1. Solutions to the Solid-Waste Problem 18.2

2. Sustainability A huge stream of material flowing in _____ _____________, from resource base to disposal, is NOT sustainable. Natural _______________ depend on recycling of nutrients We are moving toward ______________. Even better-- source _____________.

3. Source Reduction Goals & Status 1.________________ the amount of waste that must be managed 2._______________ resources Peaked in 1990 at 4.5 lbs/person _________ highest per capita in the world. Consumer spending has continued to grow, but the waste stream has _______________off.

4. Examples of Source Reduction ____________ the weight of materials _______ = potential to reduce paper waste ____________, rather than buying new, (garage sales, flea markets, etc. ________________ a product’s life (But cheap products don’t usually last) _______________ yard waste. Take your name off _________ _________.

5. The Recycling Solution More than ______ of MSW is recyclable material. ____________ recycling: a process in which the original waste material is made back into the ____________ material. Ex: newspapers ____________ recycling: process in which materials are made into ___________ _______________ that may or may not be recyclable. Ex: cardboard from newspapers

6. Why Recycle? 1.It saves ___________ and __________. –Ex: 1 ton of recycled steel cans saves 2,500 lbs. of _______ _______, 1,000 lb. of coal, and more than 5,400 BTUs of energy. 2.It _____________ pollution. For every ton of waste processed, 620 lbs. of CO 2, 30 lbs. of methane, 5 lbs. of CO, 2.5 lbs. of _________________ matter, and other pollutants are eliminated as pollution

7. What Gets Recycled? Paper and paperboard (45% recovery) –Can be remade into ________ and reprocessed into paper, cardboard, etc. –Finely ground for cellulose for ____________ Most glass (19%) –Crushed, remelted, made into other containers or fiberglass, or “_____________” Some plastic (5.5%) –_______ fibers, outdoor ___________, sheet plastic

8. What Gets Recycled, Cont… Metals (25%): remelted & ______________ –Saves 90% of energy vs. _________ _______ –Reduces ________ ___________ (we import it) Yard Waste (57%) –Can be composted to produce ____________ Textiles (14.6%) –Shredded & used to __________ recycled paper Old Tires (38%) –Can be remelted or shredded to use in ______ –Can be burned in _________________ facilities

9. Successful Recycling Programs 1.Pay As You _______ (PAYT) & free recycling 2.____________ recycling with sanctions. 3.____________ recycling with free bins. 4.Drop off sites for __________ materials 5.Ambitious but _______________ goals 6.Effort to involve ________________. 7.___________ and committed coordinator

10. Recycling Rates

11. Critics of Recycling Based on __________________ Markets for recyclable materials _______________ wildly. Residents often ____________ recycling. __________ ranges from $20-$135 ton. Critics say: If it doesn’t ____ for itself, don’t do it. Critics don’t take into account ______ _____________ for virgin materials.

12. Support for Recycling In most areas, _______ of households will recycle if there is _____________ pickup. Percentage up with _____________. –Ex: Dover, New Hampshire –Trash declined from ____ lbs. to ______ lbs/ household –Cost ______________ from $123 to $73/year –City’s solid waste management costs dropped 27% even with ____________ ______________

13. Paper Recycling Newspapers _______________ waste stream _______ of newspapers recycled 25% of trees harvested in U.S. are for ______ Generally, a 1 meter _____ = pulp from _____ Manufacturers can say product made of recycled paper- even when it is their own ____________. _______________ recycled paper- paper that was used before and brought back to be recycled

14. Markets for Recycled Paper Improved _________________ = virtually impossible to tell the difference between recycled and virgin paper Fluctuating market –1980s ___________: Cities had to _____ to get rid of newspapers –1995 _____: People would ______ out of recycle bins –Late 90s ______: cities had to pay again, but ______________ than landfill costs Foreign market: –Europe & ______ purchase wastepaper from U.S.

15. Glass Recycling Nonreturnable ___________ containers = –5.5% of solid waste _______________ –50% of _______________ portion –90% of nonbiodegradable portion of _______ ___________________ Costs (of not recycling) –____________ of materials & ________________ process creates pollution –______________ to clean litter –Broken glass _________ to people and ________

16. Bottle Laws _____________ on beverage containers: retailers ____________ to accept used containers and pass them along for recycling or reuse Fierce _______________ from beverage and container industries –claim bottle laws = loss of __________ & higher beverage __________ States with bottle laws prove ___________________ –More jobs __________________ than lost –Costs did not rise –Significant _______________ in can & bottle __________

17. Why _______________ bottle laws not passed –Same opponents say would ____________ recycling But, national bottle law would reach ______ ________________ –States with bottle laws report 80%-_______ return rate

