Slide 1 Municipal 1.5% Sewage sludge 1% Mining and oil and gas production 75% Industry 9.5% Agriculture 13% Figure 15-2 Page 348 CHAPTER 15: SOLID AND

Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1Slide 1

Municipal1.5%

Sewage sludge1%

Mining and oiland gas

production75% Industry

9.5%

Agriculture13%

Figure 15-2Page 348

CHAPTER 15: SOLID AND HAZARDOUS WASTE

11 BILLION METRIC TONS OF SOLID WASTE ARE PRODUCED IN THE U.S. ANNUALLY


TOPICS FOR CHAPTER 15

•WHAT ARE SOLID AND HAZARDOUS WASTE AND HOW MUCH IS PRODUCED•HOW CAN WE REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE AND REFUSE TO USE SOLID AND HAZARDOUS WASTE•RECYCLING PAPER AND PLASTIC•EXPOSURE AND SAFETY WITH HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES (LEAD, MERCURY, CHLORINE AND DIOXINS•U.S. REGULATIONS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE•TRANSITION TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE LOW-WASTE SOCIETY


• SOLID WASTE IS ANY UNWANTED OR DISCARDED MATERIAL THAT IS NOT A LIQUID OR A GAS. U.S. PRODUCES 33% OF WORLD'S SOLID WASTE MOSTLY FROM MINING, GAS AND AGRICULTURE

• HAZARDOUS WASTE IS DISCARDED SOLID OR LIQUID MATERIAL THAT:– HAS ONE OR MORE OF 39 TOXIC, CARCINOGENIC, MUTAGENIC

OR TERATOGENIC COMPOUNDS EXCEEDING LEGAL LIMITS– CATCHES FIRE EASILY (FLAMMABLE GASOLINE, PAINTS AND

SOLVENTS)– REACTIVE OR UNSTABLE ENOUGH TO EXPLODE OR RELEASE

TOXIC FUMES (ACIDS, BASES, AMMONIA, CHLORINE BLEACH)– CAN CORRODE METAL CONTAINERS SUCH AS TANKS, DRUMS

AND BARRELS (INDUSTRIAL CLEANING AGENTS, OVEN AND DRAIN CLEANERS)


Figure 15-3Page 349

What Harmful Chemicals Are in Your Home?

Cleaning

• Disinfectants• Drain, toilet, and window cleaners • Spot removers• Septic tank, cleaners

Paint

• Latex and oil-based paints• Paint thinners, solvents, and strippers • Stains, varnishes, and lacquers• Wood preservatives• Artist paints and inks

General

• Dry cell batteries (mercury and cadmium)• Glues and cements

Gardening

• Pesticides• Weed killers• Ant and rodent killers• Flea powders

Automotive

• Gasoline• Used motor oil • Antifreeze• Battery acid• Solvents• Brake and transmission fluid• Rust inhibitor and rust remover

MANY BAD CHEMICALS FOUND IN YOUR HOME ARE NOT REGULATED AT A FEDERAL LEVEL! HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES.


1st Priority 2nd Priority Last Priority

Primary Pollutionand Waste Prevention

• Change industrial process to eliminate use of harmful chemicals

• Purchase different products

• Use less of a harmful product

• Reduce packaging and materials in products

• Make products that last longer and are recyclable, reusable or easy to repair

Secondary Pollution and Waste Prevention

• Reduce products

• Repair products

• Recycle

• Compost

• Buy reusable and recyclable products

Waste Management

• Treat waste to reduce toxicity

• Incinerate waste

• Bury waste in landfill

• Release waste into environment for dispersal or dilution

TOP OF PIPE IS ALWAYS CHEAPER AND MORE

EFFECTIVE

END OF PIPE METHODS COST MORE AND ARE LESS EFFECTIVE BUT OFTEN POLITICAL


Landfill

Produce Less Waste

Convert to Less Hazardous or Nonhazardous Substances

Put in Perpetual Storage

Manipulateprocesses

to eliminateor reduce

production

Recycleand

reuse

Landtreatment Incineration

Thermaltreatment

Chemicalphysical, and

biologicaltreatment

Ocean andatmosphericassimilation

Undergroundinjection

Wastepiles

Surfaceimpoundments

Saltformations

Arid regionunsaturated

zone

Figure 15-5Page 351COMMON SENSE APPROACH HAS NOT BEEN ADOPTED


Figure 15-6Page 356

Pharmaceuticalplant

Local farmers

Fish farming

Cementmanufacturer

Area homes

Wallboardfactory

Greenhouses

Oil refinery

Sulfuric acidproducer

Electricpowerplant

Sludge

Sludge

Waste

Heat

Waste

Heat

Waste

Heat

WasteHeat

Was

te

Hea

t

Surplus

Natural gas

Su

rplu

s

Su

lfur

Surplus

Natural gas

Was

te

Cal

ciu

m s

ulf

ate

INDUSTRIAL ECOSYSTEM REDUCES WASTE BY MIMICKING A NATURAL FOOD WEB

WASTES BECOME RAW MATERIALS FOR ANOTHER BUSINESS


WAYS TO PRODUCE LESS WASTE AND POLLUTION

• WASTE MANAGEMENT (HIGH VS. LOW)

