Solid and Hazardous Waste

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Chapter 24

• Solid and Hazardous Waste

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Wheres the waste from?
You are included in this
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What we throw away

• Enough aluminum to rebuild all commercial airline
  fleets every 3 months
• Enough tires each year to encircle the Earth
  almost 3 times
• Enough disposable diapers in a year to lay end to
  end to the moon and back 7 times
• 130 million cell phones, 50 million computers, 8
  million TVs per year
• Enough discarded carpet each year to cover the
  entire state of Delaware.
• Enough office paper each year to build a wall 11
  feet high from San Francisco to NYC.

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Average Life Spans

• Cell phone
• Computer
• Photocopier
• Refrigerator
• Calculator
• Video camera
• Digital camera
• PDA
• iPod

18 months
3 years
3 years
10 years
5 years
3 years
4 years
3 years
18-24 months
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The 4 Rs

• Refuse
• Reduce
• Reuse
• Recycle

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Sustainability Six

• 1. Consume less
• 2. Redesign manufacturing processes and products
  to use less energy and materials
• 3. Redesign manufacturing processes to produce
  less waste and pollution
• 4. Develop products that are easy to repair,
  reuse, remanufacture, compost, or recycle
• 5. Design products to last longer
• 6. Eliminate and reduce unnecessary packaging.

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Bury it?
When landfill is full, layers of soil and
clay seal in trash
Electricity generator building
Methane storage and compressor building
Topsoil
Leachate treatment system
Sand
Clay
Garbage
Pipe collect explosive methane gas used as
fuel to generate electricity
Methane gas recovery
Probes to detect methane leaks
Leachate storage tank
Compacted solid waste
Groundwater monitoring well
Leachate monitoring well
Leachate pumped up to storage tanks for safe
disposal
Garbage
Sand
Groundwater
Synthetic liner
Clay and plastic lining to prevent leaks
pipes collect leachate from bottom of landfill
Sand
Clay
Subsoil
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Trade-Offs
Sanitary Landfills
Advantages
Disadvantages
No open burning Little odor Low groundwater
pollution if sited properly Can be built
quickly Low operating costs Can handle large
amounts of waste Filled land can be used for
other purposes No shortage of landfill space
in many areas
Noise and traffic Dust Air pollution from toxic
gases and volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) Releases greenhouse gases (methane and
CO2) unless they are collected Groundwater
contamination Slow decomposition of
wastes Discourages recycling waste
reduction Eventually leaks and can contaminate
groundwater
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Hippocampus Animation

• Landfill

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Burn it?
Power plant
Steam
Smokestack
Electricity
Turbine
Generator
Crane
Wet scrubber
Boiler
Electrostatic precipitator
Furnace
Conveyor
Dirty water
Fly ash
Water
Bottom ash
Waste pit
Conven- tional landfill
Hazardous waste landfill
Waste treatment
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Trade-Offs
Incineration
Advantages
Disadvantages
High cost Air pollution (especially toxic
dioxins) Produces a highly toxic
ash Encourages waste production Discourages Recy
cling and waste reduction
Reduced trash volume Less need
for landfills Low water pollution Quick
and easy
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Hippocampus Animation

• Incinerator

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Hippocampus Animation

• Dioxin

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Take a peek a posters on your bulletin board over
the next few days.
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What Harmful Chemicals Are In Your Home?
Cleaning Disinfectants Drain, toilet, and
window cleaners Spot removers Septic tank
cleaners Paint Latex and oil-based paints
Paint thinners, solvents, and strippers
Stains, varnishes, and lacquers Wood
preservatives Artist paints and
inks General Dry-cell batteries (mercury
and cadmium) Glues and cements
Gardening Pesticides Weed killers Ant and
rodent killers Flea powders Automotive
Gasoline Used motor oil Antifreeze
Battery acid Solvents Brake and transmission
fluid Rust inhibitor and rust remover
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Cleaning up toxic wastes

• Physical methods allow particles to settle and
  be filtered out

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Cleaning up toxic wastes

• Physical methods allow particles to settle and
  be filtered out
• Phytoremediation using plants to absorb, filter,
  and remove contaminants. May need to genetically
  modify plants.

