Integrated Waste Management Topic 1

• Integrated Waste Management is the class topic, specifically ERMT 4145 Topic 1.
• The professor is Dr. Karen Chow, [email protected], office number 3411 3179.

Introduction to waste management, waste reduction, source reduction and recycling

• Covers the definition of waste.
• Discusses the importance of waste management.
• Explains the integrated approach to solid waste management.
• Details the six functional elements of the waste management system.
• Outlines the Non-Hazardous Waste Management Hierarchy.

Definition of waste

• Waste is defined as a lack of use or value, or 'useless remains' (Concise Oxford Dictionary).
• Waste is a by-product of human activity.
• Waste contains the same materials as useful products but lacks value due to mixing and unknown composition.
• Separating waste materials generally increases their value.
• Waste is any substance or article which is abandoned, per the Waste Disposal Ordinance, Chapter 354, Section 2.

Values of waste

• Waste vs Value has an inverse relationship.
• Value = f(1/degree of mixing)

Classifications of waste

• Possible classifications include physical state (solid, liquid, gaseous).
• Classifications by original use (packaging waste, food waste, etc.).
• Classifications by material type (glass, paper, etc.).
• Classifications by physical properties (combustible, compostable, recyclable).
• Classifications by origin (domestic, commercial, agricultural, industrial, etc.).
• Classifications by safety level (hazardous, nonhazardous).
• Under the Waste Disposal Ordinance, waste can be classified as animal waste, chemical waste, clinical waste, construction waste, household waste, street waste, and commercial waste.
• In 2022, the total quantity of solid waste disposed of at strategic landfills was 5.74 million tonnes.
• In 2022, the average daily quantity was 15,725 tonnes per day (tpd), which is a 1.2% increase compared to 2021.
• Municipal solid waste accounted for 71% of disposed waste in 2022, while overall construction waste accounted for 26% and special waste for 3%.
• Recycled locally rose by 3.9% as Compared to 2021

Why waste management is important?

• Lack of proper management can lead to direct contact hazards and bio vectors.
• Can cause Physical and mechanical hazards.
• Contributes to airborne containments.
• Impact of water and food supply
• Can Impact socio-economic factors.
• Links to land use, human and environmental health.
• It also affects economic considerations and aesthetic values.
• Sustainable waste management must be economically affordable, socially acceptable, and environmentally effective
• Sustainability requires development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (WCED, 1987).

An integrated approach to solid waste management

• It requires a range of management options.
• Delivers both environmental and economic sustainability.
• It is a complex task which balances environmental regulations, cost of running the program, and community needs
• Goals include tailored design for specific regional or community needs.
• Optimization strives for maximum environmental benefit at least cost.
• Key features of integrated waste management include an overall approach to compare performance, a range of collection and treatment methods, and handling all materials in the waste stream.
• Aims to be environmentally effective, economically affordable, and socially acceptable.
• It involves these five steps:Waste source identification, efficient waste collection, reduction of waste volume and toxicity, proper waste disposal that meets reduction goals, and the optimization of the first four steps to reduce cost and environmental impact.
• Materials recycling requires site access to reprocessing facilities.
• Biological treatment of organics will produce marketable compost and reduce volumes for disposal.
• Anaerobic digestion produces methane which can be burned for energy.
• Thermal treatment (such as incineration) reduces waste volume and turns residue inert.
• Thermal treatment should include energy recovery.
• Landfill, when well-engineered, can increase land reclamation while minimizing pollution.

The creation of waste

• Energy and raw materials flow through the industrial society into landfill.
• There are emissions to air, water, and soil within this process
• Waste prevention can occur via design, landfill still occurs, with emissions.
• Integrated Waste management shows both Energy recovery and Materials recovery.

Six Functional Elements of Waste Management System

• Waste generation
• Onsite handling, separation, storage and processing
• Waste collection
• Sorting, processing and transformation of solid waste
• Transfer and transport
• Disposal
• The above has various interrelationships.

Waste generation

• Difficult to control, factors affecting waste generation include economic activities, knowledge of the community, seasons, climate, technology, habits, and policy measures.

Onsite handling, separation, storage and processing

• It refers to waste management activities before waste transport outside the waste generation site.
• Separation happens at the source, which is most cost-effective.
• Involves temporary storage and on-site processing techniques like compaction and composting.

Waste collection

• Gathers and transports solid waste to a processing facility, transfer station, and end treatment/disposal sites.

Sorting, processing and transformation of solid waste

• Sorting may occur primarily away from the source of waste generation.
• Facilities include recovery, transfer stations, and combustion facilities.
• Separation of waste components occurs by size using screens or manual separation.
• Separation of ferrous and non-ferrous metals also occurs.
• Waste processing recovers conversion products and energy.
• The organic fraction is transformed by biological and thermal processes, like Composting and Incineration.
• Waste processing involves both recovering useful products and thermal treatment
• Waste transformation reduces volume, as size or toxicity without resource recovery.
• Mechanical transformation may involve shredding.
• Thermal transformation may include incineration without energy recovery.
• Other methods of transformation are autoclaving, microwaving, and chemical fixation.

Transfer and Transport

• Transfer happens from smaller collection vehicles to larger ones.
• It happens over Subsequent transport, usually over long distances, to a processing or a disposal site.

Disposal on land

• The ultimate fate can be a landfill or uncontrolled dumping.
• This is the most preferred and then incineration
• Can be disposed of in a MSW Landfill or Sanitary Landfill.
• Hazardous Waste landfill is for hazardous waste
• Monofills are when a single type of waste is placed.

Non-Hazardous Waste Management Hierarchy

• The most preferred method is waste minimization at the source.
• Otherwise recycling, then waste processing, waste transofmraiton, and disposal by landfill.

Ability at the end of class

• Know various definitions of waste
• Understand the reasons for waste management.
• Describe the basic concepts and goals of integrated waste management.
• List the five critical steps integrated waste management program.
• Explain details of the six functional elements of waste management system.
• Tell the inter-relationships of the six elements in the system.
• Describe the importance of non-hazardous waste management hierarchy in waste management.