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Waste
No garbage system in the 18th century –
people just threw garbage on the street and
free running hogs ate it. In 1865 an estimated
10,000 hogs roamed New York City.
Careers
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Waste Management – city recycling coordinators –
design/oversee recycling programs
Attorney – specialize in environmental law – provide advice
on landfill sitting and compliance with environmental laws.
Entrepreneurs – recycle waste and produce new products
Environmental Scientist – over seeing superfund sites.
Deffenbaugh Waste Management - Careers []
Waste Management Manufacturing Jobs, Manufacturing
Careers, Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Industrial
Engineers, Supply Chain Managers, Chemists, Six Sigma
Black Belts, Logistics Managers, Finishing Managers,
Quality Control Specialists, Safety Technicians,
History of Solid Waste
Disposal
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1st recorded dump was in Athens in 500 B.C.
Age of Sanitation started in the late 1800’s because
of the rat populations and polluted water supplies.
1st incinerator was in England in 1874.
1st incinerator in U.S. was in New York in 1885.
Began running out of room for waste disposal in 4
years.
1920’s U.S. filled wetlands
Solid waste management was passed in 1965.
History of Solid Waste
Disposal Continued
Piggeries – in 1900’s fed raw and
cooked garbage to pigs.
 1950’s some pigs got sick eating raw
garbage. A law was passed that only
cooked garbage could be fed to pigs.
 Phased out in 1960’s.
 In 1988 there were 8,000 landfills.
 In 1999 there were only 2,300.
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Solid Waste
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Every year, the United States generates approximately
10 billion metric tons of "trash“.
If your habits resemble those of average Americans,
you generate about 4.4 pounds of solid trash per day.
Less than one-quarter of it is recycled; the rest is
incinerated or buried in landfills.
We could reuse or recycle more than 70 percent of the
landfill waste, which includes valuable materials such
as glass, metal, and paper.
Wastes are made of biodegradable or nonbiodegradable products.
Biodegradable – if it can be broken down by biological
products.
Types of Solid Waste
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Municipal solid waste – what we throw out on a day to day basis
(we throw out enough each year to fill a convoy of garbage trucks
that would stretch around the Earth 6 times) – paper makes up the
most of this. – fastest growing of all waste
Manufacturing, mining, and agriculture waste – computers,
televisions, audio equipment, printers, scrap metal, plastics, paper,
sludge, ash, rock and minerals from excavation, crop wastes and
manure.
Could We Bury It? -Landfills
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Landfill is a permanent waste disposal facility
where wastes are put into the ground and covered
with soil, plastic or both.
Most of municipal waste in the U.S. is sent to
landfills – more than 50%.
Decompositions rate slow – because garbage is
kept isolated soil and water.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, many of the country's landfills have been
closed for one or both of these two reasons:
 They were full.
 They were contaminating groundwater.
Problems with Landfills
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Leachate – liquid passed through compacted solid waste in a
landfill.
Forms when water seeps down through the landfill and
contains dissolved chemical from decomposing garbage.
Paints, pesticides, cleansers, cans, batteries and appliances.
Monitoring wells of storage tanks to measure and store
leachate.
It is then treated.
If not monitored properly can flow into ground waters and
make unsafe drinking water.
Methane gas – where no oxygen in present – decomposition
makes gas which is highly flammable. It is usually pumped
out as fuel, but if it is not monitored it may seep into
basements of homes up to 300 meters away and cause
dangerous explosions.
Resource Conservation
Recovery Act
In 1976 and 1984 requirement of all
new landfills be built with safeguards.
 New landfills are to be lined with clay,
plastic liner and must have systems
for collecting a treating leachate.
 Vent pipes will be installed to carry
gas.
 Increases cost
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Could We Burn It?
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Yes and no.
About 15% of trash burned.
Reduce the amount of solid waste by 75%.
Can be more toxic that it was before – burn
cleaners, batteries and paint.
Incineration does generate energy, but at a cost-it may release toxins into the air and create ash
that requires disposal in hazardous-waste
landfills.
1999 there were 102 operational incinerators that
burned 94,000 metric tons a day.