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Trade-Offs
Phytoremediation
Advantages
Disadvantages
Slow (can take several growing seasons) Effectiv
e only at depth plant roots can reach Some toxic
organic chemicals may evaporate from plant
leaves Some plants can become toxic to animals
Easy to establish Inexpensive Can reduce
material dumped into land fills Produces little
air pollution compared to incineration Low
energy use
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A plant can do that?

• Sunflowers can absorb radioactive materials
  (Strontium-90, Cesium-137) and other organic
  chemicals.
• Done through hydroponic growth

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Rhizofiltration

• Roots of plants have dangling roots on ponds or
  in greenhouses can absorb pollutants.

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A plant can do that?

• Poplars, Willows can absorb toxic organic
  compounds.

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Phytostabilization

• Plants can absorb chemicals and keep them from
  reaching groundwater or nearby surface water.

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Phytodegradation

• Plants absorb toxic organic chemicals and break
  them down into less harmful compounds which they
  store or release slowly into the air.

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A plant can do that?

• Indian Mustard, Brake Ferns can absorb toxic
  metals like lead and arsenic

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Phytoextraction

• Roots of plants can absorb toxic metals such as
  lead, arsenic, and others and store them in their
  leaves.
• Plants can then be recycled or harvested and
  incinerated.

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Inorganic metal contaminants
Organic contaminants
Radioactive contaminants
Brake fern
Poplar tree
Willow tree
Indian mustard
Sunflower
Landfill
Oil spill
Polluted groundwater in
Decontaminated water out
Polluted leachate
Soil
Soil
Groundwater
Groundwater
Rhizofiltration Roots of plants such as
sunflowers with dangling roots on ponds or in
greenhouses can absorb pollutants such as
radioactive strontium-90 and cesium-137 and
various organic chemicals.
Phytoextraction Roots of plants such as Indian
mustard and brake ferns can absorb toxic metals
such as lead, arsenic, and others and store them
in their leaves. Plants can then be recycled or
harvested and incinerated.
Phytodegradation Plants such as poplars can
absorb toxic organic chemicals and break them
down into less harmful compounds which they store
or release slowly into the air.
Phytostabilization Plants such as willow trees
and poplars can absorb chemicals and keep them
from reaching groundwater or nearby surface water.
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Look how much plants can get rid of!!!

• Radioactive contaminants
• - ie Strontium-90, Cesium-137
• Organic contaminants
• - ie gasoline, oil. etc.
• Inorganic metal contaminants
• - ie lead, arsenic

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Cleaning up toxic wastes

• Physical methods allow particles to settle and
  be filtered out
• Phytoremediation using plants to absorb, filter,
  and remove contaminants. May need to genetically
  modify plants.
• Deep-well disposal pumping liquid hazard waste
  deep underground.

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Trade-Offs
Deep Underground Wells
Advantages
Disadvantages
Leaks or spills at surface Leaks from corrosion
of well casing Existing fractures or
earthquakes can allow wastes to escape
into groundwater Encourages waste production
Safe method if sites are chosen carefully Wastes
can be retrieved if problems develop Easy to
do Low cost
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Cleaning up toxic wastes

• Physical methods allow particles to settle and
  be filtered out
• Phytoremediation using plants to absorb, filter,
  and remove contaminants. May need to genetically
  modify plants.
• Deep-well disposal pumping liquid hazard waste
  deep underground.
• Surface impoundment use of ponds, pits, or
  lagoons. Water evaporates, toxins stay.

