Transcript Waste

Waste
Chapter 19
Solid Waste
Objectives
1. Name one characteristic that
makes a material biodegradable.
2. Identify two types of solid waste.
3. Describe how a modern landfill
works.
4. Name two environmental problems
caused by landfills.
Generation of Wastes
• Every year the US generates
10 billion metric tons of
solid waste (discarded
material)
–We are generating 2X more
wastes than 40 years ago
–The average person throws
away 4.4 lbs of solid wastes
a day
•Many states ship it off
•We are running out of space
to put our waste
Types of Wastes
• Biodegradable can be
broken down
–Newspapers, cotton fibers…
• Non biodegradable can not
be broken down
–Plastics, polyester, nylon
• Plastic material creates a huge
disposal problem
–Made from petroleum
–Literally will never
decompose in our land fills
• Types
–Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
•Waste produced by
households and
businesses
–70% is manufacturing
wastes
•2% of all solid waste
What we throw away
%
• 38.1
• 12.1
• 10.9
• 10.5
• 7.8
• 6.6
• 5.5
• 5.3
• 3.2
type
paper
yard waste
food
plastics
metals
rubber, leather, other textiles
glass
wood
other
–Manufacturing, Mining, and
agricultural wastes
•56% of total is
Manufacturing waste
–Scrap metal, plastics,
paper, sludge, ash
•9% of total is Agricultural
waste
–Is biodegradable but
pesticides may
contaminate
•Remaining portion belongs
to mining
–Piles of mine debris
Solid Waste Management
• 57% of all waste is sent to
landfills
–28% is burned
–28 % is recycled (an increase
of 22% since 1970)
• Landfills
–Permanent waste disposal
facilities
–Need to contain wastes, no
contact with ground water
–Problems
•Leachate-liquid that has
passes through compacted
solid waste in a landfill
–Contains contaminates
–Should be monitored
•Methane
–Produced by
decomposing organic
wastes
–Usually pumped out and
burned as fuel
–Leaks occur and if ignited
can cause an explosion
–Safeguarding landfills
•Resource Conservation and
Resource Act (RCRA) 1976
(1986)
–Requires landfills to
reduce pollution
»Lined with clay and
plastic
»Collection of leachate
»Vent pipes
• NIMBY
–NOT IN MY BACK YARD
–Total number of land fills in
1988 was 8000
–In 1999 the total number was
2300
•Many filled to capacity
–EPA estimated within 10
years active land fills will fill
to capacity
• Incinerators
–Can reduce wastes by 75%
–Can produce polluting gases
–Material can be toxic
Reducing Solid Wastes
Objectives
1. Identify three ways you can produce less waste.
2. Describe how you can use your consumer buying
power to reduce solid waste.
3. List the steps that an item must go through to be
recycled.
4. List two benefits of composting.
5. Name one advantage and one disadvantage to
producing degradable plastic.
• Source Reduction
Method of reducing solid
waste
•Any change in design,
manufacture, purchase, or
use of materials or
products to reduce amount
of toxicity before they
become MSW
Reducing Solid Waste
• Buy less
•Less packaging,
rechargeable batteries, use
products that last longer
• Recycle
–Process of reusing materials
or recovering valuable
materials from the waste or
scrap
–Saves energy, water, and
other resources
Examples
95% less energy is used to
make aluminum cans
from recycled cans than
from ore
75% less E is used to
make steel from scrap
than from ore
• Steps in recycling
1.Material is collected and
sorted
2.Material is taken to a
processing facility
3.Material is made into a
product
4.New product is sold to
consumers
–Composting
•15% of are waste can be
composted
•Biodegradable
•Compost- a dark, brown
crumbly material made of
decomposed plant and
animal material
–Changing the material we
use
•Using products that can be
recycled
•Degradable plastics
Hazardous Waste
Objectives
1.Name two characteristics of hazardous waste.
2.Describe one law that governs hazardous
waste.
3.Describe two ways in which hazardous waste
is disposed.
• Hazardous waste is any waste
that is a risk to the health of
humans or other living things
• Types
–Dyes, cleaners, solvents
–PCBs (polychlorinated
biphenyls)
–Plastics, solvents, lubricants,
sealants
–Heavy metals
–Pesticides
–Radioactive
• RCRW (Recource
Conservation and Recovery
Act – 1976) requires records of
disposal
• Super Fund Act 1980 – EPA
right to sue, order cleanup
Hazardous Waste Management
• US produces 252 metric
tons of waste every year
How do we manage it?
–Prevent or use less
–Reuse it
–Change to non hazardous
material
• Land Disposal
–Deep well injection
–Surface impoundment
• Biologically treating
–Use of bacteria
–Plants
–Biological chemicals
• Burn It
• Export it
Hazardous Wastes at Home
–Dispose of properly
•Includes batteries,
household chemicals, oil