Solid Waste PDF

Solid Waste 1 Solid waste Waste that is solid and is generated as a result of human activities and is discarded as useless or no longer wanted. Waste for one person may be wealth for another. Waste may be reused for purposes like energy production, biogas production, compos...

Solid Waste 1 Solid waste Waste that is solid and is generated as a result of human activities and is discarded as useless or no longer wanted. Waste for one person may be wealth for another. Waste may be reused for purposes like energy production, biogas production, compost, raw material for other activity etc E.g. - Fly ash and slag from the steel industry are utilised by the cement industry. 2 Solid waste Other common/similar terms used: Garbage, Rubbish, Scrap etc Garbage is organic waste like food waste Rubbish is dry non-organic waste such as glass, paper, cloth etc. Scrap is waste that have high metal content 3 Solid waste classification: Sources Classification based on source where the solid waste is generated Domestic/Residential, Commercial (Hotels, restaurants, offices etc), Municipal (street cleaning, parks, wastewater treatment plant) Medical, Agricultural, Industrial, Construction/demolition 4 Solid waste classification: Types Classification based on type of solid waste generated Food residue, Wood waste, Paper, Textiles, Plastics, Rubber, Glass, Metal etc. 5 Solid waste classification: Types Classification also based on whether solid waste generated can be degraded or not by microorganisms (i.e. broken down into CO2, H2O, CH4 or any other simple organic molecules). Biodegradable (food, garden waste, paper and cardboard etc) Non-biodegradable (Glass, plastic, metal etc) Biodegradable Non-biodegradable 6 Collection and Disposal Solid waste is stored in small bins, which is then collected in community bins by private or municipal workers. From these community bins, waste is transported to the disposable site. At the site, waste is processed and separated into bio- degradable and non-biodegradable materials. Non-biodegradable materials such as plastic, glass, metal scraps etc. are sent for recycling. Biodegradable wastes are deposited in land fills and can be converted into compost. 7 Landfill 8 Waste Management System NITI AYOG report NITI AYOG report Indore Waste Collection System NITI AYOG report  Switzerland Waste Management System The annual recycling calendar system Switzerland has one of the highest recycling rates in the world of nearly 53%. It is also notable that 0% of municipal waste goes to the landfills. All waste in Switzerland is either recycled in an environmentally friendly manner or incinerated to produce energy. Risks The waste if not collected in garbage bins, may enter into the sewers. Non-biodegradable wastes like polythene bag, metal scraps etc. can choke the sewers and cause other problems. Some of the waste may be eaten by cattle. Polythene bags, if swallowed by animals can cost their lives also. Poor management can cause contamination of ground water causing health problems and further leading to epidemics 14 The 3 R’s of waste management 15 Earth composition and structure 2 Earth composition and structure Earth divided into three layers based on composition: - Core - Mantle - Crust Core - Centre of the earth and made up of two parts: inner core (solid) and outer core (liquid) - Most of the core made up of iron, nickel and molten rock 3 Earth composition and structure Mantle - Lies above the core - About 2900 km thick - made up of hot, dense, iron and magnesium-rich solid rock. Crust - Outside layer of the earth - Very thin layer relative to the radius of earth - Two types of crust: Oceanic crust (mainly composed of basalt); Continental crust (mainly composed of granite) 4 Earth composition and structure Lithosphere - ‘Lithos’ - Greek for ‘rocky’ - Rigid, outermost shell of earth - Consists of crust and uppermost part of the mantle Asthenosphere - ‘asthenos’ – Greek for ‘weak’ or ‘without strength’ - mechanically weak layer just beneath the lithosphere - Consists of less dense rocks (compared to lithosphere) - extreme pressure and heat cause the rocks to flow like a liquid 5 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Earth_cutaway_schematic-en.svg/1530px-Earth_cutaway_schematic-en.svg.png 6 Orogeny Comes from Greek (‘oros’ – mountain; genesis – ‘creation’) Process of mountain formation Resulting highly deformed rock are known as ‘orogens’ Two types – Collisional and non-collisional orogeny Convergence of two or more continents (collisional orogens) More dense oceanic plate converge with less dense continental plate and move into earth’s mantle (non - collisional orogens) 7 Collisional orogen 8 Non-collisional orogen 9 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/World_geologic_provinces.jpg 10 Matter and Energy All environmental systems consist of matter Environmental scientists must have a good understanding of matter and energy and their interactions within a system and across systems. This is important to investigate ways to reduce pollution, increase food supplies, or find alternatives to fossil fuels. 11 Matter Any substance that has mass and occupies space Exist in different phases: solid, liquid, gas, plasma etc. Basic building blocks of matter are atoms - smallest particle that can contain the chemical properties of an element Figure. Nitrogen atom with electrons shown in shells Figure. Nitrogen atom with electrons in orbitals 12 Energy Ability to do work, or transfer heat Different forms of energy include: heat, light, electrical, chemical, gravitational, magnetic etc. Two broad forms: Kinetic (related to motion) and Potential (related to position) 13  Matter may change form (physical or chemical) on supply of energy. Sensible heat: Energy required to change the temperature of a substance without changing its phase Latent heat: Energy required to change the phase of a substance without changing its temperature Source- https://climate.ncsu.edu/images/edu/latent_heat_diagram.jpeg 14 Laws of thermodynamics First Law of Thermodynamics - Also known as the law of conservation of energy. - States that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. - Energy can change from one form to another. Second Law of Thermodynamics - All systems move toward randomness (measured as Entropy) rather than toward order - Entropy of the universe is increasing 15 Thermodynamics and life First Law of Thermodynamics - All life forms require energy for survival - Energy isn’t depleted but change from one form to another - In photosynthesis, light energy from sun consumed by cells in plant leaves to produce glucose (chemical energy) - Stored chemical energy can be used for cellular respiration or to form complex carbohydrates required to build plant mass 16 Thermodynamics and life Second Law of Thermodynamics - During photosynthesis, not all light energy incident on the leaves is absorbed - Some energy reflected and/or lost as heat - Loss of energy to the surrounding environment results in an increase of disorder or entropy 17 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Energy_and_life.png 18  Figure. Open and closed systems. (a) Earth is an open system with respect to energy. Solar radiation enters the Earth system, and energy leaves it in the form of heat and reflected light. (b) However, Earth is essentially a closed system with respect to matter because very little matter enters or leaves the Earth system. The white arrows indicate the cycling of energy and matter. 19 Natural resources and issues Resources that available naturally and are usable by humans Light, water, air, soil, coal, gas etc. are all natural resources Provide the energy and materials that support human civilization. Resources such as coal, oil, and uranium are limited and cannot be renewed or reused. Resources necessary for human survival depletes as the human population grows 20 Natural resources and issues Exploitation of natural resources a threat to sustainable development Sustainable development, according to the Brundtland Commission's report, is 'to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ Rapid population growth, urbanization, deforestation are some reasons leading to resource exploitation 21 Natural resources and issues Only 20% of the world’s population lives in developed countries, but it uses most of the world’s resources. Remaining 80% of the population lives in developing countries and uses far fewer resources per capita 22 Footprint Ecological footprint Measure of how much resources are needed to supply the goods and services that an individual uses; measure of how much a person consumes Carbon footprint Total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused directly and indirectly from an activity or product or by an individual, organization, or country Included in ecological footprint 23 Scope of environmental studies Environment Science – Multidisciplinary field dealing with scientific study of the environment and human interaction with it. Environmental studies includes areas like: - Impact of human population on the environment - Conservation of natural resources - Environmental pollution and its control - Climate change and impacts 26