question

brownfield

answer

land previously used for industrial purposes or some commercial uses

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cullet

answer

recycled broken or waste glass used in glass making

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dioxins

answer

family of 75 chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds formed as unwanted by-products in chemical reactions involving chlorine and hydrocarbons, usually at high temperatures; serious and persistent

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environmental justice

answer

fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies

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leachate

answer

water that has percolated through solid and leached out some of the constituents

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mine tailing

answer

(also called mine dumps, culm dumps, slimes, tails, refuse, leach residue, or slickens): are materials leftover after the process of separating the valuable fraction from the uneconomic fraction (gangue) of an ore

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open dumps

answer

fields or holes in the ground where garbage is deposited and sometimes covered with soil. They are rare in developed countries, but are widely used in many developing countries, especially to handle wastes from megacities

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PCB's

answer

(polychlorinated biphenyls): group of 209 toxic, oily, synthetic chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds that can be biologically amplified in food chains and webs

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refuse

answer

waste (leftover matter without further use) that can be processed to become something new

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slag

answer

stony waste matter separate from metals during the smelting or refining of ore

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tipping fee (gate fee)

answer

changes levied upon given quantity of waste received at a waste processing facility

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waste stream

answer

aggregate flow of waste material from generation to treatment to final disposition

question

Industrial waste

answer

produced by mines, agriculture, and industries [that supply people with goods and services] -most of waste products are deposited and processed on site rather than being transferred to a different location for disposal -Ex: iron tailing ( from main in MT), copper slag (by product of smelting copper), coal (fly) ash (when burning coal some of it released in air)

question

Municipal Solid Waste

answer

collected from households, small businesses, schools, prisons, municipal buildings, and hospitals -(According to EPA) ~60% of MSW comes from residents and 40% comes from commercial and institutional facilities -Ex: cans, plastics, e-waste

question

Hazardous (toxic) waste

answer

hazardous if ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic waste material that is harmful to humans and/or ecosystems -majority is by-product of industrial processes like the cleaning of machinery and manufacturing of computer equipment. However, some hazardous wastes may originate from small businesses like dry cleaning and automobile service stations -Ex: car batteries, motor oil, window cleaners, paints, household pesticides, dry cleaning solution, oven cleaner, wood preservatives, flea powders, tank cleaners, sunblock?

question

How many pounds of MSW does the average american generate?

answer

4.5 lbs.

question

what percentage of MSW is dumped, recycled (or composted), or burned?

answer

50% dumped 30% recycled or composted 20% burned in incinerators

question

We could reuse or recycle what percentage of MSW that we produce?

answer

90%

question

(T or F): The United States produces about half of the world's solid waste.

answer

False, U.S. produces 1/3

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Basel Convention

answer

regulates/ prevents movement of waste to other lands (March 1989) -152 countries in it -United states, Haiti, and Afghanistan not included

question

E-waste

answer

consists of discarded television sets, cellphone, computers, e-toys, and other electronic devices. Most of it ends up in landfills and incinerators. These are made up of high-quality plastics, Al, Cu, Nickel, Platinum, Ag, Au but also PVC (polyvinylchloride), brominated frame retardants, Pb, and Hg. 70% goes to China, rest to India and poor African Nations.

question

what is an advantage and disadvantage of sending scrap to poorer nations?

answer

adv: cheap labor, Workers (many children) dismantle products for valuable metals and reusable parts dis: weak environmental regulations, remaining scrap is dumped in waterways and fields or burned in open fires -->exposes man people to toxic dioxins

question

Name ways e-waste disposal is improving

answer

Massachusetts and 5 other states ban disposal of computers and t.v. sets in landfills - some e-manufactures have free recycling programs - some e-manufacturers arrange for pickups or paying for shipping costs

question

Solid Waste Management

answer

involves managing wastes to reduce their environmental harm without seriously trying to reduce the amount of waste produced -Ex: Hawaii sent trash to mainland due to limited land area *reduce harm not amount

question

Basic Design of Landfills

answer

-bottom of landfill is lined with plastic sheets and compacted with clay to prevent leachate from contaminating the groundwater -underneath the landfill: system of pipes that collects leachate -solid waste lining: waste spread out in thin layers, compacted, and covered with a fresh layer of clay or plastic foam on a regular basis (usually daily) -cap: made of soil, clay (and sometimes plastic) is installed over the landfill to encourage water flow instead of into landfill

question

Why is clay used to line landfills?

