Introduction to Waste Management

1
Introduction to Waste Management

• Definition The disposal, processing,
  controlling, recycling and reusing of waste to
  maintain a habitable environment

2
Two main paths for managing waste

1. Waste diversion
2. Waste disposal

3
Waste Diversion

• Managing solid waste in a way that reduces the
  amount of waste that needs to be stored or
  incinerated (burned)
• Includes 3 Rs (reducing, re-using, re-cycling,
  composting/biodegradation)

4
Waste Disposal

• Two main options
• Burning (incineration and advanced thermal
  treatment ?ATT)
• Burying (underground in a landfill)
• Issues environmental drawbacks, expensive (in
  Canada in 2000, 11 million tonnes disposed at a
  cost of 6 billion !!)

5
Basic types of waste

1. Solid waste (garbage, compost, recyclables etc)
2. Liquid waste water (sewage, sludge, biosolids)
3. Nuclear waste (from uranium)
4. Gaseous waste (carbon dioxide)

6
Types of solid waste

• Can be defined as materials that are unwanted by
  the producer, by-products from production or a
  product that is consumed (like a magazine or the
  packaging from a product like a cereal box)

7
Types of solid waste

• Biodegradable (organic) matter from fruits,
  vegetables, meat, dairy, grains, fats, paper,
  hair etc
• Recyclable glass, plastic, paper, some metals
  etc
• toxic (hazardous) E-waste (computers, cell
  phones), paint, batteries etc
• Medical waste needles
• Inorganic non-recyclable, non-toxic plastic
  wrapping, granola bar wrappers etc (aka regular
  garbage)