1. Environmental Concerns:
Chapter 15
Environmental Concerns:
Wastes and Pollution

2. Chapter Objectives
Define the terms environment, ecology, and biosphere.
Explain how human activities affect the environment through the production of wastes and residues.
Name the primary sources of solid wastes.
List and briefly explain the four approaches to solid waste management.

3. Chapter Objectives Define hazardous wastes.
Explain the difference between sanitary and secured landfills.
Identify the five approaches to hazardous waste management.
Explain what is meant by the term Superfund.
Explain the Pollution Standard Index (PSI).

4. Chapter Objectives
Briefly describe acid rain, the ozone layer, global warming, and photochemical smog.
Identify the major indoor air pollutants.
Explain the difference in point source and nonpoint source pollution.
Identify the different types of water pollutants.

5. Chapter Objectives
Briefly describe the purpose of waste water treatment.
Identify and describe two important pieces of federal legislation that protect our nation’s water.
Name the primary sources of radiation.
Identify the pros and cons of nuclear power.
Explain the difference between sound and noise.
Identify approaches to reduce problems associated with noise pollution.

6. Introduction to Environment
External conditions, circumstances, and influences surrounding and affecting the growth and development of an organism or a community of organisms
Ecology
Biosphere

7. Natural Environmental Hazards
Natural hazards
Biological hazards
Insect
Microbiological
Vegetation

8. Natural Environmental Hazards
Psychological hazards
Stress
Boredom
Anxiety
Fear (terrorism)
Sociological hazards
Overcrowding
Isolation
War

9. Residues and Wastes from Humans
Contributing factors
Urbanization
Industrialization
Human population growth
Production and use of disposable products

10. Types of Wastes and Pollution
Solid wastes
Hazardous waste
Water and its pollution
Radiation
Noise pollution

11. Solid Waste Sources of solid waste Decomposing waste Agriculture
Mining
Industry
Municipalities
Utilities
Decomposing waste

12. Sources of Waste

13. Solid Waste Solid waste management Collection Transportation Disposal
Sanitary landfills
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976
Combustion
Energy recovery plants
Recycling
Composition
Source reduction

14. Hazardous Waste Environmental Protection Agency A product that may
Cause or contribute to an increase in mortality or to an increase in serious, irreversible, or incapacitating reversible illness.
Pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of, or otherwise managed.

15. Hazardous Waste Management Secured landfill: least expensive
Deep well injection
Incineration of hazardous waste
Hazardous waste recycling and neutralization
Source reduction

16. Hazardous Waste Cleanup
1980: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
Superfund
Brownfields

17. Air Pollution Criteria pollutants Contaminants of outdoor air:
Transportation
Electric power plants
Industry: mills and refineries
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
Pollutant Standard Index

18. Special Concerns with Outdoor Air
Acid rain
Destruction of the ozone layer
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Global warming
Greenhouse gases
Photochemical smog
Thermal inversion
Clean Air Act of 1963

19. Indoor Air Indoor air pollutants Asbestos Formaldehyde Radon
Biogenic pollutants
Combustion by-products
Formaldehyde
Radon
Environmental tobacco smoke
Volatile organic compounds

20. Indoor Air Air quality and conservation Sick building syndrome
Ventilation
Testing

21. Water Pollution Sources of water Treatment of water for use
Desalinization
Treatment of water for use
Coagulation and flocculation
Sedimentation
Filtration
Disinfection

22. Sources of Water Pollution
Point source pollution
Single identifiable source that discharges pollutants into the water.
Nonpoint source pollution
All pollution that occurs through the runoff, seepage, or falling of pollutants into the water.

23. Types of Water Pollutants
Biological pollutants
Pathogens
Overgrowth of aquatic plants
Toxic pollutants
Inorganic chemicals
Radioactive materials
Synthetic organic chemicals

24. Water Quality Strategies to ensure safe water Water treatment
Municipal waste water treatment
Primary treatment
Secondary treatment
Tertiary treatment
Septic systems
Conservation

25. Radiation Sources Natural Cosmic radiation: Sun and outer space
Terrestrial radiation: Earth’s minerals
Internal radiation: Inside the body from ingestion
Human-made
X-rays
Nuclear medicine
Nuclear weapons

26. Sources of Radiation

27. Radiation Danger Roentgen equivalent man (REMS)
Damages cells and tissues.
Policy
U.S. Department of Energy
Nuclear waste disposal is highly controversial.

28. Noise Pollution Measure by annoyance factor Amplitude Decibels (dB)
Noise abatement
Policy: Noise Control Act of 1972
Education programs
Environmental changes