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Alternative End-Of-Life Waste Management
Practices
SHERIN K RAHMAN
M.TECH
(ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT)
Current ScenarioAs a nation, we are generating more garbage (960 million tonnes/year !!!!) and we don’t know what to do
with it.
Ineffective or irresponsible disposal of this waste can pollute the environment and pose a public health risk.
Current disposal methods threaten our health, safety, and environment, and pose additional indirect costs
to society.
When waste is burned, it releases hazardous gases into the air and leaves toxic residues in the form of ash.
These hazardous waste byproducts find their way into humans and animals in one form or another.
In order to manage waste, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Solid Waste Act favor an
integrated solid waste management strategy that includes :
1) Reducing the amount of solid waste generated,
2) Recycling as much refuse as possible,
3) Transforming waste in an environmentally safe manner, and
4) Continuing safe landfilling.
Reduce: Buy only what you need because a better way to reduce waste is by not creating it.
Reuse: If you have to acquire goods, try getting used ones or obtaining substitutes.
Recycle: When discarding your waste, find ways to recycle it instead of letting it go to landfill.
Recovery: It may be possible to recover materials or energy from waste which cannot be reduced, reused or
recycled.
Waste Management OptionsIt is important to understand the capabilities and
limitations of different waste management options for
the various types of wastes generated in order to make
cost effective waste management decisions that are
protective of human health and the environment.
As a general matter, EPA has a waste management
hierarchy, with a preference for reuse and recycling
options.
Reuse
Possible Waste Streams: Construction and Demolition Materials; Soil , Mud, and Sand;
Electronics; White Goods; Vehicles and Marine Vessels; Building Contents
Recycle
Possible Waste Streams: Vegetative Debris; Construction and Demolition Materials; Electronics; White
Goods
Combustion
Possible Waste Streams: Vegetative Debris; Municipal Solid Waste; Animal Carcasses; Biologically
Contaminated Waste.
Landfill
Possible Waste Streams: Vegetative Debris; Construction and Demolition Materials; Soil ,Mud, and Sand;
Municipal Solid Waste; Hazardous Waste; Electronics; White Goods; Putrescent Waste; Animal
Carcasses; Radiological , Biological , and Chemical Contaminated Wastes.
Tools to measure life-cycle GHG and energy benefits Waste Reduction Model (WARM)
- Calculates the benefits of alternative materials management decisions (focusing on end-of-life
perspective)
Recycled Content Tool (ReCon)
- Calculates the benefits of alternative recycled content purchasing decisions
Individual WARM (iWARM)
- Calculates energy saved by recycling small quantities of common waste materials
EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM) online tool for quantifying the life-cycle climate and waste connections EPA created WARM to help solid waste planners and organizations track and voluntarily report greenhouse
gas emissions reductions and energy savings from several different waste management practices.
Purpose of WARM :
1. Understand the link between waste management practices and climate change;
2. Incorporate GHG impacts into decision-making processes;
3. Communicate GHG emission reductions to the public;
4. Improve materials management through incorporation into climate action plans at the municipal and
state level
Intended Audience and Scope
Audience:
Solid waste managers, primarily from state and local governments who want to evaluate various waste
management options ; EPA source reduction and recycling program managers who are required to annually
report GHG benefits of program activities; EPA source reduction and recycling program participants.
Scope:
Source reduction, recycling, and composting are evaluated in comparison to combustion and landfilling ;
Emissions represent baseline versus alternative waste management scenarios (i.e., not absolute);Currently
covers over 50 material types
Using WARM - DemoWARM available at www.epa.gov/warm
Users input:
Tonnage by material type for two scenarios: baseline and alternative
Landfill characteristics
1. LFG recovery status
2. Collection system efficiency
Transportation distances
Implications & LimitationsQuantifying connections illustrates the varying, and sometimes unexpected, GHG impacts of different materialsmanagement practices.
Understanding these impacts can help waste managers:
1. maximize the GHG and energy benefits of diversion programs,
2. quantify program benefits, and
3. communicate climate-related waste reduction benefits to consumers and members of the general public.
Limitations:
Emission results are relative to alternative scenarios
Factors do not reflect use phase emissions
Not all waste management practices are currently included (e.g., anaerobic digestion)
EPA’s Recycled Content Tool (ReCon) online tool for quantifying the GHG and energy benefits of recycled content.Purpose:
To assist companies and individuals in estimating the life-cycle GHG and energy impacts of
(a) purchasing, (b) manufacturing, and/or (c) increasing the recycled content of certain materials
Approach:
Uses a streamlined life-cycle methodology.
Measures GHG impacts throughout the material life cycle: raw material acquisition, manufacture, transport, and disposal; excludes use phase.
Includes forest and landfill C sequestration and avoided utility emissions from waste/landfill gas to energy.
Provides relative baseline vs. alternative scenario results.
Using ReCon - Demo For online or Excel tool, go to:
http://epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/warm/ReCon_home.html
Enter the amount of each material purchased or manufactured.
Enter the baseline (or current) and alternate post-consumer recycled content of each material.
Select to view GHG and energy outputs.
EPA’s individual Waste Reduction Model (iWARM) It is an online tool for quantifying the energy savings from recycling on a personal level.
For online or Excel tool, go to:
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/iwarm/index.htm
Enter the amount of each household item recycled
Choose an appliance to see how long the energy savings from recycling would power that
appliance.
Example Material Proxies
WARM Material Proxy Guidance available at: http://epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/warm/pdfs/Using_WARM_EFs_Materials_Pathways_111612.pdf
For More Information...WARM: www.epa.gov/warm
ReCon: www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/warm/ReCon_home.html
iWARM: www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/iwarm/index.htm
Model Documentation: http://epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/warm/SWMGHGreport.html