Environmental Pollution and Protection
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
"Superfund" program, created in 1980. For hazardous sites created before RCRA took effect. These sites are placed on the National Priorities List (NPL).
hazardous waste management and disposal
(1) Eliminate or reduce hazardous waste quantities at their source by modifying industrial process and other techniques. (2) Reclaim and recycle the waste, using it as a resource for some other industrial and manufacturing process. (3) Stabilize the waste, rendering it nonhazardous by using appropriate chemical, biological, or physical processes. (4) Incinerate the waste at temperatures high enough to destroy or detoxify it. (5) Apply modern land disposal methods, preferably after providing some form of containerization or appropriate treatment.
example of eco-design
(1) Inflatable furniture (decrease 85% of life cycle energy that is consumed when making a traditional sofa; polyolefin, which is 100% recyclable) (2) Recycled polyester (Patagonia used recycled plastic soda bottles to make a polyester fleece, recycled used soda bottles, unusable manufacturing waste and worn-out garments (including their own) to produce clothing). (3) Tripp-trapp children's chair (the chair can be modified and adjusted to fit the growing child, wooden and durable) (4) Windup or clockwork radio
examples of biomimicry
(1) Sharkskin-inspired swimsuits (2) Lotusan (3) Termite den = Passive cooling office building. (4) Whale = Turbine (5) Birds = Jets (6) Gecko Tape (7) Self-Healing Plastics
Advantages of MSW processing
(1)Reduces the total volume and weight (2) Changes MSW form and improves its handling characteristics (3)Recovers natural resources and energy for reuse or recycling
2015 Sustainable Development Goals
17 goals: No poverty; zero hunger; good health and well being; quality education; gender equality; clean water and sanitation; affordable and clean energy; decent work and economic growth; industry innovation and infrastructure; reduced inequalities; sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production; climate action; life below water; life on land; peace, justice and strong institutions; and partnerships for the goals.
2000 Millennium Development Goals
8 goals: To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; to achieve universal primary education; to promote gender equality and empower women; to reduce child mortality; to improve maternal health; to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; to ensure environmental sustainability; and to develop a global partnership for development.
digestion
A MSW composting operation that can be accomplished by open windrows, mechanical compost systems, or aerated static pile composting system
Love Canal
A community with hundreds of houses built atop 21,000 tons of toxic industrial waste that had been buried underground in the 1940s by the Hooker company. Chemical waste seeped into people's basements, trees and gardens began to die, local residents allegedly experienced major health problems including high rates of miscarriages, birth defects, and chromosome damage.
Transfer Station
A facility at which solid wastes from individual collection trucks are consolidated into larger vehicles (for transport to the processing or disposal site)
open dump
A land disposal site at which solid wastes are disposed of in a manner that does not protect the environment, are susceptible to open burning, and are exposed to the elements, vectors, and scavengers
sustainability
A method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged. Integrates the three elements of triple bottom line (environment, economy, and society). Aims at meeting the needs of current and future generations. (Of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods).
Direct discharge
A mode of operation at a transfer station where each refuse collection truck empties directly into larger transport vehicles (often compacted to save space)
Storage discharge
A mode of operation at a transfer station where refuse is first emptied from collection truck into storage pit or platform...waste then pushed into large trailer units
Tragedy of the Commons
A problem that occurs when individuals exploit a commonly available but limited resource to the extent that demand overwhelms supply and the resource becomes unavailable to some or all, creating disaster for the entire community.
Composting
A process in which the organic portion of MSW is allowed to decompose under carefully controlled conditions. A biological process rather than chemical or mechanical. Sewage sludge and agricultural wastes may be combined with MSW. ________ can reduce volume by as much as 50%. ________ can stabilize the waste and produce beneficial product.
one stream recycling
A system in which all kinds of recyclables such as plastics, paper, metals, glass etc. are put into a single bin by consumers rather than being individually sorted. Afterward, the recyclables are collected and transported to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) where they are sorted and processed. A benefit of this approach is that consumers don't have to sort their recyclables, which helps to increase the quantity of material recovered, but not necessarily the quality.
