P3 waste management

what is the most recycled product

paper

parts of MRF (material recovering facility)

• Presort conveyor belt - humans remove non-recyclables

• Star Screens - separates paper

• Optical sorter - separates plastic

• Permanent magnet - separates metals

  • Baler - compacts/compresses waste into cubes

how does incinerator work

unloading

combustion

conversion of energy

energy gets transported

pros

• Reduces landfill volume by 80%!

• “Recycles” waste for a new purpose - electricity/heat

  • Runs by burning trash to heat water - no non-renewables required

cons

Produces Ash - heavy metals

*Air Toxins

*Costs more than landfills

*NIMBY (again)

*Not everything burns or gets sorted correctly

*Sometimes plastics, wood, minerals that could have been recycled end up in incineration

what is composing

• Decomposition of “green” and “brown” material to form fertilizer!

name three types

• Vermicomposting - uses worms (small scale)

• Aerobic - uses machines to turn big piles, get O2 to microbes (large scale)

  • Anaerobic - organic material broken down by fermentation

pro

• Less C emissions

  • Less material sent to landfills

• Keeping nutrients in the cycles

  • Build soil health

• Easy to set-up and maintain

• Makes really good, natural fertilizer! 

  • Less chemicals used!

cons

• Odor

• Rodents, wildlife could get into it