geography: contemporary urban environments - urban waste + disposal

what are the factors affecting waste streams?

• economic characteristics - global waste trade e.g. LIC’s processing waste for HIC’s

• lifestyle - rural areas produce less waste

• attitudes - towards recycling

why has there been an increase in waste generation?

population growth and economic development

• greater personal wealth increases consumption of goods and services which leads to more waste

which areas produce the most waste?

urban areas - large concentrations of people leads to a large amount of municipal soil waste

what are the sources of urban waste?

• domestic

• municipal/urban

• industrial

• commercial

• institutional

what is domestic waste?

households - consequence of household activities such as cooking, cleaning and repairs

e.g. empty containers, paper or batteries

what is municipal waste?

municipal activities and services e.g. street cleaning and abandoned vehicles

includes solid domestic and commercial waste

what is institutional waste?

waste that could be hazardous to the environment of public health

e.g. hospitals, research institutes and universities

what is industrial waste?

power or chemical plants, construction sites - comes from light or heavy manufacturing

what is commercial waste?

waste produced by businesses such as offices, manufacturing industries, restaurants, schools

offices, stores, restaurants, hotels

what is a waste stream?

the flow of waste from its origin through to its eventual disposal

what is the global waste trade?

international trade of waste between countries for its disposal, recycling or further treatment

what is a circular economy?

an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and supporting the continual use of resources

why are HIC’s more likely to invest in waste management?

• high costs of collecting and treating waste → in LIC’s they can spend up to 50% of their budget on solid waste management

what are some of the methods of waste disposal?

• burial - waste is burned

• incineration - energy generated by burning waste

• recovery - the reuse of organic materials, using digestive energy

• recycling - the reprocessing of waste into new products

• unregulated - waste placed in illegal areas

• submerged at sea

• trade - e.g. electronic waste is shipped

what is the issue with unregulated disposal of waste?

dumped in unofficial disposal sites - can cause chemicals to enter ecosystems and harm animals

what is waste recovery?

using waste to gain benefit from it and reducing the other products needed

why is unregulated dumping of solid waste an issue?

solid waste that is not properly collected and disposed of can become a breeding ground for insects, vermin and scavenging animals which can then pass on diseases

e.g. UN-Habitat study found that in areas where waste is not collected frequently, acute respiratory infections were 6 times higher

how can ground and surface water be contaminated by waste?

by leachates and other waste not properly disposed of

what is recovery?

selective extraction of disposed materials for a specific next use

what is recycling?

when material from which the items are made can be reproduced into new products

• saves significant energy + reduces landfill waste

however, lots of energy is required which leads to greenhouse gas emissions

what is trade?

waste may be moved between or within countries

• toxic/hazardous waste are taken from high to low income countries

  • countries do not have safe recycling regulations or waste is not properly disposed of which may contaminate the environment

what is incineration?

can reduce the volume of waste disposed by up to 90%

• general waste can be safely burned at high temperatures in controlled conditions

open-burning of waste is common in LIC’s which can cause air pollution associated with low temp combustion

what is burial/landfill?

a site for the disposal of waste materials - land filled in with waste

• higher regulations in HIC’s

what are the environmental problems which can arise from waste disposal?

• methane produced by rotting organic matter, bleach and ammonia can produce toxic gases which negatively impact the quality of the nearby air quality

• can also affect groundwater and water quality because toxic chemicals can leach out and pollute water

how does London dispose of urban waste produced?