Pneumatic pipeline transport system
A type of MSW collection method where refuse is pulled by suction or vacuum through underground pipes to a central plant
trash
A type of MSW that contains bulky waste materials that generally require special handling (old furniture, mattress, TV, refrigerator, tree stumps).
rubbish
A type of MSW that contains mostly dry, nonputrescible wastes (glass, rubber, metal cans, paper, wood objects, textiles).
Garbage
A type of MSW that contains putrescible or highly decomposable food waste (10% of MSW).
radioactive waste
A type of of hazardous waste that comes from nuclear power plants.
infectious waste
A type of of hazardous waste that contains disease-producing microorganisms.
ignitable waste
A type of of hazardous waste that may cause a fire during waste storage, transportation, or disposal
reactive waste
A type of of hazardous waste that reacts violently or forms potentially explosive mixtures with water or air; normally unstable
hazardous waste
A waste with properties that make it dangerous or capable of having a harmful effect on human health or the environment. Hazardous waste is generated from many sources, ranging from industrial manufacturing process wastes to batteries.
environmental effects of solid waste
Air pollution associated with burning of solid wastes; soil contamination; surface water and groundwater pollution
Whale = Turbine
An example of biomimicry. Bumps at the front edge of a whale fin greatly increase its efficiency, reducing drag by 32 percent and increasing lift by 8 percent. Companies like Whale Power are borrowing this concept and creating wind turbine blades that greatly boost the amount of energy created per turbine.
Self-Healing Plastics
An example of biomimicry. Consider the body's power to heal itself of scrapes and cuts. The value of the same sort of process in light polymer composites that can be used to produce things like aircraft fuselage becomes obvious. _______ are made from hollow fibres filled with epoxy resin that is released if the fibres suffer serious stresses and cracks. This creates a 'scab' nearly as strong as the original material. Such self-healing materials could be used to make planes, cars and even spacecraft that will be lighter, more fuel efficient, and safer.
Gecko Tape
An example of biomimicry. It is a material covered with nanoscopic hairs that mimic those found on the feet of gecko lizards. These millions of tiny, flexible hairs exert van der Waals forces that provide a powerful adhesive effect. Applications include underwater and space station uses.
shark-skin inspired swim suits
An example of biomimicry. Scientists have been able to replicate dermal denticles (or "little skin teeth") in swimsuits. The denticles have grooves running down their length in alignment with water flow. These grooves disrupt the formation of eddies, or turbulent swirls of slower water, making the water pass by faster.
Birds influence on jet structure
An example of biomimicry. Scientists have discovered that when a flocks takes on the familiar V-formation, when one bird flaps its wings it creates a small updraft that lifts the bird behind. By rotating their order through the stack, they spread out the exertion.
Termite den = Passive cooling office building
An example of biomimicry. The inside of a termite den holds steady at a comfortable 87 degrees. Mick Pearce applied those lessons to the 333,000 square-foot Eastgate Centre, Zimbabwe, which uses 90 percent less energy to heat and cool than traditional buildings. The building has large chimneys that naturally draw in cool air at night to lower the temperature of the floor slabs).
Lotusan
An example of biomimicry. The lotus's micro-rough surface naturally repels dust and dirt particles, keeping its petals sparkling clean. A German company has developed a paint with similar properties.
