Solid and Hazardous Waste A -...

Chapter

Solid and HazardousWaste

Amountain of garbage is growing in the tropical forestshown in this photo. This method of waste disposal isused by many developing nations. Once common in

North America, open dumps and open dumping are nowbanned by federal laws. However, the practice continues in ruraland wilderness areas. The result is land pollution. Plus, watertrickling over and through the garbage causes water pollution. InChapter 10, you will learn about sources of hind pollution andits effect on the environment. You will learn about hazardouswaste and how it is disposed of. You will also learn about ways tocontrol this growing problem.

Organize Your Thoughts

Municipal solid waste! Types of solid waste ! Industrial solid waste

Mining waste

• Household hazardous waste

• Leftover rock, mineral materials* Slag

Agricultural solid waste

• Scrap metal, plastics, paper• Sludge• Fly ash

• Crop and animal wastes• Pesticides and fertilizers

Goals for Learning

To describe the major types of solid waste

To explain four ways solid waste is managed

To describe the major types of hazardous waste

To understand several ways to prevent and controlsolid waste

359

Lesson Introducing Solid Waste

Objectives

After reading thislesson, you shouldbe able to+ define solid waste

+ give examples ofdifferent types ofsolid waste

^ describe thedifferencebetweenbiodegradable andnonbiodegradablewaste

Solid wasteSolid materials suchas paper, metals, andyard waste that arethrown away

Waste streamThe creation, collection,and disposal of waste

Hazardous wasteWaste that is verydangerous to livingthings and theenvironment

What Is Solid Waste?Think about everything you threw away today. Did you throwaway any writing paper? Plastic bottles? A banana peel or anapple core? An old cell phone? Every person on Earth createswaste. In the United States, each person produces more than2 kilograms of solid waste each day. Solid waste is garbage thatis in a solid or semisolid state. It can also include liquids thatare stored in containers. Solid waste includes trash from homes,such as old furniture and food scraps. It also includes all thewaste that is produced by industry and farming. In the UnitedStates, this adds up to more than 10 billion metric tons ofwaste each year.

All of the garbage that people throw away becomes part of thewaste stream. The waste stream is the flow of waste throughsociety. It includes how waste is created, collected, and disposedof. The waste stream always starts with people. People useresources and other products and then throw away the wastethat results.

Since I960, the amount of waste generated in the UnitedStates has more than doubled. This increase in solid waste hascreated serious health and environmental problems around thecountry. Many areas have run out of places to put the waste.Many types of waste are also very difficult to dispose of safely.

About 10 to 15 percent of what people throw away is classifiedas hazardous waste. This is waste that is very dangerous toliving things and the environment. Most hazardous waste isgenerated by the chemical industry. The chemical industrycreates chemicals for use in many areas, including industry anddaily life. However, other businesses produce large amountsof toxic materials as well. Many households also throw awayhazardous materials that end up in the waste stream. You willlearn more about hazardous waste in Lesson 3.

360 Chapter 10 Solid and Hazardous Waste

BiodegradableAble to be broken down

by organisms into

simpler substances

Nonbiodegradable

Not able to be broken

down by organisms

SyntheticHuman-made; notnatural

Link to >->*

Social Studies

Throughout mostof history, cityliving was relativelyunhealthy. Until themid-1800s, citieslacked systems forthe safe disposal ofsolid waste. Animalwaste and garbagelittered the streets.Diseases spreadrapidly because ofthese conditions.

Biodegradable and Nonbiodegradable WasteSolid waste is divided into two categories: biodegradablewaste and nonbiodegradable waste. Biodegradable wastecan be broken down by living things. Most animal and plantwaste is biodegradable. If you throw away a piece of fruit, forexample, decomposers can break it down. Bacteria, fungi, andeven insects help with this process. Over time, biodegradablewaste will be absorbed into the soil. Once plant and animalmaterials have been decomposed, other organisms can use theirnutrients. Other examples of biodegradable waste include foodscraps, paper, and wood.

Waste that is nonbiodegradable cannot be broken down byliving things. Many products people use are made of synthetic,or human-made, materials that are nonbiodegradable. Scientistscreate synthetic materials by combining chemicals to formnew compounds. Although they might contain carbon, thesecompounds do not behave the way natural materials behave.Bacteria, insects, and other decomposers cannot break theminto simpler substances. Plastic bottles, nylon cloth, tin cans,and many types of industrial wastes are nonbiodegradable.

Nonbiodegradable waste can last for hundreds or thousands ofyears. If you throw away a plastic bottle, it would not be brokendown by decomposers. However, it may eventually be brokendown by physical wear. Table 10.1.1 shows how long it takes forsome common materials to break down.

Table 10.1.1 Time to Break Down Common MaterialsItemOrange and banana peelsCotton cloth

Cigarette buttsNylon cloth

Plastic bottlesGlass bottlesRopeTin cans

Plastic bags

Timeup to 2 years

6 months to 2 years1 to 5 years30 to 40 years

indefinitelyup to 1 million years1 year50 to more than 100 yearsbetween 20 and 1,000 years

Solid and Hazardous Waste Chapter 10 361

Municipal solidwasteGarbage generated byhomes, businesses, andinstitutions

Householdhazardous wastelliirniful waste*, suchd>" hutteries, hlcitcii, amipaint, that are generatedby households

SmeltingThe process of removingmetals from rocksthrough melting

OreA mineral thai containsmetal

SlagThe waste leftover fromsmelting

Mining waste 75%

Municipalsolid waste 3%

Industrialsolid waste 9%

Agriculturalsolid waste 13%

Sources of Solid WasteWhat people throw away every day is called municipal solidwaste, or MSW. Municipal solid waste is also called garbage,trash, and rubbish. It consists of waste that is generatedby households. It also includes wastes from businessesand institutions such as schools. The most common typeof municipal solid waste is paper, including newspapers,packaging, and cardboard.

