Effectiveness of waste prevention program in primary students' schools.

PubMed

Zorpas, Antonis A; Voukkali, Irene; Loizia, Pantelitsa

2017-06-01

Even though reducing waste is at the top of the waste hierarchy, no real decoupling between waste generation and consumption has been demonstrated. Several waste directives had been published from EU, but they have only brought minor changes within the key objective of reducing waste generation. Most efforts have been targeted towards greater amounts of recycling and better management of waste disposal. While these are necessary and socially beneficial goals, they are not adequate for the achievement of long-term sustainability goals. The purpose of this study is to understand students' knowledge, attitudes and behavioural changes in relation to the water plastic bottle of 500 ml. Understanding waste prevention behaviour (WPB) could enable schools' principals, local authorities and committees as well as decision makers to design and implement more effective policies for reducing the amount of specific waste streams that is generated. Students in a daily base bring their own water containers of 500 ml or buy water from the school as they do not feel safe to use other sources of water. Nine hundred ninety-eight refilling stainless steel water refilling bottles (SSWRB-of 600 ml) were shared to the students in four primary schools. The results indicated that the students are presented with different behaviours from class to class for many reasons; most of them are related with what their parents believe, and how themselves or the synergies between them reacts and affected.

Impact of Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme on work practices at construction sites in Hong Kong

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Ann T.W., E-mail: bsannyu@polyu.edu.hk; Poon, C.S.; Wong, Agnes

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A significant reduction of construction waste was achieved at the first 3 years of CWDCS implementation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer However, the reduction cannot be sustained. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Implementation of the CWDCS has generated positive effects in waste reduction by all main trades. - Abstract: Waste management in the building industry in Hong Kong has become an important environmental issue. Particularly, an increasing amount of construction and demolition (C and D) waste is being disposed at landfill sites. In order to reduce waste generation and encourage reuse and recycling, the Hong Kong Government has implemented the Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme (CWDCS)more » to levy charges on C and D waste disposal to landfills. In order to provide information on the changes in reducing waste generation practice among construction participants in various work trades, a study was conducted after 3 years of implementation of the CWDCS via a structured questionnaire survey in the building industry in Hong Kong. The study result has revealed changes with work flows of the major trades as well as differentiating the levels of waste reduced. Three building projects in the public and private sectors were selected as case studies to demonstrate the changes in work flows and the reduction of waste achieved. The research findings reveal that a significant reduction of construction waste was achieved at the first 3 years (2006-2008) of CWDCS implementation. However, the reduction cannot be sustained. The major trades have been influenced to a certain extent by the implementation of the CWDCS. Slight improvement in waste management practices was observed, but reduction of construction waste in the wet-finishing and dry-finishing trades has undergone little improvement. Implementation of the CWDCS has not yet motivated subcontractors to change their methods of construction so as to reduce C and D waste.« less

Waste Management Improvement Initiatives at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited - 13091

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chan, Nicholas; Adams, Lynne; Wong, Pierre

2013-07-01

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited's (AECL) Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) has been in operation for over 60 years. Radioactive, mixed, hazardous and non-hazardous wastes have been and continue to be generated at CRL as a result of research and development, radioisotope production, reactor operation and facility decommissioning activities. AECL has implemented several improvement initiatives at CRL to simplify the interface between waste generators and waste receivers: - Introduction of trained Waste Officers representing their facilities or activities at CRL; - Establishment of a Waste Management Customer Support Service as a Single-Point of Contact to provide guidance to waste generators formore » all waste management processes; and - Implementation of a streamlined approach for waste identification with emphasis on early identification of waste types and potential disposition paths. As a result of implementing these improvement initiatives, improvements in waste management and waste transfer efficiencies have been realized at CRL. These included: 1) waste generators contacting the Customer Support Service for information or guidance instead of various waste receivers; 2) more clear and consistent guidance provided to waste generators for waste management through the Customer Support Service; 3) more consistent and correct waste information provided to waste receivers through Waste Officers, resulting in reduced time and resources required for waste management (i.e., overall cost); 4) improved waste minimization and segregation approaches, as identified by in-house Waste Officers; and 5) enhanced communication between waste generators and waste management groups. (authors)« less

Let's Reduce and Recycle: Curriculum for Solid Waste Awareness. Lesson Plans for Grades K-6 and 7-12. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

The purpose of this guide is to educate young people about the problems associated with solid waste. The activities encourage them to think about options for reducing the amount of waste they generate and how they can help by recycling and learning about other waste management alternatives. The lesson plans deal specifically with garbage and…

Tribal Waste Journal: What Is an Integrated Waste Management Plan (Issue 7)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Integrated Waste Management Plans (IWMPs) may offer tribes an efficient and cost-effective way to reduce open dumping, effectively manage solid waste, and protect human health and the environment for this generation and the next.

Solid waste generation and characterization in the University of Lagos for a sustainable waste management.

PubMed

Adeniran, A E; Nubi, A T; Adelopo, A O

2017-09-01

Waste characterization is the first step to any successful waste management policy. In this paper, the characterization and the trend of solid waste generated in University of Lagos, Nigeria was carried out using ASTM D5231-92 and Resource Conservation Reservation Authority RCRA Waste Sampling Draft Technical Guidance methods. The recyclable potential of the waste is very high constituting about 75% of the total waste generated. The estimated average daily solid waste generation in Unilag Akoka campus was estimated to be 32.2tons. The solid waste characterization was found to be: polythene bags 24% (7.73tons/day), paper 15% (4.83tons/day), organic matters 15%, (4.83tons/day), plastic 9% (2.90tons/day), inert materials 8% (2.58tons/day), sanitary 7% (2.25tons/day), textile 7% (2.25tons/day), others 6% (1.93tons/day), leather 4% (1.29tons/day) metals 3% (0.97tons/day), glass 2% (0.64tons/day) and e-waste 0% (0.0tons/day). The volume and distribution of polythene bags generated on campus had a positive significant statistical correlation with the distribution of commercial and academic structures on campus. Waste management options to optimize reuse, recycling and reduce waste generation were discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

INNOVATIVE PRACTICES FOR TREATING WASTE STREAMS CONTAINING HEAVY METALS: A WASTE MINIMIZATION APPROACH

EPA Science Inventory

Innovative practices for treating waste streams containing heavy metals often involve technologies or systems that either reduce the amount of waste generated or recover reusable resources. With the land disposal of metal treatment residuals becoming less of an accepted waste man...

INVESTIGATION OF WASTE RAG GENERATION AT NAVAL STATION MAYPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This report presents the results of an investigation examining pollution prevention alternatives for reducing the volume of waste rags generated at Naval Station Mayport, located near Jacksonville Beach, Florida. he report recommends five specific pollution prevention alternative...

Solids, organic load and nutrient concentration reductions in swine waste slurry using a polyacrylamide (PAM)-aided solids flocculation treatment.

PubMed

Walker, Paul; Kelley, Tim

2003-11-01

Increased swine production results in concentration of wastes generated within a limited geographical area, which may lead to land application rates exceeding the local or regional assimilatory capacity. This may result in pollutant transfer through surface water or soil-groundwater systems, environmental degradation, and/or odor concerns. Existing swine waste pit storage and lagoon treatment technologies may be inadequate to store or treat waste prior to land application without these concerns resulting. Efficient swine waste solids separation may reduce environmental health concerns and generate a value-added bioresource (solids). This study evaluated the efficiency of a polyacrylamide (PAM) flocculant-aided solids separation treatment to reduce pollution indicator concentrations in raw (untreated) swine waste slurry. Swine waste slurry solids separation efficiency through gravity settling (sedimentation) was evaluated before and after the addition of a proprietary polymeric (PAM) flocculant. Results indicated that polymer amendments at concentrations of 62.5-750 mg/l improved slurry solids separation efficiency and significantly reduced concentrations of other associated aquatic pollution indicators in a majority of analyses conducted (33 of 50 total analyses conducted). Results also suggested that PAM-aided solids separation from swine waste slurry might facilitate further treatment and/or disposal and therefore reduce associated environmental degradation potential.

Quantifying the waste reduction potential of using prefabrication in building construction in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Jaillon, L; Poon, C S; Chiang, Y H

2009-01-01

As Hong Kong is a compact city with limited available land and high land prices, the construction of high-rise buildings is prevalent. The construction industry produces a significant amount of building waste. In 2005, about 21.5 million tonnes of construction waste were generated, of which 11% was disposed of in landfills and 89% in public filling areas. At the present rate, Hong Kong will run out of both public filling areas and landfill space within the next decade. The government is taking action to tackle the problem, such as by introducing a construction waste landfill charge, and promoting prefabrication to reduce on-site waste generation. This paper reports an ongoing study on the use of prefabrication in buildings and its impact on waste reduction in Hong Kong. A questionnaire survey was administered to experienced professionals, and case studies of recently completed building projects were conducted. The results revealed that construction waste reduction is one of the major benefits when using prefabrication compared with conventional construction. The average wastage reduction level was about 52%. This implies that a wider use of prefabrication could considerably reduce construction waste generation in Hong Kong and alleviate the burdens associated with its management.

Impact of Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme on work practices at construction sites in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Yu, Ann T W; Poon, C S; Wong, Agnes; Yip, Robin; Jaillon, Lara

2013-01-01

Waste management in the building industry in Hong Kong has become an important environmental issue. Particularly, an increasing amount of construction and demolition (C&D) waste is being disposed at landfill sites. In order to reduce waste generation and encourage reuse and recycling, the Hong Kong Government has implemented the Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme (CWDCS) to levy charges on C&D waste disposal to landfills. In order to provide information on the changes in reducing waste generation practice among construction participants in various work trades, a study was conducted after 3 years of implementation of the CWDCS via a structured questionnaire survey in the building industry in Hong Kong. The study result has revealed changes with work flows of the major trades as well as differentiating the levels of waste reduced. Three building projects in the public and private sectors were selected as case studies to demonstrate the changes in work flows and the reduction of waste achieved. The research findings reveal that a significant reduction of construction waste was achieved at the first 3 years (2006-2008) of CWDCS implementation. However, the reduction cannot be sustained. The major trades have been influenced to a certain extent by the implementation of the CWDCS. Slight improvement in waste management practices was observed, but reduction of construction waste in the wet-finishing and dry-finishing trades has undergone little improvement. Implementation of the CWDCS has not yet motivated subcontractors to change their methods of construction so as to reduce C&D waste. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forest Service Turns to NREL for Help Fighting Fires More Sustainably |

Science.gov Websites

reduce energy and water use as well as waste generation at fire camps and supporting operations , burn less fuel, generate less waste, and recycle more. While NREL is often called upon to identify how fundamentally it would be nice to see some savings realized on the energy, water, or waste side, and to add some

SITE GENERATED RADIOLOGICAL WASTE HANDLING SYSTEM DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

S. C. Khamankar

2000-06-20

The Site Generated Radiological Waste Handling System handles radioactive waste products that are generated at the geologic repository operations area. The waste is collected, treated if required, packaged for shipment, and shipped to a disposal site. Waste streams include low-level waste (LLW) in solid and liquid forms, as-well-as mixed waste that contains hazardous and radioactive constituents. Liquid LLW is segregated into two streams, non-recyclable and recyclable. The non-recyclable stream may contain detergents or other non-hazardous cleaning agents and is packaged for shipment. The recyclable stream is treated to recycle a large portion of the water while the remaining concentrated wastemore » is packaged for shipment; this greatly reduces the volume of waste requiring disposal. There will be no liquid LLW discharge. Solid LLW consists of wet solids such as ion exchange resins and filter cartridges, as-well-as dry active waste such as tools, protective clothing, and poly bags. Solids will be sorted, volume reduced, and packaged for shipment. The generation of mixed waste at the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR) is not planned; however, if it does come into existence, it will be collected and packaged for disposal at its point of occurrence, temporarily staged, then shipped to government-approved off-site facilities for disposal. The Site Generated Radiological Waste Handling System has equipment located in both the Waste Treatment Building (WTB) and in the Waste Handling Building (WHB). All types of liquid and solid LLW are processed in the WTB, while wet solid waste from the Pool Water Treatment and Cooling System is packaged where received in the WHB. There is no installed hardware for mixed waste. The Site Generated Radiological Waste Handling System receives waste from locations where water is used for decontamination functions. In most cases the water is piped back to the WTB for processing. The WTB and WHB provide staging areas for storing and shipping LLW packages as well as any mixed waste packages. The buildings house the system and provide shielding and support for the components. The system is ventilated by and connects to the ventilation systems in the buildings to prevent buildup and confine airborne radioactivity via the high efficiency particulate air filters. The Monitored Geologic Repository Operations Monitoring and Control System will provide monitoring and supervisory control facilities for the system.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jackson, J.G.; Patterson, A.L.; Wiginton, M.C.

BWXT Y-12, L.L.C., the Maintenance and Operations (M and O) contractor at the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12), practices pollution prevention in daily operations because it recognizes that the implementation of pollution prevention (P2) projects impacting all waste types, discharges, and emissions at the complex saves resources across the board. Projects that reduce solid industrial waste save numerous resources, including valuable landfill space. At Y- 12, most of the solid industrial waste that is not reduced, reused, or recycled is transported to an industrial waste landfill located on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). While themore » current landfill still has capacity, in the past the industrial waste generation across the ORR was impacted when the new landfill was not available to receive waste, but the old landfill was reaching capacity. The potential of having waste with absolutely nowhere to go is simply not an option for a facility with ongoing operations. Avoiding this potential scenario in the memorable past has made Y-12 very aware of the importance of reducing all waste types. While Y-12 aggressively pursues pollution prevention implementation on all waste types, this paper will highlight the use of systems, people, and pollution prevention integration in projects used by Y-12 to holistically reduce the amount of industrial waste being sent to the on-site landfill. Specifically, the design and use of Y-12's Environmental Management System (EMS), the creation of a multi-disciplinary team, and the buy-in and creativity of the site project, Infrastructure Reduction (IR), that generates the largest volumes of waste will be discussed. (authors)« less

Quantification of parameters influencing methane generation due to biodegradation of municipal solid waste in landfills and laboratory experiments.

PubMed

Fei, Xunchang; Zekkos, Dimitrios; Raskin, Lutgarde

2016-09-01

The energy conversion potential of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposed of in landfills remains largely untapped because of the slow and variable rate of biogas generation, delayed and inefficient biogas collection, leakage of biogas, and landfill practices and infrastructure that are not geared toward energy recovery. A database consisting of methane (CH4) generation data, the major constituent of biogas, from 49 laboratory experiments and field monitoring data from 57 landfills was developed. Three CH4 generation parameters, i.e., waste decay rate (k), CH4 generation potential (L0), and time until maximum CH4 generation rate (tmax), were calculated for each dataset using U.S. EPA's Landfill Gas Emission Model (LandGEM). Factors influencing the derived parameters in laboratory experiments and landfills were investigated using multi-linear regression analysis. Total weight of waste (W) was correlated with biodegradation conditions through a ranked classification scheme. k increased with increasing percentage of readily biodegradable waste (Br0 (%)) and waste temperature, and reduced with increasing W, an indicator of less favorable biodegradation conditions. The values of k obtained in the laboratory were commonly significantly higher than those in landfills and those recommended by LandGEM. The mean value of L0 was 98 and 88L CH4/kg waste for laboratory and field studies, respectively, but was significantly affected by waste composition with ranges from 10 to 300L CH4/kg. tmax increased with increasing percentage of biodegradable waste (B0) and W. The values of tmax in landfills were higher than those in laboratory experiments or those based on LandGEM's recommended parameters. Enhancing biodegradation conditions in landfill cells has a greater impact on improving k and tmax than increasing B0. Optimizing the B0 and Br0 values of landfilled waste increases L0 and reduces tmax. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of landfill gas emissions from municipal solid waste landfills for the life-cycle analysis of waste-to-energy pathways

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Uisung; Han, Jeongwoo; Wang, Michael

Various waste-to-energy (WTE) conversion technologies can generate energy products from municipal solid waste (MSW). Accurately evaluating landfill gas (LFG, mainly methane) emissions from base case landfills is critical to conducting a WTE life-cycle analysis (LCA) of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To reduce uncertainties in estimating LFG, this study investigated key parameters for its generation, based on updated experimental results. These results showed that the updated parameters changed the calculated GHG emissions from landfills significantly depending on waste stream; they resulted in a 65% reduction for wood (from 2412 to 848 t CO 2e/dry t) to a 4% increase formore » food waste (from 2603 to 2708 t CO 2e/dry t). Landfill GHG emissions also vary significantly based on LFG management practices and climate. In LCAs of WTE conversion, generating electricity from LFG helps reduce GHG emissions indirectly by displacing regional electricity. When both active LFG collection and power generation are considered, GHG emissions are 44% less for food waste (from 2708 to 1524 t CO 2e/dry t), relative to conventional MSW landfilling. The method developed and data collected in this study can help improve the assessment of GHG impacts from landfills, which supports transparent decision-making regarding the sustainable treatment, management, and utilization of MSW.« less

Evaluation of landfill gas emissions from municipal solid waste landfills for the life-cycle analysis of waste-to-energy pathways

DOE PAGES

Lee, Uisung; Han, Jeongwoo; Wang, Michael

2017-08-05

Various waste-to-energy (WTE) conversion technologies can generate energy products from municipal solid waste (MSW). Accurately evaluating landfill gas (LFG, mainly methane) emissions from base case landfills is critical to conducting a WTE life-cycle analysis (LCA) of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To reduce uncertainties in estimating LFG, this study investigated key parameters for its generation, based on updated experimental results. These results showed that the updated parameters changed the calculated GHG emissions from landfills significantly depending on waste stream; they resulted in a 65% reduction for wood (from 2412 to 848 t CO 2e/dry t) to a 4% increase formore » food waste (from 2603 to 2708 t CO 2e/dry t). Landfill GHG emissions also vary significantly based on LFG management practices and climate. In LCAs of WTE conversion, generating electricity from LFG helps reduce GHG emissions indirectly by displacing regional electricity. When both active LFG collection and power generation are considered, GHG emissions are 44% less for food waste (from 2708 to 1524 t CO 2e/dry t), relative to conventional MSW landfilling. The method developed and data collected in this study can help improve the assessment of GHG impacts from landfills, which supports transparent decision-making regarding the sustainable treatment, management, and utilization of MSW.« less

Waste minimization/pollution prevention study of high-priority waste streams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ogle, R.B.

1994-03-01

Although waste minimization has been practiced by the Metals and Ceramics (M&C) Division in the past, the effort has not been uniform or formalized. To establish the groundwork for continuous improvement, the Division Director initiated a more formalized waste minimization and pollution prevention program. Formalization of the division`s pollution prevention efforts in fiscal year (FY) 1993 was initiated by a more concerted effort to determine the status of waste generation from division activities. The goal for this effort was to reduce or minimize the wastes identified as having the greatest impact on human health, the environment, and costs. Two broadmore » categories of division wastes were identified as solid/liquid wastes and those relating to energy use (primarily electricity and steam). This report presents information on the nonradioactive solid and liquid wastes generated by division activities. More specifically, the information presented was generated by teams of M&C staff members empowered by the Division Director to study specific waste streams.« less

Moving from recycling to waste prevention: A review of barriers and enables.

PubMed

Bartl, Andreas

2014-09-01

Current European waste policy does not mainly aim to treat waste streams but rather place in the foreground of interest the complete supply chain of a product. Waste prevention and re-use do have the highest priority and they take effect before the end-of-life phase of a product or a material is reached. Recycling only takes the third place whereas recovery and disposal represent the least favourable options. Recycling can help to decrease the consumption of primary resources but it does not tackle the causes but only the symptoms. In principle, recycling processes require energy and will generate side streams (i.e. waste). Furthermore, there are insuperable barriers and the practice is far from 100% recycling. The philosophy of waste prevention and re-use is completely different since they really tackle the causes. It is self-evident that a decrease of waste will also decrease the consumption of resources, energy and money to process the waste. However, even if European legislation is proceeding in the right direction, a clear decrease in waste generation did not occur up to now. Unfortunately, waste generation represents a positive factor of economic growth. Basically, waste generation is a huge business and numerous stakeholders are not interested to reduce waste. More sophisticated incentives are required to decouple economic growth from waste generation. © The Author(s) 2014.

Fine granular of shredded waste tyre for road kerb application as improvised road furniture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munikanan, Vikneswaran; Yahya, Muhamad Azani; Yusof, Mohammed Alias; Radzi, Muhammad Haris Fauzan

2018-02-01

Solid waste management in Malaysia was still in a backward stage. Population growth, urbanization and rapid industrialization led to an increase in the solid waste generated by society. Solid waste management is one of the main problems faced by the community, especially in the city. Solid waste management costs of the collection, collecting, transporting waste to the landfill, is very high. The quantity of solid waste should be reduced in order to reduce government spending. Moreover, improper solid waste management caused a negative impact on people and the environment. Method of recycling is one of the best alternatives to reduce the number of solid waste. Therefore, this study was to identify methods of recycling used tires to be used in civil engineering. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness and properties of rubber from used tires to be add in the road kerb design.

Municipal Solid Waste Composition Study of Selected Area in Gambang, Pahang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mokhtar, Nadiah; Ishak, Wan Faizal Wan; Suraya Romali, Noor; Fatimah Che Osmi, Siti; Armi Abu Samah, Mohd

2013-06-01

The amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated continue to increase in response to rapid growth in population, change in life style and accelerated urbanization and industrialization process. The study on MSW is important in order to determine the composition further seeks an immediate remedy to minimize the waste generated at the early stage. As most of the MSW goes to the landfill or dumping sites, particularly in Malaysia, closure of filled-up landfill may become an alarm clock for an immediate action of proper solid waste management. This research aims to determine the waste composition generated from selected residential area at Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang which represent Old residential area (ORA), Intermediate residential area (IRA) and New residential area (NRA). The study was conducted by segregating and weighing solid waste in the residential area into 6 main components ie., food waste, paper, plastic, glass, metal and others. In a period of four weeks, samples from the residential unit were taken and analyzed. The MSW generation rates were recorded vary from 0.217 to 0.388 kg person-1day-1. Food waste has become the major solid waste component generated daily which mounted up to 50%. From this research, the result revealed that the recyclable composition of waste generated by residents have a potential to be reuse, recycle and reduce at the point sources.

WASTE MINIMIZATION AUDIT REPORT: CASE STUDIES OF MINIMIZATION OF SOLVENT WASTES AND ELECTROPLATING WASTES AT A DOD (DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE) INSTALLATION

EPA Science Inventory

The report results of a waste minimization audit carried out in 1987 at a tank reconditioning facility operated by the DOD. The audit team developed recommendations for reducing the generation FOO6 wastewater treatment sludge, and FOO2, and FOO4 solvent wastes. In addition to det...

Hidden flows and waste processing--an analysis of illustrative futures.

PubMed

Schiller, F; Raffield, T; Angus, A; Herben, M; Young, P J; Longhurst, P J; Pollard, S J T

2010-12-14

An existing materials flow model is adapted (using Excel and AMBER model platforms) to account for waste and hidden material flows within a domestic environment. Supported by national waste data, the implications of legislative change, domestic resource depletion and waste technology advances are explored. The revised methodology offers additional functionality for economic parameters that influence waste generation and disposal. We explore this accounting system under hypothetical future waste and resource management scenarios, illustrating the utility of the model. A sensitivity analysis confirms that imports, domestic extraction and their associated hidden flows impact mostly on waste generation. The model offers enhanced utility for policy and decision makers with regard to economic mass balance and strategic waste flows, and may promote further discussion about waste technology choice in the context of reducing carbon budgets.

Redesigning assembly stations using ergonomic methods as a lean tool.

PubMed

Eswaramoorthi, M; John, Mervyn; Rajagopal, C Arjun; Prasad, P S S; Mohanram, P V

2010-01-01

With the current state of the global economy, demand for various products plummeting. To sustain in the market, companies have to reduce cost and improve quality. Today, companies have started implementing new philosophies like TQM, TPM, six sigma and lean manufacturing techniques to remain competitive in the market. Lean manufacturing is an emerging philosophy which continuously strives to reduce waste. The main objective of analyzing the assembly line with a lean perspective is to identify the areas related to human interface with other systems that could lead to the generation of waste. Improper workplace design leads to unreasonable mental or physical burden and results in waste generation like slow work (delay and inventory), and defects, which is named as muri waste. An attempt has been made in this paper to locate muri waste and create a "Lean assembly line". The proposed method, based on the use of Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) with CATIA V5 platform, has allowed the measurement of a large set of operator posture parameters and assessment of ergonomic stresses. Based on the results, the process stations in the assembly line were redesigned to prevent the generation of waste.

Biodegradation of the alkaline cellulose degradation products generated during radioactive waste disposal.

PubMed

Rout, Simon P; Radford, Jessica; Laws, Andrew P; Sweeney, Francis; Elmekawy, Ahmed; Gillie, Lisa J; Humphreys, Paul N

2014-01-01

The anoxic, alkaline hydrolysis of cellulosic materials generates a range of cellulose degradation products (CDP) including α and β forms of isosaccharinic acid (ISA) and is expected to occur in radioactive waste disposal sites receiving intermediate level radioactive wastes. The generation of ISA's is of particular relevance to the disposal of these wastes since they are able to form complexes with radioelements such as Pu enhancing their migration. This study demonstrates that microbial communities present in near-surface anoxic sediments are able to degrade CDP including both forms of ISA via iron reduction, sulphate reduction and methanogenesis, without any prior exposure to these substrates. No significant difference (n = 6, p = 0.118) in α and β ISA degradation rates were seen under either iron reducing, sulphate reducing or methanogenic conditions, giving an overall mean degradation rate of 4.7 × 10(-2) hr(-1) (SE ± 2.9 × 10(-3)). These results suggest that a radioactive waste disposal site is likely to be colonised by organisms able to degrade CDP and associated ISA's during the construction and operational phase of the facility.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alfred J. Karns

This report summarizes the waste minimization efforts undertaken by National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), for the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO), during CY06. This report was developed in accordance with the requirements of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Permit (No. NEV HW0021) and as clarified in a letter dated April 21, 1995, from Paul Liebendorfer of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection to Donald Elle of the DOE, Nevada Operations Office. The NNSA/NSO Pollution Prevention (P2) Program establishes a process to reduce the volume andmore » toxicity of waste generated by the NNSA/NSO and ensures that proposed methods of treatment, storage, and/or disposal of waste minimize potential threats to human health and the environment. The following information provides an overview of the P2 Program, major P2 accomplishments during the reporting year, a comparison of the current year waste generation to prior years, and a description of efforts undertaken during the year to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste generated by the NNSA/NSO.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NSTec Environmental Management

This report summarizes the waste minimization efforts undertaken by National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO), during calendar year (CY) 2007. This report was developed in accordance with the requirements of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Permit (number NEV HW0021), and as clarified in a letter dated April 21, 1995, from Paul Liebendorfer of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection to Donald Elle of the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office. The NNSA/NSO Pollution Prevention (P2) Program establishes a process tomore » reduce the volume and toxicity of waste generated by the NNSA/NSO and ensures that proposed methods of treatment, storage, and/or disposal of waste minimize potential threats to human health and the environment. The following information provides an overview of the P2 Program, major P2 accomplishments during the reporting year, a comparison of the current year waste generation to prior years, and a description of efforts undertaken during the year to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste generated by the NNSA/NSO.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NSTec Environmental Restoration

This report summarizes the waste minimization efforts undertaken by National Security Technologies, LLC, for the U. S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO), during calendar year 2009. This report was developed in accordance with the requirements of the Nevada Test Site Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Permit (No. NEV HW0021), and as clarified in a letter dated April 21, 1995, from Paul Liebendorfer of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection to Donald Elle of the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office. The NNSA/NSO Pollution Prevention (P2) Program establishes a process to reduce the volumemore » and toxicity of waste generated by NNSA/NSO activities and ensures that proposed methods of treatment, storage, and/or disposal of waste minimize potential threats to human health and the environment. The following information provides an overview of the P2 Program, major P2 accomplishments during the reporting year, a comparison of the current year waste generation to prior years, and a description of efforts undertaken during the year to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste generated by NNSA/NSO.« less

Costs associated with the management of waste from healthcare facilities: An analysis at national and site level.

PubMed

Vaccari, Mentore; Tudor, Terry; Perteghella, Andrea

2018-01-01

Given rising spend on the provision of healthcare services, the sustainable management of waste from healthcare facilities is increasingly becoming a focus as a means of reducing public health risks and financial costs. Using data on per capita healthcare spend at the national level, as well as a case study of a hospital in Italy, this study examined the relationship between trends in waste generation and the associated costs of managing the waste. At the national level, healthcare spend as a percentage of gross domestic product positively correlated with waste arisings. At the site level, waste generation and type were linked to department type and clinical performance, with the top three highest generating departments of hazardous healthcare waste being anaesthetics (5.96 kg day -1 bed -1 ), paediatric and intensive care (3.37 kg day -1 bed -1 ) and gastroenterology-digestive endoscopy (3.09 kg day -1 bed -1 ). Annual overall waste management costs were $US5,079,191, or approximately $US2.36 kg -1 , with the management of the hazardous fraction of the waste being highest at $US3,707,939. In Italy, reduction in both waste arisings and the associated costs could be realised through various means, including improved waste segregation, and linking the TARI tax to waste generation.

Environmental management of industrial hazardous wastes in India.

PubMed

Dutta, Shantanu K; Upadhyay, V P; Sridharan, U

2006-04-01

Hazardous wastes are considered highly toxic and therefore disposal of such wastes needs proper attention so as to reduce possible environmental hazards. Industrial growth has resulted in generation of huge volume of hazardous wastes in the country. In addition to this, hazardous wastes sometimes get imported mainly from the western countries for re-processing or recycling. Inventorisation of hazardous wastes generating units in the country is not yet completed. Scientific disposal of hazardous wastes has become a major environmental issue in India. Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 have been framed by the Central Government and amended in 2000 and 2003 to deal with the hazardous wastes related environmental problems that may arise in the near future. This paper gives details about the hazardous wastes management in India. Health effects of the selected hazardous substances are also discussed in the paper.

The Integrated Waste Tracking System - A Flexible Waste Management Tool

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, Robert Stephen

2001-02-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) has fully embraced a flexible, computer-based tool to help increase waste management efficiency and integrate multiple operational functions from waste generation through waste disposition while reducing cost. The Integrated Waste Tracking System (IWTS)provides comprehensive information management for containerized waste during generation,storage, treatment, transport, and disposal. The IWTS provides all information necessary for facilities to properly manage and demonstrate regulatory compliance. As a platformindependent, client-server and Web-based inventory and compliance system, the IWTS has proven to be a successful tracking, characterization, compliance, and reporting tool that meets themore » needs of both operations and management while providing a high level of management flexibility.« less

Life cycle assessment of electronic waste treatment.

PubMed

Hong, Jinglan; Shi, Wenxiao; Wang, Yutao; Chen, Wei; Li, Xiangzhi

2015-04-01

Life cycle assessment was conducted to estimate the environmental impact of electronic waste (e-waste) treatment. E-waste recycling with an end-life disposal scenario is environmentally beneficial because of the low environmental burden generated from human toxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity, and marine ecotoxicity categories. Landfill and incineration technologies have a lower and higher environmental burden than the e-waste recycling with an end-life disposal scenario, respectively. The key factors in reducing the overall environmental impact of e-waste recycling are optimizing energy consumption efficiency, reducing wastewater and solid waste effluent, increasing proper e-waste treatment amount, avoiding e-waste disposal to landfill and incineration sites, and clearly defining the duties of all stakeholders (e.g., manufacturers, retailers, recycling companies, and consumers). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantification of construction waste prevented by BIM-based design validation: Case studies in South Korea.

PubMed

Won, Jongsung; Cheng, Jack C P; Lee, Ghang

2016-03-01

Waste generated in construction and demolition processes comprised around 50% of the solid waste in South Korea in 2013. Many cases show that design validation based on building information modeling (BIM) is an effective means to reduce the amount of construction waste since construction waste is mainly generated due to improper design and unexpected changes in the design and construction phases. However, the amount of construction waste that could be avoided by adopting BIM-based design validation has been unknown. This paper aims to estimate the amount of construction waste prevented by a BIM-based design validation process based on the amount of construction waste that might be generated due to design errors. Two project cases in South Korea were studied in this paper, with 381 and 136 design errors detected, respectively during the BIM-based design validation. Each design error was categorized according to its cause and the likelihood of detection before construction. The case studies show that BIM-based design validation could prevent 4.3-15.2% of construction waste that might have been generated without using BIM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Good Housekeeping Implementation for Improving Efficiency in Cassava Starch Industry (Case Study : Margoyoso District, Pati Regency)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aji, Wijayanto Setyo; Purwanto; Suherman, S.

2018-02-01

Cassava starch industry is one of the leading small-medium enterprises (SMEs) in Pati Regency. Cassava starch industry released waste that reduces the quantity of final product and potentially contamined the environment. This study was conducted to observe the feasibility of good housekeeping implementation to reduce waste and at the same time improve efficiency of production process. Good housekeeping opportunities are consideration by three aspect, technical, economy and environmental. Good housekeeping opportunities involved water conservation and waste reduction. These included reuse of water in washing process, improving workers awareness in drying section and packaging section. Implementation of these opportunities can reduce water consumption, reduce wastewater and solid waste generation also increased quantity of final product.

Life cycle inventory and mass-balance of municipal food waste management systems: Decision support methods beyond the waste hierarchy.

PubMed

Edwards, Joel; Othman, Maazuza; Crossin, Enda; Burn, Stewart

2017-11-01

When assessing the environmental and human health impact of a municipal food waste (FW) management system waste managers typically rely on the principles of the waste hierarchy; using metrics such as the mass or rate of waste that is 'prepared for recycling,' 'recovered for energy,' or 'sent to landfill.' These metrics measure the collection and sorting efficiency of a waste system but are incapable of determining the efficiency of a system to turn waste into a valuable resource. In this study a life cycle approach was employed using a system boundary that includes the entire waste service provision from collection to safe end-use or disposal. A life cycle inventory of seven waste management systems was calculated, including the first service wide inventory of FW management through kitchen in-sink disposal (food waste disposer). Results describe the mass, energy and water balance of each system along with key emissions profile. It was demonstrated that the energy balance can differ significantly from its' energy generation, exemplified by mechanical biological treatment, which was the best system for generating energy from waste but only 5 th best for net-energy generation. Furthermore, the energy balance of kitchen in-sink disposal was shown to be reduced because 31% of volatile solids were lost in pre-treatment. The study also confirmed that higher FW landfill diversion rates were critical for reducing many harmful emissions to air and water. Although, mass-balance analysis showed that the alternative end-use of the FW material may still contain high impact pollutants. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of an education and training intervention to reduce health care waste in a tertiary hospital in Spain.

PubMed

Mosquera, Margarita; Andrés-Prado, Maria José; Rodríguez-Caravaca, Gil; Latasa, Pello; Mosquera, Marta E G

2014-08-01

In recent decades there has been a significant increase in waste generation. Training interventions in advanced health care waste management can improve the segregation of regulated medical waste and reduce volume and costs. We carried out a quasi-experimental intervention study with before and after training session analysis to compare waste segregation. Descriptive analysis of the segregated health care waste and an evaluation of the quality of segregation were done. A comparison of monthly average waste to assess the effectiveness of the educational intervention was performed. After the intervention, there was a significant reduction in the monthly average health care waste volume of 6.2%. Statistically significant differences in the infectious waste and genotoxic/pharmaceutical waste weight segregated before and after the intervention (P < .05) were found. Because of the health care waste weight reduction and the improvement of waste classification, a savings cost of €125,205 was achieved. The health care waste management training improves biomedical waste segregation at the hospital, reducing the health care waste volume and costs as an added value. Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantifying household waste of fresh fruit and vegetables in the EU.

PubMed

De Laurentiis, Valeria; Corrado, Sara; Sala, Serenella

2018-04-11

According to national studies conducted in EU countries, fresh fruit and vegetables contribute to almost 50% of the food waste generated by households. This study presents an estimation of this waste flow, differentiating between unavoidable and avoidable waste. The calculation of these two flows serves different purposes. The first (21.1 kg per person per year) provides a measure of the amount of household waste intrinsically linked to the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, and which would still be generated even in a zero-avoidable waste future scenario. The second (14.2 kg per person per year) is a quantity that could be reduced/minimised by applying targeted prevention strategies. The unavoidable waste was assessed at product level, by considering the inedible fraction and the purchased amounts of the fifty-one most consumed fruits and vegetables in Europe. The avoidable waste was estimated at commodity group level, based on the results of national studies conducted in six EU member states. Significant differences in the amounts of avoidable and unavoidable waste generated were found across countries, due to different levels of wasteful behaviours (linked to cultural and economic factors) and different consumption patterns (influencing the amount of unavoidable waste generated). The results of this study have implications for policies both on the prevention and the management of household food waste. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

An empirical investigation of construction and demolition waste generation rates in Shenzhen city, South China.

PubMed

Lu, Weisheng; Yuan, Hongping; Li, Jingru; Hao, Jane J L; Mi, Xuming; Ding, Zhikun

2011-04-01

The construction and demolition waste generation rates (C&D WGRs) is an important factor in decision-making and management of material waste in any construction site. The present study investigated WGRs by conducting on-site waste sorting and weighing in four ongoing construction projects in Shenzhen city of South China. The results revealed that WGRs ranged from 3.275 to 8.791 kg/m(2) and miscellaneous waste, timber for formwork and falsework, and concrete were the three largest components amongst the generated waste. Based on the WGRs derived from the research, the paper also discussed the main causes of waste in the construction industry and attempted to connect waste generation with specific construction practices. It was recommended that measures mainly including performing waste sorting at source, employing skilful workers, uploading and storing materials properly, promoting waste management capacity, replacing current timber formwork with metal formwork and launching an incentive reward program to encourage waste reduction could be potential solutions to reducing current WGRs in Shenzhen. Although these results were derived from a relatively small sample and so cannot justifiably be generalized, they do however add to the body of knowledge that is currently available for understanding the status of the art of C&D waste management in China. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RESULTS OF INITIAL AMMONIA OXIDATION TESTING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nash, C.; Fowley, M.

This memo presents an experimental survey of aqueous phase chemical processes to remove aqueous ammonia from waste process streams. Ammonia is generated in both the current Hanford waste flowsheet and in future waste processing. Much ammonia will be generated in the Low Activity Waste (LAW) melters.i Testing with simulants in glass melters at Catholic University has demonstrated the significant ammonia production.ii The primary reaction there is the reducing action of sugar on nitrate in the melter cold cap. Ammonia has been found to be a problem in secondary waste stabilization. Ammonia vapors are noxious and destruction of ammonia could reducemore » hazards to waste treatment process personnel. It is easily evolved especially when ammonia-bearing solutions are adjusted to high pH.« less

Combustion Of Poultry-Derived Fuel in a CFBC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Lufei; Anthony, Edward J.

Poultry farming generates large quantities of waste. Current disposal practice is to spread the poultry wastes onto farmland as fertilizer. However, as the factory farms for poultry grow both in numbers and size, the amount of poultry wastes generated has increased significandy in recent years. In consequence, excessive application of poultry wastes on farmland is resulting in more and more contaminants entering the surface water. One of the options being considered is the use of poultry waste as power plant fuel. Since poultry-derived fuel (PDF) is biomass, its co-firing will have the added advantage of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from power generation. To evaluate the combustion characteristics of co-firing PDF with coal, combustion tests of mixtures of coal and PDF were conducted in CanmetENERGY's pilot-scale CFBC. The goal of the tests was to verify that PDF can be co-fired with coal and, more importantly, that emissions from the combustion process are not adversely affected by the presence of PDF in the fuel feed. The test results were very promising and support the view that co-firing in an existing coal-fired CFBC is an effective method of utilizing this potential fuel, both resolving a potential waste disposal problem and reducing the amount of CO2 released by the boiler.

VITRIFICATION SYSTEM FOR THE TREATMENT OF PLUTONIUM-BEARING WASTE AT LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

R. NAKAOKA; G. VEAZEY; ET AL

2001-05-01

A glove box vitrification system is being fabricated to process aqueous evaporator bottom waste generated at the Plutonium Facility (TA-55) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The system will be the first within the U.S. Department of Energy Complex to routinely convert Pu{sup 239}-bearing transuranic (TRU) waste to a glass matrix for eventual disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Currently at LANL, this waste is solidified in Portland cement. Radionuclide loading in the cementation process is restricted by potential radiolytic degradation (expressed as a wattage limit), which has been imposed to prevent the accumulation of flammable concentrations ofmore » H{sub 2} within waste packages. Waste matrixes with a higher water content (e.g., cement) are assigned a lower permissible wattage limit to compensate for their potential higher generation of H{sub 2}. This significantly increases the number of waste packages that must be prepared and shipped, thus driving up the costs of waste handling and disposal. The glove box vitrification system that is under construction will address this limitation. Because the resultant glass matrix produced by the vitrification process is non-hydrogenous, no H{sub 2} can be radiolytically evolved, and drums could be loaded to the maximum allowable limit of 40 watts. In effect, the glass waste form shifts the limiting constraint for loading disposal drums from wattage to the criticality limit of 200 fissile gram equivalents, thus significantly reducing the number of drums generated from this waste stream. It is anticipated that the number of drums generated from treatment of evaporator bottoms will be reduced by a factor of 4 annually when the vitrification system is operational. The system is currently undergoing non-radioactive operability testing, and will be fully operational in the year 2003.« less

Wastes and by-products - alternatives for agricultural use

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boles, J.L.; Craft, D.J.; Parker, B.R.

1994-10-01

Top address a growing national problem with generation of wastes and by-products, TVA has been involved for several years with developing and commercializing environmentally responsible practices for eliminating, minimizing, or utilizing various wastes/by-products. In many cases, reducing waste generation is impractical, but the wastes/by-products can be converted into other environmentally sound products. In some instances, conversion of safe, value-added agricultural products in the best or only practical alternative. TVA is currently involved with a diversity of projects converting wastes/by-products into safe, economical, and agriculturally beneficial products. Environmental improvement projects have involved poultry litter, cellulosic wastes, used battery acid, ammonium sulfatemore » fines, lead smelting effluents, deep-welled sulfuric acid/ammonium bisulfate solutions, wood ash, waste magnesium ammonium sulfate slurry from recording tape production, and ammunition plant waste sodium nitrate/ammonium nitrate streams.« less

A system dynamics approach for healthcare waste management: a case study in Istanbul Metropolitan City, Turkey.

PubMed

Ciplak, Nesli; Barton, John R

2012-06-01

Healthcare waste consists of various types of waste materials generated at hospitals, medical research centres, clinics and laboratories. Although 75-90% of this waste is classified as 'domestic' in nature, 20-25% is deemed to be hazardous, which if not disposed of appropriately, poses a risk to healthcare workers, patients, the environment and even the whole community. As long as healthcare waste is mixed with municipal waste and not segregated prior to disposal, costs will increase substantially. In this study, healthcare waste increases along with the potential to decrease the amounts by implementing effective segregation at healthcare facilities are projected to 2040. Our long-term aim is to develop a system to support selection and planning of the future treatment capacity. Istanbul in Turkey was used as the case study area. In order to identify the factors affecting healthcare waste generation in Istanbul, observations were made and interviews conducted in Istanbul over a 3 month period. A system dynamics approach was adopted to build a healthcare waste management model using a software package, Vensim Ple Plus. Based on reported analysis, the non-hazardous municipal fraction co-disposed with healthcare waste is around 65%. Using the projected waste generation flows, reducing a municipal fraction to 30% has the potential to avoid some 8000 t year(-1) of healthcare waste by 2025 and almost 10 000 t year(-1) by 2035. Furthermore, if segregation practices ensured healthcare waste requiring incineration was also selectively managed, 77% of healthcare waste could be diverted to alternative treatment technologies. As the throughput capacity of the only existing healthcare waste treatment facility in Istanbul, Kemerburgaz Incinerator, has already been exceeded, it is evident that improved management could not only reduce overall flows and costs but also permit alternative and cheaper treatment systems (e.g. autoclaving) to be adopted for the healthcare waste.

Comparing the greenhouse gas emissions from three alternative waste combustion concepts.

PubMed

Vainikka, Pasi; Tsupari, Eemeli; Sipilä, Kai; Hupa, Mikko

2012-03-01

Three alternative condensing mode power and combined heat and power (CHP) waste-to-energy concepts were compared in terms of their impacts on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from a heat and power generation system. The concepts included (i) grate, (ii) bubbling fluidised bed (BFB) and (iii) circulating fluidised bed (CFB) combustion of waste. The BFB and CFB take advantage of advanced combustion technology which enabled them to reach electric efficiency up to 35% and 41% in condensing mode, respectively, whereas 28% (based on the lower heating value) was applied for the grate fired unit. A simple energy system model was applied in calculating the GHG emissions in different scenarios where coal or natural gas was substituted in power generation and mix of fuel oil and natural gas in heat generation by waste combustion. Landfilling and waste transportation were not considered in the model. GHG emissions were reduced significantly in all of the considered scenarios where the waste combustion concepts substituted coal based power generation. With the exception of condensing mode grate incinerator the different waste combustion scenarios resulted approximately in 1 Mton of fossil CO(2)-eq. emission reduction per 1 Mton of municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerated. When natural gas based power generation was substituted by electricity from the waste combustion significant GHG emission reductions were not achieved. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solid waste management in Asian countries: a review of solid waste minimisation (3'r) towards low carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, N. E.; Sion, H. C.

2014-02-01

The amount of solid-waste generated in Asian countries has increased tremendously, mainly due to the improvement in living standards, rapid developments in technology, growth in economy and population in the cities. Solid waste management is a global issue and major challenge facing Asian countries and neglecting its management may have negative consequences on the environment. Waste composition data proves the developed countries to have generated more recyclable materials while developing countries produce more organic and less recyclable waste such as paper, plastic and aluminium. In this regard, increase in number of landfills and disposal sites, will have an impact on GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and pollutants to air and water. Alternative methods should therefore be taken to reduce the volume of waste. Most Asian countries have adopted the 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) concept in order to reduce solid waste and their governments have implemented laws and regulations in order to support this. Implementation of 3R is the major contributor to the solid waste minimization and it can improve the quality of environmental sustainability and reduction of carbon dioxide emission in to the atmosphere. Based on our review, most of the countries practicing the 3R concept in tandem with laws and regulations perform better than those that just practice the 3R concept without any laws and regulations. The paper suggests that every country must focus on the laws and regulations relating to solid waste minimization so that it could be easily implemented as outlined.

Waste generated in high-rise buildings construction: a quantification model based on statistical multiple regression.

PubMed

Parisi Kern, Andrea; Ferreira Dias, Michele; Piva Kulakowski, Marlova; Paulo Gomes, Luciana

2015-05-01

Reducing construction waste is becoming a key environmental issue in the construction industry. The quantification of waste generation rates in the construction sector is an invaluable management tool in supporting mitigation actions. However, the quantification of waste can be a difficult process because of the specific characteristics and the wide range of materials used in different construction projects. Large variations are observed in the methods used to predict the amount of waste generated because of the range of variables involved in construction processes and the different contexts in which these methods are employed. This paper proposes a statistical model to determine the amount of waste generated in the construction of high-rise buildings by assessing the influence of design process and production system, often mentioned as the major culprits behind the generation of waste in construction. Multiple regression was used to conduct a case study based on multiple sources of data of eighteen residential buildings. The resulting statistical model produced dependent (i.e. amount of waste generated) and independent variables associated with the design and the production system used. The best regression model obtained from the sample data resulted in an adjusted R(2) value of 0.694, which means that it predicts approximately 69% of the factors involved in the generation of waste in similar constructions. Most independent variables showed a low determination coefficient when assessed in isolation, which emphasizes the importance of assessing their joint influence on the response (dependent) variable. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influencing factors of domestic waste characteristics in rural areas of developing countries.

PubMed

Han, Zhiyong; Liu, Yong; Zhong, Min; Shi, Guozhong; Li, Qibin; Zeng, Dan; Zhang, Yu; Fei, Yongqiang; Xie, Yanhua

2018-02-01

Waste management in rural areas has become a major challenge for governments of developing countries. The success of waste management decisions directly lies in the accuracy and reliability of the data on which choices are based; many factors influence these data. Here, we examined the factors influencing domestic waste in rural areas of developing countries (RADIC), using both field surveys and by reviewing previous literature. The social factors included population, education and culture. There was a positive linear relationship between waste generation amount and population size (R 2  = 0.9405). Environmental education, training and demonstration projects played a positive role in improving people's awareness of the benefits of recycling and reducing waste. Traditional and national cultures, consumption and living habits contributed to variations in the generation and composition of domestic waste. Generally, practices related to conservation of and reverence for nature and green consumption encourage people to reduce, reuse and recycle waste in their daily life. Economic factors included household income and expenditure, energy and fuel structure, and types of industry that occurred in villages. A Kuznets inverted "U" curve relationship existed between domestic waste generation and people's income in rural areas of China. However, the waste generation rate had a linear relationship with the gross national income per capita in RADIC. The composition, bulk density and calorific value of domestic waste were variously affected by the energy and fuel structure and the types of industry that occurred. The natural factors included geography and climate (including rainfall, humidity, temperature and harvest seasons). The moisture content of waste was directly influenced by rainfall and humidity. Temperature affected waste characteristics by influencing residential heating modes. The waste characteristics were also influenced by the mixing of agricultural and aquacultural waste into domestic waste in the harvesting season. In different geographies, significant differences of domestic waste characteristics were observed as a result of comprehensive effects caused by multiple factors. Other factors included the administrative levels of communities and survey methods. The characteristics of domestic waste in towns or central villages were similar with those in cities, but were different from those in common villages (the smallest type of community). The domestic waste sampled in households indicated a lower rate of generation and lower ash content than when the waste was sampled at transfer stations or dumping sites. Based on the above analysis, the factors influencing domestic waste must be considered in order to optimize the design of waste management strategies in the RADIC. Furthermore, it is valuable and important to obtain more accurate data about waste characteristics. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Pyrolysis and co-composting of municipal organic waste in Bangladesh: A quantitative estimate of recyclable nutrients, greenhouse gas emissions, and economic benefits.

PubMed

Mia, Shamim; Uddin, Md Ektear; Kader, Md Abdul; Ahsan, Amimul; Mannan, M A; Hossain, Mohammad Monjur; Solaiman, Zakaria M

2018-05-01

Waste causes environmental pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when it is not managed sustainably. In Bangladesh, municipal organic waste (MOW) is partially collected and landfilled. Thus, it causes deterioration of the environment urging a recycle-oriented waste management system. In this study, we propose a waste management system through pyrolysis of selective MOW for biochar production and composting of the remainder with biochar as an additive. We estimated the carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) recycling potentials in the new techniques of waste management. Waste generation of a city was calculated using population density and per capita waste generation rate (PWGR). Two indicators of economic development, i.e., gross domestic product (GDP) and per capita gross national income (GNI) were used to adopt PWGR with a projected contribution of 5-20% to waste generation. The projected PWGR was then validated with a survey. The waste generation from urban areas of Bangladesh in 2016 was estimated between 15,507 and 15,888 t day -1 with a large share (∼75%) of organic waste. Adoption of the proposed system could produce 3936 t day -1 biochar blended compost with an annual return of US $210 million in 2016 while it could reduce GHG emission substantially (-503 CO 2 e t -1 municipal waste). Moreover, the proposed system would able to recover ∼46%, 54%, 54% and 61% of total C, N, P and K content in the initial waste, respectively. We also provide a projection of waste generation and nutrient recycling potentials for the year 2035. The proposed method could be a self-sustaining policy option for waste management as it would generate ∼US$51 from each tonne of waste. Moreover, a significant amount of nutrients can be recycled to agriculture while contributing to the reduction in environmental pollution and GHG emission. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fresh, frozen, or ambient food equivalents and their impact on food waste generation in Dutch households.

PubMed

Janssen, Anke M; Nijenhuis-de Vries, Mariska A; Boer, Eric P J; Kremer, Stefanie

2017-09-01

In Europe, it is estimated that more than 50% of total food waste - of which most is avoidable - is generated at household level. Little attention has been paid to the impact on food waste generation of consuming food products that differ in their method of food preservation. This exploratory study surveyed product-specific possible impacts of different methods of food preservation on food waste generation in Dutch households. To this end, a food waste index was calculated to enable relative comparisons of the amounts of food waste from the same type of foods with different preservation methods on an annual basis. The results show that, for the majority of frozen food equivalents, smaller amounts were wasted compared to their fresh or ambient equivalents. The waste index (WI) proposed in the current paper confirms the hypothesis that it may be possible to reduce the amount of food waste at household level by encouraging Dutch consumers to use (certain) foods more frequently in a frozen form (instead of fresh or ambient). However, before this approach can be scaled to population level, a more detailed understanding of the underlying behavioural causes with regard to food provisioning and handling and possible interactions is required. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Bio-Medical Waste Managment in a Tertiary Care Hospital: An Overview.

PubMed

Pandey, Anita; Ahuja, Sanjiv; Madan, Molly; Asthana, Ajay Kumar

2016-11-01

Bio-Medical Waste (BMW) management is of utmost importance as its improper management poses serious threat to health care workers, waste handlers, patients, care givers, community and finally the environment. Simultaneously, the health care providers should know the quantity of waste generated in their facility and try to reduce the waste generation in day-to-day work because lesser amount of BMW means a lesser burden on waste disposal work and cost saving. To have an overview of management of BMW in a tertiary care teaching hospital so that effective interventions and implementations can be carried out for better outcome. The observational study was carried out over a period of five months from January 2016 to May 2016 in Chhatrapati Shivaji Subharti Hospital, Meerut by the Infection Control Team (ICT). Assessment of knowledge was carried out by asking set of questions individually and practice regarding awareness of BMW Management among the Health Care Personnel (HCP) was carried out by direct observation in the workplace. Further, the total BMW generated from the present setup in kilogram per bed per day was calculated by dividing the mean waste generated per day by the number of occupied beds. Segregation of BMW was being done at the site of generation in almost all the areas of the hospital in color coded polythene bags as per the hospital protocol. The different types of waste being collected were infectious solid waste in red bag, soiled infectious waste in yellow bag and sharp waste in puncture proof container and blue bag. Though awareness (knowledge) about segregation of BMW was seen in 90% of the HCP, 30%-35% did not practice. Out of the total waste generated (57912 kg.), 8686.8 kg. (15%) was infectious waste. Average infectious waste generated was 0.341 Kg per bed per day. The transport, treatment and disposal of each collected waste were outsourced and carried out by 'Synergy' waste management Pvt. Ltd. The practice of BMW Management was lacking in 30-35% HCP which may lead to mixing of the 15% infectious waste with the remaining non-infectious. Therefore, training courses and awareness programs about BMW management will be carried out every month targeting smaller groups.

How practice contributes to trolley food waste. A qualitative study among staff involved in serving meals to hospital patients.

PubMed

Ofei, K T; Holst, M; Rasmussen, H H; Mikkelsen, B E

2014-12-01

This study investigated the generation of trolley food waste at the ward level in a hospital in order to provide recommendations for how practice could be changed to reduce food waste. Three separate focus group discussions were held with four nurses, four dietitians and four service assistants engaged in food service. Furthermore, single qualitative interviews were conducted with a nurse, a dietitian and two service assistants. Observations of procedures around trolley food serving were carried out during lunch and supper for a total of 10 weekdays in two different wards. All unserved food items discarded as waste were weighed after each service. Analysis of interview and observation data revealed five key themes. The findings indicate that trolley food waste generation is a practice embedded within the limitations related to the procedures of meal ordering. This includes portion size choices and delivery, communication, tools for menu information, portioning and monitoring of food waste, as well as the use of unserved food. Considering positive changes to these can be a way forward to develop strategies to reduce trolley food waste at the ward level. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioelectrochemical Integration of Waste Heat Recovery, Waste-to- Energy Conversion, and Waste-to-Chemical Conversion with Industrial Gas and Chemical Manufacturing Processes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mac Dougall, James

2016-02-05

Many U.S. manufacturing facilities generate unrecovered, low-grade waste heat, and also generate or are located near organic-content waste effluents. Bioelectrochemical systems, such as microbial fuel cells and microbial electrolysis cells, provide a means to convert organic-content effluents into electric power and useful chemical products. A novel biochemical electrical system for industrial manufacturing processes uniquely integrates both waste heat recovery and waste effluent conversion, thereby significantly reducing manufacturing energy requirements. This project will enable the further development of this technology so that it can be applied across a wide variety of US manufacturing segments, including the chemical, food, pharmaceutical, refinery, andmore » pulp and paper industries. It is conservatively estimated that adoption of this technology could provide nearly 40 TBtu/yr of energy, or more than 1% of the U.S. total industrial electricity use, while reducing CO 2 emissions by more than 6 million tons per year. Commercialization of this technology will make a significant contribution to DOE’s Industrial Technology Program goals for doubling energy efficiency and providing a more robust and competitive domestic manufacturing base.« less

A U-bearing composite waste form for electrochemical processing wastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, X.; Ebert, W. L.; Indacochea, J. E.

2018-04-01

Metallic/ceramic composite waste forms are being developed to immobilize combined metallic and oxide waste streams generated during electrochemical recycling of used nuclear fuel. Composites were made for corrosion testing by reacting HT9 steel to represent fuel cladding, Zr and Mo to simulate metallic fuel waste, and a mixture of ZrO2, Nd2O3, and UO2 to represent oxide wastes. More than half of the added UO2 was reduced to metal and formed Fe-Zr-U intermetallics and most of the remaining UO2 and all of the Nd2O3 reacted to form zirconates. Fe-Cr-Mo intermetallics were also formed. Microstructure characterization of the intermetallic and ceramic phases that were generated and tests conducted to evaluate their corrosion behaviors indicate composite waste forms can accommodate both metallic and oxidized waste streams in durable host phases.

A U-bearing composite waste form for electrochemical processing wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, X.; Ebert, W. L.; Indacochea, J. E.

Metallic/ceramic composite waste forms are being developed to immobilize combined metallic and oxide waste streams generated during electrochemical recycling of used nuclear fuel. Composites were made for corrosion testing by reacting HT9 steel to represent fuel cladding, Zr and Mo to simulate metallic fuel waste, and a mixture of ZrO2, Nd2O3, and UO2 to represent oxide wastes. More than half of the added UO2 was reduced to metal and formed Fe-Zr-U intermetallics and most of the remaining UO2 and all of the Nd2O3 reacted to form zirconates. Fe-Cr-Mo intermetallics were also formed. Microstructure characterization of the intermetallic and ceramic phasesmore » that were generated and tests conducted to evaluate their corrosion behaviors indicate composite waste forms can accommodate both metallic and oxidized waste streams in durable host phases. (c) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.« less

Independent Power Generation in a Modern Electrical Substation Based on Thermoelectric Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Z. M.; Zhao, Y. Q.; Liu, W.; Wei, B.; Qiu, M.; Lai, X. K.

