By Ms Giveen
Waste Management
Stage 5 Geography 2013
Syllabus Agenda
1
The geographical processes
relevant to Waste Management
2
The perceptions of different
groups about waste management
3
Individual, group and
government responses to Waste
Management
4
Decision-making processes
involved in the management of
Waste Management
5
Management of the issue and
implications for sustainability,
social justice and equity
GEOGRAPHICAL PROCESSES
Geographical Processes
What is waste management?
Why is it an issue?
Who are the stakeholders affected?
When does it need to be dealt with
Where is waste generated from?
The Waste Hierarchy
What is Waste Management?
Environment Effects
•
•
•
Waste is an issue that relates to
all areas of the environment.
There is potential for
inappropriately disposed waste
to contaminate land and
groundwater with heavy
metals and other toxins
There may be lacking some
government oversight of waste
management.
•
•
The release of methane and
other gases from decomposing
waste is also an issue as this
contributes to greenhouse gas
emissions and poor air quality.
Non-biodegradable plastics
are also a concern as these
persist in the environment for
many years and can wash into
oceans and estuaries, harming
marine and bird life
What is Waste Management?
Economic Dimensions
•
•
International evidence suggests that economic
growth contributes to growth in the amount of
waste generated per person (Productivity
Commission 2006)
As the total volume of waste generated in
Australia increases, so does the importance of
businesses that exist to extract and recover
materials from waste
What is Waste Management?
Social Dimensions
•
•
•
Waste has social implications, especially for
those who reside near waste disposal sites.
Poorer health outcomes may be a concern for
residents living near waste disposal sites.
Also, proximity to disposal sites may reduce
property prices and income sources, which is
also an issue affecting people's wellbeing.
One
Companies
Perspective
SITA Australia Analysis (A sustainable resource recovery management company)
•
•
•
Australians generate about 600
kilograms of waste per year per
person, making us one of the highest
generators of household waste.
In Australia, about 350 million batteries
are purchased every year. Over two
thirds of batteries being disposed of are
sent to landfill making them the most
common form of hazardous waste.
Organic waste includes any animal or
plant based material and degradable
carbon such as garden organics, food,
timber, paper and cardboard. When sent
to landfill the organic material
undergoes anaerobic decomposition,
generating a potent greenhouse gas,
methane.
•
•
Electronic waste can contain
toxic materials such as lead,
mercury, cadmium, hexavalent
chromium and brominated fire
retardants that are hazardous,
difficult to dispose of and
potentially damaging to the
environment.
Australians dispose of
approximately 50 to 60 million
fluorescent tubes and HID
(high in density discharge)
lamps every year, resulting in
large amounts of mercury
being sent to our landfills.
More SITA Statistics
•
•
In Australia, 376,000
tonnes of plastic
packaging is used every
year. In 2010 SITA recycled
288,194 tonnes.
Australian households and
businesses use millions of
tonnes of paper every year.
Over 5.5 million tonnes of
paper and cardboard was
used from 2006-2007, with
2.5 million tonnes of this
recycled
•
•
Glass was discovered by
the Phoenicians more than
5,000 years ago, which
makes it one of the worlds
oldest forms of packaging
In 2010, Australians
recycled only 30.3% of their
steel cans and 67.4% of
aluminium cans. Many
steel cans are still being
sent to landfill, despite
93% of Australians having
access to kerbside recycling
services that accept steel
packaging.
The Official Reports On What We Are
Doing
THE ABS SAYS….


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The recycling activities of
households grew extensively
between 1996 and 2009.
In 1996, 91% of Australian
households said they
practised some form of waste
recycling and/or reuse activity.
In 2009, almost all Australian
households (98%) reported
that they recycled waste and
86% reported that they
reused waste.


In 2009, over 91% of
Australian households used
municipal kerbside recycling
to recycle waste, an increase
from 87% in 2006.
While these statistics tell us
the number of households
that have recycled at least one
item during the previous 12
months, they do not indicate
how much household waste is
recycled.
What Do We Recycle?

Items commonly reused or recycled by
households included:




paper, cardboard or newspapers (95%),
plastic bottles (94%),
glass (93%) and
plastic bags (90%).
How Much Waste Do You Produce?


Between 1996-97 and 2006-07, the volume of
waste produced per person in Australia grew at
an average annual rate of 5.4%.
In 1996-97, Australians generated
approximately 1,200kg of waste per person. By
2006-07, this had increased to 2,100kg per
person.