Transcript Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and the Issue of

Solid and Hazardous Waste
Chapter 21
“Solid wastes are only raw
materials we’re too stupid to
use.”
Arthur C. Clarke
Key Concepts
Types and amounts of wastes
Methods to reduce waste
Methods of dealing with waste
Hazardous waste regulation in the US
Wasting Resources
Industrial and agriculture waste
Municipal solid waste
Fig. 21-2, pg. 526
US: 1,600 lb/person
Hazardous Wastes
Contains one or more of 39 identified
compounds
Catches fire easily
Reactive or explosive
Corrodes metal containers
NOT Hazardous Wastes
Radioactive wastes
Household wastes
Mining wastes
Oil and gas drilling wastes
Liquids containing organic hydrocarbons
Cement kiln dust
< 100 kg (220 lb) per month
Producing Less Waste and Pollution
Waste management (high waste
approach)
Burying, burning, shipping
Waste prevention (low waste
approach)
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Chemical or biological treatment
Burial
Dealing with Material Use and
Wastes
Fig. 21-3, pg 528
Dealing with Hazardous Wastes
Fig. 21-4, pg 530
Solutions: Cleaner Production
Ecoindustrial revolution
Industrial ecology
Closed material cycles
Wastes become raw materials
Biomimicry
Refer to Solutions p. 533
Solutions: Selling Services Instead
of Things
Service-flow economy
Uses a minimum amount of material
Products last longer
Products are easier to maintain,
repair, and recycle
Customized services needed by
customers
See Individuals Matter, pg. 534
Reuse
Extends resource supplies
Maintains high-quality matter
Reduced energy use
Refillable beverage containers
Reusable shipping containers and
grocery bags
See Solutions pg. 535
Recycling
Primary
(closed-loop)
Post consumer
waste
Secondary
(open loop)
Fig. 21-6, p 535
Characteristics of Recyclable
Materials
Easily isolated from other waste
Available in large quantities
Valuable
Pay-as-you-throw garbage collection
Benefits of Recycling
Fig. 21-7 pg. 536
Recycling in the US
Centralized recycling of mixed waste
(MRFs)
Separated recycling
Economic benefits
Increasing recycling in the US
See Case Study pg. 540
Case Studies: Recycling Aluminum,
Wastepaper, and Plastics
40% of aluminum recycled in US
Recycled aluminum uses over 90% fewer
resources
Paper: preconsumer vs. postconsumer
recycling
10% or less of plastic recycled in US
Plastics can be very difficult to recycle
Detoxifying Wastes
Bioremediation
Microorganisms break down wastes
Phytoremediation
Removal of wastes from the soil
Burning Wastes
Mass burn incineration
Air
pollution
Waste to
energy
Fig. 21-11, pg. 543
Burying Wastes
Sanitary landfill
Leachate collection
Monitoring wells
Emit greenhouse gases (CO2 and methane)
Space near where waste is produced
Sanitary Landfill
Fig. 21-12, pg. 544
Deep-well Disposal
Fig. 21-14, pg. 546
Hazardous Waste Landfill
Fig. 21-16, pg. 547
Above Ground Hazardous Waste
Disposal
Fig. 21-17, pg. 547
Exporting Wastes
Shipping to developing countries
Potentially huge profits for exporters
Basel Convention on Hazardous Waste
Many developing countries refusing wastes
Case Studies: Lead
Lead poisoning major problem in children
Primary Sources of Lead
Leaded gasoline (phased out by 1986)
Lead paint (banned in 1970)
Lead in plastics
Lead in plumbing
Progress is being made in reducing lead
Case Studies: Mercury
Vaporized elemental Mercury
Fish contaminated with methyl mercury
Natural inputs
Emission control
Prevention of contamination
Case Studies: Chlorine
Environmentally damaging and potential
health threat
Sources of Chlorine
Plastics
Solvents
Paper and pulp bleaching
Water disinfection
Many safer and cheaper substitutes are
available
Case Studies: Dioxins
Potentially highly toxic chlorinated
hydrocarbons
Sources of Dioxins
Waste incineration
Fireplaces
Coal-fired power plants
Paper productions
Sewage sludge
Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United
States
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act
Superfund
See Solutions pg. 554
National Priority List
Polluter-pays principle
Brownfields
Solutions: Achieving a Low-Waste
Society
Local grassroots action
International ban on 12 persistent organic
pollutants (the dirty dozen)
Cleaner production
Improved resource productivity
Service flow economies