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Solid and Hazardous Waste
Chapter 24 Solid and Hazardous Waste
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You are included in this
Where’s the waste from? Municipal 1.5% Sewage sludge 1% Mining and oil and gas production 75% Industry 9.5% Agriculture 13% You are included in this
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What we throw away: Enough aluminum to rebuild all commercial airline fleets every 3 months Enough tires each year to encircle the Earth almost 3 times Enough disposable diapers in a year to lay end to end to the moon and back 7 times 130 million cell phones, 50 million computers, 8 million TV’s per year Enough discarded carpet each year to cover the entire state of Delaware. Enough office paper each year to build a wall 11 feet high from San Francisco to NYC.
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Average Life Spans Cell phone: Computer: Photocopier: Refrigerator:
Calculator: Video camera: Digital camera: PDA: iPod: 18 months 3 years 3 years 10 years 5 years 3 years 4 years 3 years 18-24 months
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The 4 R’s Refuse Reduce Reuse Recycle
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Sustainability Six 1. Consume less
2. Redesign manufacturing processes and products to use less energy and materials 3. Redesign manufacturing processes to produce less waste and pollution 4. Develop products that are easy to repair, reuse, remanufacture, compost, or recycle 5. Design products to last longer 6. Eliminate and reduce unnecessary packaging.
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Bury it? Leachate treatment system Compacted solid waste
When landfill is full, layers of soil and clay seal in trash Electricity generator building Methane storage and compressor building Topsoil Leachate treatment system Sand Clay Garbage Pipe collect explosive methane gas used as fuel to generate electricity Methane gas recovery Probes to detect methane leaks Leachate storage tank Compacted solid waste Groundwater monitoring well Leachate monitoring well Leachate pipes Leachate pumped up to storage tanks for safe disposal Garbage Sand Groundwater Synthetic liner Clay and plastic lining to prevent leaks; pipes collect leachate from bottom of landfill Sand Bury it? Clay Subsoil
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Low groundwater pollution if sited properly Can be built quickly
Trade-Offs Sanitary Landfills Advantages Disadvantages No open burning Little odor Low groundwater pollution if sited properly Can be built quickly Low operating costs Can handle large amounts of waste Filled land can be used for other purposes No shortage of landfill space in many areas Noise and traffic Dust Air pollution from toxic gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) Releases greenhouse gases (methane and CO2) unless they are collected Groundwater contamination Slow decomposition of wastes Discourages recycling waste reduction Eventually leaks and can contaminate groundwater
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Hippocampus Animation
Landfill
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Burn it? Power plant Steam Smokestack Electricity Turbine Generator
Crane Wet scrubber Boiler Electrostatic precipitator Furnace Conveyor Dirty water Water Bottom ash Fly ash Waste pit Conven- tional landfill Hazardous waste landfill Waste treatment
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Trade-Offs Incineration Advantages Disadvantages
High cost Air pollution (especially toxic dioxins) Produces a highly toxic ash Encourages waste production Discourages Recycling and waste reduction Reduced trash volume Less need for landfills Low water pollution Quick and easy
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Hippocampus Animation
Incinerator
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Hippocampus Animation
Dioxin
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Take a peek a posters on your bulletin board over the next few days.
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What Harmful Chemicals Are In Your Home?
Cleaning • Disinfectants • Drain, toilet, and window cleaners • Spot removers • Septic tank cleaners Paint • Latex and oil-based paints • Paint thinners, solvents, and strippers • Stains, varnishes, and lacquers • Wood preservatives • Artist paints and inks General • Dry-cell batteries (mercury and cadmium) • Glues and cements Gardening • Pesticides • Weed killers • Ant and rodent killers • Flea powders Automotive • Gasoline • Used motor oil • Antifreeze • Battery acid • Solvents • Brake and transmission fluid • Rust inhibitor and rust remover
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Cleaning up toxic wastes
Physical methods: allow particles to settle and be filtered out
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Cleaning up toxic wastes
Physical methods: allow particles to settle and be filtered out Phytoremediation: using plants to absorb, filter, and remove contaminants. May need to genetically modify plants.
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Trade-Offs Phytoremediation Advantages Disadvantages Easy to establish Inexpensive Can reduce material dumped into land fills Produces little air pollution compared to incineration Low energy use Slow (can take several growing seasons) Effective only at depth plant roots can reach Some toxic organic chemicals may evaporate from plant leaves Some plants can become toxic to animals
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A plant can do that? Sunflowers: can absorb radioactive materials (Strontium-90, Cesium-137) and other organic chemicals. Done through hydroponic growth
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Rhizofiltration Roots of plants have dangling roots on ponds or in greenhouses can absorb pollutants.
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A plant can do that? Poplars, Willows: can absorb toxic organic compounds.
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Phytostabilization Plants can absorb chemicals and keep them from reaching groundwater or nearby surface water.
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Phytodegradation Plants absorb toxic organic chemicals and break them down into less harmful compounds which they store or release slowly into the air.
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A plant can do that? Indian Mustard, Brake Ferns: can absorb toxic metals like lead and arsenic
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Phytoextraction Roots of plants 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.
