2. Waste Management Hierarchy and History

Question 1

What makes up the Ideal Waste Management Hierarchy

Answer 1

1. Source Reduction
2. Waste Minimization
3. Reuse
4. Recycle
5. Treatment and Energy Recovery (use energy from methane in landfills)
6. Disposal

Question 2

What are the 4 basic ways of dealing with waste over human history?

Answer 2

1. Burning
2. Dump
3. Recycle
4. Waste Minimzation

Question 3

Waste in 1000 BC

Answer 3

Waste became a problem when we began to establish permanent settlements (no longer nomadic)

Question 4

400BC-athens

Answer 4

1st municipal dump (1 mile from the city)

Question 5

200 BC

Answer 5

First garbage collection

Question 6

Jerusalem, Palestine, the Valley of Gehenna (Sheoal), New Testament
‘Though I descend into Sheoal, thou art there’

What is Sheoal?

Answer 6

• Sheoal was reference to hell
• actually a dump outside of the city
• Associated with Spontaneous combustion –> burning periodically

Question 7

2000BC - 900 AD- Mayans, Central America

Answer 7

Trampled underfoot or swept into corners of home

Question 8

In Europe and USA how was garbage and waste handled?

Answer 8

Garbage and human waste was thrown out the window and onto the street below
Dogs would eat it

Question 9

1388 England

Answer 9

Banned dumping of waste in ditches and waterways

Question 10

1657- Manhattan, New York

Answer 10

Could no longer throw waste into streets

Question 11

1400 Paris

Answer 11

Piles of garbage outside city gates so high it interfered with the cities defenses

Question 12

1800s USA

Answer 12

• Pigs running loose in the street
• Would eat garbage
• Problem is pigs make waste

Question 13

1834 Charleston, West Virginia

Answer 13

• law protecting vultures from hunters

- birds ate garbage and would fly away

Question 14

1842 Age of Sanitation, England

Answer 14

Report linking disease to filthy conditions

Question 15

1860 Washington

Answer 15

• Garbage and human waste still thrown in streets
• pigs in streets making manure
• Fumes from Slaughter house
• Rats and Cockroaches infested most buildings

Question 16

1866 New York

Answer 16

Banned throwing animal remains, garbage and ash into streets

Question 17

1872 New York

Answer 17

Stopped dumping garbage in East River

Question 18

1874- Nottingham, England

Answer 18

“The Destroyer”

-organized incineration of trash

Question 19

1880 New York

Answer 19

15000 horse carcasses being removed from streets

Question 20

1885- Governors Island, New York

Answer 20

-first north american incinerator

Question 21

1900s USA

Answer 21

• Piggeries
• pigs no longer roamed streets
• buildings housed the pigs and fed “fresh” or cooked garbage
• Estimate 1 ton garbage/day = 75 pigs

Question 22

1900

Answer 22

Germ Theory

-still about 3 million horses in USA each leaving behind about 20 lbs of manure and galleons of urine

Question 23

1905, New York

Answer 23

Williamsburg bridge is lit by electricity generated by a garbage incinerator
-first waste to energy

Question 24

1910

Answer 24

City beautification programs begin, resident driven

Question 25

1915

Answer 25

Local Clean-up campaigns sponsored by National Clean-Up and Paint Up bureau sponsors

Question 26

1917

Answer 26

Waste Reclamation Service is started by the USA federal government - Motto "Don't waste waste, save it" - Shortages of raw materials during WW1

Question 27

1920

Answer 27

- "Reclaiming" of wetlands near cities | - filling in wetlands with garbage and ash as disposal method

Question 28

1933, New York

Answer 28

- forced to stop dumping waste into Atlantic Ocean | - applies to municipal waste, not Commercial waste

Question 29

1959

Answer 29

- First Standard guide to sanitary landfills | - try to get rid of odors and rats by compaction of the waste and covering it daily with soil

Question 30

1965

Answer 30

- First USA federal laws dealing with solid waste management | - "Solid Waste Disposal Act"

Question 31

1970

Answer 31

First Earth Day | -EPA created

Question 32

1972

Answer 32

US Federal Clean Waters Act

Question 33

1976

Answer 33

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act created - emphasized resource and conservation - all dumps be replaced by "Sanitary Landfills" - Toxic Substances Control Act - Hazardous waste recognized

Question 34

1989

Answer 34

An agenda for action- EPA | -need an integrated solid waste management plan

Question 35

Today's issues with waste (x5)

Answer 35

1. Volume and diverse nature of the waste streams 2. Funding limitations 3. Growing urban populations 4. Limitations on physical space 5. Public Awareness, advocacy and attitude