18. Plastics Recycling Do not ________________ in environment- ____________ unable to digest them. 2 most ____________ recyclable plastics –_________(high density polyethylene) code 2 –________ (polyethylene terephthalate) code 1 Melted down- but some ______________ from original container means can’t make food or beverage containers with it

19. Critics of Plastics Recycling Recovering plastics more _________ than starting from petroleum derivatives Plastics in landfills create no toxic _____________ or dangerous biogas Plastics ______ ___________ in combustion facilities and leave almost no ash

20. Materials Recovery Facility MRF or “_____________” Basic _______________ at curbside or at recycling station Waste _________ to MRF & sorted on 3 racks –1st for metal _________ & ______ containers –2 nd for ____________ products –3 rd for ____________

21. MRF Process Continued… Glass –Sorted by ______ & Crushed into small _______ –Shipped to glass ___________________ Cans –Sorted, ___________________ –Sent to ___________ plant or aluminum process. Plastics- sorted into 4 ______________, sold Paper- –sorted, ___________, sent to repossessing mills

22. Advantages of MRF Economy of ______________ Ability to make high ___________ end product High Tech MRFs –______________ pulleys –_______________sensors –I___________________ can cut costs

23. Mixed Waste Processing _________________ waste just as if it were going to the landfill MSW loaded on ______________ belt and sorted for recyclable materials before landfill or combustion ________ in U.S.

24. Mixed Waste and Yard Trimmings A few facilities ___________ MSW (after removing large items and metals) Often, treated __________ sludge is added- provides rich source of bacteria & nutrients Often _______________ problems Sometimes serious _____________ __________ trimming composting programs more common

25. Public Policy and Waste Management Chapter 18.3

26. Public policy: federal legislation and waste management Local governments used to manage ____ MSW –__________ and state agencies now regulate, encourage, and facilitate waste management Solid Waste Disposal Act (_______): gave the Bureau of Solid Waste Management jurisdiction over MSW –Financial and technical, not ________________ ___________ and Recovery Act (1970): gave the EPA jurisdiction over waste management –Directs attention to _____________ programs –Encouraged __________ to develop management programs

27. More federal legislation Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (________; 1976) –A _____________ (command-and-control) approach –The EPA can ______ dumps and set landfill regulations –Combustion facilities were covered by air pollution and hazardous-waste regulations –States must develop ______________ management plans The Superfund Act (1980): addresses abandoned _______________ Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (1984): the EPA sets _______________ for hazardous wastes –Closer monitoring of all landfill and combustion criteria

28. Integrated waste management It is not necessary to use only one method of handling MSW –Source reduction, waste-to-energy, combustion, recycling, MRFs, landfills, composting all have ________ –Integrated waste management uses _________ processes Waste reduction: the U.S. produces the most waste –We are a “throwaway society” –True management of MSW begins at ___________ WasteWise: an EPA-sponsored program that partners with local governments, ____________, corporations –Partners design their own waste-reduction programs

29. The throwaway society

30. PAYT and EPR PAYT: people pay curbside charges for ____________ MSW –Instead of paying taxes for collection and disposal –Used by 25% of the U.S. population –25%–45% waste reduction –32%–59% increase in recycling –The EPA is a _______________, not regulator EPR: extended product ________________ –Companies take ______ used items and manufacture more _______________ goods –The EPA provides information

31. Waste disposal issues There will always be MSW –Landfilling will decrease and more MSW will go to WTE ___________ facilities and _______________ Policy makers have opted for _________- term solutions with low political costs –Resulting in long-distance ____________ of MSW Areas required to handle their own trash will find suitable landfill sites and use the best ________________ –People don’t want trash from other areas –It will take an act of ________ to address this problem

32. Just say no! The Solid Waste Interstate Transportation Act (2009) –Local and state governments could limit or _____________ transportation of out-of-state wastes to landfills It is unfair that states that are working hard on managing their wastes must receive unrestricted wastes from other states Another policy goal: encourage more MSW ______________ –The best way to handle nonrecyclable mixed waste

33. Recycling and reuse Recycling is the wave of the _____________ Making more _____________ goods is overlooked and underutilized ______________ the disposal of recyclables in landfills and at combustion facilities makes sense –Massachusetts bans yard wastes, metals, glass, paper, and plastics A national _____________ law would be a giant step forward Closing the “recycling _________” would encourage recycling

34. Closing the recycling loop Set ______________ postconsumer levels of recycled content for newsprint and glass containers Require purchases of certain goods that include recycled products –Even if they are more _____________ Require that all packaging be reusable or made of ___________ materials ______ credits or incentives encourage the use of recycled or recyclable materials in manufacturing Help develop recycling ____________