A number of common household items are consideredhousehold hazardous waste. They include materials such asnail polish, batteries, bleach, oil-based paint, and lawn andgarden pesticides. Like other hazardous waste, householdha/ardous waste directly harms the environment. Some statesdo require hazardous waste to be collected separately. However,these materials are generated in small amounts. Therefore, theyoften are not separated out from the larger waste stream.

Municipal solid waste makes up less than 3 percent of the totalwaste in the United States. The rest of the waste in this countrycomes from mining, agriculture, and manufacturing.

Waste from mining operations makes up about 75 percent ofU.S. solid waste. The type of waste depends on which materialsare being mined. Most of the waste includes leftover rock andmineral materials. This waste can wash into both marine andfreshwater systems, harming aquatic life. It can also pollute thesoil and create acid runoff. Many mining operations also havesmelting operations near the mine. Smelting is the processof separating out metals from ores. In smelting, the ores are

heated to high temperaturesto remove any impurities.The leftover waste is calledslag. Slag can containhazardous materials andoften creates water and soilpollution problems.

Table 10.1.2 The sources of solid waste in the United States includehomes, mines, farms, and industry.


Agriculturalsolid wasteCrop and animal waste

Industrial solidwasteWaste frommanufacturing andother industrial

processes

SludgeThe semisolid leftoversfrom sewage treatmentprocesses

Fly ashWaste ash from coal-burning electricalpower plants

Agricultural solid waste makes up about 13 percent of U.S.solid waste. It is mostly crop and animal waste. Most ofthis waste is plowed back into the soil or used as a fertilizer.However, the pesticides and fertilizers mixed in with the wastecan cause serious problems. They often wash into freshwatersystems and seep into groundwater.

Industrial solid waste from industry and manufacturing isabout 9 percent of the total. This type of waste includes scrapmetal, plastics, paper, and sludge from sewage treatmentplants. Sludge is the leftover, semisolid material from wastewater treatment processes. Fly ash is also considered industrialsolid waste. Fly ash comes from electrical power plants that arepowered by burning coal.

All types of solid waste can create pollution. In Lessons 2 and 3,you will learn more about how people dispose of solid waste. InLesson 4, you will learn how people are reducing the amount ofsolid waste entering the waste stream.

Express Lab 10

Materials* latex gloves

^ 2 clean, wide-mouthedglass jars

* 2 plastic bags

* masking tape

^ 2 pieces of garbage

Procedure1. Put on the latex gloves.

2. Select a piece of garbageyou think is biodegradable.

3. Select a piece you think isnot biodegradable.

4. Place one piece of garbagein each jar.

5. Place a plastic bag overeach jar, and seal the bagwith tape.

6. Observe both jars over thenext two days.

Analysis1. Describe any differences in

how each bag looks.

2. Which material do youthink is biodegradable?How can you tell?


Lesson 1 R E V I E W

Word Bankagricultural

municipal

solid waste

On a sheet of paper, write the word or words from the WordBank that complete each sentence correctly.

1 . Anything solid or semisolid that people throw awayis _ .

2. Animal manure, dead crop plants, and pesticides arc allexamples of _ _ waste.

3. Waste from homes, libraries, businesses, hospitals, schools,and restaurants is called _ solid waste.

On a sheet of paper, write the letter of the answer thatcompletes each sentence correctly.

waste can be broken down by living things.4.

A NonbiodegradableB Glass

C BiodegradableD Hazardous

5. Examples of nonbiodegradable waste include plastic,_, and radioactive waste.

A nylon C newspaperB banana peels D yard waste

6. _ solid waste makes up the smallest portion of all thesolid waste produced.

A Agricultural B Industrial C Municipal D Mining

Critical ThinkingOn a sheet of paper, write the answer to each of the followingquestions. Use complete sentences.

7. What are the three main parts of the solid waste stream?

8. What are three ways that you could reduce the amount ofsolid waste you produce?

9. Why are plastics nonbiodegradable?

10. Why do humans produce more waste today than they did50 years ago?


Lesson Disposing of Solid Waste

Objectives

After reading thislesson, you shouldbe able to+ describe three

main ways wasteis managed

+ explain the prosand cons ofburying trash andburning it

+ explain howrecycling,composting,and incinerationreduce theamount of wastein landfills

Open dumpA place where garbage

is dumped withoutenvironmental controls

Sanitary landfillA site for disposing of

solid waste on Intnl

What happens to your waste once you throw it in the garbagecan? The answer depends on the type of waste. Most waste iscither dumped, burned, recycled, or composted.

Open DumpsThe first garbage dumps were created by the early Greeks morethan 5,000 years ago. People once dumped their garbage inthe streets or into oceans or rivers. This created serious healthproblems. Many cities passed laws that required garbage to betaken outside of the city.

These dumps, called open dumps, were very unhealthy. Rats, flies,cockroaches, and bacteria thrived in these dumps. Many caughton fire or gave off strong odors. Liquid from containers anddecomposed trash seeped into the soil and ran into water systems.

Sanitary LandfillsToday, open dumps arc illegal in most countries. Communitieshave replaced them with sanitary landfills. Sanitary landfills area type of dump. In a sanitary landfill, however, the waste doesnot sit on top of the ground. Instead, it is spread into a holeabout three meters deep and then compacted by bulldozers. Soilis added on top of the waste and compacted again. The layers ofsoil help prevent odors and reduce the number of rats and flies.When the sanitary landfil l becomes full, grass can be planted ontop. Many of these areas are turned into playgrounds and parks.

Science Myth

Myth: Processed foods produce more waste than fresh foods.

Fact: The processed food industry produces different types ofwaste than fresh food production. Processed food productioncreates more packaging waste. Fresh food production createsmore organic waste. Packaging can often be recycled, whileorganic waste can be composted.

Solid and Hazardous Waste (.'Impter 10 365

LeachateContaminated waterthat leaks from a dumpor landfill

Heavy metalA metallic elementthai can damage livingthings, such as mercury,arsenic, or lead

AerobicdecompositionThe natural breakdownof organic matter thatrequires water andoxygen

Researchand Write

AnthropologistWilliam Rathjediscovered thatnewspapers leftin landfills for 50years could still beread. Research thework of WilliamRathje to learnsome of his otherdiscoveries abouttrash. Summarizeyour findingswith a posterpresentation.

