1. Solid & Hazardous Waste Old Colony Road, Wallingford, CT

2. What is Solid Waste? Items that we no longer need or do not have any further use for fall in the category of waste, and we tend to throw them away. With the progress of civilization, the waste generated became of a more complex nature. The increase in population was also responsible for the increase in solid waste.

3. Municipal 1.5% Sewage sludge 1% Mining and oil and gas production 75% Industry 9.5% Agriculture 13% Where’s the waste from? You are included in this

4. 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.

5. Garbage: The Main Categories Organic waste: kitchen waste, vegetables, flowers, leaves, fruits. Hazardous waste: old medicines, paints, chemicals, bulbs,spray cans, fertilizer and pesticide containers, batteries, shoe polish. Recyclable: paper, glass, metals, some plastics. Soiled: hospital waste such as cloth soiled with blood and other body fluids.

6. Organic Waste

7. Hazardous Waste Industrial and hospital waste is considered hazardous as they may contain toxic substances. Hazardous wastes could be highly toxic corrosive, or highly flammable. Household waste that can be categorized as hazardous waste includes: old batteries, shoe polish, paint tins, old medicines, and medicine bottles In the industrial sector, the major generators of hazardous waste are the metal, chemical, paper, pesticide, dye, refining, and rubber goods industries.

8. Plastics Plastic has invaded every aspect of our day-to-day life. It has many advantages: it is durable, light, easy to mould, and can be adapted to different user requirements. Plastic is now a serious worldwide environmental and health concern, essentially due to its non biodegradable nature. Dioxin, a highly carcinogenic and toxic bye-product of the manufacturing process of plastics.

9. Types of Solid Waste Solid waste can be classified into different types depending on their source: A. municipal waste, B. Industrial waste, and C Biomedical waste or hospital waste

10. Municipal Solid Waste Municipal solid waste consists of household waste, construction and debris, and waste from streets. This garbage is generated mainly from residential and commercial places. With the change in lifestyle and food habits, the amount of municipal solid waste has been increasing rapidly and its composition changing.

11. Industrial Solid Waste results from any process of industry, manufacturing, mining, or agricultural operations. It is classified as either hazardous, or non hazardous. Hazardous industrial solid waste includes any industrial solid waste or combination of industrial solid wastes identified or listed as a hazardous waste. Non hazardous industrial solid waste is an industrial solid waste that is not identified or listed as a hazardous waste.

12. Treatment & Disposal of Muncipal Waste

13. Open Dumps uncovered areas that are used to dump solid waste of all kinds. The waste is untreated, uncovered,and not segregated. It is the breeding ground for flies, rats, and other insects that spread disease. The rainwater run-off from these dumps contaminates nearby land and water thereby spreading disease. In some countries, open dumps are being phased out.

14. Open Dumps cont.. AdvantagesDisadvantages  Inexpensive  Health Hazard - insects, rodents, etc..  Damage due to Air Pollution  Groundwater & run-off Pollution

15. Landfills generally located in urban areas where a large amount of waste is generated and has to be dumped in a common place. Unlike an open dump, it is a pit that is dug in the ground. The garbage is dumped and the pit is covered thus preventing the breeding of flies and rats. At the end of each day, a layer of soil is scattered on top of it and some mechanism, usually an earth- moving equipment is used to compress the garbage, which now forms a cell.

16. Landfills cont… Thus, every day, garbage is dumped and becomes a cell. After the landfill is full, the area is covered with a thick layer of mud and the site can thereafter be developed as a parking lot or a park. Landfills have many problems. All types of waste is dumped in landfills and when water seeps through them it gets contaminated and in turn pollutes the surrounding area. This contamination of groundwater and soil through landfills is known as leaching.

17. Still More on Landfills… The Sanitary Kind An alternative to landfills which will solve the problem of leaching to some extent, is a sanitary landfill which is more hygienic and built in a methodical manner. These are lined with materials that are impermeable such as plastics and clay, and are also built over impermeable soil. Constructing sanitary landfills is very costly and they are have their own problems.

18. Some authorities claim that often the plastic liner develops cracks as it reacts with various chemical solvents present in the waste. The rate of decomposition in sanitary landfills is also extremely variable. This can be due to the fact that less oxygen is available as the garbage is compressed very tightly. some biodegradable materials do not decompose in a landfill. Another major problem is the development of methane gas, which occurs when little oxygen is present, i.e. during anaerobic decomposition. In some countries, the methane being produced from sanitary landfills is tapped and sold as fuel. Facility in which solid waste from municipal and/or industrial sources is disposed; sanitary landfills are those landfills that are operated in accordance with current environmental protection standards.

20. Sanitary Landfills AdvantagesDisadvantages  Volume can increase with little addition of people/equipment  Filled land can be repurposed (parks, parking lots, etc…)  Completed landfill areas can settle and require proper maintenance  Requires proper planning, design, and operation

21. Incineration In these plants the recyclable material is segregated and the rest of the material is burnt. At the end of the process all that is left behind is ash. During the process some of the ash floats out with the hot air. This is called fly ash. Both the fly ash and the ash that is left in the furnace after burning have high concentrations of dangerous toxins such as dioxins and heavy metals.

22. Power plant Steam TurbineGenerator Electricity Crane Furnace Boiler Wet scrubber Electrostatic precipitator Conveyor Water Bottom ash Conven- tional landfill Waste treatment Hazardous waste landfill Dirty water Waste pit Smokestack Fly ash Burn it?