answer

clay impedes the flow of water and retains positively charged ions

question

What are the advantages of covering the waste with clay and plastic?

answer

-keeps material dry - reduces leakage of contaminated water -reduces risk of fire -reduces odor -reduces accessibility to vermen

question

ideal site for landfills

answer

-area rich in clay soil -area located away from rivers, streams, and drinking water supplies -can be too close to people (odor/NIMBY) or too far (hauling releases more CO2 and more energy costs)

question

Advantages of landfills

answer

low operating costs - no open burning - built quickly -can handle large amounts of waste - filled land can be used for other purposes - low ground water pollution (if sited properly) -no shortage of landfill space in many areas - little odor

question

Disadvantages of landfills

answer

noise and traffic -output approach that encourages waste production - dust - air pollution from toxic gases and trucks -releases greenhouse gases [methane and CO2] *unless collected -slow decomposition of waste -eventually leaks and can contaminate groundwater

question

Difference between sanitary landfill and open dump

answer

open dump: uncovered site without environmental controls, susceptible to burning and scavengers , no lining

question

(T or F): Open dumps are popular in developed countries

answer

false, rare in developed countries

question

Landfill methane capture

answer

methane released when trash decomposes; when caught and burned they use it for energy

question

Incineration

answer

process of burning waste materials to reduce volume (90%) and mass (75%) -Waste-to-energy incinerators burn solid wastes and recover some of the energy produced to use for heating water or producing electricity

question

Ash

answer

non-organic particulates that do not combust during incineration -Ash particulates can be collected by the Baghouse filter but not methane or CO2

question

what's the difference between bottom and fly ash?

answer

bottom ash is residue collected underneath the furnace -fly ash: collected beyond the furnace

question

How do you dispose of ash?

answer

if it is non-toxic then if goes to the landfill. If toxic, the is goes to a hazardous waste facility.

question

Advantages of Incinerators

answer

reduce trash volume -less need for landfills - low water pollution - concentrates hazardous substances into ash for burial - sale of energy reduces costs - modern controls reduces air pollution - some facilities recover and sell metals

question

Disadvantages of incinerators

answer

-expensive to build -some air pollution and CO2 emissions -output approach that encourages waste production -costs more than short distance hauling to landfills -difficult to site because of citizen opposition -older or poorly managed facilities can release large amounts of air pollution -can compete with recycling for burnable materials such as newspaper

question

name 2 largest classes of hazardous wastes

answer

organic: (pesticides, PBC's, dioxins) inorganic: heavy metals (PB, Hg, As)

question

ways to treat hazardous waste

answer

-use charcoal or resins (sticky substance made from trees) -distill liquid mixtures to separate out harmful chemicals -use magnetic nanoparticles (nanomagnets) coated with certain compounds to remove various pollutants from water - chemical reactions to convert hazardous chemicals harmless or less harmful chemicals -bioremediation -phytoremediation -incineration -plasma arc torch

question

bioremediation

answer

use bacteria or enzymes to help destroy toxic waste or convert them to harmless compounds. (there are over 1000 different types of bacteria and fungi that have been used to detoxify waste.) -takes longer but cost less *can be used for oil spills

question

Phytoremediation

answer

use natural or genetically engineered plants to absorb, filter, and remove contaminants from polluted soil and water -easy to establish -inexpensive -low energy use -some toxic organic chemical may evaporate from plant leaves -slow and only effective at the depth of the plant roots -take several growing seasons -produce little air pollution compared to incineration Ex: plants can take mercury out of soil but now have mercury in them thus most be disposed of

question

Incineration (treatment for hazardous waste)

answer

heating many types of H waste (ip to 2000 C) can break them down and convert them to less harmful or harmless chemicals - produces dioxins and highly toxic ash (stored in safe and permanent landfill or vault designed for storing H waste)

question

Plasma Arc torch

answer

-passing electric current through a gas to generate an electric arc and very high temperatures (creating plasma) - plasma: ionized gas that is made up of electrically conductive ions and electrons -no toxic ash -greenhouse gases released

question

The U.S. stores hazardous and toxic waste _____ because _____

answer

-in burial on land or long term storage (should be a last resort - it's cheap

question

name the 4 ways to storage hazardous waste

answer

-deep well disposal - surface impoundments - long term retrievable storage - secure hazardous waste landfill

