Waste-management

http://www.epa.gov/ Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

Waste Management Outline: Composition of Waste Disposal – Landfills, Incineration, Composting Recycling & reuse (source reduction) Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

Composition of Waste Before recycling

So, all we need to do is recycle, right? Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

This is what happens after recycling

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How do we dispose the waste?

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What to dispose? There are two ways to bury trash: - Dump - Landfill

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What is a dump?

Dump - an open hole in the ground where trash is buried and that has various animals (rats, mice, birds) swarming around. (This is most people's idea of a landfill!)

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And what is a Landfill? •Landfill - carefully designed structure built into or on top of the ground in which trash is isolated from the surrounding environment (groundwater, air, rain). This isolation is accomplished with a bottom liner and daily covering of soil.

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LANDFILL

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The basic parts of a landfill Bottom liner system - separates trash and subsequent leachate from groundwater Cells (old and new) - where the trash is stored within the landfill Storm water drainage system - collects rain water that falls on the landfill Leachate collection system - collects water that has percolated through the landfill itself and contains contaminating substances (leachate) Methane collection system - collects methane gas that is formed during the breakdown of trash Covering or cap - seals off the top of the landfill Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

Landfill Cross­section

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WHAT IS A BOTTOM LINER? One or more layers of clay or a synthetic flexible membrane. If the bottom liner fails, wastes will migrate directly into the environment. There are three types of liners: clay, plastic, and composite. State-of-the-art plastic (HDPE) landfill liners are 100 mils or 1/10 of an inch thick. Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

Sanitary and MSW

Sanitary landfill landfill that uses a clay liner to isolate the trash from the environment Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill – uses a synthetic (plastic) liner to isolate the trash from the environment

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LEACHATE Leachate is water that gets badly contaminated by contacting wastes. It seeps to the bottom of a landfill and is collected by a system of pipes. The pumped leachate is treated at a wastewater treatment plant (and the solids removed from the leachate.) Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

Seepage of Leachate

Seepage of leachate (black) can be seen through a weak spot in the cover.

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WHAT IS A COVER? A cover keeps water out (leachate formation). It consists of sloped layers: clay or membrane liner overlain by a very permeable layer of sandy or gravelly soil (to promote rain runoff), overlain by topsoil in which vegetation can root (to stabilize the underlying layers). Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

An experimental covering

An experimental tarp provides daily cover of the landfill cells. Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

CONSTITUENTS IN LANDFILL GAS Component

Percent (dry volume basis)

•Methane •Carbon Dioxide •Nitrogen •Oxygen •Ammonia •Sulfides, disulfides,etc. •Hydrogen •Carbon Monoxide •Trace Constituents

40-60% 40-60% 2-5% 0.1-1.0% 0.1-1.0% 0-0.2% 0-0.2% 0-0.2% 0.01-0.6%

Exact percent varies with the landfill’s age. Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

Disposal of Methane

Communities are increasingly finding ways  to use the gas as a source of energy. Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

Combustion and Incineration Controlled burning Combustors convert water into steam to generate heat or electricity. Burning Municipal solid waste (MSW) can generate energy while reducing the amount of waste by up to 90 percent in volume and 75 percent in weight.

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Incineration Facility

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Drawbacks of Combustion Does not eliminate waste, but changes the form of waste into possible hazardous air emissions and toxic ash. Spreads hazardous contamination worldwide; contaminating air, soil, and water. Is a major source of 210 different dioxin compounds, plus mercury, cadmium, nitrous oxide, hydrogen chloride, sulfuric acid, fluorides, and particulate matter small enough to lodge permanently in the lungs. Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

Benefits of Composting Keeps organic wastes out of landfills. Provides nutrients to the soil. Increases beneficial soil organisms (e.g., worms, centipedes). Suppresses certain plant diseases. Reduces the need for fertilizers and pesticides. Protects soils from erosion. Assists pollution remediation.

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Benefits of recycling

•Conserves resources. •Prevents emissions of greenhouse gases and water pollutants. •Saves energy. •Supplies raw materials to industry. •Creates jobs. •Stimulates the development of greener technologies. •Reduces the need for new landfills and incinerators. Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

Changes in Recycling Rates

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Recycling of Materials

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Reusing materials to minimize waste products •Use durable coffee mugs. •Use cloth napkins or towels. •Refill bottles. •Donate old magazines or surplus equipment. •Reuse boxes. •Turn empty jars into containers for leftover food. •Purchase refillable pens and pencils. •Participate in a paint collection and reuse program. Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey

Trend 1999 Tons MSW Generation

Recycling Rate

11,619,657.1

Materials Recycled Aluminum Cans 23,030.4 Steel & Bimetallic Cans 61,187.3 Corrugated Cardboard 604,715.5 Newsprint 353,071.1 Office/Computer Paper 84,044.9 Other Paper 263,582.3 Clear Glass 48,736.3 Colored & Other Glass 43,495.6 PET Plastics 9,048.3 HDPE Plastics 10,522.2 Mixed Plastics 26,594.6 Leaf/Yard Waste 351,339.8 Car Batteries 33,198.7 Commingled Materials 198,563.9 Single Stream Collection 0.0 TOTAL (Act 101 Materials) 2,111,130.9

18.2%

2000 Tons

Recycling Rate

2001 Tons

Recycling Rate

2002 Tons

12,051,709.7

10,881,798.5

10,881,798.5

22,706.7 35,233.4 648,684.1 402,193.0 77,791.5 222,840.7 50,315.0 40,541.3 8,795.2 10,424.5 24,225.1 347,256.0 69,311.5 201,249.3 0.0 2,161,567.4

35,012.0 43,087.8 609,880.1 276,681.9 64,866.1 221,112.8 15,608.7 28,151.9 16,330.7 4,364.9 34,300.5 427,042.2 16,703.5 250,416.1 0.0 2,043,559.2

18,732.2 25,876.1 682,091.2 215,820.3 78,972.1 207,297.1 31,089.3 33,800.6 3,013.4 4,888.1 28,196.6 426,745.2 21,382.0 276,863.5 21,952.1 2,076,719.8

17.9%

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18.8%

Recycling Rate

19.1%

Recycle

http://www.p2pays.org/recycleguys/teachers.asp http://www.kidsrecycle.org/green_schools.php# Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey