SOLID WASTE

							SOLID WASTE:

     . . .any unwanted or
     discarded material
     that is not a liquid
     or a gas
What is hazardous Waste:

   Defined as any discarded solid or liquid
    material that:
    –   Contains one or more of 39 toxic, carcinogenic,
        mutagenic, or teratogenic compounds at levels
        that exceed established limits (pesticides,
        solvents, paint thinners)
    –   Catches fire easily (gasoline, paints, solvents)
Hazardous waste cont.

    –   Is reactive or unstable enough to explode (acids ,
        bases, ammonia, chlorine bleach)
    –   Is capable of corroding metal containers such as
        tanks, drums (cleaning agents, drain cleaners)
   This does not include radioactive wastes,
    mining wastes, etc.
What are our options on how to
deal with solid waste?

   Prevention : REDUCE
   Management:
    –   RECYCLE what can be
    –   REUSE
    –   Biologically or chemically TREAT what can be, or
        incinerate the waste that can’t be recycled or
        reused
    –   BURY the rest
How can we REDUCE waste?

   Decrease consumption          Individuals can use less
   Redesign manufacturing         hazardous cleaning
    processes and products         products
    to use less material and      Eliminate unnecessary
    therefore less waste           packaging
    (lighter cars, less
    dangerous materials)
REUSE: Makes resources last
longer
   Glass bottles                       Tires
    – Should we ban all non-
      reusable bottles?                  –   Can be made into
    – Charge a deposit on reusable
                                             retreads
      bottles?                           –   Artificial reefs
    What about Diapers?                  –   Can be burned to produce
    – it takes 100 yrs. To break
                                             energy (possible air
      down a disposable diaper in
      a landfill                             pollution)
    – to launder cloth diapers it
      takes 9 times more air
      pollution and 10 times as
      more water pollution as it
      takes to make disposables
RECYCLE

   Compost                           Closed-loop is the most
    –   Organic materials are          desirable type
        broken down and                –   Newspaper into
        organisms make soil from           newspaper, aluminum
        these materials (leaves,           cans into aluminum cans,
                                           and automobiles into
        paper, wood)
                                           automobiles (Presently
    –   Water, air,                        only 30% of all aluminum
        microorganisms are                 ( 64% of cans) is being
        needed for this to                 recycle in USA)
        happen                         –   What is recyclable in
                                           this area?
BURY THE REST: LANDFILLS

   NIMBY
   Factors taken into consideration when a land
    fill is sited :Geology, hydrology, proximity to
    people, transportation and wildlife, cost of
    land
   How is the landfill constructed?
    –   Clay and plastic liners
    –   Pipes to drain leachate (rainwater contaminated
        as it percolates through the solid waste)