2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Waste – its Origin
Waste Threatens Sustainability,
Characterization of Waste
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Waste is an Environmental Problem…
Limits to Waste Absorption
Waste and the environment:
Environment:
resource base
Environment
as waste sink
Waste
Residuals
(Pollution)
1. Waste contains hazardous
materials that affect the
environment
2. Natural environment has a
certain assimilative
capacity; pollution =
residual flow > assimilative
capacity
2/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Waste is an Economic Problem…
Waste is a flow or a stock of materials with a negative economic
value, which implies it is cheaper to discard these materials than to
use (Pichtel 2005)
Materials economic value curve
Waste and the economy:
1. Waste is lost economic
value
Economic
capital
2. Waste causes nuisance,
odour and is a threat to
aesthetics
3. Waste disposal entails
considerable costs
Time
3/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Waste of Today Causes a Future Problem…
Waste residuals of today are the problems of tomorrow,…next
year,…next century…
Review (1.5)…
Waste and the future:
Pollution problems depend on:
1. Waste has potential long-term
impacts
•Environmental impact potential of materials
•Spatial scale of impact
•Damage potential (severity of hazards)
•Degree of exposure
•Remediation and reversibility time
•Quantity of materials used (throughput)
Typical example: nuclear waste
2. Future generations bear the
consequences of today’s waste
discharge
Typical examples: global GHG
emissions and climate change,
leachate from landfills
4/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
…therefore, Waste Imposes a Threat to Sustainability
Review (1.5):
Waste
…Sustainable development is
development that meets the needs
of the present without
compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own
needs …
People
WCED Our Common Future
Decisions
Profit
Planet
interdependence
5/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
We Need Effective Waste Management
• To protect the environment
• To ensure economic development
• To reduce potential impacts on future generations
Effective waste management involves understanding of the
waste problem and thus a clear characterization and
classification of waste types
• To assign its impacts (environmental, economic and societal)
• To improve stakeholder involvement (we all produce waste)
• To guide adequate management (technologies and strategies)
6/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Awareness of
impacts
Characterization
of waste
Involvement of
stakeholders
Effective waste
management
Development of
adequate
strategies
7/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Characterization through Classification
Classification is possible in several ways, according
• Generator type
• Composition and chemical/physical properties
• Hazardousness
Generator
Property
• Etc.
Aspect
Organic
Chemical
Anorganic
Households
Physical
Solid
Liquid
Gaseous
Industries
Hazard
potential
Ignitable
Corrosive
Reactive
Toxic
8/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Waste is produced throughout the product lifecycle
Generator Types: Waste Originates From a Variety of
Sources
Generator type
Waste stream (examples)
inputs
Municipal
Food scrap, office paper, yard waste, plastics, glass, textiles
Hazardous
Petroleum refining residuals, electroplating solvents
Industrial
Coal combustion, pulp, iron scrap, chemicals
Medical
Infectious agents, waste human blood, pathological waste
Universal
Batteries, agricultural pesticides, thermostats
Construction
Concrete, asphalt, roofing
Radioactive
Uranium fuel, cleanup items from nuclear plants
Mining
Rock, smelting residuals
Agricultural
Animal manures, crop residuals, pesticides
residuals
Extraction
Production
Use
Disposal
9/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Properties: Waste has Chemical and Physical
Properties
Chemical properties and examples:
Lipids
Carbohydrates
Crude fibers
Proteins
Organic
Chemical
•paper
•some plastics
•food
•yard waste
•some textiles
•rubber
Anorganic
Physical properties and examples:
Physical
Solid
Liquid
Gaseous
•Glass
•Metals
•Dirt (ashes)
•Some bulky wastes
Municipal solid waste (MSW)
Industrial waste water (IWW)
Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG))
10/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Properties: Waste May Have a Certain Hazard
Potential
Hazard
potential
Ignitable
Corrosive
Reactive
Toxic
Cleaning solvents, paint thinners
Acidic wastes from metal plating
Explosives, electroplating solutions
Paint waste, dental amalgam, batteries
11/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Waste is Often Highly Heterogenous
Example: Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
As a function of source (many generator types)
• Residential (single-, multi-family homes)
• Commercial (restaurants, retail companies)
• Institutional (schools, hospitals)
• Industrial (packaging and administrative businesses)
As a function of property (mixed chemical composition)
• Organic (paper, plastics, food, yard waste, textiles and rubber)
• Inorganic (glass, metals, ashes, refrigerators, stoves)
• Hazardous (pesticides, batteries, paint containers)
12/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Awareness of
impacts
Characterization
of waste
Involvement of
stakeholders
Effective waste
management
Development of
adequate
strategies
13/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Classification of Waste Increases Awareness of
Impacts (1)
Example: Electronic waste in MSW disposal
• Generator type: households and offices
• Products composition: computers, cell phones, televisions, copiers
etc.