2017-05-01

Because of many types of electrical equipment with high power in substations, the potentiality of energy conservation is quite large. From this viewpoint, thermoelectric materials may be chosen to produce electrical energy using the waste heat produced in substations. Hence, a thermoelectric generation system which can recycle the waste heat from electric transformers was proposed to improve the energy efficiency and reduce the burden of the oil cooling system. An experimental prototype was fabricated to perform the experiment and to verify the feasibility. The experimental results showed that the output power could achieve 16 W from waste heat of 900 W, and that the power conversion efficiency was approximately 1.8%. Therefore, power generation is feasible by using the waste heat from the transformers based on thermoelectric technology.

Environmental, technical and technological aspects of hazardous waste management in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pyssa, Justyna

2017-10-01

The issue of recovery and disposal of hazardous waste is not a new concern. The waste comes from various processes and technologies and therefore the bigger emphasis should be placed on reducing quantities of generated hazardous waste (which is often connected with changes in the technology of manufacturing a given product) and limitation of their negative influence on natural environment. Plants specializing in waste processing processes should meet the so-called cardinal triad of conditions deciding on the full success of investment, and namely: economic effectiveness, ecological efficiency and social acceptance. The structure of generation of hazardous waste in EU-28 has been presented in the paper. Methods of hazardous waste disposal in Poland have been discussed. Economic and ecological criteria for the selection of technology of hazardous waste disposal have been analyzed. The influence of the hazardous waste on the environment is also presented. For four groups of waste, which are currently stored, alternative methods of disposal have been proposed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lewis, M.S.

The Barnwell Waste Management Facility (BWMF) is scheduled to restrict access to waste generators outside of the Atlantic Compact (SC, CT, NJ) on July 1, 2008. South Carolina, authorized under the Low-Level Waste Policy Act of 1980 and Amendments Act of 1985, and in agreement with the other Atlantic Compact states, will only accept Class A, B, and C low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) generated within compact. For many years, the BWMF has been the only LLRW disposal facility to accept Class B and C waste from LLRW generators throughout the country, except those that have access to the Northwest Compactmore » Site. Many Class B/C waste generators consider this to be a national crisis situation requiring interim or possible permanent storage, changes in operation, significant cost impacts, and/or elimination of services, especially in the health care and non-power generation industries. With proper in-house waste management practices and utilization of commercial processor services, a national crisis can be avoided, although some generators with specific waste forms or radionuclides will remain without options. In summary: It is unknown what the future will bring for commercial LLRW disposal. Could the anticipated post Barnwell Class B/C crisis be avoided by any of the following? - Barnwell Site remains open for the nation's commercial Class B/C waste; - Richland Site opens back up to the nation for commercial Class B/C waste; - Texas Site opens up to the nation for commercial Class B/C waste; - Federal Government intervenes by keeping a commercial Class B/C site open for the nation's commercial Class B/C waste; - Federal Government makes a DOE site available for commercial Class B/C waste; - Federal Government revisits the LLRW Policy Act of 1980 and Amendments Act of 1985. Without a future LLRW site capable of accepting Class B/C currently on the horizon, commercial LLRW generators are faced with waste volume elimination, reduction, or storage. With proper in-house waste management practices, utilization of commercial processor services and regulatory relief, a national crisis can be avoided. Waste volumes for storage can be reduced to as little as 10% of the current Class B/C volume. Although a national LLRW crisis can be avoided, some generators with specific waste forms or radionuclides will have a significant financial and/or operational impact due to a lack of commercial LLRW management options. (authors)« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cozzi, A.; Johnson, F.

Production of Mo-99 for medical isotope use is being investigated using dissolved low enriched uranium (LEU) fissioned using an accelerator driven process. With the production and separation of Mo-99, a low level waste stream will be generated. Since the production facility is a commercial endeavor, waste disposition paths normally available for federally generated radioactive waste may not be available. Disposal sites for commercially generated low level waste are available, and consideration to the waste acceptance criteria (WAC) of the disposal site should be integral in flowsheet development for the Mo-99 production. Pending implementation of the “Uranium Lease and Take-Back Programmore » for Irradiation for Production of Molybdenum-99 for Medical Use” as directed by the American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2012, there are limited options for disposing of the waste generated by the production of Mo-99 using an accelerator. The commission of a trade study to assist in the determination of the most favorable balance of production throughput and waste management should be undertaken. The use of a waste broker during initial operations of a facility has several benefits that can offset the cost associated with using a subcontractor. As the facility matures, the development of in-house capabilities can be expanded to incrementally reduce the dependence on a subcontractor.« less

Analysis and forecasting of municipal solid waste in Nankana City using geo-spatial techniques.

PubMed

Mahmood, Shakeel; Sharif, Faiza; Rahman, Atta-Ur; Khan, Amin U

2018-04-11

The objective of this study was to analyze and forecast municipal solid waste (MSW) in Nankana City (NC), District Nankana, Province of Punjab, Pakistan. The study is based on primary data acquired through a questionnaire, Global Positioning System (GPS), and direct waste sampling and analysis. Inverse distance weighting (IDW) technique was applied to geo-visualize the spatial trend of MSW generation. Analysis revealed that the total MSW generated was 12,419,636 kg/annum (12,419.64 t) or 34,026.4 kg/day (34.03 t), or 0.46 kg/capita/day (kg/cap/day). The average wastes generated per day by studied households, clinics, hospitals, and hotels were 3, 7.5, 20, and 15 kg, respectively. The residential sector was the top producer with 95.5% (32,511 kg/day) followed by commercial sector 1.9% (665 kg/day). On average, high-income and low-income households were generating waste of 4.2 kg/household/day (kg/hh/day) and 1.7 kg/hh/day, respectively. Similarly, large-size families were generating more (4.4 kg/hh/day) waste than small-size families (1.8 kg/hh/day). The physical constituents of MSW generated in the study area with a population of about 70,000 included paper (7%); compostable matter (61%); plastics (9%); fine earth, ashes, ceramics, and stones (20.4%); and others (2.6%).The spatial trend of MSW generation varies; city center has a high rate of generation and towards periphery generation lowers. Based on the current population growth and MSW generation rate, NC is expected to generate 2.8 times more waste by the year 2050.This is imperative to develop a proper solid waste management plan to reduce the risk of environmental degradation and protect human health. This study provides insights into MSW generation rate, physical composition, and forecasting which are vital in its management strategies.

Bioenergy Potential from Food Waste in California.

PubMed

Breunig, Hanna M; Jin, Ling; Robinson, Alastair; Scown, Corinne D

2017-02-07

Food waste makes up approximately 15% of municipal solid waste generated in the United States, and 95% of food waste is ultimately landfilled. Its bioavailable carbon and nutrient content makes it a major contributor to landfill methane emissions, but also presents an important opportunity for energy recovery. This paper presents the first detailed analysis of monthly food waste generation in California at a county level, and its potential contribution to the state's energy production. Scenarios that rely on excess capacity at existing anaerobic digester (AD) and solid biomass combustion facilities, and alternatives that allow for new facility construction, are developed and modeled. Potential monthly electricity generation from the conversion of gross food waste using a combination of AD and combustion varies from 420 to 700 MW, averaging 530 MW. At least 66% of gross high moisture solids and 23% of gross low moisture solids can be treated using existing county infrastructure, and this fraction increases to 99% of high moisture solids and 55% of low moisture solids if waste can be shipped anywhere within the state. Biogas flaring practices at AD facilities can reduce potential energy production by 10 to 40%.

Anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste: Technical developments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rivard, C.J.

1996-01-01

The anaerobic biogasification of organic wastes generates two useful products: a medium-Btu fuel gas and a compost-quality organic residue. Although commercial-scale digestion systems are used to treat municipal sewage wastes, the disposal of solid organic wastes, including municipal solid wastes (MSW), requires a more cost-efficient process. Modern biogasification systems employ high-rate, high-solids fermentation methods to improve process efficiency and reduce capital costs. The design criteria and development stages are discussed. These systems are also compared with conventional low-solids fermentation technology.

Critical management practices influencing on-site waste minimization in construction projects.

PubMed

Ajayi, Saheed O; Oyedele, Lukumon O; Bilal, Muhammad; Akinade, Olugbenga O; Alaka, Hafiz A; Owolabi, Hakeem A

2017-01-01

As a result of increasing recognition of effective site management as the strategic approach for achieving the required performance in construction projects, this study seeks to identify the key site management practices that are requisite for construction waste minimization. A mixed methods approach, involving field study and survey research were used as means of data collection. After confirmation of construct validity and reliability of scale, data analysis was carried out through a combination of Kruskal-Wallis test, descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis. The study suggests that site management functions could significantly reduce waste generation through strict adherence to project drawings, and by ensuring fewer or no design changes during construction process. Provision of waste skips for specific materials and maximisation of on-site reuse of materials are also found to be among the key factors for engendering waste minimization. The result of factor analysis suggests four factors underlying on-site waste management practices with 96.093% of total variance. These measures include contractual provisions for waste minimization, waste segregation, maximisation of materials reuse and effective logistic management. Strategies through which each of the underlying measures could be achieved are further discussed in the paper. Findings of this study would assist construction site managers and other site operatives in reducing waste generated by construction activities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Overview of Food Loss and Waste: why does it Matter?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Purabi R.; Sharma, Shashi B.; Haigh, Yvonne T.; Evers, A. L. Barbara; Ho, Goen

2015-10-01

This paper provides an overview of food waste in the context of food security, resources management and environment health. It compares approaches taken by various governments, community groups, civil societies and private sector organisations to reduce food waste in the developed and developing countries. What constitutes ‘food waste’ is not as simple as it may appear due to diverse food waste measurement protocols and different data documentation methods used worldwide. There is a need to improve food waste data collection methods and implementation of effective strategies, policies and actions to reduce food waste. Global initiatives are urgently needed to: enhance awareness of the value of food; encourage countries to develop policies that motivate community and businesses to reduce food waste; encourage and provide assistance to needy countries for improving markets, transport and storage infrastructure to minimise food waste across the value chain; and, develop incentives that encourage businesses to donate food. In some countries, particularly in Europe, initiatives on food waste management have started to gain momentum. Food waste is a global problem and it needs urgent attention and integrated actions of stakeholders across the food value chain to develop global solutions for the present and future generations.

Considerations for Net Zero Waste Installations: Treatment of Municipal Solid Waste

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

plastic) containers or reusable drink containers (such as thermoses) can reduce the amount of metals in the waste stream. Foun- tain drink loyalty ...alternatives are needed to give customers outlets to safely dispose of unwanted HHHW. Periodic turn-in days can be valuable for this pur- pose... restaurants , schools, hospitals, and dining halls) and family housing areas where food waste is continually generated. ERDC/CERL TR-15-21 24

Doing the impossible: Recycling nuclear waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2009-01-01

A Science Channel feature explores how Argonne techniques could be used to safely reduce the amount of radioactive waste generated by nuclear power—the most plentiful carbon-neutral energy source. Read more at http://www.anl.gov/Media_Center/ArgonneNow/Fall_2009/nuclear.html

Reduce--recycle--reuse: guidelines for promoting perioperative waste management.

PubMed

Laustsen, Gary

2007-04-01

The perioperative environment generates large amounts of waste, which negatively affects local and global ecosystems. To manage this waste health care facility leaders must focus on identifying correctable issues, work with relevant stakeholders to promote solutions, and adopt systematic procedural changes. Nurses and managers can moderate negative environmental effects by promoting reduction, recycling, and reuse of materials in the perioperative setting.

One project`s waste is another project`s resource

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Short, J.

1997-02-01

The author describes the efforts being made toward pollution prevention within the DOE complex, as a way to reduce overall project costs, in addition to decreasing the amount of waste to be handled. Pollution prevention is a concept which is trying to be ingrained into project planning. Part of the program involves the concept that ultimately the responsibility for waste comes back to the generator. Parts of the program involve efforts to reuse materials and equipment on new projects, to recycle wastes to generate offsetting revenue, and to increase awareness, accountability and incentives so as to stimulate action on thismore » plan. Summaries of examples are presented in tables.« less

Bio-Medical Waste Managment in a Tertiary Care Hospital: An Overview

PubMed Central

Ahuja, Sanjiv; Madan, Molly; Asthana, Ajay Kumar

2016-01-01

Introduction Bio-Medical Waste (BMW) management is of utmost importance as its improper management poses serious threat to health care workers, waste handlers, patients, care givers, community and finally the environment. Simultaneously, the health care providers should know the quantity of waste generated in their facility and try to reduce the waste generation in day-to-day work because lesser amount of BMW means a lesser burden on waste disposal work and cost saving. Aim To have an overview of management of BMW in a tertiary care teaching hospital so that effective interventions and implementations can be carried out for better outcome. Materials and Methods The observational study was carried out over a period of five months from January 2016 to May 2016 in Chhatrapati Shivaji Subharti Hospital, Meerut by the Infection Control Team (ICT). Assessment of knowledge was carried out by asking set of questions individually and practice regarding awareness of BMW Management among the Health Care Personnel (HCP) was carried out by direct observation in the workplace. Further, the total BMW generated from the present setup in kilogram per bed per day was calculated by dividing the mean waste generated per day by the number of occupied beds. Results Segregation of BMW was being done at the site of generation in almost all the areas of the hospital in color coded polythene bags as per the hospital protocol. The different types of waste being collected were infectious solid waste in red bag, soiled infectious waste in yellow bag and sharp waste in puncture proof container and blue bag. Though awareness (knowledge) about segregation of BMW was seen in 90% of the HCP, 30%-35% did not practice. Out of the total waste generated (57912 kg.), 8686.8 kg. (15%) was infectious waste. Average infectious waste generated was 0.341 Kg per bed per day. The transport, treatment and disposal of each collected waste were outsourced and carried out by ‘Synergy’ waste management Pvt. Ltd. Conclusion The practice of BMW Management was lacking in 30-35% HCP which may lead to mixing of the 15% infectious waste with the remaining non-infectious. Therefore, training courses and awareness programs about BMW management will be carried out every month targeting smaller groups. PMID:28050362

A system dynamics-based environmental performance simulation of construction waste reduction management in China.

PubMed

Ding, Zhikun; Yi, Guizhen; Tam, Vivian W Y; Huang, Tengyue

2016-05-01

A huge amount of construction waste has been generated from increasingly higher number of construction activities than in the past, which has significant negative impacts on the environment if they are not properly managed. Therefore, effective construction waste management is of primary importance for future sustainable development. Based on the theory of planned behaviors, this paper develops a system dynamic model of construction waste reduction management at the construction phase to simulate the environmental benefits of construction waste reduction management. The application of the proposed model is shown using a case study in Shenzhen, China. Vensim is applied to simulate and analyze the model. The simulation results indicate that source reduction is an effective waste reduction measure which can reduce 27.05% of the total waste generation. Sorting behaviors are a premise for improving the construction waste recycling and reuse rates which account for 15.49% of the total waste generated. The environmental benefits of source reduction outweigh those of sorting behaviors. Therefore, to achieve better environmental performance of the construction waste reduction management, attention should be paid to source reduction such as low waste technologies and on-site management performance. In the meantime, sorting behaviors encouragement such as improving stakeholders' waste awareness, refining regulations, strengthening government supervision and controlling illegal dumping should be emphasized. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Life cycle assessment of ship-generated waste management of Luka Koper

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zuin, Stefano, E-mail: sz.cvr@vegapark.ve.i; Belac, Elvis; Marzi, Boris

2009-12-15

Sea ports and the related maritime activities (e.g. shipping, shipbuilding, etc.) are one of the main driver of Europe's growth, jobs, competitiveness and prosperity. The continuously growth of shipping sectors has however introduced some environmental concerns, particularly with respect to ship-generated waste management. The port of Koper, one of the major ports on the northern Adriatic Coast, is the focus of this study. In this paper, a life cycle assessment was performed to identify and quantify the environmental impacts caused by the ship-generated waste management of port of Koper. Carcinogens substance (e.g. dioxins) and inorganic emissions, especially heavy metals, resultedmore » to be the most critical environmental issues, while the fossil fuels consumption is reduced by recovery of ship-generated oils. Moreover, the final treatment of ship waste was found to be critical phase of the management, and the landfill have a significant contribute to the overall environmental load. These results can be useful in the identification of the best practices and in the implementation of waste management plans in ports.« less

PROCESS SIMULATION TOOLS FOR POLLUTION PREVENTION: NEW METHODS REDUCE THE MAGNITUDE OF WASTE STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

Growing environmental concerns have spurred considerable interest in pollution prevention. In most instances, pollution prevention involves introducing radical changes to the design of processes so that waste generation is minimized. Process simulators can be effective tools in a...

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Synthesis by Spirulina sp. LEB 18 Using Biopolymer Extraction Waste.

PubMed

da Silva, Cleber Klasener; Costa, Jorge Alberto Vieira; de Morais, Michele Greque

2018-01-20

The reuse of waste as well as the production of biodegradable compounds has for years been the object of studies and of global interest as a way to reduce the environmental impact generated by unsustainable exploratory processes. The conversion of linear processes into cyclical processes has environmental and economic advantages, reducing waste deposition and reducing costs. The objective of this work was to use biopolymer extraction waste in the cultivation of Spirulina sp. LEB 18, for the cyclic process of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesis. Concentrations of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% (v/v) of biopolymer extraction waste were tested. For comparison, two assays were used without addition of waste, Zarrouk (SZ) and modified Zarrouk (ZM), with reduction of nitrogen. The assays were carried out in triplicate and evaluated for the production of microalgal biomass and PHB. The tests with addition of waste presented a biomass production statistically equal to ZM (0.79 g L -1 ) (p < 0.1). The production of PHB in the assay containing 25% of waste was higher when compared to the other cultivations, obtaining 10.6% (w/w) of biopolymer. From the results obtained, it is affirmed that the use of PHB extraction waste in the microalgal cultivation, aiming at the synthesis of biopolymers, can occur in a cyclic process, reducing process costs and the deposition of waste, thus favoring the preservation of the environment.

Composition, Production Rate and Management of Dental Solid Waste in 2017 in Birjand, Iran.

PubMed

Momeni, Habibe; Tabatabaei Fard, Seyyedeh Fatemeh; Arefinejad, Aliye; Afzali, Afsane; Talebi, Farkhonde; Rahmanpour Salmani, Elham

2018-01-01

The presence of toxic and pathogenic agents in the dental waste products has made it to be classified as "hazardous waste." To assess dental waste production rate and composition and approaches used to manage these waste products in 2017 in Birjand, Iran. 48 dental clinics were evaluated in two months of 2017. Sampling was performed from each clinic 3 times a week. Samples were manually divided into 5 categories of chemical-pharmaceutical, infectious, semi-household, sharp and cutting materials, and toxic waste products, and weighed. A checklist containing 25 questions was used to evaluate the aspects of waste management in dental clinics. The total amount of waste products generated in dental clinics was 7848.02 kg/ year in which semi-household waste had the highest quantity (4263.411 kg/year) and toxic waste had the lowest quantity (9.275 kg/year). Components with the highest amounts in dentistry waste products were nylon gloves (16.7%), paper and cardboard (13.4%), latex gloves (10.8%), and pharmaceuticals (10.2%). Waste separation was restricted to sharp and cutting waste. More than half (57%) of dental units were equipped with amalgam filter. Fixing solutions were directly discharged to sewage in 48.6% of clinics. There was no program to reduce waste generation in 54% of the clinics. Autoclave was the main tool for sterilizing dental instruments. This study showed a remarkable share of recyclable materials in the composition of dental waste and lack of special approach to manage waste in dental clinics. It is necessary to plan for minimizing generation of, separating, and recycling waste at source.

Design and implementation of integrated solid wastes management pattern in industrial zones, case study of Shahroud, Iran.

PubMed

Saeid, Nazemi; Roudbari, Aliakbar; Yaghmaeian, Kamyar

2014-01-14

The aim of the study was to design and implementation of integrated solid wastes management pattern in Shahroud industrial zone, evaluates the results and determine possible performance problems. This cross - sectional study was carried out for 4 years in Shahroud industrial zone and the implementation process included:1- Qualitative and quantitative analysis of all solid waste generated in the city, 2- determine the current state of solid waste management in the zone and to identify programs conducted, 3- Design and implementation of integrated solid wastes management pattern including design and implementation of training programs, laws, penalties and incentives and explain and implement programs for all factories and 4- The monitoring of the implementation process and determine the results. Annually, 1,728 tons of solid wastes generated in the town including 1603 tons of industrial wastes and 125 tons of municipal wastes. By implementing this pattern, the two separated systems of collection and recycling of domestic and industrial wastes was launched in this zone. Also consistent with the goals, the amount of solid wastes generated and disposed in 2009 was 51.5 and 28.6 kg per 100 million Rials production, respectively. Results showed that implementation of pattern of separated collection, training programs, capacity building, providing technical services, completing chain of industries and strengthening the cooperation between industrial estate management and industrial units could greatly reduce the waste management problems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldston, W.

On April 21, 2009, the Energy Facilities Contractors Group (EFCOG) Waste Management Working Group (WMWG) provided a recommendation to the Department of Energy's Environmental Management program (DOE-EM) concerning supplemental guidance on blending methodologies to use to classify waste forms to determine if the waste form meets the definition of Transuranic (TRU) Waste or can be classified as Low-Level Waste (LLW). The guidance provides specific examples and methods to allow DOE and its Contractors to properly classify waste forms while reducing the generation of TRU wastes. TRU wastes are much more expensive to characterize at the generator's facilities, ship, and thenmore » dispose at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) than Low-Level Radioactive Waste's disposal. Also the reduction of handling and packaging of LLW is inherently less hazardous to the nuclear workforce. Therefore, it is important to perform the characterization properly, but in a manner that minimizes the generation of TRU wastes if at all possible. In fact, the generation of additional volumes of radioactive wastes under the ARRA programs, this recommendation should improve the cost effective implementation of DOE requirements while properly protecting human health and the environment. This paper will describe how the message of appropriate, less expensive, less hazardous blending of radioactive waste is the 'right' thing to do in many cases, but can be confused with inappropriate 'dilution' that is frowned upon by regulators and stakeholders in the public. A proposal will be made in this paper on how to communicate this very complex and confusing technical issue to regulatory bodies and interested stakeholders to gain understanding and approval of the concept. The results of application of the proposed communication method and attempt to change the regulatory requirements in this area will be discussed including efforts by DOE and the NRC on this very complex subject.« less

Comparing the greenhouse gas emissions from three alternative waste combustion concepts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vainikka, Pasi, E-mail: pasi.vainikka@vtt.fi; Tsupari, Eemeli; Sipilae, Kai

2012-03-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Significant GHG reductions are possible by efficient WtE technologies. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CHP and high power-to-heat ratio provide significant GHG savings. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer N{sub 2}O and coal mine type are important in LCA GHG emissions of FBC co-combustion. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Substituting coal and fuel oil by waste is beneficial in electricity and heat production. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Substituting natural gas by waste may not be reasonable in CHP generation. - Abstract: Three alternative condensing mode power and combined heat and power (CHP) waste-to-energy concepts were compared in terms of their impacts on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from a heat and power generation system.more » The concepts included (i) grate, (ii) bubbling fluidised bed (BFB) and (iii) circulating fluidised bed (CFB) combustion of waste. The BFB and CFB take advantage of advanced combustion technology which enabled them to reach electric efficiency up to 35% and 41% in condensing mode, respectively, whereas 28% (based on the lower heating value) was applied for the grate fired unit. A simple energy system model was applied in calculating the GHG emissions in different scenarios where coal or natural gas was substituted in power generation and mix of fuel oil and natural gas in heat generation by waste combustion. Landfilling and waste transportation were not considered in the model. GHG emissions were reduced significantly in all of the considered scenarios where the waste combustion concepts substituted coal based power generation. With the exception of condensing mode grate incinerator the different waste combustion scenarios resulted approximately in 1 Mton of fossil CO{sub 2}-eq. emission reduction per 1 Mton of municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerated. When natural gas based power generation was substituted by electricity from the waste combustion significant GHG emission reductions were not achieved.« less

Toward zero waste events: Reducing contamination in waste streams with volunteer assistance.

PubMed

Zelenika, Ivana; Moreau, Tara; Zhao, Jiaying

2018-06-01

Public festivals and events generate a tremendous amount of waste, especially when they involve food and drink. To reduce contamination across waste streams, we evaluated three types of interventions at a public event. In a randomized control trial, we examined the impact of volunteer staff assistance, bin tops, and sample 3D items with bin tops, on the amount of contamination and the weight of the organics, recyclable containers, paper, and garbage bins at a public event. The event was the annual Apple Festival held at the University of British Columbia, which was attended by around 10,000 visitors. We found that contamination was the lowest in the volunteer staff condition among all conditions. Specifically, volunteer staff reduced contamination by 96.1% on average in the organics bin, 96.9% in the recyclable containers bin, 97.0% in the paper bin, and 84.9% in the garbage bin. Our interventions did not influence the weight of the materials in the bins. This finding highlights the impact of volunteers on reducing contamination in waste streams at events, and provides suggestions and implications for waste management for event organizers to minimize contamination in all waste streams to achieve zero waste goals. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Supercritical/Solid Catalyst (SSC)

ScienceCinema

Ginosar, Daniel; Fox, Robert; Bright, Patricia

2018-05-23

INL's patented, continuous-flow Supercritical/Solid Catalyst (SSC) produces the highest ASTM-quality B-100 biodiesel from waste fats, oils, and greases at the site of waste generation. SSC delivers low-cost transportation fuel, avoids significant landfill costs for municipalities, and reduces potent methane and other emissions produced in landfills from these wastes. You can learn more about INL's energy research programs at http://www.facebook.com/idahonationallaboratory.

Supercritical/Solid Catalyst (SSC)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ginosar, Daniel; Fox, Robert; Bright, Patricia

2010-05-28

INL's patented, continuous-flow Supercritical/Solid Catalyst (SSC) produces the highest ASTM-quality B-100 biodiesel from waste fats, oils, and greases at the site of waste generation. SSC delivers low-cost transportation fuel, avoids significant landfill costs for municipalities, and reduces potent methane and other emissions produced in landfills from these wastes. You can learn more about INL's energy research programs at http://www.facebook.com/idahonationallaboratory.

Doing the impossible: Recycling nuclear waste

ScienceCinema

None

2018-06-07

A Science Channel feature explores how Argonne techniques could be used to safely reduce the amount of radioactive waste generated by nuclear power—the most plentiful carbon-neutral energy source. Read more at http://www.anl.gov/Media_Center/ArgonneNow/Fall_2009/nuclear.html

Present status of recycling waste mobile phones in China: a review.

PubMed

Li, Jingying; Ge, Zhongying; Liang, Changjin; An, Ni

2017-07-01

A large number of waste mobile phones have already been generated and are being generated. Various countries around the world have all been positively exploring the way of recycling and reuse when facing such a large amount of waste mobile phones. In some countries, processing waste mobile phones has been forming a complete industrial chain, which can not only recycle waste mobile phones to reduce their negative influence on the environment but also turn waste into treasure to acquire economic benefits dramatically. However, the situation of recycling waste mobile phones in China is not going well. Waste mobile phones are not formally covered by existing regulations and policies for the waste electric and electronic equipment in China. In order to explore an appropriate system to recover waste mobile phones, the mobile phone production and the amount of waste mobile phones are introduced in this paper, and status of waste mobile phones recycling is described; then, the disposal technology of electronic waste that would be most likely to be used for processing of electronic waste in industrial applications in the near future is reviewed. Finally, rationalization proposals are put forward based on the current recovery status of waste mobile phones for the purpose of promoting the development of recycling waste mobile phones in developing countries with a special emphasis on China.

Food consumption and waste and the embedded carbon, water and ecological footprints of households in China.

PubMed

Song, Guobao; Li, Mingjing; Semakula, Henry Musoke; Zhang, Shushen

2015-10-01

Strategies for reducing food waste and developing sustainable diets require information about the impacts of consumption behavior and waste generation on climatic, water, and land resources. We quantified the carbon, water, and ecological footprints of 17,110 family members of Chinese households, covering 1935 types of foods, by combining survey data with available life-cycle assessment data sets. We also summarized the patterns of both food consumption and waste generation and analyzed the factors influencing the observed trends. The average person wasted (consumed) 16 (415) kg of food at home annually, equivalent to 40 (1080) kg CO2e, 18 (673) m(3), and 173 (4956) gm(2) for the carbon, water and ecological footprints, respectively. The generation of food waste was highly correlated with consumption for various food groups. For example, vegetables, rice, and wheat were consumed the most and accounted for the most waste. In addition to the three plant-derived food groups, pork and aquatic products also contributed greatly to embedded footprints. The data obtained in this study could be used for assessing national food security or the carrying capacity of resources. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermoelectric harvesting of low temperature natural/waste heat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rowe, David Michael

2012-06-01

Apart from specialized space requirements current development in applications of thermoelectric generation mainly relate to reducing harmful carbon emissions and decreasing costly fuel consumption through the recovery of exhaust heat from fossil fuel powered engines and emissions from industrial utilities. Focus on these applications is to the detriment of the wider exploitations of thermoelectrics with other sources of heat energy, and in particular natural occurring and waste low temperature heat, receiving little, if any, attention. In this presentation thermoelectric generation applications, both potential and real in harvesting low temperature waste/natural heat are reviewed. The use of thermoelectrics to harvest solar energy, ocean thermal energy, geothermal heat and waste heat are discussed and their credibility as future large-scale sources of electrical power assessed.

Quantification of landfill methane using modified Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's waste model and error function analysis.

PubMed

Govindan, Siva Shangari; Agamuthu, P

2014-10-01

Waste management can be regarded as a cross-cutting environmental 'mega-issue'. Sound waste management practices support the provision of basic needs for general health, such as clean air, clean water and safe supply of food. In addition, climate change mitigation efforts can be achieved through reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from waste management operations, such as landfills. Landfills generate landfill gas, especially methane, as a result of anaerobic degradation of the degradable components of municipal solid waste. Evaluating the mode of generation and collection of landfill gas has posted a challenge over time. Scientifically, landfill gas generation rates are presently estimated using numerical models. In this study the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Waste Model is used to estimate the methane generated from a Malaysian sanitary landfill. Key parameters of the model, which are the decay rate and degradable organic carbon, are analysed in two different approaches; the bulk waste approach and waste composition approach. The model is later validated using error function analysis and optimum decay rate, and degradable organic carbon for both approaches were also obtained. The best fitting values for the bulk waste approach are a decay rate of 0.08 y(-1) and degradable organic carbon value of 0.12; and for the waste composition approach the decay rate was found to be 0.09 y(-1) and degradable organic carbon value of 0.08. From this validation exercise, the estimated error was reduced by 81% and 69% for the bulk waste and waste composition approach, respectively. In conclusion, this type of modelling could constitute a sensible starting point for landfills to introduce careful planning for efficient gas recovery in individual landfills. © The Author(s) 2014.

Improve protective clothing and reduce radwaste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnstone, G.A.; Fryer, J.; Smith, J.M.

1995-12-31

Nuclear power plants have been reducing radioactive waste production through aggressive volume reduction and control at the point of generation. Waste reduction efforts may, however, have reached a plateau. Certain items, such as protective clothing, are a necessary part of plant operations and cannot be eliminated. There are more than 800,000 sets of protective clothing currently in use at U.S. nuclear plants. Since up to 25% of these garments are removed from service each year, spent protective wear accounts for {approximately}100,000 ft{sup 3} of prevolume reduced waste annually. Furthermore, up to 10% of dry active waste produced at commercial powermore » reactor sites is comprised of exhausted protective clothing and related goods. This report describes the design of protective clothing which lasts longer and is lighter than traditional fabrics.« less

Model selection and averaging in the assessment of the drivers of household food waste to reduce the probability of false positives.

PubMed

Grainger, Matthew James; Aramyan, Lusine; Piras, Simone; Quested, Thomas Edward; Righi, Simone; Setti, Marco; Vittuari, Matteo; Stewart, Gavin Bruce

2018-01-01

Food waste from households contributes the greatest proportion to total food waste in developed countries. Therefore, food waste reduction requires an understanding of the socio-economic (contextual and behavioural) factors that lead to its generation within the household. Addressing such a complex subject calls for sound methodological approaches that until now have been conditioned by the large number of factors involved in waste generation, by the lack of a recognised definition, and by limited available data. This work contributes to food waste generation literature by using one of the largest available datasets that includes data on the objective amount of avoidable household food waste, along with information on a series of socio-economic factors. In order to address one aspect of the complexity of the problem, machine learning algorithms (random forests and boruta) for variable selection integrated with linear modelling, model selection and averaging are implemented. Model selection addresses model structural uncertainty, which is not routinely considered in assessments of food waste in literature. The main drivers of food waste in the home selected in the most parsimonious models include household size, the presence of fussy eaters, employment status, home ownership status, and the local authority. Results, regardless of which variable set the models are run on, point toward large households as being a key target element for food waste reduction interventions.

Model selection and averaging in the assessment of the drivers of household food waste to reduce the probability of false positives

PubMed Central

Aramyan, Lusine; Piras, Simone; Quested, Thomas Edward; Righi, Simone; Setti, Marco; Vittuari, Matteo; Stewart, Gavin Bruce

2018-01-01

Food waste from households contributes the greatest proportion to total food waste in developed countries. Therefore, food waste reduction requires an understanding of the socio-economic (contextual and behavioural) factors that lead to its generation within the household. Addressing such a complex subject calls for sound methodological approaches that until now have been conditioned by the large number of factors involved in waste generation, by the lack of a recognised definition, and by limited available data. This work contributes to food waste generation literature by using one of the largest available datasets that includes data on the objective amount of avoidable household food waste, along with information on a series of socio-economic factors. In order to address one aspect of the complexity of the problem, machine learning algorithms (random forests and boruta) for variable selection integrated with linear modelling, model selection and averaging are implemented. Model selection addresses model structural uncertainty, which is not routinely considered in assessments of food waste in literature. The main drivers of food waste in the home selected in the most parsimonious models include household size, the presence of fussy eaters, employment status, home ownership status, and the local authority. Results, regardless of which variable set the models are run on, point toward large households as being a key target element for food waste reduction interventions. PMID:29389949

Non-composted municipal solid waste byproduct influences soil and plant nutrients five years after soil reclamation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Concerns for the mounting supply of municipal solid waste being generated combined with decreasing landfill space have compelled military installations to evaluate alternative methods for disposal. One approach to reduce landfilling is the use of a new garbage-processing technology that sterilizes a...

An economic and ecological perspective of ethanol production from renewable agro waste: a review

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Agro-industrial wastes are generated during the industrial processing of agricultural products. These wastes are generated in large amounts throughout the year, and are the most abundant renewable resources on earth. Due to the large availability and composition rich in compounds that could be used in other processes, there is a great interest on the reuse of these wastes, both from economical and environmental view points. The economic aspect is based on the fact that such wastes may be used as low-cost raw materials for the production of other value-added compounds, with the expectancy of reducing the production costs. The environmental concern is because most of the agro-industrial wastes contain phenolic compounds and/or other compounds of toxic potential; which may cause deterioration of the environment when the waste is discharged to the nature. Although the production of bioethanol offers many benefits, more research is needed in the aspects like feedstock preparation, fermentation technology modification, etc., to make bioethanol more economically viable. PMID:23217124

Assessment of Electronic Government Information Products

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-03-30

Center for Environmental Info. & Statistics CM Consumer Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste CM Envirofacts Warehouse CM EPA Online Library System (OLS) CP...Hazardous Waste Site Query (CERCLIS Data) CM Surf Your Watershed CM Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste : Physical/Chemical Methods (SW-846) CM...SGML because they consider it "intelligent data" that can automatically generate other formats (e.g., web, BBS, Fax on Demand) through templates and

Hospital waste management in developing countries: A mini review.

PubMed

Ali, Mustafa; Wang, Wenping; Chaudhry, Nawaz; Geng, Yong

2017-06-01

Health care activities can generate different kinds of hazardous wastes. Mismanagement of these wastes can result in environmental and occupational health risks. Developing countries are resource-constrained when it comes to safe management of hospital wastes. This study summarizes the main issues faced in hospital waste management in developing countries. A review of the existing literature suggests that regulations and legislations focusing on hospital waste management are recent accomplishments in many of these countries. Implementation of these rules varies from one hospital to another. Moreover, wide variations exist in waste generation rates within as well as across these countries. This is mainly attributable to a lack of an agreement on the definitions and the methodology among the researchers to measure such wastes. Furthermore, hospitals in these countries suffer from poor waste segregation, collection, storage, transportation and disposal practices, which can lead to occupational and environmental risks. Knowledge and awareness regarding proper waste management remain low in the absence of training for hospital staff. Moreover, hospital sanitary workers, and scavengers, operate without the provision of safety equipment or immunization. Unsegregated waste is illegally recycled, leading to further safety risks. Overall, hospital waste management in developing countries faces several challenges. Sustainable waste management practices can go a long way in reducing the harmful effects of hospital wastes.

Reducing construction waste: A study of urban infrastructure projects.

PubMed

de Magalhães, Ruane Fernandes; Danilevicz, Ângela de Moura Ferreira; Saurin, Tarcisio Abreu

2017-09-01

The construction industry is well-known for producing waste detrimental to the environment, and its impacts have increased with the development process of cities. Although there are several studies focused on the environmental impact of residential and commercial buildings, less knowledge is available regarding decreasing construction waste (CW) generation in urban infrastructure projects. This study presents best practices to reduce waste in the said projects, stressing the role of decision-making in the design stage and the effective management of construction processes in public sector. The best practices were identified from literature review, document analysis in 14 projects of urban infrastructure, and both qualitative and quantitative survey with 18 experts (architects and engineers) playing different roles on those projects. The contributions of these research are: (i) the identification of the main building techniques related to the urban design typologies analyzed; (ii) the identification of cause-effect relationships between the design choices and the CW generation diagnosis; (iii) the proposal of a checklist to support the decision-making process, that can be used as a control and evaluation instrument when developing urban infrastructure designs, focused on the construction waste minimization (CWM). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Study on the Heat Flow Characteristics of IRSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Yong-Jin; Ko, Dae-Eun

2017-11-01

The infrared signatures emitted from the hot waste gas generated by the combustion engine and generator of a naval ship and from the metal surface around the funnel are the targets of the enemy threatening weapon system, thereby reducing the survivability of the ship. Such infrared signatures are reduced by installing an infrared signature suppression system (IRSS) in the naval ship. An IRSS consists of three parts: an eductor that creates a turbulent flow in the waste gas, a mixing tube that mixes the waste gas with the ambient air, and a diffuser that forms an air film using the pressure difference between the waste gas and the outside air. This study analyzed the test model of the IRSS developed by an advanced company and, based on this, conducted heat flow analyses as a basic study to improve the performance of the IRSS. The results were compared and analyzed considering various turbulence models. As a result, the temperatures and velocities of the waste gas at the eductor inlet and the diffuser outlet as well as the temperature of the diffuser metal surface were obtained. It was confirmed that these results were in good agreement with the measurement results of the model test.

Consideration of Thermoelectric Power Generation by Using Hot Spring Thermal Energy or Industrial Waste Heat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasaki, Keiichi; Horikawa, Daisuke; Goto, Koichi

2015-01-01

Today, we face some significant environmental and energy problems such as global warming, urban heat island, and the precarious balance of world oil supply and demand. However, we have not yet found a satisfactory solution to these problems. Waste heat recovery is considered to be one of the best solutions because it can improve energy efficiency by converting heat exhausted from plants and machinery to electric power. This technology would also prevent atmospheric temperature increases caused by waste heat, and decrease fossil fuel consumption by recovering heat energy, thus also reducing CO2 emissions. The system proposed in this research generates electric power by providing waste heat or unharnessed thermal energy to built-in thermoelectric modules that can convert heat into electric power. Waste heat can be recovered from many places, including machinery in industrial plants, piping in electric power plants, waste incineration plants, and so on. Some natural heat sources such as hot springs and solar heat can also be used for this thermoelectric generation system. The generated power is expected to be supplied to auxiliary machinery around the heat source, stored as an emergency power supply, and so on. The attributes of this system are (1) direct power generation using hot springs or waste heat; (2) 24-h stable power generation; (3) stand-alone power system with no noise and no vibration; and (4) easy maintenance attributed to its simple structure with no moving parts. In order to maximize energy use efficiency, the temperature difference between both sides of the thermoelectric (TE) modules built into the system need to be kept as large as possible. This means it is important to reduce thermal resistance between TE modules and heat source. Moreover, the system's efficiency greatly depends on the base temperature of the heat sources and the material of the system's TE modules. Therefore, in order to make this system practical and efficient, it is necessary to choose the heat source first and then design the most appropriate structure for the source by applying analytical methods. This report describes how to design a prototype of a thermoelectric power generator using the analytical approach and the results of performance evaluation tests carried out in the field.

Design and implementation of integrated solid wastes management pattern in industrial zones, case study of Shahroud, Iran

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The aim of the study was to design and implementation of integrated solid wastes management pattern in Shahroud industrial zone, evaluates the results and determine possible performance problems. This cross - sectional study was carried out for 4 years in Shahroud industrial zone and the implementation process included:1- Qualitative and quantitative analysis of all solid waste generated in the city, 2- determine the current state of solid waste management in the zone and to identify programs conducted, 3- Design and implementation of integrated solid wastes management pattern including design and implementation of training programs, laws, penalties and incentives and explain and implement programs for all factories and 4- The monitoring of the implementation process and determine the results. Results Annually, 1,728 tons of solid wastes generated in the town including 1603 tons of industrial wastes and 125 tons of municipal wastes. By implementing this pattern, the two separated systems of collection and recycling of domestic and industrial wastes was launched in this zone. Also consistent with the goals, the amount of solid wastes generated and disposed in 2009 was 51.5 and 28.6 kg per 100 million Rials production, respectively. Conclusion Results showed that implementation of pattern of separated collection, training programs, capacity building, providing technical services, completing chain of industries and strengthening the cooperation between industrial estate management and industrial units could greatly reduce the waste management problems. PMID:24423020

Reduction of 68Ge activity containing liquid waste from 68Ga PET chemistry in nuclear medicine and radiopharmacy by solidification.

PubMed

de Blois, Erik; Chan, Ho Sze; Roy, Kamalika; Krenning, Eric P; Breeman, Wouter A P

PET with 68 Ga from the TiO 2 - or SnO 2 - based 68 Ge/ 68 Ga generators is of increasing interest for PET imaging in nuclear medicine. In general, radionuclidic purity ( 68 Ge vs. 68 Ga activity) of the eluate of these generators varies between 0.01 and 0.001%. Liquid waste containing low amounts of 68 Ge activity is produced by eluting the 68 Ge/ 68 Ga generators and residues from PET chemistry. Since clearance level of 68 Ge activity in waste may not exceed 10 Bq/g, as stated by European Directive 96/29/EURATOM, our purpose was to reduce 68 Ge activity in solution from >10 kBq/g to <10 Bq/g; which implies the solution can be discarded as regular waste. Most efficient method to reduce the 68 Ge activity is by sorption of TiO 2 or Fe 2 O 3 and subsequent centrifugation. The required 10 Bq per mL level of 68 Ge activity in waste was reached by Fe 2 O 3 logarithmically, whereas with TiO 2 asymptotically. The procedure with Fe 2 O 3 eliminates ≥90% of the 68 Ge activity per treatment. Eventually, to simplify the processing a recirculation system was used to investigate 68 Ge activity sorption on TiO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 or Zeolite. Zeolite was introduced for its high sorption at low pH, therefore 68 Ge activity containing waste could directly be used without further interventions. 68 Ge activity containing liquid waste at different HCl concentrations (0.05-1.0 M HCl), was recirculated at 1 mL/min. With Zeolite in the recirculation system, 68 Ge activity showed highest sorption.

Human Factor Investigation of Waste Processing System During the HI-SEAS 4 Month Mars Analog Mission in Support of NASA's Logistic Reduction and Repurposing Project: Trash to Gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caraccio, Anne; Hintze, Paul; Miles, John D.

2014-01-01

NASAs Logistics Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project is a collaborative effort in which NASA is tasked with reducing total logistical mass through reduction, reuse and recycling of various wastes and components of long duration space missions and habitats. Trash to Gas (TtG) is a sub task to LRR with efforts focused on development of a technology that converts wastes generated during long duration space missions into high-value products such as methane, water for life support, raw material production feedstocks, and other energy sources. The reuse of discarded materials is a critical component to reducing overall mission mass. The 120 day Hawaii Space Exploration and Analog Simulation provides a unique opportunity to answer questions regarding crew interface and system analysis for designing and developing future flight-like versions of a TtG system. This paper will discuss the human factors that would affect the design of a TtG or other waste processing systems. An overview of the habitat, utility usage, and waste storage and generation is given. Crew time spent preparing trash for TtG processing was recorded. Gas concentrations were measured near the waste storage locations and at other locations in the habitat. In parallel with the analog mission, experimental processing of waste materials in a TtG reactor was performed in order to evaluate performance with realistic waste materials.

Human Factor Investigation of Waste Processing System During the HI-SEAS 4-month Mars Analog Mission in Support of NASA's Logistic Reduction and Repurposing Project: Trash to Gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caraccio, Anne; Hintze, Paul E.; Miles, John D.

2014-01-01

NASA's Logistics Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project is a collaborative effort in which NASA is tasked with reducing total logistical mass through reduction, reuse and recycling of various wastes and components of long duration space missions and habitats. Trash to Gas (TtG) is a sub task to LRR with efforts focused on development of a technology that converts wastes generated during long duration space missions into high-value products such as methane, water for life support, raw material production feedstocks, and other energy sources. The reuse of discarded materials is a critical component to reducing overall mission mass. The 120 day Hawaii Space Exploration and Analog Simulation provides a unique opportunity to answer questions regarding crew interface and system analysis for designing and developing future flight-like versions of a TtG system. This paper will discuss the human factors that would affect the design of a TtG or other waste processing systems. An overview of the habitat, utility usage, and waste storage and generation is given. Crew time spent preparing trash for TtG processing was recorded. Gas concentrations were measured near the waste storage locations and at other locations in the habitat. In parallel with the analog mission, experimental processing of waste materials in a TtG reactor was performed in order to evaluate performance with realistic waste materials.

Research on the 2nd generation biofuel BIOXDIESEL in aspects of emission of toxic substances in exhaust gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Struś, M. S.; Poprawski, W.; Rewolte, M.

2016-09-01

This paper presents results of research of Diesel engines emission of toxic substances in exhaust gases fuelled with a second generation biofuel BIOXDIESEL, which is a blend of Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters obtained from waste resources such waste vegetable and animal fats, bioethanol and standard Diesel fuel. Presented results are very promising, showing that the emission of toxic substances in exhaust gases are significantly reduced when fuelling with BIOXDIESEL fuel in comparison with standard Diesel fuel.

Fluid bed gasification--plasma converter process generating energy from solid waste: experimental assessment of sulphur species.

PubMed

Morrin, Shane; Lettieri, Paola; Chapman, Chris; Taylor, Richard

2014-01-01

Often perceived as a Cinderella material, there is growing appreciation for solid waste as a renewable content thermal process feed. Nonetheless, research on solid waste gasification and sulphur mechanisms in particular is lacking. This paper presents results from two related experiments on a novel two stage gasification process, at demonstration scale, using a sulphur-enriched wood pellet feed. Notable SO2 and relatively low COS levels (before gas cleaning) were interesting features of the trials, and not normally expected under reducing gasification conditions. Analysis suggests that localised oxygen rich regions within the fluid bed played a role in SO2's generation. The response of COS to sulphur in the feed was quite prompt, whereas SO2 was more delayed. It is proposed that the bed material sequestered sulphur from the feed, later aiding SO2 generation. The more reducing gas phase regions above the bed would have facilitated COS--hence its faster response. These results provide a useful insight, with further analysis on a suite of performed experiments underway, along with thermodynamic modelling. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two-step sequential pretreatment for the enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of coffee spent waste.

PubMed

Ravindran, Rajeev; Jaiswal, Swarna; Abu-Ghannam, Nissreen; Jaiswal, Amit K

2017-09-01

In the present study, eight different pretreatments of varying nature (physical, chemical and physico-chemical) followed by a sequential, combinatorial pretreatment strategy was applied to spent coffee waste to attain maximum sugar yield. Pretreated samples were analysed for total reducing sugar, individual sugars and generation of inhibitory compounds such as furfural and hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) which can hinder microbial growth and enzyme activity. Native spent coffee waste was high in hemicellulose content. Galactose was found to be the predominant sugar in spent coffee waste. Results showed that sequential pretreatment yielded 350.12mg of reducing sugar/g of substrate, which was 1.7-fold higher than in native spent coffee waste (203.4mg/g of substrate). Furthermore, extensive delignification was achieved using sequential pretreatment strategy. XRD, FTIR, and DSC profiles of the pretreated substrates were studied to analyse the various changes incurred in sequentially pretreated spent coffee waste as opposed to native spent coffee waste. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential application of biodrying to treat solid waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaman, Badrus; Oktiawan, Wiharyanto; Hadiwidodo, Mochtar; Sutrisno, Endro; Purwono; Wardana, Irawan Wisnu

2018-02-01

The generation of solid waste around the world creates problems if not properly managed. The method of processing solid waste by burning or landfill is currently not optimal. The availability of land where the final processing (TPA) is critical, looking for a new TPA alternative will be difficult and expensive, especially in big cities. The processing of solid waste using bio drying technology has the potential to produce renewable energy and prevention of climate change. Solid waste processing products can serve as Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), reduce water content of solid waste, meningkatkan kualitas lindi and increase the amount of recycled solid waste that is not completely separated from home. Biodrying technology is capable of enhancing the partial disintegration and hydrolysis of macromolecule organic compounds (such as C-Organic, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, total nitrogen). The application of biodrying has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and dinitrooksida (N2O). These gases cause global warming.

Effects of introducing energy recovery processes to the municipal solid waste management system in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

PubMed

Toshiki, Kosuke; Giang, Pham Quy; Serrona, Kevin Roy B; Sekikawa, Takahiro; Yu, Jeoung-soo; Choijil, Baasandash; Kunikane, Shoichi

2015-02-01

Currently, most developing countries have not set up municipal solid waste management systems with a view of recovering energy from waste or reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this article, we have studied the possible effects of introducing three energy recovery processes either as a single or combination approach, refuse derived fuel production, incineration and waste power generation, and methane gas recovery from landfill and power generation in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, as a case study. We concluded that incineration process is the most suitable as first introduction of energy recovery. To operate it efficiently, 3Rs strategies need to be promoted. And then, RDF production which is made of waste papers and plastics in high level of sorting may be considered as the second step of energy recovery. However, safety control and marketability of RDF will be required at that moment. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

40 CFR 98.30 - Definition of the source category.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... useful heat or energy for industrial, commercial, or institutional use, or reducing the volume of waste... generators and emergency equipment, as defined in § 98.6. (3) Irrigation pumps at agricultural operations. (4... unit that combusts hazardous waste (as defined in § 261.3 of this chapter), reporting of GHG emissions...

40 CFR 98.30 - Definition of the source category.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... useful heat or energy for industrial, commercial, or institutional use, or reducing the volume of waste... generators and emergency equipment, as defined in § 98.6. (3) Irrigation pumps at agricultural operations. (4... unit that combusts hazardous waste (as defined in § 261.3 of this chapter), reporting of GHG emissions...

EXPLORING ENGINEERING CONTROL THROUGH PROCESS MANIPULATION OF RADIOACTIVE LIQUID WASTE TANK CHEMICAL CLEANING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, A.

2014-04-27

One method of remediating legacy liquid radioactive waste produced during the cold war, is aggressive in-tank chemical cleaning. Chemical cleaning has successfully reduced the curie content of residual waste heels in large underground storage tanks; however this process generates significant chemical hazards. Mercury is often the bounding hazard due to its extensive use in the separations process that produced the waste. This paper explores how variations in controllable process factors, tank level and temperature, may be manipulated to reduce the hazard potential related to mercury vapor generation. When compared using a multivariate regression analysis, findings indicated that there was amore » significant relationship between both tank level (p value of 1.65x10{sup -23}) and temperature (p value of 6.39x10{sup -6}) to the mercury vapor concentration in the tank ventilation system. Tank temperature showed the most promise as a controllable parameter for future tank cleaning endeavors. Despite statistically significant relationships, there may not be confidence in the ability to control accident scenarios to below mercury’s IDLH or PAC-III levels for future cleaning initiatives.« less

A material flow analysis on current electrical and electronic waste disposal from Hong Kong households

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lau, Winifred Ka-Yan; Chung, Shan-Shan, E-mail: sschung@hkbu.edu.hk; Zhang, Chan

2013-03-15

Highlights: ► Most household TWARC waste is sold directly to private e-waste collectors in HK. ► The current e-waste recycling network is popular with HK households. ► About 80% of household generated TWARC is exported overseas each year. ► Over 7000 tonnes/yr of household generated TWARC reach landfills. ► It is necessary to upgrade safety and awareness in HK’s e-waste recycling industry. - Abstract: A material flow study on five types of household electrical and electronic equipment, namely television, washing machine, air conditioner, refrigerator and personal computer (TWARC) was conducted to assist the Government of Hong Kong to establish anmore » e-waste take-back system. This study is the first systematic attempt on identifying key TWARC waste disposal outlets and trade practices of key parties involved in Hong Kong. Results from two questionnaire surveys, on local households and private e-waste traders, were used to establish the material flow of household TWARC waste. The study revealed that the majority of obsolete TWARC were sold by households to private e-waste collectors and that the current e-waste collection network is efficient and popular with local households. However, about 65,000 tonnes/yr or 80% of household generated TWARC waste are being exported overseas by private e-waste traders, with some believed to be imported into developing countries where crude recycling methods are practiced. Should Hong Kong establish a formal recycling network with tight regulatory control on imports and exports, the potential risks of current e-waste recycling practices on e-waste recycling workers, local residents and the environment can be greatly reduced.« less

GlassForm

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2011-09-16

GlassForm is a software tool for generating preliminary waste glass formulas for a given waste stream. The software is useful because it reduces the number of verification melts required to develop a suitable additive composition. The software includes property models that calculate glass properties of interest from the chemical composition of the waste glass. The software includes property models for glass viscosity, electrical conductivity, glass transition temperature, and leach resistance as measured by the 7-day product consistency test (PCT).

Architects' perspectives on construction waste reduction by design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Osmani, M.; Glass, J.; Price, A.D.F.

2008-07-01

The construction, demolition and excavation waste arising in England was estimated at 91 million tonnes in 2003. The current thinking on construction waste minimisation is heavily focussed on several issues relating to physical construction waste and recycling guides. Indeed, much had been published on ways to improve on-site waste management and recycling activities but very few attempts made to address the effect of design practices on waste generation. However, there is a consensus in the literature that the architect has a decisive role to play in helping to reduce waste by focussing on designing out waste. This paper examines previousmore » studies on architects' approach towards construction waste minimisation; and by means of a postal questionnaire, investigates: the origins of waste; waste minimisation design practices in the UK; and responsibilities and barriers within the UK architectural profession. The findings reveal that waste management is not a priority in the design process. Additionally, the architects seemed to take the view that waste is mainly produced during site operations and rarely generated during the design stages; however, about one-third of construction waste could essentially arise from design decisions. Results also indicate that a number of constraints, namely: lack of interest from clients; attitudes towards waste minimisation; and training all act as disincentives to a proactive and sustainable implementation of waste reduction strategies during the design process.« less

Architects' perspectives on construction waste reduction by design.

PubMed

Osmani, M; Glass, J; Price, A D F

2008-01-01

The construction, demolition and excavation waste arising in England was estimated at 91 million tonnes in 2003. The current thinking on construction waste minimisation is heavily focussed on several issues relating to physical construction waste and recycling guides. Indeed, much had been published on ways to improve on-site waste management and recycling activities but very few attempts made to address the effect of design practices on waste generation. However, there is a consensus in the literature that the architect has a decisive role to play in helping to reduce waste by focussing on designing out waste. This paper examines previous studies on architects' approach towards construction waste minimisation; and by means of a postal questionnaire, investigates: the origins of waste; waste minimisation design practices in the UK; and responsibilities and barriers within the UK architectural profession. The findings reveal that waste management is not a priority in the design process. Additionally, the architects seemed to take the view that waste is mainly produced during site operations and rarely generated during the design stages; however, about one-third of construction waste could essentially arise from design decisions. Results also indicate that a number of constraints, namely: lack of interest from clients; attitudes towards waste minimisation; and training all act as disincentives to a proactive and sustainable implementation of waste reduction strategies during the design process.

Effects of temperature and aerial exposure on the BOD of waste zebra mussels removed from navigational locks.

PubMed

Aldridge, D W; Payne, B S

2001-08-01

This laboratory study evaluated the effects of temperature and aerial exposure on BOD5 (5-day BOD) of waste zebra mussels of the type generated by maintenance operations on dams and navigational locks. The term waste zebra mussels includes the mussels and their associated debris with the latter including sediment, feces, pseudofeces and other small aquatic organisms. The BOD5 of waste zebra mussel was evaluated after aerial exposure of 3 and 10 days at temperatures of 5, 10, and 20 degrees C. The mean BOD5 values for waste zebra mussels in this study ranged from 18,500 to 30,600 mg O2/l. Factorial ANOVA analysis revealed that both temperature and aerial exposure had a negative effect on waste zebra mussel BOD5 (P<0.05) but there was no significant interaction effect (P = 0.119). Multiple regression analysis predicted that for the range of treatment conditions used in this study each 1 degrees C increase in temperature reduced the waste zebra mussel BOD5 by 284mg O2/l or 0.93% of the maximum mean BOD5. Each I day increase in aerial exposure reduced waste zebra mussel BOD5 by 987 mg O2/l or 3.22% of the maximum mean BOD5. Aerial exposure of waste zebra mussels substantially reduces waste BOD5.

