17 TH MILLER/SPOOLMAN LIVING IN THE ENVIRONMENT Chapter 21 Solid and Hazardous Waste

Core Case Study: E-waste—An Exploding Problem (1) Electronic waste, e-waste: ___________________ solid waste problem Most ends up in landfills and incinerators Composition includes High-quality plastics Valuable metals Toxic and hazardous pollutants…bad for e-waste ___________________ fastest growing workers

Core Case Study: E-waste—An Exploding Problem (2) Often shipped to Asia and poor African nations for dangerous ________________ recycling Cheap labor….often ________________ Environmental regulations are weak Remaining scrap is dumped into ___________________ and ______________ or _______________ in open fires International _____________ Convention Bans transferring hazardous wastes from developed countries to developing countries Signed by 172 countries…the U.S. is the only industrialized nation who has _______________________ this convention low-tech children waterways fieldsburned Basel not ratified

Core Case Study: E-waste—An Exploding Problem (3) European Union has led the way with a ____________________ approach Requires manufactures to take back electronic products at the end of their useful lives and either Repair them Recycle…can still ship to other countries since electronic waste is not labeled as ___________________ Remanufacture Banned from landfills and burning in incinerators What should be done? Prevention approach: remove the toxic materials cradle-to-grave hazardous

21-1 What Are Solid Waste and Hazardous Waste, and Why Are They Problems? Concept 21-1 Solid waste contributes to pollution and represents the unnecessary consumption of resources; hazardous waste contributes to pollution as well as to natural capital degradation, health problems, and premature deaths.

We Throw Away Huge Amounts of Useful Things and Hazardous Materials (1) Solid waste…any waste that is not a liquid or a gas ____________________ solid waste Mines, farms, industries ____________________ solid waste (MSW) Trash from homes and other work places Hazardous waste (toxic waste) Threatens human health of the environment Organic compounds…solvents, pesticides, PCBs, dioxins Toxic heavy metals Radioactive waste from _________________ power plants Industrial Municipal nuclear

Fig. 21-2, p. 559 What Harmful Chemicals Are in Your Home? Cleaning Gardening Disinfectants Pesticides Drain, toilet, and window cleaners Weed killers Spot removers Flea powders Ant and rodent killers Septic tank cleaners Paints, stains, varnishes, and lacquers Paint Products Paint thinners, solvents, and strippers Wood preservatives Automotive Artist paints and inks Gasoline Used motor oil General Antifreeze Dry-cell batteries (mercury and cadmium) Battery acid Glues and cements Brake and transmission fl uid

We Throw Away Huge Amounts of Useful Things and Hazardous Materials (2) 80–90% of hazardous wastes are produced by __________________ countries U.S. is the largest producer…comes from our _________________, ________________ industry and ___________________ industry Why reduce solid wastes? 1.¾ of the materials are an _____________________ waste of the earth's resources 2.Manufacturing of products that we often discard leads to large amounts of __________________ and ________________ gases more-developed militarychemical mining unnecessary pollution greenhouse

Solid Waste in the United States Leader in both total solid waste production and in solid waste per person U.S. has 4.6% of the world population but produces _______ of the solid waste What is thrown away? Tires Disposable diapers Carpet Toilet paper rolls All of these items seem to correspond with how developed, fast- paced, and affluent U.S. society is. Plastic bottles Plastic shopping bags Edible food Office paper Junk mail 1/3

Hundreds of Millions of Discarded Tires in a Dump in Colorado Fig. 21-5, p. 561

Total and Per Capita Production of Municipal Solid Waste in the U.S. Fig. 21-4, p. 560 Good News! Recycling and smarter packaging is helping waste production to level off

21-2 How Should We Deal with Solid Waste? Concept 21-2 A sustainable approach to solid waste is first to reduce it, then to reuse or recycle it, and finally to safely dispose of what is left.

