Land Pollution Solid Waste LAND POLLUTION SOLID WASTE

Land Pollution Solid Waste

LAND POLLUTION – SOLID WASTE: is any discarded material that is not a liquid or a gas TOTAL AMOUNT OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE PRODUCED PER YEAR Examine the figure below. What is happening to the total amount of waste produced?

KINDS OF WASTE BIODEGRADABLE: a material that can be broken down by living things into simpler chemicals that can be consumed by living things. * Products made from natural materials are biodegradable E. g. paper bags, newspaper, cotton fibers and leather NON-BIODEGRADABLE: synthetics made by combining chemicals to form compounds that do not exist in nature. These compounds can NOT be broken down by living things. E. g. Polyester, nylon, and plastic

Solid Waste COMPOSITION OF ALL SOLID WASTE PRODUCED Examine the figure below. How much is hazardous? What is the largest solid waste? What is the smallest source of solid waste?

SOLID WASTE MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE Examine the figure below. What is the largest portion of municipal solid waste? What is the smallest portion? How much is biodegradable? Non-biodegradable? Other?

WHERE OUR TRASH GOES LANDFILLS: waste disposal facilities where wastes are put in the ground and covered each day with a layer of dirt, plastic, or both What percentage of our trash is: Stored in Landfills? 57% Recycled? 27% Incinerated? 16% Problems with Landfills Leachate: water that contains toxic chemicals dissolved from wastes in a landfill Methane: a highly flammable gas that is produced deep in the landfill where organic waste decomposes and there is no oxygen

WHERE OUR TRASH GOES Safeguards Added to Landfills 1. Landfills must be lined with clay or a plastic liner 2. Landfills must have systems for treating leachate 3. Landfills must have vent pipes installed to carry methane out of landfill, where it can be released into air or burned to produce energy 20 American States will be out of landfill space within 10 years

INCINERATION PROS and CONS of Incineration - - PROS some have equipment that use heat from burning waste to produce steam for energy space needed in landfill reduced CONS - some of burned waste ends up in air as poisonous gases and ash goes to landfill - ash is more toxic - needs lots of waste to run therefore, reduces incentive to recycle

INCINERATOR

NEW LANDFILLS