Life-Cycle Evaluation of Domestic Energy Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bando, Shigeru; Hihara, Eiji

Among the growing number of environmental issues, the global warming due to the increasing emission of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide CO2, is the most serious one. In order to reduce CO2 emissions in energy use, it is necessary to reduce primary energy consumption, and to replace energy sources with alternatives that emit less CO2.One option of such ideas is to replace fossil gas for water heating with electricity generated by nuclear power, hydraulic power, and other methods with low CO2 emission. It is also important to use energy efficiently and to reduce waste heat. Co-generation system is one of the applications to be able to use waste heat from a generator as much as possible. The CO2 heat pump water heaters, the polymer electrolyte fuel cells, and the micro gas turbines have high potential for domestic energy systems. In the present study, the life-cycle cost, the life-cycle consumption of primary energy and the life-cycle emission of CO2 of these domestic energy systems are compare. The result shows that the CO2 heat pump water heaters have an ability to reduce CO2 emission by 10%, and the co-generation systems also have another ability to reduce primary energy consumption by 20%.

Prioritizing and optimizing sustainable measures for food waste prevention and management.

PubMed

Cristóbal, Jorge; Castellani, Valentina; Manfredi, Simone; Sala, Serenella

2018-02-01

Food waste has gained prominence in the European political debate thanks to the recent Circular Economy package. Currently the waste hierarchy, introduced by the Waste Framework Directive, has been the rule followed to prioritize food waste prevention and management measures according to the environmental criteria. But when considering other criteria along with the environmental one, such as the economic, other tools are needed for the prioritization and optimization. This paper addresses the situation in which a decision-maker has to design a food waste prevention programme considering the limited economic resources in order to achieve the highest environmental impact prevention along the whole food life cycle. A methodology using Life Cycle Assessment and mathematical programing is proposed and its capabilities are shown through a case study. Results show that the order established in the waste hierarchy is generally followed. The proposed methodology revealed to be especially helpful in identifying "quick wins" - measures that should be always prioritized since they avoid a high environmental impact at a low cost. Besides, in order to aggregate the environmental scores related to a variety of impact categories, different weighting sets were proposed. In general, results show that the relevance of the weighting set in the prioritization of the measures appears to be limited. Finally, the correlation between reducing food waste generation and reducing environmental impact along the Food Supply Chain has been studied. Results highlight that when planning food waste prevention strategies, it is important to set the targets at the level of environmental impact instead of setting the targets at the level of avoided food waste generation (in mass). Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Pathways for Disposal of Commercially-Generated Tritiated Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Halverson, Nancy V.

From a waste disposal standpoint, tritium is a major challenge. Because it behaves like hydrogen, tritium exchanges readily with hydrogen in the ground water and moves easily through the ground. Land disposal sites must control the tritium activity and mobility of incoming wastes to protect human health and the environment. Consequently, disposal of tritiated low-level wastes is highly regulated and disposal options are limited. The United States has had eight operating commercial facilities licensed for low-level radioactive waste disposal, only four of which are currently receiving waste. Each of these is licensed and regulated by its state. Only two ofmore » these sites accept waste from states outside of their specified regional compact. For waste streams that cannot be disposed directly at one of the four active commercial low-level waste disposal facilities, processing facilities offer various forms of tritiated low-level waste processing and treatment, and then transport and dispose of the residuals at a disposal facility. These processing facilities may remove and recycle tritium, reduce waste volume, solidify liquid waste, remove hazardous constituents, or perform a number of additional treatments. Waste brokers also offer many low-level and mixed waste management and transportation services. These services can be especially helpful for small-quantity tritiated-waste generators, such as universities, research institutions, medical facilities, and some industries. The information contained in this report covers general capabilities and requirements for the various disposal/processing facilities and brokerage companies, but is not considered exhaustive. Typically, each facility has extensive waste acceptance criteria and will require a generator to thoroughly characterize their wastes. Then a contractual agreement between the waste generator and the disposal/processing/broker entity must be in place before waste is accepted. Costs for tritiated waste transportation, processing and disposal vary based a number of factors. In many cases, wastes with very low radioactivity are priced primarily based on weight or volume. For higher activities, costs are based on both volume and activity, with the activity-based charges usually being much larger than volume-based charges. Other factors affecting cost include location, waste classification and form, other hazards in the waste, etc. Costs may be based on general guidelines used by an individual disposal or processing site, but final costs are established by specific contract with each generator. For this report, seven hypothetical waste streams intended to represent commercially-generated tritiated waste were defined in order to calculate comparative costs. Ballpark costs for disposition of these hypothetical waste streams were calculated. These costs ranged from thousands to millions of dollars. Due to the complexity of the cost-determining factors mentioned above, the costs calculated in this report should be understood to represent very rough cost estimates for the various hypothetical wastes. Actual costs could be higher or could be lower due to quantity discounts or other factors.« less

Ozone pretreatment of process waste water generated in course of fluoroquinolone production.

PubMed

Daoud, Fares; Pelzer, David; Zuehlke, Sebastian; Spiteller, Michael; Kayser, Oliver

2017-10-01

During production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, process waste water is generated at several stages of manufacturing. Whenever possible, the resulting waste water will be processed by conventional waste water treatment plants. Currently, incineration of the process waste water is the method to eliminate compounds with high biological activity. Thus, ozone treatment followed by biological waste water treatment was tested as an alternative method. Two prominent representatives of the large group of fluoroquinolone antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin) were investigated, focussing on waste water of the bulk production. Elimination of the target compounds and generation of their main transformation products were determined by liquid chromatography - high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The obtained results demonstrated, that the concentration of moxifloxacin and its metabolites can be effectively reduced (>99.7%) prior entering the receiving water. On the contrary, the concentration of ciprofloxacin and its metabolites remained too high for safe discharge, necessitating application of prolonged ozonation for its further degradation. The required ozonation time can be estimated based on the determined kinetics. To assure a low biological activity the ecotoxicity of the ozonated waste water was investigated using three trophic levels. By means of multiple-stage mass spectrometry (MS n ) experiments several new transformation products of the fluoroquinolones were identified. Thus, previously published proposed structures could be corrected or confirmed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solid waste management in the hospitality industry: a review.

PubMed

Pirani, Sanaa I; Arafat, Hassan A

2014-12-15

Solid waste management is a key aspect of the environmental management of establishments belonging to the hospitality sector. In this study, we reviewed literature in this area, examining the current status of waste management for the hospitality sector, in general, with a focus on food waste management in particular. We specifically examined the for-profit subdivision of the hospitality sector, comprising primarily of hotels and restaurants. An account is given of the causes of the different types of waste encountered in this sector and what strategies may be used to reduce them. These strategies are further highlighted in terms of initiatives and practices which are already being implemented around the world to facilitate sustainable waste management. We also recommended a general waste management procedure to be followed by properties of the hospitality sector and described how waste mapping, an innovative yet simple strategy, can significantly reduce the waste generation of a hotel. Generally, we found that not many scholarly publications are available in this area of research. More studies need to be carried out on the implementation of sustainable waste management for the hospitality industry in different parts of the world and the challenges and opportunities involved. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Special Report: E-Waste Management in the United States and Public Health Implications.

PubMed

Seeberger, Jessica; Grandhi, Radhika; Kim, Stephani S; Mase, William A; Reponen, Tiina; Ho, Shuk-mei; Chen, Aimin

2016-10-01

Electronic waste (e-waste) generation is increasing worldwide, and its management becomes a significant challenge because of the many toxicants present in electronic devices. The U.S. is a major producer of e-waste, although its management practice and policy regulation are not sufficient to meet the challenge. We reviewed e-waste generation, current management practices and trends, policy challenges, potential health impact, and toxicant exposure prevention in the U.S. A large amount of toxic metals, flame retardants, and other persistent organic pollutants exist in e-waste or can be released from the disposal of e-waste (e.g., landfill, incineration, recycling). Landfill is still a major method used to dispose of obsolete electronic devices, and only about half of the states have initiated a landfill ban for e-waste. Recycling of e-waste is an increasing trend in the past few years. There is potential, however, for workers to be exposed to a mixture of toxicants in e-waste and these exposures should be curtailed. Perspectives and recommendations are provided regarding managing e-waste in the U.S. to protect public health, including enacting federal legislation, discontinuing landfill disposal, protecting workers in recycling facilities from toxicant exposure, reducing toxicant release into the environment, and raising awareness of this growing environmental health issue among the public.

Development of an integrated transuranic waste management system for a large research facility: NUCEF

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mineo, Hideaki; Matsumura, Tatsuro; Takeshita, Isao

1997-03-01

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Safety Engineering Research Facility (NUCEF) is a large complex of research facilities where transuranic (TRU) elements are used. Liquid and solid waste containing TRU elements is generated mainly in the treatment of fuel for critical experiments and in the research of reprocessing and TRU waste management in hot cells and glove boxes. The rational management of TRU wastes is a very important issue not only for NUCEF but also for Japan. An integrated TRU waste management system is being developed with NUCEF as the test bed. The basic policy for establishing the system is to classifymore » wastes by TRU concentration, to reduce waste volume, and to maximize reuse of TRU elements. The principal approach of the development program is to apply the outcomes of the research carried out in NUCEF. Key technologies are TRU measurement for classification of solid wastes and TRU separation and volume reduction for organic and aqueous wastes. Some technologies required for treating the wastes specific to the research activities in NUCEF need further development. Specifically, the separation and stabilization technologies for americium recovery from concentrated aqueous waste, which is generated in dissolution of mixed oxide when preparing fuel for critical experiments, needs further research.« less

Review of LLNL Mixed Waste Streams for the Application of Potential Waste Reduction Controls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belue, A; Fischer, R P

2007-01-08

In July 2004, LLNL adopted the International Standard ISO 14001 as a Work Smart Standard in lieu of DOE Order 450.1. In support of this new requirement the Director issued a new environmental policy that was documented in Section 3.0 of Document 1.2, ''ES&H Policies of LLNL'', in the ES&H Manual. In recent years the Environmental Management System (EMS) process has become formalized as LLNL adopted ISO 14001 as part of the contract under which the laboratory is operated for the Department of Energy (DOE). On May 9, 2005, LLNL revised its Integrated Safety Management System Description to enhance existingmore » environmental requirements to meet ISO 14001. Effective October 1, 2005, each new project or activity is required to be evaluated from an environmental aspect, particularly if a potential exists for significant environmental impacts. Authorizing organizations are required to consider the management of all environmental aspects, the applicable regulatory requirements, and reasonable actions that can be taken to reduce negative environmental impacts. During 2006, LLNL has worked to implement the corrective actions addressing the deficiencies identified in the DOE/LSO audit. LLNL has begun to update the present EMS to meet the requirements of ISO 14001:2004. The EMS commits LLNL--and each employee--to responsible stewardship of all the environmental resources in our care. The generation of mixed radioactive waste was identified as a significant environmental aspect. Mixed waste for the purposes of this report is defined as waste materials containing both hazardous chemical and radioactive constituents. Significant environmental aspects require that an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) be developed. The objective of the EMP developed for mixed waste (EMP-005) is to evaluate options for reducing the amount of mixed waste generated. This document presents the findings of the evaluation of mixed waste generated at LLNL and a proposed plan for reduction.« less

Importance of biological systems in industrial waste treatment potential application to the space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Revis, Nathaniel; Holdsworth, George

1990-01-01

In addition to having applications for waste management issues on planet Earth, microbial systems have application in reducing waste volumes aboard spacecraft. A candidate for such an application is the space station. Many of the planned experiments generate aqueous waste. To recycle air and water the contaminants from previous experiments must be removed before the air and water can be used for other experiments. This can be achieved using microorganisms in a bioreactor. Potential bioreactors (inorganics, organics, and etchants) are discussed. Current technologies that may be applied to waste treatment are described. Examples of how biological systems may be used in treating waste on the space station.

Potential metal recovery from waste streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Kathleen S.; Hageman, Philip L.; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Budahn, James R.; Bleiwas, Donald I.

2015-01-01

‘Waste stream’ is a general term that describes the total flow of waste from homes, businesses, industrial facilities, and institutions that are recycled, burned or isolated from the environment in landfills or other types of storage, or dissipated into the environment. The recovery and reuse of chemical elements from waste streams have the potential to decrease U.S. reliance on primary resources and imports, and to lessen unwanted dispersion of some potentially harmful elements into the environment. Additional benefits might include reducing disposal or treatment costs and decreasing the risk of future environmental liabilities for waste generators. Elemental chemistry and mineralogical residences of the elements are poorly documented for many types of waste streams.

Quantification of regional leachate variance from municipal solid waste landfills in China.

PubMed

Yang, Na; Damgaard, Anders; Kjeldsen, Peter; Shao, Li-Ming; He, Pin-Jing

2015-12-01

The quantity of leachate is crucial when assessing pollution emanating from municipal landfills. In most cases, existing leachate quantification measures only take into account one source - precipitation, which resulted in serious underestimation in China due to its waste properties: high moisture contents. To overcome this problem, a new estimation method was established considering two sources: (1) precipitation infiltrated throughout waste layers, which was simulated with the HELP model, (2) water squeezed out of the waste itself, which was theoretically calculated using actual data of Chinese waste. The two sources depended on climate conditions and waste characteristics, respectively, which both varied in different regions. In this study, 31 Chinese cities were investigated and classified into three geographic regions according to landfill leachate generation performance: northwestern China (China-NW) with semi-arid and temperate climate and waste moisture content of about 46.0%, northern China (China-N) with semi-humid and temperate climate and waste moisture content of about 58.2%, and southern China (China-S) with humid and sub-tropical/tropical climate and waste moisture content of about 58.2%. In China-NW, accumulated leachate amounts were very low and mainly the result of waste degradation, implying on-site spraying/irrigation or recirculation may be an economic approach to treatment. In China-N, water squeezed out of waste by compaction totaled 22-45% of overall leachate amounts in the first 40 years, so decreasing the initial moisture content of waste arriving at landfills could reduce leachate generation. In China-S, the leachate generated by infiltrated precipitation after HDPE geomembranes in top cover started failing, contributed more than 60% of the overall amounts over 100 years of landfilling. Therefore, the quality and placing of HDPE geomembranes in the top cover should be controlled strictly for the purpose of mitigation leachate generation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Role of compostable tableware in food service and waste management. A life cycle assessment study.

PubMed

Fieschi, Maurizio; Pretato, Ugo

2018-03-01

It is estimated that in Europe 88-100 million tonnes of food waste are generated every year, with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of around 227 MT of CO 2 equivalents generated for their collection and disposal. A 12% of this waste is estimated to arise from food service within the hospitality sector, which includes quick service restaurants, casual and fine dining, contract catering (canteens, prisons, hospitals, schools etc.) as well as indoor and outdoor events and exhibitions. Given this considerable amount and that the mixed unsorted collection is often the only practicable way to handle such waste flows, the choice of tableware and cutlery can make a big difference in facilitating waste collection as well as in reducing the overall environmental impact of food waste management. This study compares the environmental performance of using biodegradable & compostable single use tableware with organic recycling of food waste through composting against a traditional scenario using fossil-based plastic tableware and disposal of the waste flows through incineration and landfill. The study has taken into account the main requirements of the recently published Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology of the European Commission. The results confirm that the use of biodegradable and compostable tableware combined with organic recycling is the preferred option for catering in quick service restaurants, contract catering and events, since it reduces significantly the carbon, water and resource footprint and is fully in line with the principles of a circular economy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of ultrasound pre-treatment on the amount of dissolved organic matter extracted from food waste.

PubMed

Jiang, Jianguo; Gong, Changxiu; Wang, Jiaming; Tian, Sicong; Zhang, Yujing

2014-03-01

This paper describes a series of studies on the effects of food waste disintegration using an ultrasonic generator and the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) by anaerobic hydrolysis. The results suggest that ultrasound treatment can significantly increase COD [chemical oxygen demand], proteins and reducing sugars, but decrease that of lipids in food waste supernatant. Ultrasound pre-treatment boosted the production of VFAs dramatically during the fermentation of food waste. At an ultrasonic energy density of 480W/L, we treated two kinds of food waste (total solids (TS): 40 and 100g/L, respectively) with ultrasound for 15min. The amount of COD dissolved from the waste increased by 1.6-1.7-fold, proteins increased by 3.8-4.3-fold, and reducing sugars increased by 4.4-3.6-fold, whereas the lipid content decreased from 2 to 0.1g/L. Additionally, a higher VFA yield was observed following ultrasonic pre-treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solid waste management in Abuja, Nigeria.

PubMed

Imam, A; Mohammed, B; Wilson, D C; Cheeseman, C R

2008-01-01

The new city of Abuja provided an opportunity to avoid some of the environmental problems associated with other major cities in Africa. The current status of solid waste management in Abuja has been reviewed and recommendations for improvements are made. The existing solid waste management system is affected by unfavourable economic, institutional, legislative, technical and operational constraints. A reliable waste collection service is needed and waste collection vehicles need to be appropriate to local conditions. More vehicles are required to cope with increasing waste generation. Wastes need to be sorted at source as much as possible, to reduce the amount requiring disposal. Co-operation among communities, the informal sector, the formal waste collectors and the authorities is necessary if recycling rates are to increase. Markets for recycled materials need to be encouraged. Despite recent improvements in the operation of the existing dumpsite, a properly sited engineered landfill should be constructed with operation contracted to the private sector. Wastes dumped along roads, underneath bridges, in culverts and in drainage channels need to be cleared. Small-scale waste composting plants could promote employment, income generation and poverty alleviation. Enforcement of waste management legislation and a proper policy and planning framework for waste management are required. Unauthorized use of land must be controlled by enforcing relevant clauses in development guidelines. Accurate population data is necessary so that waste management systems and infrastructure can be properly planned. Funding and affordability remain major constraints and challenges.

Engineering Deinococcus geothermalis for Bioremediation of High-Temperature Radioactive Waste Environments

PubMed Central

Brim, Hassan; Venkateswaran, Amudhan; Kostandarithes, Heather M.; Fredrickson, James K.; Daly, Michael J.

2003-01-01

Deinococcus geothermalis is an extremely radiation-resistant thermophilic bacterium closely related to the mesophile Deinococcus radiodurans, which is being engineered for in situ bioremediation of radioactive wastes. We report that D. geothermalis is transformable with plasmids designed for D. radiodurans and have generated a Hg(II)-resistant D. geothermalis strain capable of reducing Hg(II) at elevated temperatures and in the presence of 50 Gy/h. Additionally, D. geothermalis is capable of reducing Fe(III)-nitrilotriacetic acid, U(VI), and Cr(VI). These characteristics support the prospective development of this thermophilic radiophile for bioremediation of radioactive mixed waste environments with temperatures as high as 55°C. PMID:12902245

System analyses on advanced nuclear fuel cycle and waste management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheon, Myeongguk

To evaluate the impacts of accelerator-driven transmutation of waste (ATW) fuel cycle on a geological repository, two mathematical models are developed: a reactor system analysis model and a high-level waste (HLW) conditioning model. With the former, fission products and residual trans-uranium (TRU) contained in HLW generated from a reference ATW plant operations are quantified and the reduction of TRU inventory included in commercial spent-nuclear fuel (CSNF) is evaluated. With the latter, an optimized waste loading and composition in solidification of HLW are determined and the volume reduction of waste packages associated with CSNF is evaluated. WACOM, a reactor system analysis code developed in this study for burnup calculation, is validated by ORIGEN2.1 and MCNP. WACOM is used to perform multicycle analysis for the reference lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) cooled transmuter. By applying the results of this analysis to the reference ATW deployment scenario considered in the ATW roadmap, the HLW generated from the ATW fuel cycle is quantified and the reduction of TRU inventory contained in CSNF is evaluated. A linear programming (LP) model has been developed for determination of an optimized waste loading and composition in solidification of HLW. The model has been applied to a US-defense HLW. The optimum waste loading evaluated by the LP model was compared with that estimated by the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) in the US and a good agreement was observed. The LP model was then applied to the volume reduction of waste packages associated with CSNF. Based on the obtained reduction factors, the expansion of Yucca Mountain Repository (YMR) capacity is evaluated. It is found that with the reference ATW system, the TRU contained in CSNF could be reduced by a factor of ˜170 in terms of inventory and by a factor of ˜40 in terms of toxicity under the assumed scenario. The number of waste packages related to CSNF could be reduced by a factor of ˜8 in terms of volume and by factor of ˜10 on the basis of electricity generation when a sufficient cooling time for discharged spent fuel and zero process chemicals in HLW are assumed. The expansion factor of Yucca Mountain Repository capacity is estimated to be a factor of 2.4, much smaller than the reduction factor of CSNF waste packages, due to the existence of DOE-owned spent fuel and HLW. The YMR, however, could support 10 times greater electricity generation as long as the statutory capacity of DOE-owned SNF and HLW remains unchanged. This study also showed that the reduction of the number of waste packages could strongly be subject to the heat generation rate of HLW and the amount of process chemicals contained in HLW. For a greater reduction of the number of waste packages, a sufficient cooling time for discharged fuel and efforts to minimize the amount of process chemicals contained in HLW are crucial.

Triboelectrostatic separation for granular plastic waste recycling: a review.

PubMed

Wu, Guiqing; Li, Jia; Xu, Zhenming

2013-03-01

The world's plastic consumption has increased incredibly in recent decades, generating more and more plastic waste, which makes it a great public concern. Recycling is the best treatment for plastic waste since it cannot only reduce the waste but also reduce the consumption of oil for producing new virgin plastic. Mechanical recycling is recommended for plastic waste to avoid the loss of its virgin value. As a mechanical separation technology, triboelectrostatic separation utilizes the difference between surface properties of different materials to get them oppositely charged, deflected in the electric field and separately collected. It has advantages such as high efficiency, low cost, no concern of water disposal or secondary pollution and a relatively wide processing range of particle size especially suitable for the granular plastic waste. The process of triboelectrostatic separation for plastic waste is reviewed in this paper. Different devices have been developed and proven to be effective for separation of plastic waste. The influence factors are also discussed. It can be concluded that the triboelectrostatic separation of plastic waste is a promising technology. However, more research is required before it can be widely applied in industry. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

REGULATORY STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE GENERATION OF REGULATED WASTES FROM CLEANUP, CONTINUED USE OR DECOMMISSIONING OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES CONTAMINATED WITH POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBS) - 11198

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lowry, N.

Disposal costs for liquid PCB radioactive waste are among the highest of any category of regulated waste. The high cost is driven by the fact that disposal options are extremely limited. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulations require most liquids with PCBs at concentration of {ge} 50 parts-per-million to be disposed by incineration or equivalent destructive treatment. Disposal fees can be as high as $200 per gallon. This figure does not include packaging and the cost to transport the waste to the disposal facility, or the waste generator's labor costs for managing the waste prior to shipment. Minimizing the generationmore » of liquid radioactive PCB waste is therefore a significant waste management challenge. PCB spill cleanups often generate large volumes of waste. That is because the removal of PCBs typically requires the liberal use of industrial solvents followed by a thorough rinsing process. In a nuclear facility, the cleanup process may be complicated by the presence of radiation and other occupational hazards. Building design and construction features, e.g., the presence of open grating or trenches, may also complicate cleanup. In addition to the technical challenges associated with spill cleanup, selection of the appropriate regulatory requirements and approach may be challenging. The TSCA regulations include three different sections relating to the cleanup of PCB contamination or spills. EPA has also promulgated a separate guidance policy for fresh PCB spills that is published as Subpart G of 40 CFR 761 although it is not an actual regulation. Applicability is based on the circumstances of each contamination event or situation. Other laws or regulations may also apply. Identification of the allowable regulatory options is important. Effective communication with stakeholders, particularly regulators, is just as important. Depending on the regulatory path that is taken, cleanup may necessitate the generation of large quantities of regulated waste. Allowable options must be evaluated carefully in order to reduce compliance risks, protect personnel, limit potential negative impacts on facility operations, and minimize the generation of wastes subject to TSCA. This paper will identify critical factors in selecting the appropriate TSCA regulatory path in order to minimize the generation of radioactive PCB waste and reduce negative impacts to facilities. The importance of communicating pertinent technical issues with facility staff, regulatory personnel, and subsequently, the public, will be discussed. Key points will be illustrated by examples from five former production reactors at the DOE Savannah River Site. In these reactors a polyurethane sealant was used to seal piping penetrations in the biological shield walls. During the intense neutron bombardment that occurred during reactor operation, the sealant broke down into a thick, viscous material that seeped out of the piping penetrations over adjacent equipment and walls. Some of the walls were painted with a PCB product. PCBs from the paint migrated into the degraded sealant, creating PCB 'spill areas' in some of these facilities. The regulatory cleanup approach selected for each facility was based on its operational status, e.g., active, inactive or undergoing decommissioning. The selected strategies served to greatly minimize the generation of radioactive liquid PCB waste. It is expected that this information would be useful to other DOE sites, DOD facilities, and commercial nuclear facilities constructed prior to the 1979 TSCA ban on most manufacturing and uses of PCBs.« less

By-pass filters : taking your fleet the extra mile

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-01-01

There has been an industry-wide push over the last few years to extend oil drain intervals on fleet equipment. This industry demand is an effort to reduce downtime, reduce waste oil generation, and cut maintenance costs. Extended oil drain intervals ...

DC graphite arc furnace, a simple system to reduce mixed waste volume

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wittle, J.K.; Hamilton, R.A.; Trescot, J.

1995-12-31

The volume of low-level radioactive waste can be reduced by the high temperature in a DC Graphite Arc Furnace. This volume reduction can take place with the additional benefit of having the solid residue being stabilized by the vitrified product produced in the process. A DC Graphite Arc Furnace is a simple system in which electricity is used to generate heat to vitrify the material and thermally decompose any organic matter in the waste stream. Examples of this type of waste are protective clothing, resins, and grit blast materials produced in the nuclear industry. The various Department of Energy (DOE)more » complexes produce similar low-level waste streams. Electro-Pyrolysis, Inc. and Svedala/Kennedy Van Saun are engineering and building small 50-kg batch and up to 3,000 kg/hr continuous feed DC furnaces for the remediation, pollution prevention, and decontamination and decommissioning segments of the treatment community. This process has been demonstrated under DOE sponsorship at several facilities and has been shown to produce stable waste forms from surrogate waste materials.« less

Starting a Planet Protectors Club

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Environmental Protection Agency, 2007

2007-01-01

If your mission is to teach children how to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste and create the next generation of Planet Protectors, perhaps leading a Planet Protectors Club is part of your future challenges. You don't have to be an expert in waste reduction and recycling to lead a a Planet Protectors Club. You don't even have to be a teacher. You do…

Surgical waste audit of 5 total knee arthroplasties.

PubMed

Stall, Nathan M; Kagoma, Yoan M; Bondy, Jennifer N; Naudie, Douglas

2013-04-01

Operating rooms (ORs) are estimated to generate up to one-third of hospital waste. At the London Health Sciences Centre, prosthetics and implants represent 17% of the institution's ecological footprint. To investigate waste production associated with total knee arthroplasties (TKAs), we performed a surgical waste audit to gauge the environmental impact of this procedure and generate strategies to improve waste management. We conducted a waste audit of 5 primary TKAs performed by a single surgeon in February 2010. Waste was categorized into 6 streams: regular solid waste, recyclable plastics, biohazard waste, laundered linens, sharps and blue sterile wrap. Volume and weight of each stream was quantified. We used Canadian Joint Replacement Registry data (2008-2009) to estimate annual weight and volume totals of waste from all TKAs performed in Canada. The average surgical waste (excluding laundered linens) per TKA was 13.3 kg, of which 8.6 kg (64.5%) was normal solid waste, 2.5 kg (19.2%) was biohazard waste, 1.6 kg (12.1%) was blue sterile wrap, 0.3 kg (2.2%) was recyclables and 0.3 kg (2.2%) was sharps. Plastic wrappers, disposable surgical linens and personal protective equipment contributed considerably to total waste. We estimated that landfill waste from all 47 429 TKAs performed in Canada in 2008-2009 was 407 889 kg by weight and 15 272 m3 by volume. Total knee arthroplasties produce substantial amounts of surgical waste. Environmentally friendly surgical products and waste management strategies may allow ORs to reduce the negative impacts of waste production without compromising patient care. Level IV, case series.

Implementation of flowsheet change to minimize hydrogen and ammonia generation during chemical processing of high level waste in the Defense Waste Processing Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lambert, Dan P.; Woodham, Wesley H.; Williams, Matthew S.

Testing was completed to develop a chemical processing flowsheet for the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), designed to vitrify and stabilize high level radioactive waste. DWPF processing uses a reducing acid (formic acid) and an oxidizing acid (nitric acid) to rheologically thin the slurry and complete the necessary acid base and reduction reactions (primarily mercury and manganese). Formic acid reduces mercuric oxide to elemental mercury, allowing the mercury to be removed during the boiling phase of processing through steam stripping. In runs with active catalysts, formic acid can decompose to hydrogen and nitrate can be reduced to ammonia, both flammablemore » gases, due to rhodium and ruthenium catalysis. Replacement of formic acid with glycolic acid eliminates the generation of rhodium- and ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogen and ammonia. In addition, mercury reduction is still effective with glycolic acid. Hydrogen, ammonia and mercury are discussed in the body of the report. Ten abbreviated tests were completed to develop the operating window for implementation of the flowsheet and determine the impact of changes in acid stoichiometry and the blend of nitric and glycolic acid as it impacts various processing variables over a wide processing region. Three full-length 4-L lab-scale simulations demonstrated the viability of the flowsheet under planned operating conditions. The flowsheet is planned for implementation in early 2017.« less

LANL OPERATING EXPERIENCE WITH THE WAND AND HERCULES PROTOTYPE SYSTEMS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

K. M. GRUETZMACHER; C. L. FOXX; S. C. MYERS

2000-09-01

The Waste Assay for Nonradioactive Disposal (WAND) and the High Efficiency Radiation Counters for Ultimate Low Emission Sensitivity (HERCULES) prototype systems have been operating at Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL's) Solid Waste Operation's (SWO'S) non-destructive assay (NDA) building since 1997 and 1998, respectively. These systems are the cornerstone of the verification program for low-density Green is Clean (GIC) waste at the Laboratory. GIC waste includes all non-regulated waste generated in radiological controlled areas (RCAS) that has been actively segregated as clean (i.e., nonradioactive) through the use of waste generator acceptable knowledge (AK). The use of this methodology alters LANL's pastmore » practice of disposing of all room trash generated in nuclear facilities in radioactive waste landfills. Waste that is verified clean can be disposed of at the Los Alamos County Landfill. It is estimated that 50-90% of the low-density room trash from radioactive material handling areas at Los Alamos might be free of contamination. This approach avoids the high cost of disposal of clean waste at a radioactive waste landfill. It also reduces consumption of precious space in the radioactive waste landfill where disposal of this waste provides no benefit to the public or the environment. Preserving low level waste (LLW) disposal capacity for truly radioactive waste is critical in this era when expanding existing radioactive waste landfills or permitting new ones is resisted by regulators and stakeholders. This paper describes the operating experience with the WAND and HERCULES since they began operation at SWO. Waste for verification by the WAND system has been limited so far to waste from the Plutonium Facility and the Solid Waste Operations Facility. A total of461 ft3 (13.1 m3) of low-density shredded waste and paper have been verified clean by the WAND system. The HERCULES system has been used to verify waste from four Laboratory facilities. These are the Solid Waste Operations Facility, the TA-48 Chemistry Facility, the Shops Facility, and the Environmental Facility. A total of 3150 ft3 (89.3 m3) of low-density waste has been verified clean by the HERCULES system.« less

Production of Enzymes From Agricultural Wastes and Their Potential Industrial Applications.

PubMed

Bharathiraja, S; Suriya, J; Krishnan, M; Manivasagan, P; Kim, S-K

Enzymatic hydrolysis is the significant technique for the conversion of agricultural wastes into valuable products. Agroindustrial wastes such as rice bran, wheat bran, wheat straw, sugarcane bagasse, and corncob are cheapest and plentifully available natural carbon sources for the production of industrially important enzymes. Innumerable enzymes that have numerous applications in industrial processes for food, drug, textile, and dye use have been produced from different types of microorganisms from agricultural wastes. Utilization of agricultural wastes offers great potential for reducing the production cost and increasing the use of enzymes for industrial purposes. This chapter focuses on economic production of actinobacterial enzymes from agricultural wastes to make a better alternative for utilization of biomass generated in million tons as waste annually. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solid Waste Management with Emphasis on Environmental Aspect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Navin Kr.; Choudhary, Binod Kumar; Shree, Shalini

2011-12-01

In this paper focus on Solid waste management. Its comprises of purposeful and systematic control of generation, storage, collection, transport, separations, processing, recycling, recovery and disposal of solid waste. Awareness of Four R's management & EMS support also for management Solid waste. Basel convention on the Control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their Disposal usually known simply as the Basel Convention, is an international treaty that was designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations, and specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries (LDCs). it came into force 5 May 1992. According to this "Substances or objects which are disposed of or are intended to be disposed of or are required to be disposed of by the provisions of national law"(UNEP).

Biological processes for advancing lignocellulosic waste biorefinery by advocating circular economy.

PubMed

Liguori, Rossana; Faraco, Vincenza

2016-09-01

The actualization of a circular economy through the use of lignocellulosic wastes as renewable resources can lead to reduce the dependence from fossil-based resources and contribute to a sustainable waste management. The integrated biorefineries, exploiting the overall lignocellulosic waste components to generate fuels, chemicals and energy, are the pillar of the circular economy. The biological treatment is receiving great attention for the biorefinery development since it is considered an eco-friendly alternative to the physico-chemical strategies to increase the biobased product recovery from wastes and improve saccharification and fermentation yields. This paper reviews the last advances in the biological treatments aimed at upgrading lignocellulosic wastes, implementing the biorefinery concept and advocating circular economy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of particulate emissions from a diesel generator fueled with varying blends of biodiesel and fossil diesel.

PubMed

Tsai, Jen-Hsiung; Chen, Shui-Jen; Huang, Kuo-Lin; Lee, Wen-Jhy; Kuo, Wen-Chien; Lin, Wen-Yinn

2011-01-01

This study investigated the particulate matter (PM), particle-bound carbons, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from a diesel-engine generator fuelled with blends of pure fossil diesel oil (D100) and varying percentages of waste-edible-oil biodiesel (W10, 10 vol %; W20, 20 vol %; W30, 30 vol %; and W50, 50 vol %) under generator loads of 0, 1.5, and 3 kW. On average, the PM emission factors of all blends was 30.5 % (range, 13.7-52.3 %) lower than that of D100 under the tested loads. Substituting pure fossil diesel oil with varying percentages of waste-edible-oil biodiesel reduced emissions of particle-bound total carbon (TC) and elemental carbon (EC). The W20 blend had the lowest particle-bound organic carbon (OC) emissions. Notably, W10, W20, and W30 also had lower Total-PAH emissions and lower total equivalent toxicity (Total-BaP(eq)) compared to D100. Additionally, the brake-specific fuel consumption of the generator correlated positively with the ratio of waste-edible-oil biodiesel to pure fossil diesel. However, generator energy efficiency correlated negatively with the ratio of waste-edible-oil biodiesel to pure fossil diesel.

Using benchmarking to minimize common DOE waste streams: Volume 5. Office paper waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levin, V.

Finding innovative ways to reduce waste streams generated at US Department of Energy (DOE) sites by 50% by the year 2000 is a challenge for DOE`s waste minimization efforts. A team composed of members from several DOE facilities used the quality tool known as benchmarking to improve waste minimization efforts. First the team examined office waste generation and handling processes at their sites. Then team members developed telephone and written questionnaires to help identify potential ``best-in-class`` industry partners willing to share information about their best waste minimization techniques and technologies. The team identified two benchmarking partners, NIKE, Inc., in Beaverton,more » Oregon, and Microsoft, Inc., in Redmond, Washington. Both companies have proactive, employee-driven environmental issues programs. Both companies report strong employee involvement, management commitment, and readily available markets for recyclable materials such as white paper and nonwhite assorted paper. The availability of markets, the initiative and cooperation of employees, and management support are the main enablers for their programs. At both companies, recycling and waste reduction programs often cut across traditional corporate divisions such as procurement, janitorial services, environmental compliance, grounds maintenance, cafeteria operations, surplus sales, and shipping and receiving. These companies exhibited good cooperation between these functions to design and implement recycling and waste reduction programs.« less

Municipal solid waste management for total resource recycling: a case study on Haulien County in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chang, Yu-Min; Liu, Chien-Chung; Dai, Wen-Chien; Hu, Allen; Tseng, Chao-Heng; Chou, Chieh-Mei

2013-01-01

This work presents the enforcement performance of recent Haulien County, Taiwan municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling management programs. These programs include: Mandatory Refuse Sorting and Recycling, Diverse Bulk Waste Reuse, Pay-as-you-Discharge, Total Food Waste Recycling, Restricted Use on Plastic Shopping Bags & Plastic Tableware, Recycling Fund Management, and Ash Reuse. These programs provide incentives to reduce the MSW quantity growth rate. It was found that the recycled material fraction of MSW generated in 2001 was from 6.8%, but was 32.4% in 2010 and will increase stably by 2-5% yearly in the near future. Survey data for the last few years show that only 2.68% (based on total MSW generated) of food waste was collected in 2001. However, food waste was up to 9.7% in 2010 after the Total Food Waste Recycling program was implemented. The reutilization rate of bottom ash was 20% in 2005 and up to 65% in 2010 owing to Ash Reuse Program enforcement. A quantified index, the Total Recycle Index, was proposed to evaluate MSW management program performance. The demonstrated county will move toward a zero waste society in 2015 if the Total Recycle Index approaches 1.00. Exact management with available programs can lead to slow-growing waste volume and recovery of all MSW.

Use of selected waste materials in concrete mixes.

PubMed

Batayneh, Malek; Marie, Iqbal; Asi, Ibrahim

2007-01-01

A modern lifestyle, alongside the advancement of technology has led to an increase in the amount and type of waste being generated, leading to a waste disposal crisis. This study tackles the problem of the waste that is generated from construction fields, such as demolished concrete, glass, and plastic. In order to dispose of or at least reduce the accumulation of certain kinds of waste, it has been suggested to reuse some of these waste materials to substitute a percentage of the primary materials used in the ordinary portland cement concrete (OPC). The waste materials considered to be recycled in this study consist of glass, plastics, and demolished concrete. Such recycling not only helps conserve natural resources, but also helps solve a growing waste disposal crisis. Ground plastics and glass were used to replace up to 20% of fine aggregates in concrete mixes, while crushed concrete was used to replace up to 20% of coarse aggregates. To evaluate these replacements on the properties of the OPC mixes, a number of laboratory tests were carried out. These tests included workability, unit weight, compressive strength, flexural strength, and indirect tensile strength (splitting). The main findings of this investigation revealed that the three types of waste materials could be reused successfully as partial substitutes for sand or coarse aggregates in concrete mixtures.

Biomedical waste management guidelines 2016: What's done and what needs to be done.

PubMed

Singhal, Lipika; Tuli, Arpandeep Kaur; Gautam, Vikas

2017-01-01

The latest biomedical waste (BMW) management guidelines which have been introduced in 2016 are simplified and made easier so that they can be easily followed by various health agencies. The categories of BMW have been reduced from ten (in 1998) to four in the latest (2016) guidelines. Many changes have been made in these latest guidelines, which have been summarised in the article below. The segregation of hospital waste plays a very important role, so the waste has to be sorted out at the source of generation according to the category to which it belongs as given in the newer guidelines. Newer waste treatment facilities such as plasma pyrolysis, encapsulation, inertisation have been introduced, and we have to do away with older facilities such as incineration as toxic fumes (dioxins and furans) are produced which are harmful to both health and environment. We can even think of using these wastewater treatment plants to remove the antimicrobial resistance genes during the processing of the waste, which is being generated from the hospitals.

Bioenergy Potential from Food Waste in California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Breunig, Hanna M.; Jin, Ling; Robinson, Alastair

This paper presents the first detailed analysis of monthly food waste generation in California at a county level, and its potential contribution to the state's energy production. Scenarios that rely on excess capacity at existing anaerobic digester (AD) and solid biomass combustion facilities, and alternatives that allow for new facility construction, are developed and modeled. Potential monthly electricity generation from the conversion of gross food waste using a combination of AD and combustion varies from 420 to 700 MW, averaging 530 MW. At least 66% of gross high moisture solids and 23% of gross low moisture solids can be treatedmore » using existing county infrastructure, and this fraction increases to 99% of high moisture solids and 55% of low moisture solids if waste can be shipped anywhere within the state. Biogas flaring practices at AD facilities can reduce potential energy production by 10 to 40%.« less

Renewable Energy Production from Waste to Mitigate Climate Change and Counteract Soil Degradation - A Spatial Explicit Assessment for Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraxner, Florian; Yoshikawa, Kunio; Leduc, Sylvain; Fuss, Sabine; Aoki, Kentaro; Yamagata, Yoshiki

2014-05-01

Waste production from urban areas is growing faster than urbanization itself, while at the same time urban areas are increasingly contributing substantial emissions causing climate change. Estimates indicate for urban residents a per capita solid waste (MSW) production of 1.2 kg per day, subject to further increase to 1.5 kg beyond 2025. Waste water and sewage production is estimated at about 260 liters per capita and day, also at increasing rates. Based on these figures, waste - including e.g. MSW, sewage and animal manure - can generally be assumed as a renewable resource with varying organic components and quantity. This paper demonstrates how new and innovative technologies in the field of Waste-to-Green Products can help in various ways not only to reduce costs for waste treatment, reduce the pressure on largely overloaded dump sites, and reduce also the effect of toxic materials at the landfill site and by that i.e. protect the groundwater. Moreover, Waste-to-Green Products can contribute actively to mitigating climate change through fossil fuel substitution and carbon sequestration while at the same time counteracting negative land use effects from other types of renewable energy and feedstock production through substitution. At the same time, the co-production and recycling of fertilizing elements and biochar can substantially counteract soil degradation and improve the soil organic carbon content of different land use types. The overall objective of this paper is to assess the total climate change mitigation potential of MSW, sewage and animal manure for Japan. A techno-economic approach is used to inform the policy discussion on the suitability of this substantial and sustainable mitigation option. We examine the spatial explicit technical mitigation potential from e.g. energy substitution and carbon sequestration through biochar in rural and urban Japan. For this exercise, processed information on respective Japanese waste production, energy demand (population density) and transport infrastructure is used as input data to an engineering model (BeWhere) for optimizing scale and location of waste treatment plants with potential energy and fertilizer co-generation. Finally, this paper quantifies the economic dimension of mitigation through innovative waste treatment while considering the additional business-feasibility and potential benefits from waste treatment co-products such as energy generation, fertilizer and biochar production for counteracting soil degradation.

Estimation of waste component-specific landfill decay rates using laboratory-scale decomposition data.

PubMed

De la Cruz, Florentino B; Barlaz, Morton A

2010-06-15

The current methane generation model used by the U.S. EPA (Landfill Gas Emissions Model) treats municipal solid waste (MSW) as a homogeneous waste with one decay rate. However, component-specific decay rates are required to evaluate the effects of changes in waste composition on methane generation. Laboratory-scale rate constants, k(lab), for the major biodegradable MSW components were used to derive field-scale decay rates (k(field)) for each waste component using the assumption that the average of the field-scale decay rates for each waste component, weighted by its composition, is equal to the bulk MSW decay rate. For an assumed bulk MSW decay rate of 0.04 yr(-1), k(field) was estimated to be 0.298, 0.171, 0.015, 0.144, 0.033, 0.02, 0.122, and 0.029 yr(-1), for grass, leaves, branches, food waste, newsprint, corrugated containers, coated paper, and office paper, respectively. The effect of landfill waste diversion programs on methane production was explored to illustrate the use of component-specific decay rates. One hundred percent diversion of yard waste and food waste reduced the year 20 methane production rate by 45%. When a landfill gas collection schedule was introduced, collectable methane was most influenced by food waste diversion at years 10 and 20 and paper diversion at year 40.

Waste in the U.S. Health care system: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Bentley, Tanya G K; Effros, Rachel M; Palar, Kartika; Keeler, Emmett B

2008-12-01

Health care costs in the United States are much higher than those in industrial countries with similar or better health system performance. Wasteful spending has many undesirable consequences that could be alleviated through waste reduction. This article proposes a conceptual framework to guide researchers and policymakers in evaluating waste, implementing waste-reduction strategies, and reducing the burden of unnecessary health care spending. This article divides health care waste into administrative, operational, and clinical waste and provides an overview of each. It explains how researchers have used both high-level and sector- or procedure-specific comparisons to quantify such waste, and it discusses examples and challenges in both waste measurement and waste reduction. Waste is caused by factors such as health insurance and medical uncertainties that encourage the production of inefficient and low-value services. Various efforts to reduce such waste have encountered challenges, such as the high costs of initial investment, unintended administrative complexities, and trade-offs among patients', payers', and providers' interests. While categorizing waste may help identify and measure general types and sources of waste, successful reduction strategies must integrate the administrative, operational, and clinical components of care, and proceed by identifying goals, changing systemic incentives, and making specific process improvements. Classifying, identifying, and measuring waste elucidate its causes, clarify systemic goals, and specify potential health care reforms that-by improving the market for health insurance and health care-will generate incentives for better efficiency and thus ultimately decrease waste in the U.S. health care system.

Advantages and disadvantages of a municipal solid waste collection service for citizens of Hanoi City, Vietnam.

PubMed

Kawai, Kosuke; Osako, Masahiro

2013-03-01

Governments of municipalities in Vietnam experiencing dynamic economic growth and dramatic population increases have been struggling to manage increased amounts of municipal solid waste (MSW). This study aimed to clarify the advantages and disadvantages of the current MSW collection service for citizens of the four central districts of Hanoi city, Vietnam, by conducting interviews with 200 households and 200 business entities regarding their satisfaction with the service. The survey results showed that Hanoi city provides an economical collection service with sufficient frequency and at appropriate times for citizens. However, a number of citizens complained about unsanitary conditions in the area surrounding their residence. Business entities had sufficient motivation to sell recyclable waste (RW) to the informal sector, not only to derive revenue from selling RW, but also to reduce the amount of MSW generated, thus reducing the MSW collection fee. Households were not motivated to reduce MSW by selling RW to the informal sector because they paid a fixed collection fee. As a result, an improvement in living standards in the near future is expected to contribute to increasing the amount of MSW generated from households.

Recent development of anaerobic digestion processes for energy recovery from wastes.

PubMed

Nishio, Naomichi; Nakashimada, Yutaka

2007-02-01

Anaerobic digestion leads to the overall gasification of organic wastewaters and wastes, and produces methane and carbon dioxide; this gasification contributes to reducing organic matter and recovering energy from organic carbons. Here, we propose three new processes and demonstrate the effectiveness of each process. By using complete anaerobic organic matter removal process (CARP), in which diluted wastewaters such as sewage and effluent from a methane fermentation digester were treated under anaerobic condition for post-treatment, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) in wastewater was decreased to less than 20 ppm. The dry ammonia-methane two-stage fermentation process (Am-Met process) is useful for the anaerobic treatment of nitrogen-rich wastes such as waste excess sludge, cow feces, chicken feces, and food waste without the dilution of the ammonia produced by water or carbon-rich wastes. The hydrogen-methane two-stage fermentation (Hy-Met process), in which the hydrogen produced in the first stage is used for a fuel cell system to generate electricity and the methane produced in the second stage is used to generate heat energy to heat the two reactors and satisfy heat requirements, is useful for the treatment of sugar-rich wastewaters, bread wastes, and biodiesel wastewaters.

Effect of biogas generation on radon emissions from landfills receiving radium-bearing waste from shale gas development.

PubMed

Walter, Gary R; Benke, Roland R; Pickett, David A

2012-09-01

Dramatic increases in the development of oil and natural gas from shale formations will result in large quantities of drill cuttings, flowback water, and produced water. These organic-rich shale gas formations often contain elevated concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), such as uranium, thorium, and radium. Production of oil and gas from these formations will also lead to the development of technologically enhanced NORM (TENORM) in production equipment. Disposal of these potentially radium-bearing materials in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills could release radon to the atmosphere. Risk analyses of disposal of radium-bearing TENORM in MSW landfills sponsored by the Department of Energy did not consider the effect of landfill gas (LFG) generation or LFG control systems on radon emissions. Simulation of radon emissions from landfills with LFG generation indicates that LFG generation can significantly increase radon emissions relative to emissions without LFG generation, where the radon emissions are largely controlled by vapor-phase diffusion. Although the operation of LFG control systems at landfills with radon source materials can result in point-source atmospheric radon plumes, the LFG control systems tend to reduce overall radon emissions by reducing advective gas flow through the landfill surface, and increasing the radon residence time in the subsurface, thus allowing more time for radon to decay. In some of the disposal scenarios considered, the radon flux from the landfill and off-site atmospheric activities exceed levels that would be allowed for radon emissions from uranium mill tailings. Increased development of hydrocarbons from organic-rich shale formations has raised public concern that wastes from these activities containing naturally occurring radioactive materials, particularly radium, may be disposed in municipal solid waste landfills and endanger public health by releasing radon to the atmosphere. This paper analyses the processes by which radon may be emitted from a landfill to the atmosphere. The analyses indicate that landfill gas generation can significantly increase radon emissions, but that the actual level of radon emissions depend on the place of the waste, construction of the landfill cover, and nature of the landfill gas control system.

Fluid bed gasification – Plasma converter process generating energy from solid waste: Experimental assessment of sulphur species

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morrin, Shane, E-mail: shane.morrin@ucl.ac.uk; Advanced Plasma Power, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 4DE; Lettieri, Paola, E-mail: p.lettieri@ucl.ac.uk

2014-01-15

Highlights: • We investigate gaseous sulphur species whilst gasifying sulphur-enriched wood pellets. • Experiments performed using a two stage fluid bed gasifier – plasma converter process. • Notable SO{sub 2} and relatively low COS levels were identified. • Oxygen-rich regions of the bed are believed to facilitate SO{sub 2}, with a delayed release. • Gas phase reducing regions above the bed would facilitate more prompt COS generation. - Abstract: Often perceived as a Cinderella material, there is growing appreciation for solid waste as a renewable content thermal process feed. Nonetheless, research on solid waste gasification and sulphur mechanisms in particularmore » is lacking. This paper presents results from two related experiments on a novel two stage gasification process, at demonstration scale, using a sulphur-enriched wood pellet feed. Notable SO{sub 2} and relatively low COS levels (before gas cleaning) were interesting features of the trials, and not normally expected under reducing gasification conditions. Analysis suggests that localised oxygen rich regions within the fluid bed played a role in SO{sub 2}’s generation. The response of COS to sulphur in the feed was quite prompt, whereas SO{sub 2} was more delayed. It is proposed that the bed material sequestered sulphur from the feed, later aiding SO{sub 2} generation. The more reducing gas phase regions above the bed would have facilitated COS – hence its faster response. These results provide a useful insight, with further analysis on a suite of performed experiments underway, along with thermodynamic modelling.« less

Waste Management Strategy for Dismantling Waste to Reduce Costs for Power Plant Decommissioning - 13543

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larsson, Arne; Lidar, Per; Bergh, Niklas

2013-07-01

Decommissioning of nuclear power plants generates large volumes of radioactive or potentially radioactive waste. The proper management of the dismantling waste plays an important role for the time needed for the dismantling phase and thus is critical to the decommissioning cost. An efficient and thorough process for inventorying, characterization and categorization of the waste provides a sound basis for the planning process. As part of comprehensive decommissioning studies for Nordic NPPs, Westinghouse has developed the decommissioning inventories that have been used for estimations of the duration of specific work packages and the corresponding costs. As part of creating the designmore » basis for a national repository for decommissioning waste, the total production of different categories of waste packages has also been predicted. Studsvik has developed a risk based concept for categorization and handling of the generated waste using six different categories with a span from extremely small risk for radiological contamination to high level waste. The two companies have recently joined their skills in the area of decommissioning on selected market in a consortium named 'ndcon' to further strengthen the proposed process. Depending on the risk for radiological contamination or the radiological properties and other properties of importance for waste management, treatment routes are proposed with well-defined and proven methods for on-site or off-site treatment, activity determination and conditioning. The system is based on a graded approach philosophy aiming for high confidence and sustainability, aiming for re-use and recycling where found applicable. The objective is to establish a process where all dismantled material has a pre-determined treatment route. These routes should through measurements, categorization, treatment, conditioning, intermediate storage and final disposal be designed to provide a steady, un-disturbed flow of material to avoid interruptions. Bottle-necks in the process causes increased space requirements and will have negative impact on the project schedule, which increases not only the cost but also the dose exposure to personnel. For these reasons it is critical to create a process that transfers material into conditioned waste ready for disposal as quickly as possible. To a certain extent the decommissioning program should be led by the waste management process. With the objective to reduce time for handling of dismantled material at site and to efficiently and environmental-friendly use waste management methods (clearance for re-use followed by clearance for recycling), the costs for the plant decommissioning could be reduced as well as time needed for performing the decommissioning project. Also, risks for delays would be reduced with a well-defined handling scheme which limits surprises. Delays are a major cost driver for decommissioning projects. (authors)« less

Systematic exploration of efficient strategies to manage solid waste in U.S. municipalities: perspectives from the solid waste optimization life-cycle framework (SWOLF).

PubMed

Levis, James W; Barlaz, Morton A; Decarolis, Joseph F; Ranjithan, S Ranji

2014-04-01

Solid waste management (SWM) systems must proactively adapt to changing policy requirements, waste composition, and an evolving energy system to sustainably manage future solid waste. This study represents the first application of an optimizable dynamic life-cycle assessment framework capable of considering these future changes. The framework was used to draw insights by analyzing the SWM system of a hypothetical suburban U.S. city of 100 000 people over 30 years while considering changes to population, waste generation, and energy mix and costs. The SWM system included 3 waste generation sectors, 30 types of waste materials, and 9 processes for waste separation, treatment, and disposal. A business-as-usual scenario (BAU) was compared to three optimization scenarios that (1) minimized cost (Min Cost), (2) maximized diversion (Max Diversion), and (3) minimized greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Min GHG) from the system. The Min Cost scenario saved $7.2 million (12%) and reduced GHG emissions (3%) relative to the BAU scenario. Compared to the Max Diversion scenario, the Min GHG scenario cost approximately 27% less and more than doubled the net reduction in GHG emissions. The results illustrate how the timed-deployment of technologies in response to changes in waste composition and the energy system results in more efficient SWM system performance compared to what is possible from static analyses.

Trash-to-Gas: Using Waste Products to Minimize Logistical Mass During Long Duration Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hintze, Paul E.; Caraccio, A. J.; Anthony, S. M.; Tsoras, A. N.; Devor, Robert; Captain, James G.; Nur, Mononita

2013-01-01

Just as waste-to-energy processes utilizing municipal landftll and biomass wastes are finding increased terrestrial uses, the Trash-to-Gas (TtG) project seeks to convert waste generated during spaceflight into high value commodities. These include methane for propulsion and water for life support in addition to a variety of other gasses. TtG is part of the Logistic Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project under the NASA Advanced Exploration Systems Program. The LRR project will enable a largely mission-independent approach to minimize logistics contributions to total mission architecture mass. LRR includes technologies that reduce the amount of consumables that need to be sent to space, repurpose items sent to space, or convert wastes to commodities. Currently, waste generated on the International Space Station is stored inside a logistic module which is de-orbited into Earth's atmosphere for destruction. The waste consists of food packaging, food, clothing and other items. This paper will discuss current results on incineration as a waste processing method. Incineration is part of a two step process to produce methane from waste: first the waste is converted to carbon oxides; second, the carbon oxides are fed to a Sabatier reactor where they are converted to methane. The quantities of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane and water were measured under the different thermal degradation conditions. The overall carbon conversion efficiency and water recovery are discussed

Trash-to-Gas: Using Waste Products to Minimize Logistical Mass During Long Duration Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hintze, Paul. E.; Caraccio, Anne J.; Anthony, Stephen M.; Tsoras, Alexandra N.; Nur, Monoita; Devor, Robert; Captain, James G.

2013-01-01

Just as waste-to-energy processes utilizing municipal landftll and biomass wastes are finding increased terrestrial uses, the Trash-to-Gas (TtG) project seeks to convert waste generated during spaceflight into high value commodities. These include methane for propulsion and water for life support in addition to a variety of other gasses. TtG is part of the Logistic Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project under the NASA Advanced Exploration Systems Program. The LRR project will enable a largely mission-independent approach to minimize logistics contributions to total mission architecture mass. LRR includes technologies that reduce the amount of consumables that need to be sent to space, repurpose items sent to space, or convert wastes to commodities. Currently, waste generated on the International Space Station is stored inside a logistic module which is de-orbited into Earth's atmosphere for destruction. The waste consists of food packaging, food, clothing and other items. This paper will discuss current results on incineration as a waste processing method. Incineration is part of a two step process to produce methane from waste: first the waste is converted to carbon oxides; second, the carbon oxides are fed to a Sabatier reactor where they are converted to methane. The quantities of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane and water were measured under the different thermal degradation conditions. The overall carbon conversion efficiency and water recovery are discussed.

Does recyclable separation reduce the cost of municipal waste management in Japan?

PubMed

Chifari, Rosaria; Lo Piano, Samuele; Matsumoto, Shigeru; Tasaki, Tomohiro

2017-02-01

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is a system involving multiple sub-systems that typically require demanding inputs, materials and resources to properly process generated waste throughput. For this reason, MSW management is generally one of the most expensive services provided by municipalities. In this paper, we analyze the Japanese MSW management system and estimate the cost elasticity with respect to the waste volumes at three treatment stages: collection, processing, and disposal. Although we observe economies of scale at all three stages, the collection cost is less elastic than the disposal cost. We also examine whether source separation at home affects the cost of MSW management. The empirical results show that the separate collection of the recyclable fraction leads to reduced processing costs at intermediate treatment facilities, but does not change the overall waste management cost. Our analysis also reveals that the cost of waste management systems decreases when the service is provided by private companies through a public tender. The cost decreases even more when the service is performed under the coordination of adjacent municipalities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Utilization of construction and agricultural waste in Malaysia for development of Green Concrete: A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tambichik, M. A.; Mohamad, N.; Samad, A. A. A.; Bosro, M. Z. M.; Iman, M. A.

2018-04-01

Green Concrete (GC) is defined as a concrete that utilize a waste material for at least one of its component. The production of GC has been increasing due to the drawback of conventional concrete that create many environmental problems. In Malaysia, the amount of waste generates from agricultural and construction industries were increasing every year. Hence, one of the solutions to reduce the impact of conventional concrete and limited landfill spaces due to excessive waste is by utilizing it in concrete. This paper reviews the possible use of construction waste (Recycle Concrete Aggregate) and agricultural waste (Palm Oil Fuel Ash, Rice Husk Ash and Palm Oil Fibre) as partial replacement for the basic material in a concrete to produce an innovative Green Concrete. The optimum replacement level for each type of waste was also been review. Green Concrete also has the potential to reduce environmental pollution and solve the depletion of natural sources. The result from this review shows that the addition of agricultural waste or construction waste in concrete indicate positive and satisfactory strength when compared to normal concrete. Finally, a mass production of Green Concrete can fulfil the Construction Industry Transformation Plan (CITP) 2016-2020 made by CIDB that emphasizes on a construction system which is environmentally sustainable.

