Chap 15: Environmental Concerns:
Wastes and Pollution
Anita Sego
Spring, 2005
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Chapter Objectives
• Define the terms environment, ecology,
and biosphere.
• Explain how human activities affect the
environment through the production of
wastes and residues.
• Name the primary sources of solid
wastes.
• List and briefly explain the four
approaches to solid waste
management.
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Chapter Objectives
• Define hazardous wastes.
• Explain the difference between sanitary
and secured landfills.
• Identify the five approaches to
hazardous waste management.
• Explain what is meant by the term
Superfund.
• Explain the Pollution Standard Index
(PSI).
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Chapter Objectives
• Briefly describe acid rain, ozone layer,
global warming, and photochemical
smog.
• Identify the major indoor air pollutants.
• Explain the difference in point source
and nonpoint source pollution.
• Identify the categories of water
pollution.
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Chapter Objectives
•
•
•
•
Briefly describe waste water treatment.
List means of conserving water.
Name the primary sources of radiation.
Explain how nuclear wastes are
handled in the United States.
• Identify the two basic characteristics of
sound.
• Identify steps to reduce problems
associated with noise pollution.
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Introduction to Environment
• External conditions,
circumstances, and influences
surrounding and affecting the
growth and development of an
organism or a community of
organisms.
• Ecology
• Biosphere
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Natural Environmental Hazards
• Natural hazards
• Biology hazards
– Insect
– Microbiological
– Vegetation
• Psychological hazards
– Stress
– Boredom
– Anxiety
• Sociological hazards
– Overcrowding
– Isolation
– Anomie
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Residues & Wastes from
Humans
• Factors contributing
–
–
–
–
urbanization
industrialization
human population growth
production and use of disposable products
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Types of Wastes and Pollution
• Solid wastes
• Hazardous Waste
• Water and its pollution
• Radiation
• Noise pollution
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Solid Waste
• Sources of solid waste
–
–
–
–
–
agriculture
mining
industry
municipalities
utilities
• Decomposing waste
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Sources of Waste
household
industry
utilities
mining
agriculture
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Solid Waste
• Solid wastes management
– collection
– disposal
• sanitary landfills
• incineration
• recycling
• source reduction
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Hazardous Waste
• A product that may
1.cause or contribute to an increase in
mortality or an increase in serous
irreversible, or incapacitating
reversible illness, or
2. Pose a substantial present or
potential hazard to human health or
the environment when improperly
treated, stored, transported, or
disposed of, or otherwise managed.
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Hazardous Waste
• Management
–
–
–
–
Secured landfill - least expensive
Deep well injection
Incineration of Hazardous waste
Hazardous Waste Recycling and
Neutralization
– Source Reduction
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Hazardous Waste
• Cleanup
• Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act
• Superfund
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Air Pollution
• Contaminants of
Outdoor Air
– transportation
– electric power plants
– industry - mills &
refineries
• National Ambient
Air Quality
Standards
• Pollutant Standard
Index
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Special Concerns with
Outdoor Air
• Acid Rain
• Destruction of the Ozone Layer
– chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
• Global Warming
– greenhouse gases
– greenhouse effect
• Photochemical Smog
– thermal inversion
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Indoor Air
• Indoor Air Pollutants
–
–
–
–
–
asbestos
formaldehyde
radon
environmental tobacco smoke
volatile organic compounds
• Air Quality and Conservation
– sick building syndrome
– ventilation
– testing
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Water Pollution
• Sources of water
• Treatment of water for use
–
–
–
–
coagulation and flocculation
sedimentation
filtration
disinfection
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Sources of Water Pollution
• Point source
pollution - single
identifiable source that
discharges pollutants
into the water.
• nonpoint source
pollution - all
pollution that occurs
through the runoff,
seepage, of falling of
pollutants into the water.
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Types of Water Pollutants
• Biological pollutants
– pathogens
– overgrowth of aquatic plants
• Toxic pollutants
– inorganic chemicals
– radioactive materials
– synthetic organic chemicals
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Water Quality
• Strategies to
ensure safe
water
– policy
– water treatment
– municipal waste
water treatment
– primary treatment
– secondary treatment
– tertiary treatment
– septic systems
– conservation
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Radiation
Sources
• Naturally
– Cosmic radiation - sun & outer space
– Terrestrial radiation - Earth & its minerals
– Internal radiation - inside the body from
ingestion
• Human-made
– X-rays
– Nuclear medicine
– Nuclear weapons
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Sources of Radiation
Consumer
Nuclear products
Medical X-raysmedicine
3%
11%
4%
Internal
11%
Terrestrial
8%
Cosmic
8%
Others
1%
Radon
54%
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Radiation
Danger
– Roentgen equivalent man - REMS
– damage cells & tissues
Policy
– USDE
– Nuclear waste disposal is highly controversial
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Noise Pollution
Measure by annoyance factor
• Frequency
– cycles per second
– hertz
– vibrations per second
• Amplitude
– decibels (dB)
• Noise abatement
– Policy - Noise Control Act of 1972
– Education programs
– Environmental changes
Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution
Chapter 15
Environmental Concerns:
Wastes and Pollution