• LIFE STYLE CHANGES (4 Rs – bottles, bags, e-paper)

• DESIGN REVOLUTION THAT INCLUDE EXTERNAL COSTS (BOOKS TO DIGITAL)

• CLEANER PRODUCTION (RESOURCE EXCHANGE WEBS)

• SWITCH FROM MATERIAL FLOW TO SERVICE FLOW ECONOMY WHERE LEASE OR RENT SERVICES PROVIDED BY GOODS.

• SERVICE ECONOMY PLACES EMPHASIS ON DURABILITY RATHER THAN SALES

• RECYCLE WASTE [CLOSED-LOOP (POST-CONSUMER) VS. DOWNCYCLING]

• COMPOST


WAYS FOR MUNICIPALITIES TO MAKE RECYCLING PROFITABLE

• MINIMUM PICKUP SYSTEM

• PAY-AS-YOU-THROW SYSTEM THAT CHARGES ON HOW MUCH TRASH IS DISCARDED AND ALLOWS FREE RECYCLING

• ENCOURAGE HOUSEHOLDS, EVENTS AND BUSINESSES TO RECYCLE


Outsideusers

Pipeline

Shredder

Energy recovery(steam andelectricity)

Incinerator(paper, plastics,

rubber, food,yard waste)

Food, grass, leaves

Separator

Metals Rubber Glass Plastics Paper Residue Compost

Recycled to primary manufacturers

Landfill and

reclaimingdisturbed

land

Fertilizer

Consumer (user)

Figure 15-8Page 360


CASE FOR RECYCLING PLASTICS

• WHY IS PLASTIC HARD TO RECYCLE– HARD TO ISOLATE FROM OTHER WASTE BECAUSE OF COMPLEX

POLYMERS

– LOW RESIN CONTENT (IMPORTANT PART)

– OIL USED TO MAKE PETROCHEMICALS USED TO MAKE PLASTIC RESINS AND COST OF VIRGIN RESINS IS MUCH LOWER THAN RECYCLED RESINS

EASY TO JUSTIFY RECYCLING WITH

ALUMINUM

STEEL

PAPER

LOW COSTS OF VIRGIN MATERIAL UNDERCUTS RECYCLING WITH

PLASTIC

GLASS FROM SILICA

RECYCLING IS A BIG INDUSTRY. ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT ADDS JOBS AND, OVERALL DOES NOT COSTS PEOPLE EMPLOYMENT.


Figure 15-9Page 343

Phytoremediation

Advantages Disadvantages

Easy to establish

Inexpensive

Can reduce material dumped into landfills

Produces little air pollution compared to incineration

Low energy use

Slow (can take several growing seasons)

Effective only at depth plant roots can reach

Some toxic organic chemicals may evaporate from plant leaves

Some plants can become toxic to animals

BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF WASTE IS CALLED BIOREMEDIATION. OFTEN DONE WITH MICROORGANISMS (NATURAL OR BIOENGINEERED. TREATING WASTE WITH NATURAL OR GENETICALLY ENGINEERED PLANTS TO ABSORB, FILTER AND REMOVE POLLUTANTS FROM SOILS AND WATER IS PHYTOREMEDIATION.


Figure 15-10Page 287

Plasma Arc


Small

Mobile. Easy to move to different sites

Produces no toxic ash

High cost

Produces CO2 and CO

Can release particulates and chlorine gas

Can vaporize and release toxic metals and radioactive elements

DECOMPOSES LIQUID OR SOLID ORGANIC WASTE TO IONS AND ATOMS (PYROLYSIS) THAT CAN BE CONVERTED TO SIMPLE MOLECULES, CLEANED UP AND RELEASED AS GAS. CONSIST OF PLASMA TORCH, REACTION CHAMBER AND SCRUBBER TO REMOVE BY-PRODUCTS.


