SOLID HAZARDOUS WASTE TYPES OF WASTE Municipal Solid

SOLID & HAZARDOUS WASTE

TYPES OF WASTE Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) mostly paper and organics (from lawns. . . ), then plastics, which does not decompose without oxygen and moisture. Paper is easy to recycle, yet is most of our waste. Plastic is difficult to recycle, but does not easily decompose in landfills.

e-waste E-waste includes TV’s, computers, cell phones, some toys. . . E-waste is routinely exported by developed countries to developing ones. In the US, it is estimated that 5080 percent of the waste collected for recycling is being exported in this way. Small percentage of overall waste, but often contains heavy metals such as lead (accumulates in bones), mercury & cadmium (neurotoxins), nickel, copper, gold and berylium as well as PVCs which can damage the nervous system.

E-waste banned Massachusetts was first to ban e-waste from landfills. 18 more states now ban e-waste 25 states have passed e-waste recycling laws

Mercury heavy metals Potential health effects include: Lead Potentialproblems health effects include: Brain damage • Fetal developmental Cadmium • Nervous system damage • Fetal neurological problems Potential health effects • Behavior and learning problems • Kidney effects include: • Lower IQ nervous system effects • Central • Learning disabilities • Hearing problems effects • Gastrointestinal • Lung disease and cancer • Anemia • Respiratory effects. Found in/used to produce: • Kidney disease • Hypertension • Antiques • Weakkidney bonesfunction • Decreased • Appliances Found in/used to • Reproductive problems (in both men and women) • Button Cell Batteries phttp: //www. atsdr. cdc. gov/To • Miscarriage x. Profiles/tp 5 -c 1 -b. pdf • Paint Found in/used to produce: • Skin-lightening creamsjewelry • Children's jewelrymetal • Electronics • Toys • Batteries • Jewelry • Ceramics • Pigments • Lamps/Light bulbs • Lipstick • Plastics • Sporting Equipment • Paint

Mercury Potential health effects include: • Fetal developmental problems • Fetal neurological problems • Kidney effects • Central nervous system effects • Gastrointestinal effects • Respiratory effects Found in/used to produce: • Antiques • Appliances • Button Cell Batteries • Paint • Skin-lightening creams • Electronics • Jewelry • Lamps/Light bulbs • Sporting Equipment

TYPES OF WASTE • 98. 5 % is Non-Municipal Solid Waste from industry, agriculture, mining, oil & gas production, sewage sludge.

Hazardous Waste • • FLAMMABLE CHEMICALLY UNSTABLE CORROSIVE CARCINOGENS - cancer causing MUTAGENS- DNA altering TERATOGENS- birth defect causing TOXINS - disease causing

TREATMENT & DISPOSAL • Incinerate - Great Britain ~90% • landfills - United States ~55% • ocean dumping - illegal in most countries ~ 60% of debris on U. S. beaches is plastics

Disposal incineration Pros Reduces overall mass of waste Can be used to generate electricity Cons Ash contains heavy metals Creates air pollutants Contributes to acid rain Relatively expensive

Disposal - Landfills

WASTE PREVENTION • 3 R’S reduce source of waste, less expensive that trash collection & disposal (once established), can be industry & public, contributes to more jobs. . . ) • REDUCE - less packaging, buy less (best low -waste approach) • REUSE - shopping bags, water bottles. . . 2 nd best approach • RECYCLE - plastics and cans. . . U. S. recycles ~25% of MSW. May cause pollution & uses energy. Cost more than dumping.

• 4 th R - Repurpose - Using an item for something other than the initial intent. For example. Making coffee cans into flower pots. • 5 th R - Refuse - say no. shop smarter • Compost - Yard waste (organics) can be used to prevent erosion, fill in strip mined lands and for other soil improvements.

HISTORICAL - Love Canal 1894 - canal started to connect Lakes Erie & Ontario (went bankrupt)

HISTORICAL - Love Canal 1942 - Hooker Chemicals starts dumping 82 known different chemicals (some carcinogenic) 1953 Company fills the canal and sells the land to Niagara Falls Board of Education 1955 Elementary school opens 1959 Chemical seepage into basements is noticed/reported 1974 Barrels of chemicals are exposed

HISTORICAL - Love Canal 1976 -77 Investigation reveals widespread contamination 1979 Evacuation of pregnant women & young children 1980 CERCLA enacted

LEGISLATION • Resource Conservation & Recovery Act - Establishes waste management programs. Tracks hazardous waste from cradle to grave • CERCLA (Superfund) - pays to clean up abandoned hazardous sites or holds polluter accountable if possible