• local authorities can only reach 42% recycling rates

  • the government is aiming to reach a circular economy by engaging with producers of consumer goods and setting national requirements for disposing of waste

what is London’s recycling initiative to dispose of urban waste?

aim to divert waste from landfills

• helps conserve resources, reduce energy consumption and reduce landfill space

• effectiveness depends on public participation + efficiency of recycling facilities

what is London’s waste to energy facilities to dispose of urban waste?

investment in facilities that incinerate non-recyclable waste to generate electricity or heat

e.g. the Beddington energy recovery facility in Sutton which bruns rubbish at high temps → super heats which produces steam and drives a turbine to generate electricity

• enough energy to power itself and 60,000 homes

• contributes to waste reduction and energy generation

however, concerns relating to greenhouse gas emissions

what is London’s circular ecconomy sratergies to dispose of urban waste?

aiming to maximise resource efficiency, minimise waste generation and promote reuse and recycling

where materials are reused, repaired, and recycled in a closed-loop system, reducing the need for raw materials and minimizing waste.

what are the environmental issues associated with unregulated waste dumping?

ecosystems are damaged, rivers and groundwater polluted, wildlife can be trapped in waste, unwanted vermin that can transmit diseases

• Pollution: leads to pollution - toxic substances can leach into soil and groundwater.

• Health Hazards: open dumping creates breeding grounds for pests and pathogens, posing health risks to humans and wildlife.

• Aesthetic and Social Issues: degrades natural landscapes and urban environments, affecting quality of life.

what are the environmental issues associated with recycling?

• Resource Conservation: recycling conserves raw materials, reduces the need for new resource extraction, and saves energy.

• Pollution Reduction: proper recycling processes reduce air and water pollution compared to manufacturing from raw materials.

• Challenges: contamination of recyclables can reduce efficiency and effectiveness, leading to potential environmental harm if not properly managed.

Reduces demand on raw materials, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, uses less energy. However - require new infrastructure and collection points

what are the environmental issues associated with incineration?

• Volume Reduction reduces the volume of waste, decreasing landfill space

• Energy Generation: waste-to-energy plants convert waste into electricity and heat, providing a renewable energy source.

• Air Pollution: incineration can release pollutants, including dioxins and heavy metals, if not properly controlled and regulated.

• Ash Disposal: residue from incineration must be managed and often contains hazardous materials.

it releases a wide variety of pollutants which leads to health deterioration and environmental degradation

what environmental advantages does energy recovery have over incineration?

1. It disposes of solid, liquid and gaseous waste.

2. It is a practical method of disposing of certain hazardous waste materials (such as biological medical waste).

3. Ash residue from the furnace can be processed for removal of recyclable scrap metals.

4. Filters can remove many of the emissions

5. It reduces the amount of waste going into landfill.

what are the environmental issues associated with energy recovery?

• Energy Production: Energy recovery from waste, such as through anaerobic digestion or gasification, generates renewable energy.

• Emission Concerns: can still produce emissions, including greenhouse gases.

• Waste Reduction: Helps divert waste from landfills and reduces overall waste volume.

the incineration process produces ash which still needs to be disposed of, this ash can be contaminated with toxins - these need special landfill for disposal.

what are the environmental issues associated with burial?

• Land Use: require large areas of land, potentially disrupting local ecosystems and landscapes.

• Methane Emissions: organic waste decomposes anaerobically in landfills, producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

• Leachate: Contaminated liquid can seep into groundwater if not properly managed, causing water pollution.

• Long-Term Management: require ongoing monitoring and management to prevent environmental contamination.

what are the environmental issues associated with submergence (ocean dumping)?

• Marine Pollution: can lead to severe marine pollution, harming aquatic life and ecosystems.

• Toxic Accumulation: Pollutants can accumulate in the food chain, affecting marine organisms and human health through seafood consumption.

• Legal and Ethical Issues: Ocean dumping is generally banned or strictly regulated due to its significant environmental impact.

what are the environmental issues associated with trade (waste export)?

• Environmental Justice: Exporting waste to developing countries can lead to environmental and health issues in those regions, often due to weaker regulations and lack of infrastructure.

• Resource Utilization: countries may have more advanced recycling and waste management systems, making waste trade beneficial in certain cases.

• Transportation Emissions: Shipping waste long distances contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation.

why did Manilla adopt a waste disposal strategy?

majority of waste is openly burned or dumped in rivers, creeks and Manilla bay

• improper waste disposal, inefficient waste collection and lack of disposal facilities

if not addressed the waste will lead to degradation of the environment and residents health

what is Manilla’s waste disposal strategy?