Health effects of solid waste
At least 22 human diseases are associated with solid waste
Incineration
Burn MSW in a properly designed furnace under suitable temperature and operating conditions. Most effective in reducing the volume and weight of MSW (90% volume reduction and 75% weight reduction). Can be expensive because of the air pollution control equipment required. Natural gas is usually used to start the combustion. Can be designed so that the heat from combustion can be recovered and used to produce electricity or steam.
corrosive
Characteristic of hazardous waste defined as having a pH outside the range of 2 to 12.5.
toxic
Characteristic of hazardous waste defined by the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP)
Baling
Compacting solid waste into the form of rectangular blocks or bales (volume reduction can be as much as 90% of original waste volume). Greatly extend landfill's service life, minimizes windblown debris, and reduces animal or insect infestation
Aerated static pile composting system
Composting is the biological decomposition and stabilization of organic substrates, under conditions that allow for the development of thermophilic temperatures as a result of biologically produced heat, to produce a final product that is stable, free of pathogens and plant seeds, and can be beneficially applied to land. This simply means that airflow is induced through the mix of materials using an electric blower - we do not turn the pile during the active phase (first 30 days) of composting.
Site remediation techniques
Containment: (1) Pumped Containment: pumping removes contaminated groundwater preventing it from advancing. (2) Capping. (3) Slurry Walls: slurry trench cutoff walls can be used to prevent the spread of polluted groundwater at an abandoned hazardous waste dump site.
landfill sites end-of-life uses
Convert to • Municipal parks • Golf courses • Play grounds • Other community land use projects
Superfund
Created after Love Canal, has analyzed tens of thousands of hazardous waste sites in the U.S. and cleaned up hundreds of the worst ones.
pulverizing
Crushing and grinding of refuse for size reduction of MSW (reduce overall volume by as much as 40%). Also improves performance of mechanical separation machinery, increases landfill capacity, and reduces potential for rodent infestation - fewer food scrapes or voids.
shredding
Cutting and tearing of refuse for size reduction of MSW (reduce overall volume by as much as 40%). Also improves performance of mechanical separation machinery, increases landfill capacity, and reduces potential for rodent infestation - fewer food scrapes or voids.
Design of landfill sites
Design life is usually 25 years. 1 ha-m needed each year for 10,000 people.
sustainable development
Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future to meet its needs.
Landfill site accessibility
Economical hauling distance: less than 25 km. Non-residential area
Mechanical composting
Enclosed tanks or vessels for digestion (aerated). It requires small area compare to trenching and open windrow composting. The stabilization of waste takes 3 - 6 days.
Solid Waste Disposal Act
First attempt in US to improve solid waste disposal practices (1965)
example indicators for environmental impacts
Global warming; fossil fuel depletion; criteria air pollutants; water intake; human health cancerous; human health noncancerous; ecological toxicity, eutrophication; habitat alteration (land use); smog; indoor air quality; acidification; and ozone depletion.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
Greatly enhanced Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) and addresses the management of hazardous wastes. Intended to control hazardous wastes from creation to ultimate disposal: "cradle to grave" management. Emphasis started to shift from disposal to reducing waste volumes, recycling, and recovering thermal energy (1976).
flue gas
Highly toxic and can cause cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, damage to the immune system, and can interfere with hormones. Forms under low combustion temperature and high chlorine content (e.g., plastics).
Identification of hazardous waste
If not listed as "hazardous" in federal regulations then the following characteristics are examined: toxic, reactive, ignitable, corrosive, infectious, radioactive
Open windrow composting
In this method waste is dumped on ground in form of piles of 0.6 to 1 m height. Piles are covered by animal dung and night soil. Temperature rises because of biological activities. The complete process takes 4 to 6 weeks.
Fly ash
Incineration does not completely destroy all the solid waste, it leaves __________, solid residue carried along in combustion airstream (flue gas)...consists of finely divide particulate matter including cinders, mineral dust, and soot
Bottom ash
Incineration does not completely destroy all the solid waste, it leaves __________, solid residue remaining in the furnace after combustion...includes glass, metal, fine mineral particles, and unburned substances
flue gas pollution control
Modern air pollution control devices are used on incinerators to remove the fly ash and harmful gaseous contaminants. Incinerator stacks ~200- 600 ft high to increase the rate of dilution and dispersion further reducing potential air pollution.
