CHAPTER 7

SOLID WASTE
ISSUES
20??.........City of Garbage!!!!!
Why bother???

DISEASES

FLASH FLOOD
 What is solid waste??
Lay man:
Solid material possessing a negative economic value, which
suggests it is cheaper to be discarded that to use
Vol. 40 US Code of Federation Regulations
(40 CFR 240.101):

Garbage, refuse, and other discarded solid materials resulting

from industrial and commercial operations and from community
activities; It does not include solids or dissolved material in
domestic sewage or other significant pollutants in water
resources (such as silt, dissolved or suspended solids in
industrial wastewater effluents, dissolved materials in irrigation
return flows or other common water pollutants)
 SOURCES OF SW
SOURCES OF SW IN COMMUNITY – RELATED TO LAND
USE & ZONING
CLASSIFICATIONS NECESSARY – ADDRESS COMPLEX
CHALLENGES OF SWM
SW DIVIDED INTO FOUR GENERAL CATEGORIES
 MUNICIPAL WASTE  INDUSTRIAL WASTE
 AGRICULTURAL WASTE  HAZARDOUS WASTE
 SOURCES OF SW
1. MUNICIPAL WASTE – FROM HOUSEHOLD,
INSTITUTIONAL, COMMERCIAL, MUNICIPAL, &
INDUSTRIAL SOURCES (EXC. PROCESS WASTES)
 RESIDENTIAL WASTE – THIS CATEGORY OF
WASTE INCLUDES REJECTED SOLID MATERIAL
THAT ORIGINATES FROM SINGLE- FAMILY,
MULTIFAMILY, & HIGH-RISE DWELLINGS; OFTEN
CALLED HOUSEHOLD WASTES & CONSIST OF
GARBAGE, RUBBISH & TRASH, BULKY WASTE &
ASH
 SOURCES OF SW
· GARBAGE – RESULTS FROM FOOD PREPARATION,
PACKAGING, CONSUMPTION, & ASSOCIATED
ACTIVITIES; QUICK REMOVAL FROM PLACE OF
GENERATION, CAREFUL STORAGE, & DISPOSAL
ARE NECESSARY – TENDS TO ATTRACT RATS &
FLIES & PRODUCE STRONG ODORS
· RUBBISH & TRASH – CONSISTS OF PAPER & PAPER
PRODUCTS, CANS, BOTTLES, PLASTICS, OLD
CLOTHES, LEATHER PRODUCTS, METAL PRODUCTS,
GLASS, CERAMICS, DIRT, DUST, GARDEN WASTES,
ETC.
 SOURCES OF SW
· BULKY WASTE – INCLUDES HEAVY & LARGE
WASTES SUCH AS APPLIANCES, FURNITURE,
MATTRESSES, TOYS, TIRES, CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS; DUE TO SIZE, WEIGHT &
IRREGULAR GENERATION – SPECIAL HANDLING
& COLLECTION TECHNIQUES REQUIRED
· ASH – END PRODUCT FROM BURNING
FIREWOOD, COAL, ETC. FOR HEATING OF
RESIDENTIAL UNITS
 SOURCES OF SW
MUNICIPAL SERVICES – INCLUDES SOLID RESIDUE
FROM MUNICIPAL FUNCTIONS & SERVICES
· WATER & WASTEWATER PLANT SLUDGE – NEEDS TO BE
PROPERLY DISPOSED OF TO PREVENT GROUND OR
SURFACE WATER CONTAMINATION; TREATMENT
OPERATED BY MUNICIPALITY, PUBLIC UTILITY
COMPANIES, OR SANITARY DISTRICT