• Materials composition:




impacts
Organic: glass
Anorganic: plastic, metals (iron, copper, aluminium)
Hazard potential: heavy metals (lead, zinc, cadmium, mercury)
In landfills, e-waste is the main source of heavy metals (Pichtel 2005)
14/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Classification of Waste Increases Awareness of
Impacts (2)
Environmental impacts of e-waste disposal:
• Air (CO2 and toxic emissions from incinerators)
• Soil (leachate from landfills and wet deposition of
emissions from incinerators)
• Water (leachate of landfills to groundwater)
Economic impacts of e-waste disposal:
• Manufacturing of (new) electronics requires extraction of
scarce resources such as precious metals, oil and energy
• Treatment (including recycling) is additional cost-entry
15/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Awareness of
impacts
Characterization
of waste
Involvement of
stakeholders
Effective waste
management
Development of
adequate
strategies
16/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Classification of Waste Encourages the
Involvement of Stakeholders
Example: Electronic waste in MSW
Stakeholders from:
• extraction phase: oil companies, mining
heavy metals
• production phase: chemical industry,
manufacturing of glass, electronic
components and plastics
• use phase: energy consumption
• disposal phase: households and businesses
inputs
residuals
Extraction
Production
Use
Disposal
Waste: ‘who is responsible?’
17/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Awareness of
impacts
Characterization
of waste
Involvement of
stakeholders
Effective waste
management
Development of
adequate
strategies
18/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Classification of Waste Encourages Development of
Adequate Strategies
Classification data
Organic
Chemical
Anorganic
Physical
Solid
Liquid
Gaseous
Hazard
potential
Ignitable
Corrosive
Reactive
Toxic
Technology design and applications
Determines applicability of waste materials for recycling
and for fuels in utilities and for agricultural fertilizers;
prediction of gaseous composition of emissions from
incinerators and leachate from landfills
Determines transport and processing requirements;
prediction of combustion characteristics and landfill
lifetime (volume of waste compared to landfill capacity)
Determines the design requirements of long-term
storage facilities; requires safe transportation; guides
urban planning around hazardous waste landfills
(because of health risks and low concentrations can
already have adverse health effects
19/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Awareness of
impacts
Characterization
of waste
Involvement of
stakeholders
Effective waste
management
Development of
adequate
strategies
20/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
Data on Waste is Useful for Adequate Waste
Management
• To organize recycling programmes:
Example: residential collection programmes for televisions, audio
and stereo equipment etc.; extended producer responsibility (EPR)
• To design and operate material recovery facilities
Example: high recyclability of aluminium, iron, tin, copper, nickel,
gold and silver from electronic waste in MSW (Pichtel 2005)
• To design optimal municipal incinerators
Example: filter systems and capturing of heavy metals in bottom
ash and gas residuals
• To reduce risks and amount of waste generated and reduce costs
Example: exclusion of hazardous waste products from MSW,
impose cleaner production strategies, improve leachate properties,
prevent groundwater contamination
21/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.1 – Characterization of Waste
More about adequate strategies in waste
management:
Section 2.3:
• Waste prevention: Cleaner production
• Eco-efficiency
• Industrial Ecology
22/22
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
Solid Waste – Environmental
Threats
Solid waste in relation to
environmental threats - IPCC
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
Municipal Solid Waste
 Biodegradable waste: food and kitchen waste, green
waste, paper (can also be recycled).
