Chapter 23Chapter 23Solid and Hazardous WastesSolid and Hazardous Wastes

Types of Solid WasteTypes of Solid Waste Municipal solid Municipal solid

waste (MSW)waste (MSW) Relatively small portion Relatively small portion

of waste producedof waste produced Non-municipal solid Non-municipal solid

wastewaste from industry, from industry,

agriculture, and miningagriculture, and mining makes up a much larger makes up a much larger

% than MSW% than MSW

Municipal Solid Municipal Solid WasteWaste

Disposal of Solid WasteDisposal of Solid Waste

3 methods3 methods Sanitary LandfillsSanitary Landfills IncinerationIncineration RecyclingRecycling compostingcomposting

Sanitary LandfillSanitary Landfill

Sanitary LandfillSanitary Landfill

ProblemsProblems Methane gas Methane gas Contamination of surface & ground Contamination of surface & ground

waterwater Not a long-term remedyNot a long-term remedy Few new facilities being openedFew new facilities being opened Closing a full landfill is very expensiveClosing a full landfill is very expensive

Special Problem: PlasticSpecial Problem: Plastic

Special Problem: Special Problem: TiresTires cannot be recycledcannot be recycled Can be incinerated Can be incinerated

or shreddedor shredded

Sanitary LandfillSanitary Landfill

300 million tires are scrapped or dumped per year!

IncinerationIncineration

ProsPros Volume of solid waste reduced by 90%Volume of solid waste reduced by 90% Produces heat that can make steam to Produces heat that can make steam to

generate electricitygenerate electricity Produce less carbon emissions than fossil fuel Produce less carbon emissions than fossil fuel

power plantspower plants

ConsCons ByproductByproduct

ashash

Waste PreventionWaste Prevention

Three Goals: (The 3 R’s)Three Goals: (The 3 R’s) (1) REDUCE the amount of waste(1) REDUCE the amount of waste (2) Reuse products (2) Reuse products (3) Recycle materials(3) Recycle materials

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=landfill+harmonic&FORM=HDRSC3#view=detail&mid=346C911E0F99614E8DC8346C911E0F99614E8DC8

CompostingComposting

Reduces yard waste in landfillsReduces yard waste in landfills Can be sold or distributed to Can be sold or distributed to

communitycommunity Issues- ____________Issues- ____________

Reducing WasteReducing Waste

Purchase products with less Purchase products with less packagingpackaging

Reusing ProductsReusing Products

Refilling glass bottlesRefilling glass bottles

Recycling MaterialsRecycling Materials

Every ton of recycled paper saves:Every ton of recycled paper saves: 17 trees17 trees 7000 gallons of water7000 gallons of water 4100 kwatt-hrs of energy4100 kwatt-hrs of energy 3 cubic yards of landfill space3 cubic yards of landfill space

RecycleRecycle Glass bottles, newspapers, steel cans, Glass bottles, newspapers, steel cans,

plastic bottles, cardboard, office paperplastic bottles, cardboard, office paper

RecyclingRecycling

Paper-62%Paper-62% Glass-31%Glass-31% Aluminum-51%Aluminum-51% Recycling Recycling

Plastic-14%Plastic-14% Less expensive Less expensive

to make from to make from raw materialsraw materials

Tires-Tires-

Making new can/bottle from recycled one costs far less than making a brand new one

Integrated Waste Integrated Waste ManagementManagement

Love Canal Toxic Love Canal Toxic Waste SiteWaste Site

Hazardous WasteHazardous Waste Any discarded chemical that Any discarded chemical that

threatens human health or the threatens human health or the environmentenvironment Reactive, corrosive, explosive or toxic Reactive, corrosive, explosive or toxic

chemicalschemicals

Hazardous WasteHazardous Waste

Case-In-Point Hanford Case-In-Point Hanford Nuclear ReservationNuclear Reservation

Management of Hazardous Management of Hazardous WasteWaste

Superfund National Priorities ListSuperfund National Priorities List 2009: 1,264 sites on the list2009: 1,264 sites on the list States w/ the greatest # of sitesStates w/ the greatest # of sites

New Jersey (114)New Jersey (114) California (94)California (94) Pennsylvania (94)Pennsylvania (94) New York (85)New York (85) Michigan (65)Michigan (65)

We have Superfund sights in Maywood, Torrance….

http://www.epa.gov/SoCal/superfund/sfund-map.html

Management of Hazardous Management of Hazardous WasteWaste Biological Treatment of Hazardous Biological Treatment of Hazardous

ChemicalsChemicals BioremediationBioremediation - -

Time consumingTime consuming PhytoremediationPhytoremediation – –

Management of Hazardous Management of Hazardous WasteWaste (1) Source reduction(1) Source reduction

(2) Conversion to less hazardous (2) Conversion to less hazardous materialsmaterials

(3) Long-term storage(3) Long-term storage