Could We Pay Someone to
Take It?
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Not likely.
As our population grows, former outlying
areas are becoming bedroom communities,
and their residents mount stiff opposition to
plans for expanding existing landfills or
creating new ones, even in return for some
perks.
As local and state government officials cope
with the costs and problems of their own
waste disposal, they are less willing to
import other communities' waste and the
pollution it generates.
Could We Recycle It?
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Process of reusing materials or recovering
valuable materials from waste or scrap.
28% of waste is recycled.
Series of steps:
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Collected and sorted
Cleaned and made ready to be used again.
Materials used to manufacture new
products.
New products are sold to consumers.
Could We Recycle It
Continued
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Source reduction – change in design,
manufacture, purchase of use of
materials/products to reduce their amount or
toxicity before they become solid waste.
Produce less and reduce the expense.
As a consumer you can buy less packaging and
products that last longer. (Dish towels instead of
paper, re-chargeable batteries instead of regular)
95% less energy to make aluminum from recycled
aluminum than ore.
70% less energy is needed to make paper from
recycled paper.
Could We Compost It?
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Compost is one of nature's best mulches and soil
amendments, and you can use it instead of commercial
fertilizers.
Compost is cheap.
Using compost improves soil structure, texture, and
aeration and increases the soil's water-holding capacity,
improves soil fertility and stimulates healthy root
development in plants.
Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain
water.
The organic matter provided in compost provides food
for microorganisms, which keeps the soil in a healthy,
balanced condition.
Why Make Compost?
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Cities are starting to refuse to haul off leaves and
grass clippings.
About 1/3 of the space in landfills is taken up with
organic waste from our yards and kitchens, just
the type of material that can be used in compost.
The composting process
involves four main components:
Organic matter – includes plant
material, food scraps and animal
manure
 Moisture – supports decomposition
 Oxygen – accelerates decomposition of
plant material
 Bacteria/Organisms – turns organic
material into nutrient rich soil additive
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Compost Materials:
The Right Mix
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Almost any organic material is suitable for a compost
pile.
The pile needs a proper ratio of carbon-rich materials, or
"browns," and nitrogen-rich materials, or "greens."
Among the brown materials are dried leaves, straw, and
wood chips.
Nitrogen materials are fresh or green, such as grass
clippings, coffee grounds and kitchen scraps.
Mixing certain types of materials or changing the
proportions can make a difference in the rate of
decomposition. The ideal ratio approaches 25 parts
browns to 1 part greens.
Too much carbon will cause the pile to break down too
slowly, while too much nitrogen can cause odor. The
carbon provides energy for the microbes, and the
nitrogen provides protein.
Ingredients to Compost
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Leaves represent a large percentage of total yard waste. If you
can grind them in a shredder or mow over them, they will reduce
in size making them decompose faster.
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Pine Needles need to be chopped or shredded, as they
decompose slowly. They are covered with a thick, waxy coating.
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Grass Clippings break down quickly and contain as much
nitrogen as manure. Since fresh grass clippings will clump
together, become anaerobic, and start to smell, mix them with
plenty of brown material.
Ingredients to Compost
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Kitchen Refuse includes melon rinds, carrot peelings, tea bags,
apple cores, banana peels - almost everything that cycles
through your kitchen. The average household produces more
than 200 pounds of kitchen waste every year. However, meat,
meat products, dairy products, and high-fat foods like salad
dressings and peanut butter, can present problems. Meat scraps
and the rest will decompose eventually, but will smell bad and
attract pests. Egg shells are a wonderful addition, but
decompose slowly, so should be crushed.
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Wood Ashes from a wood burning stove or fireplace can be
added to the compost pile.
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Garden Refuse should make the trip to the pile. All of the spent
plants, thinned seedlings, and deadheaded flowers can be
included.
Ingredients to Compost
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Spoiled Hay or Straw makes an excellent carbon base for a
compost pile, especially in a place where few leaves are
available.
