APES – Solid & Hazardous Waste (Chapter 21) March 17 & 18

AP QUESTION OF THE DAY Which of the below is NOT an aspect of the popular phrase, “reduce, reuse, recycle”? A) Use email or text in place of conventional paper mail. B) Read newspapers or magazines online. C) Buy products in bulk form whenever possible. D) Utilize plastic in place of paper bags. E) Donate or sell used items.

ANSWER… D) Utilize plastic in place of paper bags. Both paper and plastic bags are harmful to the environment. Reusable cloth bags would be the best way to adhere to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Today’s Objectives Learning Objectives Expectation Define what solid and hazardous wastes are and why they are a problem Be able to define: solid waste, industrial solid waste, municipal solid waste, and hazardous & toxic wastes Learn about how we should deal with solid waste Compare and contrast the priorities of integrated waste management Discuss why reusing and recycling materials is so important Compare and contrast primary recycling and secondary recycling and mixed vs. separated recycling Introduce the Solid Waste Inventory Lab Due next Monday (7th) or Tuesday (4th)

Solid Waste Solid waste is any unwanted or discarded material that is not a liquid or gas. The US has 4.6% of the world’s population. What percentage of the world’s solid waste do you think we produce? 33% - we lead the world in amount of trash per person!

Types of Solid Waste Industrial Solid Waste – produced by mines, agriculture, and industry Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) – produced by homes and workplace E-waste – fastest growing solid waste problem in the US and world. Each year, Americans discard 155M cell phones, 48M personal computers, and many more TVs, iPods, FAX machines, etc. What do you think we do with this waste?

E-Waste – a closer look What happens to our E-waste?

What can we do? What can we do? For extra-credit on the next reading quiz (Friday/Monday), personalize one letter and bring back to class on Wednesday with a stamped envelope. I will put this link on our website.

Hazardous or Toxic Waste Waste that is poisonous, reactive, corrosive, or flammable. This includes radioactive waste. Two largest classes of hazardous waste: Organic Compounds (solvents, pesticides, PCBs, dioxins) and Toxic Heavy Metals (lead, mercury, arsenic) The world’s more developed countries produce 80-90% of the worlds hazardous waste. Guess who is the biggest producer? Who is gaining on us?

Why Should We Reduce Hazardous Waste? 1) At least three-fourths of these materials represent an unnecessary consumption of the earth’s resources and therefore violates the chemical cycling sustainability principle. 2) The manufacturing of the products we use and often discard creates huge amounts of air pollution, greenhouse gases, land degradation, and water pollution. Studies show that we could reduce and recycle up to 90% of the MSW we produce. Think-Pair-Share: Make a list of the hazardous chemicals you can think of in your house. Share your list with a partner.

Homework Complete the Ecological Footprint Analysis on page 584 of your text book. This will be due on Friday, March 21 or Monday, March 24

How Should We Deal with Solid Waste? 1) Implement waste management This high waste approach accepts waste production as a result of economic growth It attempts to reduce environmental harm It transfers the waste from one part of the environment to another 2) Using waste REDUCTION This low-waste approach sees solid waste as a potential resource which should be reused, recycled, or composted It discourages waste production in the first place It encourages waste reduction and prevention

Where do You Think the Trash Goes? Where do you think your trash goes? How long do you think it takes to get to its final destination? What if we could tag our trash? MIT did just that

Priorities for dealing with solid waste… FIRST PRIORITY Change industrial processes to eliminate use of harmful chemicals Use less of a harmful product Reduce packaging and materials in products Make products that last longer and are recyclable or reusable

Priorities for dealing with solid waste… SECOND PRIORITY Reuse Repair Recycle Compost Buy reusable and recyclable products

Priorities for dealing with solid waste… LAST PRIORITY Treat waste to reduce toxicity Incinerate waste Bury waste in landfills Release waste into environment for dispersal or dilution

Think-Pair-Share. Which 3 tactics are most important. Why Think-Pair-Share. Which 3 tactics are most important? Why? Which ones do you do? What can you do? Follow the 3 R’s of resource use Ask yourself whether you really need an item and refuse packaging where possible Rent, borrow, or barter goods and services when you can; shop secondhand and donate or sell unused items Buy things that are reusable, recyclable, or compostable (then follow-through!) Avoid disposables and do not use throwaway paper and plastic items when reusable are available Use email or text in place of paper Read newspapers and magazines online Buy products in bulk or concentrated form whenever possible

Why Are the Reusing and Recycling so Important? Reusing products help reduce waste and pollution – it also saves money. Recycling collects waste materials and turns them into useful products. Secondary recycling refers to converting materials into different products. Solid waste recycling can be done in a materials- recovering facility (MRF). The wastes are recycled or burned to produce energy; but such plants are expensive. Source separation recycling relies on households and businesses to separate their trash. This produces LESS air and water pollution, has lower start-up and operation costs, it saves more energy and provides more jobs than MRF Composting biodegradable organic waste is a great way to mimic nature.

Let’s Move Reuse is on the rise – In Denmark, Finland, and some parts of Canada – all beverage containers that are not reusable have been banned. Do you support banning all beverage containers that cannot be reused as Denmark has done? Windows – YES Flag - NO

Let’s Move Should consumers have to pay for plastic or paper bags at grocery and other stores? Windows – YES Flag - NO

Let’s Move Should household and businesses be charged for the amount of mixed waste they generate for pickup, but not for the pickup of materials they separate for recycling? Windows – YES Flag – NO Fort Worth instituted a program Pay-as-You-Throw (PAUT) waste collection system. They charge households and businesses for the amount of mixed waste picked up, but do not charge for separated recycling. The portion of households recycling went from 21% to 85%. The city went from losing $600,000 a year in recylcling to making $1M a year because of increased sales of recycled materials to industry.

Recycling Advantages and Disadvantages Reduces energy and mineral use and air and water pollution Reduces greenhouse gas emissions Reduces solid waste Can save landfill space Disadvantages: Can cost more than burying in areas with ample landfill space Reduces profits for landfill and incinerator owners Source separation inconvenient for some

Has This Got You Thinking of Your Trash Production? Well, now you can answer any questions you might have! You will be doing a Personal Waste Inventory Lab. Record all of the materials you use in a seven-day period. This includes ALL solid waste, as well as any items that may be recycled or reused in some way. You will keep a running log (see lab) You will calculate total weekly output and yearly output. You will do the Follow-Up-Questions Lab Grade will include 1) Log 2) Calculations 3) Follow-up questions 4) Extra credit: CARRY all of your waste for the week!

For Next Time… Read Chapter 21-1 through 21-3 Extra credit – write to a Senator or Walmart (e-waste) Reading Quiz (gradecam) next class (21-1 through 21-3) Remember, Ecological Footprint Analysis will be due on Friday (4th pd) or Monday (7th pd)