Origin and types of waste WASTE MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY Martin Kubal Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague

What is waste ?

words to describe waste three categories of terms: 1) loss / uselessness (déchet, refuse, garbage, rifiuti, residuo, Abfall) 2) dirty or repulsive nature of material (immondice, immondizia, ordure) 3) material that makes up the waste (boues, spazzatura, Müll, Schmutz, rubish)

antique period - Both total and unit amounts of wastes produced by human population was generally very small (low population densities, insignificant exploitation of natural resources) - Common wastes produced: ashes, human + animal + agricultural wastes (all biodegradable) → minimum environmental impact. - Principles of today´s waste treatment processes already known in the urbanized areas (landfills, incineration, composting, recycling) Principles of modern waste management already known and applied.

Imperial Rome was supplied with large quantities of high quality water Imperial Rome was supplied with large quantities of high quality water. Waste was frequently emptied into street-side openings to the Roman sewers. The sewers carried off sewage, urban runoff, and drainage water together.

middle age period - Total and unit amounts of waste, as well as types of waste, practically the same as in antique. - Quality of waste management in urbanized localities much lower compared to antique period*. - Poor waste management in many big cities → significant reduction in population through widespread diseases (plague, cholera, typhoid fever). * Craig Taylor: The Disposal of Human Waste: A comparison between Ancient Rome and Medieval London (Past Imperfect, Vol. 11, 2005, pp.53-72)

City residents disposed of waste in one of two ways - they dumped it onto the unpaved city streets, or contained it in cesspits at the lower level of buildings. One of three things subsequently happened to it. Much of what ended upon the street was eaten by the pigs and other livestock that freely roamed the city. A good deal of it was simply absorbed into the earth, creating a rich and fragrant mud. The excess waste from cesspits, as well as some of the rich mud, was collected and used as fertilizer, both within and outside the city.

renaissance and baroque period - Total and unit amounts of wastes similar to prior periods. Structure of waste practically unchanged. - Development in natural and technical science provided deeper view into the relationship between waste management and human health or mortality → new requirements for cities development and expansion.

industrial revolution Amount of waste significantly increased due to more intensive processing of raw materials and demographic growth. New type of waste from industry. Urban organic waste became valuable fertilizers for growing agriculture production. - Demolition waste required for urban development.

Elevation of the ground level resulting from accumulation of urban waste. Muddy areas were changed into developable land by deposition of demolition rubble and other solid waste.

modern

modern

modern

contemporary definition of waste Waste is an unavoidable by-product of most human activity. "Wastes" are substances or objects which are disposed of or are intended to be disposed of or are required to be disposed of by the provisions of national law. (Basel Convention) "Waste" shall mean any substance or object in the categories set out in Annex I which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard (EU Council Directive 75/442/EEC).

types of waste according to origin: - municipal waste - industrial waste - agricultural waste - special types of waste (hazardous, mining, construction and demolition, radioactive, clinical ….) Over 1.8 billion tonnes (1 800 000 000 t) of waste are generated each year in Europe. This equals to 3.5 tonnes per person.

types of waste – municipal waste Municipal waste is generated by households, commercial activities and other sources whose activities are similar to those of households and commercial enterprises. Municipal waste is made up to residual waste, bulky waste, secondary materials from separate collection (e.g., paper and glass), household hazardous waste, street sweepings and litter collections. It is made up of materials such as paper, cardboard, metals, textiles, organics (food and garden waste) and wood. Municipal waste represents approximately 14% of all waste generated.

types of waste – industrial waste Industrial waste comprises many different waste streams arising from a wide range of processes – such as production of basic metals, food industry, wood processing, paper production. About 40 million tonnes of industrial waste is generated in Europe every year. Waste from the manufacturing sector continues to rise, despite national and international declarations to reduce waste from manufacturing industry, to introduce cleaner technologies and other waste minimisation initiatives and to work towards manufacturing practices that are sustainable in the long term.

types of waste – agricultural waste Agricultural waste is composed of organic wastes (animal excreta in the form of slurries and farmyard manures, spent mushroom compost, soiled water and silage effluent) and waste such as plastic, scrap machinery, fencing, pesticides, waste oils and veterinary medicines. There are a number of potential environmental impacts associated with agricultural waste if it is not properly managed not least of which is the run-off of nutrients to surface waters which can cause over enrichment of the water body. Leaking and improper storage of agricultural waste can also pose a serious threat to the environment should the waste reach surface waters.

special waste – hazardous waste Hazardous waste is a waste which may pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when impropoerly treated, stored or disposed of, or otherwise mismanaged or cause or contribute to an increase in mortality, or an increase in irreversible or incapacitating illness. Hazardous waste represents approximately 1% of all waste generated in Europe.. Hazardous waste is typically the subject of special legislation and requires special management arrangements to ensure that hazardous waste is kept separate from and treated differently to non-hazardous waste.

special waste – minig waste Mining waste arises from prospecting, extraction, treatment and storage of minerals. Mining and quarrying activities give rise to the single biggest waste stream at 29% of the total quantity of waste generated in Europe. It is made up of topsoil, overburden, waste rock, waste from the processing of the ore body (tailings) which may also include process water, process chemicals and portions of the remaining materials. Large areas of land are used for depositing mining waste and this activity has the potential to cause environmental pollution if not properly controlled.

special waste – construction and demolition waste It arises from activities such as the construction of buildings and civil infrastructure, total or partial demolition of buildings and civil infrastructure, road planning and maintenance. Construction and demolition waste makes up approximately 25% of all waste generated in the EU with a large proportion arising from the demolition and renovation of old buildings. It is made up of numerous materials including concrete, bricks, wood, glass, metals, plastic, solvents, asbestos and excavated soil, many of which can be recycled in one way or another. Construction and demolition waste has been identified as a priority waste stream by the European Union.