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Manure is one of the finest materials you can add to any
compost pile. It contains large amounts of both nitrogen and
beneficial microbes. Manure for composting can come from
bats, sheep, ducks, pigs, goats, cows, pigeons, and any other
vegetarian animal. As a rule of thumb, you should avoid manure
from carnivores, as it can contain dangerous pathogens. Most
manures are considered "hot" when fresh, meaning it is so rich
in nutrients that it can burn the tender roots of young plants or
overheat a compost pile, killing off earthworms and friendly
bacteria. If left to age a little, however, these materials are fine
to use.
Compost Site Selection
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Any pile of organic matter will eventually rot, but a well-chosen site
can speed up the process. Look for a level, well-drained area. If you
plan to add kitchen scraps, keep it accessible to the back door.
Don't put it so far away you'll neglect the pile. In cooler latitudes,
keep the pile in a sunny spot to trap solar heat. Look for some
shelter to protect the pile from freezing cold winds which could slow
down the decaying process. In warm, dry latitudes, shelter the pile in
a shadier spot so it doesn't dry out too quickly.
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Build the pile over soil or lawn rather than concrete or asphalt, to
take advantage of the earthworms, beneficial microbes, and other
decomposers, which will migrate up and down as the seasons
change. Uncovered soil also allows for drainage.
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Look for a spot that allows you to compost discretely, especially if
you have neighboring yards in close proximity. Aim for distance and
visual barriers between the pile and the neighbors.
Using Compost
Finished compost is dark brown,
crumbly, and is earthy-smelling.
 It can take anywhere from three to 12
months to produce compost
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Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste presents immediate or
long-term risks to humans, animals, plants, or
the environment.
 It requires special handling for detoxification
or safe disposal.
 Solids, liquids or gases – anything that is
toxic, corrosive or explosive
 Look for warning symbols, paint, nail polish
remover, oil, wee killer and take to a facility.
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U.S. Legal Definition of
Hazardous Waste
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Any discarded solid, liquid or gas that contains one or
more of 39 carcinogenic or mutagenic compounds at
levels that exceed established limits (including many
solvents, pesticides, and paint strippers).
Catches fire easily (such as gasoline, paints, and
solvents).
Is reactive or unstable enough to explode or release
toxic fumes (including acids, bases, ammonia, and
chlorine bleach).
Is capable of corroding metal containers such as
tanks, drums, and barrels (such as industrial cleaning
agents and oven and drain cleaners).
Who is Responsible?
Businesses such as metal finishers, gas
stations, auto repair shops, dry cleaners, and
photo developers produce many toxic waste
products.
 Households using automotive products, such
as gasoline, antifreeze, and batteries oil-based
paints and thinners, pool chemicals,
pesticides, herbicides, and other garden
products and household cleaning products.
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Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act
Requires producers of hazardous waste to
keep records of how their wastes are
handled from the time the wastes are made
to the time the wastes are placed in an
approved disposal facility.
 If the waste cause a problem in the future,
the producer is legally responsible for the
problem.
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Superfund Sites
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Of the nation's worst toxic waste sites:
1,305 are scheduled for cleanup on the
National Priorities List (NPL). About 11
million people in the U.S., including 3-4
million children, live within 1 mile of a
federal Superfund site and confront
potential public health risks.
Love Canal 1950
Love Canal 1980
Superfund Act of 1980
Disposal of hazardous waste is expensive.
 Gives the U.S. Environmental Protection
agency the right to sue the owners of
hazardous waste sites who had illegally
dumped waste.
 Gained the right to force the owners to pay
for cleaning up abandoned hazardous
waste sites.
 Kansas has 12 Superfund sites.
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Hazardous Waste
Management
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Each year the U.S. produces about 252
million metric tons of hazardous waste.
One way to prevent it is to produce less of
it. Redesign methods.
Another way to deal with it is to find a way
to reuse it.
Some types of wastes can be treated with
chemicals to make the waste less
hazardous.
Disposal
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Most of hazardous waste produced in the U.S. is
disposed of on land.
Deep well injection – well under ground water and
cement on top
Surface impoundment – pond that has a sealed bottom
Solid waste often put into barrels and buried in
landfills.
Some can be absorbed, broken down or toxicity
reduced with bacteria.
Some can be disposed by burning in special
incinerators.
Exported to other states and countries.