8.3 solid domestic waste Flashcards
our waste
- recycling and tech improved and amount of waste recycled increased but amount of waste needing management increased (increase in pop an consumerism - more disposable products)
- an increase in the amount of hazardous and non-biodegradable waste (e-waste)
solid domestic waste & management methods
= everyday items we throw away
managements methods:
- landfills
- incineration
- recycling
- composting
types of SDW
- Organic material: garden/food waste, wood, corks, etc.
- Paper: newspaper, cardboard, milk cartons
- Plastic: plastic bags, bottles, containers
- Glass: jars, bottles
- Metals: steel cans, aluminum packaging and cans
- Hazardous: paint, batteries, light bulbs
- Other: ceramics, ash, soil, rocks, etc.
linear vs circular
- our economy is linear –> we dig things out the ground to make products that last short and throw them into landfills (waste of energy, resources, and money + env. damaging
- Circular economy = restorative –> goods are designed for material to re-enter the system naturally as part of design process
2 types of flows
- Biological nutrients: used and then can re-enter the biosphere harmlessly
- Technical nutrients: circulate without re-entering the biosphere (used again and again)
non-biodegradable waste
Anything that will not break into simpler components
- Plastic: not all can be recycled, made from crude oil which is non-renewable and finite so recycling is important
- Batteries: must be disposed of properly at end of life by they contain toxic components including heavy metals, acid, and others harmful for env.
- E-waste: fastest growing SDW, can be recycled, reused, reconditioned, or re-sold BUT has toxic components at the end of its lifetime
landfills
- most common method of organic waste disposal (hole in ground where waste is buried)
- landfill must be lined with clay or synthetic flexible membrane to avoid leachate (waste contaminated water) leaking into surrounding env. and groundwater
- dump site is a small as possible to easily monitor
- waste is compacted regularly to reduce volume
- waste covered w/ soil daily to reduce wind blowing away light waste + contains smell
- vehicles are inspected and weighed to keep records of waste amount processed + ensure toxis waste doesn’t enter
- bulldozers and compactors spread and compact waste before next load dropped
- vehicle passes through a wheel cleaning area to remove any waste stuck before leaving
factors impacting life span of landfills
- compressibility of the waste
- thickness of the layers
- how often waste is compacted
- amount of waste added each day
landfill advantages
- cheap method suitable for variety of materials (low set up and running cost)
- gases (methane) can be collected for energy
- creates jobs for the local (unskilled & low paying)
- old landfills can be landscaped and used for building projects
- landfill sites close to settlements reduce transportation costs
landfill disadvantages
- emits dangerous gases causing air pollution and global warming (methane - potential of explosion if builds up)
- liners can fail and leachates leak into groundwater
- landfills fill up so limited space
- poorly managed sites can cause problems with vectors (rats)
- poorly managed sites can decrease price of housing around area if there’s noise, air, and smell pollution
waste to energy
- gases produced are hazardous so in most MEDCs its required to be collected and disposed of so they’re burned to be used for electricity
incinertaion
= combustion of waste
- simple version: burning trash in a hole in the ground –> turned into ash, flue gas, and heat
incineration advantages
- reduces volume of waste by 80-85% so popular in country where land is scarce (Japan)
- can be used to generate heat and electricity
- useful for clinical and hazardous waste containing pathogens destroyed in high temps
- doesn’t emit methane
- incineration plants revive metal from ashes & can recycle
incineration disadvantages
- toxic fly ash is difficult to dispose of safely
- new incinerations take away funding from other renewable energy research & development
- causes property devaluation in surrounding areas
- set up costs are really high
- filters don’t remove the finest particles from air emissions
