1. Chapter 4 Land, Water and Air Resources
Section 2
Waste Disposal and Recycling
Notes 4-2

2. Trash Facts Each day, one American produces 10 kg of trash.
Every hour, people throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles.
Every two week, there is enough glass bottles and jars thrown away to fill the Twin Towers.
Every year, people throw away 1.6 billion pens, 2.9 million tons of paper towels and 220 million tires.

3. Problem of Waste Disposal
Solid Waste:
Things that people throw away
Some can be liquid
Most is produced by agriculture, mining and industry
Municipal Waste:
Produced by homes, business and institutions
Can be buried, burned or maybe recycled

4. Problem of Waste Disposal
Landfills:
Old land fills were just holes in the ground
Not safe and unsightly
Sanitary Landfills:
Constructed to hold wastes more safely
Holds solid waste, construction debris, agricultural and industrial wastes
Covered with clay and soil, then grass and trees
Keeps leachate from forming
Polluted water that filters through the waste and gets into drinking water

5. Problem of Waste Disposal
Parts of a Landfill:
Leachate collection: polluted water collects at the bottom
Liners: thick layers of clay and plastic cover the bottom and sides; keeps liquid from leaking into the soil
Solid waste Layers: compacted waste reduces volume; covered with soil or plastic

6. Problems of Waste Disposal
Parts of a Landfill (cont)
Gas recovery: bacteria break down wastes and produce methane and carbon dioxide; gases can build up and cause explosions. Vent pipes collect the gases and release them
Leachate treatment: leachate is pumped into holding ponds and treated; then shipped to safe disposal sites
Monitoring wells: water wells are tested to make sure leachate is not escaping out of the landfill

7. Problems of Waste Disposal
Incineration:
Burning of solid wastes
Pros
Incinerators take up less space than landfills
Don’t pose a risk of polluting the water
Heat can be used to produce electricity
Cons
Can release some pollutants into the air
Some wastes are left over
More expensive to build than landfills

8. Recycling Process of reclaiming raw materials and reusing them
Reduces the volume of solid waste
Matter is naturally recycled in nature
Biodegradable: broken down and recycled by bacteria and other decomposers
Four major categories of wastes can be recycled
Metal, glass, paper and plastic

9. Recycling Metal: Metals can be melted and reused
Saves money and causes less pollution
No ore needs to be mined, transported to factories and then processes
Conserves nonrenewable resources

10. Recycling
Glass:
Made from sand, soda ash and limestone mixed and then heated
One of the easiest products to recycle
Can be broken down and reheated
Less expensive to recycle than make new
Old pieces melt at lower temps and uses less energy
Less environmental damage caused by mining new materials

11. Recycling Paper: Takes 17 trees to make one metric ton of paper
Turn wood into pulp: thick, liquid
Pulp is spread and dried to make paper
Can use old paper (recycle)
Washed first then mixed with water and chemicals to form pulp
Paper can only be recycled so many times
Each time the paper becomes weaker, rougher and darker

12. Recycling
Plastic:
Resin: solid left over when oil is refined to make gasoline and other petroleum products
Heated, stretched and molded to make plastic products
Number on bottom of plastic container tells what the plastic is made of
Numbers 1 & 2 are often recycled
Make milk jugs, detergent containers and soda bottles

13. Recycling Should we recycle? Conserves resources and saves energy
Can save 90-97% energy by recycling aluminum
4-32% energy by recycling glass
23-74% energy by recycling paper
Not all materials can be recycled
Some can’t be recycled (we don’t know how to)
Some we don’t have a need for after they are recycled
Does produce some pollution and uses energy

14. Recycling Recycling Facts:

15. Solid Waste Management
Most municipal wastes still go to landfills
Recycling is becoming more popular
When materials are brought back, the people are paid a deposit fee.
Encourages people to recycle
Supermarkets recycle their bags and often have bins for other materials as well
Get money for recycling metals

16. “Three R’s” Reduce: Reuse: Recycle: Creating less waste
Finding another use for the object instead of throwing it out
Recycle:
Reclaiming raw materials to create new products

17. Composting
Process of helping the natural decomposition process break down many forms of waste
Yard trash
Leaves, grass clippings
Food waste
Fruit, coffee grounds, egg shells, vegetables
Paper (shredded)
Excellent natural fertilizer for plants

18. Hazardous Wastes
Material that can be harmful to human health or the environment if not properly stored, transported, treated or disposed of
Can result from many different things
Agriculture
Industry
Military operations
Hospitals (laboratories)

19. Types of Hazardous Wastes
Toxic:
Wastes that can damage the health of humans or other organisms
Explosives:
React very quickly when exposed to air or water; can explode when dropped

20. Types of Hazardous Wastes
Flammable:
Catches fire easily and can burn at low temperatures
Corrosive:
Dissolve or break down many materials
Radioactive:
Contains unstable atoms

21. Radioactive Wastes Unstable atoms give off radiation
Can cause cancer or other serious disease
Two types of wastes
High level: used fuel from nuclear reactors
Low level: radioactive material is mined and processed
Can remain dangerous for thousands of years

22. Health Effects of Hazardous Wastes
Determined by:
How much one has been exposed to…
How long the exposure lasted…
Person’s age, weight and health all determine how it affects that person
Short term exposure causes irritation or more severe health problems

23. Health Effects of Hazardous Wastes
Short term exposure causes irritation or more severe health problems
Breathing difficulty, internal bleeding, paralysis, coma, possibly death
Long term exposure causes cancer, damage to organs
Effects may be life threatening

24. Disposal of Hazardous Wastes
Can dispose of hazardous wastes in a few different ways
Secure landfills: lined with concert and many layers of plastic
Incineration: can be burned at very high temps
Breakdown by living organisms: bacteria, algae and fungi can break down some wastes
Pumping into the ground: into sandstone or limestone
Recycling: some can be recycled like battery acid and motor oil

25. Disposal of Radioactive Wastes
Have only found temporary ways to dispose of radioactive wastes
Mixing them with concrete
Sealing them in abandoned mine shafts
Sealing them in concrete vaults deep underground or thick concrete or steel containers above ground
Nothing is permanent and completely safe

26. Location of Disposal Sites
Because of the danger, no one wants to work or live near a disposal site
One large disposal site is mostly likely the favorite choice
Transportation is costly and dangerous
Many small facilities are harder to regulate but cheaper, safer and easier to transport to

27. Reducing Hazardous Wastes
Find safer alternatives to using hazardous wastes
Bug spray vs citronella candles
Furniture polish (w/beeswax or lemon oil) vs furniture polish (w/petroleum oil)
Companies are looking for ways to make formaldehyde-free products
Carpets, air fresheners, curtains, plush furniture all have formaldehyde in them