We Can Burn or Bury Solid Waste or Produce Less of It Waste Management Attempt to control waste in ways that reduce harm, but not amounts…_______________ control Waste Reduction Use less and focus on reuse, recycle, compost Most experts call for using a variety of coordinated strategies for both waste disposal and waste reduction…called ____________________________ output integrated waste management

We Can Cut Solid Wastes by Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling (1) Waste reduction is based on the three Rs Reduce…consume less Reuse…less throw away items Recycle…separate from throw away items, buy recycled products The first two are preferred since they focus on ___________________ or __________ control methods preventioninput

What Can You Do? Solid Waste Fig. 21-8, p. 563

21-3 Why Are Reusing and Recycling Materials So Important? Concept 21-3 Reusing items decreases the consumption of matter and energy resources, and reduces pollution and natural capital degradation; recycling does so to a lesser degree.

Case Study: Use of Refillable Containers Reuse and recycle Refillable glass beverage or plastic bottles Reusable plastic bottles must be made of __________ plastics…BPA free, Lexan free, sturdy…won’t leach chemicals due to wear and tear Bottle deposits create ___________ and reduce litter and landfill amounts Denmark, Finland, and Prince Edward Island have _________ all beverage containers that cannot be reused safe jobs banned

There Are Two Types of Recycling (1) Primary, closed-loop recycling Materials recycled into the _____________ of thing: Ex: aluminum cans Secondary recycling, open-loop recycling Materials converted to _______________ products: Ex: tires converted into rubberized road material Types of wastes that can be recycled Preconsumer: internal waste…__________________ Postconsumer: external waste…___________________ same other manufacturing consumer use

We Can Mix or Separate Household Solid Wastes for Recycling (1) Materials-recovery facilities (_______) Facilities pay workers to ____________________ mixed waste Combustible wastes are _______________ to produce steam or electricity Expensive to build, operate and maintain Source separation Homeowners and business separate trash into recyclable categories Fee-per-bag for __________________ pick-up Done in 4,000 U.S. communities already MRFs separate burned mixed-waste

We Can Mix or Separate Household Solid Wastes for Recycling (2) Composting involves using decomposer bacteria to recycle… Yard trimmings Vegetable food scraps Biodegradable waste compost can be added to _____________ or used to help restore _______________ soil mimics nature’s recycling of nutrients! gardens eroded

Case Study: Recycling Paper The pulp and paper industry is the world’s ______ largest energy consumer and uses more __________ per metric ton to produce its product than any other industry 55% of the world’s industrial tree harvest is used to make papers Often uses ________________ chlorine compounds to bleach tree pulp into paper Recycling paper benefits… Uses _________ less energy Produces _________ less water pollution and ________ less air pollution Trees do not have to be harvested 5th water corrosive 64% 35%74%

Discarded Solid Waste Litters Beaches Fig , p. 568

Science Focus: Bioplastics (1) Plastics…typical made from ___________________ - based chemicals Can also be made from biologically based chemicals like ___________ Key to bioplastics: find __________________ that speed up reactions without high temperatures Benefits: lighter, stronger, cheaper, compostable petroleum soy catalysts

21-4 The Advantages and Disadvantages of Burning or Burying Solid Waste Concept 21-4 Technologies for burning and burying solid wastes are well developed, but burning contributes to air and water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and buried wastes eventually contribute to the pollution and degradation of land and water resources.

Burning Solid Waste Has Advantages and Disadvantages MSW is burned in more than ________ large waste- to-energy incinerators, which use the heat generated to make steam for producing electricity Has not caught on in the U.S. because of… the associated ______ pollution Citizen ____________________ Cheaper __________________ 600 air opposition landfills

Fig , p. 571 Electricity Crane Steam Turbine Smokestack Generator Furnace Wet scrubber Boiler Electrostatic precipitator Waste pit Water added Conveyor Bottom ash Dirty water Fly ash To waste treatment plant Ash for treatment, disposal in landfill, or use as landfill cover

Fig , p. 571 Waste-to-Energy Incineration AdvantagesDisadvantages Produces energy Produces a hazardous waste Concentrates hazardous substances into ash for burial Emits some CO 2 and other air pollutants Sale of energy reduces cost Encourages waste production Reduces trash volume Trade-Offs Expensive to build

Burying Solid Waste Has Advantages and Disadvantages Open dumps Widely used in _____________ Sanitary landfills Solid waste is spread out, compacted, and covering daily with clay or plastic foam to help reduce the leakage of contaminated water (________________) Bottom and sides of the landfills also have strong ________________________ and containment systems LDCs leachate double liners

Fig , p. 572 Trade-Offs Sanitary Landfills AdvantagesDisadvantages Releases greenhouse gases (methane and CO 2 ) unless they are collected Can handle large amounts of waste Filled land can be used for other purposes Output approach that encourages waste production No shortage of landfill space in many areas Eventually leaks and can contaminate groundwater Low operating costsNoise, traffic, and dust

21-5 How Should We Deal with Hazardous Waste? Concept 21-5 A sustainable approach to hazardous waste is first to produce less of it, then to reuse or recycle it, then to convert it to less hazardous materials, and finally, to safely store what is left.

