Waste Disposal
Introduction & History
Types of waste
Disposal methods
Disposal sustainability
(data and slides
provided by DEFRA
with permission)
Definition of Waste Article 1(a) of the European Waste Framework Directive
provides that:-
"waste" is "any substance or objectwhich the holder discards or intends or is required to discard.
When is waste a waste?
Unwanted material that is discarded
Recycling or reclamation? Still waste even though it is purchased
Discarding of a material does not mean to pass it to another
person.
Keeping waste on own land is waste disposal
Definition of Waste Waste Framework Directive: (EC Directive 2006/12/EC)
European legislation that governs waste disposal practice:
Waste recovered or disposed of without endangering human health
AND without harming the environment
Encourages waste recovery over its disposal
Oversees disposal practice through;
Permitting & inspection
To control pollution from waste
Promotes disposal as a last resort Waste Hierarchy
Waste Disposal versus Waste Recovery
Waste is not just sent to landfill
Organics.org Recycled-papers.co.uk
mrw.co.uk
Waste Quantities
Total UK wastes (1998-2003)
434Mt per year in the UK
250Mt controlled waste
184Mt uncontrolled waste (mining tailings, building foundations & agricultural)
7.38t/capita arising each year
controlled waste
Domestic, commercial & industrial waste that has
to be managed in licensed facilities
Regulated due to toxicity of biodegradable by-
products
History of Waste Pre-industrial revolution
Situation similar in many developing countries today - waste is not an issue in mainly agricultural societies
Food waste is fed to farm animals or composted
Ashes from coal fires are used as fertiliser
Wood reused in construction
Rag and Bone Men used to trade reused materials house to house
Pre-Clean Air Acts (1956)
Ash from coal fires household waste comprised mainly dense ash
Post-industrial revolution
Increased organics (food waste is no longer fed to animals)
Increased packaging of food and all goods
Widespread use of plastics
Increase in affluence and associated consumerism & waste
The Industrial Revolution Began in 18th Century
Increased availability of:
Raw materials through trade
Workers as population flocked to
cities
Scientific research
Led to new inventions and;
Coal powered machinery
Large quantities of products made
quickly and cheaply
Impact of Industrial Revolution Industrial Revolution
Start of consumerism generation of waste
Migration of population to towns and cities
greater impact of waste health/environment
need for measures to be put in place to
manage waste
Public Health Act 1848
start of waste regulation
local authorities responsible for
collecting household waste from
moveable bins on weekly basis
1874, first energy from waste plant in
Britain (Destructor in Nottingham)
1950s 1970s Introduction of National waste management
practices: Clean Air Act (1956) encouraged the move away from open
fires in homes less ash disposed of lead to change in waste composition
City of Dundee, pre-CAA
CAA (1956) Intention:
Minimise dark smoke (smog) Control of smoke emissions Shift towards boilers
Address health & environmental concerns
1950s 1970s Introduction of National waste management
practices:
Introduction of first ever legislation to control hazardous waste; Deposit of Poisonous Waste Act 1972 consequence of
cyanide waste drums incident (Nuneaton)
Press coverage; newspapers
1950s 1970s Introduction of National waste management
practices:
Dumping of more organic waste (food & paper etc) environmental problems at dump sites;
Control of Pollution Act (CoPA) 1974 wider control of
waste disposal and regulation of sites, and start of tightening up of waste disposal methods
These three acts highlights the populations desire to a clean environment
1970s 1990s Development and dominance of landfill, BUT:
Increasingly tighter environmental controls on waste
management
Producer Responsibility Obligation 1997: recover & recycle
Higher standards of landfilling lining, leachate collection and treatment, landfill gas control and utilisation
Duty of Care 1992 relates to waste responsibility
Still plenty of mineral workings (quarries) available for
landfill landfill still inexpensive, even with landfill tax 1996
Significantly tighter air emissions controls on incinerators
resulting in increasing capital and operating costs
Types of Waste
1. Municipal Solid Waste
2. Construction & demolition
3. Radioactive
4. Sewage
5. Agricultural
6. Mining
Types of Waste
Arcadis.co.uk
Cornwall.gov.uk
NERC
Types of Waste
Arcadis.co.uk
Cornwall.gov.uk
NERC
Municipal Solid
Waste
Types of Waste
Arcadis.co.uk
Cornwall.gov.uk
NERC
Municipal Solid
Waste
Mining Waste
Types of Waste
Arcadis.co.uk
Cornwall.gov.uk
NERC
Municipal Solid
Waste
Agricultural Waste
Mining Waste
Types of Waste
Arcadis.co.uk
Cornwall.gov.uk
NERC
Municipal Solid
Waste
Sewage
Agricultural Waste
Mining Waste
Types of Waste
ukgbc.org
theguardian.com
Types of Waste
ukgbc.org
theguardian.com
Construction &
demolition
Types of Waste
ukgbc.org
theguardian.com
Construction &
demolition
Radioactive Waste
UK Total Waste Composition UK (most up-to-date data)
20%
22%
8%8%
6%
13%
23%
UK Total Waste Composition UK (most up-to-date data)
20%
22%
8%8%
6%
13%
23%
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Definition and sources:
Household waste and waste collected by a waste collection authority or its contractors, such as municipal parks and gardens waste
beach cleansing waste and
any commercial and industrial waste for which the collection authority takes responsibility
Large organic fraction
Arisings:
29.1Mt (2003/04) England
Composition:
British Standard Waste (BSW) typical composition of bin waste in the UK!