Figure 10.2.1 shows how a sanitary landfill is laid out. Sanitarylandfills create less pollution than open dumps. That is becausethe bottom of the landfill must be covered by compacted clayand plastic sheets. This prevents liquids from leaking into thegroundwater or into nearby streams and rivers. Some landfillsalso have systems that collect contaminated water, calledleachate, before it leaks out. They may also have systems to helpcollect methane. This gas builds up due to all the decompositiontaking place in a landfill. If the gas that builds up is notcollected, it can cause explosions. If the methane is released intothe atmosphere, it can also contribute to global warming.

Gas venting pipe

Vertical leachate pipeDirt cover

Trash

Leachatecollectionpipe

- Plastic liner

Clay barrier

Figure 10.2.1 A sanitary landfill is composed of layersof compacted trash.

Problems with Sanitary LandfillsMore than 50 percent of the solid waste in North Americaends up in sanitary landfills. Although they are moreenvironmentally friendly than dumps, landfills still cause someproblems. Some leachate does seep into the groundwater.This can cause serious problems if people have thrown outhousehold hazardous waste with their trash. For example,bacteria in the soil can break down the metal casings ofbatteries. This allows the heavy metals inside to leak outand cause damage to living things. In many landfills, evenbiodegradable materials do not break down very quickly. Thatis because the garbage is compacted, so there is little oxygenin sanitary landfills. Aerobic decomposition is the naturalbreakdown of organic matter. This happens much more slowlyin a landfill because it requires oxygen and water.


It can sometimes be difficult to find a good location for new

• x i n i i . n v l . i i i d l l I I sites. Soil, climate, geology, . n u l water systems

all help determine where a sanitary landfill can be built. They

are usually built outside of cities, since no one wants to live near

sanitary landfills. Even though landfills are covered with soil,

they still produce a very strong odor. Landfills also need to be

accessible. Garbage trucks need to be able to get to the site easily.

Map Skills: Topographic Maps

A topographic map shows the shapeof the surface of the land. Lines calledcontours or contour lines connect pointswith the same elevation above sea level.Lines that form closed circles indicate ahill. Lines that are close together showsteep slopes. Lines that are far apart showrelatively flat land. The contour intervalin the legend gives the vertical distancebetween any two contour lines next toeach other. The elevation of every thirdcontour is marked. The exact elevationof a hilltop also is marked.

Solid waste managers and city plannersuse topographic maps to choose sites forlandfills. They must find areas that arelarge enough and can be reached easilyby garbage trucks. They must also findplaces where pollution is not likely toreach a water source.

Use the map and its legend to answer thefollowing questions.

1. Which letter is near the top of a hill?

2. What is the change in elevation from

Water

LEGEND

1 centimeter = 1 kilometer

^-^^ Swamp Contour interval = 40 feet

Stream R l M l i

3. Which letter shows the best place to builda landfill? Give reasons for your answer.

the pond to the top of the highest hill? 4. What makes each of the other locationsunsuitable for a landfill?


IncineratorA facility where trash is

burned instead of beingburied in a landfill

Science IMyth

Myth: Wastedisposal costs lessthan recycling.

Fact: Goodrecycling programscost about thesame as wastedisposal byother methods.In communitiesthat recycle ahigh percentageof solid waste,recycling costs less.Many cities haveadded recyclingto existing wastecollection anddisposal servicesat no extra cost.Improvementsin the recoveryof materials fromrecycled trash willmake recyclingmore cost-effective.

Solid waste managers also need to make sure landfills do notharm important habitats. In the past, many wetlands becamelandfill sites. People thought this was a good way to use theland. Unfortunately, the trash interrupted important wetlandfunctions, such as controlling floods and filtering out siltand other pollutants. In some cases, the amount of leachateincreased because the soil was always so wet. Landfills alsodecreased biodiversity by decreasing the amount of habitat.

Today, there are many laws that regulate how to design a landfilland where a landfill can be located. There are also laws to protectpeople from having a landfill located too close to where they live.

IncineratorsMore than 15 percent of U.S. solid waste produced is burned inincinerators. Incinerators are furnaces that heat the waste tovery high temperatures. They can reduce the volume of solidwaste by more than 90 percent. That means much less solidwaste ends up in a landfill. Incinerators also produce heat. Thisheat can be used to produce steam that heats buildings andgenerates electricity.

Incinerators have a number of disadvantages, however. They arevery expensive to build and operate. Also, incineration can createserious air pollution problems. The leftover ash can containhigh levels of toxic materials, making it hazardous waste. Muchof this ash is dumped in landfills or disposed of illegally. If it isdumped in landfills, the ash can leak into groundwater or washinto surface water.

Technology and Society

Technology companies are working to develop reusable paper,or e-paper. This material is made of two thin plastic sheets withtiny, round beads between the sheets. Each bead is two colors.One half might be white and the other half black. A specialpencil produces an electric charge that turns the beads black.E-paper can be erased and used thousands of times.


Recycling and CompostingThe amount of waste that is recycled in the United States hasincreased steadily since the 1960s. Today, about 23 percentof municipal solid waste is recycled compared to less than7 percent in 1960. Recycling is a process that is designed torecover value from waste. In some cases, waste is reused asenergy. In other cases, waste is reprocessed to create materialsthat can be used again.

Composting is another way that materials are removed fromthe waste stream. Composting converts organic waste intofertilizer for gardens, landscaping, and parks. In some areas,composting centers collect crop waste, slaughterhouse waste,and animal manure. It is then mixed with soil to createcompost. The compost is bagged and sold as a soil conditionerand as a natural fertilizer. Almost no waste was compostedin the 1960s. Today, some experts estimate that more than 30percent of biodegradable materials are composted or recycled.Composting and recycling keep materials out of the solid wastestream and out of landfi l ls .