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Trade-Offs
Surface Impoundments
Advantages
Disadvantages
Low construction costs Low operating
costs Can be built quickly Wastes can
be easily retrieved if necessary Can store
wastes indefinitely with secure double liners
Groundwater contamination from leaking liners (or
no lining) Air pollution from volatile
organic compounds Overflow from flooding Disrupt
ion and leakage from earthquakes Promotes
waste production
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Lead

• Found in older paint (prior to 1970), ceramic
  glazes, leaded gasoline, solder/pipes, TV sets,
  computer monitors
• Humans exposed by ingestion, exposure to waste
  incineration, inhalation of leaded gas fumes
• Health effects mental retardation, blindness,
  partial paralysis, developmental delays

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Solutions
Lead Poisoning
Prevention
Control
Sharply reduce lead emissions from old and new
incinerators
Phase out leaded gasoline worldwide
Replace lead pipes and plumbing
fixtures containing lead solder
Phase out waste incineration
Remove leaded paint and lead dust from older
houses and apartments
Test blood for lead by age 1
Ban lead solder in plumbing pipes, fixtures, and
food cans
Remove lead from TV sets and computer monitors
before incineration or land disposal
Test for lead in existing ceramicware used to
serve food
Ban lead glazing for ceramicware used to serve
food
Test existing candles for lead
Ban candles with lead cores
Wash fresh fruits and vegetables
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Mercury

• Found in fluorescent lights, thermometers,
  paints, dry-cell batteries, dental fillings,
  burning of coal
• Health effects mental disorders, neurological
  problems, developmental delays, cerebral palsy,
  memory loss
• Humans exposed by inhalation of mercury vapors,
  eating fish contaminated (biomagnification)

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Figure 24-26Page 556
AIR
WINDS
PRECIPITATION
WINDS
PRECIPITATION
Hg and SO2
Hg2 and acids
Hg2 and acids
Photo-chemical oxidation
Elemental mercury vapor (Hg)
Inorganic mercury and acids (Hg2)
Human sources
Inorganic mercury and acids (Hg2)
Coal-burning plant
Incinerator
Deposition
Runoff of Hg2 and acids
Large fish
WATER
Deposition
BIOMAGNIFICATION IN FOOD CHAIN
Deposition
Vaporization
Small fish
Phytoplankton
Zooplankton
Oxidation
Bacteria and acids
Elemental mercury liquid (Hg)
Inorganic mercury (Hg2)
Organic mercury (CH3Hg)
Bacteria
Settles out
Settles out
Settles out
SEDIMENT
Bacteria
Mercury in the environment
Oxidation
Bacteria
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Solutions
Mercury Pollution
Prevention
Control
Phase out waste incineration
Sharply reduce mercury emissions from coal
burning plants and incinerators
Remove mercury from coal before it is burned
Tax each unit of mercury emitted by coal-burning
plants and incinerators
Convert coal to liquid or gaseous fuel
Switch from coal to natural gas and renewable
energy resources such as wind, solar cells, and
hydrogen
Collect and recycle mercury containing electric
switches, relays, and dry-cell batteries
Require labels on all products containing mercury
Phase out use of mercury in all products unless
they are recycled
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Know your laws?

• RCRA Resource Conservation Recovery
  Act
• Gives EPA the authority to control hazardous
  waste from the "cradle-to-grave."
• This includes the generation, transportation,
  treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous
  waste.

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Need a Stupid way to remember it?

• 1. RCRA sounds like Racecar
• 2. Just like the movie The Shining when
• the guy says REDRUM.
• 3. Again, think RCRA sounds like
• racecar or at least has the letters
• to spell it..almost.

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• Well you are little you cant wait to get out of
  the cradle or crib to a big bed like

Then you cant wait to drive a car. If you drive
really fast like a RaCecAR driver, you will die
and go in a grave.

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This happens in Ms. Lolichs head
a ec
R
C
A
R
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Know your case studies?

• You MUST know
• Love Canal, New York
• Bhopal, India
• View video clip (438)

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Assignment

• Read pages 535 545
• You will come up with 3 specific things you can
  do in each of the following areas
• refuse, reuse, reduce, recycle,
• Only include ideas that you could ACTUALLY do.
• You will end up with at least 4 paragraphs (one
  per area)