question

deep well disposal

answer

involves pumping liquid hazardous waste into dry porous rock that are found far beneath aquifers - limited number of sites that will work for this method - any unexpected leaks can contaminate ground or surface water

question

surface impoundments

answer

excavated depressions (such as ponds, pits, or lagoons) into which liners are placed and liquid hazardous wastes are stored - water evaporates --> waste settles and becomes more concentrated - not too expensive - leaks can contaminate ground water and flooding can lead to over flow (especially if on a hill)

question

Long term retrievable storage

answer

used to store highly toxic materials (like Hg) that cannot be detoxified or destroyed - stored in drums -drums inspected on regular basis

question

Secure Hazardous Waste Landfill

answer

hazardous waste stored in drums -drums are buried - most expensive - site carefully designed and monitored -only 23 in the US

question

RCRA ( Resource Conservation and Recovery Act)

answer

EPA sets standards for managing different types of waste - permits: issued to dispose and dispose of certain waste in acceptable ways - cradle-to-grace system: track waste from production to disposal* *must submit proof of disposal to EPA -only 5% of waste produced is regulated under this law

question

CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act)

answer

aka Superfund -identifies and cleans areas contaminated by hazardous waste -law DESIGNED to have POLLUTERS pay for cleaning up abandoned hazardous waste sites - taxes imposed on chemical and petroleum industries - Superfund now broke: taxpayers are ow paying most of the bill -think LOVE CANAL!

question

What was the love canal situation about?

answer

Hooker Chemical Industry bought the Love Canal ( the projected was stopped) and dumped its waste. Once filled and covered up they sold it to the Niagara Falls School Board (they need to expand school) for $1 and a warning of the chemicals. The school bought it either way and built a playground on it. Later houses were built adjacent to the canal. Blizzard and raining made the waste peculate up. There were +400 chemicals (Pb and Ag). People noticed sickness in children and there was an odor. People had to be evacuated (first wave was of 500 people and later evacuated another wave of 500). Superfund helped clean it up. They tore down the houses and used them to cover the landfill.

question

Brownfield Program

answer

set up by EPA -assists state and local gov. in cleaning up brownfields - Brownfields (Ex: factories, junkyards, gas stations, or older landfills) do not qualify for Superfund Program - sometimes incentives offered if developers convert areas into living or retail space

question

Reuse

answer

involves cleaning and using materials over and over which incr. typical life span of product - saves matter and energy resources -cut pollution -saves money Ex: refillable water bottles, bring own grocery bags, rechargeable batteries, buy used furniture, clothes, or donate clothing *Reusing can be hazardous in developing countries for poor individuals who scavenge in open dumps. They can be exposed to dioxins or infectious diseases

question

Recycling

answer

conserving resources by converting them into new products - saves matter resource, energy resource, cut pollution, generation jobs/ revenues, and reduces unsightly and environmentally harmful litter

question

Closed Loop Recycling (primary)

answer

materials recycled into new products of the same type -Ex: aluminum cans recycled to make new aluminum cans

question

Secondary Recycling (open loop)

answer

waste materials converted into new products

question

Name examples of Secondary Recycling

answer

tires--> shredded --> rubberized road surfacing -newspapers -->cellulose insulation - fly ash--> bricks

question

Preconsumer (internal waste)

answer

waste generated by manufacturing processes

question

Postconsumer (external waste)

answer

waste generated by consumer use of products

question

What are the 2 types of waste that can be recycled?

answer

preconsumer and postconsumer

question

criteria required by gov. for landfills

answer

built away from faults, wetlands, flood plains, or other restricted areas -prevent leachate from contaminating groundwater - ground water monitoring requirements -closure and postclosure care requirements -provide funding for environmental protection during and after landfill closure

question

What method of MSW and HW contributes to least increasing global climate?

answer

deep well injection

question

(T or F): Incandescent light bulbs are considered MSW

answer

True, Fluorescent bulbs are Hazardous because of the mercury content

question

Hazardous waste is classified by what two criteria?