Achievements in Science

Trash or Treasure?You may have heard the saying, "One man'strash is another man's treasure." This usuallymeans that what one person finds useless,another person finds useful. But in thescience of archaeology, this saying can betaken literally. The trash of ancient humanscan become treasures in a museum.

Archaeology is the study of past humanlife. Archaeologists often study the remainsof buildings and artwork left by ancientcultures. Archaeologists can also learn muchabout ancient peoples by studyingtheir trash.

Early groups of humans left waste andbroken items in caves and in open dumps.These sites are known as middens.Studying middens enables archaeologiststo learn about what early humans ate andhow they lived. Middens might containshells and bones from animals that peopleate. These ancient dumps might haveremains of charcoal and burnt stones thatwere used to cook food. Some middensalso contain broken pottery and brokenor worn-out tools. All these items areclues to what day-to-day life was like inthe past. They also provide clues to pastenvironments and human health.


Lesson 2

Word Bankcompost

dumps

landfills

On a sheet of paper, write the word from the Word Bank thatcompletes each sentence correctly.

1. Sanitary __ _ are a special type of dump where waste isput in a pit, compacted, and covered with soil.

2. In many places, _ __ is used as a fertilizer or to conditionthe soil.

3. Rats, flies, cockroaches, and other disease-carryingorganisms are often found in open .


4. The amount of waste that is recycled and composted hassince the 1960s.

C decreasedD increased, then decreased

A increasedB stayed the same

5. Most municipal solid waste ends up .

A as compost C in a sanitary landfillB in an open dump D being burned in an incinerator

6. Contaminated water that leaks from a landfill is called .

A sludge B leachate C methane D sewage


7. What is a disadvantage of burning solid waste insteadof burying it?

8. How are sanitary landfills an improvement overopen dumps?

9. What is the connection between biodegradable wasteand compost?

10. How is composting similar to recycling?


I N V E S T I G A T I O N 10

Materials

safety goggles

lab coat or apron

several sheets of printed

copier paper

plastic bowl

hand-operated mixer

hot tap water

eyedropper

dish detergent

plastic tray

spoondrinking straws

several sheets of filter

paper

magnifying glass

De-inking PaperBefore printed paper can be made into recycled paper,it must pass through several steps. First, the papermust be ground into a pulp. Then the ink must beremoved. This process is called de-inking. Several stepsare needed to de-ink paper. In this lab, you will turnprinted paper into pulp and begin to de-ink it.

Procedure1. In a group, make a data table like the one

shown below.

Sample

1

2

3

A

Description

2. Put on safety goggles and a lab coat or apron.

3. Tear printed copier paper into 4-cm squares. Placethe squares in a bowl.

4. Add 1 liter of hot tap water to the bowl. Place thebowl on a plastic tray. Then use the eyedropper toadd 5-10 drops of detergent to the bowl. Use thehand-operated mixer to mix for three minutes.

5. Scoop out half a spoonful of the paper mixture,called pulp, onto a piece of filter paper. Label thisSample 1 and set it aside to dry.

Continued on next page


6. Have each group member hold aseparate straw in the mixture andblow through the straw. Continueblowing for 5 minutes, takingbreaths every 15 seconds or as oftenas necessary. Safety Alert: Be carefulnot to suck up the paper mixturethrough the straw. If you feeldizzy, stop blowing and breathenormally. Keep track of whichstraw is yours. Do not share straws.

7. As you blow, bubbles will form.Use the spoon to scoop the bubblesonto the tray.

8. Repeat Step 5 and label it Sample 2.Make sure you scoop out the pulp,not the foamy bubbles.

9. Examine both samples of pulpwith a magnifying glass. Recordyour observations.

10. Repeat Steps 6-9 two more times.

Cleanup/DisposalBefore you leave the lab, clean your workarea and wash your hands.

Analysis1. Summarize the appearance of each

sample of paper pulp,

2. During what part of theinvestigation is the ink removed?

Conclusions1. Which sample of pulp would be

best for making recycled copierpaper?

2. What other steps may be needed tomake sure all the ink color is gone?

Explore FurtherRepeat the experiment using differenttypes of paper or detergent.


Hazardous Waste

Objectives

After reading thislesson, you shouldbe able to+ describe three

characteristics ofhazardous waste

+ describe threetypes of hazardouswaste

+ identify threeexamples ofhouseholdand industrialhazardous waste

In 1955, the New York Times ran an article about the origin ofthe saying "mad as a hatter." The story focused on a 1941 banpreventing the use of mercury in the hat industry. For manyyears, people who made hats got very sick. That is becausemercury was used to condition the fur used to make hats. Thehatters were exposed to mercury through their skin and theirlungs. Victims suffered from twitching limbs and confusedspeech. Many appeared to be crazy. This condition becameknown as mad hatter syndrome.

Today people know that mercury can cause kidney and braindamage. Although people knew that mercury was toxic, it wasnot banned until 1941. This was many years after it was first used.

In addition to mercury, hundreds of other toxic chemicals areused to make products today. Many manufacturing processesalso produce hazardous waste. Scientists estimate thatindustries in the United States use more than 80,000 differentchemicals. Many of these chemicals are not tested before theyare used in products.

Many of the products people use createhazardous waste when they are disposed of.Hazardous waste can create problems if it isnot treated, stored, transported, or disposedof correctly. It requires special methods ofdisposal so that it becomes less dangerous.

Ha/ardous waste comes in many differentforms. It can be a solid, liquid, or gas. It canbe stored in barrels or canisters. Most of thecountry's hazardous waste is generated bythe chemical industry. Still, small businessesand homes also produce an enormousamount each year.

Figure 10.3.1 Hazardous waste isdangerous to living things.