Surgical waste audit of 5 total knee arthroplasties

PubMed Central

Stall, Nathan M.; Kagoma, Yoan K.; Bondy, Jennifer N.; Naudie, Douglas

2013-01-01

Background Operating rooms (ORs) are estimated to generate up to one-third of hospital waste. At the London Health Sciences Centre, prosthetics and implants represent 17% of the institution’s ecological footprint. To investigate waste production associated with total knee arthroplasties (TKAs), we performed a surgical waste audit to gauge the environmental impact of this procedure and generate strategies to improve waste management. Methods We conducted a waste audit of 5 primary TKAs performed by a single surgeon in February 2010. Waste was categorized into 6 streams: regular solid waste, recyclable plastics, biohazard waste, laundered linens, sharps and blue sterile wrap. Volume and weight of each stream was quantified. We used Canadian Joint Replacement Registry data (2008–2009) to estimate annual weight and volume totals of waste from all TKAs performed in Canada. Results The average surgical waste (excluding laundered linens) per TKA was 13.3 kg, of which 8.6 kg (64.5%) was normal solid waste, 2.5 kg (19.2%) was biohazard waste, 1.6 kg (12.1%) was blue sterile wrap, 0.3 kg (2.2%) was recyclables and 0.3 kg (2.2%) was sharps. Plastic wrappers, disposable surgical linens and personal protective equipment contributed considerably to total waste. We estimated that landfill waste from all 47 429 TKAs performed in Canada in 2008–2009 was 407 889 kg by weight and 15 272 m3 by volume. Conclusion Total knee arthroplasties produce substantial amounts of surgical waste. Environmentally friendly surgical products and waste management strategies may allow ORs to reduce the negative impacts of waste production without compromising patient care. Level of evidence Level IV, case series. PMID:23351497

Use of cationic polymers to reduce pathogen levels during dairy manure separation.

PubMed

Liu, Zong; Carroll, Zachary S; Long, Sharon C; Gunasekaran, Sundaram; Runge, Troy

2016-01-15

Various separation technologies are used to deal with the enormous amounts of animal waste that large livestock operations generate. When the recycled waste stream is land applied, it is essential to lower the pathogen load to safeguard the health of livestock and humans. We investigated whether cationic polymers, used as a flocculent in the solid/liquid separation process, could reduce the pathogen indicator load in the animal waste stream. The effects of low charge density cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) and high charge density cationic polydicyandiamide (PDCD) were investigated. Results demonstrated that CPAM was more effective than PDCD for manure coagulation and flocculation, while PDCD was more effective than CPAM in reducing the pathogen indicator loads. However, their combined use, CPAM followed by PDCD, resulted in both improved solids separation and pathogen indicator reduction. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Determining the optimum strategy of techniques from the municipal solid waste management hierarchy to maximize social value. Master`s thesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Still, C.M.

1996-12-01

The primary waste management alternatives are source reduction, recycling, composting, incineration, and landfilling. Often waste management policies are based entirely on technical considerations and ignore that actual disposal practices depend on individuals` attitudes and behaviors. This research formulated a decision analysis model that incorporates social value measures to determine the waste management strategy that maximizes the individuals` willingness to participate. The social values that are important and that were considered in the decision support model to assist with making decisions about solid waste management were convenience, feeling good about reducing waste, feeling good about leaving a good environment for futuremore » generations, and the value of recreation programs that can be provided with profit from a recycling program.« less

Measurement of actinides and strontium-90 in high activity waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maxwell, S.L. III; Nelson, M.R.

1994-08-01

The reliable measurement of trace radionuclides in high activity waste is important to support waste processing activities at SRS (F and H Area Waste Tanks, Extended Sludge Processing (ESP) and In-Tank precipitation (ITP) processing). Separation techniques are needed to remove high levels of gamma activity and alpha/beta interferences prior to analytical measurement. Using new extraction chromatographic resins from EiChrom Industries, Inc., the SRS Central Laboratory has developed new high speed separation methods that enable measurement of neptunium, thorium, uranium, plutonium, americium and strontium-90 in high activity waste solutions. Small particle size resin and applied vacuum are used to reduce analysismore » times and enhance column performance. Extraction chromatographic resins are easy to use and eliminate the generation of contaminated liquid organic waste.« less

A total quality management approach to healthcare waste management in Namazi Hospital, Iran.

PubMed

Askarian, Mehrdad; Heidarpoor, Peigham; Assadian, Ojan

2010-11-01

Healthcare waste comprises all wastes generated at healthcare facilities, medical research centers and laboratories. Although 75-90% of these wastes are classified as household waste posing no potential risk, 10-25% are deemed to be hazardous, representing a potential threat to healthcare workers, patients, the environment and even the general population, if not disposed of appropriately. If hazardous and non-hazardous waste is mixed and not segregated prior to disposal, costs will increase substantially. Medical waste management is a worldwide issue. In Iran, the majority of problems are associated with an exponential growth in the healthcare sector together with low- or non-compliance with guidelines and recommendations. The aim of this study was to reduce the amounts of infectious waste by clear definition and segregation of waste at the production site in Namazi Hospital in Shiraz, Iran. Namazi Hospital was selected as a study site with an aim to achieving a significant decrease in infectious waste and implementing a total quality management (TQM) method. Infectious and non-infectious waste was weighed at 29 admission wards over a 1-month period. Before the introduction of the new guidelines and the new waste management concept, weight of total waste was 6.67 kg per occupied bed per day (kg/occupied bed/day), of which 73% was infectious and 27% non-infectious waste. After intervention, total waste was reduced to 5.92 kg/occupied bed/day, of which infectious waste represented 61% and non-infectious waste 30%. The implementation of a new waste management concept achieved a 26% reduction in infectious waste. A structured waste management concept together with clear definitions and staff training will result in waste reduction, consequently leading to decreased expenditure in healthcare settings. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Visualization of Microfloral Metabolism for Marine Waste Recycling

PubMed Central

Ogura, Tatsuki; Hoshino, Reona; Date, Yasuhiro; Kikuchi, Jun

2016-01-01

Marine biomass including fishery products are precious protein resources for human foods and are an alternative to livestock animals in order to reduce the virtual water problem. However, a large amount of marine waste can be generated from fishery products and it is not currently recycled. We evaluated the metabolism of digested marine waste using integrated analytical methods, under anaerobic conditions and the fertilization of abandoned agricultural soils. Dynamics of fish waste digestion revealed that samples of meat and bony parts had similar dynamics under anaerobic conditions in spite of large chemical variations in input marine wastes. Abandoned agricultural soils fertilized with fish waste accumulated some amino acids derived from fish waste, and accumulation of l-arginine and l-glutamine were higher in plant seedlings. Therefore, we have proposed an analytical method to visualize metabolic dynamics for recycling of fishery waste processes. PMID:26828528

Greenhouse gas emissions from solid waste in Beijing: The rising trend and the mitigation effects by management improvements.

PubMed

Yu, Yongqiang; Zhang, Wen

2016-04-01

Disposal of solid waste poses great challenges to city managements. Changes in solid waste composition and disposal methods, along with urbanisation, can certainly affect greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste. In this study, we analysed the changes in the generation, composition and management of municipal solid waste in Beijing. The changes of greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste management were thereafter calculated. The impacts of municipal solid waste management improvements on greenhouse gas emissions and the mitigation effects of treatment techniques of greenhouse gas were also analysed. Municipal solid waste generation in Beijing has increased, and food waste has constituted the most substantial component of municipal solid waste over the past decade. Since the first half of 1950s, greenhouse gas emission has increased from 6 CO2-eq Gg y(-1)to approximately 200 CO2-eq Gg y(-1)in the early 1990s and 2145 CO2-eq Gg y(-1)in 2013. Landfill gas flaring, landfill gas utilisation and energy recovery in incineration are three techniques of the after-emission treatments in municipal solid waste management. The scenario analysis showed that three techniques might reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 22.7%, 4.5% and 9.8%, respectively. In the future, if waste disposal can achieve a ratio of 4:3:3 by landfill, composting and incineration with the proposed after-emission treatments, as stipulated by the Beijing Municipal Waste Management Act, greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste will decrease by 41%. © The Author(s) 2016.

Use of recycled plastic in concrete: a review.

PubMed

Siddique, Rafat; Khatib, Jamal; Kaur, Inderpreet

2008-01-01

Numerous waste materials are generated from manufacturing processes, service industries and municipal solid wastes. The increasing awareness about the environment has tremendously contributed to the concerns related with disposal of the generated wastes. Solid waste management is one of the major environmental concerns in the world. With the scarcity of space for landfilling and due to its ever increasing cost, waste utilization has become an attractive alternative to disposal. Research is being carried out on the utilization of waste products in concrete. Such waste products include discarded tires, plastic, glass, steel, burnt foundry sand, and coal combustion by-products (CCBs). Each of these waste products has provided a specific effect on the properties of fresh and hardened concrete. The use of waste products in concrete not only makes it economical, but also helps in reducing disposal problems. Reuse of bulky wastes is considered the best environmental alternative for solving the problem of disposal. One such waste is plastic, which could be used in various applications. However, efforts have also been made to explore its use in concrete/asphalt concrete. The development of new construction materials using recycled plastics is important to both the construction and the plastic recycling industries. This paper presents a detailed review about waste and recycled plastics, waste management options, and research published on the effect of recycled plastic on the fresh and hardened properties of concrete. The effect of recycled and waste plastic on bulk density, air content, workability, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, impact resistance, permeability, and abrasion resistance is discussed in this paper.

An overview on characterization, utilization and leachate analysis of biomedical waste incinerator ash.

PubMed

Rajor, Anita; Xaxa, Monika; Mehta, Ratika; Kunal

2012-10-15

Solid waste management is one of the major global environmental issues, as there is continuous increase in industrial globalization and generation of waste. Solid wastes encompass the heterogeneous mass of throwaways from the urban community as well as the homogeneous accumulations of agricultural, industrial and mineral wastes. Biomedical waste pose a significant impact on health and environment. A proper waste management system should be required to dispose hazardous biomedical waste and incineration should be the best available technology to reduce the volume of this hazardous waste. The incineration process destroys pathogens and reduces the waste volume and weight but leaves a solid material called biomedical waste ash as residue which increases the levels of heavy metals, inorganic salts and organic compounds in the environment. Disposal of biomedical waste ash in landfill may cause contamination of groundwater as metals are not destroyed during incineration. The limited space and the high cost for land disposal led to the development of recycling technologies and the reuse of ash in different systems. In order to minimize leaching of its hazardous components into the environment several studies confirmed the successful utilization of biomedical waste ash in agriculture and construction sector. This paper presents the overview on the beneficial use of ash in agriculture and construction materials and its leachate characteristics. This review also stressed on the need to further evaluate the leachate studies of the ashes and slag for their proper disposal and utilization. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regional Renewable Energy Cooperatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazendonk, P.; Brown, M. B.; Byrne, J. M.; Harrison, T.; Mueller, R.; Peacock, K.; Usher, J.; Yalamova, R.; Kroebel, R.; Larsen, J.; McNaughton, R.

2014-12-01

We are building a multidisciplinary research program linking researchers in agriculture, business, earth science, engineering, humanities and social science. Our goal is to match renewable energy supply and reformed energy demands. The program will be focused on (i) understanding and modifying energy demand, (ii) design and implementation of diverse renewable energy networks. Geomatics technology will be used to map existing energy and waste flows on a neighbourhood, municipal, and regional level. Optimal sites and combinations of sites for solar and wind electrical generation (ridges, rooftops, valley walls) will be identified. Geomatics based site and grid analyses will identify best locations for energy production based on efficient production and connectivity to regional grids and transportation. Design of networks for utilization of waste streams of heat, water, animal and human waste for energy production will be investigated. Agriculture, cities and industry produce many waste streams that are not well utilized. Therefore, establishing a renewable energy resource mapping and planning program for electrical generation, waste heat and energy recovery, biomass collection, and biochar, biodiesel and syngas production is critical to regional energy optimization. Electrical storage and demand management are two priorities that will be investigated. Regional scale cooperatives may use electric vehicle batteries and innovations such as pump storage and concentrated solar molten salt heat storage for steam turbine electrical generation. Energy demand management is poorly explored in Canada and elsewhere - our homes and businesses operate on an unrestricted demand. Simple monitoring and energy demand-ranking software can easily reduce peaks demands and move lower ranked uses to non-peak periods, thereby reducing the grid size needed to meet peak demands. Peak demand strains the current energy grid capacity and often requires demand balancing projects and infrastructure that is highly inefficient due to overall low utilization.

Waste in the U.S. Health Care System: A Conceptual Framework

PubMed Central

Bentley, Tanya G K; Effros, Rachel M; Palar, Kartika; Keeler, Emmett B

2008-01-01

Context Health care costs in the United States are much higher than those in industrial countries with similar or better health system performance. Wasteful spending has many undesirable consequences that could be alleviated through waste reduction. This article proposes a conceptual framework to guide researchers and policymakers in evaluating waste, implementing waste-reduction strategies, and reducing the burden of unnecessary health care spending. Methods This article divides health care waste into administrative, operational, and clinical waste and provides an overview of each. It explains how researchers have used both high-level and sector- or procedure-specific comparisons to quantify such waste, and it discusses examples and challenges in both waste measurement and waste reduction. Findings Waste is caused by factors such as health insurance and medical uncertainties that encourage the production of inefficient and low-value services. Various efforts to reduce such waste have encountered challenges, such as the high costs of initial investment, unintended administrative complexities, and trade-offs among patients', payers', and providers' interests. While categorizing waste may help identify and measure general types and sources of waste, successful reduction strategies must integrate the administrative, operational, and clinical components of care, and proceed by identifying goals, changing systemic incentives, and making specific process improvements. Conclusions Classifying, identifying, and measuring waste elucidate its causes, clarify systemic goals, and specify potential health care reforms that—by improving the market for health insurance and health care—will generate incentives for better efficiency and thus ultimately decrease waste in the U.S. health care system. PMID:19120983

Assessment of the greenhouse effect impact of technologies used for energy recovery from municipal waste: a case for England.

PubMed

Papageorgiou, A; Barton, J R; Karagiannidis, A

2009-07-01

Waste management activities contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions approximately by 4%. In particular the disposal of waste in landfills generates methane that has high global warming potential. Effective mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions is important and could provide environmental benefits and sustainable development, as well as reduce adverse impacts on public health. The European and UK waste policy force sustainable waste management and especially diversion from landfill, through reduction, reuse, recycling and composting, and recovery of value from waste. Energy from waste is a waste management option that could provide diversion from landfill and at the same time save a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions, since it recovers energy from waste which usually replaces an equivalent amount of energy generated from fossil fuels. Energy from waste is a wide definition and includes technologies such as incineration of waste with energy recovery, or combustion of waste-derived fuels for energy production or advanced thermal treatment of waste with technologies such as gasification and pyrolysis, with energy recovery. The present study assessed the greenhouse gas emission impacts of three technologies that could be used for the treatment of Municipal Solid Waste in order to recover energy from it. These technologies are Mass Burn Incineration with energy recovery, Mechanical Biological Treatment via bio-drying and Mechanical Heat Treatment, which is a relatively new and uninvestigated method, compared to the other two. Mechanical Biological Treatment and Mechanical Heat Treatment can turn Municipal Solid Waste into Solid Recovered Fuel that could be combusted for energy production or replace other fuels in various industrial processes. The analysis showed that performance of these two technologies depends strongly on the final use of the produced fuel and they could produce GHG emissions savings only when there is end market for the fuel. On the other hand Mass Burn Incineration generates greenhouse gas emission savings when it recovers electricity and heat. Moreover the study found that the expected increase on the amount of Municipal Solid Waste treated for energy recovery in England by 2020 could save greenhouse gas emission, if certain Energy from Waste technologies would be applied, under certain conditions.

Marshall Space Flight Center solid waste characterization and recycling improvement study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eley, Michael H.; Crews, Lavonne; Johnston, Ben; Lee, David; Colebaugh, James

1995-01-01

The MSFC Facilities Office, which is responsible for disposing of all waste generated by MSFC, issued a delivery order to the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) to characterize current MSFC waste streams and to evaluate their existing recycling program. The purpose of the study was to define the nature, quantity, and types of waste produced and to generate ideas for improving the present recycling program. Specifically, the following tasks were to be performed: Identify various surplus and waste materials--as identified by the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR)--by source, location, and type; Analyze MSFC's current methods for handling, storage, transport, and disposition of waste and surplussed materials; Determine the composition of various surplus and waste materials as to type and quantities from various sources and locations; Analyze different methods for the disposition of various surplus and waste materials, including quality, quantity, preparation, transport cost, and value; Study possible alternatives to current methods of handling, storage, transport, and disposition of surplus and waste materials to improve the quality and quantities recycled or sold and to reduce and minimize the quantities of surplus and waste material currently being disposed of or stored; Provide recommendations for source and centralized segregation and aggregation of materials for recycling and/or disposition; and The analysis could include identification and laboratory level evaluation of methods and/or equipment, including capital costs, operating costs, maintenance requirements, life cycle and return on investment for systems to support the waste reduction program mission.

Technology transfer into the solid propulsion industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Ralph L.; Thomson, Lawrence J.

1995-01-01

This paper is a survey of the waste minimization efforts of industries outside of aerospace for possible applications in the manufacture of solid rocket motors (SRM) for NASA. The Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) manufacturing plan was used as the model for processes involved in the production of an SRM. A literature search was conducted to determine the recycling, waste minimization, and waste treatment methods used in the commercial sector that might find application in SRM production. Manufacturers, trade organizations, and professional associations were also contacted. Waste minimization efforts for current processes and replacement technologies, which might reduce the amount or severity of the wastes generated in SRM production, were investigated. An overview of the results of this effort are presented in this paper.

Investigation of potential waste material insulating properties at different temperature for thermal storage application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, T. Z. S.; Rosli, A. B.; Gan, L. M.; Billy, A. S.; Farid, Z.

2013-12-01

Thermal energy storage system (TES) is developed to extend the operation of power generation. TES system is a key component in a solar energy power generation plant, but the main issue in designing the TES system is its thermal capacity of storage materials, e.g. insulator. This study is focusing on the potential waste material acts as an insulator for thermal energy storage applications. As the insulator is used to absorb heat, it is needed to find suitable material for energy conversion and at the same time reduce the waste generation. Thus, a small-scale experimental testing of natural cooling process of an insulated tank within a confined room is conducted. The experiment is repeated by changing the insulator from the potential waste material and also by changing the heat transfer fluid (HTF). The analysis presented the relationship between heat loss and the reserved period by the insulator. The results show the percentage of period of the insulated tank withstands compared to tank insulated by foam, e.g. newspaper reserved the period of 84.6% as much as foam insulated tank to withstand the heat transfer of cooking oil to the surrounding. The paper finally justifies the most potential waste material as an insulator for different temperature range of heat transfer fluid.

Generation, characterization and reuse of solid wastes from a biodiesel production plant.

PubMed

Oliveira, Fernando Jorge Santos; Santana, Daniele Dos Santos; Costa, Simone Soraya Brito; Oliveira, Lenise Diniz; Liduino, Vitor Silva; Servulo, Eliana Flávia Camporese

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to identify and characterize industrial solid wastes generated by a biodiesel production plant in Brazil, as well as to present strategies for the management of these materials. This plant produces every year around 100,000tons of biodiesel from vegetable oils and animal fats. The methodology of the study included technical visits, interviews with the operational and environmental management staff as well as analysis of documents, reports and computerized data systems. An approach to reduce the generation of hazardous waste was investigated. It was take into account the amount of raw material that was processed, reduction of landfill disposal, and the maximization of the their recycling and reuse. The study also identified the sources of waste generation and accordingly prepared an evaluation matrix to determine the types of waste with the higher potential for minimization. The most important residue of the process was the filter material impregnated with oil and biodiesel, requiring, therefore, measures for its minimization. The use of these residues in the production of ceramic artefacts (light bricks) was considered to be very promising, since no significant effect on the physico-chemical and mechanical properties of the artefacts produced was observed. Phytotoxicity test using seeds of Lactuva sativa (lettuce), Brassica juncea (mustard), Abelmoschus esculentus (okra), Chrysanthemum leucanthemum (daisy), Dendranthema grandiflorum (chrysanthemum) and Allium porrum (leek) were carried out. The results clearly show incorporation of the waste material into bricks did not influence relative germination and relative root elongation in comparison to control tests. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Final Environmental Assessment (EA), Long-Term Integrated Management of Mission-Generated Solid Waste, Edwards Air Force Base, California

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-28

infrastructure typically include energy, water, wastewater, electricity, natural gas , liquid fuel distribution systems, communication lines (e.g...with state off-road regulations would further reduce air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. Cultural Resources. The waste footprint as well as...maintenance of the prescriptive final cover and erosion control, landfill gas monitoring and well maintenance, groundwater monitoring and well maintenance

Environmental Assessment: Waste Tank Safety Program, Hanford Site, Richland, Washington

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-02-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) needs to take action in the near-term, to accelerate resolution of waste tank safety issues at the Hanford Site near the City of Richland, Washington, and reduce the risks associated with operations and management of the waste tanks. The DOE has conducted nuclear waste management operations at the Hanford Site for nearly 50 years. Operations have included storage of high-level nuclear waste in 177 underground storage tanks (UST), both in single-shell tank (SST) and double-shell tank configurations. Many of the tanks, and the equipment needed to operate them, are deteriorated. Sixty-seven SSTs are presumedmore » to have leaked a total approximately 3,800,000 liters (1 million gallons) of radioactive waste to the soil. Safety issues associated with the waste have been identified, and include (1) flammable gas generation and episodic release; (2) ferrocyanide-containing wastes; (3) a floating organic solvent layer in Tank 241-C-103; (4) nuclear criticality; (5) toxic vapors; (6) infrastructure upgrades; and (7) interim stabilization of SSTs. Initial actions have been taken in all of these areas; however, much work remains before a full understanding of the tank waste behavior is achieved. The DOE needs to accelerate the resolution of tank safety concerns to reduce the risk of an unanticipated radioactive or chemical release to the environment, while continuing to manage the wastes safely.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mahoney, Lenna A.

Through radiolytic and thermolytic reactions, Hanford tank wastes generate and retain a variety of gases, including hydrogen, nitrous oxide, methane (and other hydrocarbons), ammonia, and nitrogen. This gas generation can be expected to continue during processing in the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The generation rates in the WTP will change from those for the in-situ tank waste because of different process temperatures, different dose rates produced by in-process changes in the proportions of solid and liquid, and dilution of the waste liquid. The flammability of the generated gas that is continuously released, and of any retainedmore » gas that might be released into a vessel headspace in quantity due to a spontaneous release, depends on the concentrations not only of the fuel gases—primarily hydrogen (H2), methane, other hydrocarbons, and ammonia—but of the oxidizer nitrous oxide (N2O). As a result of high concentrations of N2O, some gas mixtures are “self-flammable” (i.e., ignition can occur when no air is present because N2O provides the only oxidizer needed). Self-flammability could potentially reduce the effectiveness of using a nitrogen (N2) purge in the headspace as a flammability control, if its effects are not accounted for. A given amount of inertant gas (N2) can accommodate only a certain amount of a generated self-flammable gas before the mixture with inertant gas becomes flammable.« less

Hazardous Waste Certification Plan: Hazardous Waste Handling Facility, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-02-01

The purpose of this plan is to describe the organization and methodology for the certification of hazardous waste (HW) handled in the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) Hazardous Waste Handling Facility (HWHF). The plan also incorporates the applicable elements of waste reduction, which include both up-front minimization and end- product treatment to reduce the volume and toxicity of the waste; segregation of the waste as it applies to certification; and executive summary of the Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) for the HWHF and a list of the current and planned implementing procedures used in waste certification. The plan provides guidance frommore » the HWHF to waste generators, waste handlers, and the Systems Group Manager to enable them to conduct their activities and carry out their responsibilities in a manner that complies with several requirements of the Federal Resource Conservation and Resource Recovery Act (RCRA), the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT), and the State of California, Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 22.« less

Sustainable solutions for solid waste management in Southeast Asian countries.

PubMed

Ngoc, Uyen Nguyen; Schnitzer, Hans

2009-06-01

Human activities generate waste and the amounts tend to increase as the demand for quality of life increases. Today's rate in the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEANs) is alarming, posing a challenge to governments regarding environmental pollution in the recent years. The expectation is that eventually waste treatment and waste prevention approaches will develop towards sustainable waste management solutions. This expectation is for instance reflected in the term 'zero emission systems'. The concept of zero emissions can be applied successfully with today's technical possibilities in the agro-based processing industry. First, the state-of-the-art of waste management in Southeast Asian countries will be outlined in this paper, followed by waste generation rates, sources, and composition, as well as future trends of waste. Further on, solutions for solid waste management will be reviewed in the discussions of sustainable waste management. The paper emphasizes the concept of waste prevention through utilization of all wastes as process inputs, leading to the possibility of creating an ecosystem in a loop of materials. Also, a case study, focusing on the citrus processing industry, is displayed to illustrate the application of the aggregated material input-output model in a widespread processing industry in ASEAN. The model can be shown as a closed cluster, which permits an identification of opportunities for reducing environmental impacts at the process level in the food processing industry. Throughout the discussion in this paper, the utilization of renewable energy and economic aspects are considered to adapt to environmental and economic issues and the aim of eco-efficiency. Additionally, the opportunities and constraints of waste management will be discussed.

Solid waste management practices in wet coffee processing industries of Gidabo watershed, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Ulsido, Mihret D; Li, Meng

2016-07-01

The financial and social contributions of coffee processing industries within most coffee export-based national economies like Ethiopia are generally high. The type and amount of waste produced and the waste management options adopted by these industries can have negative effects on the environment. This study investigated the solid waste management options adopted in wet coffee processing industries in the Gidabo watershed of Ethiopia. A field observation and assessment were made to identify whether the operational characteristics of the industries have any effect on the waste management options that were practiced. The investigation was conducted on 125 wet coffee processing industries about their solid waste handling techniques. Focus group discussion, structured questionnaires, key informant interview and transect walks are some of the tools employed during the investigation. Two major types of wastes, namely hull-bean-pulp blended solid waste and wastewater rich in dissolved and suspended solids were generated in the industries. Wet mills, on average, released 20.69% green coffee bean, 18.58% water and 60.74% pulp by weight. Even though these wastes are rich in organic matter and recyclables; the most favoured solid waste management options in the watershed were disposal (50.4%) and industrial or household composting (49.6%). Laxity and impulsive decision are the driving motives behind solid waste management in Gidabo watershed. Therefore, to reduce possible contamination of the environment, wastes generated during the processing of red coffee cherries, such as coffee wet mill solid wastes, should be handled properly and effectively through maximisation of their benefits with minimised losses. © The Author(s) 2016.

Turbo-Electric Compressor/Generator Using Halbach Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kloesel, Kurt J. (Inventor)

2016-01-01

The present invention is a turbojet design that integrates power generation into the turbojet itself, rather than use separate generators attached to the turbojet for power generation. By integrating the power generation within the jet engine, the weight of the overall system is significantly reduced, increasing system efficiency. Also, by integrating the power generating elements of the system within the air flow of the jet engine, the present invention can use the heat generated by the power generating elements (which is simply expelled waste heat in current designs) to increase the engine performance.

Optimization of the Electrochemical Extraction and Recovery of Metals from Electronic Waste Using Response Surface Methodology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Diaz, Luis A.; Clark, Gemma G.; Lister, Tedd E.

The rapid growth of the electronic waste can be viewed both as an environmental threat and as an attractive source of minerals that can reduce the mining of natural resources, and stabilize the market of critical materials, such as rare earths. Here in this article surface response methodology was used to optimize a previously developed electrochemical recovery process for base metals from electronic waste using a mild oxidant (Fe 3+). Through this process an effective extraction of base metals can be achieved enriching the concentration of precious metals and significantly reducing environmental impacts and operational costs associated with the wastemore » generation and chemical consumption. The optimization was performed using a bench-scale system specifically designed for this process. Operational parameters such as flow rate, applied current density and iron concentration were optimized to reduce the specific energy consumption of the electrochemical recovery process to 1.94 kWh per kg of metal recovered at a processing rate of 3.3 g of electronic waste per hour.« less

Optimization of the Electrochemical Extraction and Recovery of Metals from Electronic Waste Using Response Surface Methodology

DOE PAGES

Diaz, Luis A.; Clark, Gemma G.; Lister, Tedd E.

2017-06-08

The rapid growth of the electronic waste can be viewed both as an environmental threat and as an attractive source of minerals that can reduce the mining of natural resources, and stabilize the market of critical materials, such as rare earths. Here in this article surface response methodology was used to optimize a previously developed electrochemical recovery process for base metals from electronic waste using a mild oxidant (Fe 3+). Through this process an effective extraction of base metals can be achieved enriching the concentration of precious metals and significantly reducing environmental impacts and operational costs associated with the wastemore » generation and chemical consumption. The optimization was performed using a bench-scale system specifically designed for this process. Operational parameters such as flow rate, applied current density and iron concentration were optimized to reduce the specific energy consumption of the electrochemical recovery process to 1.94 kWh per kg of metal recovered at a processing rate of 3.3 g of electronic waste per hour.« less

Public opinion about the source separation of municipal solid waste in Shanghai, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Weiqian; Che, Yue; Yang, Kai; Ren, Xiangyu; Tai, Jun

2012-12-01

For decades the generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Shanghai has been increasing. Despite the long-time efforts aimed at MSW management (MSWM), the disposal of MSW achieves poor performance. Thus, a MSW minimisation plan for Shanghai was proposed in December 2010. In this study, direct face-to-face interviews and a structured questionnaire survey were used in four different Shanghai community types. We conducted an econometric analysis of the social factors that influence the willingness to pay for MSW separation and discussed the household waste characteristics, the daily waste generation and the current treatment of kitchen wastes. The results suggested that the respondents are environmentally aware of separation, but only practise minimal separation. Negative neighbour effects, confused classification of MSW, and mixed transportation and disposal are the dominant limitations of MSW source-separated collection. Most respondents are willing to pay for MSWM. Public support is influenced by household population, income and cost. The attitudes and behaviours of citizens are important for reducing the amount of MSW disposal by 50% per capita by 2020 (relative to 2010). Concerted efforts should be taken to enlarge pilot areas. In addition, the source separation of kitchen wastes should be promoted.

Practices of pharmaceutical waste generation and discarding in households across Portugal.

PubMed

Dias-Ferreira, Celia; Valente, Susana; Vaz, João

2016-10-01

This work is the first nationwide study in Portugal on pharmaceutical waste generated at households, exploring people's attitudes and risk perception. The waste audit was carried out from September to November 2014, targeting pharmaceutical products kept by a sample of families (n = 244). This campaign was an assignment of VALORMED, the non-profit association that manages waste and packaging from expired and unused pharmaceutical products collected by the pharmacies. On average, each household kept at home 1097 g of pharmaceutical products, of which 20% were in use, 72% were not in use, and 8% were mostly expired products ready to discard. Face-to-face interviews with householders showed that 69% of the respondents claimed returning pharmaceutical waste to the local pharmacy. However, this figure is overrated, probably owing to a possible 'good answer' effect. The barriers identified to proper disposal were mainly established routines and lack of close disposal points. This study also provides an insight into the Portuguese awareness and daily practices concerning pharmaceutical waste, which is the cornerstone of any future strategy to reduce the release of active pharmaceutical ingredients into ecosystems. © The Author(s) 2016.

Implementation of SAP Waste Management System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frost, M.L.; LaBorde, C.M.; Nichols, C.D.

2008-07-01

The Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) assumed responsibility for newly generated waste on October 1, 2005. To ensure effective management and accountability of newly generated waste, Y-12 has opted to utilize SAP, Y-12's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool, to track low-level radioactive waste (LLW), mixed waste (MW), hazardous waste, and non-regulated waste from generation through acceptance and disposal. SAP Waste will include the functionality of the current waste tracking system and integrate with the applicable modules of SAP already in use. The functionality of two legacy systems, the Generator Entry System (GES) and the Waste Information Tracking System (WITS), andmore » peripheral spreadsheets, databases, and e-mail/fax communications will be replaced by SAP Waste. Fundamentally, SAP Waste will promote waste acceptance for certification and disposal, not storage. SAP Waste will provide a one-time data entry location where waste generators can enter waste container information, track the status of their waste, and maintain documentation. A benefit of the new system is that it will provide a single data repository where Y-12's Waste Management organization can establish waste profiles, verify and validate data, maintain inventory control utilizing hand-held data transfer devices, schedule and ship waste, manage project accounting, and report on waste handling activities. This single data repository will facilitate the production of detailed waste generation reports for use in forecasting and budgeting, provide the data for required regulatory reports, and generate metrics to evaluate the performance of the Waste Management organization and its subcontractors. SAP Waste will replace the outdated and expensive legacy system, establish tools the site needs to manage newly generated waste, and optimize the use of the site's ERP tool for integration with related business processes while promoting disposition of waste. (authors)« less

Estimation of construction and demolition waste using waste generation rates in Chennai, India.

PubMed

Ram, V G; Kalidindi, Satyanarayana N

2017-06-01

A large amount of construction and demolition waste is being generated owing to rapid urbanisation in Indian cities. A reliable estimate of construction and demolition waste generation is essential to create awareness about this stream of solid waste among the government bodies in India. However, the required data to estimate construction and demolition waste generation in India are unavailable or not explicitly documented. This study proposed an approach to estimate construction and demolition waste generation using waste generation rates and demonstrated it by estimating construction and demolition waste generation in Chennai city. The demolition waste generation rates of primary materials were determined through regression analysis using waste generation data from 45 case studies. Materials, such as wood, electrical wires, doors, windows and reinforcement steel, were found to be salvaged and sold on the secondary market. Concrete and masonry debris were dumped in either landfills or unauthorised places. The total quantity of construction and demolition debris generated in Chennai city in 2013 was estimated to be 1.14 million tonnes. The proportion of masonry debris was found to be 76% of the total quantity of demolition debris. Construction and demolition debris forms about 36% of the total solid waste generated in Chennai city. A gross underestimation of construction and demolition waste generation in some earlier studies in India has also been shown. The methodology proposed could be utilised by government bodies, policymakers and researchers to generate reliable estimates of construction and demolition waste in other developing countries facing similar challenges of limited data availability.

Analysis of municipal waste generation rate in Poland compared to selected European countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klojzy-Karczmarczyk, Beata; Makoudi, Said

2017-10-01

The generated municipal waste rates provided in the planning documents are a tool for forecasting the mass of waste generated in individual waste management regions. An important issue is the decisive separation of two concepts: waste generated and waste collected. The study includes analysis of the generation rate for Poland with division into urban and rural areas. The estimated and projected rate of municipal waste generation for Poland provided in subsequent editions of National Waste Management Plans (KPGO) changed since 2000 within wide range from about 300 to more than 500 kg per capita in an individual year (kg/pc/year). Currently, the National Waste Management Plan for the years 2017-2022 estimates municipal waste generation rate at approx. 270 kg/per capita/year with a projected increase to 330 kg/per capita/year in 2030. Most European countries adopt higher municipal waste generation rate, often exceeding 600 kg/per capita/year. The objective of the paper is therefore to analyze the causes of this difference in the declared values. The morphological composition of municipal waste stream in Poland and in selected European countries (e.g. France, Belgium, Switzerland) was analyzed. At present it is not possible to balance the value of the generation rate with the rate of waste collection in Poland. The conducted analyzes allow for determining a number of reasons for variation of the rate value in particular countries, mostly morphological composition of municipal waste, inclusion of household-like waste from infrastructure facilities or not and amount of waste collected in rural areas. The differences in the generation rates and provided possible reasons indicate the need to harmonize the methodology for estimating rates of municipal waste generation in various countries, including Poland.

The causes of the municipal solid waste and the greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector in the United States.

PubMed

Lee, Seungtaek; Kim, Jonghoon; Chong, Wai K O

2016-10-01

The United States generated approximately 730kg of waste per capita in 2013, which is the highest amount of waste among OECD countries. The waste has adverse effects to human health and the environment. One of the most serious adverse effects is greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane (CH4), which causes global warming. However, the United States' amount of waste generation is not decreasing, and the recycling rate is only 26%, which is lower than other OECD countries. In order to decrease waste generation and greenhouse gas emissions, identifying the causality of the waste generation and greenhouse gas emissions from waste sector should be made a priority. The research objective is to verify whether the Environmental Kuznets Curve relationship is supported for waste generation and GDP across the U.S. Moreover, it also confirmed that total waste generation and recycling of waste influences carbon dioxide emissions from the waste sector. Based on the results, critical insight and suggestions were offered to policymakers, which is the potential way to lower the solid waste and greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector. This research used annually based U.S. data from 1990 to 2012, and these data were collected from various data sources. To verify the causal relationship, the Granger causality test was applied. The results showed that there is no causality between GDP and waste generation, but total waste and recycling generate significantly increasing and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector, respectively. This implies that waste generation will not decrease even if GDP increases. And, if waste generation decreases or the recycling rate increases, greenhouse gas emission will decrease. Based on these results, increasing the recycling rate is first suggested. The second suggestion is to break the causal relationship between MSW and greenhouse gas emission from the waste sector. The third is that the U.S. government should benchmark a successful case of waste management. Based on the research, it is expected that waste generation and carbon dioxide emission from the waste sector can be decreased more efficiently. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dirk Gombert; Jay Roach

The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) was announced in 2006. As currently envisioned, GNEP will be the basis for growth of nuclear energy worldwide, using a closed proliferation-resistant fuel cycle. The Integrated Waste Management Strategy (IWMS) is designed to ensure that all wastes generated by fuel fabrication and recycling will have a routine disposition path making the most of feedback to fuel and recycling operations to eliminate or minimize byproducts and wastes. If waste must be generated, processes will be designed with waste treatment in mind to reduce use of reagents that complicate stabilizationmore » and minimize volume. The IWMS will address three distinct levels of technology investigation and systems analyses and will provide a cogent path from (1) research and development (R&D) and engineering scale demonstration, (Level I); to (2) full scale domestic deployment (Level II); and finally to (3) establishing an integrated global nuclear energy infrastructure (Level III). The near-term focus of GNEP is on achieving a basis for large-scale commercial deployment (Level II), including the R&D and engineering scale activities in Level I that are necessary to support such an accomplishment. Throughout these levels is the need for innovative thinking to simplify, including regulations, separations and waste forms to minimize the burden of safe disposition of wastes on the fuel cycle.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tinmaz, Esra; Demir, Ibrahim

Over the past decades, uncontrolled population growth and rapid urbanization and industrialization have resulted in environmental problems in Corlu Town, Turkey. One of the most important problems is solid waste due to inadequate management practices. Nowadays, increasing public awareness of the environment compels local authorities to define and to adopt new solutions for waste management. This paper presents a general overview of current solid waste management practices in Corlu Town and principles of the recommended municipal solid waste (MSW) management system. In Corlu, 170 tonnes of municipal solid waste are generated each day, or 1.150 kg per capita per day.more » Approximately one-half of the municipal solid waste generated is organic material and 30% of the MSW consists of recyclable materials. The recommended system deals with maximizing recycling and minimizing landfilling of municipal solid waste, and consists of separation at source, collection, sorting, recycling, composting and sanitary landfilling. This study also analyzed the recommended system with respect to feasibility and economics. To evaluate whether the suggested system is cost effective or not, the operating cost of the recommended system and market prices of recyclable materials were compared, and the results show that the recommended system will reduce required landfill volume up to 27% of compared to the present situation. The profit of the recommended system is estimated to be about 80 million US dollars.« less

Elements affecting food waste in the food service sector.

PubMed

Heikkilä, Lotta; Reinikainen, Anu; Katajajuuri, Juha-Matti; Silvennoinen, Kirsi; Hartikainen, Hanna

2016-10-01

Avoidable food waste is produced in the food service sector, with significant ecological and economical impacts. In order to understand and explain better the complex issue of food waste a qualitative study was conducted on the reasons for its generation in restaurants and catering businesses. Research data were collected during three participatory workshops for personnel from three different catering sector companies in Finland. Based on synthesized qualitative content analysis, eight elements influencing production and reduction of food waste were identified. Results revealed the diversity of managing food waste in the food service sector and how a holistic approach is required to prevent and reduce it. It is crucial to understand that food waste is manageable and should be an integral component of the management system. The model of eight factors provides a framework for recognition and management of food waste in the food service sector. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Waste Minimization Study on Pyrochemical Reprocessing Processes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boussier, H.; Conocar, O.; Lacquement, J.

2006-07-01

Ideally a new pyro-process should not generate more waste, and should be at least as safe and cost effective as the hydrometallurgical processes currently implemented at industrial scale. This paper describes the thought process, the methodology and some results obtained by process integration studies to devise potential pyro-processes and to assess their capability of achieving this challenging objective. As example the assessment of a process based on salt/metal reductive extraction, designed for the reprocessing of Generation IV carbide spent fuels, is developed. Salt/metal reductive extraction uses the capability of some metals, aluminum in this case, to selectively reduce actinide fluoridesmore » previously dissolved in a fluoride salt bath. The reduced actinides enter the metal phase from which they are subsequently recovered; the fission products remain in the salt phase. In fact, the process is not so simple, as it requires upstream and downstream subsidiary steps. All these process steps generate secondary waste flows representing sources of actinide leakage and/or FP discharge. In aqueous processes the main solvent (nitric acid solution) has a low boiling point and evaporate easily or can be removed by distillation, thereby leaving limited flow containing the dissolved substance behind to be incorporated in a confinement matrix. From the point of view of waste generation, one main handicap of molten salt processes, is that the saline phase (fluoride in our case) used as solvent is of same nature than the solutes (radionuclides fluorides) and has a quite high boiling point. So it is not so easy, than it is with aqueous solutions, to separate solvent and solutes in order to confine only radioactive material and limit the final waste flows. Starting from the initial block diagram devised two years ago, the paper shows how process integration studies were able to propose process fittings which lead to a reduction of the waste variety and flows leading at an 'ideal' new block diagram allowing internal solvent recycling, and self eliminating reactants. This new flowsheet minimizes the quantity of inactive inlet flows that would have inevitably to be incorporated in a final waste form. The study identifies all knowledge gaps to be filled and suggest some possible R and D issues to confirm or infirm the feasibility of the proposed process fittings. (authors)« less

SW-846 Test Method 3511: Organic Compounds in Water by Microextraction

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

a procedure for extracting selected volatile and semivolatileorganic compounds from water. The microscale approach minimizes sample size and solventusage, thereby reducing the supply costs, health and safety risks, and waste generated.

Areas on which to focus when seeking to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of commercial waste management. A case study of a hypermarket, Finland.

PubMed

Hupponen, M; Grönman, K; Horttanainen, M

2018-03-22

This study focuses on commercial waste, which has received less attention than household waste in regards to greenhouse gas emission research. First, the global warming potential (GWP) of commercial waste management was calculated. Second, the impacts of different waste fractions and the processes of waste management were recognised. Third, the key areas on which to focus when aiming to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of commercial waste management were determined. This study was conducted on the waste generated by a real hypermarket in South-East Finland and included eight different waste fractions. The waste treatment plants were selected based on the actual situation. Three different scenarios were employed to evaluate the environmental impact of managing mixed waste: landfilling, combustion and more accurate source separation. The GaBi software and impact assessment methodology CML 2001 were used to perform a life cycle assessment of the environmental impacts associated with the waste management. The results indicated that the total GWP of commercial waste management could be reduced by 93% by directing the mixed waste to combustion instead of landfill. A further 5% GWP reduction could be achieved by more accurate source separation of the mixed waste. Utilisation of energy waste had the most significant influence (41-52%) on the total GWP (-880 to -860 kgCO 2 -eq./t), followed by landfilling of mixed waste (influence 15-23% on the total GWP, 430 kgCO 2 -eq./t), recycling polyethylene (PE) plastic (influence 18-21% on the total GWP, -1800 kgCO 2 -eq./t) and recycling cardboard (influence 11-13% on the total GWP, 51 kgCO 2 -eq./t). A key focus should be placed on treatment processes and substitutions, especially in terms of substitutions of energy waste and PE plastic. This study also clarified the importance of sorting PE plastic, even though the share of this waste fraction was not substantial. The results of this paper were compared to those of previous studies. The output of this analysis indicated that the total GWP can be significantly reduced by identifying an alternative recycling or incineration location for cardboard where it is used to substitute virgin material or replace fossil fuels respectively. In conclusion, it is essential to note that waste management companies have a notable influence on the emissions of commercial waste management because they choose the places at which the waste fractions are treated and utilised. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards Sustainable Ambon Bay: Evaluation of Solid Waste Management in Ambon City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maryati, S.; Miharja, M.; Iscahyono, A. F.; Arsallia, S.; Humaira, AN S.

2017-07-01

Ambon Bay is a strategic area in the context of regional economic development, however it also faced environmental problems due to economic development and the growth of population. One of the environmental problems in the Ambon Bay is the growing solid waste which in turn lowers the quality of the water. The purpose of this study is to evaluate solid waste management in the Ambon City and propose recommendation in order to reduce solid waste in the Ambon Bay. The analytical method used is descriptive analysis by comparing a number of criteria based on the concept of solid waste management in coastal region with the current conditions of solid waste management in Ambon City. Criteria for waste management are divided into generation, storage, collection, transport, transfer and disposal. From the results of analysis, it can be concluded that the components of solid waste management at transport, transfer, and disposal level are generally still adequate, but solid waste management at source, storage and collection level have to be improved.

Policy implementation of the Republic Act (RA) No. 9003 in the Philippines: a case study of Cebu City.

PubMed

Premakumara, Dickella Gamaralalage Jagath; Canete, Aloysius Mariae L; Nagaishi, Masaya; Kurniawan, Tonni Agustiono

2014-06-01

Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) is considered to be one of the most serious environmental issues in the Philippines. The annual waste generation was estimated at 10.6 million tonnes in 2012 and this is expected to double in 2025. The Republic Act (RA) No. 9003, widely known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, provides the required policy framework, institutional mechanisms and mandate to the Local Government Units (LGUs) to achieve 25% waste reduction target through establishing an integrated solid waste management plan based on the 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycling). Although the initial impact of the LGUs is still very limited in implementing the national mandate, this article highlights the successful experiences of Cebu, the second largest city in the Philippines, in reducing its MSW generation by more than 30% in the past three years. This study also explores the implementation process, innovative actions taken by the Cebu City Government in implementing the national mandate at local level and identifies the factors that influence the policy implementation. The findings suggest that the impacts of the national mandate can be achieved if the LGUs have the high degree of political commitment, planning and development of effective local strategies in a collaborative manner to meet with local conditions, partnership building with other stakeholders, capacity development, adequate financing and incentives, and in the close monitoring and evaluation of performance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Livestock waste-to-bioenergy generation opportunities.

PubMed

Cantrell, Keri B; Ducey, Thomas; Ro, Kyoung S; Hunt, Patrick G

2008-11-01

The use of biological and thermochemical conversion (TCC) technologies in livestock waste-to-bioenergy treatments can provide livestock operators with multiple value-added, renewable energy products. These products can meet heating and power needs or serve as transportation fuels. The primary objective of this work is to present established and emerging energy conversion opportunities that can transform the treatment of livestock waste from a liability to a profit center. While biological production of methanol and hydrogen are in early research stages, anaerobic digestion is an established method of generating between 0.1 to 1.3m3m(-3)d(-1) of methane-rich biogas. The TCC processes of pyrolysis, direct liquefaction, and gasification can convert waste into gaseous fuels, combustible oils, and charcoal. Integration of biological and thermal-based conversion technologies in a farm-scale hybrid design by combining an algal CO2-fixation treatment requiring less than 27,000m2 of treatment area with the energy recovery component of wet gasification can drastically reduce CO2 emissions and efficiently recycle nutrients. These designs have the potential to make future large scale confined animal feeding operations sustainable and environmentally benign while generating on-farm renewable energy.

Electrical and electronic waste: a global environmental problem.

PubMed

Ramesh Babu, Balakrishnan; Parande, Anand Kuber; Ahmed Basha, Chiya

2007-08-01

The production of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) is one of the fastest growing global manufacturing activities. This development has resulted in an increase of waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE). Rapid economic growth, coupled with urbanization and growing demand for consumer goods, has increased both the consumption of EEE and the production of WEEE, which can be a source of hazardous wastes that pose a risk to the environment and to sustainable economic growth. To address potential environmental problems that could stem from improper management of WEEE, many countries and organizations have drafted national legislation to improve the reuse, recycling and other forms of material recovery from WEEE to reduce the amount and types of materials disposed in landfills. Recycling of waste electric and electronic equipment is important not only to reduce the amount of waste requiring treatment, but also to promote the recovery of valuable materials. EEE is diverse and complex with respect to the materials and components used and waste streams from the manufacturing processes. Characterization of these wastes is of paramount importance for developing a cost-effective and environmentally sound recycling system. This paper offers an overview of electrical and e-waste recycling, including a description of how it is generated and classified, strategies and technologies for recovering materials, and new scientific developments related to these activities. Finally, the e-waste recycling industry in India is also discussed.

Research on solid waste management system: to improve existing situation in Corlu Town of Turkey.

PubMed

Tinmaz, Esra; Demir, Ibrahim

2006-01-01

Over the past decades, uncontrolled population growth and rapid urbanization and industrialization have resulted in environmental problems in Corlu Town, Turkey. One of the most important problems is solid waste due to inadequate management practices. Nowadays, increasing public awareness of the environment compels local authorities to define and to adopt new solutions for waste management. This paper presents a general overview of current solid waste management practices in Corlu Town and principles of the recommended municipal solid waste (MSW) management system. In Corlu, 170 tonnes of municipal solid waste are generated each day, or 1.150 kg per capita per day. Approximately one-half of the municipal solid waste generated is organic material and 30% of the MSW consists of recyclable materials. The recommended system deals with maximizing recycling and minimizing landfilling of municipal solid waste, and consists of separation at source, collection, sorting, recycling, composting and sanitary landfilling. This study also analyzed the recommended system with respect to feasibility and economics. To evaluate whether the suggested system is cost effective or not, the operating cost of the recommended system and market prices of recyclable materials were compared, and the results show that the recommended system will reduce required landfill volume up to 27% of compared to the present situation. The profit of the recommended system is estimated to be about 80 million US dollars.

Process for treating alkaline wastes for vitrification

DOEpatents

Hsu, Chia-lin W.

1995-01-01

A process for treating alkaline wastes for vitrification. The process involves acidifying the wastes with an oxidizing agent such as nitric acid, then adding formic acid as a reducing agent, and then mixing with glass formers to produce a melter feed. The nitric acid contributes nitrates that act as an oxidant to balance the redox of the melter feed, prevent reduction of certain species to produce conducting metals, and lower the pH of the wastes to a suitable level for melter operation. The formic acid reduces mercury compounds to elemental mercury for removal by steam stripping, and MnO.sub.2 to the Mn(II) ion to prevent foaming of the glass melt. The optimum amounts of nitric acid and formic acid are determined in relation to the composition of the wastes, including the concentrations of mercury (II) and MnO.sub.2, noble metal compounds, nitrates, formates and so forth. The process minimizes the amount of hydrogen generated during treatment, while producing a redox-balanced feed for effective melter operation and a quality glass product.

Process for treating alkaline wastes for vitrification

DOEpatents

Hsu, C.L.W.

1995-07-25

A process is described for treating alkaline wastes for vitrification. The process involves acidifying the wastes with an oxidizing agent such as nitric acid, then adding formic acid as a reducing agent, and then mixing with glass formers to produce a melter feed. The nitric acid contributes nitrates that act as an oxidant to balance the redox of the melter feed, prevent reduction of certain species to produce conducting metals, and lower the pH of the wastes to a suitable level for melter operation. The formic acid reduces mercury compounds to elemental mercury for removal by steam stripping, and MnO{sub 2} to the Mn(II) ion to prevent foaming of the glass melt. The optimum amounts of nitric acid and formic acid are determined in relation to the composition of the wastes, including the concentrations of mercury (II) and MnO{sub 2}, noble metal compounds, nitrates, formates and so forth. The process minimizes the amount of hydrogen generated during treatment, while producing a redox-balanced feed for effective melter operation and a quality glass product. 4 figs.

Waste-to-Energy Cogeneration Project, Centennial Park

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Clay; Mandon, Jim; DeGiulio, Thomas

The Waste-to-Energy Cogeneration Project at Centennial Park has allowed methane from the closed Centennial landfill to export excess power into the the local utility’s electric grid for resale. This project is part of a greater brownfield reclamation project to the benefit of the residents of Munster and the general public. Installation of a gas-to-electric generator and waste-heat conversion unit take methane byproduct and convert it into electricity at the rate of about 103,500 Mwh/year for resale to the local utility. The sale of the electricity will be used to reduce operating budgets by covering the expenses for streetlights and utilitymore » bills. The benefits of such a project are not simply financial. Munster’s Waste-to Energy Cogeneration Project at Centennial Park will reduce the community’s carbon footprint in an amount equivalent to removing 1,100 cars from our roads, conserving enough electricity to power 720 homes, planting 1,200 acres of trees, or recycling 2,000 tons of waste instead of sending it to a landfill.« less

Low temperature ozone oxidation of solid waste surrogates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nabity, James A.; Lee, Jeffrey M.

2015-09-01

Solid waste management presents a significant challenge to human spaceflight and especially, long-term missions beyond Earth orbit. A six-month mission will generate over 300 kg of solid wastes per crewmember that must be dealt with to eliminate the need for storage and prevent it from becoming a biological hazard to the crew. There are several methods for the treatment of wastes that include oxidation via ozone, incineration, microbial oxidation or pyrolysis and physical methods such as microwave drying and compaction. In recent years, a low temperature oxidation process using ozonated water has been developed for the chemical conversion of organic wastes to CO2 and H2O. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the rate and effectiveness with which ozone oxidized several different waste materials. Increasing the surface area by chopping or shredding the solids into small pieces more than doubled the rate of oxidation. A greater flow of ozone and agitation of the ozonated water system also increased processing rates. Of the materials investigated, plastics have proven the most difficult to oxidize. The processing of plastics above the glass transition temperatures caused the plastics to clump together which reduced the exposed surface area, while processing at lower temperatures reduced surface reaction kinetics.

A review of the technological solutions for the treatment of oily sludges from petroleum refineries.

PubMed

da Silva, Leonardo Jordão; Alves, Flávia Chaves; de França, Francisca Pessôa

2012-10-01

The activities of the oil industry have several impacts on the environment due to the large amounts of oily wastes that are generated. The oily sludges are a semi-solid material composed by a mixture of clay, silica and iron oxides contaminated with oil, produced water and the chemicals used in the production of oil. Nowadays both the treatment and management of these waste materials is essential to promote sustainable management of exploration and exploitation of natural resources. Biological, physical and chemical processes can be used to reduce environmental contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons to acceptable levels. The choice of treatment method depends on the physical and chemical properties of the waste as well as the availability of facilities to process these wastes. Literature provides some operations for treatment of oily sludges, such as landfilling, incineration, co-processing in clinkerization furnaces, microwave liquefaction, centrifugation, destructive distillation, thermal plasma, low-temperature conversion, incorporation in ceramic materials, development of impermeable materials, encapsulation and biodegradation in land farming, biopiles and bioreactors. The management of the technology to be applied for the treatment of oily wastes is essential to promote proper environmental management, and provide alternative methods to reduce, reuse and recycle the wastes.

Reduction of acid rock drainage using steel slag in cover systems over sulfide rock waste piles.

PubMed

de Almeida, Rodrigo Pereira; Leite, Adilson do Lago; Borghetti Soares, Anderson

2015-04-01

The extraction of gold, coal, nickel, uranium, copper and other earth-moving activities almost always leads to environmental damage. In metal and coal extraction, exposure of sulfide minerals to the atmosphere leads to generation of acid rock drainage (ARD) and in underground mining to acid mine drainage (AMD) due to contamination of infiltrating groundwater. This study proposes to develop a reactive cover system that inhibits infiltration of oxygen and also releases alkalinity to increase the pH of generated ARD and attenuate metal contaminants at the same time. The reactive cover system is constructed using steel slag, a waste product generated from steel industries. This study shows that this type of cover system has the potential to reduce some of the adverse effects of sulfide mine waste disposal on land. Geochemical and geotechnical characterization tests were carried out. Different proportions of sulfide mine waste and steel slag were studied in leachate extraction tests. The best proportion was 33% of steel slag in dry weight. Other tests were conducted as follows: soil consolidation, saturated permeability and soil water characteristic curve. The cover system was numerically modeled through unsaturated flux analysis using Vadose/w. The solution proposed is an oxygen transport barrier that allows rain water percolation to treat the ARD in the waste rock pile. The results showed that the waste pile slope is an important factor and the cover system must have 5 m thickness to achieve an acceptable effectiveness. © The Author(s) 2015.

48 CFR 23.703 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE...) Implement cost-effective contracting preference programs promoting energy-efficiency, water conservation... energy-efficiency and water conservation. (3) Eliminate or reduce the generation of hazardous waste and...

48 CFR 23.703 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE...) Implement cost-effective contracting preference programs promoting energy-efficiency, water conservation... energy-efficiency and water conservation. (3) Eliminate or reduce the generation of hazardous waste and...

48 CFR 23.703 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE...) Implement cost-effective contracting preference programs promoting energy-efficiency, water conservation... energy-efficiency and water conservation. (3) Eliminate or reduce the generation of hazardous waste and...

48 CFR 23.703 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE...) Implement cost-effective contracting preference programs promoting energy-efficiency, water conservation... energy-efficiency and water conservation. (3) Eliminate or reduce the generation of hazardous waste and...

GUIDE TO CLEANER TECHNOLOGIES: ORGANIC COATING REMOVAL

EPA Science Inventory

A cleaner technology is a source reduction or recycle method |applied to eliminate or significantly reduce hazardous waste generation. Source reduction includes product changes and source control. Source control can be further characterized as input material changes, technology...