Power plant

Steam

Turbine GeneratorElectricity

Crane

Furnace

Boiler

Wetscrubber

Electrostaticprecipitator

Conveyor

Water Bottomash

Conven-tional

landfill

Wastetreatment

Hazardouswastelandfill

Dirtywater

Waste pit

Smokestack

Flyash


INCINERATORS ARE DECREASINGIN USE IN COUNTRIES AND CITIES THAT HAVE USED THEM EXTENSIVELY


Advantages

Reduced trashvolume

Less need forlandfills

Low waterpollution

Disadvantages

High cost

Air pollution(especiallytoxic dioxins)

Produces ahighly toxic ash

Encourageswaste production


DISPOSING OF THE TOXIC ASH IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH MASS-BURN INCINERATORS. PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE TO LIVE

NEAR INCINERATORS DUE TO AIR POLLUTANTS


Topsoil

Sand

Clay

Garbage

Garbage

Sand

Synthetic liner

Sand

Clay

Subsoil

When landfill is full,layers of soil and clayseal in trash

Methane storageand compressor

building

Electricitygeneratorbuilding

Leachatetreatment system

Methane gasrecovery

Pipe collect explosivemethane gas used as fuel

to generate electricity

Compactedsolid waste

Leachatestorage tanks

Leachatemonitoringwell

Leachatemonitoringwell

GroundwaterGroundwater

Groundwatermonitoringwell


Leachate pipesLeachate pipes Leachate pumped upto storage tanks for

safe disposal

Leachate pumped upto storage tanks for

safe disposal

Clay and plastic liningto prevent leaks; pipescollect leachate from

bottom of landfill Figure 15-13Page 365

A SANITARY LANDFILL


Advantages

No open burning

Little odor

Low groundwaterpollution if sitedproperly

Can be builtquickly

Low operatingcosts

Can handle largeamounts of waste

Filled land canbe used for otherpurposes

No shortage oflandfill space inmany areas

Disadvantages

Noise and traffic

Dust

Air pollution fromtoxic gases andvolatile organiccompoundsreleasegreenhousegases (methaneand CO2)

Groundwatercontamination

Slowdecompositionof wastes

Encourages waste production

Eventually leaksand cancontaminategroundwater


SANITARY LANDFILLS


Advantages

Simple technology

Safe method ifsites are chosencarefully

Wastes can beretrieved ifproblemsdevelop

Easy to do

Low cost

Disadvantages

Leaks or spills atsurface

Leaks fromcorrosion of wellcasing

Existing fracturesor earthquakescan allow wastesto escape intogroundwater

Encourageswaste production


DEEP WELLS ARE USED FOR STORING LIQUID HAZARDOUS WASTES BY INJECTION



Surface Impoundments


Low construction costs

Low operating costs

Can be built quickly

Wastes can be retrieved if necessary

Can storewastes indefinitely with securedouble liners

Groundwatercontaminationfrom leaking liners(or no lining)

Air pollution fromvolatile organiccompounds

Overflow fromflooding

Disruption andleakage fromearthquakes

Promotes wasteproduction

THESE POOLS ARE ALSO USED

FOR STORING LIQUID

HAZARDOUS WASTES; THEY ARE EASY TO

BUILD AND CAN BE SET UP QUICKLY



Imperviousclay

Bulk waste Gas vent Topsoil Earth Sand Plastic cover

Impervious clay cap

Clay cap

Earth

Watertable

Groundwater

Double leachatecollection system

Plasticdoubleliner

Reactivewastesin drums


Leakdetectionsystem

IN 1989 THE BASEL CONVENTION ON HAZARDOUS WASTE REQUIRED EXPORTERS TO GET APPROVAL FROM RECIPIENT NATIONS BEFORE HAZARDOUS WASTES COULD BE SENT THERE. FOCUS HAS SHIFTED TO SECURE HAZARDOUS WASTE LANDFILLS (RADIOACTIVE!)


PROBLEMS WITH LEAD, MERCURY, CHLORINE AND DIOXINS

• LEAD IS A NEUROTOXIN THAT IS HARD ON CHILDREN. CAN BE FATAL OR CAUSE PALSY, PARTIAL PARALYSIS, BLINDNESS AND MENTAL RETARDATION. BANNING LEAD IN GAS IN 1970 WAS A BIG SUCCESS IN U.S.

• MERCURY USED IN FILLINGS, THERMOMETERS, LIGHTS, ETC. IS CONVERTED TO TOXIC FORMS AS MOVES THROUGH ECOSYSTEMS. CAN INHALE IN VAPOR OF SULFUR AND CHLORINE SALTS OR GET FROM FISH. CAUSES BRAIN DAMAGE, ESPECIALLY TO KIDS.

