1. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
CHAPTER 16: Solid and Hazardous Waste

2. Core Case Study: Electronic Waste
What is electronic waste or e-waste?
Fastest growing category of waste
____% recyclable
Contains toxic materials

3. Fig. 16-1, p. 403

4. Wasting Resources (1) Solid Waste Industrial solid waste
__________________
Municipal solid waste
Concept Solid waste represents pollution and unnecessary waste of resources, and hazardous waste contributes to pollution, natural capital degradation, health problems, and premature deaths.

5. Wasting Resources (2) Hazardous or toxic waste
Threatens human health or environment
Poisonous
Reactive
Corrosive
Flammable
Developed countries produce ________%

6. Wasting Resources (3) Solid waste and hazardous waste
About ____ unnecessary resource waste
Create air & water pollution, land degradation

7. What Harmful Chemicals Are in Your Home?
Cleaning
Disinfectants
Drain, toilet, and window cleaners
Spot removers
Septic tank cleaners
Gardening
Pesticides
Weed killers
Ant and rodent killers
Flea powders
Paint Products
Paints, stains, varnishes, and lacquers
Paint thinners, solvents, and strippers
Wood preservatives
Artist paints and inks
Automotive
Gasoline
Used motor oil
Antifreeze
Battery acid
Brake and transmission fluid
General
Dry-cell batteries (mercury and cadmium)
Glues and cements
Stepped Art
Fig. 16-2, p. 405

8. Fig. 16-3, p. 405

9. Case Study: Solid Waste in the United States
Produces ____ of world’s solid waste
Mining, agricultural, industrial: _____%
Municipal solid waste: _____%
High-waste economy
Examples?

12. sustainable approach to solid waste
Waste management
Waste reduction
reduce it!
Integrated waste management
then reuse or recycle it
& safely dispose of what is left

13. To manufacturers for reuse or for recycling Compost Landfill
Raw materials
Processing and
manufacturing
Products
Solid and hazardous
wastes generated during
the manufacturing process
Waste generated by
households and
businesses
Food/yard
waste
Hazardous
waste
Remaining
mixed waste
Plastic
Glass
Metal
Paper
To manufacturers for reuse or
for recycling
Hazardous waste
management
Compost
Landfill
Incinerator
Fertilizer
Fig. 16-4, p. 407

14. First Priority Second Priority Last Priority
Primary Pollution and Waste Prevention
Change industrial process to eliminate use of harmful chemicals
Use less of a harmful product
Reduce packaging and materials in products
Make products that last longer and are recyclable, reusable, or easy to repair
Second Priority
Second Pollution and Waste Prevention
Reuse
Repair
Recycle
Compost
Buy reusable and recyclable products
Last Priority
Waste Management
Treat waste to reduce toxicity
Incinerate waste
Bury waste in landfills
Release waste into environment for dispersal or dilution
Stepped Art
Fig. 16-5, p. 407

15. Fig. 16-6, p. 408

16. Science Focus: Garbology
Garbologists
Like archaeologists
Trash persists for decades

17. Why Is Reusing and Recycling Materials So Important?
Reusing items:
decreases use of matter & energy resources
reduces pollution & natural capital degradation
recycling does so to a lesser degree

18. Reuse Reuse as a form of waste reduction Salvaging
Yard sales, flea markets, secondhand stores, auctions, newspaper ads, Craigslist, ebay
Technology: rechargeable batteries
Refillable containers and cloth bags

19. Fig. 16-7, p. 409

20. 5 major types of materials can be recycled
________________________

21. Recycling Primary (closed-loop) recycling Secondary recycling
Pre-consumer (internal) waste
Post-consumer (external) waste
Feasibility and marketing

22. Mixed vs Separate Household Recycling
Material recovery facilities (MRF)
___________________________
Source separation
By households and businesses
______________________________________________________________________

23. Composting Decomposing bacteria Household composting
Organic waste collection facilities
Successful large-scale composting

24. Individuals Matter: Recycling Plastics
_____% plastics recycled
MBA Polymers, Inc – commercial recycling process
Mike Biddle and Trip Allen, co-founders
Pellets cheaper than virgin plastics
More environmentally friendly

25. Trade-Offs Recycling Advantages Disadvantages Reduces air and water
pollution
Saves energy
Reduces mineral demand
Reduces greenhouse
gas emissions
Reduces solid waste
production and disposal
Helps protect biodiversity
Can save landfill space
Important part of economy
Can cost more than
burying in areas with
ample landfill space
May lose money for items such as glass and some plastics
Reduces profits for landfill and incinerator owners
Source separation is
inconvenient for some
people
Fig. 16-8, p. 411

26. Science Focus: Bioplastics
Most plastics are organic polymers produced from petrochemicals
Bioplastics made from plant materials
Biodegradable
Composting

27. Encouraging Reuse & Recycling
Market prices must reflect true costs
Even economic playing field:
_____________________________
Stabilize prices for recycled materials
_______________________________
______________________________

28. disposal in landfill, or use as landfill cover
Electricity
Smokestack
Turbine
Steam
Crane
Generator
Electrostatic
precipitator
Furnace
Wet
scrubber
Boiler
Water
added
Waste
pit
Dirty
water
Conveyor
Bottom
ash
Fly ash
Ash for treatment,
disposal in landfill, or
use as landfill cover
Fig. 16-9, p. 413