Ignitable wasteWaste that catches onfire easily

Corrosive wasteWaste that cats or

wears away material by

chemical action

Reactive wasteUnstable waste that can

explode or give off toxicfumes

PCBsA group of toxicindustrial chemicalsthat were once used inmaking paint, electricalequipment, and other

products

Types of Hazardous WasteThere are several types of hazardous waste. One categoryincludes ignitable waste, which catches on fire easily. Anotherincludes waste that contains toxic chemicals. Corrosivewaste, which eats or wears away materials by chemical action,is considered hazardous. Radioactive waste, a by-productof nuclear reactions, is also hazardous. It gives off harmfulradiation that can affect all living things. Some materials arealso reactive waste. This means they can explode or give offtoxic fumes under certain conditions. The U.S. EPA oversees thedisposal of all of these categories of hazardous waste.

Many types of industrial waste are hazardous. PCBs are oneexample. PCB is an abbreviation for polychlorinated biphenyl.PCBs include a group of chemicals used in industry. Fromthe 1930s until the 1970s, these chemicals were used to makeelectrical equipment, inks, and pesticides. Health officials firstbecame concerned when some rice oil became contaminatedwith PCBs. People who ate the rice oil suffered from liver andkidney damage. In further testing, PCBs were shown to cause avariety of health problems.

Though most PCBs were banned in the late 1970s, they are stilla threat today. That is because many were dumped into landfills,fields, and sewers. Equipment and supplies that contained PCBswere also dumped. Over time, the PCBs have started leaking out.They build up in the fatty tissues of people and other animals andcause illness. PCBs show how important it is to test chemicalsbefore they enter the waste stream. They also show how importantit is to make sure hazardous materials are disposed of safely.

Biology

Worldwide, millions of pets and wild animals die each year due tohuman trash. Plastic bags, plastic six-pack holders, and open jarsare among the biggest offenders. Animals become tangled in six-pack holders or swallow pieces of plastic. Causes of death includechoking, drowning, and starvation.


Infectious wasteWaste that can

diseases

There are many other types of industrial hazardous waste.Acids can leak from a variety of sources, including powerplants and incinerators. Cyanide, a poisonous chemical, isoften a waste product of gold and silver mining operations.Many heavy metals, including lead, mercury, arsenic, andcopper, can come from common products. Batteries, paints,stains, TV picture tubes, household cleaners, and medicinescan all contain heavy metals. Most are very toxic, even in lowdoses. Hospitals and scientific labs often throw away infectiouswastes. These wastes include body parts, tissues, and othermaterials that can cause diseases.

Household Hazardous WasteIn Lesson 1, you learned that many household products areconsidered hazardous waste. Many cities and towns have collectionsites where people can bring their hazardous wastes. Thesecollection sites help reduce the amount of toxic material in thewaste stream. They are also designed to make sure the materialsdo not harm people or the environment. Table 10.3.1 below showssome types of hazardous wastes you might find in your house.

If household hazardous waste is dumped directly into thegarbage, it can create serious problems. In some cases, peoplewho collect garbage can be harmed. Some materials can burnthe skin or release harmful fumes. In other cases, products cancatch on fire in dumps. Some toxic chemicals can leak out oflandfills and pollute groundwater and surface water.

Table 10.3.1 Types of Household Hazardous Waste

Paint and paintproducts

Cleaning products

Garden and pestcontrol

Car parts andproducts

Other

oil-based paints, some types of preservatives, paint removers, paintthinners, stains, and wood sealers

bleach and ammonia-based products

insecticides, insect repellents, mothballs, flea collars, herbicides,fungicides, rodent poisons, ant poisons, and chemical fertilizers

used motor oil, gasoline, antifreeze, transmission and brake fluid, carwax and polish, and lead acid batteries

nail polish and nail polish remover, some hair products, art and hobbysupplies, some types of batteries, cell phones, computer equipment,expired medicine, pool chemicals, lighter fluid, and ammunition


Link to >•>*-

HealthSubstances thatcause cancerare known ascarcinogens.Carcinogenscause cancer byaltering the DNAin cells, whichchanges theirprogramming.As a result, thecells begin todivide rapidly.This uncontrolleddivision cancause tumors orinterfere with thefunctioning ofother organs. Manyhazardous wastesare carcinogens,including asbestosand benzene.

Managing Hazardous WasteIn the 1940s and 1950s, a chemical company buried toxic wastein an unused canal. Love Canal, near Niagara Falls, New York,later became the site of a housing development. In the 1970s,people living there began to get very sick. Tests showed thatthe air, water, and soil were heavily contaminated with toxicchemicals. Everyone was ordered to leave their homes. In 1980,Love Canal was declared a federal disaster area.

Today, there are several important laws that help protectpeople from hazardous waste. The Resource Conservation andRecovery Act (RCRA), passed in 1976, established guidelinesfor managing hazardous waste. It requires the EPA to identifywhich wastes are hazardous. It also requires the EPA to provideguidelines for safely managing and recycling hazardous wastes.

The second important federal law is called the Superfund Act.This was established in 1980 to help clean up uncontrolled andabandoned toxic waste sites. The U.S. government estimatesthat there are more than 400,000 hazardous waste sites. Thesesites include industrial areas, landfills, and military bases. TheSuperfund Act also supports research into cleaning up miningwaste. The government has created a list of the most criticalsites to clean up. So far, it estimates that it has cleaned up morethan 880 of the worst sites. However, there are still thousandsmore to go.

The Resource Conservation andRecovery Act and the SuperfundAct both help to manage hazardouswaste. However, many expertsbelieve that much more needs to bedone. People must first reduce theamount of hazardous waste that isproduced. You will learn more aboutthis in Lesson 4.

Figure 10.3.2 The problems at Love Canal helpedmake people aware of the dangers of hazardous wastes.



Word Bankhouseholdmercury

PCBs

On a sheet of paper, write the word from the Word Bank thatcompletes each sentence correctly.

1. Heavy metals, acids, pesticides, and are examples ofhazardous waste.

2. "Mad as a hatter" is a saying that is linked to poisonousfumes from

3. In many communities, hazardous waste is collectedat special sites and disposed of separately.


4. Household hazardous waste includes batteries and

A nail polishB radioactive waste

C food wasteD Icachate

5. The Superfund Act authorizes the EPA to clean upsites.

A agriculturalB toxic waste

6.

C water pollutionD open burning

wastes are materials that easily catch fire.

