3.6 Urban Waste And Its Disposal Flashcards
What are the main sources of waste?
Household waste- food, plastic etc
Industrial waste- packaging, hazardous waste etc
Commercial waste- paper, plastic etc
Construction and demolition- wood, bricks etc
How is the amount of waste growing?
7% increase globally
Due to urbanisation which leads to industrialisation and increased affluence so more waste
What are the 4 main methods of waste disposal?
Recycling
Landfill
Trade
Incineration
Describe recycling.
Materials are reprocessed into new products
Saves significant energy (95% saving by use of recycled materials to produce aluminium)
Describe trade.
Movement of waste between countries for treatment, disposal or recycling
The Basel Convention controls movement of hazardous waste
Describe incineration.
Waste burnt at high temperatures under safe conditions
Describe landfill.
Burial of waste in man made or natural excavations
Rich countries highly control the type of waste in landfill
What are the impacts of recycling?
Loathe global marker for recyclables
Reduced the quantities of disposed waste
Return of materials to the economy
Can contribute to greenhouse gases
What are the impacts of trade?
Disposal of waste may not be controlled properly in counties with few guidelines and restrictions
May create environmental issues in the recipient country
What are the impacts of incineration?
Reduces volume of waste by 90%
Produces energy as an output
Leads to severe air pollution if poorly managed
Quite expensive
Air pollution and ash disposal are environmental concerns
What are the impacts of landfill?
Less regulated in poorer counties where it may just be a whole in the ground
Gas produced can be collected to produce electricity
Methane produced as well as chemicals like bleach and ammonia which contaminate the atmosphere and groundwater
Takes up a lot of space and is unsightly
