Introduction (Chapter 1: What is waste, history, RRR principles) Flashcards
What is waste composting?
- Composting - is a nature’s way of recycling. Process which biodegrades organic waste (paper, wood, food waste, crop residue etc.) and turns it into valuable organic fertilizer called “humus”.
- Composting is a natural biological process, carried out under controlled aerobic conditions (requires oxygen). In this process, various microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, break down organic matter into simpler substances.
- Natural recycling (composting) occurs on a continuous basis in the natural environment. Organic matter is metabolized by microorganisms and consumed by invertebrates. The resulting nutrients are returned to the soil to support plant growth.
What are the essential elements required by the composting microorganisms?
carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and moisture. If any of these elements are lacking, or if they are not provided in the proper proportion, the microorganisms will not flourish and will not provide adequate heat. A composting process that operates at optimum performance will convert organic matter into stable compost that is odor and pathogen free, and a poor breeding substrate for flies and other insects. In addition, it will significantly reduce the volume and weight of organic waste as the composting process converts much of the biodegradable component to gaseous carbon dioxide.
Why 1930s are important in waste management history?
The manufacture of plastics from chemicals produced from petroleum begins (plastic products had been made from plants since 1862). The production and manufacture of plastics grows slowly over the next 20 years. In the economic boom of the 1950s production begins increasing sharply due to increases in different types and applications for plastics. While the development of plastics and other forms of packaging has reduced the amount of food wastage, the environmental consequences of increasing amounts of non-biodegradable plastic packaging and toxic inks is largely overlooked.
What is by-product?
By-product is a substance or object, resulting from a production process, the primary aim of which is not the production of that item. By-products can come from a wide range of business sectors, and can have very different environmental impacts. An incorrect classification could be the cause of environmental damage or unnecessary costs for business.
How much % of our household waste has the potential to be either recycled or composted?
around 70%
What are the env. advantages of recycling?
it uses less energy causing less pollution; it reduces the demand for virgin resources; it reduces the amount of waste landfilled.
What is the disadvantage of recycling?
energy is still used in the process of recycling and it cannot completely replace the need for the raw materials. The best situation would be not to create so much waste in the first place.
What is the origin of the term “waste”? (Language)
“Waste” originates from latin term “Vastus” - vast, void, or a desert.
Can we unilaterally define what is waste?
No final definition to the concept of waste, only individual, case by case estimation
What is the subjective def-n of waste?
Intention to discard:
- to abandon an object or substance that no longer is or can be used for its purpose
- the waste can still have an economic value
- Definition can be clearly applicable whenever an object is carried off for disposal or recovery
What is the objective def-n of waste?
Public interest:
- if any env. hazards could originate from the object/substance that could be minimized by identifying it and treating it as a waste
Question here is : Do materials pose a real risk to env-t taking into account disposal and recovery options?
What is waste? (part 1)
Movable (even if combined with soil!):
- Wastes from households and similar establishments (residual waste, bulky waste, electronic/-cal equipment, recoverables and biogenic waste)
- Home and community composting
- waste from green areas
- Ash, slag and dust from incineration
- Municipal sewage sludges
- waste from constrcution
- Animal by products
- wood waste
- Hazardous waste
- Asbestos
- etc.
What are the social perspectives of waste?
- waste is what we call waste
- waste is disguisting
- waste is dangerous
- waste is useless
- waste has no +ve value
What are the economic perspectives of waste?
- waste is a resource
- waste is traded internationally
- we can make money with waste
- waste ensures jobs
- Waste can have a -ve and +ve price
- waste is a scarce good
What are the 3 principles if “trash economy”?
- We are a throw-away society
- Existing products has to be defined as waste in order to produce new products
- Growing economy requires production of waste
Describe the waste from the point of “social metabolism”?
Wastes are metabolic products of our society:
- waste as part of the output of a certain metabolic process that is subjectively undesired
- Any material can be considered waste only within a specified time and space: if it is not demanded by economic agents sufficiently according to its production rate
- Materials lose their “waste” status as soon as soon as they are demanded as an input by an economic agent
- When value of waste is recognised, a corresponding demand is induced: waste is redefined into a resource, which is again inserted into material flow of economic system in other areas and thus saving primary resources as well as energy
Why manage waste?
To solve 3 central problems:
- Hygiene problem - Protection og human health
- Pollutants problem - protection of nature from negative effects
- Resources problem - efficient waste management alongside the whole life cycle of products and materials
What is waste management?
Waste management is all those activities and action required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal.[1] This includes amongst other things, collection, transport, treatment and disposal of waste together with monitoring and regulation. It also encompasses the legal and regulatory framework that relates to waste management encompassing guidance on recycling etc.
What is the role basis of Waste Management?; and what are the 5 objectives of WM?
WM should be based on precautionary principle and sustainability and be geared by:
- To prevent harmful effects on humans, animals, plants, resources and natural environment and generally minimize negative effects on human well-being;
- To minimize air pollution a. gases affecting climate
- To convert resources (water, raw materials, energy, landscapes and landfill volumes)
- To guarantee that the materials recovered don’t present greater risk than comparable primary raw materials or products from primary raw materials
- To guarantee that waste can only be stored in way that presents no harm for future generations (sustainabilty)
What are the 3 principles and imperatives of WM?
- Waste prevention - minimize amount of waste and its pollutants
- Waste recovery - recover waste only to extent that it is ecologically sound , technically feasible, economically efficient (or at least not too inefficient), and if market for recovered substances or energy exitsts or can be created
- Waste disposal - Treat non-recoverable waste with biological, thermal, chemical or physical processes. Solid residues should be as little reactive as possible and properly stored.