 Recyclable material: paper, glass, bottles, cans, metals,
certain plastics, etc.
 Inert waste: construction and demolition waste, dirt,
rocks, debris.
 Composite wastes: waste clothing, Tetra Packs, waste
plastics such as toys.
 Domestic hazardous waste (also called "household
hazardous waste") & toxic waste: medication, paints,
chemicals, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, spray cans,
fertilizer and pesticide containers, batteries, shoe
polish.
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
Solid waste - Landfill
GHG
Leachate
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
Environmental impacts can be
clustered into six categories:
 Global warming
 Photochemical oxidant creation
 Abiotic resource depletion
 Acidification
 Eutrophication
 Ecotoxicity to water
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
Solid Waste Disposal Sites (SWDS)
produce Greenhouse gases (GHG) like:
 Methane (CH4)
 Biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2)
 Non methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs)
 Small amounts of nitrous oxide (N2O), nitrogen oxides
(NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO)
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
Solid waste - Landfill
Simplified Landfill Methane Mass Balance
Methane (CH4) produced (mass/time) =
Σ(CH4 recovered + CH4 emitted + CH4 oxidized)
(From Bogner, J., M. ea, Waste Management, In Climate Change 2007: Mitigation)
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
Global Warming Potential (GWP)
20 years
100 years 500 years
Carbon
dioxide
Methane
CO2
1
1
1
CH4
62
23
7
Nitrous
oxide
N2O
275
296
156
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
Solid waste - CH4 emissions for Indonesia
Energy
37%
Land Use
Change and
Forestry
6%
Agriculture
51%
Waste / Landfill
6%
Industrial
Processes
0%
Percentage Share of Various Sectors to the total CH4 emissions -1994
(From: Indonesia: The First National Communication on Climate Change Convention)
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
Leachate of landfill:
 Dissolved organic matter (alcohols, acids, aldehydes,
short chain sugars etc.)
 Inorganic macro components (common cations and
anions including sulfate, chloride, Iron, aluminium,
zinc and ammonia)
 Heavy metals (Pb, Ni, Cu, Hg)
 Xenobiotic organic compounds such as halogenated
organics, (PCBs, dioxins etc.)
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
IPCC – background
 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
 Founded 1988 by WMO (World Meteorological
Organization) and UNEP (United Nations
Environment Programme)
 Objective source of information about climate change
for decision makers and other interested
http://www.ipcc.ch/
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
The IPCC is honored with the Nobel
Peace Prize
Oslo, 10 December 07 - The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr.
were awarded of the Nobel Peace Prize
"for their efforts to build up and
disseminate greater knowledge about
man-made climate change, and to lay
the foundations for the measures that
are needed to counteract such
change".