2001: government introduced ‘ecological solid waste management act of the Philippines’ to encourage the reduction of waste at the source, recovery and recycling

• Segregation at Source: Households and businesses are required to segregate waste into biodegradable, recyclable, residual, and special/hazardous waste.

• Regular Collection: The city provides regular waste collection services, with separate collection schedules for different types of waste to facilitate proper sorting and recycling.

• efforts to close landfill sites or sites of unregulated dumping

• Recycling Centers: MRFs (material recovery facilities) are established in barangays (local neighborhoods) to process segregated waste, recover recyclable materials, and reduce the volume of waste sent to landfills.

• Composting: Organic waste is composted at MRFs to produce soil conditioners for urban agriculture and gardening.

• Act requires LGUs to establish solid waste management programs and materials recovery facilities

what is waste colonialism?

the domination of one group in their homeland by another group through waste

how did waste colonialism occur in Turkey?

containers of mixed plastics were illegally imported - the UK exports 61% of plastic waste

• exporting waste to poorer countries without effective waste management systems or environmental legislation + regulation

how did waste colonialism occur in Vietnam?

Germany imports MPW waste to Vietnam where workers are paid less than £5 a day to sort plastic into recyclable and non recyclable elements

how does incineration occur in Amsterdam?

• Waste-to-Energy Plants: utilizes advanced waste-to-energy (WtE) facilities, such as the AEB Amsterdam plant, which processes household and industrial waste to generate electricity and heat.

• High Recycling Rates: incineration process is complemented by high recycling rates and extensive waste separation to ensure that recyclable materials are not incinerated.

how are landfills used in Amsterdam?

• Limited Use: Amsterdam has significantly reduced its reliance on landfills, using them primarily for residual waste that cannot be recycled or incinerated.

• Sanitary Landfills: Modern sanitary landfills with proper lining and leachate management systems are used to minimize environmental impact.

what are the advantages of incineration in Amsterdam?

• can produce 1 million MWH of electricity annually

  • used to provide heating for 7 communities and produces 300,00 gigajoules of heat annually

• 1.4 million tonnes of waste is bought to the plant

• 64% of the waste out the plant is recycled

• the waternet water treatment plant is next year - the incineration plant supplies energy and rent for water treatment processes

  • biogas is a fuel source

• performs 7 functions simultaneously which avoids 438 kilotons of co2 per year

what are the disadvantages of incineration in Amsterdam?

• plant was expensive to build and maintenance costs

• waste reduction and circular economy would be a better overall solution

• not all waste is combustible

• releases pollutants

what is the environmental impact of incineration in Amsterdam?

• Reduced Landfill Use: reducing waste volume, incineration decreases the need for landfills, mitigating associated land and water pollution.

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Incineration generates CO2 and other greenhouse gases, although modern plants strive to minimize these emissions.

• Resource Recovery: The process can recover metals from the ash, contributing to resource conservation.

what are the advantages of landfill in Amsterdam?

• can keep up with levels of material consumption

• can be used for different types of waste

• Low Initial Cost: Compared to incineration plants, landfills are cheaper to establish and maintain.

• Simplicity: Landfilling is a straightforward method of waste disposal, requiring less complex technology.

what are the disadvantages of landfill in Amsterdam?

• objections from the public due to the smell, soil pollution and groundwater contamination

• landfill tax on every ton of waste filled and a landfill ban covering 35 waste categories introduced in 1995

• takes up space in the city

what is the environmental impact of landfill in Amsterdam?

• Groundwater Contamination: Leachate from landfills can contaminate soil and groundwater if not properly managed.

• Methane Production: Landfills are significant sources of methane emissions, contributing to climate change.

• Land Degradation: Long-term land occupation and potential contamination affect local ecosystems and biodiversity.