Solid Waste Streams

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Solid Waste Streams Environmental Management at
UNH

• David R. Gillum, MS
• Assistant Director
• UNH Office of Environmental Health Safety

OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
11 Leavitt Lane Perpetuity Hall Durham
NH 03824 603-862-4041 603-862-0047 (fax
)
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What is Municipal Solid Waste?

• Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Generally known as
  trash or garbage consists of items such
  as
  
• Product packaging
• Grass clippings
• Furniture
• Clothing
• Bottles
• Food scraps
• Newspapers
• Appliances
• Paints
• Batteries

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Simple Diagram of a Solid Waste Stream
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Food Waste

• In 2007, food waste accounted for 12.5 (or 31.7
  million tons) of the entire MSW stream. (Source
  EPA)
  
• Approximately 2.6 (or 825,000 tons) was
  recovered
  
• Approximately 30.9 million tons of food was sent
  for disposal in landfills or combusted in
  incinerators.
  
• The United States spends approximately 1
  billion/year to dispose of food waste. (Source
  EPA)

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Food Waste at UNH

• Holloway Dining Hall
• Individuals place trays in rotating dish
  shelves.
  
• Non-food waste removed by employees
• Plastic wrappers.
• Dishes.
• Non-food items.
• Food waste is pushed into liquid waste stream.

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Food Waste at UNH
Water is removed from liquid stream.
Solid food waste is processed by a pulper.
Solid food waste stored in refrigerators to
control odors.
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Food Waste at UNH
Solid food waste is transported to Kingman Farm
to be composted and used for fertilizer.
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Composting at Kingman Farm
Photograph by John McLean
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UNH Composted Food Waste (in lbs)

• More than 17,500 lbs/month (200,000 lbs/year) of
  food waste is composted at UNH.

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UNH in the News!
2006 issue of BioCycle Magazine
Designing for Diversion
Cover story
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Examples of Hazardous Waste Streams

• HAZARDOUS WASTES
• Biohazardous waste
• Chemical waste
• Radiological waste
• Universal waste
• Electronic waste
• Storm water waste
• Any other waste with hazardous properties

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Biohazardous/Infectious Waste

• EPA definition
• Laboratory wastes, such as pathological
  specimens
  
• Tissues,
• Specimens of blood elements,
• Excreta, and
• Secretions obtained from patients or laboratory
  animals).
  
• Disposable fomites (any substance that is likely
  to carry pathogenic organisms clothes,
  utensils, furniture).

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Biohazardous/Infectious Waste
Biological material from teaching, clinical and
research labs and operations Autoclaved prior to
disposal into burn boxes. Primarily from biologi
cal science laboratories
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Biohazardous Waste Disinfection

• Methods of Disinfection
• Thermal disinfection
• Autoclave
• Chemical disinfection
• Chlorine compounds
• Iodophors
• Phenols
• Collected by lab personnel
• Disposed by Stericycle.

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Infectious Waste Disposal at UNH
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Hazardous (Chemical) Waste

• According to the EPA, Hazardous Waste is any
  waste or combination of wastes which pose a
  substantial hazard to human health or living
  organisms, including waste that
• Is non-degradable or persistent in nature
• May be biologically magnified
• May be lethal
• May otherwise cause or tend to cause detrimental
  cumulative effects.

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Hazardous (Chemical) Waste
Waste is segregated by laboratory personnel and
collected by OEHS. A private company then transp
orts and coordinates final disposal of waste
Incineration, Secure landfill, Stabilization, an
d Recycling.
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Chemical Waste Disposal at UNH
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Question 1

• Which department at UNH generates the most
  hazardous chemical waste?
  
• Art and Art History
• Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Earth Sciences

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Chemical Waste Generation(Top 7 Departments in
2008 at UNH)
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Radiological Waste
Radioactive waste with a half-life be held on campus in a decay in storage
program. Waste is held for 10 T½ then disposed as
municipal waste Example 32P T½ 14.3 days
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Question 2

• How long do we need to keep Phosphorus 32 in the
  decay in storage program before it can be
  disposed as municipal waste?
  
• 14.3 days
• 100 days
• 143 days
• 1430 days
• (Hint 10 x half-life)

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Radiological Waste (Continued)

• Remaining radioactive waste transferred to Waste
  Broker for disposal by
  
• Incineration.
• Secure landfill.

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(No Transcript)
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Yucca Mountain
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Goldfield, Nevada
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Universal Waste

• Universal waste generally poses a low risk to
  health and the environment and includes
  
• Batteries,
• Pesticides,
• Thermostats, and
• Lamps.

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Alkaline Batteries

• Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery
  Management Act of 1996
  
• Phased out the use of mercury in batteries
• Regulated the proper disposal
• Nickel cadmium batteries
• Small sealed lead-acid batteries
• Other regulated batteries
• Disposal options
• Recycling
• Not cost effective (no re-claim value)
• Metal smelting operations
• Product is melted away with minimal metal
  recovery
  
• Landfill
• Easy and cost effective
• Batteries no longer leach mercury (major problem
  before 1996)

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Fluorescent Light Bulbs at UNH
5,280 feet 1 mile
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Electronic Waste

• Electronic waste is growing 2-3 times faster than
  any other waste stream.
  
• Between 2000 and 2007, approximately 500 million
  personal computers will become obsolete.
  
