APES Unit 8.9 Solid Waste Disposal

★ Go into my teacher notes or your textbook and define

and explain…

• U.S. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CER CLA)

1. Law that expanded solid waste laws to protect human health and natural environment by reducing or eliminating the generation of hazardous waste. EPA has hazardous wastes listed and works with businesses and authorities to enforce the law. the HSWA encourages waste minimization and phased out the disposal of hazardous waste on land.

2. Act that imposes tax on the chemical petroleum industries to fund the cleanup of abandoned and nonoperating hazardous waste sites. It authorizes the federal government to respond directly to the release or threatened release of toxic substances.

Solid Waste

Any discarded solid material

Municipal Solid Waste

Solid waste collected by municipalities from households, small businesses, and institutions (schools, prisons, hospitals)

Why do Developing Countries Produce More MSW?

• Growing populations

• More manufacturing

E-Waste

Electronic waste

• ex. Old computers and televisions

  • Heavy metals

  • Aluminum = Recylable

Why Does E-Waste Cost More to Recycle?

Not easily designed to be dismantled after it is no longer beneficial

Two Sources in Which Our Waste Goes?

1. Sanitary Landfills

2. Incinerators

3 Percentages of US Waste Movement

• 50% landfills

• 38% recycled

• 12% incinerated

Considerations for Landfills

1. Decomposition of Waste by Microbes

2. Groundwater/Precipitation Passing Through Landfill

Decomposition of Waste by Microbes

Burial of waste in landfill → anaerobic enviroment

• Produces methane (GHG)

Groundwater/Precipitation Passing Through Landfill

Leach chemicals from landfill

• Contaminates groundwater

Leechate

Liquid that can contain elevated lvls of pollutants b/c passed thru solid waste of landfill

How Do We Design Landfills?

Engineer them to hold solid waste with little contamination of surrounding environment

3 Factors Designing Landfills?

1. Clay/Plastic Lining at Bottom of Landfill: Impermeable

2. System of pipes: below landfills to collect leachate (excess water/chemicals) at bottom

3. Cap (Top Soil Layer): When landfill reaches capacity

Why Do We Control Landfill Inputs?

Because high risk of environmental degradation

Good vs. Bad Candidates

• Good: Composite materials made of plastic = hard to recycle

• Bad: Aluminum, copper, etc. leach because valuable recyclables

Toxic Materials

Household cleaners, electronics, batteries, etc. should not enter

Organic Materials

Food waste (garden scrap, yard waste) should not enter

Incinerators

Process of burning waste materials to reduced volume and mass to sometimes generate electricity/heat

Pro of Incinerators

Efficiently reduces volume of solid waste by 90% and mass by 75%

Con of Incinerators

Releases pollution

Incinerator Steps

1. Solid waste sorted and certain recyclables are diverted to recycling center

2. Remaining waste dumped onto platform where certain materials are identified removed

3. Delivery system (moving grate) transfers waste to furnace

4. Combustion rapidly converts waste into CO2 and H2O

5. Released into ATM after passing filter for harmful particles

Waste to Energy System

System where heat generated by incinerators is used as an energy source for surrounding environment

Why Does Waste End Up in the Ocean

Illegal dumping avoids tipping fees: costs recovered by charging fee for waste delivered to landfill or incinerator

• ex. Tires of roads dumped on side of roads

Misc. Reasons for Dumping

• Landfills/Incinerators won’t accept waste b/c toxic materials

• Developing countries have less sanitary landfills, incinerators

Consequences of Wastewater Dumping

• Digested by aquatic and terrestrial species

• Plastic rings from beverages can strangle animals

• Medical waste on beaches