2 – waste, its origin, its destination waste – its origin waste threatens sustainability,...

2 – Waste, its origin, its destination2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

Waste – its OriginWaste – its Origin

Waste Threatens Sustainability, Waste Threatens Sustainability, Characterization of WasteCharacterization of Waste

2.1 – Characterization of Waste 2.1 – Characterization of Waste


22/22/22

Waste is an Environmental Problem…

Environment: resource base

Environment as waste sink

Waste Residuals (Pollution)

Waste and the environment:

1. Waste contains hazardous materials that affect the environment

2. Natural environment has a certain assimilative capacity; pollution = residual flow > assimilative capacity

Limits to Waste Absorption



33/22/22

Waste is an Economic Problem…

Waste and the economy:

1. Waste is lost economic value

2. Waste causes nuisance, odour and is a threat to aesthetics

3. Waste disposal entails considerable costs

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)

TimeTime

Economic Economic capitalcapital

Materials economic value curveMaterials economic value curve



44/22/22

Waste of Today Causes a Future Problem…

Waste and the future:

1. Waste has potential long-term impacts

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

Waste residuals of today are the problems of tomorrow,…next year,…next century…

Review (1.5)…

Pollution problems depend on:

•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)

Review (1.5)…

Pollution problems depend on:

•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)



55/22/22

…therefore, Waste Imposes a Threat to Sustainability

Planet Profit

People

Decisions

inte

rdep

ende

nce

interdependence

interdependence

Review (1.5):Review (1.5):

…Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs …

WCED Our Common Future

Waste



66/22/22

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)



77/22/22

Characterization of waste

Involvement of Involvement of stakeholdersstakeholders

Awareness of Awareness of impactsimpacts

Development of Development of adequate adequate strategiesstrategies

Effective waste Effective waste managementmanagement



88/22/22

Characterization through Classification

Classification is possible in several ways, according• Generator type• Composition and chemical/physical properties• Hazardousness• Etc. GeneratorGenerator PropertyProperty AspectAspect

Households

Industries

Chemical

Physical

Hazard potential

Organic

Anorganic

Solid

Liquid

Gaseous

Ignitable

Corrosive

Reactive

Toxic



99/22/22

Generator Types: Waste Originates From a Variety of Sources

Extraction

Was

te is

pro

duce

d t

hrou

ghou

t th

e p

rodu

ct li

fecy

cle

Production

Use

Disposal

inputsinputs residualsresiduals

Generator type Waste stream (examples)

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



1010/22/22

Properties: Waste has Chemical and Physical Properties

Chemical properties and examples:

ChemicalOrganic

Anorganic

•paperpaper•some plasticssome plastics•foodfood•yard wasteyard waste•some textilessome textiles•rubberrubber

•GlassGlass•MetalsMetals•Dirt (ashes)Dirt (ashes)•Some bulky wastesSome bulky wastes

Physical

Solid

Liquid

Gaseous

Municipal solid waste (MSW)Municipal solid waste (MSW)Industrial waste water (IWW)Industrial waste water (IWW)Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG))Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG))

Physical properties and examples:

LipidsLipidsCarbohydratesCarbohydratesCrude fibersCrude fibersProteinsProteins



1111/22/22

Properties: Waste May Have a Certain Hazard Potential

Hazard potential

Ignitable

Corrosive

Reactive

Toxic

Cleaning solvents, paint thinnersCleaning solvents, paint thinnersAcidic wastes from metal platingAcidic wastes from metal platingExplosives, electroplating solutionsExplosives, electroplating solutionsPaint waste, dental amalgam, batteriesPaint waste, dental amalgam, batteries



1212/22/22

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)



1313/22/22








1414/22/22

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:

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)

impactsimpacts



1515/22/22

Classification of Waste Increases Awareness of Impacts (2)

Environmental impacts of e-waste disposal:Environmental impacts of e-waste disposal:

• Air (CO(CO22 and toxic emissions from incinerators) and toxic emissions from incinerators)

• Soil (leachate from landfills and wet deposition of leachate from landfills and wet deposition of emissions from incinerators)emissions from incinerators)

• Water (leachate of landfills to groundwater)

Economic impacts of e-waste disposal:Economic impacts of e-waste disposal:

• Manufacturing of (new) electronics requires extraction of Manufacturing of (new) electronics requires extraction of scarce resources such as precious metals, oil and scarce resources such as precious metals, oil and energyenergy

• Treatment (including recycling) is additional cost-entryTreatment (including recycling) is additional cost-entry



1616/22/22



Awareness of impacts





1717/22/22

Classification of Waste Encourages the Involvement of StakeholdersExample: 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

Extraction

Production

Use

Disposal

inputsinputs residualsresiduals

Waste: ‘who is responsible?’Waste: ‘who is responsible?’