What is the general def-n of Urban Mining (related to electronics)
A concept of recovering gold, silver, platinum, iridium and a range of other metals from old electronics. However, there is an idea that urban mining goes beyond electronics.
What is Urban Mining from SD/IE points of view?
The process of reclaiming compounds and elements from products, building and waste.
This definition is based on the concept of Sustainable Development, the fact that our ecosystem is finite, non-growing and materially closed and on industrial ecology, which examines materials and energy flows in products, processes, industrial sectors and economies.
What is Refuse-derived fuel (RDF)?
Refuse-derived fuel (RDF) or solid recovered fuel / specified recovered fuel (SRF) is a fuel produced by shredding and dehydrating solid waste (MSW) with a Waste converter technology. RDF consists largely of combustible components of municipal waste such as plastics and biodegradable waste. RDF processing facilities are normally located near a source of MSW and, while an optional combustion facility is normally close to the processing facility, it may also be located at a remote location. SRF can be distinguished from RDF in the fact that it is produced to reach a standard such as CEN/343 ANAS.[1] A comprehensive review is now available on SRF / RDF production, quality standards and thermal recovery, including statistics on European SRF quality
RDF extracted from what?
from municipal solid waste using a mix of mechanical and/or biological treatment methods.
What steps the production of RDF can involve?
The production of RDF may involve the following steps: Bag splitting/Shredding Size screening Magnetic separation Coarse shredding Refining separation
RDF and end markets. Where RDF can be used?
RDF can be used in a variety of ways to produce electricity. It can be used alongside traditional sources of fuel in coal power plants. In Europe RDF can be used in the cement kiln industry, where the strict standards of the Waste Incineration Directive are met. RDF can also be fed into plasma arc gasification modules, pyrolysis plants and where the RDF is capable of being combusted cleanly or in compliance with the Kyoto Protocol, RDF can provide a funding source where unused carbon credits are sold on the open market via a carbon exchange.
What is the role of WM in a collaborative society?
Waste Management manages output resources, thus meeting a key task within the anthropogenic mass balance.
It follow two central targets:
Protection targets (human, environment, basis of life, climate) Resource targets (urban mining)
It provides an opportunity for (re-)concentration :
- Waste and biogenic materials for the recycling within material cycles
- High-calorific materials as secondary fuels (RDF =Refuse derived Fuels)
- Hazardous substances for treatment and final sink Residues for the inertisation and proper final disposal
What are the advantages of WM in collaborative society?
- It creates awareness and provides information for product and production design
- It helps to control material flows
- It creates and prepares anthropogenic stocks for its use
- It strives for a steady state between the output currents of society and absorbtion capacity of env. media
- It words for generations
What is INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM?
Frame of reference of designing and implementing new waste man-t systems and for analyzing and optimizing existing systems (UNEP def-n)
What are the elements of Integrated Waste Management System?
Setting policies
Developing and enforcing regulations
Planning and evaluating activites (as to stakeholders)
Characterising types of waste generated
Physically handling waste and recoverable materials
Marketing of recovered materials
Establishing training programmes for workers
Informing and training the public
Incorporating private sector business
What are the 5 elements of Waste Hierarchy?
The following waste hierarchy shall apply as a priority order in waste prevention and management legislation and policy (EC 2008):
- Prevention
- Preparing for re-use
- Recycling
- Other recovery (e.g. energy recovery)
- Disposal
What is important for legal recycling and recovery quotas?
Definition and classification of waste
What are the 6 advantages of waste prevention/avoidance?
- Fewer env. problems with WM
- Lower WM costs
- Increased conservation of raw materials, less pollution (GHG)
- More efficient use of resources
- Increased public confidence in industry and government
- Economic benefits: reduced raw material usage, lower energy requirement, less land utilization for waste disposal
What we as a society need to do to achieve waste avoidance/prevention (3)?
Implement different and improved production and consumption patterns:
- Raise public awareness for the issue
- Govt guidelines and legislations for prevention and minimization of waste
- Manufacturers’ significant efforts in reducing packaging levels
Define “source reduction”?
- Design, manufacture, purchase or use of materials to reduce their quantity of toxicity before they will enter the waste stream (USEPA)
- National Recycling Coalition: „Any action that avoids the creation of w aste by reducing wast at the source, incl. Redesigning of products or packaging, voluntary or imposed behavioural changes in use of materials or increasing durability or reusabiliy after (first) use
How to achieve Source Reduction?
By reducing the material use in manufacture and use, increasing product life time (durability, repairablity), decreased toxicity, material reuse, design for reuse, reduced or more efficient consumer reuse of materials, increased production efficiency.
What are the cost savings of Source Reduction?
Direct savings, avoided waste treatment cost, decreased pollution control, liabilty and regulatory compliance cost, reduced product and material use and disposal cost
What are the principles of waste reduction (4)?
- Prevention and minimization of waste generation
- Provision of recycling infrastructure
- Separate source collection of recyclable components of municipal solid waste
- Separation of recyclables from mixed waste
- Improved quality of waste
What are the intentional differences b-n industry and WM industry?
MORE WITH LESS:
The WM industry gets the input in the form of waste (not materials) and Energy, Space and outputs in value of recovered products and exerts only emissions
ARA?
Altstoff Recycling Austria. WASTE MATERIAL COLLECTION SYSTEM. Austria‘s leading collection and recovery system (CRS) for packaging.
