1. Solid Waste

2. Waste Disposal • Municipal solid waste—waste materials from homes, businesses and other parts of the community • Other solid waste comes from construction debris and certain agricultural and industrial wastes.

3. Waste Disposal • Three methods of handling solid waste: • Bury it • Burn it • Recycle it

4. Waste Disposal • Landfills • Open dumps were used until relatively recently. (1976) • Leachate is a polluted liquid made when rainwater dissolves chemicals • Sanitary landfills hold municipal solid waste, construction debris, and some types of agricultural and industrial waste • They have plastic liners and are capped with clay to prevent rainwater from entering.

5. Waste Disposal • Incineration • Burning of solid waste • Do not take up much space • Do not pose a risk of polluting groundwater • Waste-to-energy plants • Use heat to produce electricity • Release some pollution into the air • Some waste still remains • More expensive to build

6. Recycling • Biodegradable • A substance that can be broken down and recycled by bacteria

7. Recycling • Metals • Iron and aluminum can be melted and reused • Glass • Melted to make new glass containers, fiberglass, bricks, tiles and reflective paints

8. Recycling • Paper • Pulp is a thick liquid made from wood, and recycled paper can be turned into pulp, also • Plastic • Made from resins left over from petroleum products • Can be heated, stretched, and molded into plastic products

9. Solid Waste Management • Reduce • Reuse • Recycle