A Hazardous B Household C Industrial D Ignitable


7. What are three reasons that PCBs are considered to behazardous?

8. What is the difference between toxic and infectious wastes?

9. How should household hazardous waste be handled toprotect the environment?

10. Why has the Superfund Act not been able to get rid of alltoxic waste sites?


Controlling Solid Waste

Objectives

After reading thislesson, you shouldbe able to

+ describeintegrated wastemanagement

41 define sourcereduction

+ list two challengesto disposing ofhazardous waste

+ explain threethings peopleare doing to helpaddress solidwaste problems

Integrated wastemanagementControlling solid wasteby using a combination

of approaches, includingsource reduction andrecycling

Managing solid waste is a huge challenge for societieseverywhere. As you have discovered, many types of wastepollute the environment and affect human health. Producingand disposing of waste also costs a lot of money. With the worldpopulation increasing, experts agree that the amount of wastewill also increase. How can society best deal with the solid wasteproblem? In this lesson, you will learn about some creativewaste management solutions. You will also learn about actionsthat everyone can take to responsibly manage waste.

Integrated Waste ManagementPeople have come a long way from tossing trash into the streets.Today, most waste experts recommend using an integratedapproach to waste management. Integrated waste managementis the use of a combination of practices. Each type ofwaste is managed in the way that is best for people and theenvironment. Integrated waste management is designed to helpwaste managers meet environmental regulations and reducecosts. Above all, it is designed to make waste management assafe as possible. This benefits people, wildlife, and ecosystems.

Some people use "the three Rs" as a way to think about wasteprevention. This stands for "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle."Integrated waste management incorporates these threestrategies in several ways.

CulturesThe United States and European countries are developed nations.However, they differ in the production of solid waste. EachU.S. citizen produces about 2 kilograms of waste per day. TheEuropean average is between 1 and 1.5 kilograms per day.


Source reductionGenerating less waste

Source ReductionSource reduction is the most effective waste managementstrategy. Source reduction simply means generating lesswaste in the first place. This can be done with changes in thedesign, manufacturing process, or use of materials. In thisway, manufacturers can play a role in reducing waste. Whenconsumers buy products that have less packaging, they alsoproduce less waste. Products that last longer or can be reusedalso cut down on the amount of waste. For example, if youbuy rechargeable batteries, you can help reduce battery waste.Source reduction strategies decrease the amount of wastethat ends up in landfills.

Recycling and CompostingAfter source reduction, recycling and composting are consideredthe best ways to reduce waste. Composting produces freefertilizer. Recycling helps recover valuable materials from thewaste stream. Making products from recycled materials can saveboth money and natural resources. For example, it takes about60 percent less energy to make paper from recycled paper thanfrom trees. In addition, using recycled paper can reduce theamount of habitat lost due to logging.

Many experts believe that people can double the amount ofwaste that is recycled or composted in the next decade. Newtechnologies are being created every year that help make newproducts from old products. Many companies are also lookingat redesigning their products to make them easier to recycle.

Technology and Society

The use of durable goods is one kind of source reduction.Durable goods are manufactured products that are expectedto last three years or more. Because they last longer, they takelonger to reach the waste stream. The Internet has turnedreselling and reusing durable goods into a growing business.


Incineration and LandfillsNo matter how much waste is recycled, some will always needto be burned or buried in landfills. Experts are exploring newways to reduce the risks of dumping and burning waste. Forexample, new computerized systems can better measure andcontrol the amount of leachate and methane gas produced inlandfills. New incineration methods are helping to reduce theamount of toxic materials released into the air.

Disposing of Hazardous WasteGetting rid of hazardous waste safely is a special challenge.Currently, there are three different ways that hazardous wastecan be dealt with. First, the total amount of hazardous wasteproduced can be reduced. This can be accomplished by findingless hazardous replacements for currently used materials. It canalso occur by reusing and recycling hazardous wastes.

The second way to deal with hazardous waste is to change itinto something less toxic. Some materials can be spread outon the land. Over time, they will decompose into less harmfulmaterials. Some can be treated chemically or physicallyto become less hazardous. Still others can be burned inincinerators with special pollution control devices.

The third option for handling hazardous waste is to store itpermanently in very secure sites. These sites must not haveany leaks. They must be safe from earthquake damage andother disturbances.

Most experts agree that the best options for dealing withhazardous wastes are the first two mentioned above. However,most hazardous waste produced in the U.S. is placed inpermanent storage sites. Very few of these sites are consideredenvironmentally safe and secure.

380 Chapter 10 Solid timi Hazardous Waste

SolventA liquid that can

dissolve other substances

New technologies also hold promise for containing these wastes.For example, burning fabric from old car seats can release toxicmaterials into the air. The auto industry is now experimentingwith ways to dispose of these toxic materials before burning.One method is to use solvents that wash out the toxic materials.Solvents are chemicals that dissolve other materials. This makesincineration of these materials safer. It also captures the toxicmaterials and allows them to be recycled.

Many companies are also selling their ha/ardous waste to othercompanies. In some cases, the buyer can use the hazardouswaste to make new products or materials. For example, manymedical products still contain mercury. Some companiesnow try to capture the mercury and reuse it. This reduces theamount of mercury that ends up in a landfill.

A Y •« A A Y •« A Y •< A Y « A T - * A A Y •« A Y •< AY

Science at Work

Environmental ComplianceSpecialist

Environmental compliance specialistsmake sure that waste disposal andtreatment plants follow laws andguidelines. They observe procedures toassure the safety of the workers and theenvironment.

Environmental compliance specialistsmust be skilled in communicating andusing computers. They must have criticalthinking skills and the ability to doresearch. Most specialists have a bachelor'sdegree in engineering, environmentalstudies, or science. A master's degreeor a Ph.D. is required for senior positions.

Environmental compliance specialists workfor many different kinds of employers.These include government agencies,private waste-disposal companies,industrial plants, and environmentalconsulting firms.


