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A slight warm up exercise Before we get started…

A slight warm up exercise Before we get started…

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Page 1: A slight warm up exercise Before we get started…

A slight warm up exercise

Before we get started…

Page 2: A slight warm up exercise Before we get started…

What do You See?

Page 3: A slight warm up exercise Before we get started…

TREASURE FROM TRASH: METHODS FOR HANDLING BIODEGRADABLE MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MORE SUSTAINABLY

Sam MarkolfThe University of Texas at Austin

Washington Internships for Students of EngineeringSponsored by: American Institute of Chemical

Engineers

Page 4: A slight warm up exercise Before we get started…

Outline of Presentation

Overview of Waste Management Novel Approaches to Waste

Management Policy Overview Recommendations for Policy

Changes Impact and Implications Summary and Conclusions

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Overview of Waste Management

How much waste is actually generated? 250 million tons vs 413 million

tons Landfills

The U.S. is the leading landfill user in the world

Recycling/Composting 61 million tons recycled and 22.1

million tons composted Waste To Energy

(Combustion) Roughly 103 facilities in the U.S.

as of 2006

Land-fill

54%

Re-cy-

cling/Compost33%

Waste to

En-ergy13%

Breakdown of Waste Disposal Methods in the

U.S.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) . (2009, November). Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Detailed Tables and Figures for 2008.

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Why is biodegradable waste important?

Almost 64% of generated waste is biodegradable

Only 2.5% of food waste composted

Nearly 65% of yard trimmings composted

Can be used as compost or source of renewable energy

Pa-per31%

Yard Trim

mings13%

Food Scraps13%

Plas-tics12%

Metals8%

Rubber, leather,

and textiles

8%

Other3%

Glass5%

Wood7%

Breakdown of Waste Streams in the U.S.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) . (2009, November). Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Detailed Tables and Figures for 2008.

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Why is biodegradable waste important?

Almost 64% of generated waste is biodegradable

Only 2.5% of food waste composted

Nearly 65% of yard trimmings composted

Can be used as compost or source of renewable energy

Paper31%

Yard Trim

mings13%

Food Scraps13%

Plastics12%

Metals8%

Rubber, leather,

and textiles

8%

Other3%

Glass5%

Wood7%

Breakdown of Waste Streams in the U.S.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) . (2009, November). Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Detailed Tables and Figures for 2008.

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Concerns with Waste Management

Emissions from landfills GHG emissions from landfills

are equivalent to 22.9 million passenger vehicles

Emissions from transportation Some waste is sent over 600

miles to landfill Inefficient use of resources

Much of the waste can be recycled or reprocessed

Siting and Land-use Issues It’s more difficult to build

new landfills

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What is Aerobic Composting (AC)?

Source: Torfaen County Borough, Environment & Planning: Composting, 2009, http://www.torfaen.gov.uk/EnvironmentAndPlanning/RubbishWasteAndRecycling/Composting/Home.aspx

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Potential Solution: Composting

Produces valuable soil additives

Many potential uses for compost products

Produces minimal GHG emissions

Requires relatively pure feedstock

Lack of markets for compost products

Potential for odor issues to arise

Pros Cons

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What is Anaerobic Digestion (AD)?

Current Use in the U.S. Waste Water

Treatment Rural Applications

Current Use in Europe Municipal Solid

Waste Over 200 Facilities Capacity of 6 million

tons

Source: Waste Solutions (2008), Anaerobic Digestion, http://www.wastetechnz.com/Solutions/Anaerobic_Digestion/

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Potential Solution: Anaerobic Digestion

Produces compost-like soil additive

Produces useful biogas

Greatly reduces solid waste volume

Need for consistent and “pure” feedstock

Higher capital costs

Market not established for products of AD

Pros Cons

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Policy Overview

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (‘76) Congress charged

state and municipal governments with the responsibility of managing non-hazardous waste