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
IPCC – organization
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
Chairman Rajendra
K. Pachauri
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
IPCC – organization
3 Working Groups and Task Force
 WG1 – “The Physical Science
Basis of Climate Change”
 WG2 – “Climate Change Impact,
Adaptation and Vulnerability”
 WG 3 – “Mitigation of Climate Change”
Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas
Inventories - “Develop and refine a
methodology for the calculation and
reporting of national GHG emissions
and removals”
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats
IPCC - Waste Model
• Relatively simple model as basis for the estimation of
CH4 emissions from SWDS
• Calculates emissions generated in current inventory
year from the waste deposited in previous years
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Waste – its destination
End-of-pipe Treatment, Waste
Prevention, Cleaner Production
and Industrial Ecology
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
We need effective waste management
• To protect the environment
• To ensure economic development
• To reduce potential impacts on future generations
Awareness of
impacts
Characterization of
waste
Involvement of
stakeholders
Innovation of
strategies
Effective waste
management
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Contents
• The Destination of Waste
• Conventional waste management: end-of-pipe
treatment
• Modern waste management: prevention
Concept of Eco-efficiency
Concept of Cleaner Production
Concept of Industrial Ecology
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Waste residuals are discharged into the environment
Mass balance principle: all material extractions
from the environment will eventually be returned
to it, which implies:
• …there is no ‘away’ of materials
• …the natural environment functions as
resource base and waste sink: the final
destination of unwanted materials is also the
resource base of these materials
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
…and cause environmental threats (see also 2.2)
The pollution problem in ‘physical’ terms:
Amount of
Waste (level of
materials
throughput)
Material flows and
accumulations
Throughput
Throughput
Hazard
Hazard
potential
potential
Quantityaspect
Qualityaspect
Composition of
waste (hazard
potential of
materials)
• Assimilative capacity of environment to absorb waste is limited
• Waste materials impose threats to climates, ecosystems, material
resources, human health, economy
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
What are the options to deal with the problem of
waste?
1. The amount of waste need to be reduced
2. The hazard potential of waste need to be reduced
Important note: Solutions are shaped by our approach to
waste (Miller 2004):
Unavoidable
product of
economic
growth?
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
How do we manage waste?
Conventional Waste Management:
approach
strategy
costs
“Waste is a problem”
End-of-pipe treatment: burning, burying or transporting
of waste residuals
Expensive
• In 1992 the US spent US$ 100 billion, the EU US$ 30 billion
on ‘end-of-pipe’ treatment (Ecological Sustainable Industrial Development,
UNIDO, 1994)
• HOWEVER: There is very little direct financial return to the
industries that incur this expenditure
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Types of conventional waste management
Dumping into the environment (after limited
treatment…?)
incineration
landfilling
discharge to water
• Air (example: emissions from incineration)
• Soils (example: solid waste to landfills)
• Water (example: wastewater to oceans)
In effect: end-of-pipe transfers waste materials from
one part of the environment to another
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Problems of conventional waste management:
• Pollution of atmosphere (exhaust of toxic substances
and GHGs from incineration or landfills)
• Pollution of soils (leakage of heavy metals from
landfills)
• Pollution of water (deterioration of water quality, loss
of biodiversity)
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Is conventional waste management effective?
Environmental problem
Effectiveness
Depletion of resources:
Not effective
Dilution of resources:
Not effective
Pollution of resources:
Effective
Damage to resources:
Not effective
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Modern waste Management: prevention
approach
strategy
“waste is a challenge”:
reduction, reuse, recycling, redesign
Action
costs
Cost
(US$)
Savings
(US$/y)
Payback period
Replace leaking steam traps
700
47,000
1 week
Modifying rinsing procedures
400
45,000
< 1 week
Replace sulphate with NaCl
none
7,500
immediate
Repair leaks in wool laundries
50
3,700
< 1 week
Repair leaks on Zonco washer
none
2,200
immediate
Filter sulphuric acid continuously 700
300
2.5 years
TOTAL
> 100,000
1,850
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Effective
•Is aimed at long term solution
•Eliminates waste problem
•Prevents hazardous waste residuals from entering the environment
•Reduces total material throughput
Efficient
Characteristics of modern, sustainable waste
management
•Reduces waste impact against lowest possible:
Energy use
Water use
Costs
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
What are technical options for sustainable waste
management?
• Prevent (design low-impact products and adapt
production processes)
• Reuse (extend user lifetime of products)
• Recycle (reuse materials from products)
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
What are technical options for sustainable waste
management?