Utilization of coal mine ventilation exhaust as combustion air in gas-fired turbines for electric and/or mechanical power generation. Semi-annual topical report, June 1995--August 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-12-01

Methane emitted during underground coal mining operations is a hazard that is dealt with by diluting the methane with fresh air and exhausting the contaminated air to the atmosphere. Unfortunately this waste stream may contain more than 60% of the methane resource from the coal, and in the atmosphere the methane acts as a greenhouse gas with an effect about 24.5 times greater than CO{sub 2}. Though the waste stream is too dilute for normal recovery processes, it can be used as combustion air for a turbine-generator, thereby reducing the turbine fuel requirements while reducing emissions. Preliminary analysis indicates thatmore » such a system, built using standard equipment, is economically and environmentally attractive, and has potential for worldwide application.« less

Biotechnology in the management and resource recovery from metal bearing solid wastes: Recent advances.

PubMed

Sethurajan, Manivannan; van Hullebusch, Eric D; Nancharaiah, Yarlagadda V

2018-04-01

Solid metalliferous wastes (sludges, dusts, residues, slags, red mud and tailing wastes) originating from ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgical industries are a serious environmental threat, when waste management practices are not properly followed. Metalliferous wastes generated by metallurgical industries are promising resources for biotechnological extraction of metals. These wastes still contain significant amounts of valuable non-ferrous metals, sometimes precious metals and also rare earth elements. Elemental composition and mineralogy of the metallurgical wastes is dependent on the nature of mining site and composition of primary ores mined. Most of the metalliferous wastes are oxidized in nature and contain less/no reduced sulfidic minerals (which can be quite well processed by biohydrometallurgy). However, application of biohydrometallurgy is more challenging while extracting metals from metallurgical wastes that contain oxide minerals. In this review, origin, elemental composition and mineralogy of the metallurgical solid wastes are presented. Various bio-hydrometallurgical processes that can be considered for the extraction of non-ferrous metals from metal bearing solid wastes are reviewed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sustainable solutions for solid waste management in Southeast Asian countries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Uyen Nguyen Ngoc; Schnitzer, Hans

2009-06-15

Human activities generate waste and the amounts tend to increase as the demand for quality of life increases. Today's rate in the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEANs) is alarming, posing a challenge to governments regarding environmental pollution in the recent years. The expectation is that eventually waste treatment and waste prevention approaches will develop towards sustainable waste management solutions. This expectation is for instance reflected in the term 'zero emission systems'. The concept of zero emissions can be applied successfully with today's technical possibilities in the agro-based processing industry. First, the state-of-the-art of waste management in Southeast Asian countries will bemore » outlined in this paper, followed by waste generation rates, sources, and composition, as well as future trends of waste. Further on, solutions for solid waste management will be reviewed in the discussions of sustainable waste management. The paper emphasizes the concept of waste prevention through utilization of all wastes as process inputs, leading to the possibility of creating an ecosystem in a loop of materials. Also, a case study, focusing on the citrus processing industry, is displayed to illustrate the application of the aggregated material input-output model in a widespread processing industry in ASEAN. The model can be shown as a closed cluster, which permits an identification of opportunities for reducing environmental impacts at the process level in the food processing industry. Throughout the discussion in this paper, the utilization of renewable energy and economic aspects are considered to adapt to environmental and economic issues and the aim of eco-efficiency. Additionally, the opportunities and constraints of waste management will be discussed.« less

Sediment filtration can reduce the N load of the waste water discharge - a full-scale lake experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aalto, Sanni L.; Saarenheimo, Jatta; Karvinen, Anu; Rissanen, Antti J.; Ropponen, Janne; Juntunen, Janne; Tiirola, Marja

2016-04-01

European commission has obliged Baltic states to reduce nitrate load, which requires high investments on the nitrate removal processes and may increase emissions of greenhouse gases, e.g. N2O, in the waste water treatment plants. We used ecosystem-scale experimental approach to test a novel sediment filtration method for economical waste water N removal in Lake Keurusselkä, Finland between 2014 and 2015. By spatially optimizing the waste water discharge, the contact area and time of nitrified waste water with the reducing microbes of the sediment was increased. This was expected to enhance microbial-driven N transformation and to alter microbial community composition. We utilized 15N isotope pairing technique to follow changes in the actual and potential denitrification rates, nitrous oxide formation and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) in the lake sediments receiving nitrate-rich waste water input and in the control site. In addition, we investigated the connections between observed process rates and microbial community composition and functioning by using next generation sequencing and quantitative PCR. Furthermore, we estimated the effect of sediment filtration method on waste water contact time with sediment using the 3D hydrodynamic model. We sampled one year before the full-scale experiment and observed strong seasonal patterns in the process rates, which reflects the seasonal variation in the temperature-related mixing patterns of the waste water within the lake. During the experiment, we found that spatial optimization enhanced both actual and potential denitrification rates of the sediment. Furthermore, it did not significantly promote N2O emissions, or N retention through DNRA. Overall, our results indicate that sediment filtration can be utilized as a supplemental or even alternative method for the waste water N removal.

Developing models for the prediction of hospital healthcare waste generation rate.

PubMed

Tesfahun, Esubalew; Kumie, Abera; Beyene, Abebe

2016-01-01

An increase in the number of health institutions, along with frequent use of disposable medical products, has contributed to the increase of healthcare waste generation rate. For proper handling of healthcare waste, it is crucial to predict the amount of waste generation beforehand. Predictive models can help to optimise healthcare waste management systems, set guidelines and evaluate the prevailing strategies for healthcare waste handling and disposal. However, there is no mathematical model developed for Ethiopian hospitals to predict healthcare waste generation rate. Therefore, the objective of this research was to develop models for the prediction of a healthcare waste generation rate. A longitudinal study design was used to generate long-term data on solid healthcare waste composition, generation rate and develop predictive models. The results revealed that the healthcare waste generation rate has a strong linear correlation with the number of inpatients (R(2) = 0.965), and a weak one with the number of outpatients (R(2) = 0.424). Statistical analysis was carried out to develop models for the prediction of the quantity of waste generated at each hospital (public, teaching and private). In these models, the number of inpatients and outpatients were revealed to be significant factors on the quantity of waste generated. The influence of the number of inpatients and outpatients treated varies at different hospitals. Therefore, different models were developed based on the types of hospitals. © The Author(s) 2015.

Extractable and Non-Extractable Phenolics and Antioxidant Capacity of Mandarin Waste Dried at Different Temperatures.

PubMed

Esparza-Martínez, Francisco J; Miranda-López, Rita; Mata-Sánchez, Sara M; Guzmán-Maldonado, Salvador H

2016-09-01

The mandarin industry is generating more waste due to the increasing demand for juice. In this study, extractable and non-extractable phenolics as well as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) antioxidant activities in Satsuma mandarin waste dried at different temperatures were determined. The amounts of non-extractable total phenols, total flavonoids, and condensed tannins measured in mandarin waste dried at 120 °C were 39.4, 44.3, and 45.6 %, respectively, which were higher than those of fresh-mandarin waste. Dried mandarin waste is rich in extractable and non-extractable hesperidin (259.86 and 182.52 mg/g, respectively) and eriocitrin (85.12 and 197.24 mg/g, respectively), as well as non-extractable gallic acid (36.08 μg/g). The antioxidant capacities of extractable and non-extractable phenolics, from the highest to the lowest, were ABTS > ORAC > DPPH > FRAP and ORAC > ABTS > DPPH > FRAP, respectively. The information reported here may encourage mandarin industry operators to re-evaluate their by-products, extending the application of mandarin fruits and reducing waste.

Evaluation of dry solid waste recycling from municipal solid waste: case of Mashhad city, Iran.

PubMed

Farzadkia, Mahdi; Jorfi, Sahand; Akbari, Hamideh; Ghasemi, Mehdi

2012-01-01

The recycling for recovery and reuse of material and energy resources undoubtedly provides a substantial alternative supply of raw materials and reduces the dependence on virgin feedstock. The main objective of this study was to assess the potential of dry municipal solid waste recycling in Mashhad city, Iran. Several questionnaires were prepared and distributed among various branches of the municipality, related organizations and people. The total amount of solid waste generated in Mashhad in 2008 was 594, 800  tons with per capita solid waste generation rate of 0.609  kg  person(-1) day(-1). Environmental educational programmes via mass media and direct education of civilians were implemented to publicize the advantages and necessity of recycling. The amount of recycled dry solid waste was increased from 2.42% of total dry solid waste (2588.36  ton  year(-1)) in 1999 to 7.22% (10, 165  ton  year(-1)) in 2008. The most important fractions of recycled dry solid waste in Mashhad included paper and board (51.33%), stale bread (14.59%), glass (9.73%), ferrous metals (9.73%), plastic (9.73%), polyethylene terephthalate (2.62%) and non-ferrous metals (0.97%). It can be concluded that unfortunately the potential of dry solid waste recycling in Mashhad has not been considered properly and there is a great effort to be made in order to achieve the desired conditions of recycling.

Bio-extraction of precious metals from urban solid waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Subhabrata; Natarajan, Gayathri; Ting, Yen-Peng

2017-01-01

Reduced product lifecycle and increasing demand for electronic devices have resulted in the generation of huge volumes of electronic waste (e-waste). E-wastes contain high concentrations of toxic heavy metals, which have detrimental effects on health and the environment. However, e-wastes also contain significant concentrations of precious metals such as gold, silver and palladium, which can be a major driving force for recycling of urban waste. Cyanogenic bacteria such as Chromobacterium violaceum generate cyanide as a secondary metabolite which mobilizes gold into solution via a soluble gold-cyanide complex. However, compared to conventional technology for metal recovery, this approach is not effective, owing largely to the low concentration of lixiviants produced by the bacteria. To overcome the challenges of bioleaching of gold from e-waste, several strategies were adopted to enhance gold recovery rates. These included (i) pretreatment of e-waste to remove competing metal ions, (ii) mutation to adapt the bacteria to high pH environment, (iii) metabolic engineering to produce higher cyanide lixiviant, and (iv) spent medium leaching with adjusted initial pH. Compared to 7.1 % recovery by the wild type bacteria, these strategies achieved gold recoveries of 11.3%, 22.5%, 30% and 30% respectively at 0.5% w/v pulp density respectively. Bioleached gold was finally mineralized and precipitated as gold nanoparticles using the bacterium Delftia acidovorans. This study demonstrates the potential for enhancement of biocyanide production and gold recovery from electronic waste through different strategies, and extraction of solid gold from bioleached leachate.

An application of the theory of planned behaviour to study the influencing factors of participation in source separation of food waste.

PubMed

Karim Ghani, Wan Azlina Wan Ab; Rusli, Iffah Farizan; Biak, Dayang Radiah Awang; Idris, Azni

2013-05-01

Tremendous increases in biodegradable (food waste) generation significantly impact the local authorities, who are responsible to manage, treat and dispose of this waste. The process of separation of food waste at its generation source is identified as effective means in reducing the amount food waste sent to landfill and can be reused as feedstock to downstream treatment processes namely composting or anaerobic digestion. However, these efforts will only succeed with positive attitudes and highly participations rate by the public towards the scheme. Thus, the social survey (using questionnaires) to analyse public's view and influencing factors towards participation in source separation of food waste in households based on the theory of planned behaviour technique (TPB) was performed in June and July 2011 among selected staff in Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor. The survey demonstrates that the public has positive intention in participating provided the opportunities, facilities and knowledge on waste separation at source are adequately prepared by the respective local authorities. Furthermore, good moral values and situational factors such as storage convenience and collection times are also encouraged public's involvement and consequently, the participations rate. The findings from this study may provide useful indicator to the waste management authorities in Malaysia in identifying mechanisms for future development and implementation of food waste source separation activities in household programmes and communication campaign which advocate the use of these programmes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Waste wood as bioenergy feedstock. Climate change impacts and related emission uncertainties from waste wood based energy systems in the UK.

PubMed

Röder, Mirjam; Thornley, Patricia

2018-04-01

Considering the urgent need to shift to low carbon energy carriers, waste wood resources could provide an alternative energy feedstock and at the same time reduce emissions from landfill. This research examines the climate change impacts and related emission uncertainties of waste wood based energy. For this, different grades of waste wood and energy application have been investigated using lifecycle assessment. Sensitivity analysis has then been applied for supply chain processes and feedstock properties for the main emission contributing categories: transport, processing, pelletizing, urea resin fraction and related N 2 O formation. The results show, depending on the waste wood grade, the conversion option, scale and the related reference case, that emission reductions of up to 91% are possible for non-treated wood waste. Compared to this, energy from treated wood waste with low contamination can achieve up to 83% emission savings, similar to untreated waste wood pellets, but in some cases emissions from waste wood based energy can exceed the ones of the fossil fuel reference - in the worst case by 126%. Emission reductions from highly contaminated feedstocks are largest when replacing electricity from large-scale coal and landfill. The highest emission uncertainties are related to the wood's resin fraction and N 2 O formation during combustion and, pelletizing. Comparing wood processing with diesel and electricity powered equipment also generated high variations in the results, while emission variations related to transport are relatively small. Using treated waste wood as a bioenergy feedstock can be a valid option to reduce emissions from energy production but this is only realisable if coal and landfill gas are replaced. To achieve meaningful emission reduction in line with national and international climate change targets, pre-treatment of waste wood would be required to reduce components that form N 2 O during the energy conversion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of brown sugar and calcium superphosphate on the secondary fermentation of green waste.

PubMed

Zhang, Lu; Sun, Xiangyang; Tian, Yun; Gong, Xiaoqiang

2013-03-01

The generation of green waste is increasing rapidly with population growth in China, and green waste is commonly treated by composting. The objective of this work was to study the physical and chemical characteristics of composted green waste as affected by a two-stage composting process and by the addition of brown sugar (at 0.0%, 0.5%, and 1%) and calcium superphosphate (Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O) (at 0%, 3%, and 6%) during the second stage. With or without these additives, all the composts displayed two peaks in fermentation temperature and matured in only 30days. Compared to traditional industrial composting, the composting method described here increased the duration of high-temperature fermentation period, reduced the maturity time, and reduced costs. Addition of 0.5% brown sugar plus 6% calcium superphosphate produced the highest quality compost with respect to C/N ratio, pH, organic matter content, electrical conductivity, particle-size distribution, and other characteristics. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Waste-to-energy sector and the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fotis, S.C.; Sussman, D.

The waste-to-energy sector provides one important avenue for the United States to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the significant GHG reductions capable of being achieved by the waste-to-energy (WTE) sector through avoided fossil generation and reduced municipal landfills. The paper begins with a review of the current voluntary reporting mechanism for {open_quotes}registering{close_quotes} GHG reduction credits under section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. The paper then provides an overview of possible emerging international and domestic trends that could ultimately lead to mandatory targets and timetables for GHG mitigation in themore » United States and other countries. The paper ends with an analysis of the GHG benefits achievable by the WTE sector, based on the section 1605(b) report filed by the Integrated Waste Services Association IWSA on the GHG emissions avoided for year 1995.« less

Food flows in the United Kingdom: The potential of surplus food redistribution to reduce waste.

PubMed

Facchini, Elisa; Iacovidou, Eleni; Gronow, Jan; Voulvoulis, Nikolaos

2017-12-07

The increasing amount of food waste generated as a direct consequence of its excessive production, mismanagement, and wasteful behaviors represents a real challenge in promoting resource efficiency. In the United Kingdom (UK), the lack of robust mass flow data hinders the ability both to understand and address food waste challenges and to devise long-term sustainable prevention strategies. In recognition of these challenges, this paper seeks to (i) provide insights into the UK's annual estimates of food mass flows, including imports, exports, distribution, consumption, surplus food production, and final disposal; and (ii) scrutinize the uptake and redistribution of surplus food as a potential food waste prevention strategy. Evidence collected from several enterprises and community-led initiatives in the UK, and London specifically, supports that there is an increasing potential of making a shift towards food redistribution and reuse. Further analysis has shown that the outreach of food redistribution initiatives in the UK is currently limited, possibly because redistribution efforts remain largely fragmented and independent from each other. It is concluded that a national commitment could be instrumental in encouraging the roll-out of this practice, and governmental support through fiscal incentives could lead to the development of a larger and coherent surplus food redistribution system, ultimately enabling food waste prevention and recovery of food's multidimensional value. This paper deals with the topical issue of the increasing amount of food waste generated as a direct consequence of excessive production, mismanagement, and wasteful behavior, representing a real challenge in achieving sustainability and resource efficiency. Currently, only a small fraction of food is redistributed back into the system. Yet, a considerable fraction of food waste generated is edible; thus, better planning, storage, and coordination amongst the different stakeholders in the food supply chain is required in order to prevent its wastage and promote its reuse in accordance with the waste hierarchy.

Waste Bank Revitalization in Palabuhanratu West Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samadikun, Budi Prasetyo; Handayani, Dwi Siwi; Laksana, Muhamad Permana

2018-02-01

Palabuhanratu Village has three waste banks, one of them was established since 2010, the others built in 2016. However, waste processing from the source is still not optimal, it's only reduced waste about 5% of the total waste generated to the final waste disposal site. The performance of waste banks is still minimal, because one waste bank can not serve the entire area of the village. Furthermore, organic waste processed by some communities of Palabuhanratu Village to be compost can not be a mass movement, due to the lack of public knowledge. The purpose of this research is to know the existing condition of waste management in Palabuhanratu Village and to formulate the revitalization of existing waste bank. The research used survey research method by using questionnaire, in depth interview, and observation. Analytical technique using quantitative and qualitative analysis. The findings of the research indicate that the residents of Palabuhanratu Village who often do waste sorting from the source only from the residents of RT 01 / RW 33. The number of existing temporary waste disposal site in Palabuhanratu Village is still lacking, so it requires addition up to 5 units that integrated with waste bank in this village.

CAPE-OPEN simulation of waste-to-energy technologies for urban cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreadou, Christina; Martinopoulos, Georgios

2018-01-01

Uncontrolled waste disposal and unsustainable waste management not only damage the environment, but also affect human health. In most urban areas, municipal solid waste production is constantly increasing following the everlasting increase in energy consumption. Technologies aim to exploit wastes in order to recover energy, decrease the depletion rate of fossil fuels, and reduce waste disposal. In this paper, the annual amount of municipal solid waste disposed in the greater metropolitan area of Thessaloniki is taken into consideration, in order to size and model a combined heat and power facility for energy recovery. From the various waste-to-energy technologies available, a fluidised bed combustion boiler combined heat and power plant was selected and modelled through the use of COCO, a CAPE-OPEN simulation software, to estimate the amount of electrical and thermal energy that could be generated for different boiler pressures. Although average efficiency was similar in all cases, providing almost 15% of Thessaloniki's energy needs, a great variation in the electricity to thermal energy ratio was observed.

Reclamation chain of waste concrete: A case study of Shanghai.

PubMed

Xiao, Jianzhuang; Ma, Zhiming; Ding, Tao

2016-02-01

A mass of construction and demolition (C&D) waste are generated in Shanghai every year, and it has become a serious environment problem. Reclaiming the waste concrete to produce recycled aggregate (RA) and recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is an effective method to reduce the C&D waste. This paper develops a reclamation chain of waste concrete based on the researches and practices in Shanghai. C&D waste management, waste concrete disposition, RA production and RAC preparation are discussed respectively. In addition, technical suggestions are also given according to the findings in practical engineering, which aims to optimize the reclamation chain. The results show that the properties of RA and RAC can well meet the requirement of design and practical application through a series of technical measures. The reclamation chain of waste concrete is necessary and appropriate for Shanghai, which provides more opportunities for the wider application of RA and RAC, and it shows a favorable environmental benefit. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Thermoelectric Waste-Heat-Recovery System for Portland Cement Rotary Kilns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Qi; Li, Peng; Cai, Lanlan; Zhou, Pingwang; Tang, Di; Zhai, Pengcheng; Zhang, Qingjie

2015-06-01

Portland cement is produced by one of the most energy-intensive industrial processes. Energy consumption in the manufacture of Portland cement is approximately 110-120 kWh ton-1. The cement rotary kiln is the crucial equipment used for cement production. Approximately 10-15% of the energy consumed in production of the cement clinker is directly dissipated into the atmosphere through the external surface of the rotary kiln. Innovative technology for energy conservation is urgently needed by the cement industry. In this paper we propose a novel thermoelectric waste-heat-recovery system to reduce heat losses from cement rotary kilns. This system is configured as an array of thermoelectric generation units arranged longitudinally on a secondary shell coaxial with the rotary kiln. A mathematical model was developed for estimation of the performance of waste heat recovery. Discussions mainly focus on electricity generation and energy saving, taking a Φ4.8 × 72 m cement rotary kiln as an example. Results show that the Bi2Te3-PbTe hybrid thermoelectric waste-heat-recovery system can generate approximately 211 kW electrical power while saving 3283 kW energy. Compared with the kiln without the thermoelectric recovery system, the kiln with the system can recover more than 32.85% of the energy that used to be lost as waste heat through the kiln surface.

Construction and demolition waste generation rates for high-rise buildings in Malaysia.

PubMed

Mah, Chooi Mei; Fujiwara, Takeshi; Ho, Chin Siong

2016-12-01

Construction and demolition waste continues to sharply increase in step with the economic growth of less developed countries. Though the construction industry is large, it is composed of small firms with individual waste management practices, often leading to the deleterious environmental outcomes. Quantifying construction and demolition waste generation allows policy makers and stakeholders to understand the true internal and external costs of construction, providing a necessary foundation for waste management planning that may overcome deleterious environmental outcomes and may be both economically and environmentally optimal. This study offers a theoretical method for estimating the construction and demolition project waste generation rate by utilising available data, including waste disposal truck size and number, and waste volume and composition. This method is proposed as a less burdensome and more broadly applicable alternative, in contrast to waste estimation by on-site hand sorting and weighing. The developed method is applied to 11 projects across Malaysia as the case study. This study quantifies waste generation rate and illustrates the construction method in influencing the waste generation rate, estimating that the conventional construction method has a waste generation rate of 9.88 t 100 m -2 , the mixed-construction method has a waste generation rate of 3.29 t 100 m -2 , and demolition projects have a waste generation rate of 104.28 t 100 m -2 . © The Author(s) 2016.

Waste Generated from LMR-AMTEC Reactor Concept

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hasan, Ahmed; Mohamed, Yasser, T.; Mohammaden, Tarek, F.

2003-02-25

The candidate Liquid Metal Reactor-Alkali Metal Thermal -to- Electric Converter (LMR-AMTEC) is considered to be the first reactor that would use pure liquid potassium as a secondary coolant, in which potassium vapor aids in the conversion of thermal energy to electric energy. As with all energy production, the thermal generation of electricity produces wastes. These wastes must be managed in ways which safeguard human health and minimize their impact on the environment. Nuclear power is the only energy industry, which takes full responsibility for all its wastes. Based on the candidate design of the LMR-AMTEC components and the coolant types,more » different wastes will be generated from LMR. These wastes must be classified and characterized according to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulation, CFR. This paper defines the waste generation and waste characterization from LMR-AMTEC and reviews the applicable U.S. regulations that govern waste transportation, treatment, storage and final disposition. The wastes generated from LMR-AMTEC are characterized as: (1) mixed waste which is generated from liquid sodium contaminated by fission products and activated corrosion products; (2) hazardous waste which is generated from liquid potassium contaminated by corrosion products; (3) spent nuclear fuel; and (4) low-level radioactive waste which is generated from the packing materials (e.g. activated carbon in cold trap and purification units). The regulations and management of these wastes are summarized in this paper.« less

Waste Generator Instructions: Key to Successful Implementation of the US DOE's 435.1 for Transuranic Waste Packaging Instructions (LA-UR-12-24155) - 13218

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

French, David M.; Hayes, Timothy A.; Pope, Howard L.

In times of continuing fiscal constraints, a management and operation tool that is straightforward to implement, works as advertised, and virtually ensures compliant waste packaging should be carefully considered and employed wherever practicable. In the near future, the Department of Energy (DOE) will issue the first major update to DOE Order 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management. This update will contain a requirement for sites that do not have a Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) waste certification program to use two newly developed technical standards: Contact-Handled Defense Transuranic Waste Packaging Instructions and Remote-Handled Defense Transuranic Waste Packaging Instructions. The technical standards aremore » being developed from the DOE O 435.1 Notice, Contact-Handled and Remote-Handled Transuranic Waste Packaging, approved August 2011. The packaging instructions will provide detailed information and instruction for packaging almost every conceivable type of transuranic (TRU) waste for disposal at WIPP. While providing specificity, the packaging instructions leave to each site's own discretion the actual mechanics of how those Instructions will be functionally implemented at the floor level. While the Technical Standards are designed to provide precise information for compliant packaging, the density of the information in the packaging instructions necessitates a type of Rosetta Stone that translates the requirements into concise, clear, easy to use and operationally practical recipes that are waste stream and facility specific for use by both first line management and hands-on operations personnel. The Waste Generator Instructions provide the operator with step-by-step instructions that will integrate the sites' various operational requirements (e.g., health and safety limits, radiological limits or dose limits) and result in a WIPP certifiable waste and package that can be transported to and emplaced at WIPP. These little known but widely productive Waste Generator Instructions (WGIs) have been used occasionally in the past at large sites for treatment and packaging of TRU waste. The WGIs have resulted in highly efficient waste treatment, packaging and certification for disposal of TRU waste at WIPP. For example, a single WGI at LANL, combined with an increase in gram loading, resulted in a mind boggling 6,400% increase in waste loading for {sup 238}Pu heat source waste. In fact, the WGI combined with a new Contact Handled (CH) TRU Waste Content (TRUCON) Code provided a massive increase in shippable wattage per Transuranic Package Transporter-II (TRUPACT-II) over the previously used and more restrictive TRUCON Code that have been used previously for the heat source waste. In fact, the use of the WGI process at LANL's TA-55 facility reduced non-compliant drums for WIPP certification and disposal from a 13% failure rate down to a 0.5% failure rate and is expected to further reduce the failure rate to zero drums per year. The inherent value of the WGI is that it can be implemented in a site's current procedure issuance process and it provides documented proof of what actions were taken for each waste stream packaged. The WGI protocol provides a key floor-level operational component to achieve goal alignment between actual site operations, the WIPP TRU waste packaging instructions, and DOE O 435.1. (authors)« less

Minimal Custom Pack Design and Wide-Awake Hand Surgery: Reducing Waste and Spending in the Orthopedic Operating Room.

PubMed

Thiel, Cassandra L; Fiorin Carvalho, Rafaela; Hess, Lindsay; Tighe, Joelle; Laurence, Vincent; Bilec, Melissa M; Baratz, Mark

2017-11-01

The US health care sector has substantial financial and environmental footprints. As literature continues to study the differences between wide-awake hand surgery (WAHS) and the more traditional hand surgery with sedation & local anesthesia, we sought to explore the opportunities to enhance the sustainability of WAHS through analysis of the respective costs and waste generation of the 2 techniques. We created a "minimal" custom pack of disposable surgical supplies expressly for small hand surgery procedures and then measured the waste from 178 small hand surgeries performed using either the "minimal pack" or the "standard pack," depending on physician pack choice. Patients were also asked to complete a postoperative survey on their experience. Data were analyzed using 1- and 2-way ANOVAs, 2-sample t tests, and Fisher exact tests. As expected, WAHS with the minimal pack produced 0.3 kg (13%) less waste and cost $125 (55%) less in supplies per case than sedation & local with the standard pack. Pack size was found to be the driving factor in waste generation. Patients who underwent WAHS reported slightly greater pain and anxiety levels during their surgery, but also reported greater satisfaction with their anesthetic choice, which could be tied to the enthusiasm of the physician performing WAHS. Surgical waste and spending can be reduced by minimizing the materials brought into the operating room in disposable packs. WAHS, as a nascent technique, may provide an opportunity to drive sustainability by paring back what is considered necessary in these packs. Moreover, despite some initial anxiety, many patients report greater satisfaction with WAHS. All told, our study suggests a potentially broader role for WAHS, with its concomitant emphases on patient satisfaction and the efficient use of time and resources.

Dose rate prediction methodology for remote handled transuranic waste workers at the waste isolation pilot plant.

PubMed

Hayes, Robert

2002-10-01

An approach is described for estimating future dose rates to Waste Isolation Pilot Plant workers processing remote handled transuranic waste. The waste streams will come from the entire U.S. Department of Energy complex and can take on virtually any form found from the processing sequences for defense-related production, radiochemistry, activation and related work. For this reason, the average waste matrix from all generator sites is used to estimate the average radiation fields over the facility lifetime. Innovative new techniques were applied to estimate expected radiation fields. Non-linear curve fitting techniques were used to predict exposure rate profiles from cylindrical sources using closed form equations for lines and disks. This information becomes the basis for Safety Analysis Report dose rate estimates and for present and future ALARA design reviews when attempts are made to reduce worker doses.

Potential assessment of establishing a renewable energy plant in a rural agricultural area.

PubMed

Su, Ming-Chien; Kao, Nien-Hsin; Huang, Wen-Jar

2012-06-01

An evaluation of the green energy potential generated from biogas and solar power, using agricultural manure waste and a photovoltaic (PV) system, was conducted in a large geographical area of a rural county with low population density and low pollution. The studied area, Shoufeng Township in Hualien County, is located in eastern Taiwan, where a large amount of manure waste is generated from pig farms that are scattered throughout the county. The objective of the study is to assess the possibility of establishing an integrated manure waste treatment plant by using the generated biogas incorporated with the PV system to produce renewable energy and then feed it back to the incorporated farms. A filed investigation, geographic information system (GIS) application, empirical equations development, and RETScreen modeling were conducted in the study. The results indicate that Shoufeng Township has the highest priority in setting up an integrated treatment and renewable energy plant by using GIS mapping within a 10-km radius of the transportation range. Two scenarios were plotted in assessing the renewable energy plant and the estimated electricity generation, plus the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction was evaluated. Under the current governmental green energy scheme and from a long-term perspective, the assessment shows great potential in establishing the plant, especially in reducing environmental pollution problems, waste treatment, and developing suitable renewable energy.

Research on Recycling and Utilization of Solid Waste in Civil Airport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Bo; Zhang, Wen; Wang, Jianping; Yi, Wei

2018-05-01

The aviation industry is embracing unprecedented prosperity together with the economic development. Building green airports resource-saving, environment-friendly and sustainable has become the inevitability of the times. The operation of airport will generate the large amount of waste every day, which certainly exposes airports and surrounding regions to waste disposal and ecological environment pressure. Waste disposal directly affects the surrounding environment of airports, which can be effectively mitigated by disposing waste into resources, i.e., sorting and recycling them into renewable materials. The development of green airport can also be promoted in this process. The article elaborates on the current methods of waste disposal adopted by airports. According to the principle of waste reduction, harmlessness, and resource recycling, a set of solid waste recycling and utilization methods suitable for airports are proposed, which can reduce the costs of waste transported to other places and landfilled. Various environmental pollution caused by landfill and other disposal methods can also be contained effectively. At the same time, resources can be fully recycled, converting waste into useful resources in an efficient and environmental-friendly way.

Reduction of CO2 emission by INCAM model in Malaysia biomass power plants during the year 2016.

PubMed

Amin, Nor Aishah Saidina; Talebian-Kiakalaieh, Amin

2018-03-01

As the world's second largest palm oil producer and exporter, Malaysia could capitalize on its oil palm biomass waste for power generation. The emission factors from this renewable energy source are far lower than that of fossil fuels. This study applies an integrated carbon accounting and mitigation (INCAM) model to calculate the amount of CO 2 emissions from two biomass thermal power plants. The CO 2 emissions released from biomass plants utilizing empty fruit bunch (EFB) and palm oil mill effluent (POME), as alternative fuels for powering steam and gas turbines, were determined using the INCAM model. Each section emitting CO 2 in the power plant, known as the carbon accounting center (CAC), was measured for its carbon profile (CP) and carbon index (CI). The carbon performance indicator (CPI) included electricity, fuel and water consumption, solid waste and waste-water generation. The carbon emission index (CEI) and carbon emission profile (CEP), based on the total monthly carbon production, were determined across the CPI. Various innovative strategies resulted in a 20%-90% reduction of CO 2 emissions. The implementation of reduction strategies significantly reduced the CO 2 emission levels. Based on the model, utilization of EFB and POME in the facilities could significantly reduce the CO 2 emissions and increase the potential for waste to energy initiatives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance study of thermo-electric generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohit, G.; Manaswini, D.; Kotebavi, Vinod; R, Nagaraja S.

2017-07-01

Devices like automobiles, stoves, ovens, boilers, kilns and heaters dissipate large amount of waste heat. Since most of this waste heat goes unused, the efficiency of these devices is drastically reduced. A lot of research is being conducted on the recovery of the waste heat, among which Thermoelectric Generators (TEG) is one of the popular method. TEG is a semiconductor device that produces electric potential difference when a thermal gradient develops on it. This paper deals with the study of performance of a TEG module for different hot surface temperatures. Performance characteristics used here are voltage, current and power developed by the TEG. One side of the TEG was kept on a hot plate where uniform heat flux was supplied to that. And the other side was cooled by supplying cold water. The results show that the output power increases significantly with increase in the temperature of the hot surface.

Study of the Technical Feasibility of Increasing the Amount of Recycled Concrete Waste Used in Ready-Mix Concrete Production

PubMed Central

Ferreiro-Cabello, Javier; López-González, Luis M.

2017-01-01

The construction industry generates a considerable amount of waste. Faced with this undesirable situation, the ready-mix concrete sector, in particular, has invested energy and resources into reusing its own waste in its production process as it works towards the goal of more sustainable construction. This study examines the feasibility of incorporating two types of concrete waste, which currently end up in landfill, into the production process of ready-mix concrete: the waste generated during the initial production stage (ready-mix concrete waste), and waste created when demolition waste is treated to obtain artificial aggregate. The first phase of the study’s methodology corroborates the suitability of the recycled aggregate through characterization tests. After this phase, the impact of incorporating different percentages of recycled coarse aggregate is evaluated by examining the performance of the produced concrete. The replacement rate varied between 15% and 50%. The results indicate that recycled aggregates are, indeed, suitable to be incorporated into ready-mix concrete production. The impact on the final product’s performance is different for the two cases examined herein. Incorporating aggregates from generic concrete blocks led to a 20% decrease in the produced concrete’s strength performance. On the other hand, using recycled aggregates made from the demolition waste led to a smaller decrease in the concrete’s performance: about 8%. The results indicate that with adequate management and prior treatment, the waste from these plants can be re-incorporated into their production processes. If concrete waste is re-used, concrete production, in general, becomes more sustainable for two reasons: less waste ends up as landfill and the consumption of natural aggregates is also reduced. PMID:28773183

Study of the Technical Feasibility of Increasing the Amount of Recycled Concrete Waste Used in Ready-Mix Concrete Production.

PubMed

Fraile-Garcia, Esteban; Ferreiro-Cabello, Javier; López-Ochoa, Luis M; López-González, Luis M

2017-07-18

The construction industry generates a considerable amount of waste. Faced with this undesirable situation, the ready-mix concrete sector, in particular, has invested energy and resources into reusing its own waste in its production process as it works towards the goal of more sustainable construction. This study examines the feasibility of incorporating two types of concrete waste, which currently end up in landfill, into the production process of ready-mix concrete: the waste generated during the initial production stage (ready-mix concrete waste), and waste created when demolition waste is treated to obtain artificial aggregate. The first phase of the study's methodology corroborates the suitability of the recycled aggregate through characterization tests. After this phase, the impact of incorporating different percentages of recycled coarse aggregate is evaluated by examining the performance of the produced concrete. The replacement rate varied between 15% and 50%. The results indicate that recycled aggregates are, indeed, suitable to be incorporated into ready-mix concrete production. The impact on the final product's performance is different for the two cases examined herein. Incorporating aggregates from generic concrete blocks led to a 20% decrease in the produced concrete's strength performance. On the other hand, using recycled aggregates made from the demolition waste led to a smaller decrease in the concrete's performance: about 8%. The results indicate that with adequate management and prior treatment, the waste from these plants can be re-incorporated into their production processes. If concrete waste is re-used, concrete production, in general, becomes more sustainable for two reasons: less waste ends up as landfill and the consumption of natural aggregates is also reduced.

Waste management to improve food safety and security for health advancement.

PubMed

Lin, Angela Yu-Chen; Huang, Susana Tzy-Ying; Wahlqvist, Mark L

2009-01-01

Economic growth inevitably influences the food chain. Growing demand with changes in lifestyle and health consciousness encourage use of packaged and pre-prepared foods. The needs of environmental protection from waste generated are largely overlooked, and a lack of knowledge about the impact on the environment and its health effects constitute food security/safety problems. Food production and waste generation directly affect resource (i.e., energy and water) consumption and often contaminate the environment. More pressure on food production has inculcated the use of pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and chemical fertilizers which add to current global pollution. At least half of food grown is discarded before and after it reaches consumers. It is estimated that one third to half of landfill waste comes from the food sector. This landfill releases green house gases (GHG) as well as leachate which worsen soil and water quality and safety. Pharmaceutical and chemical contaminations from residential, industrial and agricultural sources make their way into nearby water and soil and can eventually affect our food systems. Phthalates, PFOA, BPA, commonly used in plastics and personal care products, are found in unacceptable concentrations in Taiwanese waters. They, too, contribute to food contamination and long-term health risk. Existing waste management strategies warrant more stringent norms for waste reduction at source. Awareness through education could reduce food waste and its consequences. This review encompasses impacts of food production systems on the environment, pollution which results from food waste, costs and economic advantages in food waste management, and health consequences of waste.

Impact of socioeconomic status on municipal solid waste generation rate.

PubMed

Khan, D; Kumar, A; Samadder, S R

2016-03-01

The solid waste generation rate was expected to vary in different socioeconomic groups due to many environmental and social factors. This paper reports the assessment of solid waste generation based on different socioeconomic parameters like education, occupation, income of the family, number of family members etc. A questionnaire survey was conducted in the study area to identify the different socioeconomic groups that may affect the solid waste generation rate and composition. The average waste generated in the municipality is 0.41 kg/capita/day in which the maximum waste was found to be generated by lower middle socioeconomic group (LMSEG) with average waste generation of 0.46 kg/capita/day. Waste characterization indicated that there was no much difference in the composition of wastes among different socioeconomic groups except ash residue and plastic. Ash residue is found to increase as we move lower down the socioeconomic groups with maximum (31%) in lower socioeconomic group (LSEG). The study area is a coal based city hence application of coal and wood as fuel for cooking in the lower socioeconomic group is the reason for high amount of ash content. Plastic waste is maximum (15%) in higher socioeconomic group (HSEG) and minimum (1%) in LSEG. Food waste is a major component of generated waste in almost every socioeconomic group with maximum (38%) in case of HSEG and minimum (28%) in LSEG. This study provides new insights on the role of various socioeconomic parameters on generation of household wastes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decommissioning of the TRIGA mark II and III and radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doo Seong Hwang; Yoon Ji Lee; Gyeong Hwan Chung

2013-07-01

KAERI has carried out decommissioning projects for two research reactors (KRR-1 and 2). The decommissioning project of KRR-1 (TRIGA Mark II) and 2 (TRIGA Mark III) was launched in 1997 with a total budget of 23.25 million US dollars. KRR-2 and all auxiliary facilities were already decommissioned, and KRR-1 is being decommissioned now. Much more dismantled waste is generated than in any other operations of nuclear facilities. Thus, the waste needs to be reduced and stabilized through decontamination or treatment before disposal. This paper introduces the current status of the decommissioning projects and describes the volume reduction and conditioning ofmore » decommissioning waste for final disposal. (authors)« less

Dry ice blasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lonergan, Jeffrey M.

1992-04-01

As legal and societal pressures against the use of hazardous waste generating materials has increased, so has the motivation to find safe, effective, and permanent replacements. Dry ice blasting is a technology which uses CO2 pellets as a blasting medium. The use of CO2 for cleaning and stripping operations offers potential for significant environmental, safety, and productivity improvements over grit blasting, plastic media blasting, and chemical solvent cleaning. Because CO2 pellets break up and sublime upon impact, there is no expended media to dispose of. Unlike grit or plastic media blasting which produce large quantities of expended media, the only waste produced by CO2 blasting is the material removed. The quantity of hazardous waste produced, and thus the cost of hazardous waste disposal is significantly reduced.

Hanford Facility Annual Dangerous Waste Report Calendar Year 2002

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

FREEMAN, D.A.

2003-02-01

Hanford CY 2002 dangerous waste generation and management forms. The Hanford Facility Annual Dangerous Waste Report (ADWR) is prepared to meet the requirements of Washington Administrative Code Sections 173-303-220, Generator Reporting, and 173-303-390, Facility Reporting. In addition, the ADWR is required to meet Hanford Facility RCRA Permit Condition I.E.22, Annual Reporting. The ADWR provides summary information on dangerous waste generation and management activities for the Calendar Year for the Hanford Facility EPA ID number assigned to the Department of Energy for RCRA regulated waste, as well as Washington State only designated waste and radioactive mixed waste. The Solid Waste Informationmore » and Tracking System (SWITS) database is utilized to collect and compile the large array of data needed for preparation of this report. Information includes details of waste generated on the Hanford Facility, waste generated offsite and sent to Hanford for management, and other waste management activities conducted at Hanford, including treatment, storage, and disposal. Report details consist of waste descriptions and weights, waste codes and designations, and waste handling codes. In addition, for waste shipped to Hanford for treatment and/or disposal, information on manifest numbers, the waste transporter, the waste receiving facility, and the original waste generators are included. In addition to paper copies, electronic copies of the report are also transmitted to the regulatory agency.« less

Examining of solid waste generation and community awareness between city center and suburban area in Medan City, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khair, H.; Putri, C. N.; Dalimunthe, R. A.; Matsumoto, T.

2018-02-01

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is still an issue in many cities in Indonesia including Medan. Understanding the waste generation, its characteristic and communities involvement could provide effective solid waste management. This research compares waste generation from people who live in the city center and suburban area. The research also examines the willingness and participation of community about environmental aspect, especially solid waste management. The method of waste generation used Indonesian Nasional Standard 19-3964-1994. The city center generates 0.295 kg/person/day of solid waste and 0.180 kg/person/day for suburbs. The result showed that there are the common amount of waste compositions between the city center and suburban area. The majority waste composition was an organic fraction. Questionnaires were distributed to examine the community awareness. The descriptive statistic used to analyze the data. The result showed that people living in the city center are slightly higher in community awareness than in the suburb. This paper highlights that area of living could give some effect to solid waste generation, waste composition and rate of awareness.

Reclamation of heavy metals from contaminated soil using organic acid liquid generated from food waste: removal of Cd, Cu, and Zn, and soil fertility improvement.

PubMed

Dai, Shijin; Li, Yang; Zhou, Tao; Zhao, Youcai

2017-06-01

Food waste fermentation generates complicated organic and acidic liquids with low pH. In this work, it was found that an organic acid liquid with pH 3.28 and volatile low-molecular-weight organic acid (VLMWOA) content of 5.2 g/L could be produced from food wastes after 9-day fermentation. When the liquid-to-solid ratio was 50:1, temperature was 40 °C, and contact time was 0.5-1 day, 92.9, 78.8, and 52.2% of the Cd, Cu, and Zn in the contaminated soil could be washed out using the fermented food waste liquid, respectively. The water-soluble, acid-soluble, and partly reducible heavy metal fractions can be removed after 0.5-day contact time, which was more effective than that using commercially available VLMWOAs (29-72% removal), as the former contained microorganisms and adequate amounts of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous, and exchangeable Na, K, and Ca) which favored the washing process of heavy metals. It is thus suggested that the organic acid fractions from food waste has a considerable potential for reclaiming contaminated soil while improving soil fertility.

Comparison of municipal solid waste treatment technologies from a life cycle perspective in China.

PubMed

Dong, Jun; Chi, Yong; Zou, Daoan; Fu, Chao; Huang, Qunxing; Ni, Mingjiang

2014-01-01

China has endured the increasing generation of municipal solid waste; hence, environmental analysis of current waste management systems is of crucial importance. This article presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment of three waste treatment technologies practiced in Hangzhou, China: landfill with and without energy recovery, and incineration with waste-to-energy. Adopting region-specific data, the study covers various environmental impacts, such as global warming, acidification, nutrient enrichment, photochemical ozone formation, human toxicity and ecotoxicity. The results show that energy recovery poses a positive effect in environmental savings. Environmental impacts decrease significantly in landfill with the utilization of biogas owing to combined effects by emission reduction and electricity generation. Incineration is preferable to landfill, but toxicity-related impacts also need to be improved. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis shows that the benefit of carbon sequestration will noticeably decrease global warming potential of both landfill scenarios. Gas collection efficiency is also a key parameter influencing the performance of landfill. Based on the results, improvement methods are proposed. Energy recovery is recommended both in landfill and incineration. For landfill, gas collection systems should be upgraded effectively; for incineration, great efforts should be made to reduce heavy metals and dioxin emissions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, S.Y.; Valenti, J.C.; Tabor, D.G.

The use of waste wood as fuel for producing energy is a promising supplement to fossil fuels for many regions of the country. In addition to recovering energy and conserving landfill space, burning waste wood fuels also mitigates global warming created by fossil fuel combustion. However, the environmental consequences resulting from emissions generated by combustion of waste wood which contains paints, resins, or preservatives are not well understood. The combustion of waste wood treated with chemicals may produce potentially hazardous products of incomplete combustion (PIC) emissions such as dioxins. Characterization of PIC emissions from the combustion of waste wood previouslymore » treated with pentachlorophenol is reported in this study. Utility poles and crossbars are typically treated with a preservative such as pentachlorophenol in order to prolong their service life. They are disposed of by landfilling after being taken out of service. Burning such wood waste in boilers for steam generation becomes an increasingly attractive waste management alternative as it contains substantial energy value and reduces landfilling costs. Pilot-scale combustion tests were conducted under well controlled conditions in a 0.58 MW (2 million Btu/hr) combustor to compare PIC emissions from burning untreated wood and pentachlorophenol-treated wood. Sampling and analyses for a wide variety of PICs, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semivolatile organic compounds, and dioxins and furans, were performed to assess the effect of pentachlorophenol preservative present in wood on PIC emissions.« less

Waste heat generation: A comprehensive review.

PubMed

Yeşiller, Nazli; Hanson, James L; Yee, Emma H

2015-08-01

A comprehensive review of heat generation in various types of wastes and of the thermal regime of waste containment facilities is provided in this paper. Municipal solid waste (MSW), MSW incineration ash, and mining wastes were included in the analysis. Spatial and temporal variations of waste temperatures, thermal gradients, thermal properties of wastes, average temperature differentials, and heat generation values are provided. Heat generation was influenced by climatic conditions, mean annual earth temperatures, waste temperatures at the time of placement, cover conditions, and inherent heat generation potential of the specific wastes. Time to onset of heat generation varied between months and years, whereas timelines for overall duration of heat generation varied between years and decades. For MSW, measured waste temperatures were as high as 60-90°C and as low as -6°C. MSW incinerator ash temperatures varied between 5 and 87°C. Mining waste temperatures were in the range of -25 to 65°C. In the wastes analyzed, upward heat flow toward the surface was more prominent than downward heat flow toward the subsurface. Thermal gradients generally were higher for MSW and incinerator ash and lower for mining waste. Based on thermal properties, MSW had insulative qualities (low thermal conductivity), while mining wastes typically were relatively conductive (high thermal conductivity) with ash having intermediate qualities. Heat generation values ranged from -8.6 to 83.1MJ/m(3) and from 0.6 to 72.6MJ/m(3) for MSW and mining waste, respectively and was 72.6MJ/m(3) for ash waste. Conductive thermal losses were determined to range from 13 to 1111MJ/m(3)yr. The data and analysis provided in this review paper can be used in the investigation of heat generation and thermal regime of a wide range of wastes and waste containment facilities located in different climatic regions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a pyrolysis waste recovery model with designs, test plans, and applications for space-based habitats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberson, Bobby J.

1992-01-01

Extensive literature searches revealed the numerous advantages of using pyrolysis as a means of recovering usable resources from inedible plant biomass, paper, plastics, other polymers, and human waste. A possible design of a pyrolysis reactor with test plans and applications for use on a space-based habitat are proposed. The proposed system will accommodate the wastes generated by a four-person crew while requiring solar energy as the only power source. Waste materials will be collected and stored during the 15-day lunar darkness periods. Resource recovery will occur during the daylight periods. Usable gases such as methane and hydrogen and a solid char will be produced while reducing the mass and volume of the waste to almost infinitely small levels. The system will be operated economically, safely, and in a non-polluting manner.

In-line Kevlar filters for microfiltration of transuranic-containing liquid streams.

PubMed

Gonzales, G J; Beddingfield, D H; Lieberman, J L; Curtis, J M; Ficklin, A C

1992-06-01

The Department of Energy Rocky Flats Plant has numerous ongoing efforts to minimize the generation of residue and waste and to improve safety and health. Spent polypropylene liquid filters held for plutonium recovery, known as "residue," or as transuranic mixed waste contribute to storage capacity problems and create radiation safety and health considerations. An in-line process-liquid filter made of Kevlar polymer fiber has been evaluated for its potential to: (1) minimize filter residue, (2) recover economically viable quantities of plutonium, (3) minimize liquid storage tank and process-stream radioactivity, and (4) reduce potential personnel radiation exposure associated with these sources. Kevlar filters were rated to less than or equal to 1 mu nominal filtration and are capable of reducing undissolved plutonium particles to more than 10 times below the economic discard limit, however produced high back-pressures and are not yet acid resistant. Kevlar filters performed independent of loaded particles serving as a sieve. Polypropylene filters removed molybdenum particles at efficiencies equal to Kevlar filters only after loading molybdenum during recirculation events. Kevlars' high-efficiency microfiltration of process-liquid streams for the removal of actinides has the potential to reduce personnel radiation exposure by a factor of 6 or greater, while simultaneously achieving a reduction in the generation of filter residue and waste by a factor of 7. Insoluble plutonium may be recoverable from Kevlar filters by incineration.

Bulky waste quantities and treatment methods in Denmark.

PubMed

Larsen, Anna W; Petersen, Claus; Christensen, Thomas H

2012-02-01

Bulky waste is a significant and increasing waste stream in Denmark. However, only little research has been done on its composition and treatment. In the present study, data about collection methods, waste quantities and treatment methods for bulky waste were obtained from two municipalities. In addition a sorting analysis was conducted on combustible waste, which is a major fraction of bulky waste in Denmark. The generation of bulky waste was found to be 150-250 kg capita(-1) year(-1), and 90% of the waste was collected at recycling centres; the rest through kerbside collection. Twelve main fractions were identified of which ten were recyclable and constituted 50-60% of the total quantity. The others were combustible waste for incineration (30-40%) and non-combustible waste for landfilling (10%). The largest fractions by mass were combustible waste, bricks and tile, concrete, non-combustible waste, wood, and metal scrap, which together made up more than 90% of the total waste amounts. The amount of combustible waste could be significantly reduced through better sorting. Many of the waste fractions consisted of composite products that underwent thorough separation before being recycled. The recyclable materials were in many cases exported to other countries which made it difficult to track their destination and further treatment.

The effect of food waste disposers on municipal waste and wastewater management.

PubMed

Marashlian, Natasha; El-Fadel, Mutasem

2005-02-01

This paper examines the feasibility of introducing food waste disposers as a waste minimization option within urban waste management schemes, taking the Greater Beirut Area (GBA) as a case study. For this purpose, the operational and economic impacts of food disposers on the solid waste and wastewater streams are assessed. The integration of food waste disposers can reduce the total solid waste to be managed by 12 to 43% under market penetration ranging between 25 and 75%, respectively. While the increase in domestic water consumption (for food grinding) and corresponding increase in wastewater flow rates are relatively insignificant, wastewater loadings increased by 17 to 62% (BOD) and 1.9 to 7.1% (SS). The net economic benefit of introducing food disposers into the waste and wastewater management systems constitutes 7.2 to 44.0% of the existing solid waste management cost under the various scenarios examined. Concerns about increased sludge generation persist and its potential environmental and economic implications may differ with location and therefore area-specific characteristics must be taken into consideration when contemplating the adoption of a strategy to integrate food waste disposers in the waste-wastewater management system.

78 FR 41116 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-09

... Agreement State regulations. All generators, collectors, and processors of low-level waste intended for... which facilitates tracking the identity of the waste generator. That tracking becomes more complicated... waste shipped from a waste processor may contain waste from several different generators. The...

Production of an innovative fertilizer from organic waste: process monitoring by hyperspectral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serranti, Silvia; Bonifazi, Giuseppe; Fabbri, Andrea; Dall'Ara, Alice; Garcia Izquierdo, Carlos

2015-05-01

The European directive 2008/98/CE establishes a legal framework for the treatment of waste within the Community. It aims at protecting the environment and human health through the prevention of the harmful effects of waste generation and waste management. In order to better protect the environment, the Member States should adopt measures for the treatment of their waste according to a hierarchy as outlined: prevention, preparing for reuse, recycling, energy recovery, disposal. In this context, the European project LIFE12 ENV/IT/000356 "RESAFE" is addressed to produce and utilize a new class of fertilizers characterized by reduced salinity in order to substitute chemical and mineral fertilizers through a technological route based on Urban Organic Waste (UOW), Farm Organic Residues (FOR), Bio-Chars (BC) and Vegetable Active Principles (VAP) processing. Following this approach, it will be possible for farmers and urban waste managers to reduce costs and to obtain environmental and economic incomes. Furthermore, environmental impacts will be also reduced contributing to decrease the greenhouse emissions from landfills and from the production of mineral fertilizers. In this paper, specific innovative sensing architectures, based on Hyper-Spectral Imaging (HSI) devices working in the near infrared (NIR) range, and related detection architectures, is presented and discussed in order to define and apply smart detection engines to follow the transformations of the complex material, resulting from UOW, FOR, BC and VAP based recipes during the different stages of the fertilizer production process. Results show as the fertilizer production process can be monitored adopting the NIR-HSI approach.

Waste management strategy for cost effective and environmentally friendly NPP decommissioning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Per Lidar; Arne Larsson; Niklas Bergh

2013-07-01

Decommissioning of nuclear power plants generates large volumes of radioactive or potentially radioactive waste. The proper management of the dismantling waste plays an important role for the time needed for the dismantling phase and thus is critical to the decommissioning cost. An efficient and thorough process for inventorying, characterization and categorization of the waste provides a sound basis for the planning process. As part of comprehensive decommissioning studies for Nordic NPPs, Westinghouse has developed the decommissioning inventories that have been used for estimations of the duration of specific work packages and the corresponding costs. As part of creating the designmore » basis for a national repository for decommissioning waste, the total production of different categories of waste packages has also been predicted. Studsvik has developed a risk based concept for categorization and handling of the generated waste using six different categories with a span from extremely small risk for radiological contamination to high level waste. The two companies have recently joined their skills in the area of decommissioning on selected market in a consortium named ndcon to further strengthen the proposed process. Depending on the risk for radiological contamination or the radiological properties and other properties of importance for waste management, treatment routes are proposed with well-defined and proven methods for on-site or off-site treatment, activity determination and conditioning. The system is based on a graded approach philosophy aiming for high confidence and sustainability, aiming for re-use and recycling where found applicable. The objective is to establish a process where all dismantled material has a pre-determined treatment route. These routes should through measurements, categorization, treatment, conditioning, intermediate storage and final disposal be designed to provide a steady, un-disturbed flow of material to avoid interruptions. Bottle-necks in the process causes increased space requirements and will have negative impact on the project schedule, which increases not only the cost but also the dose exposure to personnel. For these reasons it is critical to create a process that transfers material into conditioned waste ready for disposal as quickly as possible. To a certain extent the decommissioning program should be led by the waste management process. With the objective to reduce time for handling of dismantled material at site and to efficiently and environmental-friendly use waste management methods (clearance for re-use followed by clearance for recycling), the costs for the plant decommissioning could be reduced as well as time needed for performing the decommissioning project. Also, risks for delays would be reduced with a well-defined handling scheme which limits surprises. Delays are a major cost driver for decommissioning projects. (authors)« less

Acceptable knowledge document for INEEL stored transuranic waste -- Rocky Flats Plant waste. Revision 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-01-23

This document and supporting documentation provide a consistent, defensible, and auditable record of acceptable knowledge for waste generated at the Rocky Flats Plant which is currently in the accessible storage inventory at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. The inventory consists of transuranic (TRU) waste generated from 1972 through 1989. Regulations authorize waste generators and treatment, storage, and disposal facilities to use acceptable knowledge in appropriate circumstances to make hazardous waste determinations. Acceptable knowledge includes information relating to plant history, process operations, and waste management, in addition to waste-specific data generated prior to the effective date of the RCRAmore » regulations. This document is organized to provide the reader a comprehensive presentation of the TRU waste inventory ranging from descriptions of the historical plant operations that generated and managed the waste to specific information about the composition of each waste group. Section 2 lists the requirements that dictate and direct TRU waste characterization and authorize the use of the acceptable knowledge approach. In addition to defining the TRU waste inventory, Section 3 summarizes the historical operations, waste management, characterization, and certification activities associated with the inventory. Sections 5.0 through 26.0 describe the waste groups in the inventory including waste generation, waste packaging, and waste characterization. This document includes an expanded discussion for each waste group of potential radionuclide contaminants, in addition to other physical properties and interferences that could potentially impact radioassay systems.« less

Characterization of Products from Fast Micropyrolysis of Municipal Solid Waste Biomass

DOE PAGES

Klemetsrud, Bethany; Ukaew, Suchada; Thompson, Vicki S.; ...

2016-09-05

Biomass feedstock costs remain one of the largest impediments to biofuel production economics. Municipal solid waste (MSW) represents an attractive feedstock with year-round availability, an established collection infrastructure paid for by waste generators, low cost and the potential to be blended with higher cost feedstocks to reduce overall feedstock costs. Paper waste, yard waste and construction and demolition waste (C&D) were examined for their applicability in the pyrolysis conversion pathway. Paper waste consisted of non-recyclable paper such as mixed low grade paper, food and beverage packaging, kitchen paper wastes and coated paper; yard waste consisted of grass clippings and C&Dmore » wastes consisted of engineered wood products obtained from a construction waste landfill. We tested the waste materials for thermochemical conversion potential using a bench scale fast micro-pyrolysis process. Bio-oil yields were the highest for the C&D materials and lowest for the paper waste. The C&D wastes had the highest level of lignin derived compounds (phenolic and cyclics) while the paper waste had higher levels of carbohydrate derived compounds (aldehydes, organic acids, ketones, alcohols and sugar derived). But, the paper material had higher amounts of lignin derived compounds than expected based upon lignin content that is likely due to the presence of polyphenolic resins used in paper processing. The paper and yard wastes had significantly higher levels of ash content than the C&D wastes (14-15% versus 0.5-1.3%), which further correlated to higher levels of alkali and alkaline earth metals, which are known to reduce pyrolysis bio-oil yields. There appeared to be an inverse correlation of both calcium and potassium content with the amount of chromatographic product peaks, indicative of cracking reactions occurring during product formation. Furthermore the effect of acid washing was evaluated for grass clipping and waste paper and the bio-oil yield was increased from 58% to 73% and 67% to 73%, respectively.« less

Characterization of Products from Fast Micropyrolysis of Municipal Solid Waste Biomass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klemetsrud, Bethany; Ukaew, Suchada; Thompson, Vicki S.

