Chapter 21: Solid and Hazardous Waste Aaron Gewecke, Will Gibson, Naba Zamir, Nick Beyer.

Chapter 21: Solid and Hazardous WasteAaron Gewecke, Will Gibson, Naba Zamir, Nick Beyer

21-1: Wasting Resources The US produces 33% of the world’s solid

waste Solid waste: any unwanted or discarded

material that is not a liquid or a gas 98.5% comes as a result of mining, oil

and natural gas production, agriculture, sewage sludge, and industrial activities

Remaining 1.5% is municipal solid waste (MSW) from homes or urban areas

21-2 Producing Less Waste and Air Pollution 2 ways to deal with waste- Economic Approach: Burying, burning,

shipping it off to be stored- Waste and Pollution Prevention Method:

not using the resources in the first place and views waste as resources that should be recycled/reused

21-1 Wasting Resources Hazardous Wastes: Possible classifications

Contain toxic, carcinogens, mutagens or teratogens. Ex: pesticides

Catches fire easily. Ex: gasoline, paints Too reactive; could explode or release

fumes. Ex: ammonia Can corrode metals. Ex: drain cleaners

95% of our hazardous waste is not regulated because of this definition

21-2 Producing Less Waste and Air Pollution

Ways to reduce waste: consume less redesign manufacturing processes to use

less energy, waste, and pollution Develop products easy to reuse Design products to last longer Eliminate and reduce packaging Economic incentives like trash taxes

21-3 Solutions: Cleaner Production and Selling Services Instead of Things

Eco industrial Revolution Achieve industrial, economic, and

environmental sustainability Bring about cleaner production/industrial

ecology Industrial manufacturing process would be:

Closed systems Cyclical flow Waste become raw material

Biomimicry - Mimic nature and interact in resource exchange webs

21-3 Continued Economic benefits of biomimicry:

Reduce cost of controlling pollution Improve health and safety of workers Reduce legal liability Stimulate companies to produce

environmentally friendly chemicals (subsidies, tax breaks, etc.)

Example: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M)

21-3 Cont. Service Flow Economy

Lease/rent services the goods provide instead of purchasing

Yields profit: Minimum material use Lasts long Easy to maintain Recyclable

21-4 Reuse Benefits:

Extends resource supplies, reduces energy waste, creates jobs, saves money (for companies)

Problems: Disposable plates, napkins, and tissues have

taken the place of reusable items in today’s society

Examples of reusable items: Lunch boxes, cloth shopping bags, recyclable

pallets

21-5 Recycling Two types of recycling:

Primary, or closed-loop recycling Secondary, or downcycling

Recycling on Solid Waste Source separation approach

Little air/water pollution Low startup costs/moderate operating costs Save energy More jobs Cleaner and valuable recycleables Educate public

21-6 Recycling Paper and Plastics Recycling instead of making new paper

Saves money, energy, reduces air/water pollution

Plastics are much harder to recycle Occur in many different types Often are made of composites of plastics Contain chemicals that must be removed

before recycling

21-7: Detoxifying, Burning, Burying, and Exporting Chemical Wastes

Detoxifying Waste: involves injecting waste with cyclodextrin to remove toxins

Plasma detoxification is another option Includes decomposing organic material into ions and

atoms

21-7: Detoxifying, Burning, Burying, and Exporting Chemical Wastes

Burning Waste High cost Air pollution Beginning to be outlawed

21-7: Detoxifying, Burning, Burying, and Exporting Chemical Wastes Sanitary Landfill

Spread out in thin layers Compacted Covered with layer of clay

To deal with leachate (leakage) Any leakage pumped into the bottom of the

landfill Stored in tanks Sent into regular sewage

Other Greener Ideas Apply green water to landfills

Exporting Waste Canada recycles 89% of the U.S.’s

exported waste Basel Convention on Hazardous Waste

Requires consent from the recipient nation before waste is shipped there

Disposal of Liquid Waste Disposal of Waste

Deep underground wells surface impoundments Above ground storage facilities

Built and reinforced to insure no damage is caused by storms

Fans/filters to prevent release of toxic gases

21-8: Lead, Mercury, Chlorine, and Dioxins

Threat from lead: Nervous system impairment Lowered IQ (4-7 points) Shortened attention span Hyperactivity Hearing damage Behavioral disorders

Threat from mercury: Neurotoxin – harm brain and spinal cord Exposed to mercury in two ways:

Inhaling Eating contaminated fish

Human-based sources of mercury: Coal burning Waste incineration electric arc furnaces

21-8: Lead, Mercury, Chlorine, and Dioxins

Chlorine: Used in:

Plastics (PVC) solvents Paper and pulp bleaching

Produces many toxins Dioxins

Family of 75 different chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds formed as by-products in chemical reactions involving chlorine and hydrocarbons

Sources: Wood-burning fireplaces Coal-fired power plants Metal smeling/refining facilities Wood pulp paper mills Sludge

21-9 Hazardous Waste Regulation in the US Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

(RCRA)- EPA must identify hazardous wastes Provides firms that store, treat and dispose of

hazardous wastes Superfund Act (Comprehensive

Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) Cleaning abandoned hazardous sites and affected

groundwater Made possible through taxes on raw chemicals

21-9 Polluter pays principle

EPA must find responsible parties (that polluted an area) and charge them for the cleanup

Brownfields Abandoned industrial and commercial sites

that are in most cases contaminated 450,000-650,000 sites in the US, attempts

are being made to restore or change these sites so they don’t affect groundwater

21-10 Achieving A Low Waste Society Living free of pollution is considered a

human right POPs treaty

Treaty to control 12 persistent organic pollutants (POPS), also called the dirty dozen

Precautionary principle Prevention of pollution and waste instead

of cleaning it up