Deep-wellinjectionA process where toxicliquids are pumped intocracks in undergroundrock layers

Secure chemicallandfill, \ designedspecifically forhazardous waste

Many research labs are also looking for new ways to makehazardous waste less toxic. One method they arc using is toburn the materials at very high temperatures.

Some waste is considered too toxic to dump in landfills or burn.Many industries use something called deep-well injection toget rid of these wastes. The toxic liquids are injected or pumpedinto cracks and crevices in underground rocks. Although thewaste is stored below aquifers, many people are concerned thatthe waste can leak into water systems. They also worry that thiswaste can affect the soil.

Secure chemical landfills are another way hazardous waste isstored. These landfills are built in areas where the bedrock issolid. They are lined with special materials and covered withclay to keep water out. They are also monitored to capture anywaste before it can leak into the groundwater.

All of these methods have risks. The most important thing thatpeople can do to help manage hazardous waste is to use fewertoxic materials. People can demand that companies use fewertoxic chemicals. Homeowners can also reduce the amount oftoxic materials they buy and use.

Research and Write

The EPA created an Office of Environmental Justice in 1992 tohelp address environmental justice concerns. The environmentaljustice movement promotes the fair treatment of people of allraces, cultures, and incomes regarding environmental policies andregulations. Research this movement and report on some eventsin its history.


Looking AheadThere is no perfect solution to the solid waste problem.Integrated waste management is considered the best approach.By relying on the three Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle), theamount of waste that ends up in the environment can bereduced drastically. Educating the public about the issues isalso critical. By encouraging people to buy products that areenvironmentally friendly, communities can reduce their solidwaste problems. In addition, it is important to increase demandfor recycled and less toxic materials. Consumers can influenceindustry to produce safer and less wasteful products.

# # • * * • * # • * * • # * • # * • # » • » * • • * • » * • # » • » + • * # • • # • * »

Science in Your Life

Technology: E-WasteHow many electronic devices do youown? What do you do with the devicesand batteries that do not work anymore?Do you just throw them away? If so, youmay be polluting the environment withhazardous waste. Electronic devices,large and small, contain a variety of toxicsubstances. These include heavy metalssuch as lead and cadmium and organicsubstances such as PCBs. The older adevice is, the greater the potential fordanger. With so many electronic devices inthe waste stream, they now have their owncategory: e-waste.

E-waste needs special attention to protectthe health of people and the environment.Many countries have passed laws thatrequire the use of safer materials inelectronics. New laws have been proposedthat require electronics companies tohandle e-waste from their products.

Many recycling programs for electronicdevices have also been established.Fortunately, many electronic componentscan be reused when electronic devices arerecycled.

1. How do electronic devices pollute theenvironment?

2. What is a responsible thing to do withelectronic devices that no longer work?



Word Bankintegrated waste

management

reuse

source reduction

On a sheet of paper, write the word or words from the WordBank that complete each sentence correctly.

1. Reducing the amount of waste that enters the waste streamis called .

2. The use of a combination of practices to safely handle solidwaste is called .

3. "Reduce, , and recycle" are often called the three Rsof waste prevention.


4. All of the following are used in integrated wastemanagement except _ .

A recycling B composting C logging D incineration

5. Deep-well injection is most likely to pollute if thehazardous waste escapes from storage.

A oceans B food C the air D groundwater

6. Recycling, composting, and source reduction are designedto _ the amount of waste entering landfills.<J

A increase B decrease C report D measure


7. If household solid waste is only a small percent of the totalwaste stream, why should people be concerned about it?

8. List three ways that solid waste disposal could affect you inthe next 10 years.

9. Describe two ways that solid waste disposal affects wildlife.

1O. Describe three ways that people are working to addresssolid waste issues.


DISCOVERY I N V E S T I G A T I O N 10

Materials

safety goggles

lab coat or apron

two 2-liter plastic

bottles

scissors

gravel

blue sponge

plastic grocery bag

soil

yellow sponge

water

red or green food

coloring

plastic cup

Landfill DesignModern sanitary landfills are designed to hold garbagesafely. A landfill site is designed to help prevent waterpollution. Still, some liquids leak from landfills. How?Explore some possible answers by designing andbuilding a model landfill.

Procedure1. Cut the top one-third off of a plastic bottle. Cut

the bottom one-third off of the other plastic bottle.Safety Alert: Be extremely careful when cuttingthe plastic bottles with the scissors. You shouldbe able to assemble the pieces as shown.

Yellow sponge (garbage)

Soil

Gravel

Plastic liner



2. Cut the sponges to make circulardisks that will fit snuggly in a plasticbottle. The yellow sponge stands forgarbage and the blue sponge standsfor groundwater. From the grocerybag, cut a circle of plastic slightlylarger than a bottle's diameter. Thisstands for a plastic liner in a landfill.

3. Gather the remainder of thematerials. Use the diagram of aplastic bottle landfill on page 385as a guide for making your ownmodel. You can vary the placementand amount of materials. You donot have to use all of the materials.

4. In your lab group, discuss thefeatures of a landfill and theirpurposes. Speculate about how alandfill could pollute groundwater,as well as ways this could beprevented. Write a hypothesis abouthow well landfills prevent leachatefrom escaping that could he testedwith an experiment that uses thematerials shown.

5. Write a procedure for yourexperiment. Include Safety Alerts.

6. Have your hypothesis, procedure,and Safety Alerts approved byyour teacher. Then carry out yourexperiment. Record your results.

Cleanup/DisposalPut away all materials and clean yourwork area before leaving the lab.

Analysis1. What were the important differences

between your group's landfillmodels and those of other groups?

2. Compare the leaked liquid thatcame from each model.

Conclusions1. Which features of a sanitary landfill

help prevent pollution?

2. Why must the leachate from landfillsbe monitored for many years?

Explore FurtherRepeat the experiment using coffeegrounds to represent garbage insteadof a yellow sponge.


