APES – Solid & Hazardous Waste (Chapter 21-4 through 21-6) March 19th & 20th

AP QUESTION OF THE DAY The major source of solid waste in the US comes from what source? A) Homes B) Factories C) Agriculture D) Petroleum refining E) Mining wastes

ANSWER… D) Mining wastes, along with oil and gas production, constitute about 75% of all solid wastes generated by the US.

Today’s Objectives Learning Objectives Expectation Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of burning or burying solid waste Be able to list the various advantages and disadvantages of each waste management approach Learn how we should deal with hazardous waste Identify the three levels of priority for dealing with haz-waste and compare the advantages/disadvantages of each Learn how we can make the transition to a more sustainable, low-waste society Describe key points: individual contributions, the idea of environmental justice, and the Basal Convention

But First… Gradecam Quiz! This quiz covers Chapter 21-1 through 21-3. You may correct 2 problems after initial scan Good luck!

Burning or Burying Solid Waste Facts Globally, MSW is burned in more than 600 large waste-to-incinerators (87 in the US that burn 13% of the country’s MSW) About 15% of the MSW produced in China is incinerated under lax pollution regulations. About 54% of the MSW in the US is buried in sanitary landfills, compared to 80% in Canada, 15% is Japan, 12% in Switzerland and 4% in Denmark. There are 2 types of landfills: open dumps (rare in more developed countries). China disposes of 85% of its waste in rural open dumps with no lining. Sanitary landfills have thin layers, are covered daily with fresh layer of clay or plastic foam which reduces leakage and lessens odor and fire risk.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Burning Solid Waste Municipal solid waste is burned in waste-to-energy incinerators, which produce steam for heating or producing electricity Advantages: 1)Reduce trash volume 2) Produce energy 3) Concentrates hazardous substances into ash for burial 4) Sale of energy reduces cost

Advantages and Disadvantages of Burning Solid Waste 1)Expensive to build 2) Produces a hazardous waste 3) Emits some CO2 and other air pollutants 4) Encourages waste production

Advantages and Disadvantages of Burying Solid Waste Most solid waste is buried in landfills, which leak toxic liquids into the soil and water. Advantages of Sanitary Landfills: Low operating cost Handles large amounts of waste Filled land can be used for other puposes No shortage of landfill space in many areas

Advantages and Disadvantages of Burying Solid Waste 1) Noise, traffic and dust 2) Releases greenhouse gases (unless collected) 3) Output approach that encourages waste production 4) Eventually, leaks can contaminate ground water

How Should We Deal with Hazardous Waste We can used integrated management to deal with it Three Priorities for Dealing with Hazardous Waste Produce LESS Convert to less hazardous substances Store the rest in long-term safe storages

How Should We Deal with Hazardous Waste We can DETOXIFY hazardous waste Chemical and Biological methods can be used to reduce the toxicity of hazardous wastes or to remove them. One biological treatment, bioremediaton, uses bacteria and enzymes to help destroy hazardous or toxic substances. They are converted to harmless compounds in the process. Phytoremediation uses natural or genetically engineered plants to absorb, filter, and remove contaminants from polluted water and soil. Plasma Arc Torch – passes an electrical current through air generates an arc and very high temperatures – creating a “plasma” that is hotter than the surface of the sun. It can decompose liquid or solid waste to a gas consisting mostly of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and a molten material that can be used to encapsulate toxic chemicals.

How Should We Deal with Hazardous Waste We can STORE some forms of hazardous waste Ideally, this is the last resort method Currently, though, this is the most widely used method used in the US and most countries Forms of burial: Deep-well Disposal, waste is pumped under pressure through a pipe into porous rock far beneath aquifers Surface impoundments – lined ponds, pits, or lagoons when water evaporates, the waste settles and becomes more concentrated (EPA has found 70% of the storage ponds in the US do not have liners and could threaten ground water supplies)

Case Study About 5% of all hazardous waste produced in the US is regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Why is it that 95% of the hazardous waste, including the growing mounds of e-waste, are not regulated? Do you favor regulating such wastes? What do you think would be the economic consequences of doing so? How would this change the way producers of hazardous waste deal with it?

How Can We Transition to a More Sustainable, Low-Waste Society? The power of individuals: Grassroots action has led to better solid and hazardous waste management. NIMBY doesn’t work because the waste has to go somewhere! Goal: NIABY – Not in Anyone’s Back Yard or NOPE – Not on Planet Earth. Providing Environmental Justice for Everyone: an ideal whereby every person is entitled to protection from environmental hazards. Who do you think suffers from environmental injustice now? International Treaties have Reduced Haz Waste: The Basel Convention is an international treaty banning developed countries from shipping hazardous waste to other countries without their permission. Ratified by 172 countries – guess who did NOT sign it? The good old US, Afghanistan, and Haiti

Homework Complete the Ecological Footprint Analysis on page 584 of your text book. This will be due on Friday, March 21 or Monday, March 24

For Next Time… Read Chapter 21-4 through 21-6 Extra credit – write to a Senator or Walmart (e-waste) Reading Quiz (gradecam) next class (21-4 through 21-6) Remember, Ecological Footprint Analysis will be due on Friday (4th pd) or Monday (7th pd) Keep your trash lab going! It is due NEXT THURSDAY

Biomass Pre-lab Work Read the lab background Answer the Pre-lab Questions in your lab notebooks Write the Procedure for Day 1 in your lab notebooks