Waste Management

http://www.epa.
gov/
Gangopadhyaya & Ramsey
Waste Management
Outline:
Composition of Waste
Disposal – Landfills,
Incineration,
Composting
Recycling & reuse (source reduction)
Composition of Waste
Before recycling
So, all we need to do is recycle, right?
This is what happens after recycling
How do we dispose the waste?
What to dispose?
There are two ways to bury trash:
- Dump
- Landfill
What is a dump?
Dump - an open hole in the ground where

trash is buried and that has various animals
(rats, mice, birds) swarming around. (This is
most people's idea of a landfill!)
And what is a Landfill?
•Landfill - carefully designed structure built
into or on top of the ground in which trash
is isolated from the surrounding environment
(groundwater, air, rain). This isolation is
accomplished with a bottom liner and daily
covering of soil.
LANDFILL
The basic parts of a landfill
Bottom liner system - separates trash and subsequent

leachate from groundwater
Cells (old and new) - where the trash is stored within the landfill
Storm water drainage system - collects rain water that
falls on the landfill
Leachate collection system - collects water that has percolated
through the landfill itself and contains contaminating substances
(leachate)
Methane collection system - collects methane gas that is
formed during the breakdown of trash
Covering or cap - seals off the top of the landfill
Landfill Crosssection
WHAT IS A BOTTOM LINER?
One or more layers of clay or a synthetic

flexible membrane. If the bottom liner fails,
wastes will migrate directly into the environment.
There are three types of liners: clay, plastic,

and composite. State-of-the-art plastic (HDPE)
landfill liners are 100 mils or 1/10 of an inch
thick.
Sanitary and MSW
Sanitary landfill -
landfill that uses a clay liner to isolate
the trash from the environment
Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill –

uses a synthetic (plastic) liner to isolate the
trash from the environment
LEACHATE
Leachate is water that gets badly

contaminated by contacting wastes.
It seeps to the bottom of a landfill and is

collected by a system of pipes.
The pumped leachate is treated at a

wastewater treatment plant (and the solids
removed from the leachate.)
Seepage of Leachate
Seepage of leachate (black) can be seen through a weak spot in the cover.
WHAT IS A COVER?
A cover keeps water out (leachate formation).
It consists of sloped layers:
clay or membrane liner
overlain by a very permeable layer of sandy or
gravelly soil (to promote rain runoff),
overlain by topsoil in which vegetation can root
(to stabilize the underlying layers).
An experimental covering
An experimental tarp provides daily cover of the landfill cells.
CONSTITUENTS IN LANDFILL GAS
Component Percent (dry volume basis)
•Methane 40-60%
•Carbon Dioxide 40-60%
•Nitrogen 2-5%
•Oxygen 0.1-1.0%
•Ammonia 0.1-1.0%
•Sulfides, disulfides,etc. 0-0.2%
•Hydrogen 0-0.2%
•Carbon Monoxide 0-0.2%
•Trace Constituents 0.01-0.6%
Exact percent varies with the landfill’s age.

Disposal of Methane
Communities are increasingly finding ways
to use the gas as a source of energy.
Combustion and Incineration
Controlled burning
Combustors convert water into steam to
generate heat or electricity.
Burning Municipal solid waste (MSW) can generate

energy while reducing the amount of waste by up to
90 percent in volume and 75 percent in weight.
Incineration Facility
Drawbacks of Combustion
Does not eliminate waste, but changes the form of waste into
possible hazardous air emissions and toxic ash.
Spreads hazardous contamination worldwide; contaminating

air, soil, and water.
Is a major source of 210 different dioxin compounds, plus

mercury, cadmium, nitrous oxide, hydrogen chloride, sulfuric
acid, fluorides, and particulate matter small enough to lodge
permanently in the lungs.
Benefits of Composting
Keeps organic wastes out of landfills.
Provides nutrients to the soil.
Increases beneficial soil organisms (e.g., worms, centipedes).
Suppresses certain plant diseases.
Reduces the need for fertilizers and pesticides.
Protects soils from erosion.
Assists pollution remediation.
Benefits of recycling
•Conserves resources.
•Prevents emissions of greenhouse gases and
water pollutants.
•Saves energy.
•Supplies raw materials to industry.
•Creates jobs.
•Stimulates the development of greener technologies.
•Reduces the need for new landfills and incinerators.
Changes in Recycling Rates
Recycling of Materials
Reusing materials to minimize
waste products
•Use durable coffee mugs.

•Use cloth napkins or towels.
•Refill bottles.
•Donate old magazines or surplus equipment.
•Reuse boxes.
•Turn empty jars into containers for leftover food.
•Purchase refillable pens and pencils.
•Participate in a paint collection and reuse program.
Trend
1999 Recycling 2000 Recycling 2001 Recycling 2002 Recycling
Tons Rate Tons Rate Tons Rate Tons Rate
MSW Generation 11,619,657.1 12,051,709.7 10,881,798.5 10,881,798.5
Materials Recycled
Aluminum Cans 23,030.4 22,706.7 35,012.0 18,732.2
Steel & Bimetallic Cans 61,187.3 35,233.4 43,087.8 25,876.1
Corrugated Cardboard 604,715.5 648,684.1 609,880.1 682,091.2
Newsprint 353,071.1 402,193.0 276,681.9 215,820.3
Office/Computer Paper 84,044.9 77,791.5 64,866.1 78,972.1
Other Paper 263,582.3 222,840.7 221,112.8 207,297.1
Clear Glass 48,736.3 50,315.0 15,608.7 31,089.3
Colored & Other Glass 43,495.6 40,541.3 28,151.9 33,800.6
PET Plastics 9,048.3 8,795.2 16,330.7 3,013.4
HDPE Plastics 10,522.2 10,424.5 4,364.9 4,888.1
Mixed Plastics 26,594.6 24,225.1 34,300.5 28,196.6
Leaf/Yard Waste 351,339.8 347,256.0 427,042.2 426,745.2
Car Batteries 33,198.7 69,311.5 16,703.5 21,382.0
Commingled Materials 198,563.9 201,249.3 250,416.1 276,863.5
Single Stream Collection 0.0 0.0 0.0 21,952.1
TOTAL (Act 101 Materials)2,111,130.9 18.2% 2,161,567.4 17.9% 2,043,559.2 18.8% 2,076,719.8 19.1%
Recycle
http://www.p2pays.org/recycleguys/teachers.asp
http://www.kidsrecycle.org/green_schools.php#

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http://www.epa.

There are two ways to bury trash:

Dump - an open hole in the ground where

Bottom liner system - separates trash and subsequent

One or more layers of clay or a synthetic

There are three types of liners: clay, plastic,

Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill –

Leachate is water that gets badly

It seeps to the bottom of a landfill and is

The pumped leachate is treated at a

An experimental tarp provides daily cover of the landfill cells.

Exact percent varies with the landfill’s age.

Burning Municipal solid waste (MSW) can generate

Spreads hazardous contamination worldwide; contaminating

Is a major source of 210 different dioxin compounds, plus

•Use durable coffee mugs.

MSW Generation 11,619,657.1 12,051,709.7 10,881,798.5 10,881,798.5

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