Chapter 10 R E V I E W

Word Bankaerobic

decomposition

agricultural solidwaste

deep-well injection

hazardous waste

heavy metals

householdhazardous waste

incinerator

integrated wastemanagement

leachate

municipal solidwaste

nonbiodegradable

open dump

radioactive waste

sludge

smelting

solid waste

source reduction

synthetic

Vocabulary ReviewOn a sheet of paper, write the word or words from the WordBank that complete each sentence correctly.

1. In , toxic materials are pumped deep undergroundfor storage.

2. Any waste that is harmful to people, living things, and theenvironment is called _ .

3. Less than 3 percent of the solid waste stream is made upof .

4. Nail polish, pesticides, paint thinner, and bleach are allexamples of _ _.

5. Mining operations use _ _ plants to heat metal ores andremove the impurities.

6. A(n) can be used to generate electricity byburning trash.

7. The liquid waste that can seep out from sanitary landfills iscalled .

8. Animal manure, leftover crops, and pesticides are some ofthe major types of _ .

9. Solid waste from sewage treatment plants is called .

., waste is dumped without environmental10. Ina (n )_controls.

11. A product of nuclear reactions called _ _ is hazardousto all living things.

12. Decomposition that takes place with oxygen iscalled _.

13. The three Rs of _ prevention stand for "Reduce,Reuse, and Recycle."

14. Mercury, lead, copper, and arsenic are all examples of



Chapter 70 R E V I E W- continued

15. Using a variety of approaches to manage solid waste,including recycling, composting, and source reduction, iscalled _ _.

16. The most effective way to reduce the amount of waste inthe solid waste stream is through .

17. Living things cannot break down plastic bottles, syntheticclothing and material, or aluminum cans. Therefore, theseitems are all examples of waste.

18. Materials that are are created by humans.

Concept ReviewOn a sheet of paper, write the letter of the answer thatcompletes each sentence correctly.

19. Incineration greatly reduces the of solid waste.

A chemical content B cost C types D volume

20. All of the following are considered a type of solid wasteexcept _ .

A food scraps and nail polishB cigarette smoke and ozoneC cardboard boxes and soda cansD newspapers and old furniture

21. Most of the municipal solid waste produced in the UnitedStates is disposed of by .

A burning C burying in landfillsB recycling D dumping in the ocean

22. If your pants are made of 50 percent cotton, 40 percentpolyester, and 10 percent nylon, the percentage ofbiodegradable materials is __ .

A 10 percent C 50 percentB 40 percent D 60 percent

390 ('Impter W Solid ami Hazardous Waste

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE WORLD

Living with Mining

Mining is one of the largest industriesin the United States. It also can be verydestructive to the environment. Miningdestroys habitats and pollutes the air andwater. It also creates almost three-fourthsof U.S. solid waste. A large amount ofthis waste is hazardous waste. Miningreleases close to half of all the toxicemissions in some countries. Leftoverrock and unusable minerals, called minetailings, clog and pollute streams andgroundwater resources.

There is another side to this issue,however. Almost everything peopleuse contains materials that came froma mine. This includes all metals, allmaterials for concrete, and all coal usedfor electricity. Even the food peopleeat contains minerals that came froma mine. Some of these minerals camefrom fertilizers used on crops. Otherswere added to processed foods to makethem more nutritious. People's way oflife depends on the mining industry. Thequestion then is not whether to mine buthow to mine.

Mining companies and the governmentare working to make mining processesless dangerous and destructive. More thanthree dozen federal laws and regulationscontrol how minerals are mined andprocessed. These include the Clean

Water Act, Clean Air Act, EndangeredSpecies Act, and RCRA. Mining engineersare developing ways to safely containhazardous wastes. They are also workingwith biologists to reclaim land that hasbeen damaged by mining. The photoabove is an example of a reclaimed miningsite. Recyclers are developing ways torecover and reuse rare and valuable metals.You can help reduce the environmentalimpact of mining by recycling productsthat contain useful metals.

1. Why is mining an importantindustry?

2. What is being done to reducethe impact of mining on theenvironment?

3. What parts of your life depend themost on mining? Explain.


Chapter 1 0 S U M M A R Y^^^BB^ r̂̂

Solid wastes are produced byagriculture, industry, mining, andmunicipal activities.

The solid waste stream is the flow ofwaste in society. It includes how wasteis created, collected, and disposed of.

Most solid waste in the United Statescomes from agricultural, mining, andindustrial activities.

Hazardous waste includes materialsthat are ignitable, reactive, radioactive,toxic, infectious, and corrosive.

Solid-waste and hazardous-wastedisposal can cause serious problems forhuman health and the environment.

Sanitary landfills are moreenvironmentally friendly than opendumps but still take up space. Also,they can contaminate soil and waterand harm ecosystems and wildlife.

Incineration greatly reduces thevolume of solid waste. However, it cancreate serious air pollution problems.

The Superfund Act was designedto clean up hazardous waste sitesacross the country. The ResourceConservation and Recovery Act wasdesigned to help manage hazardousand municipal solid waste.

Recycling and composting removewaste from the waste stream andrecover value from waste.

Three major goals of waste preventionare to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Vocabulary

aerobicdecomposition, 366

agricultural solidwaste, 363

biodegradable, 361corrosive waste, 374deep-well injection,

382fly ash, 363hazardous waste, 360heavy metal, 366

household hazardouswaste, 362

ignitable waste, 374incinerator, 368industrial solid

waste, 363infectious waste, 375integrated waste

management, 378leachate, 366

municipal solidwaste, 362

nonbiodegradable,361

open dump, 365ore, 362PCBs, 374reactive waste, 374sanitary landfill, 365secure chemical

landfill, 382

slag, 362sludge, 363smelting, 362

solvent, 380source reduction, 379synthetic, 361waste stream, 360



23. How could your shopping habits now affect the quality ofthe environment 50 years from now?

24. Describe the benefits of buying a recycled product over aproduct made from raw materials.

25. Recall the issue of environmental justice, discussed inChapter 1. Explain how solid waste disposal can be anenvironmental justice issue.

Answer all questions you are sure of first. Then go back and answerthe others.

Solid mid Hazardous Waste Chapter 10 391

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