• CHLORINE IS FOUND IN 11,000 ORGANIC COMPOUNDS AND ACCUMULATE IN FAT. USED IN PLASTICS (PVC), SOLVENTS FOR PAPER AND PULP BLEACHING, WATER PURIFICATION (OZONE IS A SUBSTITUTE) AND INDUSTRIAL USES.

• DIOXINS ARE 75 CHLORINATED HYDROCARBON COMPOUNDS THAT ARE BY-PRODUCTS IN HIGH-TERMPERATURE REACTIONS OF CHLORINE AND HYDROCARBONS. PRODUCED WITH INCINERATION OF MUNICIPAL AND MEDICAL WASTE. – HUMAN CARCINOGEN– DISRUPT REPRODUCTIVE, ENDOCRINE AND IMMUNE SYSTEMS– AFFECT WILDLIFE



Lead Poisoning

Prevention Control

Phase out leadedgasoline worldwide

Phase out wasteincineration

Test blood for lead by age 1

Ban lead solder inplumbing pipes, fixtures,and food cans

Ban lead glazing for ceramicware used toserve food

Ban candles withlead cores

Sharply reduce lead emissions from old andnew incinerators

Replace lead pipes andplumbing fixturescontaining lead solder

Remove leaded paintand lead dust from older houses and apartments

Remove lead from TVsets and computer mon-itors before incinerationor land disposal

Test existing ceramicwareused to serve food for lead

Test existing candlesfor lead

Wash fresh fruits andvegetables



Mercury Pollution

Prevention Control

Phase out wasteincineration

Remove mercury fromcoal before it is burned

Convert coal to liquidor gaseous fuel

Switch from coal tonatural gas andrenewable energyresources suchas wind, solar cells,and hydrogen

Phase out use ofmercury in all productsunless they are recycled

Sharply reduce mercuryemissions from coal-burning plants andincinerators

Tax each unit of mercuryemitted by coal-burningplants and incinerators

Collect and recyclemercury-containingelectric switches, relays,and dry-cell batteries

Require labels on all products containingmercury



AIRWINDS PRECIPITATION WINDS PRECIPITATION

WATER

SEDIMENT

BIOMAGNIFICATIONIN FOOD CHAIN

Human sources Elementalmercury

vapor(Hg)

Inorganicmercury

and acids(Hg2+)

Inorganic mercuryand acids

(Hg2+)

Large fish

Small fish

Phytoplankton Zooplankton

Elementalmercury

liquid (Hg)

Inorganicmercury

(Hg2+)

Organicmercury(CH3Hg)

De

po

sit

ion

Va

po

rizatio

n

De

po

sit

ion

Dep

ositio

n

Settles out

Bacteria

Bacteria and acids

Settles out

Oxidation

Incinerator Coal-burning plant

Photo-chemical oxidation

Hg and SO2 Hg2+ and acids Hg2+ and acids

Naturalsources

Elementalmercury

(Hg)

Inorganicmercury

(Hg2+)

Organicmercury(CH3Hg)

Bacteria

Bacteria

Oxidation

Settles out


• RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT

• SUPERFUND ACT

• BROWNFIELDS

YOU SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THE FOLLOWING




Great Lakes drainage basin

Most polluted areas, according to the Great Lakes Water Quality Board

“Hot spots” of toxic concentrations in water and sediments

Eutrophic areas

CANADA

WISCONSIN

MINNESOTA

IOWA

ILLINOISINDIANA OHIO

PENNSYLVANIA

NEW YORK

MICHIGAN

MICHIGAN

Nipigon Bay

Thunder Bay

Silver Bay

St. Louis R.

Jackfish Bay

St. Mary’s R.

Spanish R.

Penetary Bay

Sturgeon Bay

SaginawBaySaginaw R.

SystemSt. Clair R.

Detroit R.Rouge R.Raisin R.

Maumee R.

Black R.Rocky R.

Cuyahoga R.Ashtabula R.

Thames R.

Grand R. Niagara Falls

Niagara R.Buffalo R.

St. Lawrence R.


THE GREAT LAKES HAVE A SORDID HISTORY OF POLLUTION AND A POSITIVE RECORD OF THE POLITICAL PROCESS WORKING TO CLEAN

THEM. WHY IS SUPERIOR THE CLEANEST AND ERIE THE MOST POLLUTED?

Documents

Slide 1 Municipal 1.5% Sewage sludge 1% Mining and oil and gas production 75% Industry 9.5% Agriculture 13% Figure 15-2 Page 348 CHAPTER 15: SOLID AND