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Inorganic metal contaminants
Radioactive contaminants Organic contaminants Inorganic metal contaminants Poplar tree Brake fern Sunflower Willow tree Indian mustard Landfill Oil spill Polluted groundwater in Decontaminated water out Polluted leachate Soil Soil Groundwater Groundwater Rhizofiltration Roots of plants such as sunflowers with dangling roots on ponds or in greenhouses can absorb pollutants such as radioactive strontium-90 and cesium-137 and various organic chemicals. Phytostabilization Plants such as willow trees and poplars can absorb chemicals and keep them from reaching groundwater or nearby surface water. Phytodegradation Plants such as poplars can absorb toxic organic chemicals and break them down into less harmful compounds which they store or release slowly into the air. Phytoextraction Roots 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.
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Look how much plants can get rid of!!!
Radioactive contaminants - ie: Strontium-90, Cesium-137 Organic contaminants - ie: gasoline, oil. etc. Inorganic metal contaminants - ie: lead, arsenic
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Cleaning up toxic wastes
Physical methods: allow particles to settle and be filtered out Phytoremediation: using plants to absorb, filter, and remove contaminants. May need to genetically modify plants. Deep-well disposal: pumping liquid hazard waste deep underground.
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Deep Underground Wells
Trade-Offs Deep Underground Wells Advantages Disadvantages Leaks or spills at surface Leaks from corrosion of well casing Existing fractures or earthquakes can allow wastes to escape into groundwater Encourages waste production Safe method if sites are chosen carefully Wastes can be retrieved if problems develop Easy to do Low cost
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Cleaning up toxic wastes
Physical methods: allow particles to settle and be filtered out Phytoremediation: using plants to absorb, filter, and remove contaminants. May need to genetically modify plants. Deep-well disposal: pumping liquid hazard waste deep underground. Surface impoundment: use of ponds, pits, or lagoons. Water evaporates, toxins stay.
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Trade-Offs Surface Impoundments Advantages Disadvantages Low construction costs Low operating Can be built quickly Wastes can be easily retrieved if necessary Can store wastes indefinitely with secure double liners Groundwater contamination from leaking liners (or no lining) Air pollution from volatile organic compounds Overflow from flooding Disruption and leakage from earthquakes Promotes waste production
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Lead Found in: older paint (prior to 1970), ceramic glazes, leaded gasoline, solder/pipes, TV sets, computer monitors Humans exposed by: ingestion, exposure to waste incineration, inhalation of leaded gas fumes Health effects: mental retardation, blindness, partial paralysis, developmental delays
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Test blood for lead by age 1
Solutions Lead Poisoning Prevention Control Sharply reduce lead emissions from old and new incinerators Phase out leaded gasoline worldwide Replace lead pipes and plumbing fixtures containing lead solder Phase out waste incineration Remove leaded paint and lead dust from older houses and apartments Test blood for lead by age 1 Ban lead solder in plumbing pipes, fixtures, and food cans Remove lead from TV sets and computer monitors before incineration or land disposal Test for lead in existing ceramicware used to serve food Ban lead glazing for ceramicware used to serve food Test existing candles for lead Ban candles with lead cores Wash fresh fruits and vegetables
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Mercury Found in: fluorescent lights, thermometers, paints, dry-cell batteries, dental fillings, burning of coal Health effects: mental disorders, neurological problems, developmental delays, cerebral palsy, memory loss Humans exposed by: inhalation of mercury vapors, eating fish contaminated (biomagnification)
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Figure 24-26 Page 556 Mercury in the environment Deposition AIR WINDS
PRECIPITATION WINDS PRECIPITATION Figure Page 556 Hg and SO2 Hg2+ and acids Hg2+ and acids Human sources Elemental mercury vapor (Hg) Photo-chemical oxidation Inorganic mercury and acids (Hg2+) Inorganic mercury and acids (Hg2+) Incinerator Coal-burning plant Deposition Runoff of Hg2+ and acids WATER Large fish Deposition Deposition Vaporization Small fish BIOMAGNIFICATION IN FOOD CHAIN Phytoplankton Zooplankton Oxidation Bacteria and acids Elemental mercury liquid (Hg) Inorganic mercury (Hg2+) Organic mercury (CH3Hg+) Bacteria Settles out Settles out Settles out SEDIMENT Mercury in the environment Bacteria Oxidation Bacteria
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Solutions Mercury Pollution Prevention Control
Phase out waste incineration Sharply reduce mercury emissions from coal burning plants and incinerators Remove mercury from coal before it is burned Tax each unit of mercury emitted by coal-burning plants and incinerators Convert coal to liquid or gaseous fuel Switch from coal to natural gas and renewable energy resources such as wind, solar cells, and hydrogen Collect and recycle mercury containing electric switches, relays, and dry-cell batteries Require labels on all products containing mercury Phase out use of mercury in all products unless they are recycled
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Know your laws? RCRA – Resource Conservation & Recovery Act
Gives EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from the "cradle-to-grave." This includes the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste.
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Need a Stupid way to remember it?
1. RCRA sounds like Racecar 2. Just like the movie “The Shining” when the guy says REDRUM. 3. Again, think RCRA sounds like racecar or at least has the letters to spell it…..almost.
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Well… you are little you can’t wait to get out of the cradle or crib to a big bed like…
Then you can’t wait to drive a car. If you drive really fast like a RaCecAR driver, you will die and go in a grave. =
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This happens in Ms. Lolich’s head
R a ec C A R
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Know your case studies? You MUST know Love Canal, New York
Bhopal, India View video clip (4:38)
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Assignment Read pages 535 – 545
You will come up with 3 specific things you can do in each of the following areas: refuse, reuse, reduce, recycle, Only include ideas that you could ACTUALLY do. You will end up with at least 4 paragraphs (one per area)
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