We Can Use Integrated Management of Hazardous Waste Integrated management of hazardous wastes Produce less Convert to less hazardous substances Rest in long-term safe storage Produce Less Hazardous Waste  Change industrial processes to reduce or eliminate hazardous waste production  Recycle and reuse hazardous waste Convert to Less Hazardous or Nonhazardous Substances  Natural decomposition  Incineration  Thermal treatment  Chemical, physical, and biological treatment  Dilution in air or water Put in Perpetual Storage  Landfill  Underground injection wells  Surface impoundments  Underground salt formations

We Can Detoxify Hazardous Wastes Collect and then detoxify Physical methods Chemical methods Use ________________________….can remove various pollutants from water Bioremediation…uses __________________ and enzymes to convert them to harmless compounds Phytoremediation…uses ________________ to filter and remove contaminants Using a plasma arc torch…decomposes liquid or solid hazardous waste to __________, consisting of mostly of CO, H 2, and a molten, glassy material nanomagnets bacteria plants gas

Fig , p. 576 Plasma Arc AdvantagesDisadvantages Produces CO 2 and CO Mobile. Easy to move to different sites Can release particulates and chlorine gas Can vaporize and release toxic metals and radioactive elements Produces no toxic ash Small High cost Trade-Offs

We Can Store Some Forms of Hazardous Waste (1) Burial on land for long-term storage Recommended as a _____________________ strategy but this is the most widely used method in the U.S. and most countries Deep-well disposal…_____________ through a pipe into dry, porous rock 64% of hazardous liquid wastes in the U.S. Surface impoundments…lined _____________. As the water evaporates, waste settles EPA studies indicate that 70% of the storage ponds in the U.S. have __________________ last-resort pump ponds no liners

Fig , p. 576 Deep-Well Disposal AdvantagesDisadvantages Safe if sites are chosen carefully Leaks from corrosion of well casing Emits CO 2 and other air pollutants Wastes can often be retrieved Output approach that encourages waste production Low cost Trade-Offs

Surface Impoundment in Niagara Falls, New York Fig , p. 577

Fig , p. 577 Surface Impoundments Advantages Groundwater contamination from leaking liners (and over fl ow from fl ooding) Wastes can often be retrieved Air pollution from volatile organic compounds Can store wastes indefinitely with secure double liners Output approach that encourages waste production Trade-Offs Disadvantages Low cost

Case Study: Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United States (1) 1976: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (_________)…pronounced “RICK-ra” EPA sets standards for the management of several types of hazardous waste and issues ______________ to companies producing them Companies must keep track of the waste from its _______________________...required to submit proof Covers only ________ of hazardous wastes RCRA permits cradle-to-grave 5%

Case Study: Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United States (2) 1980: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (_________) Also called __________________ Created a National Priorities List of ______________ to clean up 2010: 1300 sites, 340 sites cleaned so far Pace of cleanup has slowed Superfund is broke…___________ that once supported this act were not renewed by congress CERCLA Superfund toxic sites taxes

Pines Ground Water Plume Site, Indiana Superfund Alternative Agreement Drinking water contaminated by a landfill containing coal ash produced by NIPSCO

Three Big Ideas 1.The order of priorities for dealing with solid waste should be to produce ___________ of it, reuse and ___________ as much of it as possible, and safely dispose of what is left. 2.The order of priorities for dealing with hazardous waste should be to produce less of it, reuse or recycle it, convert it to ___________ hazardous material, and _____________ store what is left. 3.We need to view solid wastes as wasted resources and hazardous wastes as materials that we should ________ be producing in the first place. less recycle less safely NOT