Chapter 21: Solid, Toxic and Hazardous Waste

Chapter 21: Solid, Toxic and Hazardous Waste

Solid Waste11 billion tons each yearWaste stream- the steady flow of varied wastes produced In our dumping system processes mix & crush everything together separation is expensiveToxic materials are dispersed throughout tons of miscellaneous garbageWaste Disposal MethodsOpen DumpsPredominant form in developing countriesGarbage is left in giant piles exposed to wind, rain, rats, flies, and other verminIllegal dumping in developed countriesExample- 200 million litres of waste motor oil is poured into sewers soak into ground waterOil can pollute large quantities of water with a small amountOpen DumpSmokey mountain in Manila, Philippines where 20,000 people live and work

Ocean DumpingPackaging-bottles, cans, plastic containersFishing gear- netsSewage sludge80 million m3 of dredge soil is dumpedContaminates with heavy metals and toxic compoundsLand FillsSanitary landfills- solid waste disposal is regulated and controlledCompacted every day and covered with a layer of dirt, which helps control pollution1994- land fills in US have to control hazardous materialsAn impermeable layer underlies and encloses the storage areasDrainage systems are around liner to catch drainage and monitor leaking chemicalsLocationUn-faulted rock formationsAway from rivers, lakes, floodplains and aquifer recharge zonesBecoming expensive disposal method because of rising land costsMethane recovery-Natural product of decomposing garbage deep in a landfillCan be collected and burnedCould provide enough electricity for a city of 1 million people

Sanitary Land FillA waterproof lining is now required to prevent leaching of chemicals into underground aquifers

Exporting WastesPoorer populates are more likely to be recipient of dumps, waste incinerators, and unwanted land usesOften toxic wastesrecycle as asphalt- what happens when the road wears away?Land farmedSold as fertilizers or soil amendmentsNot subject to regulation because not intended for human ingestionIncinerationEnergy recovery/ waste-to-energy- burningHeat derived from incinerated refuse is a useful resourceCan produce steam used directly for heating building or generating electricityReduces land fill needTypes of municipal incinerators-specially designed burning plants are capable of burning thousands of tons of waste per dayRefuse derived fuel- can be sorted to remove unburnable or recyclable meterialsMass burn- dump everything, burn as much as possibleAvoids expensive and unpleasant job of sortingCauses greater problems with air pollution and corrosion of burner grates and chimneys10%-20% of original mass

Contains toxic components environmental hazard if not disposed properlyIncinerator cost and safetyInitial construction- $100 -$300 millionPay in long run lifetime of landfills will be extendedEnvironmental SafetyHigh levels of dioxin, furans, lead and cadmium in incinerator ashConcentrated in fly ash( lighter, air borne particles capable of penetrating deep inside the lungProblem: Enough Garbage?Percentage of municipal solid waste recycled, composted, incinerations and landfilled in some developing countries

Shrinking the Waste StreamRecyclingThe reprocessing of discarded materials in to new useful productsinto same product( ie. New cans) or entirely new products (ie. Newspapers cellulose insulating)Contamination- can cost more to remove contaminants that the material is wortheconomic benefits-saves money, energy, raw materials and landMoney- many recycling programs cover their own costs with material salesLowers demand for raw materialsReduces need for energy to create new materialsEx. Producing aluminum cans from scrap saves 95% of energyReduces litterCommercial scale recyclingComposting- a method in which natural aerobic decomposition reduces organic debris to a nutrient rich soil amendmentSave land fill spaceCan make a profitFerment organic waste produce Methane sell energy and fertilizerCan recycle building debris Mulch, crushed stone, gypsum, recyclable metal and paperThermal conversion process- pressure cooks manure, plastics, paper processing waste, tires, sewageExtreme heat and pressure reduce molecules to simple hydrocarbons-oil, gasoline, natural gasDemanufacturingThe disassembly and recycling of obsolete products such as TVs and computersE-waste- computers, cell phones, TVs, printersReduces environmental costsCradle to grave- manufactures are responsible for taking care of what they produceReusingSaves cost of remanufacturingEx. Selling from junkyardsProducers reusing glass containers (average 15 round trips before too scratched to use)National companies not in favor of b/c would take too much energyIn some developing countries people make a living off of scavenging from city dumpsReducingPackaging- 50% domestic waste (volume)ReduceNo packagingMinimal packagingReusable packagingRecyclable packagingWhen necessary can usePhotodegradable plastics- breakdown when exposed to UV radiationBio degradable plastics- incorporate such materials as cornstarch that can be decomposed by micro organismsOften dont decompose completelyLargely eliminates recycling as an optionMost important- Reduce, Reuse, RecycleHazardous and Toxic Wastesrecycled, contained or detozifiedHazardous waste- any discarded material, liquid or solid, that contains substances known to beFatal to humans or laboratory animals in small dosesToxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic to humans or other life formsIgnitable with a flash point of less than 60CCorrosiveExplosive or highly reactiveSome materials can be exemptIn small quantitiesIn an approved waste treatement facility for the purpose of being beneficially used, recycled, reclaimed, detoxified or destroyedMost is recycled, converted into non hazardous forms, stored or otherwise disposed ofProblem: orphan wastes-left behind by abandoned industriesFederal LegislationResource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) 1976Requires rigorous testing and management of toxic and hazardous substancesRequires generators, shippers, users and disposers of materials to keep meticulous accountComprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) 1980, modified 1984 under the Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act (SARA)Aimed at rapid contianment, cleanup or remediation of abandoned toxic sitesAuthorized EPA to undertake emergency actions when threat exists, can bring auit against responsible partiesSARA- community has the right to know, and established state emergency response plans that gives citizens access to the toxins in their communityToxic Release Inventory- requires 20,000 facilities or report on releases of 300 toxic materialsSuperfund Sites36,000 seriously contaminated in US1997- 1,400 sites on National Priority List (NPL)Superfund-Provides immediate response to situations that pose imminent threatsClean up1993-2000- 757 of 1500 NPL sites cleanedGreatest concerns-most often detected

Contamination sites-Old industrial facilities-smelters, mills, petroleum refineries, chemical manufacturing plantsMining districtsRailroad yards, bus repair barns

LeadTrichloroethyleneTolueneBenzenePCBsChloroformPhenolArsenicCadmiumChromium

Hazardous Waste SitesHazardous waste sites found usually around the Great Lakes, the Rust belt or the gulf coastHere- on EPA priority cleanup list, sites on aquifer recharge zones are an especially serious threat because ground water contamination can be difficult and costly, and some times impossible.

BrownfieldsLarge areas of contaminate landAbandoned because of real or suspected pollutionLiability risks deter developersSome people think the standards for clean up are too high-Ex. Water contamination must be to drinking water standardsFormer congressman Jim Florio, and principal author of the original Superfund Act says It doesnt make any sense to clan up a rail yard in downtown Newark so it can be used as a drinking water reservoir.Developing contaminate sites can help-Rebuild citiesIncrease tax basePrevent needless destruction of open spaceIn some places former Brownfields are being turn into eco-industrial parks that have environmentally friendly business and bring jobs to neighborhoods