GEO, 2010

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

28TH May 2010

Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy, CEO, GEO

http://e-geo.org

Centre for Social Initiative and Management

GEO, 2010

What does it mean to be Green?? What is Sustainability??

What does it mean to be Green?? What is Sustainability??

What does it mean to be Green?? What is Sustainability??

What does it mean to be Green?? What is Sustainability??

What does it mean to be Green?? What is Sustainability??

GEO, 2010

Sustainability

United Nations World Commission on Environment

and Development (1987) Sustainable Development

definition:“… development that meets

the needs of the present without compromising the

ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

• Biodegradable• Recyclable• Ozone friendly• Eco-design• Greenwashing• Environmentally

Friendly• Sustainable

Products• Green product• Environmentally

Preferable

wwblog.miragestudio7.com

GEO, 2010

What Can the Earth Handle?

Population (2007)

Annual Growth Rate (00 – 07)

World 6.7 Billion 1.24%

LDC 5.4 Billion 1.44%

MDC 1.2 Billion 0.36%

US 301 Million 1.03%

World Population StatisticsUN Population Division• The estimate of Earth’s

Maximum supportable population is 13.4 billion.

• Looking at the population statistics, where are we headed?

Renewable Energy Source Will Limit Our Growth! Average per capita energy consumption is 3

kW/person•US 12 kW/person•Industrialized 7.5 kW/person•Denmark 5.1 kW/person•Developing 1kW/person

GEO, 2010

Being Green is Trendy . . . . . . . . . . .What Does Science Say?

• Industry is looking for ways to green their products and manufacturing processes.

• Individuals and Families are looking to green their homes and lifestyles.

• How can you tell if something really is green??

• What is currently happening to achieve this goal?

• Scientists perform a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

www.scienceinthebox.com

GEO, 2010

Definition:

“Compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle”

This establishes an environmental profile of the system!

ISO = International Organization for Standardization

Ensures that an LCA is completed in a certain way.

WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH LCA?

1.Product or project development and improvement2.Strategic planning3.Public policy making4.Marketing and eco-declarations

www.davidreport.com

GEO, 2010

• Producing one ton of recycled steel saves the energy equivalent of 3.6 barrels of oil and 1.5 tons of iron ore, compared to the production of new steel?

• Producing paper using a chlorine-free process uses between 20 and 25 percent less water than conventional chlorine-based paper production processes?

GEO, 2010

Worldwatch Institute, Worldwatch Paper 166: Purchasing Power: Harnessing Institutional Procurement for People and the Planet, July 2003, www.worldwatch.org

GEO, 2010

Life Cycle Assessment

A process to evaluate the environmental burdens associated with a product by identifying and

quantifying energy and materials used and wastes released into the environment; to assess the impact of

those energy and material uses and releases to the environment; and to identify and evaluate

opportunities to affect environmental improvements. (SETAC, 1991)

GEO, 2010

Product Life Cycle

Raw MaterialAcquisition

MaterialProcessing

Manufacture& Assembly

Use &Service

Re tirement& Recovery

TreatmentDisposal

open-loop recycle

reuse

remanufacture

closed-loop recycle

M, E

W W W W W

M, E M, E M, E M, EM, E

W

M, E = Material and Energy inputs to process and distributionW = Waste (gas, liquid, or solid) output from product, process, or distribution Material flow of product component

GEO, 2010

What Makes Up LCA

• Goal & Scope Definition What is the purpose of the LCA

and who is the audience?

• Inventory Analysis (LCI)1. What is the function & functional

unit?

2. Where are the boundaries?

3. What data do you need?

4. What assumptions are you making?

5. Are there any limitations?

• Impact Assessment (LCIA)What are the environmental, social,

and economic affects?

• InterpretationWays to reduce environmental

impacts.

What conclusions can you draw from the study?

What recommendations can be made?

GEO, 2010

Items To Consider??

Inputs

What is needed to make the substance!

1. Energy

2. Materials

3. Labor

Outputs

What comes out of the system!

1. Products (electricity, materials, goods, services)

2. Waste

3. Emissions

4. Co-products

GEO, 2010

Data CollectionLife Cycle Inventory Analysis

1. Time-sensitive = past 5 years2. Geographical = does it match

the location from the goal3. Technology = best available

technology for process4. Representativeness = reflects

population of interest5. Consistency = matches the

procedure6. Reproducibility = another

person could find it

Never Forget . . . . . . .

Precision:The consistent reproducibility

of a measurement

Completeness:Covers all the areas outlined

in the scope

GEO, 2010

LCA in Action: Think About It!Paper Plate vs. China (Plate You Wash & Reuse)

What is the function? What is the functional

unit? What materials &

resources are used? What does it take to

produce both?

What are the impacts to the environment?

Is there waste? Does washing the

China produce waste? What types of data do

you need? How do you know

which is better?

GEO, 2010

Data AnalysisEnvironmental Impact Categories

Global Warming Potential • Gases in the

atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation

• Trap heat from the sun• Water vapor, CO2 , CH4 ,

ozone, NO2

Abiotic Depletion• Consumption of non-

living resourcesHuman Toxicity Potential• Value that shows harms

to humans from chemicals

Land Use• How much land is

needed

GEO, 2010

Environmental Impact CategoriesContinued . . . . .

Eutrophication• Increase in chemical

nutrients containing nitrogen or phosphorus

• land or water• overgrowth of plants• killing organisms at

bottom of waterWater UseMercury

Acidification• caused by pollution from

fuels & acid rain• low pHSmog (Winter or Summer)

Energy UseSolid Waste

Oil. . . . . . . AND MANY MORE!!