29. Trade-Offs Incineration Disadvantages Advantages Reduces trash
volume
Less need for
landfills
Low water
pollution
Concentrates
hazardous
substances into
ash for burial
Sale of energy
reduces cost
Modern controls
reduce air
Some facilities
recover and sell
metals
Expensive to build
Costs more than
short-distance hauling to landfills
Difficult to site because
of citizen opposition
Some air pollution and
CO2 emissions
Older or poorly managed facilities can release large amounts
of air pollution
Output approach that
encourages waste
production
Can compete with
recycling for burnable
materials such as
newspaper
Fig , p. 414

30. Burying Solid Wastes
Open dumps
Sanitary landfills
Leachates

31. Pipes collect explosive methane for use as fuel
When landfill is full,
layers of soil and clay
seal in trash
Topsoil
Sand
Methane storage
and compressor
building
Clay
Electricity
generator
building
Leachate
treatment system
Garbage
Probes to
detect
methane
leaks
Methane gas
recovery well
Pipes collect explosive
methane for use as fuel
to generate electricity
Leachate
storage
tank
Compacted
solid waste
Groundwater
monitoring
well
Leachate
pipes
Garbage
Leachate pumped
up to storage tank
for safe disposal
Sand
Synthetic liner
Leachate
monitoring
well
Sand
Groundwater
Clay and plastic lining
to prevent leaks; pipes
collect leachate from
bottom of landfill
Clay
Subsoil
Fig , p. 414

32. Trade-Offs Sanitary Landfills Advantages Disadvantages No open burning
Noise and traffic
Little odor
Dust
Low groundwater pollution
if sited properly
Air pollution from toxic gases
and trucks
Can be built quickly
Releases greenhouse gases
(methane and CO2) unless
they are collected
Low operating costs
Can handle large amounts
of waste
Slow decomposition of wastes
Filled land can be used for
other purposes
Output approach that
encourages waste production
No shortage of landfill space
in many areas
Eventually leaks and can
contaminate groundwater
Fig , p. 415

33. Integrated hazardous waste management
Produce Less Hazardous Waste
Change industrial processes to reduce or eliminate hazardous waste production
Recycle and reuse hazardous waste
Convert to Less Hazardous or Nonhazardous Substances
Natural decomposition
Incineration
Thermal treatment
Chemical, physical, and biological treatment
Dilution in air or water
Put in
Perpetual Storage
Landfill
Underground injection wells
Surface impoundments
Underground salt formations
Stepped Art
Fig , p. 415

34. Detoxifying Hazardous Waste
Bioremediation
Phytoremediation
Incineration
Plasma arc torch

35. Storing Hazardous Waste
Deep-well disposal
__________________________________________
Surface impoundments
______ % in U.S. have _______________________
______ % may threaten ______________________
Secure landfills

36. Fig , p. 417

37. Trade-Offs Surface Impoundments Advantages Disadvantages
Low construction
costs
Groundwater
contamination from
leaking liners (or no
lining)
Low operating
costs
Air pollution from
volatile organic
compounds
Overflow from
flooding
Can be built
quickly
Wastes can often
be retrieved if
necessary
Disruption and leakage from earthquakes
Can store wastes
indefinitely with
secure double
liners
Output approach that
encourages waste
production
Fig , p. 417

38. Bulk waste Gas vent Topsoil Plastic cover Earth Sand Impervious
clay cap
Clay
cap
impervious
clay
Water
table
Figure 16.16: Solutions: secure hazardous waste landfill.
Earth
Leak
detection
system
Groundwater
Double leachate
collection system
Plastic
double
liner
Reactive
wastes
in drums
Groundwater
monitoring
well
Fig , p. 418

39. Fig , p. 418

40. Hazardous Waste Regulation in USA
Resource Conservation & Recovery Act
EPA administers
Cradle to grave
Laws regulate only ____% of hazardous wastes

41. Superfund 1980 - created Cleans hazardous waste sites
Nov. 2008: 1,255 sites on list; 322 sites cleaned
Now broke
Who pays for clean up?

42. Brownfields
Turning toxic areas into parks and nature reserves

43. Dealing with Lead (Pb) Poisoning
Neurotoxin
Especially harmful to children
: # children with unsafe blood Pb levels dropped from
_____% to _____%
Gov’t banned ________________________
____________________________________
_____ countries still use leaded gasoline

44. Solutions Lead Poisoning Prevention Control Phase out
leaded gasoline
worldwide
Phase out waste
incineration
Ban use of lead
solder
in computer and
TV monitors
Ban lead glazing
for ceramicware
used to serve
food
Test blood for
lead by age 1
Replace lead pipes
and plumbing fixtures containing lead solder
Remove leaded paint and lead dust from older houses and apartments
Sharply reduce lead emissions from incinerators
Remove lead from TV sets and computer
monitors before
incineration or land disposal
Test for lead in existing ceramic-ware used
to serve food
Ban candles
withlead cores
Test existing candles for lead
Wash fresh fruits and vegetables
Fig , p. 419

45. Achieving a Low-Waste Society
Grassroots action
Environmental justice
International treaties
Basel Convention
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

46. Five Principles for Achieving a Low-Waste Society
Everything is connected
There is no “away” for wastes
Polluters & producers must pay for wastes
Different categories of hazardous waste and recyclable waste should not be mixed
Reuse, recycle, & compost solid wastes

47. Three Big Ideas from This Chapter: #1
order of priorities for dealing with solid waste
should be:

48. Three Big Ideas from This Chapter: #2
Order of priorities for dealing with
hazardous waste should be:

49. Three Big Ideas from This Chapter: #3
We need to view solid wastes as
wasted resources
and hazardous wastes as
materials that we should not be
producing in the first place.