Transcript Recycling - MSW Learning Tool

Waste Recycling
Goals
Define terms related to waste reduction
Hazardous waste recycling
Discuss advantages associated with
waste reduction and recycling.
Discuss recycling of specific MSW
components
Discuss ways to increase recycling
Terminology
 Reduction: Reduction in generation, reduction in amount of
material, increase lifetime, or eliminate the need
 Recycle - used, reused, or reclaimed, use of the material as a
source raw material, involves physical transformation
– Reused: The direct use or reuse of a secondary material
without prior reclamation
– Reclaimed: regeneration of wastes or recovery of usable
materials from wastes (e.g., regenerating spent solvents in a
solvent still). Wastes are regenerated when they are
processed to remove contaminants in a way that restores
them to their usable condition materials that must be
reclaimed/recycled prior to use or reuse
 Recovery - Process to recover useful material from mixed waste
(energy is an example)
Hazardous waste materials that
are recycled may be:
Excluded from the definition of solid
waste and fall out of RCRA altogether;
Subject to less-stringent regulatory
controls; or
Required to comply with the full
universe of hazardous waste treatment,
storage, and disposal regulations.
Inherently waste-like materials
 The following materials are solid wastes when
they are recycled in any manner:
 (1) Hazardous Waste Nos. F020, F021 (unless
used as an ingredient to make a product at
the site of generation), F022, F023, F026,
and F028.
 (2) Secondary materials fed to a halogen acid
furnace that exhibit a characteristic of a
hazardous waste or are listed as a hazardous
waste
Materials are solid wastes (and potentially
hazardous waste) if they are recycled in
the following ways:
 Used in a manner constituting disposal - Directly
placing wastes or products containing wastes on the
land is considered to be use constituting disposal.
– If, however, direct placement on the land is consistent with
its normal use (e.g., pesticides), then the material is not
regulated as a solid waste.
– For example, heptachlor can potentially be a P-listed waste.
This pesticide is not regulated as a solid waste, however,
when it isused as a pesticide.
 Burned for energy recovery
 Reclaimed (with some exceptions) - materials that
must be reclaimed/ recycled prior to use or reuse
 Accumulated speculatively
Materials that are not solid waste (and
therefore not hazardous wastes) when
recycled:
 (i) Used or reused as ingredients in an
industrial process to make a product,
provided the materials are not being
reclaimed; or
 (ii) Used or reused as effective substitutes for
commercial products; or
 (iii) Returned to the original process from
which they are generated, without first being
reclaimed or land disposed.
Materials Subject to Less
Stringent Standards
 Universal Waste regulations include batteries, pesticides, lamps
(e.g., fluorescent bulbs), and mercury-containing equipment
(e.g., thermostats) (see 40 CFR Part 273).
 Used Oil includes petroleum-based or synthetic oil that has been
used (see 40 CFR Part 279 ).
 Waste-Derived Fertilizers (e.g., zinc fertilizer products) and
Other Materials Used in a Manner Constituting Disposal (see 40
CFR Part 266 Subpart C).
 Materials Utilized for Precious Metal Recovery (see 40 CFR Part
266 Subpart F).
 Spent Lead-Acid Batteries (see 40 CFR Part 266 Subpart G note that lead-acid batteries may also be managed as a
Universal Waste).
 Hazardous Waste Burned in Boilers and Industrial Furnaces
Recycling Advantages
 Prevents the emission of many greenhouse
gases and water pollutants,
 Saves energy,
 Supplies valuable raw materials to industry,
 Creates jobs,
 Stimulates the development of greener
technologies,
 Conserves resources for our children’s future,
and
 Reduces the need for new landfills and
combustors.
MSW Recycling Goals
25% by 1995 (was met)
30% by 2000 (was met)
35% by 2005 (not met)
Recycling Challenges
 Location of wastes (9000 curbside programs)
 Uncertainty of supply
 Administrative and institutional constraints
 Legal restrictions
 Uncertain markets
 Technical challenges to recycling
 Changes in materials (i.e. light weighting)
 Too many items in waste
 Actually encourages waste production
(because recycling will take care of it)
SWANA Recommendations to
Increase Reduction/Recovery
 Encourage more extensive product
stewardship by product designers,
manufacturers retailers, and consumers
 Expand efforts by federal, state, and
provincial governments to develop markets
for recycled materials and recovered energy
 Provide financial incentives for investments in
recycling, composting and the use of
recovered materials
SWANA Recommendations to
Increase Reduction/Recovery
 Include WTE and conversion technologies in
renewable portfolio standards and green
power programs
 Encourage the recovery and use of landfill
gas by maintaining federal tax credits and
through renewable portfolio standards and
green power programs
 Support technology transfer and research
efforts that have the potential to increase
waste recovery rates
Commodity
% of MSW Recycled
Paper and Paperboard
48.1
Steel
36.4
Aluminum
21.4
Glass
18.8
Plastics
5.2
Paper Recycling
 Problems
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Chlorination produces dioxins/furans
Inks are petrochemical based
Acid used to break fibers shortens life
Coating of high gloss paper
Demand for high quality paper
Glues, laminates, plastics, inks not water soluble
Paper can only be reused 4-12 times, always need
a virgin source
Paper Recycling
~ 50% of consumed material and
growing
Goal 55% by 2012
Strong markets for old corrugated
cardboard (OCC) and newsprint (ONP)
Expanding domestic and international
demand
Office paper lower demand
Steel Recycling
 Expanding economy – increased steel
demands; China and India biggest markets
 36.4% of steel is recycled
 Use of plastic for automobiles is a problem
 One ton steel recycled saves 2500 lb of iron
ore, 1000 lb of coal, 40 lb of limestone, and
significant energy savings
Aluminum Recycling
 About 51 percent of aluminum cans is being recycled
 Twenty years ago it took 19 aluminum cans to make
one pound, but today, aluminum beverage cans are
lighter and it takes 29 cans to make a pound.
 Americans throw away enough aluminum every three
months to rebuild our entire commercial air fleet.
 Making new aluminum cans from used cans takes 95
percent less energy and 20 recycled cans can be
made with the energy needed to produce one can
using virgin ore.
 Domestic recycling has declined recently, collection is
expensive
Glass Recycling
 Glass always lags other recyclables
 Alternative markets needed – grind for
construction fill, “glassphalt,” fiberglass
 Transportation of heavy glass is expensive
 Raw materials are inexpensive
 Contamination is an issue
 Reuse used to be common practice; however
as manufacturing plants became larger and
decreased in number, bottles had to be
carried further for refilling.
 More colored glass is imported than used
domestically
Plastic Recycling
Problems
– Light weight, bulky, low density
– Wide variety of polymers
– Concerns over contamination for reuse
– Difficult to differentiate among types
Plastic Recycling
PET and HDPE have high prices due to
domestic and international demand
Curbside recycling is down, driving
prices up
More expensive oil prices makes virgin
plastic more expensive
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Last updated July 2008 by Dr. Reinhart