8 Christie Keith_slides for NYC_IWS Meeting

8/4/2019 8 Christie Keith_slides for NYC_IWS Meeting

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GAIAs network formed inDecember 2000 to end all

forms of incineration and topromote safe and sustainable

alternatives.

Our ultimate vision is a just,toxic-free world, and aneconomy where all productsare reused, repaired orrecycled back into the

marketplace or nature.

Today, GAIA has more than600 members in 90 countries.


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An Essential Question


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Incineration of MSW:A Clean Energy Technology?


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CO2 emissions from incineration

Source: U.S. EPA, 2007, epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/affect/airemissions.html

Including biogenic emissions, according to the IPCC


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Costs of Incineration

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration. Excerpted from Table 2-5, page 2-10 ofUpdated Capital Cost Estimates for Electricity Generation Plants (November 2010)O&M= Operating and Maintenance.

Waste incineration is more expensive than advancednuclear energy, as well as solar, wind and coal


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MOST WIDELY KNOWN INCINERATORPOLLUTANTS OF CONCERN

LEAD

ACIDIC GASES

PARTICULATE MATTER

POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC

HYDROCARBONS (PAHs)

DIOXINS

PCBs

CADMIUM

ARSENIC

CHROMIUM

MERCURY

Source: National Research Council, 2000. Waste Incineration and Public Health,

Washington, DC: National Academy Press

Health dangers from incineration


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Key issues of incineration

Produce toxic ash

and air emissions

Consume vast quantitiesof resources

Bankrupt communities

Destroy livelihoods

Undermine recycling

Emit greenhouse gases

Once cities invest their money in expensive new incinerators,

nothing is left for inclusive recycling programs!


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Landfill gas collection of MSW

Municipal Waste Dump or Landfill

Sanitary Landfill with LandfillGas Collection System under

Construction (dwells andplumbing to collect the gas)


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Key issues of LFG system

Misguided subsidies create perverse incentives todump more organics, undermining composting, clean

biogas, and animal feed programs

Exaggerated methane recovery,low efficiency

Single stream to landfill systemsdisplace recyclers, eliminatinglivelihoods


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Real Alternatives and their Benefits

Source: Assessment of Materials

Management Options for the

Massachusetts Solid Waste Master Plan

Review, Tellus Institute December 2008, p.2.

Source: Institute for Local Self-Reliance, compilation of data from various studies

Kg CO2 per ton of waste


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Lets Invest in Inclusive Zero Waste

Separate wet & dryat source

Design for recycling& reuse

Stop waste in the first

place, & eliminatehazardous materials

Respect the rights of

recyclers & communities

Divert organics & eliminateuncontrolled methane


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Recycling Workers Around the World

Recyclingin TamilNadu

Recycling in Brazil

Recycling

in Bali

Recyclingin San

Francisco
http://www.mncr.org.br/box_3/galeria-de-fotos/trabalho-de-catador/5catador-na-estudantes.jpg/image_view_fullscreen


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Community Biogas Plant in Mumbai


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Large-scale Composting


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Getting to Zero Waste

San Francisco hassurpassed 75%

Other smaller

communities have too

Organics, worker andresident participation

is the key

Easier to tackleresiduals once you

can see them

Lavazza Capsules in landfill. TheCappannori Zero Waste Research Centeris in conversation with this company andNespresso to find solutions to thisgrowing waste stream problem.
http://www.zerowasteeurope.eu/the-first-european-zero-waste-research-center-capannori-italy/http://www.zerowasteeurope.eu/the-first-european-zero-waste-research-center-capannori-italy/


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Solutions for a Quadruple Bottom Line

Better Economics

Improved

Livelihoods

HealthierEnvironment

Good for theClimate


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Thanks!

[email protected]

GAIA - Global Alliance forIncinerator Alternatives
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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India: Recyclers are the Real Climate Heroes

Source: Cushing, 2010

RDF Waste-to-energy plants: 7.700 t/C02 by 2020 = USD 150 million

Main issues:

- 80% of MSW is organic,so plastic and paperbecome very importantto the quality of the RDFand compete directly

with WPs

- 50% of plastic and papercan be recycled, so theres asurplus of credits

- WPs achieve the highest rateof emissions reductions

8 Christie Keith_slides for NYC_IWS Meeting

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