Solid and Hazardous Waste G. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment 14 th Edition Chapter 24 G. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment 14 th Edition Chapter 24

Key Concepts  Types and amounts of wastes  Methods to reduce waste  Methods of dealing with wastes  Hazardous waste regulation in the US

Wasting Resources  Industrial and agricultural waste  Municipal solid waste  US: 11 billion metric tons/year Fig p. 533

Producing Less Waste and Pollution  Waste management (high waste approach)  Burying, burning, shipping  Waste prevention (low waste approach)  Reduce, reuse, recycle  Sustainability Six

Dealing with Material Use and Wastes Fig p. 535

Solutions: Cleaner Production  Ecoindustrial revolution  Resource exchange webs  Biomimicry  Service-flow economy

Solutions: Selling Services Instead of Things  Service-flow economy  Uses a minimum amount of material  Products last longer  Products are easier to maintain, repair, and recycle  Eco-leasing See Individuals Matter p. 538

Reuse  Extends resource supplies  Saves energy and money  Reduces pollution  Create jobs  Reusable products

Recycling  Primary (closed-loop)  Preconsumer waste  Secondary (open loop)  Postconsumer waste Fig p. 539

Characteristics of Recyclable Materials  Easily isolated from other waste  Available in large quantities  Valuable

Benefits of Recycling Fig p. 541

Recycling Methods  Centralized recycling of mixed waste (Materials-Recovery Facilities, MRFs)  Source separation  Pay-as-you-throw (PAUT)

Case Studies: Wastepaper and Plastics  49% of wastepaper recycled in US  Chlorine-based compound in paper production  10% or less of plastic recycled in US  Plastics can be very difficult to recycle

Burning Wastes  Mass burn incineration  Mass burn incineration  Air pollution  Waste to energy Fig p. 546

Burying Wastes  Sanitary landfills  Leachate collection  Monitoring wells  Emit greenhouse gases (CO 2 and methane)  Open dumps

Sanitary Landfill Fig p. 547

Sanitary Landfills: Trade-offs Fig p. 548

Hazardous Wastes: Types  Contains at least one toxic compound  Catches fire easily  Reactive or explosive  Corrodes metal containers

Not Hazardous Wastes under RCRA  Radioactive wastes  Household wastes  Mining wastes  Oil and gas drilling wastes  Liquids containing organic hydrocarbons  Cement kiln dust  <100 kg (220 lb) per month

Dealing with Hazardous Wastes Fig p. 550

Detoxifying and Removing Wastes  Bioremediation  Phytoremediation  Plasma incineration  Physical methods  Chemical methods

Deep-well Disposal Fig p. 553

Hazardous Waste Landfill Fig p. 554

Surface Impoundments: Trade-offs Fig p. 553

Case Studies: Lead  Lead poisoning major problem in children Primary Sources of Lead  Leaded gasoline (phased out by 1986)  Lead paint (banned in 1970)  Lead in plumbing  Progress is being made in reducing lead

Case Studies: Mercury  Vaporized elemental Mercury  Fish contaminated with methylmercury  Natural inputs  Emission control  Prevention of contamination

Case Studies: Dioxins  Potentially highly toxic chlorinated hydrocarbons  Waste incineration  Fireplaces  Coal-fired power plants  Paper production Sources of Dioxins  Sewage sludge

Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United States  Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)  Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)  Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund)  National Priority List  Polluter-pays principle

Solutions: Achieving a Low-Waste Society  Local grassroots action  International ban on 12 persistent organic pollutants (the dirty dozen)  Precautionary Principle