SOLID TOXIC AND HAZARDOUS WASTE SOLID WASTE Solid

SOLID, TOXIC AND HAZARDOUS WASTE

SOLID WASTE Solid waste-any unwanted or discarded materials that is not a liquid or gas United States-leader of the “throw away” society 4. 6% of the world's population 33% of the world's solid waste 75% of its hazardous waste 2

SOLID WASTE MSW (municipal solid waste) 60% homes 40% commercial and institutional facilities Agricultural waste Mining waste Industrial waste 3 3

SOLID WASTE Problems Disease Fire potential Decrease in the aesthetic quality of the environment 4 4 www 2. tltc. ttu. edu/jackson/solid%20 waste. ppt

MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE In 2008, US Approximately 4. 5 pounds of waste person per day Up from 2. 7 pounds person per day in 1960 Developed world ranges from 1. 8 -4. 8 pounds of waste person per day Developing world ranges from 1. 2 pounds of waste person per day 5 http: //www. epa. gov/epaoswer/non-

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WASTE DISPOSAL METHODS Landfills Incineration Shrinking the waste stream (Integrated Waste Management) Composting Reduce Reuse Recycle 7

SANITARY LANDFILLS Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), landfills that accept MSW are primarily regulated by state, tribal, and local governments protect human health and the environment conservation of energy and natural resources, reduction in waste generated, and environmentally sound waste management practices. EPA established national standards 8 8

Landfill Design Bottom liner may be layers of clay or other synthetic material (clay, plastic, or composite), placed on compacted soil. Bottom of the landfill is sloped and pipes along the bottom collect leachate. Leachate pumped away and treated at a plant. Trash is dumped onto the landfill and consistently layered with soil to promote safer and better decomposition. A cover is placed over the landfill to keep water out (to preventual leachate formation). Landfills also must have a system to dispose of methane gas. 9

Landfill Design 10

FEDERAL LANDFILL STANDARDS Location restrictions built in suitable geological areas away from faults, wetlands, flood plains, or other restricted areas Operating practices such as compacting and covering waste frequently with several inches of soil helps reduce odor; control litter, insects, and rodents; and protect public health Groundwater monitoring requires testing groundwater wells to determine whether waste materials have escaped from the landfill 11

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WASTE DISPOSAL METHODS CONT. Incineration Reduces volumes of waste up to 90% Higher tipping fees Leads to increased air pollution Produce concentrated toxic ash Energy used to heat buildings or generate electricity Require large quantities in order to burn efficiently 13

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SHRINKING THE WASTE STREAM Composting Biological decomposition of organic matter, such as food and yard wastes, into humus, a soil-like material Benefits Keeps organic wastes out of landfills Provides nutrients to the soil Increases beneficial soil organisms Reduces the need for fertilizers and pesticides Protects soils from erosion 15

SHRINKING THE WASTE STREAM Reduce Decrease excess packaging Excess packaging of food and consumer products is one of our greatest sources of unnecessary waste. Source reduction (waste prevention) means consuming and throwing away less Developing products that are easy to reuse, manufacture and recycle Purchasing durable, longlasting goods 16

SHRINKING THE WASTE STREAM Reuse Repair, donate, or selling them Use a product more than once, either for the same purpose or for a different purpose Preferable to recycling because the item does not need to be reprocessed before it can be used again Reduces energy and pollution Ways to reuse: Using durable coffee mugs · Using cloth napkins or towels · Refilling bottles · 17

SHRINKING THE WASTE STREAM Recycling Closed vs. open looped Benefits Reduces the emission of many greenhouse gases and water pollutants Saves energy, supplies valuable raw materials to industry Creates jobs Stimulates the development of greener technologies Conserves resources Reduces the need for new landfills 18 http: //www. epa. gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/facts. htm

U. S. RECYCLING RATES 19

E-WASTE Consists of toxic and hazardous waste such as PVC, lead, mercury and cadmium, etc. In 2012, global sales of new equipment usually will become obsolete or unwanted often within 1 -3 years: 238. 5 million tvs 444. 4 million computers and tablets 1. 74 billion cell phones US produces almost ½ of the world’s e-waste but only recycles about 11 -14% About ¾ of the e-waste that given to recyclers is exported to developing countries 20

HAZARDOUS WASTE Any discarded liquid or solid that contains substances known to be: Fatal to humans or laboratory animals in low doses. Toxic, carcinogenic, or mutagenic. Explosive or highly reactive. Ex. : paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides contain hazardous components 21

DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTES Deep-well disposal-liquid hazardous wastes pumped through a pipe beneath aquifers Aboveground buildings-made of concrete Surface impoundments-excavated depressions or ponds into which liquid hazardous wastes are drained and stored Secure hazardous waste landfills-store in drums and carefully bury 22

HAZARDOUS WASTE REGULATION Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Expanded in 1976 to cover hazardous waste Protect human health and the natural environment by reducing or eliminating the generation of hazardous waste “cradle to grave” tracking Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). “Superfund” Imposes a tax on chemical an petroleum industries Identifies abandoned hazardous waste dump sites Protects and cleans up groundwater near sites 23

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SUPERFUND SITES HEAR OF LOVE CANAL? Love Canal (Niagara Falls, NY) Homes and a school were built on land that a chemical company used as a toxic waste dump (1942 -1953) Toxic wastes leaked out causing: asthma, dizziness, blurred vision, seizures, miscarriages, birth defects, etc. 1978 -1980: 939 families were evacuated Company paid $98 million to help cleanup mistake 25

BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM Created in 1995 by EPA to assist state and local governments in cleaning up contaminated industrial or commercial sites that may require environmental cleanup before they can be redeveloped or expanded 26