1818/22/22


Involvement of stakeholders






1919/22/22

Classification of Waste Encourages Development of Adequate Strategies

Chemical

Physical

Hazard potential

Organic

Anorganic

Solid

Liquid

Gaseous

Ignitable

Corrosive

Reactive

Toxic

Classification dataClassification data Technology design and applicationsTechnology design and applications

Determines Determines applicabilityapplicability of waste materials for of waste materials for recyclingrecycling and for fuels in utilities and for and for fuels in utilities and for agriculturalagricultural fertilizersfertilizers; ; prediction of prediction of gaseousgaseous compositioncomposition of emissions from of emissions from incinerators and incinerators and leachateleachate from landfills from landfills

Determines transport and Determines transport and processingprocessing requirements; requirements; prediction of prediction of combustioncombustion characteristicscharacteristics and and landfilllandfill lifetimelifetime (volume of waste compared to landfill capacity) (volume of waste compared to landfill capacity)

Determines the design requirements of Determines the design requirements of long-term long-term storage facilitiesstorage facilities; requires ; requires safe transportationsafe transportation; guides ; guides urban planningurban planning around hazardous waste landfills around hazardous waste landfills (because of health risks and low concentrations can (because of health risks and low concentrations can already have already have adverse health effectsadverse health effects



2020/22/22


Involvement of stakeholders






2121/22/22

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



2222/22/22

More about adequate strategies in waste management:Section 2.3: • Waste prevention: Cleaner production• Eco-efficiency• Industrial Ecology



Solid Waste – Environmental Threats

Solid waste in relation to environmental threats - IPCC

2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats 2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats


Municipal Solid WasteMunicipal Solid Waste Biodegradable waste: food and kitchen waste, green Biodegradable waste: food and kitchen waste, green

waste, paper (can also be recycled). waste, paper (can also be recycled). Recyclable material: paper, glass, bottles, cans, metals, Recyclable material: paper, glass, bottles, cans, metals,

certain plastics, etc. certain plastics, etc. Inert waste: construction and demolition waste, dirt, Inert waste: construction and demolition waste, dirt,

rocks, debris. rocks, debris. Composite wastes: waste clothing, Tetra Packs, waste Composite wastes: waste clothing, Tetra Packs, waste

plastics such as toys. plastics such as toys. Domestic hazardous waste (also called "household Domestic hazardous waste (also called "household hazardous waste") & toxic waste: medication, paints, hazardous waste") & toxic waste: medication, paints, chemicals, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, spray cans, chemicals, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, spray cans, fertilizer and pesticide containers, batteries, shoe fertilizer and pesticide containers, batteries, shoe polish. polish.



Solid waste - Landfill

Leachate

GHG



Environmental impacts can be Environmental impacts can be clustered into six categories: clustered into six categories: Global warming Global warming

Photochemical oxidant creation Photochemical oxidant creation

Abiotic resource depletionAbiotic resource depletion

AcidificationAcidification

EutrophicationEutrophication

Ecotoxicity to water Ecotoxicity to water



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)



Solid waste - Landfill

Simplified Landfill Methane Mass BalanceMethane (CH4) produced (mass/time) =

Σ(CH4 recovered + CH4 emitted + CH4 oxidized)

(From Bogner, J., M. ea, Waste Management, In Climate Change 2007: Mitigation)



Global Warming Potential (GWP)Global Warming Potential (GWP)

20 years 100 years 500 years

Carbon dioxide

CO2 1 1 1

MethaneMethane CHCH44 6262 2323 77

Nitrous oxide

N2O 275 296 156



Solid waste - CHSolid waste - CH44 emissions for Indonesia emissions for Indonesia

Percentage Share of Various Sectors to the total CH4 emissions -1994(From: Indonesia: The First National Communication on Climate Change Convention)

Agriculture51%

Energy37%

IndustrialProcesses

0%

Waste / Landfill6%

Land Use Change and

Forestry6%



Leachate of landfill: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.)



IPCC – backgroundIPCC – 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/



The IPCC is honored with the Nobel The IPCC is honored with the Nobel Peace PrizePeace Prize

Oslo, 10 December 07 - The Oslo, 10 December 07 - The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. Change and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. were awarded of the Nobel Peace Prize were awarded of the Nobel Peace Prize "for their efforts to build up and "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such are needed to counteract such change". change".