· STREET REFUSE – RESULTS FROM COLLECTION OF

STREET SWEEPINGS & DEBRIS THAT ARE PRIMARILY
INORGANIC IN NATURE (SAND, DIRT); QUANTITY &
CONTENT – DEPEND ON SEASON & FREQUENCY OF
CLEANING OPERATIONS
 SOURCES OF SW
· PUBLIC PARK & BEACH REFUSE – PEOPLE USING
FACILITIES GENERATE REFUSE (BOTTLES, CANS,
ETC); ALSO, WASTE RESULTS FROM MAINTANENCE
TREES, LAWNS, ETC.
· DEAD ANIMALS – MAJOR PROBLEM IN AREAS
CLOSE TO HABITATS WITH LARGE POPULATION
OF WILD ANIMALS (DEER, GOPHERS) OR IN
COMMUNITIES THAT EITHER DO NOT HAVE
ANIMAL CONTROL LAWS OR DO NOT ENFORCE
THEM; MUNICIPALITY RENSPONSIBLE FOR
REMOVAL & DISPOSAL OF DEAD ANIMALS
 SOURCES OF SW
· “ABANDONED” WASTE – EVEN THOUGH IT’S AGAINST
THE LAW, PEOPLE STILL PITCH BOTTLES, CANS &
PAPER PRODUCTS INTO STREETS, DRAINAGE DITCHES
& PARKS; JUNKED APPLIANCES ALSO ABANDONED ON
PUBLIC GROUND; OLD AUTOMOBILES ABANDONED ON
STREETS AFTER REMOVING LISENCE PLATES.

· DEMOLITION & CONSTRUCTION WASTE – INCLUDES

WOOD, METAL, CONCRETE, BRICKS, GLASS, PLASTICS,
ETC.; MATERIALS USED IN CONSTRUCTION OF
BUILDING & PAVEMENT & THAT ARE REMOVED BY
DESTRUCTION – QUANTITY & COMPONENTS CAN BE
HIGHLY VARIABLE
 SOURCES OF SW

· COMMERCIAL & INSTITUTIONAL WASTE –

ORIGINATES FROM STORES, RESTAURANTS,
OFFICES, HOTELS, ETC. SUBDIVIDED INTO GARBAGE
& RUBBISH; GARBAGE – GENERATED IN RESTAURANT,
ETC.; RUBBISH – GENERATED IN OFFICES (PAPER),
STORES (PLASTIC, WOOD); SPECIAL WASTE –
GENERATED BY HOSPITALS & RESEARCH LAB – MAY
INCLUDE TOXIC CHEMICALS, EXPLOSIVE
MATERIALS, PATHOLOGICAL MATERIALS – REQUIRE
SPECIAL COLLECTION, HANDLING & DISPOSAL
 SOURCES OF SW
2. INDUSTRIAL WASTE – 2 GENERAL
SOURCES; QUANTITIES & CHARACTERISTICS
ARE DIFFERENT

 PROCESS WASTE – GENERATED BY VARIOUS

INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES; INCLUDE
CHEMICAL PLANTS, REFINERIES, ETC.; SOME
MAY BE HAZARDOUS; MANAGE ON SITE BY
GENERATING INDUSTRIES, SOME
LANDFILLED
 SOURCES OF SW
3. AGRICULTURAL WASTE –
GENERATED FROM ANIMAL FEEDLOTS
& CROPS; SUBSTANTIAL QUANTITIES
OF MANURE ARE GENERATED FROM
FEEDING OPERATIONS OF CATTLE,
HOGS, ETC.; MANAGING THESE LARGE
QUANTITIES – MAJOR COST TO
FEEDLOT OWNERS
 SOURCES OF SW
4. Hazardous Waste – Industrial and hospital
waste is considered hazardous as they may
contain toxic substances. Certain types of
household waste are also hazardous.
Hazardous wastes could be highly toxic to
humans, animals, and plants; are corrosive,
highly inflammable, or explosive; and react
when exposed to certain things e.g. gases.
 COMPOSITION
DESCRIBE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS MAKING UP
SW STREAM & THEIR RELATIVE DISTRIBUTION,
USUALLY BASED ON WEIGHT %
INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT WHEN
EVALUATING EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS &
MANAGEMENT PLANS
COMPOSITION OF SW HAS CHANGED
CONSIDERABLY OVER THE YEARS – RESULTS
FROM TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES, LIFESTYLE
CHANGES, & REGULATORY RESTRICTIONS
TYPICAL COMPOSITION OF
DOMESTIC WASTE
Solid waste composition in New Zealand, 2007
A. Volatiles solids
B. Lignin contents
C. Biodegradable
fraction
D. Odors
Physical properties
Chemical properties
SOURCE REDUCTION, REUSE,
RECYCLING & RECOVERY