Sustainable waste management suggests an ecoindustrial revolution or a low-waste economy (Miller 2003):
• Reuse and recycle nonrenewable
matter
• Use renewable accordance to
replinishment rate
• Use matter and energy efficiently
• Reduce unnecessary
consumption
• Prevent pollution
• Eco-efficiency
• Cleaner Production
• Industrial Ecology
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Eco-efficiency: characterization
• Is about industrial or economic efficiency
The delivery of competitively priced goods and services that satisfy
human needs and bring quality of life, while progressively reducing
ecological impacts and resource intensity throughout the life cycle, to
a level at least in line with the earth's estimated carrying capacity.
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) (1992)
Eco-efficiency
• Scope: maximize economic productivity while reducing
environmental impact
Economy
Environment
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Eco-efficiency: product life-cycle characteristics
Functional performance over life-cycle
Eco-efficiency
=
Environmental impact over life-cycle
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Industrial efficiency, , usually expressed as:
($) (products generated)
 = --------------------------------------------------($) (raw materials used + waste generated)
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Conventional wisdom – to produce more products,
increase production
($) (products + more products generated)
 = ---------------------------------------------------($) (raw materials used + waste generated)
[‘eco’ = ‘economic’]
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Eco-efficiency wisdom – to produce more products,
reduce waste generated
($) (products generated)
 = ---------------------------------------------------------($) (raw materials used + reduced waste generated)
[‘eco’ = ‘ecologic’]
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Cleaner Production: characterization
• Is about pollution prevention (P2) and environmental (resource and
energy) efficiency
The practical application of knowledge, methods and means, so as
to provide the most rational use of natural resources and energy,
and to protect the environment
(First UN seminar organized by the ECE, 1976)
Eco-efficiency
• Scope: minimize environmental impacts, while saving costs
Economy
Environment
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Cleaner Production: two important items
1. Good housekeeping: prevent pollution by different use of
techniques or behavioural change
2. Clean technology: apply new technology that uses
resources and energy more efficiently and at the same
time generate less pollution
The cleaner production concept is used at different levels:
• As a policy tool
• As a methodological tool
• As a managenent tool for industry
Baas 2005
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Cleaner Production: pollution prevention and
avoidance of unwise resource use
• better choice of resources:
• less in-process spillage:
• more reuse/recycling:
• more recovery:
• less ‘end-of-pipe’ waste:
• less observable pollution:
• better public image:
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Cleaner Production leads also to good business
Examples:
3M Corporation - USA
Printing firm - Norway
Química y Textiles Proquindus - Peru
Cerveceria Suramericana S.A. - Ecuador
Plastigama S.A. - Ecuador
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Cleaner Production at 3M Corporation - USA
Pays (PPP) program Worldwide
•Pollution
Visibility: Prevention
smog
1975 - 1990 (15 years)
• 126,000 tons of air pollutants
• 16,600 tons of sludge
• 6,600 m3 of wastewater
• 409,000 tons of solid/hazardous waste
• 210,000 barrels of oil annually
• US $ 506,000,000 in 15 years
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Cleaner Production at Printing Firm - Norway
Approach
Dilution
Pollution
Control
Pollution
Prevention
Measure
Costs (NOK)
 23 km pipeline  investment: 100 M
 1.5 m Ø
 wastewater
 investment: 32 M
treatment plant  operation: 8 M/y
 procedural and  investment: 8 M
technical
 savings:
changes
 5 M/y on chem’s
 10 M/y on energy
 8 M/y increased
productivity
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Industrial Ecology: closing material loops between
companies
•
Eco-Efficiency and Cleaner Production: prevention,
recycling, reuse of material flows within processes
and companies
•
Industrial Ecology: prevention, recycling and reuse of
material flows between companies
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Industrial Ecology: symbiosis between firms
Industrial Ecology in Kalundborg
(Denmark): achieving financial
and environmental sustainability
through network co-operation
2 – Waste, its origin, its destination
2.3 – Waste-its Destination
Industrial Ecology: example of waste reduction
Reduction in resource
consumption and emissions
in Kalundborg (Denmark).
Waste products are used as
resources