23. Disposing of ash is a problem. The ash that is buried at the landfills leaches the area and cause severe contamination. Burning garbage is not a clean process as it produces tones of toxic ash and pollutes the air and water. At present, incineration is kept as the last resort and is used mainly for treating the infectious waste. Burning garbage is not a clean process as it produces tones of toxic ash and pollutes the air and water. A large amount of the waste that is burnt can be recovered and recycled.

24. Incineration… AdvantagesDisadvantages  Requires minimum land  Can be operated in any weather  Produces stable odor-free residue  Refuse volume is reduced by half  Expensive to build and operate  High energy requirement  Requires skilled personnel and constant maintenance  Unsightly – smells, vermin, waste product may contain toxins

25. Composting composting is one of the oldest forms of disposal. It is the natural process of decomposition of organic waste that yields manure or compost, which is very rich in nutrients. a biological process in which micro-organisms, mainly fungi and bacteria, convert degradable organic waste into humus like substance. This finished product, which looks like soil, is high in carbon and nitrogen and is an excellent medium for growing plants.

26. Composting…. allows trimmings, vegetable/fruit peels and scraps and other organic materials to decompose naturally under controlled conditions, after which the product can be used as garden manure. Composting also reduces the amount of material reaching landfills, space is saved and landfills can last longer.

28. What Can We DO? Continue the same old habit of disposal in new places? Certainly Not! We have to recognize the consequences of improper solid waste disposal on the environment and our health and change our attitudes. It is time we start disposing our solid waste in the right places, such as: landfills incinerators bins In addition we can practice The FOUR R’s!

29. The Four R’s Refuse Reduce Reuse Recycle

31. Recycling AdvantagesDisadvantages  Key to providing a livable environment for the future  Expensive  High energy demand for recycling some material (i.e. plastics)  Some wastes cannot be recycled  Technological push needed  Separation of useful material from waste is difficult

32. 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.

33. Ecoindustry Pharmaceutical plant Local farmers Fish farming Cement manufacturer Area homes Wallboard factory Greenhouses Oil refinery Sulfuric acid producer Electric power plant Sludge Waste Heat Waste Heat Waste Heat Waste Heat Waste Heat Surplus Natural gas Surplus Sulfur Surplus Natural gas Waste Calcium sulfate Ash Fly

34. The most preferable ways to manage solid waste

35. Solid Waste Management

36. Cleaning Up Toxic Wastes

37. 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

38. 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. Plasma Arc Torch: extremely high temps to break down toxic waste into ions/atoms. Deep-well disposal: pumping liquid hazard waste deep underground. Surface impoundment: use of ponds, pits, or lagoons. Water evaporates, toxins stay.

39. Inorganic metal contaminants Organic contaminants Radioactive contaminants Brake fern Poplar tree Indian mustard Oil spill Groundwater Soil Groundwater Polluted groundwater in Polluted leachate Decontaminated water out Landfill Willow tree 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. 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. Phytostabilization Plants such as willow trees and poplars can absorb chemicals and keep them from reaching groundwater or nearby surface water. 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. Sunflower

40. A Plant Can do That? Sunflowers: can absorb radioactive materials (Strontium-90, Cesium-137) and other organic chemicals. Hydroponic growth Poplars, willows: can absorb toxic organic compounds. Indian mustard, brake ferns: can absorb toxic metals like lead and arsenic

41. Trade-Offs Phytoremediation AdvantagesDisadvantages 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

42. Trade-Offs Plasma Arc AdvantagesDisadvantages Small Mobile. Easy to move to different sites Produces no toxic ash High cost Produces CO 2 and CO Can release particulates and chlorine gas Can vaporize and release toxic metals and radioactive elements

43. Trade-Offs Plasma Arc AdvantagesDisadvantages Small Mobile. Easy to move to different sites Produces no toxic ash High cost Produces CO 2 and CO Can release particulates and chlorine gas Can vaporize and release toxic metals and radioactive elements

44. Trade-Offs Surface Impoundments AdvantagesDisadvantages Low construction costs Low operating costs 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

45. 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

46. Solutions Lead Poisoning PreventionControl Wash fresh fruits and vegetables Sharply reduce lead emissions from old and new incinerators Replace lead pipes and plumbing fixtures containing lead solder Remove leaded paint and lead dust from older houses and apartments Remove lead from TV sets and computer monitors before incineration or land disposal Test for lead in existing ceramicware used to serve food Test existing candles for lead Phase out leaded gasoline worldwide Phase out waste incineration Test blood for lead by age 1 Ban lead solder in plumbing pipes, fixtures, and food cans Ban lead glazing for ceramicware used to serve food Ban candles with lead cores

47. 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

48. Mercury in the Environment

49. Solutions Mercury Pollution PreventionControl Sharply reduce mercury emissions from coal burning plants and incinerators Tax each unit of mercury emitted by coal-burning plants and incinerators Collect and recycle mercury containing electric switches, relays, and dry-cell batteries Require labels on all products containing mercury Phase out waste incineration Remove mercury from coal before it is burned Convert coal to liquid or gaseous fuel Switch from coal to natural gas and renewable energy resources such as wind, solar cells, and hydrogen Phase out use of mercury in all products unless they are recycled