Biomass feedstock costs remain one of the largest impediments to biofuel production economics. Municipal solid waste (MSW) represents an attractive feedstock with year-round availability, an established collection infrastructure paid for by waste generators, low cost and the potential to be blended with higher cost feedstocks to reduce overall feedstock costs. Paper waste, yard waste and construction and demolition waste (C&D) were examined for their applicability in the pyrolysis conversion pathway. Paper waste consisted of non-recyclable paper such as mixed low grade paper, food and beverage packaging, kitchen paper wastes and coated paper; yard waste consisted of grass clippings and C&Dmore » wastes consisted of engineered wood products obtained from a construction waste landfill. We tested the waste materials for thermochemical conversion potential using a bench scale fast micro-pyrolysis process. Bio-oil yields were the highest for the C&D materials and lowest for the paper waste. The C&D wastes had the highest level of lignin derived compounds (phenolic and cyclics) while the paper waste had higher levels of carbohydrate derived compounds (aldehydes, organic acids, ketones, alcohols and sugar derived). But, the paper material had higher amounts of lignin derived compounds than expected based upon lignin content that is likely due to the presence of polyphenolic resins used in paper processing. The paper and yard wastes had significantly higher levels of ash content than the C&D wastes (14-15% versus 0.5-1.3%), which further correlated to higher levels of alkali and alkaline earth metals, which are known to reduce pyrolysis bio-oil yields. There appeared to be an inverse correlation of both calcium and potassium content with the amount of chromatographic product peaks, indicative of cracking reactions occurring during product formation. Furthermore the effect of acid washing was evaluated for grass clipping and waste paper and the bio-oil yield was increased from 58% to 73% and 67% to 73%, respectively.« less

GreenVMAS: Virtual Organization Based Platform for Heating Greenhouses Using Waste Energy from Power Plants.

PubMed

González-Briones, Alfonso; Chamoso, Pablo; Yoe, Hyun; Corchado, Juan M

2018-03-14

The gradual depletion of energy resources makes it necessary to optimize their use and to reuse them. Although great advances have already been made in optimizing energy generation processes, many of these processes generate energy that inevitably gets wasted. A clear example of this are nuclear, thermal and carbon power plants, which lose a large amount of energy that could otherwise be used for different purposes, such as heating greenhouses. The role of GreenVMAS is to maintain the required temperature level in greenhouses by using the waste energy generated by power plants. It incorporates a case-based reasoning system, virtual organizations and algorithms for data analysis and for efficient interaction with sensors and actuators. The system is context aware and scalable as it incorporates an artificial neural network, this means that it can operate correctly even if the number and characteristics of the greenhouses participating in the case study change. The architecture was evaluated empirically and the results show that the user's energy bill is greatly reduced with the implemented system.

GreenVMAS: Virtual Organization Based Platform for Heating Greenhouses Using Waste Energy from Power Plants

PubMed Central

Yoe, Hyun

2018-01-01

The gradual depletion of energy resources makes it necessary to optimize their use and to reuse them. Although great advances have already been made in optimizing energy generation processes, many of these processes generate energy that inevitably gets wasted. A clear example of this are nuclear, thermal and carbon power plants, which lose a large amount of energy that could otherwise be used for different purposes, such as heating greenhouses. The role of GreenVMAS is to maintain the required temperature level in greenhouses by using the waste energy generated by power plants. It incorporates a case-based reasoning system, virtual organizations and algorithms for data analysis and for efficient interaction with sensors and actuators. The system is context aware and scalable as it incorporates an artificial neural network, this means that it can operate correctly even if the number and characteristics of the greenhouses participating in the case study change. The architecture was evaluated empirically and the results show that the user’s energy bill is greatly reduced with the implemented system. PMID:29538351

Production patterns of packaging waste categories generated at typical Mediterranean residential building worksites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

González Pericot, N., E-mail: natalia.gpericot@upm.es; Villoria Sáez, P., E-mail: paola.villoria@upm.es; Del Río Merino, M., E-mail: mercedes.delrio@upm.es

2014-11-15

Highlights: • On-site segregation level: 1.80%; training and motivation strategies were not effective. • 70% Cardboard waste: from switches and sockets during the building services stage. • 40% Plastic waste: generated during structures and partition works due to palletizing. • >50% Wood packaging waste, basically pallets, generated during the envelope works. - Abstract: The construction sector is responsible for around 28% of the total waste volume generated in Europe, which exceeds the amount of household waste. This has led to an increase of different research studies focusing on construction waste quantification. However, within the research studies made, packaging waste hasmore » been analyzed to a limited extent. This article focuses on the packaging waste stream generated in the construction sector. To this purpose current on-site waste packaging management has been assessed by monitoring ten Mediterranean residential building works. The findings of the experimental data collection revealed that the incentive measures implemented by the construction company to improve on-site waste sorting failed to achieve the intended purpose, showing low segregation ratios. Subsequently, through an analytical study the generation patterns for packaging waste are established, leading to the identification of the prevailing kinds of packaging and the products responsible for their generation. Results indicate that plastic waste generation maintains a constant trend throughout the whole construction process, while cardboard becomes predominant towards the end of the construction works with switches and sockets from the electricity stage. Understanding the production patterns of packaging waste will be beneficial for adapting waste management strategies to the identified patterns for the specific nature of packaging waste within the context of construction worksites.« less

Hazardous medical waste generation in Greece: case studies from medical facilities in Attica and from a small insular hospital.

PubMed

Komilis, Dimitrios; Katsafaros, Nikolaos; Vassilopoulos, Panagiotis

2011-08-01

The accurate calculation of the unit generation rates and composition of medical waste generated from medical facilities is necessary in order to design medical waste treatment systems. In this work, the unit medical waste generation rates of 95 public and private medical facilities in the Attica region were calculated based on daily weight records from a central medical waste incineration facility. The calculated medical waste generation rates (in kg bed(-1) day( -1)) varied widely with average values at 0.27 ± 113% and 0.24 ± 121%, for public and private medical facilities, respectively. The hazardous medical waste generation was measured, at the source, in the 40 bed hospital of the island of Ikaria for a period of 42 days during a 6 month period. The average hazardous medical waste generation rate was 1.204 kg occupied bed(-1) day(-1) or 0.33 kg (official) bed( -1) day(-1). From the above amounts, 54% resulted from the patients' room (solid and liquid wastes combined), 24% from the emergency department (solid waste), 17% from the clinical pathology lab and 6% from the X-ray lab. In average, 17% of the total hazardous medical waste was solely infectious. Conclusively, no correlation among the number of beds and the unit medical waste generation rate could be established. Each hospital should be studied separately, since medical waste generation and composition depends on the number and type of departments/laboratories at each hospital, number of external patients and number of occupied beds.

Hydrogen sulfide generation in simulated construction and demolition debris landfills: impact of waste composition.

PubMed

Yang, Kenton; Xu, Qiyong; Townsend, Timothy G; Chadik, Paul; Bitton, Gabriel; Booth, Matthew

2006-08-01

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) generation in construction and demolition (C&D) debris landfills has been associated with the biodegradation of gypsum drywall. Laboratory research was conducted to observe H2S generation when drywall was codisposed with different C&D debris constituents. Two experiments were conducted using simulated landfill columns. Experiment 1 consisted of various combinations of drywall, wood, and concrete to determine the impact of different waste constituents and combinations on H2S generation. Experiment 2 was designed to examine the effect of concrete on H2S generation and migration. The results indicate that decaying drywall, even alone, leached enough sulfate ions and organic matter for sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) to generate large H2S concentrations as high as 63,000 ppmv. The codisposed wastes show some effect on H2S generation. At the end of experiment 1, the wood/drywall and drywall alone columns possessed H2S concentrations > 40,000 ppmv. Conversely, H2S concentrations were < 1 ppmv in those columns containing concrete. Concrete plays a role in decreasing H2S by increasing pH out of the range for SRB growth and by reacting with H2S. This study also showed that wood lowered H2S concentrations initially by decreasing leachate pH values. Based on the results, two possible control mechanisms to mitigate H2S generation in C&D debris landfills are suggested.

Grand Rounds: An Outbreak of Toxic Hepatitis among Industrial Waste Disposal Workers

PubMed Central

Cheong, Hae-Kwan; Kim, Eun A; Choi, Jung-Keun; Choi, Sung-Bong; Suh, Jeong-Ill; Choi, Dae Seob; Kim, Jung Ran

2007-01-01

Context Industrial waste (which is composed of various toxic chemicals), changes to the disposal process, and addition of chemicals should all be monitored and controlled carefully in the industrial waste industry to reduce the health hazard to workers. Case presentation Five workers in an industrial waste plant developed acute toxic hepatitis, one of whom died after 3 months due to fulminant hepatitis. In the plant, we detected several chemicals with hepatotoxic potential, including pyridine, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, and methylenedianiline. The workers had been working in the high-vapor-generating area of the plant, and the findings of pathologic examination showed typical features of acute toxic hepatitis. Discussion Infectious hepatitis and drug-induced hepatitis were excluded by laboratory findings, as well as the clinical course of hepatitis. All cases of toxic hepatitis in this plant developed after the change of the disposal process to thermochemical reaction–type treatment using unslaked lime reacted with industrial wastes. During this chemical reaction, vapor containing several toxic materials was generated. Although we could not confirm the definitive causative chemical, we suspect that these cases of hepatitis were caused by one of the hepatotoxic agents or by a synergistic interaction among several of them. Relevance to clinical or professional practice In the industrial waste treatment process, the danger of developing toxic hepatitis should be kept in mind, because any subtle change of the treatment process can generate various toxic materials and threaten the workers’ health. A mixture of hepatotoxic chemicals can induce clinical manifestations that are quite different from those predicted by the toxic property of a single agent. PMID:17366828

Grand rounds: an outbreak of toxic hepatitis among industrial waste disposal workers.

PubMed

Cheong, Hae-Kwan; Kim, Eun A; Choi, Jung-Keun; Choi, Sung-Bong; Suh, Jeong-Ill; Choi, Dae Seob; Kim, Jung Ran

2007-01-01

Industrial waste (which is composed of various toxic chemicals), changes to the disposal process, and addition of chemicals should all be monitored and controlled carefully in the industrial waste industry to reduce the health hazard to workers. Five workers in an industrial waste plant developed acute toxic hepatitis, one of whom died after 3 months due to fulminant hepatitis. In the plant, we detected several chemicals with hepatotoxic potential, including pyridine, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, and methylenedianiline. The workers had been working in the high-vapor-generating area of the plant, and the findings of pathologic examination showed typical features of acute toxic hepatitis. Infectious hepatitis and drug-induced hepatitis were excluded by laboratory findings, as well as the clinical course of hepatitis. All cases of toxic hepatitis in this plant developed after the change of the disposal process to thermochemical reaction-type treatment using unslaked lime reacted with industrial wastes. During this chemical reaction, vapor containing several toxic materials was generated. Although we could not confirm the definitive causative chemical, we suspect that these cases of hepatitis were caused by one of the hepatotoxic agents or by a synergistic interaction among several of them. In the industrial waste treatment process, the danger of developing toxic hepatitis should be kept in mind, because any subtle change of the treatment process can generate various toxic materials and threaten the workers' health. A mixture of hepatotoxic chemicals can induce clinical manifestations that are quite different from those predicted by the toxic property of a single agent.

Conceptual framework for the study of food waste generation and prevention in the hospitality sector.

PubMed

Papargyropoulou, Effie; Wright, Nigel; Lozano, Rodrigo; Steinberger, Julia; Padfield, Rory; Ujang, Zaini

2016-03-01

Food waste has significant detrimental economic, environmental and social impacts. The magnitude and complexity of the global food waste problem has brought it to the forefront of the environmental agenda; however, there has been little research on the patterns and drivers of food waste generation, especially outside the household. This is partially due to weaknesses in the methodological approaches used to understand such a complex problem. This paper proposes a novel conceptual framework to identify and explain the patterns and drivers of food waste generation in the hospitality sector, with the aim of identifying food waste prevention measures. This conceptual framework integrates data collection and analysis methods from ethnography and grounded theory, complemented with concepts and tools from industrial ecology for the analysis of quantitative data. A case study of food waste generation at a hotel restaurant in Malaysia is used as an example to illustrate how this conceptual framework can be applied. The conceptual framework links the biophysical and economic flows of food provisioning and waste generation, with the social and cultural practices associated with food preparation and consumption. The case study demonstrates that food waste is intrinsically linked to the way we provision and consume food, the material and socio-cultural context of food consumption and food waste generation. Food provisioning, food consumption and food waste generation should be studied together in order to fully understand how, where and most importantly why food waste is generated. This understanding will then enable to draw detailed, case specific food waste prevention plans addressing the material and socio-economic aspects of food waste generation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste management in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

PubMed

Babel, Sandhya; Vilaysouk, Xaysackda

2016-01-01

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is one of the major environmental problems throughout the world including in Lao PDR. In Vientiane, due to the lack of a collection service, open burning and illegal dumping are commonly practised. This study aims to estimate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from the current situation of MSW management (MSWM) in Vientiane and proposes an alternative solution to reduce the GHG emission and environmental impacts. The 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (IPCC 2006 model) are used for the estimation of GHG emission from landfill and composting. For the estimation of GHG emission from open burning, the Atmospheric Brown Clouds Emission Inventory Manual (ABC EIM) is used. In Vientiane, a total of 232, 505 tonnes year(-1) of MSW was generated in 2011. Waste generation in Vientiane is 0.69 kg per capita per day, and about 31% of the total MSW generated was directly sent to landfill (71,162 tonnes year(-1)). The total potential GHG emission from the baseline scenario in 2011 was 110,182 tonnes year(-1) CO2-eq, which is 0.15 tonne year(-1) CO2-eq per capita. From the three MSWM scenarios proposed, scenario S3, which includes recycling, composting and landfilling, seems to be an effective solution for dealing with MSW in Vientiane with less air pollution, and is environmentally friendly. The total GHG emission in scenario S3 is reduced to 91,920 tonnes year(-1) CO2-eq (47% reduction), compared with the S1 scenario where all uncollected waste is diverted to landfill. © The Author(s) 2015.

Health care: a leader or a follower? Reducing disposable waste.

PubMed

Whitaker, M W

1992-08-01

We clearly have the means to examine and reduce the amounts and types of disposable medical waste that health care institutions are creating. Although there may be special circumstances that prevent specific hospitals, or specific departments within a hospital, from converting to alternative products, much improvement can still be made. There are several strong examples of hospitals across the United States with programs that have drastically cut the amount of waste they are generating. They have eliminated disposable cups and eating utensils from the cafeterias, shifted to reusable underpads and surgical linens, and established recycling programs for paper and cardboard. These few cases are not enough. We cannot be lulled into believing that these exceptional efforts on the part of a few institutions are all that is needed. We should remember that if Mother Nature had intended for us to pat ourselves on the back, our hinges would be different. What is needed is a clear statement from the health care industry of its responsibility to society with regard to managing its waste. Leadership begins with action. If the health care industry does not take steps to regulate its disposable waste, the government undoubtedly will. We do not need to wait for our supervisors or administrators to fashion credos for us. All staff members know there are numerous ways that they can affect the amount of waste produced at their hospitals. They can also begin to affect the attitudes of those working around them. The consequences of inaction are simply too great. As fictional as half-empty grocery stores may have sounded at the beginning of this article, the problems that we face with waste disposal are certainly as grim. If we wait for our state and federal governments to solve the problems, it may be too late; and if it is too late, the solutions that they develop will certainly be extreme. We have the technology and the ability to cut dramatically the amount of disposable waste that health care generates. In practically every case, the lower-waste options also save the institution money. It is time that we honestly challenged our need for today's convenience at the expense of tomorrow's quality of life.

Evaluation of landfill leachate in arid climate-a case study.

PubMed

Al-Yaqout, A F; Hamoda, M F

2003-08-01

Generation of leachate from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in arid regions has long been neglected on the assumption that minimal leachate could be formed in the absence of precipitation. Therefore, a case study was conducted at two unlined MSW landfills, of different ages, in the state of Kuwait in order to determine the chemical characteristics of leachate and examine the mechanism of leachate formation. Leachate quality data were collected from both active and old (closed) landfills where co-disposal of MSW and other solid and liquid wastes is practiced. The analysis of data confirms that leachates from both landfills are severely contaminated with organics, salts and heavy metals. However, the organic strength of the leachate collected from the old landfill was reduced due to waste decomposition and continuous gas flaring. A significant degree of variability was encountered and factors which may influence leachate quality were identified and discussed. A water balance at the landfill site was assessed and a conceptual model was presented which accounts for leachate generation due to rising water table, capillary water and moisture content of the waste.

Economic and employment potential in textile waste management of Faisalabad.

PubMed

Noman, Muhammad; Batool, Syeda Adila; Chaudhary, Muhammad Nawaz

2013-05-01

The aim of this study is to characterize the waste from the textile industry, to identify the sources and types of waste generation and to find out the economic and employment potential in this sector. Textile waste, its management, and the economic and employment potential in this sector are unrevealed facts in developing countries such as Pakistan. The textile industry is ranked first in export earning in Pakistan. Textile export of yarn and cloth from Faisalabad is US$3 billion per year. On average 161 325 people are employed in the textile sector in Faisalabad, of which 11 860 are involved in solid waste handling and management. The textile industries generate solid wastes such as fibre, metal, plastic and paper waste. A total of 794 209 kg day(-1) (289 886 285 kg year(-1)) solid waste is produced from this sector and purchased by cotton waste junkshop owners at US$125 027 day(-1) (US$45 634 855 year(-1)). Only pre-consumer textile waste is considered. Interestingly no waste is sent to landfill. The waste is first segregated into different categories/ types by hand and then weighed. Cotton waste is sold to brick kilns where it is used as an alternative fuel as it is cheaper than wood/coal. Iron scrap is sold in the junk market from where it is resold to recycling industries. Paper waste is recycled, minimizing the virgin material used for producing new paper products. Iron and plastic drums are returned to the chemical industries for refilling, thus decreasing the cost of dyes and decreasing the demand for new drums. Cutting rags are used for making different things such as ropes and underlay, it is also shredded and used as fillings for pillows and mattresses, thus improving waste management, reducing cost and minimizing the need for virgin material. As no system of quality control and no monitoring of subsequent products exist there is a need to carry out quality control and monitoring.

Breakdown of food waste by anaerobic fermentation and non-oxygen producing photosynthesis using a photosynthetic bacterium.

PubMed

Mekjinda, N; Ritchie, R J

2015-01-01

Large volumes of food waste are produced by restaurants, hotels, etc generating problems in its collection, processing and disposal. Disposal as garbage increases the organic matter in landfills and leachates. The photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris (CGA 009) easily broke down food waste. R. palustris produces H2 under anaerobic conditions and digests a very wide range of organic compounds. R. palustris reduced BOD by ≈70% and COD by ≈33%, starch, ammonia, nitrate, was removed but had little effect on reducing sugar or the total phosphorus, lipid, protein, total solid in a 7-day incubation. R. palustris produced a maximum of 80ml H2/g COD/day. A two-stage anaerobic digestion using yeast as the first stage, followed by a R. palustris digestion was tested but production of H2 was low. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Self-Reducing Pellet Production from Organic Household Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nogueira, Alberto; Takano, Cyro; Mourão, Marcelo; Pillihuaman, Adolfo

The organic household waste has a growing disposal problem, requiring costly disposal systems. It is necessary to find new applications for these materials; one could be the steelmaking raw material production. In this paper is studied the development of self-reducing pellets from the organic waste pyrolysis, where is generated carbon and condensable and non-condensable volatiles. Non-condensable volatiles were burned and condensable volatiles were recovered. The resulting tar was mixed with iron ore, coal powder and flux (CaO), to then be pelletized together. Compression, falls and tumbler tests were conducted to characterize the pellets before and after heat treatment and reduction processes. The reduction curve and their physical and morphological characterization were measured. The results were as was expected, the fluidized coal create sufficient adhesion that pellets earned resistance with an equivalent resistance of common pellets, showing a good feasibility of this process.

Paper for Publication in IOP: Conference Series Leachate Treatment using three Years Aged Lysimetric Bioreactor Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartono, Djoko M.; Andari Kristanto, Gabriel; Gusniani Sofian, Irma; Fauzan, Ahmad; Mahdiana, Ghanis

2018-03-01

This study was conducted as a response to address the problem of land availability for Cipayung landfill that no longer able to accommodate waste generation Depok City and to protect water pollution in receiving water body. Law No. 8/2008 explained that local governments and cities are required to create a sanitary landfill as a final waste processing system to replace open dumping that had been done by almost all the final processing of waste in cities in Indonesia. Sanitary landfill is the final waste processing system that works best and is environmentally friendly. The sanitary landfill will generate leachate. Leachate is the result of precipitation, evaporation, surface runoff, water infiltration into the waste, and also including the water contained in the waste. The purpose of this study was to determine the utilization of leachate generated by three years aged reactor.This study use a modeling tools as bioreactor landfill tank or so called lysimetric, that made of the polymer material that susceptible to high heat and pressure. This bioreactor landfill tank has a diameter of 0.83 m, with a surface area of 0.54 m2 and a height of 2.02 m, with the examination duration of 115 days. This tank consists of several layer, such as sand layer, solid waste layer, water layer and piping system. These layer has 3 year aged. The In this research, leachate recirculation in bioreactor landfills was conducted with waste layered loading systems with percolation system. This research has been conducted since the beginning of 2016, sampling, field measurement and analysis of leachate and waste quality carried out for approximately 115 days of field measurements.Several parameter were measured such as pH, BOD, COD, nitrate, nitrite and TSS. From the analysis of the leachate quality parameters of pH, BOD, COD, nitrite, TSS, showed a reduction in the concentration of the three reactors. The concentration of parameters measured at the initial stage until the final stage, showed a reduction in the concentration of the parameters, even reaching 90% reduction for BOD (biological oxygen demand), COD, (chemical oxygen demand) nitrite, and TSS (total solid suspended) parameters. So it can be concluded that the recirculation of leachate of the sanitary landfill can reduce the concentration of pollutants in the leachate that will be discharged into water bodies, thereby reducing the pollution of the receiving water body. This research is funding by PUPT Kemristekdikti and DRPM UI

Neutralization of red mud with pickling waste liquor using Taguchi's design of experimental methodology.

PubMed

Rai, Suchita; Wasewar, Kailas L; Lataye, Dilip H; Mishra, Rajshekhar S; Puttewar, Suresh P; Chaddha, Mukesh J; Mahindiran, P; Mukhopadhyay, Jyoti

2012-09-01

'Red mud' or 'bauxite residue', a waste generated from alumina refinery is highly alkaline in nature with a pH of 10.5-12.5. Red mud poses serious environmental problems such as alkali seepage in ground water and alkaline dust generation. One of the options to make red mud less hazardous and environmentally benign is its neutralization with acid or an acidic waste. Hence, in the present study, neutralization of alkaline red mud was carried out using a highly acidic waste (pickling waste liquor). Pickling waste liquor is a mixture of strong acids used for descaling or cleaning the surfaces in steel making industry. The aim of the study was to look into the feasibility of neutralization process of the two wastes using Taguchi's design of experimental methodology. This would make both the wastes less hazardous and safe for disposal. The effect of slurry solids, volume of pickling liquor, stirring time and temperature on the neutralization process were investigated. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows that the volume of the pickling liquor is the most significant parameter followed by quantity of red mud with 69.18% and 18.48% contribution each respectively. Under the optimized parameters, pH value of 7 can be achieved by mixing the two wastes. About 25-30% of the total soda from the red mud is being neutralized and alkalinity is getting reduced by 80-85%. Mineralogy and morphology of the neutralized red mud have also been studied. The data presented will be useful in view of environmental concern of red mud disposal.

Berm design to reduce risks of catastrophic slope failures at solid waste disposal sites.

PubMed

De Stefano, Matteo; Gharabaghi, Bahram; Clemmer, Ryan; Jahanfar, M Ali

2016-11-01

Existing waste disposal sites are being strained by exceeding their volumetric capacities because of exponentially increasing rates of municipal solid waste generation worldwide, especially in densely populated metropolises. Over the past 40 years, six well-documented and analyzed disposal sites experienced catastrophic failure. This research presents a novel analysis and design method for implementation of a series of in-situ earth berms to slow down the movement of waste material flow following a catastrophic failure. This is the first study of its kind that employs a dynamic landslide analysis model, DAN-W, and the Voellmy rheological model to approximate solid waste avalanche flow. A variety of single and multiple berm configuration scenarios were developed and tested to find an optimum configuration of the various earth berm geometries and number of berms to achieve desired energy dissipation and reduction in total waste material runout length. The case study application of the novel mitigation measure shows that by constructing a series of six relatively inexpensive 3 m high earth berms at an optimum distance of 250 m from the slope toe, the total runout length of 1000 m and associated fatalities of the Leuwigajah dumpsite catastrophic failure in Bandung, Indonesia, could have been reduced by half. © The Author(s) 2016.

Agricultural utilization of biosolids: A review on potential effects on soil and plant grown.

PubMed

Sharma, Bhavisha; Sarkar, Abhijit; Singh, Pooja; Singh, Rajeev Pratap

2017-06-01

Environmental and economic implications linked with the proper ecofriendly disposal of modern day wastes, has made it essential to come up with alternative waste management practices that reduce the environmental pressures resulting from unwise disposal of such wastes. Urban wastes like biosolids are loaded with essential plant nutrients. In this view, agricultural use of biosolids would enable recycling of these nutrients and could be a sustainable approach towards management of this hugely generated waste. Therefore biosolids i.e. sewage sludge can serve as an important resource for agricultural utilization. Biosolids are characterized by the occurrence of beneficial plant nutrients (essential elements and micro and macronutrients) which can make help them to work as an effective soil amendment, thereby minimizing the reliance on chemical fertilizers. However, biosolids might contain toxic heavy metals that may limit its usage in the cropland. Heavy metals at higher concentration than the permissible limits may lead to food chain contamination and have fatal consequences. Biosolids amendment in soil can improve physical and nutrient property of soil depending on the quantity and portion of the mixture. Hence, biosolids can be a promising soil ameliorating supplement to increase plant productivity, reduce bioavailability of heavy metals and also lead to effective waste management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors determining waste generation in Spanish towns and cities.

PubMed

Prades, Miriam; Gallardo, Antonio; Ibàñez, Maria Victoria

2015-01-01

This paper analyzes the generation and composition of municipal solid waste in Spanish towns and cities with more than 5000 inhabitants, which altogether account for 87% of the Spanish population. To do so, the total composition and generation of municipal solid waste fractions were obtained from 135 towns and cities. Homogeneity tests revealed heterogeneity in the proportions of municipal solid waste fractions from one city to another. Statistical analyses identified significant differences in the generation of glass in cities of different sizes and in the generation of all fractions depending on the hydrographic area. Finally, linear regression models and residuals analysis were applied to analyze the effect of different demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic variables on the generation of waste fractions. The conclusions show that more densely populated towns, a hydrographic area, and cities with over 50,000 inhabitants have higher waste generation rates, while certain socioeconomic variables (people/car) decrease that generation. Other socioeconomic variables (foreigners and unemployment) show a positive and null influence on that waste generation, respectively.

The global economic and regulatory determinants of household food waste generation: A cross-country analysis.

PubMed

Chalak, Ali; Abou-Daher, Chaza; Chaaban, Jad; Abiad, Mohamad G

2016-02-01

Food is generally wasted all along the supply chain, with an estimated loss of 35percent generated at the consumer level. Consequently, household food waste constitutes a sizable proportion of the total waste generated throughout the food supply chain. Yet such wastes vary drastically between developed and developing countries. Using data collected from 44 countries with various income levels, this paper investigates the impact of legislation and economic incentives on household food waste generation. The obtained results indicate that well-defined regulations, policies and strategies are more effective than fiscal measures in mitigating household food waste generation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Data analytics approach to create waste generation profiles for waste management and collection.

PubMed

Niska, Harri; Serkkola, Ari

2018-04-30

Extensive monitoring data on waste generation is increasingly collected in order to implement cost-efficient and sustainable waste management operations. In addition, geospatial data from different registries of the society are opening for free usage. Novel data analytics approaches can be built on the top of the data to produce more detailed, and in-time waste generation information for the basis of waste management and collection. In this paper, a data-based approach based on the self-organizing map (SOM) and the k-means algorithm is developed for creating a set of waste generation type profiles. The approach is demonstrated using the extensive container-level waste weighting data collected in the metropolitan area of Helsinki, Finland. The results obtained highlight the potential of advanced data analytic approaches in producing more detailed waste generation information e.g. for the basis of tailored feedback services for waste producers and the planning and optimization of waste collection and recycling. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamilton, T.; Jones, H.; Wong, K.

The Marshall Islands Environmental Characterization and Dose Assessment Program has recently implemented waste minimization measures to reduce low level radioactive (LLW) and low level mixed (LLWMIXED) waste streams at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Several thousand environmental samples are collected annually from former US nuclear test sites in the Marshall Islands, and returned to LLNL for processing and radiometric analysis. In the past, we analyzed coconut milk directly by gamma-spectrometry after adding formaldehyde (as preservative) and sealing the fluid in metal cans. This procedure was not only tedious and time consuming but generated storage and waste disposal problems. Wemore » have now reduced the number of coconut milk samples required for analysis from 1500 per year to approximately 250, and developed a new analytical procedure which essentially eliminates the associated mixed radioactive waste stream. Coconut milk samples are mixed with a few grams of ammonium-molydophosphate (AMP) which quantitatively scavenges the target radionuclide cesium 137 in an ion-exchange process. The AMP is then separated from the mixture and sealed in a plastic container. The bulk sample material can be disposed of as a non- radioactive non-hazardous waste, and the relatively small amount of AMP conveniently counted by gamma-spectrometry, packaged and stored for future use.« less

Simultaneous stack-gas scrubbing and waste water treatment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poradek, J. C.; Collins, D. D.

1980-01-01

Simultaneous treatment of wastewater and S02-laden stack gas make both treatments more efficient and economical. According to results of preliminary tests, solution generated by stack gas scrubbing cycle reduces bacterial content of wastewater. Both processess benefit by sharing concentrations of iron.

Municipal solid waste characterization and quantification as a measure towards effective waste management in Ghana.

PubMed

Miezah, Kodwo; Obiri-Danso, Kwasi; Kádár, Zsófia; Fei-Baffoe, Bernard; Mensah, Moses Y

2015-12-01

Reliable national data on waste generation and composition that will inform effective planning on waste management in Ghana is absent. To help obtain this data on a regional basis, selected households in each region were recruited to obtain data on rate of waste generation, physical composition of waste, sorting and separation efficiency and per capita of waste. Results show that rate of waste generation in Ghana was 0.47 kg/person/day, which translates into about 12,710 tons of waste per day per the current population of 27,043,093. Nationally, biodegradable waste (organics and papers) was 0.318 kg/person/day and non-biodegradable or recyclables (metals, glass, textiles, leather and rubbers) was 0.096 kg/person/day. Inert and miscellaneous waste was 0.055 kg/person/day. The average household waste generation rate among the metropolitan cities, except Tamale, was high, 0.72 kg/person/day. Metropolises generated higher waste (average 0.63 kg/person/day) than the municipalities (0.40 kg/person/day) and the least in the districts (0.28 kg/person/day) which are less developed. The waste generation rate also varied across geographical locations, the coastal and forest zones generated higher waste than the northern savanna zone. Waste composition was 61% organics, 14% plastics, 6% inert, 5% miscellaneous, 5% paper, 3% metals, 3% glass, 1% leather and rubber, and 1% textiles. However, organics and plastics, the two major fractions of the household waste varied considerably across the geographical areas. In the coastal zone, the organic waste fraction was highest but decreased through the forest zone towards the northern savanna. However, through the same zones towards the north, plastic waste rather increased in percentage fraction. Households did separate their waste effectively averaging 80%. However, in terms of separating into the bin marked biodegradables, 84% effectiveness was obtained whiles 76% effectiveness for sorting into the bin labeled other waste was achieved. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Modeling of urban solid waste management system: The case of Dhaka city

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sufian, M.A.; Bala, B.K.

2007-07-01

This paper presents a system dynamics computer model to predict solid waste generation, collection capacity and electricity generation from solid waste and to assess the needs for waste management of the urban city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Simulated results show that solid waste generation, collection capacity and electricity generation potential from solid waste increase with time. Population, uncleared waste, untreated waste, composite index and public concern are projected to increase with time for Dhaka city. Simulated results also show that increasing the budget for collection capacity alone does not improve environmental quality; rather an increased budget is required for both collectionmore » and treatment of solid wastes of Dhaka city. Finally, this model can be used as a computer laboratory for urban solid waste management (USWM) policy analysis.« less

77 FR 36447 - Hazardous Waste Management System; Identification and Listing of Hazardous Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-19

... the point of waste generation. C. How did ExxonMobil sample and analyze the data in this petition? To support its petition, ExxonMobil submitted: (1) Historical information on waste generation and management... North Landfarm underflow water twice during the first six months of waste generation. ExxonMobil would...

Potentially hazardous waste produced at home.

PubMed

Chaves, Loide Corina; de Campos, Ligia Mara Daros; Filipini, Rosangela; de Abreu, Luiz Carlos; Valenti, Vitor E; Azzalis, Ligia Ajaime; Junqueira, Virginia Berlanga Campos; Sena, Dayse F; Goulart, Flávia C; Fonseca, Fernando Luiz Affonso

2013-06-27

The purpose of this study was to identify the sources of waste generation household consisting of biological material and to investigate the knowledge presented by those responsible for the generation of waste in the home environment on the potential health risk human and environmental. It is a quantitative survey performed in Parque Capuava, Santo André (SP). The questionnaire was administered by the community employers and nursing students during the consultation with nursing supervision through interview question/answer. The exclusion criteria were patients who were not in the area served by the Basic Health Unit which covers the area of Pq Capuava. The sample was consisted of 99 persons and the data collection a questionnaire was used. We observed that 63.3% of people said to use disposables, with the majority (58.7%) of these use the public collection as the final destination of these materials. It was reported that 73.7% of those surveyed reported having knowledge about the risk of disease transmission. Public awareness of the importance of proper packaging and disposal of potentially hazardous household waste may contribute significantly to the preservation of human and environmental health and this procedure can be performed and supervised by professional nurses. We suggest implementation of workshops for community health workers and the general population in order to enhance their knowledge about the storage and disposal of potentially infectious waste generated at home, thereby reducing the potential risk of disease transmission by improper management.

Potentially hazardous waste produced at home

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to identify the sources of waste generation household consisting of biological material and to investigate the knowledge presented by those responsible for the generation of waste in the home environment on the potential health risk human and environmental. Method It is a quantitative survey performed in Parque Capuava, Santo André (SP). The questionnaire was administered by the community employers and nursing students during the consultation with nursing supervision through interview question/answer. The exclusion criteria were patients who were not in the area served by the Basic Health Unit which covers the area of Pq Capuava. The sample was consisted of 99 persons and the data collection a questionnaire was used. Results We observed that 63.3% of people said to use disposables, with the majority (58.7%) of these use the public collection as the final destination of these materials. It was reported that 73.7% of those surveyed reported having knowledge about the risk of disease transmission. Public awareness of the importance of proper packaging and disposal of potentially hazardous household waste may contribute significantly to the preservation of human and environmental health and this procedure can be performed and supervised by professional nurses. Conclusion We suggest implementation of workshops for community health workers and the general population in order to enhance their knowledge about the storage and disposal of potentially infectious waste generated at home, thereby reducing the potential risk of disease transmission by improper management. PMID:23806043

HANFORD FACILITY ANNUAL DANGEROUS WASTE REPORT CY2005

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

SKOLRUD, J.O.

2006-02-15

The Hanford Facility Annual Dangerous Waste Report (ADWR) is prepared to meet the requirements of Washington Administrative Code Sections 173-303-220, Generator Reporting, and 173-303-390, Facility Reporting. In addition, the ADWR is required to meet Hanford Facility RCR4 Permit Condition I.E.22, Annual Reporting. The ADWR provides summary information on dangerous waste generation and management activities for the Calendar Year for the Hanford Facility EPA ID number assigned to the Department of Energy for RCRA regulated waste, as well as Washington State only designated waste and radioactive mixed waste. An electronic database is utilized to collect and compile the large array ofmore » data needed for preparation of this report. Information includes details of waste generated on the Hanford Facility, waste generated offsite and sent to Hanford for management, and other waste management activities conducted at Hanford, including treatment, storage, and disposal. Report details consist of waste descriptions and weights, waste codes and designations, and waste handling codes, In addition, for waste shipped to Hanford for treatment and/or disposal, information on manifest numbers, the waste transporter, the waste receiving facility, and the original waste generators are included. In addition to paper copies, the report is also transmitted electronically to a web site maintained by the Washington State Department of Ecology.« less

Scenario analysis of the benefit of municipal organic-waste composting over landfill, Cambodia.

PubMed

Seng, Bunrith; Hirayama, Kimiaki; Katayama-Hirayama, Keiko; Ochiai, Satoru; Kaneko, Hidehiro

2013-01-15

This paper presents insight into the benefits of organic waste recycling through composting over landfill, in terms of landfill life extension, compost product, and mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Future waste generation from 2003 to 2020 was forecast, and five scenarios of organic waste recycling in the municipality of Phnom Penh (MPP), Cambodia, were carried out. Organic waste-specifically food and garden waste-was used for composting, and the remaining waste was landfilled. The recycling scenarios were set based on organic waste generated from difference sources: households, restaurants, shops, markets, schools, hotels, offices, and street sweeping. Through the five scenarios, the minimum volume reductions of waste disposal were about 56, 123, and 219 m(3) d(-1) in 2003, 2012, and 2020, respectively, whereas the maximum volume reductions in these years were about 325, 643, and 1025 m(3) d(-1). These volume reductions reflect a landfill life extension of a minimum of half a year and a maximum of about four years. Compost product could be produced at a minimum of 14, 30, and 54 tons d(-1) in 2003, 2012, and 2020, respectively, and at a maximum in those years of about 80, 158, and 252 tons d(-1). At the same time benefit is gained in compost product, GHG emissions could be reduced by a minimum of 12.8% and a maximum of 65.0% from 2003 to 2020. This means about 3.23 (minimum) and 5.79 million tons CO(2)eq (maximum) contributed to GHG mitigation. In this regard, it is strongly recommended that MPP should try to initiate an organic-waste recycling strategy in a best fit scenario. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trash to Supply Gas (TtSG) Project Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hintze, Paul; Santiago-Maldonado, Edgardo; Kulis, Michael J.; Lytle, John K.; Fisher, John W.; Vaccaro, Helen; Ewert, Michael K.; Broyan, James L.

2012-01-01

Technologies that reduce logistical needs are a key to long term space missions. Currently, trash and waste generated during a mission is carried during the entire roundtrip mission or stored inside a logistic module which is de-orbited into Earth's atmosphere for destruction. The goal of the Trash to Supply Gas (TtSG) project is to develop space technology alternatives for converting trash and other waste materials from human spaceflight into high-value products that might include propellants or power system fuels in addition to life support oxygen and water. In addition to producing a useful product from waste, TtSG will decrease the volume needed to store waste on long term space missions. This paper presents an overview of the TtSG technologies and future plans for the project.

[Application of microbial fuel cell (MFC) in solid waste composting].

PubMed

Cui, Jinxin; Wang, Xin; Tang, Jingchun

2012-03-01

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a new technology that can recover energy from biomass with simultaneous waste treatment. This technique has been developed fast in recent years in combining with environmental techniques such as wastewater treatment, degradation of toxic pollutants and desalination. With the increase of solid waste, applying MFC in composting is promising due to its property of waste disposal with simultaneous energy generation. In this paper, the microbial community of MFCs during composting was summarized. Four major influencing factors including electrodes, separators, oxygen supplement and configurations on the performance of composting MFCs were discussed. The characteristics of composting MFC as a new technique for reducing solid waste were as follows: high microbial biomass resulted in the high current density; adaptable to different environmental conditions; self-adjustable temperature with high energy efficiency; the transportation of proton from anode to cathode were limited by different solid substrates.

Characterization of urban solid waste in Chihuahua, Mexico.

PubMed

Gomez, Guadalupe; Meneses, Montserrat; Ballinas, Lourdes; Castells, Francesc

2008-12-01

The characterization of urban solid waste generation is fundamental for adequate decision making in the management strategy of urban solid waste in a city. The objective of this study is to characterize the waste generated in the households of Chihuahua city, and to compare the results obtained in areas of the city with three different socioeconomic levels. In order to identify the different socioeconomic trends in waste generation and characterization, 560 samples of solid waste were collected during 1 week from 80 households in Chihuahua and were hand sorted and classified into 15 weighted fractions. The average waste generation in Chihuahua calculated in this study was 0.676 kg per capita per day in April 2006. The main fractions were: organic (48%), paper (16%) and plastic (12%). Results show an increased waste generation associated with the socioeconomic level. The characterization in amount and composition of urban waste is the first step needed for the successful implementation of an integral waste management system.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

PNNL

Case study describes how the Army Reserve 9th Mission Support Command (MSC) reduced lighting energy consumption by 62% for a total savings of 125,000 kWh and more than $50,000 per year by replacing over 400 fluorescent troffers with 36 W LED troffers. This project was part of the Army Reserve Net Zero Pilot Program, initiated in 2013, to reduce energy and water consumption, waste generation, and utility costs.

Stock flow diagram analysis on solid waste management in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zulkipli, Faridah; Nopiah, Zulkifli Mohd; Basri, Noor Ezlin Ahmad; Kie, Cheng Jack

2016-10-01

The effectiveness on solid waste management is a major importance to societies. Numerous generation of solid waste from our daily activities has risked for our communities. These due to rapid population grow and advance in economic development. Moreover, the complexity of solid waste management is inherently involved large scale, diverse and element of uncertainties that must assist stakeholders with deviating objectives. In this paper, we proposed a system dynamics simulation by developing a stock flow diagram to illustrate the solid waste generation process and waste recycle process. The analysis highlights the impact on increasing the number of population toward the amount of solid waste generated and the amount of recycled waste. The results show an increment in the number of population as well as the amount of recycled waste will decrease the amount of waste generated. It is positively represent the achievement of government aim to minimize the amount of waste to be disposed by year 2020.

Safe disposal of radionuclides in low-level radioactive-waste repository sites; Low-level radioactive-waste disposal workshop, U.S. Geological Survey, July 11-16, 1987, Big Bear Lake, Calif., Proceedings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bedinger, Marion S.; Stevens, Peter R.

1990-01-01

In the United States, low-level radioactive waste is disposed by shallow-land burial. Low-level radioactive waste generated by non-Federal facilities has been buried at six commercially operated sites; low-level radioactive waste generated by Federal facilities has been buried at eight major and several minor Federally operated sites (fig. 1). Generally, low-level radioactive waste is somewhat imprecisely defined as waste that does not fit the definition of high-level radioactive waste and does not exceed 100 nCi/g in the concentration of transuranic elements. Most low-level radioactive waste generated by non-Federal facilities is generated at nuclear powerplants; the remainder is generated primarily at research laboratories, hospitals, industrial facilities, and universities. On the basis of half lives and concentrations of radionuclides in low-level radioactive waste, the hazard associated with burial of such waste generally lasts for about 500 years. Studies made at several of the commercially and Federally operated low-level radioactive-waste repository sites indicate that some of these sites have not provided containment of waste nor the expected protection of the environment.

Influence of lime and struvite on microbial community succession and odour emission during food waste composting.

PubMed

Wang, Xuan; Selvam, Ammaiyappan; Lau, Sam S S; Wong, Jonathan W C

2018-01-01

Lime addition as well as formation of struvite through the addition of magnesium and phosphorus salts provide good pH buffering and may reduce odour emission. This study investigated the odour emission during food waste composting under the influence of lime addition, and struvite formation. Composting was performed in 20-L reactors for 56days using artificial food waste mixed with sawdust at 1.2:1 (w/w dry basis). VFA was one of the most important odours during food waste composting. However, during thermophilic phase, ammonia is responsible for max odour index in the exhaust gas. Trapping ammonia through struvite formation significantly reduced the maximum odour unit of ammonia from 3.0×10 4 to 1.8×10 4 . The generation and accumulation of acetic acid and butyric acid led to the acidic conditions. The addition of phosphate salts in treatment with struvite formation improved the variation of total bacteria, which in turn increased the organic decomposition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A REVIEW OF NICKEL PLATING BATH LIFE EXTENSION, NICKEL RECOVERY & COPPER RECOVERY FROM NICKEL BATHS

EPA Science Inventory

For metal finishing operations to remain competitive and in compliance with environmental requirements, companies must focus their efforts on pollution prevention to reduce waste generation and disposal costs, limit liability and restore maximum profits. By applying the pollutio...

40 CFR 98.30 - Definition of the source category.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... purposes of producing electricity, generating steam, or providing useful heat or energy for industrial, commercial, or institutional use, or reducing the volume of waste by removing combustible matter. Stationary... § 98.6. (3) Irrigation pumps at agricultural operations. (4) Flares, unless otherwise required by...

HANFORD FACILITY ANNUAL DANGEROUS WASTE REPORT CY2003 [SEC 1 & 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

FREEMAN, D.A.

2004-02-17

The Hanford Facility Annual Dangerous Waste Report (ADWR) is prepared to meet the requirements of Washington Administrative Code Sections 173-303-220, Generator Reporting, and 173-303-390, Facility Reporting. In addition, the ADWR is required to meet Hanford Facility RCRA Permit Condition I.E.22, Annual Reporting. The ADWR provides summary information on dangerous waste generation and management activities for the Calendar Year for the Hanford Facility EPA ID number assigned to the Department of Energy for RCRA regulated waste, as well as Washington State only designated waste and radioactive mixed waste. The Solid Waste Information and Tracking System (SWITS) database is utilized to collectmore » and compile the large array of data needed for preparation of this report. Information includes details of waste generated on the Hanford Facility, waste generated offsite and sent to Hanford for management, and other waste management activities conducted at Hanford, including treatment, storage, and disposal. Report details consist of waste descriptions and weights, waste codes and designations, and waste handling codes. In addition, for waste shipped to Hanford for treatment and or disposal, information on manifest numbers, the waste transporter, the waste receiving facility, and the original waste generators are included. In addition to paper copies, the report is also transmitted electronically to a web site maintained by the Washington State Department of Ecology.« less

Opportunities and prospects of biorefinery-based valorisation of pulp and paper sludge.

PubMed

Gottumukkala, Lalitha Devi; Haigh, Kate; Collard, François-Xavier; van Rensburg, Eugéne; Görgens, Johann

2016-09-01

The paper and pulp industry is one of the major industries that generate large amount of solid waste with high moisture content. Numerous opportunities exist for valorisation of waste paper sludge, although this review focuses on primary sludge with high cellulose content. The most mature options for paper sludge valorisation are fermentation, anaerobic digestion and pyrolysis. In this review, biochemical and thermal processes are considered individually and also as integrated biorefinery. The objective of integrated biorefinery is to reduce or avoid paper sludge disposal by landfilling, water reclamation and value addition. Assessment of selected processes for biorefinery varies from a detailed analysis of a single process to high level optimisation and integration of the processes, which allow the initial assessment and comparison of technologies. This data can be used to provide key stakeholders with a roadmap of technologies that can generate economic benefits, and reduce carbon wastage and pollution load. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solid waste management of small island developing states-the case of the Seychelles: a systemic and collaborative study of Swiss and Seychellois students to support policy.

PubMed

Meylan, Grégoire; Lai, Adelene; Hensley, John; Stauffacher, Michael; Krütli, Pius

2018-05-15

Solid waste management (SWM) is a significant challenge for the Seychelles. Waste generation, fueled by economic development and tourism, increases steadily, while landfilling continues to be the main disposal path, thus exacerbating the island nation's specific weaknesses. Due to the small scale of the Seychelles economy, there is little capital available to stimulate innovations in SWM and generate the knowledge for setting priorities and guiding SWM action. Students from ETH Zurich and UniSey conducted a transdisciplinary case study (tdCS) to fill this knowledge gap and gain insights into the obstacles and opportunities related to sustainable SWM. The tdCS approach allowed students to gain comprehensive and in-depth knowledge about the SWM system required to set priorities for action and next steps. The government should streamline the different financial frameworks according to a clear principle (e.g., polluter pays principle). Specific biogenic waste streams represent a potential source of energy and fertilizers. Expanding the scope and densifying the network of collection points could help raise recycling rates of other waste fractions. Diverting biogenic waste and recycling more glass, metals, paper, and plastics would also significantly reduce landfilling rates. Regardless of future amounts of waste ending up on landfills, the latter must be reengineered before the surrounding environment suffers major adverse impacts. All these actions imply a government-driven approach which integrates the views of stakeholders and consumers alike.

Reducing ethylene levels along the food supply chain: a key to reducing food waste?

PubMed

Blanke, Michael M

2014-09-01

Excessive waste along the food supply chain of 71 (UK, Netherlands) to 82 (Germany) kg per head per year sparked widespread criticism of the agricultural food business and provides a great challenge and task for all its players and stakeholders. Origins of this food waste include private households, restaurants and canteens, as well as supermarkets, and indicate that 59-65% of this food waste can be avoided. Since ∼50% of the food waste is fruit and vegetables, monitoring and control of their natural ripening gas - ethylene - is suggested here as one possible key to reducing food waste. Ethylene accelerates ripening of climacteric fruits, and accumulation of ethylene in the supply chain can lead to fruit decay and waste. While ethylene was determined using a stationary gas chromatograph with gas cylinders, the new generation of portable sensor-based instruments now enables continuous in situ determination of ethylene along the food chain, a prerequisite to managing and maintaining the quality and ripeness of fruits and identifying hot spots of ethylene accumulation along the supply chain. Ethylene levels were measured in a first trial, along the supply chain of apple fruit from harvest to the consumer, and ranged from 10 ppb in the CA fruit store with an ethylene scrubber, 70 ppb in the fruit bin, to 500 ppb on the sorting belt in the grading facility, to ppm levels in perforated plastic bags of apples. This paper also takes into account exogenous ethylene originating from sources other than the fruit itself. Countermeasures are discussed, such as the potential of breeding for low-ethylene fruit, applications of ethylene inhibitors (e.g. 1-MCP) and absorber strips (e.g. 'It's Fresh', Ryan'), packages (e.g. 'Peakfresh'), both at the wholesale and retail level, vents and cooling for the supply chain, sale of class II produce ('Wunderlinge'), collection (rather than waste) of produce on the 'sell by' date ('Die Tafel') and whole crop purchase (WCP) to aid reducing food waste. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Municipal solid waste flow and waste generation characteristics in an urban--rural fringe area in Thailand.

PubMed

Hiramatsu, Ai; Hara, Yuji; Sekiyama, Makiko; Honda, Ryo; Chiemchaisri, Chart

2009-12-01

In the urban-rural fringe of the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, rapid urbanization is creating a land-use mixture of agricultural fields and residential areas. To develop appropriate policies to enhance recycling of municipal solid waste (MSW), current MSW management was investigated in the oboto (local administrative district) of Bang Maenang in Nonthaburi Province, adjoining Bangkok. The authors conducted a structural interview survey with waste-related organizations and local residents, analysed household waste generation, and performed global positioning system (GPS) tracking of municipal garbage trucks. It was found that MSW was collected and treated by local government, private-sector entities, and the local community separately. Lack of integrated management of these entities complicated waste flow in the study area, and some residences were not served by MSW collection. Organic waste, such as kitchen garbage and yard waste, accounted for a large proportion of waste generation but was underutilized. Through GPS/GIS analysis, the waste collection rate of the generated waste amount was estimated to be 45.5- 51.1% of total generation.

Production patterns of packaging waste categories generated at typical Mediterranean residential building worksites.

PubMed

González Pericot, N; Villoria Sáez, P; Del Río Merino, M; Liébana Carrasco, O

2014-11-01

The construction sector is responsible for around 28% of the total waste volume generated in Europe, which exceeds the amount of household waste. This has led to an increase of different research studies focusing on construction waste quantification. However, within the research studies made, packaging waste has been analyzed to a limited extent. This article focuses on the packaging waste stream generated in the construction sector. To this purpose current on-site waste packaging management has been assessed by monitoring ten Mediterranean residential building works. The findings of the experimental data collection revealed that the incentive measures implemented by the construction company to improve on-site waste sorting failed to achieve the intended purpose, showing low segregation ratios. Subsequently, through an analytical study the generation patterns for packaging waste are established, leading to the identification of the prevailing kinds of packaging and the products responsible for their generation. Results indicate that plastic waste generation maintains a constant trend throughout the whole construction process, while cardboard becomes predominant towards the end of the construction works with switches and sockets from the electricity stage. Understanding the production patterns of packaging waste will be beneficial for adapting waste management strategies to the identified patterns for the specific nature of packaging waste within the context of construction worksites. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An eco friendly solution to the food waste disposal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babu, G. Reddy; Kumar, G. Madhav

2017-07-01

In recent years, waste disposal at workmen camp is one of the major problems being faced by many nations across the world. In the workmen colony at Chittapur, a series of kitchens were built for cooking purpose and a number of small canteens are also functioning. Considerable quantity of food waste is collected daily from these eateries and disposed at a faraway place. Food waste is highly degradable in nature, if not disposed properly it causes problems related to environmental pollution. Hence, it is very important to identify an environment friendly process rather than opt for land filling or any disposal method. We worked together to find a suitable eco-friendly solution for the food waste disposal at Chittapur site and suggested that biogas production through anaerobic digestion is a solution for the disposal and utilization of food waste for better purpose. This resulted in setting up a 500 kg per day food waste treatment biogas plant at Chittapur. This establishment is the first time in the construction industry at workmen camp in India. Anaerobic Digestion has been recognized as one of the best options that is available for treating food waste, as it generates two valuable end products, biogas and compost. Biogas is a mixture of CH4 and CO2 about (55:45). Biogas generated can be used for thermal applications such as cooking or for generating electricity. The digested slurry is a well stabilized organic manure and can be used as soil fertilizer. Plant design is to handle 500 kg of food waste /day. 27 kg LPG is obtained from 500kg of kitchen waste. The Value of 27 kg of LPG is Rs.2700/day. Daily 1000 litres of digested effluent was obtained. It is good organic manure with plant micro nutrients and macro nutrients. This can be used for growing plants and in agriculture. The value of manure per day is Rs.250/-. The annual revenue is Rs.10.62 lakhs and the annual expenditure is 1.8 lakhs. The net benefit is 8.82 lakhs. Payback period is 2.1 years. This process controls the environmental pollution and fulfilled the concept of reuse, reduce, recycle and renewable

[Medical wastes management: aspects of internal handling in the city of Marituba, Pará State, Brazil].

PubMed

Sales, Carla Cristina de Lima; Spolti, Gracieli Pâmela; Lopes, Maria do Socorro Bezerra; Lopes, David Franco

2009-01-01

Medical wastes offer a potential risk to public health and the environment before an inadequate management. This study aims to verify aspects of internal handling of medical wastes in the city of Marituba, Pará State. By means of questionnaires and field visits, a descriptive and observational study was performed in 13 health establishments in the city. The total volume of generated medical wastes was about 13,000 kg/week. There were deficiencies in many stages of the internal handling, for example the internal treatment that was performed in only one of the establishments, external storage made in 4 establishments and in precarious ways, among many others. Also, there were conformities as packing in adequate bags and containers as well as common waste separation. In general way, the federal norms were not accomplished and management of medical wastes in health establishments needs adequacy in every stage of the handling in order to control and reduce risks, decreasing the quantity of residues.

A finite difference model used to predict the consolidation of a ceramic waste form produced from the electrometallurgical treatment of spent nuclear fuel.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bateman, K. J.; Capson, D. D.

2004-03-29

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has developed a process to immobilize waste salt containing fission products, uranium, and transuranic elements as chlorides in a glass-bonded ceramic waste form. This salt was generated in the electrorefining operation used in the electrometallurgical treatment of spent Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) fuel. The ceramic waste process culminates with an elevated temperature operation. The processing conditions used by the furnace, for demonstration scale and production scale operations, are to be developed at Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-West). To assist in selecting the processing conditions of the furnace and to reduce the number of costly experiments, a finitemore » difference model was developed to predict the consolidation of the ceramic waste. The model accurately predicted the heating as well as the bulk density of the ceramic waste form. The methodology used to develop the computer model and a comparison of the analysis to experimental data is presented.« less

Mathematical modeling to predict residential solid waste generation.

PubMed

Benítez, Sara Ojeda; Lozano-Olvera, Gabriela; Morelos, Raúl Adalberto; Vega, Carolina Armijo de

2008-01-01

One of the challenges faced by waste management authorities is determining the amount of waste generated by households in order to establish waste management systems, as well as trying to charge rates compatible with the principle applied worldwide, and design a fair payment system for households according to the amount of residential solid waste (RSW) they generate. The goal of this research work was to establish mathematical models that correlate the generation of RSW per capita to the following variables: education, income per household, and number of residents. This work was based on data from a study on generation, quantification and composition of residential waste in a Mexican city in three stages. In order to define prediction models, five variables were identified and included in the model. For each waste sampling stage a different mathematical model was developed, in order to find the model that showed the best linear relation to predict residential solid waste generation. Later on, models to explore the combination of included variables and select those which showed a higher R(2) were established. The tests applied were normality, multicolinearity and heteroskedasticity. Another model, formulated with four variables, was generated and the Durban-Watson test was applied to it. Finally, a general mathematical model is proposed to predict residential waste generation, which accounts for 51% of the total.

