1. WASTE Chapter 19

2. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Objectives • Name one characteristic that makes a material biodegradable. • Identify two types of solid waste. • Describe how a modern landfill works. • Name two environmental problems caused by landfills.

3. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Vocab • Solid waste • Biodegradable • Municipal solid waste • Landfill • Leachate

4. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • What is it? • Where does it come from? • Where does it immediately go? • Then where?

5. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Trash • Typically is moved around the following way • Can • Collection service • Landfill • **ONLY STORES TRASH*** • What happens if all of our landfills fill up?

6. …not a good idea

7. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • What happens in a landfill when it • Rains? • Contains materials like paint thinner? • THESE CHEMICALS ARE LEACHED • They escape!

8. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Generation of Waste • It’s not just our lunches • 10 billion tons of solid waste are produced in the United States a year

9. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Generation of Waste • Math practice • If the population of the United States is 313,126,000 people, how many tons of solid waste are produced per person every year?

10. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Generation of Waste • Math practice • How many tons of solid waste are produced per person every day?

11. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Generation of Waste • Since the 1960s, the amount of solid waste we generate has DOUBLED

12. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Space for Waste • We’re running out! • A ship (the Mobro) had 3,200 tons of garbage • In 1987, couldn’t find a place to unload waste TOOK 5 MONTHS OF SAILING!

13. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Space for Waste • In the end, the Mobro gave up • What did they do? • They BURNED the trash in NY

14. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Population and Waste • The population is increasing • The amount of land per person is decreasing

15. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Population and Waste • All waste created during the time of the Hunters and Gatherers was less and it was biodegradable

16. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Population and Waste • Bottom line: We are having trouble getting rid of trash

18. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Not all Wastes are Equal • Two main types: • Biodegradable  • Break down into natural products over time • Nonbiodegradable  • Will not break down over time

19. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Not all Wastes are Equal • Classify me! B for biodegradable, N for not! • Paper • Plastic Knife • Cardboard • Manure • Metal Ziploc bag Grass clippings Muffin Muffin wrapper CD

20. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Not all Wastes are Equal • Synthetics—polyester, plastics • Do not break down naturally • Result from combining elements in ways that aren’t found in nature • So they can’t break down • The decomposers don’t know what to do!

21. Section 19-1: Solid Waste Types of Solid Waste Manufacturing Waste Computers, electronics, mining waste 70% of solid waste in the US • Municipal Solid Waste • Your day-to-day trash

22. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Give an example of each category • What percentage of materials could be easily recycled? • What percentage of materials could be composted? • Removing these percentages, what percent really HAS to go in a landfill?

23. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Municipal Solid Waste • 2% of total solid waste • = 210 million metric tons each year • Growing much faster than mining or agricultural waste

24. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Solid waste from Manufacturing, Mining, and Agriculture • Rest of total solid waste • Manufacture=56% • Scrap metal • Plastics • Paper • Sludge • Ash • We contribute by buying stuff!

25. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Mining waste • Rock and minerals that are left over • Left in piles • Dumped in oceans or rivers • Used to fill in abandoned mines

26. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Agricultural waste • 9% of total solid waste • Crop wastes • Manure • Biodegradable  • Harmful to soil  • Increased use of fertilizers and pesticides

27. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Solid Waste Management • Most of our waste is sent to landfills • Some is burned (incinerated) • Some is recycled (~28%) • Only recycled 6.6% in 1970

28. Plastic Usage • Answer the questions in your packet.

29. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Landfills • More than 50% of municipal and manufacturing solid waste goes here • Covered daily with layers of soil, plastic, or clay to contain waste

30. Section 19-1: Solid Waste

31. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Main functions of a landfill • Contain the waste that is buried inside • Keep waste from causing problems with the environment • Cannot touch our soil or groundwater

32. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Problems with landfills • Leachate—liquid that has passed through compacted solid waste in a landfill • Can contain chemicals from • Paints • Pesticides • Cleansers • Cans • Batteries • Appliances

33. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Problems with landfills • Leachate • Monitoring wells and storage tanks are used to measure and store leachate • Can treat safely

34. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Problems with landfills • Methane • Result of decomposition of organic mater • FLAMMABLE! • Pumped out and used as fuel • If not monitored, can seep out and get into homes • Explosions

36. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Safeguarding Landfills • RCRA! • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1976, 1984) • New landfills have to be built with ways to reduce pollution problems

37. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Safeguarding Landfills • New landfills… • Must be lined with a clay and plastic liner • Must have systems for collecting leachate • Must have pipes to collect and remove methane

38. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Safeguarding Landfills • These RCRA rules cost more money • Make it difficult to find new landfill sites • Close to city making waste • Far away from residents who don’t want it near them

39. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Building More Landfills • Running out of space! • Material is not decomposing as fast as it should…

40. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Building More Landfills • In 1988, we had 8000 active landfills • In 1999, we only had 2300 • They filled up! • EPA Estimates that the active landfills in 20 states will be filled within 10 years • More Mobro stories?

41. Section 19-1: Solid Waste

42. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Incinerators • We can burn it! • Reduces weight of solid waste by 75% • Waste doesn’t “disappear”, just gets converted • Things get in that shouldn’t • Air pollution • Some materials are worse when burned • Scrubbers to decrease pollutants

43. Section 19-1: Solid Waste

44. Section 19-1: Solid Waste • Objectives • Name one characteristic that makes a material biodegradable. • Identify two types of solid waste. • Describe how a modern landfill works. • Name two environmental problems caused by landfills.

45. Section 19-2: Reducing Solid Waste • Objectives • Identify three ways you can produce less waste. • Describe how you can use your consumer buying power to reduce solid waste. • List the steps that an item must go through to be recycled. • List two benefits of composting. • Name one advantage and one disadvantage to producing degradable plastic.

46. Section 19-2: Reducing Solid Waste • Vocab • Source reduction • Recycling • Compost

47. Section 19-2: Reducing Solid Waste • How do we reduce all of our solid waste? • Make less of it! • Recycle it! • Change the materials we currently use • =Source reduction!

48. Section 19-2: Reducing Solid Waste • Reducing Solid Waste • Making less waste is key! • Can do it by… • Buying less • Making longer-lasting products

49. Section 19-2: Reducing Solid Waste • Story of Stuff! • Was optional, now it’s not!

50. Section 19-2: Reducing Solid Waste • Buying Less • You choose what you buy! • Buy products with less packaging • Buy products that last longer • Buy products that are reusable • Dish towels v. paper towels • Rechargeable batteries v. single use batteries • Send a message to manufacturers!