British Standard Waste (BSW) 2%
31%
5%
3%
21%
2%
7%
1%
5%
5%
1%
2%
3%
8%
6% Sanitary towels
Organic
Fine material
Plastic film
Paper and card
Textiles
Combustibles
Non-ferrous metal
Ferrous metal
Dense plastic
Hazardous waste
WEEE
Wood
Non-combustibles
Glass
British Standard Waste (BSW) 2%
31%
5%
3%
21%
2%
7%
1%
5%
5%
1%
2%
3%
8%
6% Sanitary towels
Organic
Fine material
Plastic film
Paper and card
Textiles
Combustibles
Non-ferrous metal
Ferrous metal
Dense plastic
Hazardous waste
WEEE
Wood
Non-combustibles
Glass
~ 50 % of UK bin waste is organic & biodegradable
Minerals Waste Mining and extractive industry waste
Comprises:
Colliery waste, coal, china clay, clay, slate, and
metalliferous and quarrying materials
Much of the waste generated will be chemically inert
(unreactive) & non-hazardous
Some waste may contain high levels of metals
Sources:
Mining and quarrying waste is generated during the
extraction and on-site processing of materials
e.g. solid lumps of rock, sludge-like or liquid
Arisings:
96.1Mt (2003) UK
Sewage Sludge Definition:
Sewage consists of
wastewater from domestic,
trade and industrial sources
as well as rainfall and
surface water
It contains faeces and urine
0.1 % solid materials
Arisings: Dry weight: 1.13Mt and
20kg/capita (1999/00) UK
Carlisle Sewage Treatment Works
bbc.co.uk
Agricultural
Waste By-products of farming:
Empty pesticide containers
Old silage wrap Livestock medicines Tyres & oils Batteries Surplus & O.O.D. milk
~40 % UK waste:
Farmers permitted to carry
out certain disposal activities
Construction & Demolition Waste Definition:
Unwanted material produced by
construction industry
Bricks, concrete, nails, wood, rebar,
electrical wiring, rubble
Mostly inert but hazardous materials
such as lead piping, asbestos
Uses:
ground improvement; reused in
construction projects, e.g. foundations
(crusher and screener) & made ground
Arisings:
90.9Mt (2003) England & Wales Samphire Hoe, Hampshire
loneswimmer.com
Hazardous Waste Definition:
Considerable threat to human
health and the environment
because of its properties:
Flammable, reactive, corrosive or
toxic and are often liquids
Defined by hazardous properties
and not by its source
Solvents, pesticides, electronics,
aerosols, caustics, ammunition
What is hazardous is defined by:
Hazardous Waste Regulations
2005 (England and Wales)
Arisings: 5.37Mt (2002) UK
Radioactive Waste Definition:
Radioactive waste is waste
contaminated by, or incorporating,
radioactivity above certain levels
Sources:
Civil nuclear power industry: up to
89%
Research and development activities:
9%
Military activities: 2%
Medical treatment & equipment:
Waste Disposal Methods
UK vs Abroad Municipal Solid Waste fate
UK vs Abroad Municipal Solid Waste fate
Waste Disposal Methods
Typical Landfill Site
(Bell 2007)
Inert waste: Unreactive municipal
Non-hazardous waste: Municipal & biodegradable
Hazardous waste: Toxic material within
waste acceptable limits of TOC, DOC & LOI
Above WACs HTI
Chemical & Oil Production
Landfill Liner Structure
Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility
NDAReportno.NDA/RWMD/010
High-level radioactive waste: deep multi-barrier geological disposal system
Bury waste to minimise radioactive waste exposure to ecosystems & environs
Barriers act to:
isolate waste and
contain the
radionuclides for
~1,000 years
Prevent
groundwater from
interacting and
transporting waste
Radioactive Waste Disposal
NDAReportno.NDA/RWMD/010
Zooming in:
Six potential barriers prevent groundwater interacting with high-level waste
Sustainable Waste Management The Landfill Directive brought about a change in emphasis:
Waste disposal waste management resource utilisation
Overall aim:
Minimise quantity of MSW sent to landfill by:
(1) Reducing quantity of waste materials:
Waste Minimisation
(2) Separating waste into usable
parts by pre-landfill treatment
processes such as:
Mechanical Biological Treatment
(MBT) & Energy from Waste
(1) Waste Minimisation
= reducing the amount of waste generated Changing manufacturing processes:
To produce less waste
Examples: Avoid excessive/over-packaging
Buying in bulk/loose reduced weight per unit weight of product
Avoiding plastic bags bag for life
slwp.org.uk
(2) Separating waste by pre-landfill treatment
processes such as:
Mechanical Biological Treatment
(MBT)
Mechanical Biological Treatment
(MBT) Mechanical (M) refers to various sorting, separation, size
reduction and sieving technologies
achieve a mechanical separation of waste fractions into
potentially useful products and/or streams suitable for
biological processing
Biological (B) refers to an aerobic or anaerobic biological
process
converts the biodegradable waste fraction into a stabilised
compost-like output and, if using anaerobic digestion,
biogas
combustible material sent to energy from waste plant
Purpose of Pre-Landfill Treatment
The purpose of this form of treatment is to:
Reduce the waste volume going to landfill
Improve the disposal of waste at landfill
Lengthen the stability, useful life and efficiency of
landfill
Reduce the rate of gas formation and leachate
Summary
Disposal of waste is a major environmental
problem for society
Landfill containment or slow dispersion
Hazardous waste deep repositories
To meet EU regulations the UK has to reduce
the amount of material going to landfill (hence
MBT & Landfill Directive)
The Landfill Directive The main regulation driving increased take-up in MBT (Mechanical
Biological Treatment) is the Landfill Directive (EC/31/1999)
The diversion targets laid down in Article 5(2) of the Landfill Directive
state
By 2010, to reduce amount of British Municipal Waste going to landfill
by no less than 75% of 1995 baseline
By 2013, by no less than 50% of 1995 baseline
By 2020, by no less than 35% of 1995 baseline