Emission of volatile sulfur compounds during composting of municipal solid waste (MSW)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Hongyu; College of Resources and Environment Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094; Schuchardt, Frank

2013-04-15

Highlights: ► We compare the volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) emissions during three types of municipal solid wastes (MSWs) composting. ► The VSCs released from the kitchen waste composting was significantly higher than that from 15–80 mm fraction of MSW. ► Among the five VSCs, H{sub 2}S was the most abundant compound with 39.0–43.0% of total VSCs released. ► Addition of 20% cornstalks could significantly reduce the VSCs emissions during kitchen waste composting. - Abstract: Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) are the main source for malodor from composting plants. In this study, the VSCs generated from composting of 15–80 mm municipal solidmore » waste (T0), kitchen waste (T1) and kitchen waste mixed dry cornstalks (T2) were measured in 60 L reactors with forced aeration for a period of 30 days. The VSCs detected in all treatments were hydrogen sulfide (H{sub 2}S), methyl mercaptan (MM), dimethyl sulfide (DMS), carbon bisulfide (CS{sub 2}) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS). Over 90% of the VSCs emissions occurred during the first 15 days, and reached their peak values at days 4–7. The emission profiles of five VSCs species were significantly correlated with internal materials temperature and outlet O{sub 2} concentration (p < 0.05). Total emissions of the VSCs were 216.1, 379.3 and 126.0 mg kg{sup −1} (dry matter) for T0, T1 and T2, respectively. Among the five VSCs, H{sub 2}S was the most abundant compound with 39.0–43.0% of total VSCs released. Composting of kitchen waste from separate collection posed a negative influence on the VSC and leachate production because of its high moisture content. An addition of dry cornstalks at a mixing ratio of 4:1 (wet weight) could significantly reduce the VSCs emissions and avoid leachate. Compared to pure kitchen waste, VSCs were reduced 66.8%.« less

Review, mapping and analysis of the agricultural plastic waste generation and consolidation in Europe.

PubMed

Briassoulis, Demetres; Babou, Epifania; Hiskakis, Miltiadis; Scarascia, Giacomo; Picuno, Pietro; Guarde, Dorleta; Dejean, Cyril

2013-12-01

A review of agricultural plastic waste generation and consolidation in Europe is presented. A detailed geographical mapping of the agricultural plastic use and waste generation in Europe was conducted focusing on areas of high concentration of agricultural plastics. Quantitative data and analysis of the agricultural plastic waste generation by category, geographical distribution and compositional range, and physical characteristics of the agricultural plastic waste per use and the temporal distribution of the waste generation are presented. Data were collected and cross-checked from a variety of sources, including European, national and regional services and organizations, local agronomists, retailers and farmers, importers and converters. Missing data were estimated indirectly based on the recorded cultivated areas and the characteristics of the agricultural plastics commonly used in the particular regions. The temporal distribution, the composition and physical characteristics of the agricultural plastic waste streams were mapped by category and by application. This study represents the first systematic effort to map and analyse agricultural plastic waste generation and consolidation in Europe.

Life-cycle assessment of the municipal solid waste management system in Hangzhou, China (EASEWASTE).

PubMed

Zhao, Yan; Wang, Hong-Tao; Lu, Wen-Jing; Damgaard, Anders; Christensen, Thomas H

2009-06-01

With the purpose of assessing the environmental impacts and benefits of the current municipal solid waste management system and two modified systems, EASEWASTE, a life-cycle-based model, was used to evaluate the waste system of Hangzhou city in China. An integrated model was established, including waste generation, collection, transportation, treatment, disposal and accompanying external processes. The results showed that CH(4) released from landfilling was the primary pollutant contributing to global warming, and HCl and NH(3) from incineration contributed most to acidification. Material recycling and incineration with energy recovery were important because of the induced savings in material production based on virgin materials and in energy production based on coal combustion. A modified system in which waste is transported to the nearest incinerators would be relatively better than the current system, mainly due to the decrease of pollution from landfilled waste and the increase in energy production from waste avoiding energy production by traditional power plants. A ban on free plastic bags for shopping was shown to reduce most environmental impacts due to saved oil resources and other materials used in producing the plastic bags. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results. LCA methodology and a model like EASEWASTE are very suitable for evaluating the overall environmental consequences, and can be used for decision support and strategic planning in developing countries such as China where pollution control has become increasingly important with the rapid increase of waste generation as well as the increasing public awareness of environmental protection.

Evaluating the progress of the UK's Material Recycling Facilities: a mini review.

PubMed

Ali, Muhammad; Courtenay, Peter

2014-12-01

Over the last 15 years, the UK has made great strides in reducing the amount of waste being sent to landfill while also increasing the amount of waste being recycled. The key drivers for this change are the European Union Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC) and the UK Landfill Tax. However, also playing their part are the growing numbers of Material Recycling Facilities (MRFs), which process recyclables. This mini review evaluates the current state of MRFs in the UK, through extensive secondary research, and detailed primary data analysis focussing on MRFs located in South-East England, UK. This study also explores technologies that aim to generate energy from waste, including Waste-to-Energy (WtE) and Refuse-derived Fuel (RDF) facilities. These facilities can have a huge appetite for waste, which can be detrimental to recycling efforts as some of the waste being sent there should be recycled. It was found that the waste sent to a typical UK MRF would recycle around 92% of materials while 6% was sent to energy recovery and the remaining 2% ended up in landfill. Therefore, the total estimated rejected or non-compliance materials from MRFs are around 8%. A key recommendation from this study is to adopt a strategy to combine MRFs with a form of energy generation, such as WtE or RDF. This integrated approach would ensure any residual waste arising from the recycling process can be used as a sustainable fuel, while also increasing the recycling rates. © The Author(s) 2014.

Profit from a Problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The Refuse-fired Steam Generating Facility was jointly sponsored by Hampton, NASA Langley and Langley Air Force Base. The facility disposes of all solid waste from the NASA Center, the Air Force Base, the Army's Fort Monroe and other federal installations in the area, and accommodates about 70 percent of Hampton's municipal waste. Incinerated refuse is reduced to a readily-disposable ash whose volume is one-seventh that of the solid waste brought to the plant. The energy produced in the burning process is converted to steam for use in research and administrative facilities at Langley Research Center. Plant is expected to produce some 300 million pounds of steam annually, about 85 percent of Langley Research Center's needs.

Development of a Catalytic Wet Air Oxidation Method to Produce Feedstock Gases from Waste Polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kulis, Michael J.; Guerrero-Medina, Karen J.; Hepp, Aloysius F.

2012-01-01

Given the high cost of space launch, the repurposing of biological and plastic wastes to reduce the need for logistical support during long distance and long duration space missions has long been recognized as a high priority. Described in this paper are the preliminary efforts to develop a wet air oxidation system in order to produce fuels from waste polymers. Preliminary results of partial oxidation in near supercritical water conditions are presented. Inherent corrosion and salt precipitation are discussed as system design issues for a thorough assessment of a second generation wet air oxidation system. This work is currently being supported by the In-Situ Resource Utilization Project.

The UK waste input-output table: Linking waste generation to the UK economy.

PubMed

Salemdeeb, Ramy; Al-Tabbaa, Abir; Reynolds, Christian

2016-10-01

In order to achieve a circular economy, there must be a greater understanding of the links between economic activity and waste generation. This study introduces the first version of the UK waste input-output table that could be used to quantify both direct and indirect waste arisings across the supply chain. The proposed waste input-output table features 21 industrial sectors and 34 waste types and is for the 2010 time-period. Using the waste input-output table, the study results quantitatively confirm that sectors with a long supply chain (i.e. manufacturing and services sectors) have higher indirect waste generation rates compared with industrial primary sectors (e.g. mining and quarrying) and sectors with a shorter supply chain (e.g. construction). Results also reveal that the construction, mining and quarrying sectors have the highest waste generation rates, 742 and 694 tonne per £1m of final demand, respectively. Owing to the aggregated format of the first version of the waste input-output, the model does not address the relationship between waste generation and recycling activities. Therefore, an updated version of the waste input-output table is expected be developed considering this issue. Consequently, the expanded model would lead to a better understanding of waste and resource flows in the supply chain. © The Author(s) 2016.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choung, Sungwook; Um, Wooyong; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Permanent disposal of low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes in the subterranean environment has been the preferred method of many countries, including Korea. A safety issue after the closure of a geological repository is that biodegradation of organic materials due to microbial activities generates gases that lead to overpressure of the waste containers in the repository and its disintegration with the release of radionuclides. As part of an ongoing large-scale in situ experiment using organic wastes and groundwater to simulate geological radioactive waste repository conditions, we investigated the geochemical alteration and microbial activities at an early stage (~63 days) intended tomore » be representative of the initial period after repository closure. The increased numbers of both aerobes and facultative anaerobes in waste effluents indicate that oxygen content could be the most significant parameter to control biogeochemical conditions at very early periods of reaction (<35 days). Accordingly, the values of dissolved oxygen and redox potential were decreased. The activation of anaerobes after 35 days was supported by the increased concentration to ~50 mg L-1 of ethanol. These results suggest that the biogeochemical conditions were rapidly altered to more reducing and anaerobic conditions within the initial 2 months after repository closure. Although no gases were detected during the study, activated anaerobic microbes will play more important role in gas generation over the long term.« less

Pilot-scale tests of HEME and HEPA dissolution process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qureshi, Z.H.; Strege, D.K.

A series of pilot-scale demonstration tests for the dissolution of High Efficiency Mist Eliminators (HEME`s) and High Efficiency Particulate Airfilters (HEPA) were performed on a 1/5th linear scale. These fiberglass filters are to be used in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) to decontaminate the effluents from the off-gases generated during the feed preparation process and vitrification. When removed, these filters will be dissolved in the Decontamination Waste Treatment Tank (DWTT) using 5 wt% NaOH solution. The contaminated fiberglass is converted to an aqueous stream which will be transferred to the waste tanks. The filter metal structure will be rinsedmore » with process water before its disposal as low-level solid waste. The pilot-scale study reported here successfully demonstrated a simple one step process using 5 wt% NaOH solution. The proposed process requires the installation of a new water spray ring with 30 nozzles. In addition to the reduced waste generated, the total process time is reduced to 48 hours only (66% saving in time). The pilot-scale tests clearly demonstrated that the dissolution process of HEMEs has two stages - chemical digestion of the filter and mechanical erosion of the digested filter. The digestion is achieved by a boiling 5 wt% caustic solutions, whereas the mechanical break down of the digested filter is successfully achieved by spraying process water on the digested filter. An alternate method of breaking down the digested filter by increased air sparging of the solution was found to be marginally successful are best. The pilot-scale tests also demonstrated that the products of dissolution are easily pumpable by a centrifugal pump.« less

Size fractionation of waste-to-energy boiler ash enables separation of a coarse fraction with low dioxin concentrations.

PubMed

Weidemann, E; Allegrini, E; Fruergaard Astrup, T; Hulgaard, T; Riber, C; Jansson, S

2016-03-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) formed in modern Waste-to-Energy plants are primarily found in the generated ashes and air pollution control residues, which are usually disposed of as hazardous waste. The objective of this study was to explore the occurrence of PCDD/F in different grain size fractions in the boiler ash, i.e. ash originating from the convection pass of the boiler. If a correlation between particle size and dioxin concentrations could be found, size fractionation of the ashes could reduce the total amount of hazardous waste. Boiler ash samples from ten sections of a boiler's convective part were collected over three sampling days, sieved into three different size fractions - <0.09 mm, 0.09-0.355 mm, and >0.355 mm - and analysed for PCDD/F. The coarse fraction (>0.355 mm) in the first sections of the horizontal convection pass appeared to be of low toxicity with respect to dioxin content. While the total mass of the coarse fraction in this boiler was relatively small, sieving could reduce the amount of ash containing toxic PCDD/F by around 0.5 kg per tonne input waste or around 15% of the collected boiler ash from the convection pass. The mid-size fraction in this study covered a wide size range (0.09-0.355 mm) and possibly a low toxicity fraction could be identified by splitting this fraction into more narrow size ranges. The ashes exhibited uniform PCDD/F homologue patterns which suggests a stable and continuous generation of PCDD/F. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental and economic analysis of an in-vessel food waste composting system at Kean University in the U.S.

PubMed

Mu, Dongyan; Horowitz, Naomi; Casey, Maeve; Jones, Kimmera

2017-01-01

A composting system provides many benefits towards achieving sustainability such as, replacing fertilizer use, increasing the quantity of produce sold, and diverting organic wastes from landfills. This study delves into the many benefits a composting system provided by utilizing an established composting system at Kean University (KU) in New Jersey, as a scale project to examine the composters' environmental and economic impacts. The results from the study showed that composting food wastes in an in-vessel composter when compared to typical disposal means by landfilling, had lower impacts in the categories of fossil fuel, GHG emissions, eutrophication, smog formation and respiratory effects; whereas, its had higher impacts in ozone depletion, acidification human health impacts, and ecotoxicity. The environmental impacts were mainly raised from the manufacturing of the composter and the electricity use for operation. Applying compost to the garden can replace fertilizers and also lock carbon and nutrients in soil, which reduced all of the environmental impact categories examined. In particular, the plant growth and use stage reduced up to 80% of respiratory effects in the life cycle of food waste composting. A cost-benefit analysis showed that the composting system could generate a profit of $13,200 a year by selling vegetables grown with compost to the student cafeteria at Kean and to local communities. When educational and environmental benefits were included in the analysis, the revenue increased to $23,550. The results suggest that in-vessel composting and the subsequent usage of a vegetable garden should be utilized by Universities or food markets that generate intensive food wastes across the U.S. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Treatment of synthetic wastewater and hog waste with reduced sludge generation by the multi-environment BioCAST technology.

PubMed

Yerushalmi, L; Alimahmoodi, M; Mulligan, C N

2013-01-01

Simultaneous removal of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus was examined along with reduced generation of biological sludge during the treatment of synthetic wastewater and hog waste by the BioCAST technology. This new multi-environment wastewater treatment technology contains both suspended and immobilized microorganisms, and benefits from the presence of aerobic, microaerophilic, anoxic and anaerobic conditions for the biological treatment of wastewater. The influent concentrations during the treatment of synthetic wastewater were 1,300-4,000 mg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L, 42-115 mg total nitrogen (TN)/L, and 19-40 mg total phosphorus (TP)/L. The removal efficiencies reached 98.9, 98.3 and 94.1%, respectively, for carbon, TN and TP during 225 days of operation. The removal efficiencies of carbon and nitrogen showed a minimal dependence on the nitrogen-to-phosphorus (N/P) ratio, while the phosphorus removal efficiency showed a remarkable dependence on this parameter, increasing from 45 to 94.1% upon the increase of N/P ratio from 3 to 4.5. The increase of TN loading rate had a minimal impact on COD removal rate which remained around 1.7 kg/m(3) d, while it contributed to increased TP removal efficiency. The treatment of hog waste with influent COD, TN and TP concentrations of 960-2,400, 143-235 and 25-57 mg/L, respectively, produced removal efficiencies up to 89.2, 69.2 and 47.6% for the three contaminants, despite the inhibitory effects of this waste towards biological activity. The treatment system produced low biomass yields with average values of 3.7 and 8.2% during the treatment of synthetic wastewater and hog waste, respectively.

Fashion garment manufacturing - FGM and cyclability theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendes, F. D.; Dos Santos, M. C. L.

2017-10-01

This article, derived from an ongoing research, presents the possibilities of reducing the inappropriate disposal of textile residues generated by the fabric cutting sector of the Fashion Garment Manufacturing (FGM). The raw material used is very varied, resulting in a large number of productive processes. FGM produces clothing that has as its main features a short life cycle, a high rate of diversification and differentiation, and small production batches, resulting in few similar parts. The production process is differentiated according to the characteristics of the fabric and the look of the garment. During the production process, at least 10% of textile waste is generated during the cutting process, which is constantly discarded in an inadequate way. The Cyclability theory is researched aiming at the possibility of reduction in the generation of waste and elimination of inappropriate disposal. The case study presents the action research carried out in three small Brazilian companies to study the applicability of the Cyclability theory.

Chromium recovery from exhausted baths generated in plating processes and its reuse in the tanning industry.

PubMed

Torras, Josep; Buj, Irene; Rovira, Miquel; de Pablo, Joan

2012-03-30

Chromium plating used for functional purposes provides an extremely hard, wear and corrosion resistant layer by means of electrolytic deposition. Typical layer thicknesses range between 2.5 and 500 μm. Chromium electroplating baths contain high concentrations of Cr(VI) with chromium trioxide (CrO(3)) as the chromium source. When because of technical or economic reasons a bath gets exhausted, a waste containing mainly chromium as dichromate as well as other heavy metals is generated. Chromium may then be purified for use in other industrial processes with different requirements. In this work, a sustainable system for using galvanic wastes as reagents in the leather tanning industry, thus reducing quantity of wastes to be treated, is presented. Metal cations present in the chromium exhausted bath were precipitated with NaOH. Then, the solution containing mainly soluble Cr(VI) was separated. By means of sodium sulphite in acidic conditions, Cr(VI) was reduced to Cr(III) as chromium (III) sulphate. From chromium (III) sulphate a basic Cr(III) sulphate may be obtained, which is one of most used compounds in the tanning industry. Cr(III) concentration in the final solution allows its reuse without concentration, but with a slight dilution. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 761.64 - Disposal of wastes generated as a result of research and development activities authorized under...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Disposal of wastes generated as a..., AND USE PROHIBITIONS Storage and Disposal § 761.64 Disposal of wastes generated as a result of... section provides disposal requirements for wastes generated during and as a result of research and...

40 CFR 761.64 - Disposal of wastes generated as a result of research and development activities authorized under...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Disposal of wastes generated as a..., AND USE PROHIBITIONS Storage and Disposal § 761.64 Disposal of wastes generated as a result of... section provides disposal requirements for wastes generated during and as a result of research and...

40 CFR 761.64 - Disposal of wastes generated as a result of research and development activities authorized under...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Disposal of wastes generated as a..., AND USE PROHIBITIONS Storage and Disposal § 761.64 Disposal of wastes generated as a result of... section provides disposal requirements for wastes generated during and as a result of research and...

40 CFR 761.64 - Disposal of wastes generated as a result of research and development activities authorized under...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Disposal of wastes generated as a..., AND USE PROHIBITIONS Storage and Disposal § 761.64 Disposal of wastes generated as a result of... section provides disposal requirements for wastes generated during and as a result of research and...

75 FR 20942 - Hazardous Waste Management System; Identification and Listing of Hazardous Waste; Removal of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-22

... of the waste generation and management information for saccharin and its salts, which demonstrate... partnership with the States, biennially collects information regarding the generation, management, and final... Based on the Available Toxicological Information and Waste Generation and Management Information for...

A quantitative analysis of municipal solid waste disposal charges in China.

PubMed

Wu, Jian; Zhang, Weiqian; Xu, Jiaxuan; Che, Yue

2015-03-01

Rapid industrialization and economic development have caused a tremendous increase in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in China. China began implementing a policy of MSW disposal fees for household waste management at the end of last century. Three charging methods were implemented throughout the country: a fixed disposal fee, a potable water-based disposal fee, and a plastic bag-based disposal fee. To date, there has been little qualitative or quantitative analysis on the effectiveness of this relatively new policy. This paper provides a general overview of MSW fee policy in China, attempts to verify whether the policy is successful in reducing general waste collected, and proposes an improved charging system to address current problems. The paper presents an empirical statistical analysis of policy effectiveness derived from an environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) test on panel data of China. EKC tests on different kinds of MSW charge systems were then examined for individual provinces or cities. A comparison of existing charging systems was conducted using environmental and economic criteria. The results indicate the following: (1) the MSW policies implemented over the study period were effective in the reduction of waste generation, (2) the household waste discharge fee policy did not act as a strong driver in terms of waste prevention and reduction, and (3) the plastic bag-based disposal fee appeared to be performing well according to qualitative and quantitative analysis. Based on current situation of waste discharging management in China, a three-stage transitional charging scheme is proposed and both advantages and drawbacks discussed. Evidence suggests that a transition from a fixed disposal fee to a plastic bag-based disposal fee involving various stakeholders should be the next objective of waste reduction efforts.

WAR DSS: A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS CHEMICAL PROCESS DESIGN

EPA Science Inventory

The second generation of the Waste Reduction (WAR) Algorithm is constructed as a decision support system (DSS) in the design of chemical manufacturing facilities. The WAR DSS is a software tool that can help reduce the potential environmental impacts (PEIs) of industrial chemical...

RESPIROMETRY AS A TOOL TO DETERMINE METAL TOXICITY IN A SULFATE REDUCING BACTERIAL CULTURE

EPA Science Inventory

A novel method under development for treatment of acid mine drainage waste uses biologically- generated hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to precipitate the metals in acid mine drainage (principally zinc, copper, aluminum, nickel, cadmium, arsenic, manganese, iron, and cobalt). The insolub...

Developing improved opportunities for the recycle and reuse of materials in road, bridge and construction projects : [summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-01-01

Reducing waste and reusing materials is now : a part of the everyday fabric of life. Recycling : glass, paper, and plastic is an activity in many : households and businesses. Similarly, the : transportation sector generates huge quantities : of concr...

Influence of solid waste and topography on urban floods: The case of Mexico City.

PubMed

Zambrano, Luis; Pacheco-Muñoz, Rodrigo; Fernández, Tania

2018-02-24

Floods in cities are increasingly common as a consequence of multifactor watershed dynamics, including geomorphology, land-use changes and land subsidence. However, urban managers have focused on infrastructure to address floods by reducing blocked sewage infrastructure, without significant success. Using Mexico City as a case study, we generated a spatial flood risk model with geomorphology and anthropogenic variables. The results helped contrast the implications of different public policies in land use and waste disposal, and correlating them with flood hazards. Waste disposal was only related to small floods. 58% of the city has a high risk of experiencing small floods, and 24% of the city has a risk for large floods. Half of the population with the lowest income is located in the high-risk areas for large floods. These models are easy to build, generate fast results and are able to help to flood policies, by understanding flood interactions in urban areas within the watershed.

Methodology for quantification of waste generated in Spanish railway construction works

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guzman Baez, Ana de; Villoria Saez, Paola; Rio Merino, Mercedes del

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Two equations for C and D waste estimation in railway construction works are developed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mixed C and D waste is the most generated category during railway construction works. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Tunnel construction is essential to quantify the waste generated during the works. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer There is a relationship between C and D waste generated and railway functional units. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The methodology proposed can be used to obtain new constants for other areas. - Abstract: In the last years, the European Union (EU) has been focused on the reduction of construction and demolition (C and D) waste. Specifically, in 2006,more » Spain generated roughly 47 million tons of C and D waste, of which only 13.6% was recycled. This situation has lead to the drawing up of many regulations on C and D waste during the past years forcing EU countries to include new measures for waste prevention and recycling. Among these measures, the mandatory obligation to quantify the C and D waste expected to be originated during a construction project is mandated. However, limited data is available on civil engineering projects. Therefore, the aim of this research study is to improve C and D waste management in railway projects, by developing a model for C and D waste quantification. For this purpose, we develop two equations which estimate in advance the amount, both in weight and volume, of the C and D waste likely to be generated in railway construction projects, including the category of C and D waste generated for the entire project.« less

Field Evaluations Test Plan for Validation of Alternative Low-Emission Surface Preparation/Depainting Technologies for Structural Steel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Pattie

2005-01-01

Headquarters National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) chartered the Acquisition Pollution Prevention (AP2) Office to coordinate agency activities affecting pollution prevention issues identified during system and component acquisition and sustainment processes. The primary objectives of the AP2 Office are to: (1) Reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous materials (HazMats) or hazardous processes at manufacturing, remanufacturing, and sustainment locations. (2) Avoid duplication of effort in actions required to reduce or eliminate HazMats through joint center cooperation and technology sharing. To achieve a substrate condition suitable for the application of a coating system, both new and old (in-situ) substrates must undergo some type of surface preparation and/or depainting operation to ensure adhesion of the new coating system. The level of cleanliness or anchor profile desired is typically a function of the type of coating to be applied and the specification being adhered to. In high performance environments, cleanliness and surface profile requirements for carbon steel (the dominant substrate for facilities, structures and equipment) dictates the use of abrasive media. Many of the abrasive media currently used across NASA and Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) installations generate large quantities of fugitive particulate emissions and waste. The high quantities of airborne dust and waste generated from these operations pose significant environmental concern. Efforts to contain emissions and the reduce quantity of waste generated have significant implications on project cost; this is often a deterrent to engaging in maintenance activities. In response to recent technological developments and NASA's and AFSPC's need to undertake environmentally conscious corrosion prevention projects, a review of the industry needs to be undertaken to evaluate surface preparation technologies (materials and processes) for embrace. This project will identify, evaluate and approve alternative surface preparation technologies for use at NASA and AFSPC installations. Materials and processes will be evaluated with the goal of selecting those processes that will improve corrosion protection at critical systems, facilitate easier maintenance activity, extend maintenance cycles, eliminate flight hardware contamination and reduce the amount of hazardous waste generated. This Field Evaluations Test Plan defines the field evaluation and testing requirements for validating alternative surface preparation/depainting technologies and supplements the JTP. The field evaluations will be performed at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, under the oversight of the Project Engineer. Additional field evaluations may be performed at other NASA centers or AFSPC facilities.

Comparative Evaluation of Cutting Methods of Activated Concrete from Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning - 13548

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, HakSoo; Chung, SungHwan; Maeng, SungJun

2013-07-01

The amount of radioactive wastes from decommissioning of a nuclear power plant varies greatly depending on factors such as type and size of the plant, operation history, decommissioning options, and waste treatment and volume reduction methods. There are many methods to decrease the amount of decommissioning radioactive wastes including minimization of waste generation, waste reclassification through decontamination and cutting methods to remove the contaminated areas. According to OECD/NEA, it is known that the radioactive waste treatment and disposal cost accounts for about 40 percentage of the total decommissioning cost. In Korea, it is needed to reduce amount of decommissioning radioactivemore » waste due to high disposal cost, about $7,000 (as of 2010) per a 200 liter drum for the low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW). In this paper, cutting methods to minimize the radioactive waste of activated concrete were investigated and associated decommissioning cost impact was assessed. The cutting methods considered are cylindrical and volume reductive cuttings. The study showed that the volume reductive cutting is more cost-effective than the cylindrical cutting. Therefore, the volume reductive cutting method can be effectively applied to the activated bio-shield concrete. (authors)« less

Effect of a food waste disposer policy on solid waste and wastewater management with economic implications of environmental externalities.

PubMed

Maalouf, Amani; El-Fadel, Mutasem

2017-11-01

In this study, the carbon footprint of introducing a food waste disposer (FWD) policy was examined in the context of its implications on solid waste and wastewater management with economic assessment of environmental externalities emphasizing potential carbon credit and increased sludge generation. For this purpose, a model adopting a life cycle inventory approach was developed to integrate solid waste and wastewater management processes under a single framework and test scenarios for a waste with high organic food content typical of developing economies. For such a waste composition, the results show that a FWD policy can reduce emissions by nearly ∼42% depending on market penetration, fraction of food waste ground, as well as solid waste and wastewater management schemes, including potential energy recovery. In comparison to baseline, equivalent economic gains can reach ∼28% when environmental externalities including sludge management and emissions variations are considered. The sensitivity analyses on processes with a wide range in costs showed an equivalent economic impact thus emphasizing the viability of a FWD policy although the variation in the cost of sludge management exhibited a significant impact on savings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drivers for innovation in waste-to-energy technology.

PubMed

Gohlke, Oliver; Martin, Johannes

2007-06-01

This paper summarizes developments made in the field of waste-to-energy technology between the 1980s and the present. In the USA, many waste-to-energy systems were developed in the 1980s and early 1990s. These plants generated power relatively efficiently (typically 23%) in 60 bar/ 443 degrees C boilers. Unfortunately, the development came to a stop when the US Supreme Court rejected the practice of waste flow control in 1994. Consequently, waste was directed to mega-landfills, associated with very negative environmental impacts. However, given landfill taxes and increased fuel prices, new waste-to-energy projects have recently been developed. Attractive premiums for renewable power production from municipal waste have been introduced in several European countries. This triggered important innovations in the field of improved energy recovery. Examples of modern waste-to-energy plants are Brescia and Amsterdam with net efficiencies of 24 and 30%, respectively. Incineration is traditionally preferred in Japan due to space constraints. New legislation promoted ash melting or gasification to obtain improved ash quality. However, these processes reduce the efficiency in terms of energy, cost and availability. A new oxygen-enriched waste-to-energy system is under development in order to better achieve the required inert ash quality.

Radioactive Waste Characterization Strategies; Comparisons Between AK/PK, Dose to Curie Modeling, Gamma Spectroscopy, and Laboratory Analysis Methods- 12194

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singledecker, Steven J.; Jones, Scotty W.; Dorries, Alison M.

2012-07-01

In the coming fiscal years of potentially declining budgets, Department of Energy facilities such as the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) will be looking to reduce the cost of radioactive waste characterization, management, and disposal processes. At the core of this cost reduction process will be choosing the most cost effective, efficient, and accurate methods of radioactive waste characterization. Central to every radioactive waste management program is an effective and accurate waste characterization program. Choosing between methods can determine what is classified as low level radioactive waste (LLRW), transuranic waste (TRU), waste that can be disposed of under an Authorizedmore » Release Limit (ARL), industrial waste, and waste that can be disposed of in municipal landfills. The cost benefits of an accurate radioactive waste characterization program cannot be overstated. In addition, inaccurate radioactive waste characterization of radioactive waste can result in the incorrect classification of radioactive waste leading to higher disposal costs, Department of Transportation (DOT) violations, Notice of Violations (NOVs) from Federal and State regulatory agencies, waste rejection from disposal facilities, loss of operational capabilities, and loss of disposal options. Any one of these events could result in the program that mischaracterized the waste losing its ability to perform it primary operational mission. Generators that produce radioactive waste have four characterization strategies at their disposal: - Acceptable Knowledge/Process Knowledge (AK/PK); - Indirect characterization using a software application or other dose to curie methodologies; - Non-Destructive Analysis (NDA) tools such as gamma spectroscopy; - Direct sampling (e.g. grab samples or Surface Contaminated Object smears) and laboratory analytical; Each method has specific advantages and disadvantages. This paper will evaluate each method detailing those advantages and disadvantages including; - Cost benefit analysis (basic materials costs, overall program operations costs, man-hours per sample analyzed, etc.); - Radiation Exposure As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) program considerations; - Industrial Health and Safety risks; - Overall Analytical Confidence Level. The concepts in this paper apply to any organization with significant radioactive waste characterization and management activities working to within budget constraints and seeking to optimize their waste characterization strategies while reducing analytical costs. (authors)« less

78 FR 67402 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-12

... Regulations (10 CFR) or equivalent Agreement State regulations. All generators, collectors, and processors of... which facilitates tracking the identity of the waste generator. That tracking becomes more complicated... waste shipped from a waste processor may contain waste from several different generators. The...

40 CFR 436.21 - Specialized definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... natural deposits. (e) The term “process generated waste water” shall mean any waste water used in the... of the mine operator. However, if a mine is also used for treatment of process generated waste water, discharges of commingled water from the facilities shall be deemed discharges of process generated waste...

Alternative strategies for energy recovery from municipal solid waste Part A: Mass and energy balances.

PubMed

Consonni, S; Giugliano, M; Grosso, M

2005-01-01

This two-part paper assesses four strategies for energy recovery from municipal solid waste (MSW) by dedicated waste-to-energy (WTE) plants generating electricity through a steam cycle. The feedstock is the residue after materials recovery (MR), assumed to be 35% by weight of the collected MSW. In strategy 1, the MR residue is fed directly to a grate combustor. In strategy 2, the MR residue is first subjected to light mechanical treatment. In strategies 3 and 4, the MR residue is converted into RDF, which is combusted in a fluidized bed combustor. To examine the relevance of scale, we considered a small waste management system (WMS) serving 200,000 people and a large WMS serving 1,200,000 people. A variation of strategy 1 shows the potential of cogeneration with district heating. The assessment is carried out by a Life Cycle Analysis where the electricity generated by the WTE plant displaces electricity generated by fossil fuel-fired steam plants. Part A focuses on mass and energy balances, while Part B focuses on emissions and costs. Results show that treating the MR residue ahead of the WTE plant reduces energy recovery. The largest energy savings are achieved by combusting the MR residue "as is" in large scale plants; with cogeneration, primary energy savings can reach 2.5% of total societal energy use.

Translating landfill methane generation parameters among first-order decay models.

PubMed

Krause, Max J; Chickering, Giles W; Townsend, Timothy G

2016-11-01

Landfill gas (LFG) generation is predicted by a first-order decay (FOD) equation that incorporates two parameters: a methane generation potential (L 0 ) and a methane generation rate (k). Because non-hazardous waste landfills may accept many types of waste streams, multiphase models have been developed in an attempt to more accurately predict methane generation from heterogeneous waste streams. The ability of a single-phase FOD model to predict methane generation using weighted-average methane generation parameters and tonnages translated from multiphase models was assessed in two exercises. In the first exercise, waste composition from four Danish landfills represented by low-biodegradable waste streams was modeled in the Afvalzorg Multiphase Model and methane generation was compared to the single-phase Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Waste Model and LandGEM. In the second exercise, waste composition represented by IPCC waste components was modeled in the multiphase IPCC and compared to single-phase LandGEM and Australia's Solid Waste Calculator (SWC). In both cases, weight-averaging of methane generation parameters from waste composition data in single-phase models was effective in predicting cumulative methane generation from -7% to +6% of the multiphase models. The results underscore the understanding that multiphase models will not necessarily improve LFG generation prediction because the uncertainty of the method rests largely within the input parameters. A unique method of calculating the methane generation rate constant by mass of anaerobically degradable carbon was presented (k c ) and compared to existing methods, providing a better fit in 3 of 8 scenarios. Generally, single phase models with weighted-average inputs can accurately predict methane generation from multiple waste streams with varied characteristics; weighted averages should therefore be used instead of regional default values when comparing models. Translating multiphase first-order decay model input parameters by weighted average shows that single-phase models can predict cumulative methane generation within the level of uncertainty of many of the input parameters as defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which indicates that decreasing the uncertainty of the input parameters will make the model more accurate rather than adding multiple phases or input parameters.

Hazardous Waste Generators

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Many industries generate hazardous waste. EPA regulates hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to ensure these wastes are managed in ways that are protective of human health and the environment.

State-of-the-art of recycling e-wastes by vacuum metallurgy separation.

PubMed

Zhan, Lu; Xu, Zhenming

2014-12-16

In recent era, more and more electric and electronic equipment wastes (e-wastes) are generated that contain both toxic and valuable materials in them. Most studies focus on the extraction of valuable metals like Au, Ag from e-wastes. However, the recycling of metals such as Pb, Cd, Zn, and organics has not attracted enough attentions. Vacuum metallurgy separation (VMS) processes can reduce pollution significantly using vacuum technique. It can effectively recycle heavy metals and organics from e-wastes in an environmentally friendly way, which is beneficial for both preventing the heavy metal contaminations and the sustainable development of resources. VMS can be classified into several methods, such as vacuum evaporation, vacuum carbon reduction and vacuum pyrolysis. This paper respectively reviews the state-of-art of these methods applied to recycling heavy metals and organics from several kinds of e-wastes. The method principle, equipment used, separating process, optimized operating parameters and recycling mechanism of each case are illustrated in details. The perspectives on the further development of e-wastes recycling by VMS are also presented.

Segregation for reduction of regulated medical waste in the operating room: a case report

PubMed Central

Shinn, Helen Ki; Kim, Byung-Gun; Yang, Chunwoo; Na, WonJu; Song, Jang-Ho

2017-01-01

One-third of all hospital-regulated medical waste (RMW) comes from the operating room (OR), and it considerably consists of disposable packaging and wrapping materials for the sterilization of surgical instruments. This study sought to identify the amount and type of waste produced by ORs in order to reduce the RMW so as to achieve environmentally-friendly waste management in the OR. We performed an initial waste segregation of 4 total knee replacement arthroplasties (TKRAs) and 1 total hip replacement arthroplasty, and later of 1 extra TKRA, 1 laparoscopic anterior resection of the colon, and 1 pelviscopy (with radical vaginal hysterectomy), performed at our OR. The total mass of non-regulated medical waste (non-RMW) and blue wrap amounted to 30.5 kg (24.9%), and that of RMW to 92.1 kg (75.1%). In the course of the study, we noted that the non-RMW included recyclables, such as papers, plastics, cardboards, and various wrapping materials. The study showed that a reduction in RMW generation can be achieved through the systematic segregation of OR waste. PMID:28184276

Management of spent shea waste: An instrumental characterization and valorization in clay bricks construction.

PubMed

Adazabra, A N; Viruthagiri, G; Shanmugam, N

2017-06-01

This work studies the reuse of spent shea waste as an economic construction material in improving fired clay bricks manufacture aside providing a novel approach to ecofriendly managing its excessive generated from the shea agroindustry. For this purpose, the influence of spent shea waste addition on the chemical, mineralogical, molecular bonding and technological properties (i.e. compressive strength and water absorption) of the fired clay bricks were extensively investigated. The results indicated that the chemical, mineralogical, phase transformations, molecular bonding and thermal behavior of the produced bricks were practically unaffected by the addition of spent shea waste. However, spent shea waste addition increased the compressive strengths and water absorptions of the brick products. Potential performance benefits of reusing spent shea waste was improved fluxing agents, energy-contribution reaction, excellent porosifying effect, reduced thermal conductivity and enhanced compressive strengths of the brick products. This research has therefore provided compelling evidence that could create newfound route for the synergistic ecofriendly reuse of spent shea waste to enhance clay brick construction aside being a potential mainstream disposal option. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A material flow analysis on current electrical and electronic waste disposal from Hong Kong households.

PubMed

Lau, Winifred Ka-Yan; Chung, Shan-Shan; Zhang, Chan

2013-03-01

A material flow study on five types of household electrical and electronic equipment, namely television, washing machine, air conditioner, refrigerator and personal computer (TWARC) was conducted to assist the Government of Hong Kong to establish an e-waste take-back system. This study is the first systematic attempt on identifying key TWARC waste disposal outlets and trade practices of key parties involved in Hong Kong. Results from two questionnaire surveys, on local households and private e-waste traders, were used to establish the material flow of household TWARC waste. The study revealed that the majority of obsolete TWARC were sold by households to private e-waste collectors and that the current e-waste collection network is efficient and popular with local households. However, about 65,000 tonnes/yr or 80% of household generated TWARC waste are being exported overseas by private e-waste traders, with some believed to be imported into developing countries where crude recycling methods are practiced. Should Hong Kong establish a formal recycling network with tight regulatory control on imports and exports, the potential risks of current e-waste recycling practices on e-waste recycling workers, local residents and the environment can be greatly reduced. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time-series-based hybrid mathematical modelling method adapted to forecast automotive and medical waste generation: Case study of Lithuania.

PubMed

Karpušenkaitė, Aistė; Ruzgas, Tomas; Denafas, Gintaras

2018-05-01

The aim of the study was to create a hybrid forecasting method that could produce higher accuracy forecasts than previously used 'pure' time series methods. Mentioned methods were already tested with total automotive waste, hazardous automotive waste, and total medical waste generation, but demonstrated at least a 6% error rate in different cases and efforts were made to decrease it even more. Newly developed hybrid models used a random start generation method to incorporate different time-series advantages and it helped to increase the accuracy of forecasts by 3%-4% in hazardous automotive waste and total medical waste generation cases; the new model did not increase the accuracy of total automotive waste generation forecasts. Developed models' abilities to forecast short- and mid-term forecasts were tested using prediction horizon.

Integrated management of hazardous waste generated from community sources in Thailand

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yodnane, P.; Spaeder, D.J.

A system for the collection, transport, disposal and recycling of hazardous waste was developed as part of an overall master plan for the management of hazardous waste generated from community sources in Thailand. Results of a waste generation survey conducted as part of the study indicated that over 300 million kilograms per year of hazardous waste is generated from non-industrial, community sources such as automotive repair shops, gas stations, hospitals, farms, and households in Thailand. Hazardous waste from community sources consists primarily of used oils, lead-acid and dry cell batteries, cleaning chemicals, pesticides, medical wastes, solvents and fuels. Most ofmore » this waste was found to be mismanaged by codisposing with municipal waste in burning, unlined dumps, dumping directly to land or water courses, dumping into sewers, or recycling improperly, all of which pose serious threats to human health and the environment. The survey data on waste generation quantities and data from a reconnaissance survey of the conditions and operations of 86 existing waste disposal facilities was incorporated into a nationwide Geographic Information System (GIS) database. Based on this data, problems associated with hazardous waste were identified and needs for waste management systems were tabulated. A system was developed for ranking geographic regions according to hazardous waste management problems and needs, in order to prioritize implementation of waste management programs. The data were also used in developing solutions for hazardous waste management, which addressed methods for storing, collecting, transporting, disposing, and recycling the waste. It was recommended that centralized waste management facilities be utilized which included hazardous waste and medical waste incinerators, waste stabilization units, and secure landfills.« less

Assessment of the health care waste generation rates and its management system in hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2011

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Healthcare waste management options are varying in Ethiopia. One of the first critical steps in the process of developing a reliable waste management plan requires a widespread understanding of the amount and the management system. This study aimed to assess the health care waste generation rate and its management system in some selected hospitals located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods Six hospitals in Addis Ababa, (three private and three public), were selected using simple random sampling method for this work. Data was recorded by using an appropriately designed questionnaire, which was completed for the period of two months. The calculations were based on the weights of the health care wastes that were regularly generated in the selected hospitals over a one week period during the year 2011. Average generation indexes were determined in relation to certain important factors, like the type of hospitals (public vs private). Results The median waste generation rate was found to be varied from 0.361- 0.669 kg/patient/day, comprised of 58.69% non-hazardous and 41.31% hazardous wastes. The amount of waste generated was increased as the number of patients flow increased (rs=1). Public hospitals generated high proportion of total health care wastes (59.22%) in comparison with private hospitals (40.48%). The median waste generation rate was significantly vary between hospitals with Kruskal-Wallis test (X2=30.65, p=0.0001). The amount of waste was positively correlated with the number of patients (p < 0.05). The waste separation and treatment practices were very poor. Other alternatives for waste treatment rather than incineration such as a locally made autoclave should be evaluated and implemented. Conclusion These findings revealed that the management of health care waste at hospitals in Addis Ababa city was poor. PMID:23311573

Hazardous waste generation and management in China: a review.

PubMed

Duan, Huabo; Huang, Qifei; Wang, Qi; Zhou, Bingyan; Li, Jinhui

2008-10-30

Associated with the rapid economic growth and tremendous industrial prosperity, continues to be the accelerated increase of hazardous waste generation in China. The reported generation of industrial hazardous waste (IHW) was 11.62 million tons in 2005, which accounted for 1.1% of industrial solid waste (ISW) volume. An average of 43.4% of IHW was recycled, 33.0% was stored, 23.0% was securely disposed, and 0.6% was discharged without pollution controlling. By the end of 2004, there were 177 formal treatment and disposal centers for IHW management. The reported quantity of IHW disposed in these centers was only 416,000 tons, 65% of which was landfilled, 35% was incinerated. The quantity of waste alkali and acid ranked the first among IHW categories, which accounted for 30.9%. And 39.0% of IHW was generated from the raw chemical materials and chemical products industry sectors. South west China had the maximum generation of IHW, accounted for 40.0%. In addition, it was extrapolated that 740,000 tons of medical wastes were generated per year, of which only 10% was soundly managed. The generation of discarded household hazardous waste (HHW) is another important source of hazardous waste. A great proportion of HHW was managed as municipal solid waste (MSW). Hazardous waste pollution controlling has come into being a huge challenge faced to Chinese environmental management.

Lauryl Amine as heavy metal collector of boiler ash from pulp and paper mill waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sembiring, M. P.; Kaban, J.; Bangun, N.; Saputra, E.

2018-04-01

Theincreasing of demand of pulp and paper products, will following with the growing the pulp and paper industryand generate significant mill waste. The total waste reached 1/3 of the amount raw materials used and ash boiler is the waste with the largest percentage of 52%. For that it takes effort to manage the existing waste. The boiler ash contained the chemical elements, it can be utilized such as fertilizer, because it also contains transition metals in form of heavy metal such as Cadmium (Cd), Cobalt (Co), Chrome (Cr), Cupprum (Cu), Ferrum (Fe), Nickel (Ni), and Zinc (Zn), the use of boiler ash must follow the threshold specified by the Government. Several studies have been undertaken to reduce and extract heavy metals from ash and sand of the boiler by using carbon dioxide as its ligand. Eelectrochemical method was used to remove and recovery of heavy metals from the incenerator. This study focused on removal of heavy metals using Lauryl Amine as collector and three solvents namely Dichloromethane, Ethanol and n-Hexane. The treatmentswas able to extract the heavy metal and generally reduce the heavy metal content of ash boiler pulp and paper mill waste. The combination treatment used toreduce the heavy metal content of 5 gram Lauryl Amine collector in Dichloromethane solvent for 4 hours process time.

Municipal solid waste generation and disposal in Robe town, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Erasu, Duguma; Faye, Tesfaye; Kiros, Amaha; Balew, Abel

2018-04-20

The amount of solid waste generated in developing countries is rising from time to time due to economic growth, change in consumer behavior and lifestyles of people. But it is hard to manage and handle the increase of solid waste with existing waste management infrastructure. Thus, the management system of solid waste is very poor and become a serious problem. The main purpose of this study is to quantify the volume of solid waste generated and investigate factors affecting generation and disposal of wastes in the study area. The result of this study indicated that total waste generated from households was about 97.092kg/day.Furthermore, the study reveals that the solid waste generation rate of the town is 0.261kg/person/day.About 57.5% of solid waste is properly disposed of to landfill site whereas the remaining 42.5% is illegally dumped at the roadsides and open fields. Implication Statement Nowadays, in developing countries there is high concentration of people in urban areas and cause for the generation of enormous concentration of municipal waste in urban areas. Therefore this finding will be important for various policy makers and town planners. It may also serve as a benchmark for the municipal authorities of the town for whom the problem is still invisible and negligible and can push environmental protection authorities to reexamine the implementation of their policies and strategies with regard to the broader issues of human and environmental health condition of town dwellers.

Waste Generation Overview Refresher, Course 21464

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simpson, Lewis Edward

This course, Waste Generation Overview Refresher (COURSE 21464), provides an overview of federal and state waste management regulations, as well as Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) policies and procedures for waste management operations. The course covers the activities involved in the cradle-to- grave waste management process and focuses on waste characterization, waste compatibility determinations and classification, and the storage requirements for temporary waste accumulation areas at LANL.

Environmental balance of the UK biogas sector: An evaluation by consequential life cycle assessment.

PubMed

Styles, David; Dominguez, Eduardo Mesa; Chadwick, Dave

2016-08-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is expanding rapidly in the UK. Previous life cycle assessment (LCA) studies have highlighted the sensitivity of environmental outcomes to feedstock type, fugitive emissions, biomethane use, energy conversion efficiency and digestate management. We combined statistics on current and planned AD deployment with operational data from a survey of biogas plant operators to evaluate the environmental balance of the UK biogas sector for the years 2014 and 2017. Consequential LCA was applied to account for all major environmental credits and burdens incurred, including: (i) substitution of composting, incineration, sewer disposal, field decomposition and animal feeding of wastes; (ii) indirect land use change (ILUC) incurred by the cultivation of crops used for biogas production and to compensate for bakery and brewery wastes diverted from animal feed. In 2014, the UK biogas sector reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 551-755Gg CO2e excluding ILUC, or 238-755Gg CO2e including ILUC uncertainty. Fossil energy depletion was reduced by 8.9-10.8PJe, but eutrophication and acidification burdens were increased by 1.8-3.4Gg PO4e and 8.1-14.6Gg SO2e, respectively. Food waste and manure feedstocks dominate GHG abatement, largely through substitution of in-vessel composting and manure storage, whilst food waste and crop feedstocks dominate fossil energy credit, primarily through substitution of natural gas power generation. Biogas expansion is projected to increase environmental credits and loadings by a factor of 2.4 by 2017. If all AD bioelectricity replaced coal generation, or if 90% of biomethane replaced transport diesel or grid natural gas, GHG abatement would increase by 131%, 38% and 20%, respectively. Policies to encourage digestion of food waste and manures could maximize GHG abatement, avoiding the risk of carbon leakage associated with use of crops and wastes otherwise used to feed livestock. Covering digestate stores could largely mitigate net eutrophication and acidification burdens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mesophilic anaerobic digestion: first option for waste treatment in tropical regions.

PubMed

Suryawanshi, P C; Chaudhari, A B; Kothari, R M

2010-12-01

Rural India derives its energy needs for cooking and heating through the use of fuel wood and for lighting and agricultural operations through kerosene and diesel. Use of fuel wood has aggravated the problem of de-forestation, while availability of kerosene and diesel cannot be guaranteed due to corrupt practices in the public distribution systems. In contrast, urban India derives its energy needs through LPG cylinders, petrol, and electricity. However, their cost and uncertainty rendered them beyond the reach of lower income population. This scenario is more or less true with many developing countries. To meet these objectives, biogas generation from biodegradable waste using anaerobic digestion (AD) appears to be a sustainable avenue as it could be used for (a) water and space heating of farmhouses, animal shelters, (b) generating steam for food processing plants, and (c) electricity generation, in addition to reducing the pollution/hazard potential of these wastes. Many of the underdeveloped and developing countries are in the temperate zone and thus mesophilic AD could provide a desired pathway to achieve a long delayed need of energy for comfortable living, farming, and industrial operations. Efforts made in this direction are reviewed in the present article.

Solid Waste from the Operation and Decommissioning of Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Marilyn Ann; D'Arcy, Daniel; Lapsa, Melissa Voss

This baseline report examines the solid waste generated by the U.S. electric power industry, including both waste streams resulting from electricity generation and wastes resulting from the decommissioning of power plants. Coal and nuclear plants produce large volumes of waste during electricity generation, and this report describes the policies and procedures for handling these materials. Natural gas and oil-fired power plants face similar waste challenges. Renewables considered in this baseline report include hydropower, wind and solar.

Hazardous Waste Generator Regulations: A User-Friendly Reference Document

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

User-friendly reference to assist EPA and state staff, industrial facilities generating and managing hazardous wastes as well as the general public, in locating and understanding RCRA hazardous waste generator regulations.

Solid Waste Composition and Quantification at Taman Melewar, Parit Raja, Batu Pahat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadir, A. A.; Abidin, S. S. S. Z.

2016-07-01

The poor management of solid waste is noticeable through the increasing of the solid waste each year and the difficulties in disposing the waste in the current available landfill. This study was undertaken to analyze the quantity and composition of waste generation in Taman melewar. Taman Melewar is a student residential area and this study is focusing on student's daily waste composition. The objective of this study was to identify the amount of solid waste generation, analyze and classify the composition of solid waste in Taman Melewar. The waste collection was conducted for 50 houses on a daily basis for two weeks. The average household waste generation rate was 0.082 kg/person/day. Organic waste was the major constituent of waste production. The average of organic waste represents about 72.4% followed by paper (9%), plastics film (5.5%), plastics rigid (4.7%), napkins (3.8%), tetrapek (1.3%), glass (1.1%), household hazardous waste (0.85%), textiles (0.52%), metal (0.51%) and rubber (0.34%). The moisture content was ranging from 27.67% to 28.68%. An evaluation was made based on student's behavior towards waste production and recycling. In conclusion, the results revealed that organic waste is the highest waste generated and recycling habits is also poor in Taman Melewar.

Use of Oil Palm Waste as a Renewable Energy Source and Its Impact on Reduction of Air Pollution in Context of Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Begum, Shahida; P, Kumaran; M, Jayakumar

2013-06-01

One of the most efficient and effective solutions for sustainable energy supply to supplement the increasing energy demand and reducing environment pollution is renewable energy resources. Malaysia is currently the world's second largest producer and exporter of palm oil and 47% of the world's supply of palm oil is produced by this country. Nearly 80 million tonnes of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) are processed annually in 406 palm oil mills and are generating approximately 54 million tonnes of palm oil mill effluent (POME), known to generate biogas consisting of methane - a Green House Gas (GHG) identifiable to cause global warming. This is 21 times more potent GHG than CO2. These two major oil palm wastes are a viable renewable energy (RE) source for production of electricity. If the two sources are used in harnessing the renewable energy potential the pollution intensity from usage of non-renewable sources can also be reduced significantly. This study focused on the pollution mitigation potential of biogas as biogas is a renewable energy. Utilization of this renewable source for the production of electricity is believed to reduce GHG emissions to the atmosphere.

Cleaner production options for reducing industrial waste: the case of batik industry in Malang, East Java-Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirait, M.

2018-01-01

The aim of this research is to conduct cleaner production options for improving the environmental performance during the production of batik industry, the case of UKM batik, Malang, East Java. Batik industry is one of small and medium textile industry which has contribution to economic growth in Malang. However, during production the batik, it generates wastewater that has potential to decrease the environmental performance. Wastewater from Celaket batik industry has BOD, COD, TSS, and pH level is far larger than the threshold of water quality standard as a result of use chemical substance during the dyes processing. In order to prevent generating wastewater, this study utilized cleaner production options, such as substitution of input material.Substitution of input material for dyes process was implemented by replacement chemical dyes (e.g.indigosol, nafthol, rapid) with natural dyes (e.g. Indigofero Tintoria). Modifying of technology/equipment was conducted by developing wastewater treatment equipment to reduce waste of batik production. The implementation of this strategy was carried out by changing input material from chemical dyes with natural dyes. The CP uptake could reduce significantly the environmental impact in term of reduction of COD, BOD, and TSS.

Biogas Potential on Long Island, New York: A Quantification Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mahajan, D.; Patel, S.; Tonjes, D.

2011-08-25

Biogas is the product of anaerobic digestion of waste, whether occurring spontaneously in landfills or under controlled conditions in digesters. Biogas is viewed as an important energy source in current efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels and dependency on imported resources. Several studies on the assessment of biogas potential have been made at regional, national, and global scales. However, because it is not economically feasible to transport biogas feedstock over long distances, it is more appropriate to consider local waste sources for their potential to produce biogas. An assessment of the biogas potential on Long Island, based onmore » the review of local landfills, wastewater treatment plants, solid waste generation and management, and agricultural waste, found that 234 x 10{sup 6} m{sup 3} of methane (CH{sub 4}) from biogas might be harvestable, although substantial barriers for complete exploitation exist. This number is equivalent to 2.52 TW-h of electricity, approximately 12% of fossil fuel power generation on Long Island. This work can serve as a template for other areas to rapidly create or approximate biogas potentials, especially for suburban U.S. locations that are not usually thought of as sources of renewable energy.« less

Establishing an integrated databank for plastic manufacturers and converters in Kuwait.

PubMed

Al-Salem, S M

2009-01-01

During the past decade, plastic solid waste (PSW) has increased drastically in the state of Kuwait, amounting to 13% of the waste load. Most ends up in landfills with only a minor percentage being recycled. In this study, a databank was established to include plastic manufacturers and converters in Kuwait. The aim was to assess the amount of plastic waste being generated from a number of sources. Types, quantities, and recycling information were gathered and fed into the databank. Kuwait was divided into five sectors to ease data gathering. A total of 37 companies and agencies related to plastic were integrated into the work, as well as information from a previously established databank for plastic waste bags. It was noted that most converters of plastic use in-house recycling schemes. Grades of polyethylene and polypropylene, as well as aliginic acid, polyacetals, and poly-styrene, are all considered major imports in the Arabian Gulf market, and especially in Kuwait. These grades possess an import value in excess of 20 million US dollars per year. The conclusions from this study could be used in neighboring countries in order to reduce PSW generated from the region.

40 CFR 761.208 - Use of the manifest.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PROHIBITIONS PCB Waste Disposal Records and Reports § 761.208 Use of the manifest. (a)(1) The generator of PCB... accompany the shipment of PCB waste. (2) For bulk shipments of PCB waste within the United States... PCB waste within the United States which originate at the site of generation, the generator shall send...

40 CFR 271.10 - Requirements for generators of hazardous wastes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... hazardous wastes. 271.10 Section 271.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) REQUIREMENTS FOR AUTHORIZATION OF STATE HAZARDOUS WASTE PROGRAMS Requirements for Final Authorization § 271.10 Requirements for generators of hazardous wastes. (a) The State...

40 CFR 271.10 - Requirements for generators of hazardous wastes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... hazardous wastes. 271.10 Section 271.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) REQUIREMENTS FOR AUTHORIZATION OF STATE HAZARDOUS WASTE PROGRAMS Requirements for Final Authorization § 271.10 Requirements for generators of hazardous wastes. (a) The State...

40 CFR 271.10 - Requirements for generators of hazardous wastes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... hazardous wastes. 271.10 Section 271.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) REQUIREMENTS FOR AUTHORIZATION OF STATE HAZARDOUS WASTE PROGRAMS Requirements for Final Authorization § 271.10 Requirements for generators of hazardous wastes. (a) The State...

Specifying the Concept of Future Generations for Addressing Issues Related to High-Level Radioactive Waste.

PubMed

Kermisch, Celine

2016-12-01

The nuclear community frequently refers to the concept of "future generations" when discussing the management of high-level radioactive waste. However, this notion is generally not defined. In this context, we have to assume a wide definition of the concept of future generations, conceived as people who will live after the contemporary people are dead. This definition embraces thus each generation following ours, without any restriction in time. The aim of this paper is to show that, in the debate about nuclear waste, this broad notion should be further specified and to clarify the related implications for nuclear waste management policies. Therefore, we provide an ethical analysis of different management strategies for high-level waste in the light of two principles, protection of future generations-based on safety and security-and respect for their choice. This analysis shows that high-level waste management options have different ethical impacts across future generations, depending on whether the memory of the waste and its location is lost, or not. We suggest taking this distinction into account by introducing the notions of "close future generations" and "remote future generations", which has important implications on nuclear waste management policies insofar as it stresses that a retrievable disposal has fewer benefits than usually assumed.

Converting waste gases from pulp mills into value-added chemicals

EPA Science Inventory

Engineering, Miami University, 64 J Engineering Building, Oxford, OH, 45056 The pulp and paper industry generates large amounts of HAPs, VOCs and total reduced sulfur compounds (TRSs) of the various sources. As the industry is moving to a sustainable future, the U.S. EPA and Mia...