• More than 4.6 million tons were added to U.S.
  landfills in 2000.
  
• Mobile phones are discarded at a rate of
  approximately 130 million per year.
  
• UNH is the largest generator of electronic waste
  in New Hampshire.

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Electronic Waste (Continued)

• NH prohibits land-filling e-waste
• Televisions and computer monitors
• Computers and computer peripherals (e.g.,
  monitors and keyboards)
  
• Audio and stereo equipment
• VCRs and DVD players
• Video cameras
• Telephones, cellular phones and other wireless
  devices
  
• Fax and copy machines
• Video game consoles

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Electronic Waste Disposal at UNH
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Electronic Waste (Continued)

• Recycling 1,000,000 desktop computers would
  prevent the release of greenhouse gases
  equivalent to the annual emissions of over 17,000
  passenger cars.
• Recycling 1,000,000 cell phones would save enough
  energy to power more than 19,000 US households
  with electricity for an entire year.
  

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Municipal Solid Waste
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Question 3

• In the United States, which material represents
  the largest percentage in the MSW stream?
  
• Glass
• Plastic
• Paper
• Yard Waste

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U.S. MSW Stream (2007)
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U.S. Recycling Rates (2007)
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Question 4

• According to the US Census, there are
  approximately _____________ people living in the
  United States (11/2008)?
  
• 281,500,000
• 305,655,000
• 477,239,000
• 6,737,000,000

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U.S. Population (1960 - Present)
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Question 5

• In 2007, on average, each person in the United
  States disposed approximately __________ of MSW
  per day?
  
• 2.7 lbs
• 3.3 lbs
• 4.6 lbs
• 7.1 lbs

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MSW Generated Per Person in the U.S.
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Recycling Rates in the U.S.
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NH Waste Steam Analysis (2005)
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MSW in New Hampshire (2005)
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Recycling in New Hampshire (2005)
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Average NH Resident Usage

• In 2006, the national average per capita disposal
  rate (per day) was approximately 4.6 pounds.
  (Source EPA)
  
• The disposal rate per person in New Hampshire for
  2005 was estimated at 4.5 lbs per person per day.
  (Source NHDES)

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Question 6

• University officials maintain records of the
  amount of MSW generated each year at UNH?
  
• Yes
• No

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Recycling at UNH in 2008
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Landfills

• A landfill, or dump, is a site for the disposal
  of waste materials by burial
  
• Oldest form of waste treatment
• The Turnkey facility is located in Rochester,
  NH.
  
• 1,200-acre site consisting of three landfills, a
  recycling facility, a leachate treatment plant
  and two landfill gas-to-energy plants
  
• Online virtual tour available online at
  http//www.treecac.com/tour/index.stm

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NH Solid Waste Management Plan

• Five goals
• ? volume of the solid waste stream
• ? toxicity of the solid waste stream
• Maximize diversion of residential and
  commercial/industrial solid wastes
  
• Assure disposal capacity for NH
• Assure that solid waste management activities are
  conducted in a manner protective of human health
  and the environment

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How do you managing a waste streams?

• Determine origin/source.
• Analyze use of original product.
• Find and implement more environmentally friendly
  products.
  
• Reduce consumption of initial product to reduce
  waste load.
  
• Find alternate uses for waste, such as recycling
  or composting.
  
• Analyze impact of waste on the environment.
• Monitor waste stream on a regular basis.

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Grounds Waste Management

• Solid waste management and recycling
• Food waste collection and composting
• "Take it or leave it" student move-out week
• Project RENU
• Vermi (worm bin) composting
• Yard waste composting
• Integrated pest management
• Replacing toxic chemicals with less toxic ones
• Using less pesticides
• Encouraging natural predators of pests

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Storm Water Waste

• In 2006, approximately 200 tons salt and sand was
  applied to roads and sidewalks at UNH
  
• 60 tons salt/sand recovered
• 700 storm drains at UNH
• UNH has developed a Storm Water Management Plan
  to address these issues
  
• Oil, cigarettes, anti-freeze
• 1 quart oil can contaminate 2 million gallons of
  water

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How you can help?

• Reduce your consumption of non-recyclable
  products
  
• Re-use items rather than buying new or give used
  items to charity
  
• Recycle as much as you can
• Participate in campus projects to make the
  university a greener campus.
  
• Volunteer in programs evaluating waste
  minimization strategies.

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In the News

• Guidelines for the Purchase and Disposal of
  Personal Computers
  
• Campus Journal, By Erika Mantz
• April 18, 2007
• Sustainable YouNH
• The New Hampshire, By Chris Skoglund
• April 6, 2007
• Keeping People Safe at UNH
• Campus Journal, By Erika Mantz
• April 4, 2007
• Sustainable YouNH
• The New Hampshire, By Katie Mack
• March 30, 2007

• How Hazardous is Your Waste
• The New Hampshire, By Kristine King
• March 27, 2007
• Keeping our Water Clean
• Campus Journal, By Erika Mantz
• March 21, 2007
• Can It. New Recycling Bins On Campus
• Campus Journal, By Jody Record
• February 21, 2007

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Online

• Resources
• http//www.unh.edu/ehs/
• http//www.unh.edu/ehs/environmental.htm
• http//www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/elec_fs.pdf
• This presentation is online at
• http//www.unh.edu/ehs/pdf/SWMP.pdf