Landfill gas collection
Modern air pollution control devices are used on incinerators to remove the fly ash and harmful gaseous contaminants. Incinerator stacks 200-600 ft high to increase the rate of dilution and dispersion further reducing potential air pollution
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
Nonhazardous solid waste from a community that requires collection and transport to a processing or disposal site. Does not include: industrial process wastes, construction and demolition debris, sewage sludge, mining wastes or agricultural wastes.
MSW route optimization
One of the most effective ways to minimize waste collection cost: (1)Vehicles should not travel twice down same street (2)Should not occur during morning or afternoon rush hours (3)Should occur in downhill direction where possible to conserve fuel (4)Starting point should be close to vehicle garage, end point should be close to destination (transfer station, landfill, etc)
landfill gas
Primarily methane. Highly explosive at 5-15% concentration. Poisonous and can cause death when it rises and accumulates in basements, buildings, and other enclosed areas
Site remediation
Process of cleaning up disposal and accidental spill sites that have been abandoned by the responsible parties or at which the responsible parties refuse to clean up or cannot afford to.
Landfill construction
Refuse cell, refuse is compacted. Daily cover of soil - at least 150 mm thick. Several adjoining cells with the same height are a lift. Intermediate cover at 9m
sanitary landfill
Sites where waste is isolated from the environment until it is safe. It is considered when it has completely degraded biologically, chemically and physically.
MSW collection process
Temporary storage or containerization (trash bin) → Transfer to collection vehicle (garbage truck) → Transfer to site where waste is processed and ultimately disposed (landfill)
landfilling
The placement of wastes into the land under controlled conditions to minimize their migration or effect on the surrounding environment.
biomimicry
The practice of developing sustainable human technologies inspired by nature. Sometimes called Biomimetics or Bionics, it's basically biologically inspired engineering. Velcro is widely known example of _______.
msw recycling
The process of recovering material from waste and turning it into new products. The original product is destroyed in this process, usually through a melting process, but it used to form new products. Examples are aluminum cans, plastic water bottles, most food tubs, bottles, cans, and many more
NIMBY syndrome
This concept attempts to explain this phenomenon of low public acceptance to new development. Often, opposition to new developments is unusually high from those who live nearest the proposed location. Power plants and utilities are among the most affected, ranking 4th in a US survey behind landfills, casinos, and quarries as the most unwanted project types in citizens' hometowns.
secure landfill
This type of landfill must have two impermeable liners and leachate collection systems. It must also provide a 3 meter (10 foot) separation between the bottom of the landfill and the underlying bedrock or groundwater table. The purpose of these landfills is to prevent any waterborne connection between the waste products and the surrounding natural environment. It is especially imperative that groundwater does not cause run off onto the surrounding landscape. Hazardous wastes are disposed of by burial in these landfills.
Hydrogeologic conditions of site selection
Waste should not be in contact with groundwater or surface water. At least 60 m from any lakes or ponds. At least 1.5 m between the bottom of the landfill and the seasonally high groundwater table elevation. 1.5 km away from airports
sources of hazardous waste
Wastes produced by industrial manufacturing, such as chemical manufacturing companies, petroleum refineries, paper mills, smelters, etc. Wastes produced by commercial manufacturing: dry cleaners, machine shops, and automobile repair shops.
Leachate containment
Water infiltrates the fill and percolates downward through the waste material
characteristics/principles of eco-design
short distribution chain; eco-compatibility; no toxicity; compostability; biodegradable material; durability; recyclability; reuse; renovation; low energy embodied; efficiency; low of materials with low environmental impact.
MSW composting operation
sorting → separting → shredding → pulverizing → digestion → product upgrading → marketing
framework of life cycle assessment
the life cycle of a product is usually divided into procurement, manufacture, use, and disposal (energy and resources from earth → emission and waste)
advantages of MSW processing
•Reduces the total volume and weight •Changes MSW form and improves its handling characteristics •Recovers natural resources and energy for reuse or recycling