1. Environmental Science: Toward a Sustainable Future Richard T. Wright
Chapter 18
Municipal Solid Waste: Disposal and Recovery PPT by Clark E. Adams

2. Municipal Solid Waste: Disposal and Recovery
The solid-waste problem
Solutions to the solid-waste problem
Public policy and waste management

3. The Solid-Waste Problem
Disposal of municipal solid waste
Landfills
Combustion: waste to energy
Costs of municipal solid-waste disposal

4. Disposal of Municipal Solid-Waste (MSW)
The solid-waste problem:
We generate huge amounts of MSW, and it is increasingly expensive to dispose of it in ways that are environmentally responsible and protective of human health.

5. MSW Components

6. The Fate of MSW

7. Factors Contributing to Increasing Amounts of MSW
Increasing populations
Changing lifestyles
Disposable materials*
Diapers
Excessive packaging*
* = two largest contributors to waste volume

8. Old Landfill Problems Leachate generation Methane production
Incomplete decomposition
Settling

9. Improving Landfills Located above water table and away from airports
Contoured floor for leachate-collection system
Covered with earthen material
Groundwater monitoring wells

11. A Modern Landfill

12. Landfill Siting: Public Reactions
LULU (locally unwanted land use)
NIMBY (not in my backyard)
NIMTOO (not in my term of office)

13. Interstate Transfer of MSW

14. Trash to Treasure (Table 18-1)
Highest (more than 1 million tons) net importers of MSW
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Michigan

15. Trash to Treasure (Table 18-1)
Highest (more than 1 million tons) net exporters MSW
New York
New Jersey
Maryland
Missouri

16. Combustion: Waste to Energy (WTE)

17. WTE Benefits 80% MSW burned for electrical energy production
12% recovered and recycled
8% put into landfill

18. WTE Benefits Tipping fees = $15 to $100/ton Efficient
Electricity and fuel oil savings

19. WTE Benefits Extends life of landfill Reduces pollution
Concrete blocks
Resource recovery

20. WTE Drawbacks Cost of construction Uninterrupted MSW stream flow
Hazardous materials
Siting
Competition with recycling efforts

21. Costs of MSW Disposal Tipping fees increase: $34 to $263/ton
All revenues from MSW disposal = >$14 billion a year in 2002.
Illegal dumping
Tires
Refrigerators
Car parts

22. Solutions to the Solid-Waste Problem
Source reductions
The recycling solution
Municipal recycling
Regional recycling options

23. Source Reduction Less weight Internet information transfer
Resale and donation of durable goods
Lengthening a product’s life cycle
Refusing bulk mail
Composting

24. The Recycling Solution
Paper to paper
Newspaper = 13% MSW stream
Worth $30/ton
Ton of newspapers = 17 trees

25. The Recycling Solution
Paper
Glass
Plastic
Metals
Yard wastes
Textiles
Old tires
Compost
Refabrication
Synthetic lumber
Sand or gravel
Insulation
Strengthens recycled paper
Highways
Match

26. Municipal Recycling
75% MSW recyclable if:
Mandatory
Easy to do
Incentives
Political and industrial support

27. State Recycling Rates

28. MSW Recycling in the United States

29. 8

30. Regional Recycling Options
Materials recovery facilities (MRFs)
Mixed waste processing
Mixed waste and yard trimmings composting

31. Public Policy and Waste Management
The regulatory perspective
Integrated waste management

32. The Regulatory Perspective
Solid Waste Disposal Act 1965
Resource Recovery Act 1970 and 1976
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976
Superfund Act 1980
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments 1984

33. Integrated Waste Management
Waste reduction
Safe waste disposal
Recycling and reuse
Pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) trash pickup

34. End of Chapter 18