GEO, 2010

Where Do We Go From Here?

• What is the purpose of all this data??

• Scientists can make recommendations of choices that are less impactful

• Scientists can analyze a particular impact and focus on a solution

• Industry & Individuals can take a closer look at how they can make a difference

Class Project

Evaluate 2 products using the LCA method and

make change!

GEO, 2010

Where Does Our “Stuff” Come From?

Let’s check it out with . . . .

“The Story of Stuff”

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

GEO, 2010

What is LCA?

• Enables estimation of cumulative environmental impacts results from all stages of the product life cycle

• A “cradle-to-grave” approach “for assessing the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product by;– compiling an inventory of relevant inputs and outputs of a

system– evaluating the potential environmental impacts associated with

these inputs and outputs– interpreting the results of the inventory and impact phases in

relation to the objectives of the study.” (ISO 14040)

GEO, 2010

Raw Materials

Materials Processing

Product Manufacture

Retail Outlets

Product Use and Service

Reuse - Recycling

Disposal

Materials

Energy

Transport

Water Effluents

Air Emissions

Solid Wastes

Other Releases

Usable Products

Areas covered by LCA

T-shirt example (cotton)

• Growing• Harvesting• Spinning• Weaving/knitting• Bleaching, dyeing, washing

and treatment• Cutting and sewing• Use - reuse• Disposal - recycling Use and maintenance

Disposal/end of life

Processing of materials

Production

Extraction of materials

GEO, 2010

Objectives of LCA• To provide a complete a picture as possible of the

interactions of an activity with the environment.

• To contribute to the understanding of the overall and interdependent nature of the environmental consequences of human activities.

• To provide decision makers with information which defines the environmental effects of these activities and identifies opportunities for environmental improvements

GEO, 2010

LCA Applications

External uses:• Marketing or support for specific

environmental claims.• Labelling.• Public education and communication.• Policy making.• Supporting the establishment of purchasing

procedures

GEO, 2010

LCA Applications

Internal uses:• Strategic planning.• Product & process design, improvements &

optimisation.• Identifying environmental improvement

opportunities.• Support the establishment of purchasing

procedures or specifications.• Environmental auditing & waste minimisation

GEO, 2010

assembly

poly- aluminium

extrusion

+ transport

disposal inmunicipalwaste

disposal of

in org. waste

use

paper

duction filter pro-

sheet steel

stampingforming

glass

forming

filters + coffee

coffee

roasting

packaging

water

injectionmoulding

bean styrene

electricity

Simplified Process Tree for a Coffee Machine

GEO, 2010

assembly

poly- aluminium

extrusion

+ transport

disposal inmunicipalwaste

disposal of

in org. waste

use

paper

duction filter pro-

sheet steel

stampingforming

glass

forming

filters + coffee

coffee

roasting

packaging

water

injectionmoulding

bean styrene

electricity

Process Tree:Amounts & Assumptions7.3 kg 1 kg 0.1 kg 0.3 kg 0.4 kg

White boxes are not included in the inventory

375 kWh

GEO, 2010

Impact Analysis1. Define impact categories2. Determine which loads affect different impact categories3. Assign indicators to impact categories4. Weigh importance of each category

27

Environmental ImpactEnvironmental Load

greenhouse effect

ozone layer depletion

eutrophication

depletion of abiotic resources

(summer) smog

acidification

copper

CO2

CFC

SO2

NOx

phosphorous

volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

heavy metals

PCB

pesticides

styreneeco-toxicity

depletion of biotic resources

human toxicity

odour

Scalar IndicatorScalar Indicator

GEO, 2010

Resource depletion

Green houseeffect

Depletion ofozone layer

• Source: Use of copper, zinc, oil etc.• Effect: Reduction of possibilities for future generations

• Source: Combustion (transport, energy etc.)• Effect: Increase in temperature, desert formation etc.

• Source: CFC and HCFC from foam and coolants• Effect: UV radiation, skin cancer etc.

Global Impact Categories

GEO, 2010

Regional Impact Categories

Persistent toxicity

Acidification

Ozone formation

Eutrofication

• Source: Transport, energy, industry (Hydrocarbons etc.)• Effect: Ozone formation (Damage of lung tissue etc. )

• Source: Transport, energy, agriculture• Effect: Damage to woodlands, lakes and buildings (SOx, NOx, NH3 )

• Source: Fertilisers, waste water, transport and energy• Effect: Eutrophication (Damage to plants and fish)

• Source: Waste water, incineration, industry, ships etc. • Effect: Accumulation: Chronic damage to ecosystems and organisms

GEO, 2010

Plastic versus Paper Bag

• The paper bag causes more winter smog and acidification, but scores better on the other environmental effects.

• The classification does not reveal which is the better bag. What is missing is the mutual weighting of the effects.

Classification / Characterisation

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

greenhouseeffect

ozone layerdepletionacidification

eutrophicationheavy metals carcinogens winter smog

summer smog

pesticides

Paper bag

LDPE bag

GEO, 2010

Source: Electrolux 1998

• Calculated environmental impacts across the products life cycle• identifies and quantifies energy & materials used,

waste emissions, etc• identifies improvement potentials

GEO, 2010

LCA of washing machines

98%2%Water Consumption5%87%

1%

7%Solid Waste

96%

1%

4%Water Pollution

98%2%Air Pollution

96%4%Energy

DisposalUseDistributionProduction

GEO, 2010

Ref: http://....

Thank you