 ACCORDING TO US EPA - STATES, MUNICIPALITIES, &

WASTE MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY SHOULD FOLLOW
THIS HIERARCHY TO REDUCE SWM PROBLEM
EFFECTIVELY
1. SOURCE REDUCTION
2. REUSE
3. RECYCLING
4. TREATMENT
5. DISPOSAL
 SOURCE REDUCTION
 “WASTE THAT IS NOT PRODUCED DOES NOT HAVE
TO BE COLLECTED” – VERY GOOD CONCEPT
 CONSEQUENTLY, PREVENTING WASTE & POLLUTION
HAS BECOME A MAJOR ISSUE
 SOURCE REDUCTION PROGRAMS – INCLUDE THE
DESIGN, MANUFACTURE, & PACKAGING OF PRODUCTS
WITH LITTLE OR NO TOXIC CONTENT, A MINIMUM
VOLUME OF MATERIAL, AND/OR A LONGER PRODUCT
LIFE-TIME
 INVOLVES CHANGING THE WAY PRODUCTS ARE
MADE & MARKETED
 REUSE
 EX. OF PRODUCT REUSE – REUSABLE
SHOPPING BAGS, CLOTHES & OTHER ITEMS
AT SALVATION ARMY, RETREADED TIRES,&
RECHARGED BATTERIES
 REDUCED MATERIAL VOLUME – POSSIBLE BY
USING CONCENTRATES, LIGHTER-METAL
CANS, & GLASS CONTAINERS
 TYPICAL PACKING ITEM – 1/3 NATIONAL
WASTE STREAM BY WEIGHT, & POTENTIAL
TARGET FOR WASTE REDUCTION
 RECYCLING
SEPARATION OF A GIVEN WASTE MATERIAL FROM WASTE
STREAM FOR REUSE OR PROCESSING TO BE SUITABLE FOR
USE AS A RAW MATERIAL FOR MANUFACTURING

MOST RECYCLING PROGRAMS - SUBSIDIZED FINANCIALLY -

THE COLLECTION & TRANSPORT OF WASTE FOR RECYCLING
REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL AMT. OF LABOUR & ENERGY

 RECYCLING PROCESS - INCLUDES SEPARATING

RECYCLABLES BY TYPE, COLLECTING THEM, PROCESSING
THEM INTO NEW FORMS, MANUFACTURING THEM INTO
PRODUCTS, & MARKETING THEM AS GOODS MADE FROM
REPROCESED MATERIALS
 RECYCLING

• USES FOR RECYCLED MATERIALS

• PLASTICS
• PAPER & PAPER PRODUCTS
• ALUMINUM
• GLASS
• CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION WASTES
• OILS, SOLVENTS, ACIDS & METALS
 DISPOSAL OF SW
 LANDFILL IS DEFINED AS A SYSTEM THAT IS
DESIGNED & CONSTRUCTED TO DISPOSE OF
DISCARDED WASTE BY BURIAL IN LAND TO
MINIMIZE THE RELEASE OF CONTAMINANTS TO THE
ENVIRONMENT
 CURRENTLY A SIGNIFICANT PART OF MSW
MANAGEMENT & HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT
PRACTICE
 IN US, LANDFILL – MOST WIDELY USED METHOD OF
WASTE MANAGEMENT WITH ~ 80% OF NATION’S
MSW IS LANDFILLED
LANDFILL
SECURED LANDFILL