APES Chapter 16: Waste Generation and Waste Disposal Q's

In nature, most waste products become another organism's inputs. Provide 3 examples of this. How are human different from other species in this respect?

1. A dead coyote is eaten by turkey vultures, which are scavengers. 2. Mushrooms decompose a tree stump. 2. Humans use cow manure to fertilize agricultural fields. Humans have manufactured synthetic organic compounds for industry such as solvents and plastics, which cannot be broken down. As of now, there is nothing that can eat plastics to effectively render them harmless so they cannot in any true sense be used for any positive purpose by another organism. All that can be done with plastics is to recycle them (usually open-loop) into something that humans can use. Also, humans also overload the system by using generating more waste than can be dealt with in a short period of time.

How can waste be turned into energy? Describe the process.

1. Solid waste is burned at extremely high temperatures 2. The heat oils water which turns to steam which turns a turbine 3. The turbine powers a generator to create electricity (mechanical to electrical energy).

What characteristics should a proper landfill site have?

A landfill should be located in a soil rich in clay and located away from rivers, streams, and other bodies of water used for drinking-water supplies. A landfill should be sufficiently far away from populated areas to protect human health but not so far that transport costs are economically feasible. (landfill sites are often a source of environmental justice as people who lack financial resources and political influence are often unable to effectively fight the contribution of landfill in their neighborhood.)

What is the difference between a landfill and a dump (you may need to read further to give a proper answer to this question)?

An open dump is simply a large field or hole in the ground where garbage is deposited and often burned. Dumps create significant environmental hazards through the uncontrolled release of harmful materials and the attraction of rodents and other vermin. Open dumping is forbidden in most developed countries. Sanitary landfills are specially prepared facilities that must meet specific federal requirements mandated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act for location, design, operation, closure, monitoring, and financial assurance. They must be constructed with special liners and impermeable soil layers to prevent release of materials to the environment, and procedures must be in place to monitor and control leaks (leachate) that could contaminate local water supplies. Wastes brought to landfills are spread out daily and covered with a layer of either clay or plastic foam. Most modern landfills can handle large amounts of wastes; have limited odors and relatively low-operating coasts. However, sustainable over long periods of time.

Explain how the Superfund law came into effect and what it does.

CERLCA is a 1980 U.S. federal act that imposes a tax on the cleanup of abandoned and non-operating hazardous waste sites, and authorizes the federal government to responds directly to the release or threatened release of substances that may pose a threat to human health or the environment. The best known Superfund site is Love Canal, New York. It was originally a hazardous waste landfill that was then covered with fill and topsoil and used as a site for a school and a housing development. - It imposes a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries. - The revenue from this tax is used to fund the cleanup of abandoned and non=operating hazardous waste sites where a responsible party cannot be established. - Under Superfund, the EPA maintains the National Priorities List (NPL) of contaminated sites.

What is e-waste? Why is e-waste a serious environmental concern? Why don't we recycle e-waste more often?

E-waste is electronic waste and it accounts for about 2 % of the waste stream. E-waste is classified as hazardous waste as it is an environmental concern because it contains large amounts of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury. These metals may eventually leach out of the bottom of the landfill into the groundwater or surface water. E-waste deposited in landfills is the source of more than 70% of the heavy metals found in landfills. Recycling rates for e-waste are less than 20% as it is often considered easier and cheaper to throw old electronics than to recycle them because there is little formalized infrastructure or incentive to do so.

What is the definition of hazardous waste, and what are its main sources?

Hazardous waste is liquid, solid, gaseous, or sludge waste material that is harmful to humans or ecosystems. The majority of hazardous waste is the by-product of industrial processes. It can also be generated by small businesses such as dry cleaners, small farms, and automobile service stations. Households can also be a source of hazardous waste from items such as oil based paints, motor oil, and chemical cleaners. Hazardous wastes are ignitable, corrosive, reactive or toxic.

How much trash does the average American produce each day? What factors influence how much waste you produce?

In 2008, the average American generated around 2.2 kg or 4.5 pounds of MSW a day. Some estimates are closer to 5 lbs. a day. Socioeconomic status, geographic location and season of the year impact the amount of waste an individual generates. The more single-use items a person uses, the more waste she/he will generate.

What problems do organic wastes like food waste cause in landfills?

In a landfill, organic wastes are subjected to anaerobic conditions in which organic waste eating anaerobic bacteria release methane during decomposition. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and it can also create an explosion hazard if not properly ventilated. In addition, when organic wastes are put in a landfill, their nutrients are locked up and thus cannot contribute to the food chain and cycle of life.

What is incineration? List some of the environmental concerns of incineration.

Incineration is the process of burning waste materials to reduce their volume and mass and sometimes to generate electricity or heat. Toxic ash from the burning of waste must be disposed of in a designated landfill. Releases air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides, mercury, and dioxins. Creates greenhouse gas emissions of CO2.

