CHAPTER 21: Solid and Hazardous Waste
I.
Solid Waste
A. 98.5% from mining; 1.5% MSW (garbage)
B. ~1,700 lbs annually in USA
II.
Producing Less Waste and Pollution
A. Waste Management: high-waste approach
1. unavoidable product of economic growth
2. manage with reduced environmental harm
a. bury, burn, ship to another location
B. Waste and Pollution Prevention: Low Waste approach
1. no "away"
2. waste is a potential resource (recycle, reuse)
3. waste is harmful and should not be used in the
first place.
Most countries use a waste-management approach: bury and
burn.
C.
How can we reduce waste and pollution?
1. consume less
2. redesign manufacturing processes and products
to use less, produce less waste and pollution.
3. Products easy to reuse, repair, remanufacture
4. Longer lasting products (tires 60K  100K)
5. Eliminate unnecessary packaging
6. Trash taxes
III.
RECYCLING: In 2000, 30% US MSW was recycled
A. PRIMARY or CLOSED LOOP: Post consumer waste
recycled to produce new products of the same type.
B. SECONDARY or DOWNCYCLING: Converted into
different, lower quality products.
C. CONS of RECYCLING
1. Above criticism
2. May cost more to recycle than send to landfill
3. US not running out of landfill space
4. Not worth it for glass and plastics
D. PROS of RECYCLING
1. Many benefits for people and the environment
2. Benefits far outweigh costs
3. Recycling employs 1.1 million
IV.
Dextoxifying, Burning, Burying and Exporting Waste
A. Biological Methods
1. bioremediation: microorganisms and enzymens
2. phytoremediation: plants filter contaminants
B. Plasma Torch
1. very high temperature break down hazardous
material.
C. Burning Solid
1. ADVANTAGES: Reduced trash volume, less need
for landfills, low water pollution
2.
D.
V.
DISADVANTAGES: High cost, air pollution,
highly toxic ash, encourages waste production
LAND DISPOSAL: sanitary landfill
1. See figure 21-13 for advantages and
disadvantages
LEAD, MERCURY, CHLORINE, DIOXINS
A. LEAD
1. Incineration of solid and hazardous waste
2. Leaded gasoline
3. Leaded paints and lead dust
4. Lead in plumbing pipes and fixtures
B. MERCURY
1. Inhaling vaporized elemental mercury
2. Eating fish contaminated with methyl mercury.
3. In coal
4. Fluorescent bulbs
C. CHLORINE
1. plastics
2. solvents
3. paper and pulp bleaching
D. DIOXINS: 75 chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds
1. Incineration of municipal medical waste (70%)
2. Wood-burning stoves
3. Coal-fired power plants