Political Environment Policy Goals Develop an Integrated

Solid Waste Management System Considers environmental,

social, and economic ramifications

Compatible with local conditions

Fits within national waste management strategy

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Policy Recommendations: Easier to Implement

Increasing Public Awareness

Increase public awareness and knowledge related to waste management Provide Press Releases Develop PSAs for all forms of media Host conferences and forums for key

stakeholders

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Policy Recommendations: Easier to Implement

Encouraging Volunteer Participation

Create certification system that recognizes “Green Cities” or “Green States” Establish quantifiable criteria of evaluation Different criteria for different sizes and

locations Cities and states want to improve “quality of

life”

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Policy Recommendations: Moderately Difficult to Implement

Regulatory Policies

Establish a standard and framework for accounting for waste from source to disposal

Establish regulatory and pricing framework that encourages growth in markets for secondary goods Establish quality standards for secondary products Establish national practice standards for AD and AC Establish pricing mechanisms for biogas and

compost

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Funding Policies Provide funding that aids the establishment of

effective source separation of biodegradable waste

Provide funding for R&D and Testing/Pilot Projects with focus placed on the following areas: Universities Cities that use AD for water treatment, Cities that already have source separation of

biodegradable waste Areas with a high concentration of farming

Policy Recommendations: Moderately Difficult to Implement Contd.

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Environmental Impacts

Waste Management

ProcessLandfill Compost Combustion

(WTE)

Net Carbon Emissions per ton of waste

0.06 -0.05 -0.05

Carbon Emissions

from mixed organic waste generated in

2008

3,881,400 -3,234,500 -3,234,500

Emissions in terms of

passenger vehicles

2,587,600(cars added)

2,156,333(cars

removed)

2,156,333(cars

removed)Net Carbon Emissions in terms of metric tons of carbon equivalent per short ton of waste

Comparison of Net GHG Emissions for Different Biodegradable Waste Management Processes

Adapted From: U.S. EPA, Solid Waste Management and Greenhouse Gases, 2006

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Environmental Impact Continued

 

Compost Lawn, Yard, &

Brush

Compost Food Waste

Combined Organics

Landfill LGR - Flaring

Landfill LGR - Electricity

Generation

Energy from Waste - Low

Estimate

Energy from Waste - High

Estimate

Energy from Waste - Best

Case Estimate

Operation cost per ton $29.77  $71.95  $60.94  $72.97  $60.72  $89.75  $147.84  $77.44 

Environmental benefit per

ton$42.89  $42.89  $42.89  $6.73  $16.98  $21.86  $21.86  $21.86 

True cost per ton ($13.12) $29.06 $18.04 $66.24  $43.74  $67.89  $125.97  $55.57 

Comparison of the True Environmental Costs of Different Waste Management Options

Source: Morawski, C. (2008). Composting - Best Bang for MSW Managment Buck. 49 (10), 23 - 28.

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Economic Impact

Landfills in Mid-West

U.S.

Landfills in Northwest

U.S.

Landfills in Northeast

U.S.

Composting in U.S.

Composting in Canada

WTE Facilities

AD

Facilities

Tipping Fee ($ per

metric ton of capacity)

Approx. $28 $88 - $110 Approx. 

$110 $20 - $50 $46 - $68 $77- $190 $77- $140

Comparison of tipping fees for different waste management processes across North America1

Economic Analysis of Recycling/Reuse Industry2

• Recycling industry provides roughly 4 times as many jobs as waste

management industry

• Recycling industry earned an estimated $236 billion in 2001

• The Federal Government earned roughly $6.9 billion in tax revenues from

the recycling industry 1Levis, J. (2010). Assessment of the state of food waste in the United States and Canada. (e. al., Ed.) Waste Management .2R.W. Beck, Inc. (2001, July). U.S. Recycling Economic Information Study.

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Now What Do You See?

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[email protected]

Special Thanks to:AIChE, IEEE USA, and ACS

Dr. Tom Chapman and Dr. Basil “Bill” DoumasErica Wissolik

All my fellow WISE Interns

Questions?