Briefly describe the concept of integrated waste management. How does it connect to the first question from this reading guide?

Integrated waste management employs multiple approaches to the reduction, management, and disposable of waste in order to reduce the environmental impact of MSW. Options are available in any combination that is most appropriate at a given time. This can include a combination of recycling, composting, use of landfills, incineration and whatever additional methods are appropriate to the particular situation.

Describe the purpose of each of the following landfill parts: Leachate collection system, Liner, Methane collection pipes, and Cap.

Leachate collection system - Pipes are used to collect leachate from the bottom of the landfill. The leachates is then stored and treated. Liner - Clay and plastic liners are used to prevent leaks. Methane collection pipes - methane gas is collected so that it can be used on site for fuel and electricity generation. Cap - A soil and clay cap (and sometimes plastic) is placed on top of the landfill once it reaches capacity so that the land can be used for other purposes. Topography is engineered to encourage water to flow off to the sides rather than into the landfill.

Why is disposal of hazardous waste a challenge?

Mostly because it is dangerous and thus requires special handling and treatment. Hazardous waste have a much greater likelihood of causing harm to humans and ecosystems than other types of wastes and should not be disposed of in regular landfills. Most municipalities do not have regular collection sites for hazardous waste or household hazardous waste and homeowner and small businesses are asked to keep their hazardous waste in a safe location until periodic collections are held. Every aspect of the treatment and disposal of hazardous waste is more expensive and more difficult than the disposal of ordinary waste. Hazardous waste must be treated before disposal. Collection sites need to be staffed with specially trained personnel. Some items can be treated and other items need to be sent to a specific facility for treatment. As with any waste, source reduction is ideal so that the waste is not even created in the first place.

What are suitable uses for a closed landfill?

Public parks, open spaces, golf courses, playgrounds and, according to some sources, building sites.

What is the main difference between closed loop recycling and open loop recycling?

Q

Why is recycling the last choice of the Rs?

Recycling is the last of the three R's because it requires money, energy via transportation and industrial processing, time for processing, cleaning and transporting and modification and people have to actually do it. While recycling does reduce the amount of petroleum extracted and energy needed to make new plastics, the best choice is always to reduce inputs first.

Of the three Rs, which is the most important? Why?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle... Reduce is #1! Reduction of waste is most important because reducing inputs is the optimal way to achieve reduction in solid waste generation. Reducing inputs into the system also reduces outputs. Source reduction - an approach that seeks to cut waste by reducing the use of potential waste materials in the early stages of design and manufacture. This can be implemented at the individual, corporate and institutional levels. Examples of source reduction - using both sides of the paper when making copies; using packaging that provides the same protection with fewer materials, giving workers reusable mugs instead of paper/plastic cups.

Give some specific examples of the challenges faced by someone trying to do a life cycle analysis.

Some examples of the challenges faced by someone trying to do a life cycle analysis include determining where the particulates and nitrogen oxides released them generating food are better or worse for the environment than the amount of methane that might be released if the same food waste was placed in the landfill.

Explain what RCRA does.

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act was expanded previous solid waste laws in 1976. The main goal of RCRA is to protect human health and the natural environment by reducing or eliminating the generation of hazardous waste. This act allows the EPA to set standards for management of several types of hazardous waste produced. The EPA issues permits to companies that have developed a plan for hazardous waste from the initial generation of the waste to the end disposal. This is known as a cradle-to-grave (generation to disposal) system to track hazardous waste disposal. Although this is valuable legislation for controlling hazardous waste disposal, it is important tot remember that this law regulates less than 5% of the hazardous waste produced in the USA

Define each of the following terms and provide an example of each from your own life: Throw-away society, Planned Obsolescence, and Single Use item.

Throw-away society - a society in which it items can be bought, used for a short period of time, and then thrown away rather than being reused, recycled or repaired and taken care of for years or decades. A throw-away society uses products that are only used for a short time and then discarded. (When I by a juice it is served in a plastic cup with a lid and straw. After drinking the juice, the container and straw are discarded in the trash. Prior to the invention of plastics, this would not have been a common practice.) Planned Obsolescence - the design of a product so that it will need to be replaced within a few years. (The previous example of a plastic cup also fits here but the best example from my experience is my iPhone, after a recent update it has a battery life which leaves much to be desired. I will likely need to replace it in about a year.) Single-use item - paper plates, paper cups, Styrofoam to go packaging etc. (Unfortunately, when buying fried rice to go, the food came in a Styrofoam container which I had to throw away after using. I used it once so it is considered single-use.)

What are some of the economic issues to consider when making waste disposal decisions?

Waste disposal can be expensive. Reducing hazardous waste can help keep costs down and so can reducing the waste you produce.