answer

organic (like organic pesticides) or inorganic (heavy metal)

question

Paper products

answer

U.S. recycles 56% of paper and paperboard - Denmark recycles 97% -Recycled paper: uses 64% less energy, produces 35% less waste, 74% of less air pollution than from making paper from wood - paper puts out toxic compound chlorine dioxide used for bleaching/whitening paper

question

Glass

answer

U.S. recycles 36% of its glass container - cost less to recycle glass than make new - mixed colored glass cullet used for glassphalt which is glass/asphalt mixture

question

Name two examples of open loop recycling involving glass

answer

glass cullet can be made to make light reflectors on road - can be used to make counter tops

question

Aluminum

answer

most recycled material because of $ - making new can from old cans takes a fraction of energy -highest energy savings -leads to less pollution - 2/3 of cans recycled = 19 million barrels of oil annually

question

Plastic #1 (PET)

answer

Polyethylene terephthalate -make soft drink and drink bottles and peanut butter jars - recycled into fiberfill for sleeping bags, carpet fibers, and pillows

question

Plastic #2 (HDPE)

answer

high density polyethylene -make milkjugs, butter tubs, detergent bottles, motor oil bottles - recycled into flowerpots, trashcans, traffic barriers cones, detergent bottles -thicker material

question

Plastic #3 (PVC)

answer

polyvinyl chloride - make shampoo, cooking oil bottles, forks, fast-food service items -difficult to recycle and toxic

question

Plastic #4 (LDPE)

answer

low-density polyethylene - grocery bags, bread bags, shrink wrap - shouldn't throw away - take to recycling center

question

Plastic #5 PP (Polypropylene)

answer

yogurt containers, straws, pancake syrup bottles, bottle caps - make into car battery cases and manhole steps

question

Plastic #6 PS (Polystyrene)

answer

-disposable hot cups, packaging materials (peanuts), meat trays - recycle into lumber, cassette tape boxes, flower pots -do not put into recycling bin

question

Plastic #7 other

answer

mixture of various plastics like squeeze ketchup bottles and microwaveable dishes

question

Why is recycling chemically and economically difficult?

answer

difficult to isolate different plastics from other wastes - recovering individual plastic resins does not yield much material - new technology is making plastic biodegradable (need moisture and oxygen to break down) - cost of virgin plastic resins is lower than recycled resins due to low fossil fuel costs - uses energy and generates pollution for recycling

question

Economically speaking, it often__ to recycle products than to bury them in areas with ample landfill space

answer

more - especially if plastic

question

Composting

answer

form of recycling that focuses on natures recycling of nutrients - allows bacteria to recycle yard trimmings, food scarps, and other biodegradable organic waste (newspaper ) - organic waste comprise over 1/2 of solid waste -aerates soil and improves soils ability to retain nutrients and water

question

bottle bills

answer

charge you 3 cents for waterbottles and pay you back 3 cents if you recycle - areas that have this have more recycling done int here areas

question

what do you need for compost?

answer

green material: high in nitrogen, grass clippings/ leaves/ weeds, kitchen scraps (nothing greasy; you can put in banana peels or eggshells but not peanut butter), -brown material: high in carbon, paper, sawdust, newspaper, branches,twigs -water -air:over turn the compost with shovel or backyard composter drum

question

NOPE

answer

not on planet earth

question

Environmental justice movement

answer

movement to avoid discrimination of cleaning up communities. -whiter communities tend to be cleaned up faster and more completely than sites in African American and Latino communities have -studies have shown that a disproportionate share of polluting factories, hazardous waste dumps, incinerators and landfill in U.S. are located in African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans and working poor

question

POPS

answer

persistent organic pollutants - 122 countries completed to global treaty to control 12 POPS (seek to ban or phase out these chemicals and to detoxify/ isolate stockpiles) - allows 25 countries to use DDT to combat malaria until alt. found (U.S. not ratified treaty) -toxic, persistent, fat soluble , travel through wind and water -list of 12 called Dirty Dozen: include DDT, 8 other chlorine containing persistent pesticides, PCB's, furans, dioxins -every person on earth has detectable levels of POPS (long term effects are unknown)

question

Swedish parliament planning to enact law by 2020 to...

answer

assume chemicals guilty until proven innocent

question

Key principles

answer

everything is connected - dilution is not always the solution to pollution - polluters and producers should pay for the wastes they produce -different categories of hazardous waste and recyclable waste should not be mixed - mimic nature: reuse, recycle, compost atleast 75% os sold waste - best and cheap way --> waste reduction and pollution prevention

Solid and Hazardous Waste Management

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