IPCC – organizationIPCC – organizationChairman Rajendra

K. Pachauri



IPCC – organizationIPCC – 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”



IPCC - Waste ModelIPCC - 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



Waste – its destination

End-of-pipe Treatment, Waste Prevention, Cleaner Production

and Industrial Ecology

2.3 – Waste-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

Review (2.1):




Innovation of Innovation of strategiesstrategies


Waste: Its origin

Waste: Its originWaste: Its desitnation

Waste: Its desitnation



• The Destination of Waste• Conventional waste management: end-of-pipe

treatment• Modern waste management: prevention

Concept of Eco-efficiencyConcept of Cleaner ProductionConcept of Industrial Ecology

Contents



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

Waste residuals are discharged into the environment



The pollution problem in ‘physical’ terms:

…and cause environmental threats (see also 2.2)

Material flows and accumulations

Quantity-aspect

Throughput

Quality-aspect

Hazard potentialThroughput Hazard potential

AmountAmount of of Waste (level of Waste (level of

materials materials throughput)throughput)

CompositionComposition of of waste (hazard waste (hazard

potential of potential of materials)materials)

• Assimilative capacity of environment to absorb waste is limited• Waste materials impose threats to climates, ecosystems, material

resources, human health, economy



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):

What are the options to deal with the problem of waste?

Unavoidable Unavoidable product of product of economic economic growth?growth?



Conventional Waste Management:

“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

How do we manage waste?

approachapproach

strategystrategy

costscosts



Dumping into the environment (after limited treatment…?)

• 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

Types of conventional waste management

incinerationincineration

landfillinglandfilling

discharge to waterdischarge to water



• 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)

Problems of conventional waste management:



Is conventional waste management effective?

Environmental problemEnvironmental problem

Depletion of resources:

Dilution of resources:

Pollution of resources:

Damage to resources:

EffectivenessEffectiveness

Not effective

Not effective

Effective

Not effective



“waste is a challenge”:

reduction, reuse, recycling, redesign

Modern waste Management: prevention

approachapproach

strategystrategy

costscosts



Characteristics of modern, sustainable waste management

Eff

ectiv

eE

ffec

tive

Eff

icie

ntE

ffic

ient

•Is aimed at long term solution

•Eliminates waste problem

•Prevents hazardous waste residuals from entering the environment

•Reduces total material throughput

•Reduces waste impact against lowest possible:Energy useWater use Costs



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)



What are technical options for sustainable waste management?

Sustainable waste management suggests an eco-industrial revolution or a low-waste economy (Miller 2003):

• Eco-efficiency• Cleaner Production

• Industrial Ecology

• Reuse and recycle nonrenewable matter

• Use renewable accordance to replinishment rate

• Use matter and energy efficiently• Reduce unnecessary

consumption• Prevent pollution

Related concepts, but slightly different scopes



Eco-efficiency: characterization• Is about industrial or economic efficiency

Economy Environment

Eco-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)

• Scope: maximize economic productivity while reducing environmental impact



Eco-efficiency: product life-cycle characteristics

Eco-efficiencyEco-efficiency

Functional performance over life-cycleFunctional performance over life-cycle

Environmental impact over life-cycleEnvironmental impact over life-cycle

==



($) (products generated) = ---------------------------------------------------

($) (raw materials used + waste generated)

Industrial efficiency, , usually expressed as:



($) (products + more products generated) = ----------------------------------------------------

($) (raw materials used + waste generated)

[‘eco’ = ‘economic’]

Conventional wisdom – to produce more products, increase production



($) (products generated) = ---------------------------------------------------------- ($) (raw materials used + reduced waste

generated)

[‘eco’ = ‘ecologic’]

Eco-efficiency wisdom – to produce more products, reduce waste generated



Cleaner Production: characterization• Is about pollution prevention (P2) and environmental (resource and

energy) efficiency

Economy Environment

Eco-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)

• Scope: minimize environmental impacts, while saving costs



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



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:



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



• Visibility: smogPollution Prevention Pays (PPP) program Worldwide 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

Cleaner Production at 3M Corporation - USA



Cleaner Production at Printing Firm - Norway



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



Industrial Ecology: symbiosis between firms

Industrial Ecology in Kalundborg Industrial Ecology in Kalundborg (Denmark): achieving financial (Denmark): achieving financial and environmental sustainability and environmental sustainability through network co-operationthrough network co-operation



Industrial Ecology: example of waste reduction

Reduction in resource Reduction in resource consumption and emissions consumption and emissions in Kalundborg (Denmark). in Kalundborg (Denmark). Waste products are used as Waste products are used as resourcesresources


2 – waste, its origin, its destination waste – its origin waste threatens sustainability,...

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