoots of plants such as sunflowers with dangling roots on ponds or in green-houses can absorb pollutants such as radioactive strontium-90 and cesium-137 and various organic chemicals.

PhytoextractionRoots of plants such as Indian mustard and brake ferns can absorb toxic metals such as lead, arsenic, and others and store them in their leaves. Plants can then be recycled or harvested and incinerated.

PhytodegradationPlants such as poplarscan absorb toxic organic chemicals and break them down into less harmful compounds which they store or release slowly into the air.

Inorganicmetal contaminants

Organiccontaminants

Radioactivecontaminants

Brake fernPoplar treeIndian mustardWillow treeSunflower

Oilspill

Landfill

GroundwaterSoil

PollutedleachateDecontaminated

water out

Pollutedgroundwater in

GroundwaterSoil

Fig. 22-18, p. 538

Inexpensive

Low energy use

Easy to establish

Trade-OffsPhytoremediation

Advantages Disadvantages

Some plants can become toxic to animals

Some toxic organic chemicals may evaporate from plant leaves

Produces little air pollution compared to incineration

Can reduce material dumped into landfills

Slow (can take several growing seasons)Effective only at depth plant roots can reach

Conversion to Less Hazardous Substances

• Incineration: heating many types of hazardous waste to high temperatures – up to 2000 °C – in an incinerator can break them down and convert them to less harmful or harmless chemicals.

Long-Term Storage of Hazardous Waste

• Hazardous waste can be disposed of on or underneath the earth’s surface, but without proper design and care this can pollute the air and water.– Deep-well disposal: liquid hazardous wastes are

pumped under pressure into dry porous rock far beneath aquifers.

– Surface impoundments: excavated depressions such as ponds, pits, or lagoons into which liners are placed and liquid hazardous wastes are stored.

Fig. 22-20, p. 539

Safe method ifsites are chosencarefully

Trade-Offs

Deep Underground Wells

Advantages Disadvantages

Encourageswaste production

Existing fracturesor earthquakescan allow wastesto escape intogroundwater

Leaks fromcorrosion of wellcasing

Leaks or spills atsurface

Low cost

Easy to do

Wastes can beretrieved ifproblemsdevelop

Long-Term Storage of Hazardous Waste

• Long-Term Retrievable Storage: Some highly toxic materials cannot be detoxified or destroyed. Metal drums are used to stored them in areas that can be inspected and retrieved.

• Secure Landfills: Sometimes hazardous waste are put into drums and buried in carefully designed and monitored sites.

Secure Hazardous Waste Landfill• In the U.S. there

are only 23 commercial hazardous waste landfills.

Figure 22-Figure 22-2222

Fig. 22-23, p. 540

What Can You Do?

• Use pesticides in the smallest amount possible.• Use less harmful substances instead of

commercial chemicals for most household cleaners. For example use liquid ammonia to clean appliances and windows; vinegar to polish metals, clean surfaces, and remove stains and mildew; baking soda to clean household utensils, deodorize, and remove stains; borax to

remove stains and mildew.• Do not dispose of pesticides, paints, solvents, oil,

antifreeze, or other products containing hazardous chemicals by flushing them down the toilet, pouring them down the drain, burying them, throwing them into the garbage, or dumping them down storm drains.

Hazardous Waste

Case Study: Lead

• Lead is especially harmful to children and is still used in leaded gasoline and household paints in about 100 countries.

Figure 22-Figure 22-2424

Fig. 22-24, p. 541

Phase out leaded gasoline worldwide

Solutions

Prevention

Lead Poisoning

Control

Wash fresh fruits and vegetables

Test existing candles for lead

Test for lead in existing ceramicware used to serve food

Remove lead from TV sets and computer monitors before incineration or land disposal

Remove leaded paint and lead dust from older houses and apartments

Replace lead pipes and plumbing fixtures containing lead solder

Ban candles with lead cores

Ban lead glazing for ceramicware used to serve food

Ban use of lead in computer and TV monitors

Ban use of lead solder

Test blood for lead by age 1

Phase out waste incineration

Sharply reduce lead emissions from old and new incinerators

Case Study: Mercury

• Mercury is released into the environment mostly by burning coal and incinerating wastes and can build to high levels in some types of fish.

Figure 22-Figure 22-2626

Fig. 22-26, p. 543

SolutionsMercury Pollution

Phase out use of mercury in all products unless they are recycled

Require labels on all products containing mercury

Switch from coal to natural gas and renewable energy resources such as wind, solar cells, and hydrogen

Convert coal to liquid or gaseous fuel

Collect and recycle mercury-containing electric switches, relays, and dry-cell batteries

Tax each unit of mercury emitted by coal-burning plants and incinerators

Sharply reduce mercury emissions from coal-burning plants and incinerators

Prevention Control

Remove mercury from coal before it is burned

Phase out waste incineration

Fig. 22-25, p. 542

BIOMAGNIFICATION IN FOOD CHAIN

SEDIMENT

PRECIPITATIONPRECIPITATION WINDSWINDS

AIR

WATER

Inorganic mercury and acids

(Hg2+)

Inorganic mercury and acids (Hg2+)

Organicmercury (CH3Hg+)

Inorganicmercury (Hg2+)

Hg2+ and acids

Runoff of Hg2+ and acids

Large fish

Small fish

ZooplanktonPhytoplankton

Hg and SO2Hg2+ and acids

Human sources

Incinerator

Coal-burning plant

Elemental mercury

vapor (Hg)

Photo-chemical

OxidationElemental

mercury liquid (Hg)

Deposition

Dep

osit

ion

Bacteria

Bacteria and acids

Settles out

Settles out Settles

outV

aporization

Dep

osit

ion

Dep

osition

ACHIEVING A LOW-WASTE SOCIETY

• In the U.S., citizens have kept large numbers of incinerators, landfills, and hazardous waste treatment plants from being built in their local areas.

• Environmental justice means that everyone is entitled to protection from environmental hazards without discrimination.

Global Outlook: International Action to Reduce Hazardous Waste

• An international treaty calls for phasing out the use of harmful persistent organic pollutants (POPs).– POPs are insoluble in water and soluble in fat.– Nearly every person on earth has detectable levels

of POPs in their blood.– The U.S has not ratified this treaty.