Saving Schoolhouse Energy. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudy, John; And Others

The objective of the Saving Schoolhouse Energy Program was to generate information that school administrators and federal energy/education decision makers could use to identify ways of implementing specific, economical remedies to reduce energy waste in schools. This program was designed to have five phases: (1) Conduct an energy audit of ten…

Taking Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamann, Ann

2008-01-01

In today's classrooms, the three R's might refer to reduce, reuse and recycle. Schools are major consumers and producers of waste, and many are assuming responsibility for instilling environmental values and practices in their students--the next generation of leaders--and serving as role models for their communities. At universities and K-12…

Modernization at the Y-12 National Security Complex: A Case for Additional Experimental Benchmarks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thornbury, Matthew

Electrorefining (ER) is a major part of efforts at the Y-12 National Security Complex to revolutionize the reprocessing and purification of enriched uranium (EU). Successful implementation of ER could drastically reduce the operational costs and footprint, hazardous materials use, and waste generation.

Chemical Waste Management for the Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmer, Steven W.

1999-06-01

Management of hazardous chemical wastes generated as a part of the curriculum poses a significant task for the individual responsible for maintaining compliance with all rules and regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation while maintaining the principles of OSHA's Lab Standard and the Hazard Communication Standard. For schools that generate relatively small quantities of waste, an individual can effectively manage the waste program without becoming overly burdened by the EPA regulations required for those generating large quantities of waste, if given the necessary support from the institution.

A new process for NOx reduction in combustion systems for the generation of energy from waste.

PubMed

Gohlke, Oliver; Weber, Toralf; Seguin, Philippe; Laborel, Yann

2010-07-01

In the EU, emissions from energy from waste plants are largely reduced by applying the Waste Incineration Directive with its limit of 200 mg/m3(s) for NO(x) emissions. The need for further improvement is reflected by new German legislation effective as of 27 January 2009, requiring 100 mg/m3(s). Other countries are expected to follow this example due to the national emission ceilings of the Gothenburg protocol and the concluding EU directive 2001/81/EC. On the other hand, an increase in energy efficiency will be encouraged by the EU Waste Framework Directive. This is why there is a need for new technologies that make it possible to reconcile both requirements: reduced emissions and increased energy efficiency. A new process combining the internal recirculation of flue gas with ammonia or urea injection in order to achieve less then 80 mg/m3(s) of NO(x) is described. Important additional features of the process are an R1 efficiency above the required 0.65 of the EU Waste Framework Directive even with standard steam parameters of 40 bar/380 degrees C as well as low ammonia slip in the flue gas at the boiler outlet of below 10 mg/m3(s). Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of medical waste management at a primary health-care center in Sao Paulo, Brazil

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreira, A.M.M., E-mail: anamariainforme@hotmail.com; Guenther, W.M.R.

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Assessment of medical waste management at health-care center before/after intervention. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Qualitative and quantitative results of medical waste management plan are presented. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Adjustments to comply with regulation were adopted and reduction of waste was observed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The method applied could be useful for similar establishments. - Abstract: According to the Brazilian law, implementation of a Medical Waste Management Plan (MWMP) in health-care units is mandatory, but as far as we know evaluation of such implementation has not taken place yet. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the improvements deriving from the implementation of amore » MWMP in a Primary Health-care Center (PHC) located in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The method proposed for evaluation compares the first situation prevailing at this PHC with the situation 1 year after implementation of the MWMP, thus allowing verification of the evolution of the PHC performance. For prior and post-diagnosis, the method was based on: (1) application of a tool (check list) which considered all legal requirements in force; (2) quantification of solid waste subdivided into three categories: infectious waste and sharp devices, recyclable materials and non-recyclable waste; and (3) identification of non-conformity practices. Lack of knowledge on the pertinent legislation by health workers has contributed to non-conformity instances. The legal requirements in force in Brazil today gave origin to a tool (check list) which was utilized in the management of medical waste at the health-care unit studied. This tool resulted into an adequate and simple instrument, required a low investment, allowed collecting data to feed indicators and also conquered the participation of the unit whole staff. Several non-conformities identified in the first diagnosis could be corrected by the instrument utilized. Total waste generation increased 9.8%, but it was possible to reduce the volume of non-recyclable materials (11%) and increase the volume of recyclable materials (4%). It was also possible to segregate organic waste (7%), which was forwarded for production of compost. The rate of infectious waste generation in critical areas decreased from 0.021 to 0.018 kg/procedure. Many improvements have been observed, and now the PHC complies with most of legal requirements, offers periodic training and better biosafety conditions to workers, has reduced the volume of waste sent to sanitary landfills, and has introduced indicators for monitoring its own performance. This evaluation method might subsidize the creation and evaluation of medical waste management plans in similar heath institutions.« less

Municipal solid waste generation in Kathmandu, Nepal.

PubMed

Dangi, Mohan B; Pretz, Christopher R; Urynowicz, Michael A; Gerow, Kenneth G; Reddy, J M

2011-01-01

Waste stream characteristics must be understood to tackle waste management problems in Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), Nepal. Three-stage stratified cluster sampling was used to evaluate solid waste data collected from 336 households in KMC. This information was combined with data collected regarding waste from restaurants, hotels, schools and streets. The study found that 497.3 g capita(-1) day(-1) of solid waste was generated from households and 48.5, 113.3 and 26.1 kg facility(-1) day(-1) of waste was generated from restaurants, hotels and schools, respectively. Street litter measured 69.3 metric tons day(-1). The average municipal solid waste generation rate was 523.8 metric tons day(-1) or 0.66 kg capita(-1) day(-1) as compared to the 320 metric tons day(-1) reported by the city. The coefficient of correlation between the number of people and the amount of waste produced was 0.94. Key household waste constituents included 71% organic wastes, 12% plastics, 7.5% paper and paper products, 5% dirt and construction debris and 1% hazardous wastes. Although the waste composition varied depending on the source, the composition analysis of waste from restaurants, hotels, schools and streets showed a high percentage of organic wastes. These numbers suggest a greater potential for recovery of organic wastes via composting and there is an opportunity for recycling. Because there is no previous inquiry of this scale in reporting comprehensive municipal solid waste generation in Nepal, this study can be treated as a baseline for other Nepalese municipalities. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Waste Generation Overview, Course 23263

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simpson, Lewis Edward

This course, Waste Generation Overview Live (COURSE 23263), provides an overview of federal and state waste management regulations, as well as Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) policies and procedures for waste management operations. The course covers the activities involved in the cradle-to-grave waste management process and focuses on waste characterization, waste compatibility determinations and classification, and the storage requirements for temporary waste accumulation areas at LANL. When you have completed this course, you will be able to recognize federal, state, and LANL environmental requirements and their impact on waste operations; recognize the importance of the cradle-to-grave waste management process; identifymore » the roles and responsibilities of key LANL waste management personnel (e.g., Waste Generator, Waste Management Coordinator, Waste Stream Profile approver, and Waste Certification Official); characterize a waste stream to determine whether it meets the definition of a hazardous waste, as well as characterize the use and minimum requirements for use of acceptable knowledge (AK) for waste characterization and waste compatibility documentation requirements; and identify the requirements for setting up and managing temporary waste accumulation areas.« less

Hazardous-waste analysis plan for LLNL operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, R.S.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is involved in many facets of research ranging from nuclear weapons research to advanced Biomedical studies. Approximately 80% of all programs at LLNL generate hazardous waste in one form or another. Aside from producing waste from industrial type operations (oils, solvents, bottom sludges, etc.) many unique and toxic wastes are generated such as phosgene, dioxin (TCDD), radioactive wastes and high explosives. One key to any successful waste management program must address the following: proper identification of the waste, safe handling procedures and proper storage containers and areas. This section of the Waste Management Plan willmore » address methodologies used for the Analysis of Hazardous Waste. In addition to the wastes defined in 40 CFR 261, LLNL and Site 300 also generate radioactive waste not specifically covered by RCRA. However, for completeness, the Waste Analysis Plan will address all hazardous waste.« less

Medium term municipal solid waste generation prediction by autoregressive integrated moving average

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Younes, Mohammad K.; Nopiah, Z. M.; Basri, Noor Ezlin A.

2014-09-12

Generally, solid waste handling and management are performed by municipality or local authority. In most of developing countries, local authorities suffer from serious solid waste management (SWM) problems and insufficient data and strategic planning. Thus it is important to develop robust solid waste generation forecasting model. It helps to proper manage the generated solid waste and to develop future plan based on relatively accurate figures. In Malaysia, solid waste generation rate increases rapidly due to the population growth and new consumption trends that characterize the modern life style. This paper aims to develop monthly solid waste forecasting model using Autoregressivemore » Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA), such model is applicable even though there is lack of data and will help the municipality properly establish the annual service plan. The results show that ARIMA (6,1,0) model predicts monthly municipal solid waste generation with root mean square error equals to 0.0952 and the model forecast residuals are within accepted 95% confident interval.« less

Medium term municipal solid waste generation prediction by autoregressive integrated moving average

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Younes, Mohammad K.; Nopiah, Z. M.; Basri, Noor Ezlin A.; Basri, Hassan

2014-09-01

Generally, solid waste handling and management are performed by municipality or local authority. In most of developing countries, local authorities suffer from serious solid waste management (SWM) problems and insufficient data and strategic planning. Thus it is important to develop robust solid waste generation forecasting model. It helps to proper manage the generated solid waste and to develop future plan based on relatively accurate figures. In Malaysia, solid waste generation rate increases rapidly due to the population growth and new consumption trends that characterize the modern life style. This paper aims to develop monthly solid waste forecasting model using Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA), such model is applicable even though there is lack of data and will help the municipality properly establish the annual service plan. The results show that ARIMA (6,1,0) model predicts monthly municipal solid waste generation with root mean square error equals to 0.0952 and the model forecast residuals are within accepted 95% confident interval.

Quality and quantity of construction and demolition waste in Tehran.

PubMed

Asgari, Alireza; Ghorbanian, Tahereh; Yousefi, Nader; Dadashzadeh, Dariush; Khalili, Fatemeh; Bagheri, Amin; Raei, Mehdi; Mahvi, Amir Hossein

2017-01-01

In recent years the generation rate of construction and demolition waste (C&D) has significantly augmented. The aim of this study was to assessed the quality and quantity of construction and demolition waste in Tehran (capital of Iran). Questionnaire methods were used for estimating the amount of generated C&D wastes national statistical data and typical waste generation data. In order to defining the composition of C&D waste, trucks were randomly selected and their wastes were separated and weighted. According to obtained results, about 82,646,051 m 3 of C&D waste (average 16,529,210 m 3 per year) were generated during 2011 to 2016 which only about 26% of them has been recycled. Mixing sand and cement, concrete, broken bricks and soil have the highest amount of the composition of C&D waste in Tehran that was 30, 19, 18 and 11%, respectively. Based on the results, about 2,784,158 t of the waste will generate in 2025 and this is approximately 122% higher than wastes generate in 2016. Based on MAPSA's data, 360 teams of personnel cruise and control the illegal disposals, but due to the expansion of Tehran this number of teams is inadequate and can't be effective in controlling the situation. In general, the overall condition of C&D waste management in Tehran seems undesirable and needs to be updated based on the experience of successful countries in this field.

Development of chemically bonded phosphate ceramics for stabilizing low-level mixed wastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Seung-Young

1997-11-01

Novel chemically bonded phosphate ceramics have been developed by acid-base reactions between magnesium oxide and an acid phosphate at room temperature for stabilizing U.S. Department of Energy's low-level mixed waste streams that include hazardous chemicals and radioactive elements. Newberyite (MgHPOsb4.3Hsb2O)-rich magnesium phosphate ceramic was formed by an acid-base reaction between phosphoric acid and magnesium oxide. The reaction slurry, formed at room-temperature, sets rapidly and forms stable mineral phases of newberyite, lunebergite, and residual MgO. Rapid setting also generates heat due to exothermic acid-base reaction. The reaction was retarded by partially neutralizing the phosphoric acid solution by adding sodium or potassium hydroxide. This reduced the rate of reaction and heat generation and led to a practical way of producing novel magnesium potassium phosphate ceramic. This ceramic was formed by reacting stoichiometric amount of monopotassium dihydrogen phosphate crystals, MgO, and water, forming pure-phase of MgKPOsb4.6Hsb2O (MKP) with moderate exothermic reaction. Using this chemically bonded phosphate ceramic matrix, low-level mixed waste streams were stabilized, and superior waste forms in a monolithic structure were developed. The final waste forms showed low open porosity and permeability, and higher compression strength than the Land Disposal Requirements (LDRs). The novel MKP ceramic technology allowed us to develop operational size waste forms of 55 gal with good physical integrity. In this improved waste form, the hazardous contaminants such as RCRA heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, etc) were chemically fixed by their conversion into insoluble phosphate forms and physically encapsulated by the phosphate ceramic. In addition, chemically bonded phosphate ceramics stabilized radioactive elements such U and Pu. This was demonstrated with a detailed stabilization study on cerium used as a surrogate (chemically equivalent but nonradioactive) of U and Pu as well as on actual U-contaminated waste water. In particular, the leaching level of mercury in the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) test was reduced from 5000 to 0.00085 ppm, and the leaching level of cerium in the long term leaching test (ANS 16.1 test) was below the detection limit. These results show that the chemically bonded phosphate ceramics process may be a simple, inexpensive, and efficient method for stabilizing low-level mixed waste streams.

Improved environmental impact with diversion of perfusion bypass circuit to municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Debois, William; Prata, Jessica; Elmer, Barbara; Liu, Junli; Fominyam, Edward; Salemi, Arash

2013-06-01

The project goal was to reduce waste disposal volume, costs and minimize the negative impact that regulated waste treatment and disposal has on the environment. This was accomplished by diverting bypass circuits from the traditional regulated medical waste (RMW) to clear bag waste, or municipal solid waste (MSW). To qualify circuits to be disposed of through MSW stream, the circuits needed to be void of any free-flowing blood and be "responsibly clear." Traditionally the perfusion bypass circuit was emptied through the cardioplegia pump starting shortly after decannulation and heparin reversal. Up to 2000 mL of additional prime solution was added until the bypass circuit was rinsed clear. Three hundred sixty of 400 procedures (90%) had a complete circuit rinse and successful diversion to MSW. An additional 240 mL of processed cell salvage blood was available for transfusion. No additional time was spent in the operating room as a result of this procedure. Based on our procedure case volume and circuit weight of 15 pounds, almost 15,000 pounds (7.5 tons) of trash will be diverted from RMW. This technique represents another way for perfusionists to participate in sustainability efforts. Diverting the bypass circuit to clear bag waste results in a reduced environmental impact and annual cost savings. The treatment of RMW is associated with various environmental implications. MSW, or clear bag waste, on the other hand can now be disposed of in waste-to-energy facilities. This process not only releases a significantly less amount of carbon dioxide into the environment, but also helps generate renewable energy. Therefore, the bypass circuit diversion pilot project effectively demonstrates decreases in the carbon footprint of our organization and overall operating costs.

Valorizing waste iron powder in biogas production: Hydrogen sulfide control and process performances.

PubMed

Andriamanohiarisoamanana, Fetra J; Shirai, Tomoya; Yamashiro, Takaki; Yasui, Seiichi; Iwasaki, Masahiro; Ihara, Ikko; Nishida, Takehiro; Tangtaweewipat, Suchon; Umetsu, Kazutaka

2018-02-15

Biogas is composed of different gases including hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), which is a hazardous gas that damages pipes and generators in anaerobic digestion system. The objective of this study was to control H 2 S by waste iron powder produced by laser cutting machine in a steel and iron industry. Waste iron powder was mixed with dairy manure at a concentration between 2.0 and 20.0 g/L in batch experiments, while the concentration was varied between 1.0 and 4.0 g/L in bench experiment. In batch experiment, a reduction of up to 93% of H 2 S was observed at waste iron powder of 2.0 g/L (T1), while the reduction was of more than 99% at waste iron powder beyond 8.0 g/L (T4 ∼ T6). The total sulfide concentration (S T ) increased together with waste iron powder concentration and was fitted with a quadratic equation with a maximum S T of 208.0 mg/L at waste iron powder of 20.2 g/L. Waste iron powder did not have significant effect on methane yield in batch and bench experiments. However, hydrolysis rate constant was increased by almost 100%, while the lag-phase period was reduced to half in test digesters compared to that in control digester. In bench experiment, H 2 S concentration was reduced by 89% at 2.0 g/L, while 50% at 1.0 g/L. Therefore, waste iron powder was effectively removed H 2 S and did not affect negatively anaerobic digestion process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hot Runner Mold Design of Fan Diverter Parts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juan, D. J.; Cheng, Y. L.

2017-09-01

In this study, we discuss the case of plastic parts for the production of fan steering gear shaft parts injection molding, and use POM plastic steel to produce plastic parts from traditional cold runners. Because of the parts have a hole, which need side slide. The runner produce more waste after plastic parts injection make the runner waste account for the cost is relatively high, the cost of stock preparation is relatively increased when the product quantity demanded is great. After the crushing treatment of the waste, the backfill will affect the quality, and in the crushing process, the volume generated will make the operator to withstand up to 130 dB of noise. The actual test results show that the production cycle reduce 6.25%, while the production yield increase by about 5% and material costs reduced by 2% . It can be recovered within a year, not to mention the increase of the quality and reduction the noise on the staff of the benefit is impossible to estimate.

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) estimation: A case study of Ahvaz City, Iran.

PubMed

Alavi, Nadali; Shirmardi, Mohammad; Babaei, Aliakbar; Takdastan, Afshin; Bagheri, Nastaran

2015-03-01

The development of new technologies and the increasing consumption of electronic and electrical equipment have led to increased generation of e-waste in the municipal waste streams. This waste due to the presence of hazardous substances in its composition needs specific attention and management. The present study was carried out in Ahvaz metropolis using a survey method in 2011. For estimating the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) generated, the "use and consumption" method was used. In order to determine the amounts of the electrical and electronic equipment that were used and their lifetime, and for investigating the current status of e-waste management in Ahvaz, an appropriate questionnaire was devised. In 2011, the total number of discarded electronic items was 2,157,742 units. According to the average weight of the equipment, the total generation of e-waste was 9952.25 metric tons per year and was 9.95 kg per capita per year. The highest e-waste generated was related to air conditioners, with 3125.36 metric tons per year, followed by the wastes from refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, and televisions. The wastes from desktop computers and laptops were 418 and 63 metric tons/year, respectively, and the corresponding values per capita were 0.42 and 0.063 kg, respectively. These results also showed that 10 tons fixed phones, 25 tons mobile phones, and by considering an average lifetime of 3 years for each lamp about 320 tons lamps were generated as e-waste in Ahvaz in the year 2011. Based on this study, currently there is not an integrated system for proper management of WEEE in Ahvaz, and this waste stream is collected and disposed of with other municipal waste. Some measures, including a specific collection system, recycling of valuable substances, and proper treatment and disposal, should be done about such waste. Ahvaz is one of the most important economic centers of Iran, and to the best of our knowledge, no study has been carried out to estimate the generation of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in this city. Therefore, the authors estimated the generation of the WEEE by the "use and consumption" method. The results of this study can be useful not only for decision-making organizations of Ahvaz to manage and recycle this type of waste but also can be used as a method to estimate the generation of e-waste in different locations of the world, especially in places where the generation of such waste could be a risk to human health and the environment.

The S-curve for forecasting waste generation in construction projects.

PubMed

Lu, Weisheng; Peng, Yi; Chen, Xi; Skitmore, Martin; Zhang, Xiaoling

2016-10-01

Forecasting construction waste generation is the yardstick of any effort by policy-makers, researchers, practitioners and the like to manage construction and demolition (C&D) waste. This paper develops and tests an S-curve model to indicate accumulative waste generation as a project progresses. Using 37,148 disposal records generated from 138 building projects in Hong Kong in four consecutive years from January 2011 to June 2015, a wide range of potential S-curve models are examined, and as a result, the formula that best fits the historical data set is found. The S-curve model is then further linked to project characteristics using artificial neural networks (ANNs) so that it can be used to forecast waste generation in future construction projects. It was found that, among the S-curve models, cumulative logistic distribution is the best formula to fit the historical data. Meanwhile, contract sum, location, public-private nature, and duration can be used to forecast construction waste generation. The study provides contractors with not only an S-curve model to forecast overall waste generation before a project commences, but also with a detailed baseline to benchmark and manage waste during the course of construction. The major contribution of this paper is to the body of knowledge in the field of construction waste generation forecasting. By examining it with an S-curve model, the study elevates construction waste management to a level equivalent to project cost management where the model has already been readily accepted as a standard tool. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Management of hazardous medical waste in Croatia.

PubMed

Marinković, Natalija; Vitale, Ksenija; Janev Holcer, Natasa; Dzakula, Aleksandar; Pavić, Tomo

2008-01-01

This article provides a review of hazardous medical waste production and its management in Croatia. Even though Croatian regulations define all steps in the waste management chain, implementation of those steps is one of the country's greatest issues. Improper practice is evident from the point of waste production to final disposal. The biggest producers of hazardous medical waste are hospitals that do not implement existing legislation, due to the lack of education and funds. Information on quantities, type and flow of medical waste are inadequate, as is sanitary control. We propose an integrated approach to medical waste management based on a hierarchical structure from the point of generation to its disposal. Priority is given to the reduction of the amounts and potential for harm. Where this is not possible, management includes reduction by sorting and separating, pretreatment on site, safe transportation, final treatment and sanitary disposal. Preferred methods should be the least harmful for human health and the environment. Integrated medical waste management could greatly reduce quantities and consequently financial strains. Landfilling is the predominant route of disposal in Croatia, although the authors believe that incineration is the most appropriate method. In a country such as Croatia, a number of small incinerators would be the most economical solution.

40 CFR 262.216 - Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... generated at an eligible academic entity. 262.216 Section 262.216 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.216 Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity. An eligible academic entity that generates hazardous waste outside of a...

40 CFR 262.216 - Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... generated at an eligible academic entity. 262.216 Section 262.216 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.216 Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity. An eligible academic entity that generates hazardous waste outside of a...

40 CFR 262.216 - Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... generated at an eligible academic entity. 262.216 Section 262.216 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.216 Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity. An eligible academic entity that generates hazardous waste outside of a...

40 CFR 262.216 - Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... generated at an eligible academic entity. 262.216 Section 262.216 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.216 Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity. An eligible academic entity that generates hazardous waste outside of a...

40 CFR 262.216 - Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... generated at an eligible academic entity. 262.216 Section 262.216 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.216 Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity. An eligible academic entity that generates hazardous waste outside of a...

Solid waste forecasting using modified ANFIS modeling.

PubMed

Younes, Mohammad K; Nopiah, Z M; Basri, N E Ahmad; Basri, H; Abushammala, Mohammed F M; K N A, Maulud

2015-10-01

Solid waste prediction is crucial for sustainable solid waste management. Usually, accurate waste generation record is challenge in developing countries which complicates the modelling process. Solid waste generation is related to demographic, economic, and social factors. However, these factors are highly varied due to population and economy growths. The objective of this research is to determine the most influencing demographic and economic factors that affect solid waste generation using systematic approach, and then develop a model to forecast solid waste generation using a modified Adaptive Neural Inference System (MANFIS). The model evaluation was performed using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and the coefficient of determination (R²). The results show that the best input variables are people age groups 0-14, 15-64, and people above 65 years, and the best model structure is 3 triangular fuzzy membership functions and 27 fuzzy rules. The model has been validated using testing data and the resulted training RMSE, MAE and R² were 0.2678, 0.045 and 0.99, respectively, while for testing phase RMSE =3.986, MAE = 0.673 and R² = 0.98. To date, a few attempts have been made to predict the annual solid waste generation in developing countries. This paper presents modeling of annual solid waste generation using Modified ANFIS, it is a systematic approach to search for the most influencing factors and then modify the ANFIS structure to simplify the model. The proposed method can be used to forecast the waste generation in such developing countries where accurate reliable data is not always available. Moreover, annual solid waste prediction is essential for sustainable planning.

Minimization and management of wastes from biomedical research.

PubMed Central

Rau, E H; Alaimo, R J; Ashbrook, P C; Austin, S M; Borenstein, N; Evans, M R; French, H M; Gilpin, R W; Hughes, J; Hummel, S J; Jacobsohn, A P; Lee, C Y; Merkle, S; Radzinski, T; Sloane, R; Wagner, K D; Weaner, L E

2000-01-01

Several committees were established by the National Association of Physicians for the Environment to investigate and report on various topics at the National Leadership Conference on Biomedical Research and the Environment held at the 1--2 November 1999 at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. This is the report of the Committee on Minimization and Management of Wastes from Biomedical Research. Biomedical research facilities contribute a small fraction of the total amount of wastes generated in the United States, and the rate of generation appears to be decreasing. Significant reductions in generation of hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes have recently been reported, even at facilities with rapidly expanding research programs. Changes in the focus of research, improvements in laboratory techniques, and greater emphasis on waste minimization (volume and toxicity reduction) explain the declining trend in generation. The potential for uncontrolled releases of wastes from biomedical research facilities and adverse impacts on the general environment from these wastes appears to be low. Wastes are subject to numerous regulatory requirements and are contained and managed in a manner protective of the environment. Most biohazardous agents, chemicals, and radionuclides that find significant use in research are not likely to be persistent, bioaccumulative, or toxic if they are released. Today, the primary motivations for the ongoing efforts by facilities to improve minimization and management of wastes are regulatory compliance and avoidance of the high disposal costs and liabilities associated with generation of regulated wastes. The committee concluded that there was no evidence suggesting that the anticipated increases in biomedical research will significantly increase generation of hazardous wastes or have adverse impacts on the general environment. This conclusion assumes the positive, countervailing trends of enhanced pollution prevention efforts by facilities and reductions in waste generation resulting from improvements in research methods will continue. PMID:11121362

Ultrasonic recovery of copper and iron through the simultaneous utilization of Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) spent acid etching solution and PCB waste sludge.

PubMed

Huang, Zhiyuan; Xie, Fengchun; Ma, Yang

2011-01-15

A method was developed to recover the copper and iron from Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) manufacturing generated spent acid etching solution and waste sludge with ultrasonic energy at laboratory scale. It demonstrated that copper-containing PCB spent etching solution could be utilized as a leaching solution to leach copper from copper contained PCB waste sludge. It also indicated that lime could be used as an alkaline precipitating agent in this method to precipitate iron from the mixture of acidic PCB spent etching solution and waste sludge. This method provided an effective technique for the recovery of copper and iron through simultaneous use of PCB spent acid solution and waste sludge. The leaching rates of copper and iron enhanced with ultrasound energy were reached at 93.76% and 2.07% respectively and effectively separated copper from iron. Followed by applying lime to precipitate copper from the mixture of leachate and rinsing water produced by the copper and iron separation, about 99.99% and 1.29% of soluble copper and calcium were settled as the solids respectively. Furthermore the settled copper could be made as commercial rate copper. The process performance parameters studied were pH, ultrasonic power, and temperature. This method provided a simple and reliable technique to recover copper and iron from waste streams generated by PCB manufacturing, and would significantly reduce the cost of chemicals used in the recovery. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estimating the potential for industrial waste heat reutilization in urban district energy systems: method development and implementation in two Chinese provinces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Kangkang; Fang, Andrew; Yu, Huajun; Li, Yang; Shi, Lei; Wang, Yangjun; Wang, Shuxiao; Ramaswami, Anu

2017-12-01

Utilizing low-grade waste heat from industries to heat and cool homes and businesses through fourth generation district energy systems (DES) is a novel strategy to reduce energy use. This paper develops a generalizable methodology to estimate the energy saving potential for heating/cooling in 20 cities in two Chinese provinces, representing cold winter and hot summer regions respectively. We also conduct a life-cycle analysis of the new infrastructure required for energy exchange in DES. Results show that heating and cooling energy use reduction from this waste heat exchange strategy varies widely based on the mix of industrial, residential and commercial activities, and climate conditions in cities. Low-grade heat is found to be the dominant component of waste heat released by industries, which can be reused for both district heating and cooling in fourth generation DES, yielding energy use reductions from 12%-91% (average of 58%) for heating and 24%-100% (average of 73%) for cooling energy use in the different cities based on annual exchange potential. Incorporating seasonality and multiple energy exchange pathways resulted in energy savings reductions from 0%-87%. The life-cycle impact of added infrastructure was small (<3% for heating) and 1.9% ~ 6.5% (cooling) of the carbon emissions from fuel use in current heating or cooling systems, indicating net carbon savings. This generalizable approach to delineate waste heat potential can help determine suitable cities for the widespread application of industrial waste heat re-utilization.

Study of the activity of the local adding [ash from palm plantation wastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rezig, D.; Bentabba, M. T.

2018-05-01

The objectify of this work is to study the activity of the ash by substitution of 25℅ cement of mineral powder ash from palm plantation wastes, and its influences mechanical performances on mortar. Such as the resistance of the compression, the traction, and durability by reducing calcium hydroxide content Ca[OH]2 generated by chemical reaction of cement, which has a harmful effect in durability. The activity of this waste was evaluated in the utilized of mechanic attempts resistance of the compression and flexion in 28 day] was also studied, the obtained results shows the best result of the index of ash activity is i=0,69 was obtained in mixing cement with CRS.

Nasa langley research center and the tidewater interagency pollution prevention program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Houlihan, J.; Binkley, K.

1994-09-01

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)`s Langley Research Center (LaRC) is an 807-acre research center devoted to aeronautics and space research. LaRC has initiated a broad-based pollution prevention program guided by a Pollution Prevention Program Plan and implemented through specific projects. Over twenty specific source reduction or recycling projects have been initiated since 1991. Recycling activities and use of conservation measures have reduced the use of various freon chlorofluorocarbons, ozone depleting substances (ODCs), by 84 percent in 1993 compared with 1990 figures. In addition, improved silver recovery procedures reduced the amount of photographic laboratory waste by 70 percent, or 11,982more » pounds, during 1993. Total hazardous waste, excluding abrasive blasting debris generated by specific remediation projects, has been reduced by 25 percent, or about 50,000 pounds, in 1993 compared to 1992.« less

Focussing on recycling attitudes of engineering students at UiTM Shah Alam - towards zero discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharifah, A. S. A. K.; Khamaruddin, P. F. M.; Mohamad, N. N.; Saharuddin, M. Q.

2018-03-01

The generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Malaysia over the past 10 years has increased by 95 percent due to rapid development in the urban areas. 16.76 million tonne of waste is expected to be generated by Malaysian in the year 2020. Presently, there are about 70 percent of waste produced reported to be collected and 95 percent of it are disposed in landfills with only 5 percent left are being recycled. A 40 percent reduction of waste disposed to landfill by year 2020, through recycling and intermediate treatments such as waste to energy, composting and material recovery is very much needed as opening new landfills are not socially attractive. It clearly shows the awareness in reducing waste through recycling is still at infancy among Malaysians. Hence, a proper solid waste management should be enhanced through education among youngsters to ensure an integrated solid waste management towards zero discharge is achievable. The purpose of the research is two-fold. Firstly, to determine the recycling practices awareness among engineering students through manual and on-line survey. Secondly, a study on the effectiveness of recycling bins at the engineering students’ centre. The data collected were analyzed using statistical analysis. Results show that there is significant relationship (p<0.05) between gender and knowledge on recycling using Chi square test. However, there is an insignificant relationship (p>0.05) between knowledge and awareness of students towards recycling using partial correlation. Nevertheless, it is important to note that recycling practices through the provision of well-designed recycling bins and continuous education will ensure a sound society upholding a Zero Discharge attitude in the future.

Itegrated Test and Evaluation of a 4-Bed Molecular Sieve (4BMS) Carbon Dioxide Removtal System (CDRA), Mechanical Compressor Engineering Development Unit (EDU), and Sabitier Engineering Development Unit (EDU)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knox, James C.; Campbell, Melissa; Murdoch, Karen; Miller, Lee A.; Jeng, Frank

2005-01-01

Currently on the International Space Station s (ISS) U.S. Segment, carbon dioxide (CO2) scrubbed from the cabin by a 4-Bed Molecular Sieve (4BMS) Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) is vented overboard as a waste product. Likewise, the product hydrogen (H2) that will be generated by the Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) planned for installation will also be vented. A flight experiment has been proposed that will take the waste CO2 removed from the cabin, and via the catalytic Sabatier process, reduce it with waste H2 to generate water and methane. The water produced may provide cost and logistics savings for ISS by reducing the amount of water periodically re-supplied to orbit. To make this concept viable, a mechanical piston compressor and accumulator were developed for collecting and storing the CO2 from the CDRA. The compressor, accumulator and Sabatier system would be packaged together as one unit and referred to as the Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA). Testing was required to evaluate the performance of a 4BMS CDRA, compressor, accumulator, and Sabatier performance along with their operating rules when integrated together. This had been numerically modeled and simulated; however, testing was necessary to verify the results from the engineering analyses. Testing also allowed a better understanding of the practical inefficiencies and control issues involved in a fully integrated system versus the theoretical ideals in the model. This paper presents and discusses the results of an integrated engineering development unit test.

Household waste compositional analysis variation from insular communities in the framework of waste prevention strategy plans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zorpas, Antonis A., E-mail: antonis.zorpas@ouc.ac.cy; Lasaridi, Katia, E-mail: klasaridi@hua.gr; Voukkali, Irene

Highlights: • Waste framework directive has set clear waste prevention procedures. • Household Compositional analysis. • Waste management plans. • Zero waste approach. • Waste generation. - Abstract: Waste management planning requires reliable data regarding waste generation, affecting factors on waste generation and forecasts of waste quantities based on facts. In order to decrease the environmental impacts of waste management the choice of prevention plan as well as the treatment method must be based on the features of the waste that are produced in a specific area. Factors such as culture, economic development, climate, and energy sources have an impactmore » on waste composition; composition influences the need of collecting waste more or less frequently of waste collection and disposition. The research question was to discover the main barriers concerning the compositional analysis in Insular Communities under warm climate conditions and the findings from this study enabled the main contents of a waste management plan to be established. These included advice to residents on waste minimisation, liaison with stakeholders and the expansion of kerbside recycling schemes.« less

Forecasting municipal solid waste generation using artificial intelligence modelling approaches.

PubMed

Abbasi, Maryam; El Hanandeh, Ali

2016-10-01

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is a major concern to local governments to protect human health, the environment and to preserve natural resources. The design and operation of an effective MSW management system requires accurate estimation of future waste generation quantities. The main objective of this study was to develop a model for accurate forecasting of MSW generation that helps waste related organizations to better design and operate effective MSW management systems. Four intelligent system algorithms including support vector machine (SVM), adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), artificial neural network (ANN) and k-nearest neighbours (kNN) were tested for their ability to predict monthly waste generation in the Logan City Council region in Queensland, Australia. Results showed artificial intelligence models have good prediction performance and could be successfully applied to establish municipal solid waste forecasting models. Using machine learning algorithms can reliably predict monthly MSW generation by training with waste generation time series. In addition, results suggest that ANFIS system produced the most accurate forecasts of the peaks while kNN was successful in predicting the monthly averages of waste quantities. Based on the results, the total annual MSW generated in Logan City will reach 9.4×10(7)kg by 2020 while the peak monthly waste will reach 9.37×10(6)kg. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Household hazardous wastes as a potential source of pollution: a generation study.

PubMed

Ojeda-Benítez, Sara; Aguilar-Virgen, Quetzalli; Taboada-González, Paul; Cruz-Sotelo, Samantha E

2013-12-01

Certain domestic wastes exhibit characteristics that render them dangerous, such as explosiveness, flammability, spontaneous combustion, reactivity, toxicity and corrosiveness. The lack of information about their generation and composition hinders the creation of special programs for their collection and treatment, making these wastes a potential threat to human health and the environment. We attempted to quantify the levels of hazardous household waste (HHW) generated in Mexicali, Mexico. The analysis considered three socioeconomic strata and eight categories. The sampling was undertaken on a house-by-house basis, and hypothesis testing was based on differences between two proportions for each of the eight categories. In this study, HHW comprised 3.49% of the total generated waste, which exceeded that reported in previous studies in Mexico. The greatest quantity of HHW was generated by the middle stratum; in the upper stratum, most packages were discarded with their contents remaining. Cleaning products represent 45.86% of the HHW generated. Statistical differences were not observed for only two categories among the three social strata. The scarcity of studies on HHW generation limits direct comparisons. Any decrease in waste generation within the middle social stratum will have a large effect on the total amount of waste generated, and decrease their impact on environmental and human health.

Generation and collection of restaurant waste: Characterization and evaluation at a case study in Italy.

PubMed

Tatàno, Fabio; Caramiello, Cristina; Paolini, Tonino; Tripolone, Luca

2017-03-01

Because restaurants (as a division of the hospitality sector) contribute to the generation of commercial and institutional waste, thus representing both a challenge and an opportunity, the objective of the present study was to deepen the knowledge of restaurant waste in terms of the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of waste generation and the performance achievable by the implementation of a separate collection scheme. In this study, the generated waste was characterized and the implemented separate collection was evaluated at a relevant case study restaurant in a coastal tourist area of Central Italy (Marche Region, Adriatic Sea side). The qualitative (compositional) characterization of the generated total restaurant waste showed considerable incidences of, in decreasing order, food (28.2%), glass (22.6%), paper/cardboard (19.1%), and plastic (17.1%). The quantitative (parametric) characterization of the generated restaurant waste determined the unit generation values of total waste and individual fractions based on the traditional employee and area parameters and the peculiar meal parameter. In particular, the obtained representative values per meal were: 0.72kgmeal -1 for total waste, and ranging, for individual fractions, from 0.20 (for food) to 0.008kgmeal -1 (for textile). Based on the critical evaluation of some of the resulting unit waste generation values, possible influences of restaurant practices, conditions, or characteristics were pointed out. In particular, food waste generation per meal can likely be limited by: promoting and using local, fresh, and quality food; standardizing and limiting daily menu items; basing food recipes on consolidated cooking knowledge and experience; and limiting plate sizes. The evaluation of the monthly variation of the monitored separate collection, ranging from an higher level of 52.7% to a lower level of 41.4%, indicated the following: a reduction in the separate collection level can be expected at times of high working pressure or the closing of a seasonal business (typical for restaurants in tourist areas); and the monthly variation of the separate collection level is inversely correlated with that of the unit generation of total waste per meal. The interception rates of the different restaurant waste fractions collected separately presented a ranking order (i.e., 96.0% for glass, 67.7% for paper/cardboard, 34.4% for food, 20.6% for metal, and 17.9% for plastic) similar to the order of efficiencies achievable at both small and large urban levels. Finally, the original concept of the customer equivalent person (P ce ) was introduced and behaviorally evaluated at the case study restaurant, providing the values of 0.42 and 0.39kgP ce -1 day -1 for the food waste generation and the landfilling of biodegradable waste by the customer equivalent person, respectively. These values were compared, respectively, with the food waste generation per person at the household level and the landfilling of biodegradable waste per inhabitant at the territorial level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An application of the theory of planned behaviour to study the influencing factors of participation in source separation of food waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Karim Ghani, Wan Azlina Wan Ab., E-mail: wanaz@eng.upm.edu.my; Rusli, Iffah Farizan, E-mail: iffahrusli@yahoo.com; Biak, Dayang Radiah Awang, E-mail: dayang@eng.upm.edu.my

Highlights: ► Theory of planned behaviour (TPB) has been conducted to identify the influencing factors for participation in source separation of food waste using self administered questionnaires. ► The findings suggested several implications for the development and implementation of waste separation at home programme. ► The analysis indicates that the attitude towards waste separation is determined as the main predictors where this in turn could be a significant predictor of the repondent’s actual food waste separation behaviour. ► To date, none of similar have been reported elsewhere and this finding will be beneficial to local Authorities as indicator in designingmore » campaigns to promote the use of waste separation programmes to reinforce the positive attitudes. - Abstract: Tremendous increases in biodegradable (food waste) generation significantly impact the local authorities, who are responsible to manage, treat and dispose of this waste. The process of separation of food waste at its generation source is identified as effective means in reducing the amount food waste sent to landfill and can be reused as feedstock to downstream treatment processes namely composting or anaerobic digestion. However, these efforts will only succeed with positive attitudes and highly participations rate by the public towards the scheme. Thus, the social survey (using questionnaires) to analyse public’s view and influencing factors towards participation in source separation of food waste in households based on the theory of planned behaviour technique (TPB) was performed in June and July 2011 among selected staff in Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor. The survey demonstrates that the public has positive intention in participating provided the opportunities, facilities and knowledge on waste separation at source are adequately prepared by the respective local authorities. Furthermore, good moral values and situational factors such as storage convenience and collection times are also encouraged public’s involvement and consequently, the participations rate. The findings from this study may provide useful indicator to the waste management authorities in Malaysia in identifying mechanisms for future development and implementation of food waste source separation activities in household programmes and communication campaign which advocate the use of these programmes.« less

Assessment of plastic waste generation and its potential recycling of household solid waste in Can Tho City, Vietnam.

PubMed

Thanh, Nguyen Phuc; Matsui, Yasuhiro; Fujiwara, Takeshi

2011-04-01

Plastic solid waste has become a serious problem when considering the disposal alternatives following the sequential hierarchy of sound solid waste management. This study was undertaken to assess the quantity and composition of household solid waste, especially plastic waste to identify opportunities for waste recycling. A 1-month survey of 130 households was carried out in Can Tho City, the capital city of the Mekong Delta region in southern Vietnam. Household solid waste was collected from each household and classified into ten physical categories; especially plastic waste was sorted into 22 subcategories. The average household solid waste generation rate was 281.27 g/cap/day. The compostable and recyclable shares respectively accounted for high percentage as 80.74% and 11%. Regarding plastic waste, the average plastic waste generation rate was 17.24 g/cap/day; plastic packaging and plastic containers dominated with the high percentage, 95.64% of plastic waste. Plastic shopping bags were especially identified as the major component, accounting for 45.72% of total plastic waste. Relevant factors such as household income and household size were found to have an existing correlation to plastic waste generation in detailed composition. The household habits and behaviors of plastic waste discharge and the aspects of environmental impacts and resource consumption for plastic waste disposal alternatives were also evaluated.

Municipal solid waste generation in growing urban areas in Africa: current practices and relation to socioeconomic factors in Jimma, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Getahun, T; Mengistie, E; Haddis, A; Wasie, F; Alemayehu, E; Dadi, D; Van Gerven, T; Van der Bruggen, B

2012-10-01

As one of cities in the developing countries, a rapid population growth and industrial activities pose many environmental challenges for Jimma city, Ethiopia. One aspect of urban growth posing a threat on sustainable development is poor solid waste management, which results in environmental pollution. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quantity, composition, sources of waste generated, their current disposal practices, and to recommend appropriate management technologies. The total waste generated daily in Jimma city was ca. 88,000 kg, and the average per capita generation rate was 0.55 ± 0.17 kg/capita/day. Eighty-seven percent of the waste was produced by households and 13% by institutions, and a negligible fraction (0.1%) was generated by street sweepings. During the rainy season, 40% more waste was generated than in the dry season because of the increased availability of agricultural food product. Further analysis showed that biodegradable organic waste constitutes 54% by weight with an average moisture content of 60% that falls within the required limits for composting. The nonbiodegradable components constitute 46% of which 30% of it was nonrecyclable material. Only 25% of the community uses municipal containers for disposal at the selected landfill site. Fifty-one percent of the households disposed their waste in individually chosen spots, whereas 22% burned their waste. Finally 2% of households use private waste collectors. The socioeconomic analysis showed that higher family income and educational status is associated more with private or municipal waste collection and less with the application of backyard or open dumping. These insights into generated waste and management practice in Jimma city allow making suggestions for improved collection, treatment, and disposal methods. A primary conclusion is that the biodegradable waste is a major fraction having suitable properties for recycling. As such an economic benefit can be obtained from this waste while avoiding the need for disposal.

Application of spatial and non-spatial data analysis in determination of the factors that impact municipal solid waste generation rates in Turkey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Keser, Saniye; Duzgun, Sebnem; Department of Geodetic and Geographic Information Technologies, Middle East Technical University, 06800 Ankara

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Spatial autocorrelation exists in municipal solid waste generation rates for different provinces in Turkey. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Traditional non-spatial regression models may not provide sufficient information for better solid waste management. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Unemployment rate is a global variable that significantly impacts the waste generation rates in Turkey. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Significances of global parameters may diminish at local scale for some provinces. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer GWR model can be used to create clusters of cities for solid waste management. - Abstract: In studies focusing on the factors that impact solid waste generation habits and rates, the potential spatial dependency in solid waste generation datamore » is not considered in relating the waste generation rates to its determinants. In this study, spatial dependency is taken into account in determination of the significant socio-economic and climatic factors that may be of importance for the municipal solid waste (MSW) generation rates in different provinces of Turkey. Simultaneous spatial autoregression (SAR) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models are used for the spatial data analyses. Similar to ordinary least squares regression (OLSR), regression coefficients are global in SAR model. In other words, the effect of a given independent variable on a dependent variable is valid for the whole country. Unlike OLSR or SAR, GWR reveals the local impact of a given factor (or independent variable) on the waste generation rates of different provinces. Results show that provinces within closer neighborhoods have similar MSW generation rates. On the other hand, this spatial autocorrelation is not very high for the exploratory variables considered in the study. OLSR and SAR models have similar regression coefficients. GWR is useful to indicate the local determinants of MSW generation rates. GWR model can be utilized to plan waste management activities at local scale including waste minimization, collection, treatment, and disposal. At global scale, the MSW generation rates in Turkey are significantly related to unemployment rate and asphalt-paved roads ratio. Yet, significances of these variables may diminish at local scale for some provinces. At local scale, different factors may be important in affecting MSW generation rates.« less

Industrial Processes to Reduce Generation of Hazardous Waste at DoD Facilities. Phase 2 Report. Evaluation of 18 Case Studies.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-15

oxidize 13 .. . . . . . .- .. . ..-.-........ ~ -. trivalent chromium to hexavalent chromium and to selectively precipitate cation impurities from the...plating facilities. Chromium must be reduced to its trivalent state before it can be removed by precipitation as a hydroxide. Reduction is normally...conversion of hexavalent to trivalent chromium prior to precipitation. Trivalent solutions are typically less concentrated (22 g/L versus 150 g/L for

Public-private sector partnership in household waste management as perceived by residents in south-west Nigeria.

PubMed

Ezebilo, Eugene E; Animasaun, Emmanuel D

2012-08-01

In most developing countries public-private sector partnership is becoming increasingly applied in household waste management service delivery especially in urban areas to reduce cost and improve effectiveness. This paper reports a study of householders' perceptions of public-private sector partnership in provision of household waste management services in Ilorin, south-west Nigeria. A multistage random sampling technique was used to select 224 households for the study. The data generated from the survey were analysed using a binary logit model. The results show that most of the respondents were of the opinion that the public-private partnership has not been able to improve household waste management services. Time taken to visit solid waste collection point, income and marital status negatively influenced their perceptions, while activities of sanitary inspectors, occupation and gender had positive influence. The public-private partnership will be more effective and sustainable if the public sector could pay more attention to performance monitoring and accountability.

Residues from the thermal conversion of waste from the meat industry as a source of valuable macro- and micronutrients.

PubMed

Staroń, Paweł; Kowalski, Zygmunt; Staroń, Anita; Seidlerová, Jana; Banach, Marcin

2016-03-01

The increased consumption of meat (including poultry) observed over the last decade has led to the intensification of its production. With the production increase, the amount of generated waste also increases. Appropriate disposal of waste from the meat industry will significantly reduce the amount of such waste and its negative impact on the environment. The paper presents a method for the thermal neutralisation of feathers, poultry litter and meat and bone meal (MBM). Waste incineration was carried out in a stationary electric furnace, at a temperature varying in the range of 600-900°C. The resulting ashes were characterised by a high percentage of phosphorus (30-170 g/kg ash), calcium (20-360 g/kg ash) and other valuable macro- and micronutrients like copper, iron, manganese and zinc. The ashes produced during the thermal treatment are safe in terms of sanitary and can be used as additives enriching the fertilisers and soil improvers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrothermal Gasification for Waste to Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Epps, Brenden; Laser, Mark; Choo, Yeunun

2014-11-01

Hydrothermal gasification is a promising technology for harvesting energy from waste streams. Applications range from straightforward waste-to-energy conversion (e.g. municipal waste processing, industrial waste processing), to water purification (e.g. oil spill cleanup, wastewater treatment), to biofuel energy systems (e.g. using algae as feedstock). Products of the gasification process are electricity, bottled syngas (H2 + CO), sequestered CO2, clean water, and inorganic solids; further chemical reactions can be used to create biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. We present a comparison of gasification system architectures, focusing on efficiency and economic performance metrics. Various system architectures are modeled computationally, using a model developed by the coauthors. The physical model tracks the mass of each chemical species, as well as energy conversions and transfers throughout the gasification process. The generic system model includes the feedstock, gasification reactor, heat recovery system, pressure reducing mechanical expanders, and electricity generation system. Sensitivity analysis of system performance to various process parameters is presented. A discussion of the key technological barriers and necessary innovations is also presented.

Sustainability of cement kiln co-processing of wastes in India: a pilot study.

PubMed

Baidya, Rahul; Ghosh, Sadhan Kumar; Parlikar, Ulhas V

2017-07-01

Co-processing in cement kiln achieves effective utilization of the material and energy value present in the wastes, thereby conserving the natural resources by reducing the use of virgin material. In India, a number of multifolded initiatives have been taken that take into account the potential and volume of waste generation. This paper studies the factors which might influence the sustainability of co-processing of waste in cement kilns as a business model, considering the issues and challenges in the supply chain framework in India in view of the four canonical pillars of sustainability. A pilot study on co-processing was carried out in one of the cement plant in India to evaluate the environmental performance, economical performance, operational performance and social performance. The findings will help India and other developing countries to introduce effective supply chain management for co-processing while addressing the issues and challenges during co-processing of different waste streams in the cement kilns.

Overview of waste reduction techniques leading to pollution prevention

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hunt, G.E.

Liquid, solid, and/or gaseous waste materials are always generated during the manufacture of any product. In addition to creating environmental hazards, these wastes represent losses of valuable materials and energy from the production process and require a significant investment in pollution control. Traditionally, pollution control relies on ``end-of-the-pipe`` and ``out-the-back-door`` management approaches that require labor hours, energy, materials, and capital expenditures. Such an approach removes pollutants from one source, such as wastewater, but places them somewhere else, such as in a landfill. More regulations, higher disposal expenses, increased liability costs, and increased public awareness have caused industrial and governmental leadersmore » to begin critical examinations of end-of-the-pipe control technologies. The value of reducing waste during the manufacturing process has become apparent to many industries. These companies are looking at broader environmental management objectives, rather than concentrating solely on pollution control. Waste reduction not only is very often economically beneficial for an industry, it also improves the quality of the environment.« less

Variance in State Protection from Exposure to NORM and TENORM Wastes Generated During Unconventional Oil and Gas Operations: Where We Are and Where We Need to Go.

PubMed

Ann Glass Geltman, Elizabeth; LeClair, Nichole

2018-01-01

Radioactive materials for the medical, technological, and industrial sectors have been effectively regulated in the United States since as early as 1962. The steady increase in the exploration and production of shale gas in recent years has led to concerns about exposures to Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) and Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) in oil and gas waste streams. This study applied policy surveillance methods to conduct a cross-sectional fifty-state survey of law and regulations of NORM and TENORM waste from oil and gas operations. Results indicated that seventeen states drafted express regulations to reduce exposure to oil and gas NORM and TENORM waste. States with active oil and gas drilling that lack regulations controlling exposure to NORM and TENORM may leave the public and workers susceptible to adverse health effects from radiation. The study concludes with recommendations in regard to regulating oil and gas NORM and TENORM waste.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kanat, Gurdal, E-mail: gkanat@gmail.co

Istanbul, with a population of around 13 million people, is located between Europe and Asia and is the biggest city in Turkey. Metropolitan Istanbul produces about 14,000 tons of solid waste per day. The aim of this study was to assess the situation of municipal solid-waste (MSW) management in Istanbul. This was achieved by reviewing the quantity and composition of waste produced in Istanbul. Current requirements and challenges in relation to the optimization of Istanbul's MSW collection and management system are also discussed, and several suggestions for solving the problems identified are presented. The recovery of solid waste from themore » landfills, as well as the amounts of landfill-generated biogas and electricity, were evaluated. In recent years, MSW management in Istanbul has improved because of strong governance and institutional involvement. However, efforts directed toward applied research are still required to enable better waste management. These efforts will greatly support decision making on the part of municipal authorities. There remains a great need to reduce the volume of MSW in Istanbul.« less

Synthesis of methyl esters from waste cooking oil using construction waste material as solid base catalyst.

PubMed

Balakrishnan, K; Olutoye, M A; Hameed, B H

2013-01-01

The current research investigates synthesis of methyl esters by transesterification of waste cooking oil in a heterogeneous system, using barium meliorated construction site waste marble as solid base catalyst. The pretreated catalyst was calcined at 830 °C for 4h prior to its activity test to obtained solid oxide characterized by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy, BET surface area and pore size measurement. It was found that the as prepared catalyst has large pores which contributed to its high activity in transesterification reaction. The methyl ester yield of 88% was obtained when the methanol/oil molar ratio was 9:1, reaction temperature at 65 °C, reaction time 3h and catalyst/oil mass ratio of 3.0 wt.%. The catalyst can be reused over three cycles, offer low operating conditions, reduce energy consumption and waste generation in the production of biodiesel. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of municipal solid waste transportation by integrating GIS analysis, equation-based, and agent-based model.

PubMed

Nguyen-Trong, Khanh; Nguyen-Thi-Ngoc, Anh; Nguyen-Ngoc, Doanh; Dinh-Thi-Hai, Van

2017-01-01

The amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) has been increasing steadily over the last decade by reason of population rising and waste generation rate. In most of the urban areas, disposal sites are usually located outside of the urban areas due to the scarcity of land. There is no fixed route map for transportation. The current waste collection and transportation are already overloaded arising from the lack of facilities and insufficient resources. In this paper, a model for optimizing municipal solid waste collection will be proposed. Firstly, the optimized plan is developed in a static context, and then it is integrated into a dynamic context using multi-agent based modelling and simulation. A case study related to Hagiang City, Vietnam, is presented to show the efficiency of the proposed model. From the optimized results, it has been found that the cost of the MSW collection is reduced by 11.3%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prediction of household and commercial BMW generation according to socio-economic and other factors for the Dublin region.

PubMed

Purcell, M; Magette, W L

2009-04-01

Both planning and design of integrated municipal solid waste management systems require accurate prediction of waste generation. This research predicted the quantity and distribution of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) generation within a diverse 'landscape' of residential areas, as well as from a variety of commercial establishments (restaurants, hotels, hospitals, etc.) in the Dublin (Ireland) region. Socio-economic variables, housing types, and the sizes and main activities of commercial establishments were hypothesized as the key determinants contributing to the spatial variability of BMW generation. A geographical information system (GIS) 'model' of BMW generation was created using ArcMap, a component of ArcGIS 9. Statistical data including socio-economic status and household size were mapped on an electoral district basis. Historical research and data from scientific literature were used to assign BMW generation rates to residential and commercial establishments. These predictions were combined to give overall BMW estimates for the region, which can aid waste planning and policy decisions. This technique will also aid the design of future waste management strategies, leading to policy and practice alterations as a function of demographic changes and development. The household prediction technique gave a more accurate overall estimate of household waste generation than did the social class technique. Both techniques produced estimates that differed from the reported local authority data; however, given that local authority reported figures for the region are below the national average, with some of the waste generated from apartment complexes being reported as commercial waste, predictions arising from this research are believed to be closer to actual waste generation than a comparison to reported data would suggest. By changing the input data, this estimation tool can be adapted for use in other locations. Although focusing on waste in the Dublin region, this method of waste prediction can have significant potential benefits if a universal method can be found to apply it effectively.

Hydrolytic pre-treatment methods for enhanced biobutanol production from agro-industrial wastes.

PubMed

Maiti, Sampa; Gallastegui, Gorka; Suresh, Gayatri; Sarma, Saurabh Jyoti; Brar, Satinder Kaur; Drogui, Patrick; LeBihan, Yann; Buelna, Gerardo; Verma, Mausam; Soccol, Carlos Ricardo

2018-02-01

Brewery industry liquid waste (BLW), brewery spent grain (BSG), apple pomace solid wastes (APS), apple pomace ultrafiltration sludge (APUS) and starch industry wastewater (SIW) have been considered as substrates to produce biobutanol. Efficiency of hydrolysis techniques tested to produce fermentable sugars depended on nature of agro-industrial wastes and process conditions. Acid-catalysed hydrolysis of BLW and BSG gave a total reducing sugar yield of 0.433 g/g and 0.468 g/g respectively. Reducing sugar yield from microwave assisted hydrothermal method was 0.404 g/g from APS and 0.631 g/g from APUS, and, 0.359 g/g from microwave assisted acid-catalysed SIW dry mass. Parameter optimization (time, pH and substrate concentration) for acid-catalysed BLW hydrolysate utilization using central composite model technique produced 307.9 g/kg glucose with generation of inhibitors (5-hydroxymethyl furfural (20 g/kg), furfural (1.6 g/kg), levulinic acid (9.3 g/kg) and total phenolic compound (0.567 g/kg)). 10.62 g/L of acetone-butanol-ethanol was produced by subsequent clostridial fermentation of the substrate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing the management of healthcare waste in Hawassa city, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Israel Deneke Haylamicheal; Mohamed Aqiel Dalvie; Biruck Desalegn Yirsaw; Hanibale Atsbeha Zegeye

2011-08-01

Inadequate management of healthcare waste is a serious concern in many developing countries due to the risks posed to human health and the environment. This study aimed to evaluate healthcare waste management in Hawassa city, Ethiopia. The study was conducted in nine healthcare facilities (HCFs) including hospitals (four), health centres (two) and higher clinics (three) in two phases, first to assess the waste management aspect and second to determine daily waste generation rate. The result showed that the median quantity of waste generated at the facilities was 3.46 kg bed(-1) day(-1) (range: 1.48-8.19 kg bed(-1) day(-1)). The quantity of waste per day generated at a HCF increased as occupancy increased (p < 0.001). The percentage hazardous waste generated at government HCFs was more than at private HCFs (p < 0.05). The proportion of hazardous waste (20-63.1%) generated at the different HCFs was much higher than the WHO recommendation (10-25%). There was no waste segregation in most HCFs and only one used a complete color coding system. Solid waste and wastewater were stored, transported, treated and disposed inappropriately at all HCFs. Needle-stick injuries were prevalent in 25-100% of waste handlers employed at these HCFs. Additionally, low levels of training and awareness of waste legislation was prevalent amongst staff. The study showed that management of healthcare waste at HCFs to be poor. Waste management practices need to be improved through improved legislation and enforcement, and training of staff in the healthcare facilities in Hawassa.

Characterizing Urban Household Waste Generation and Metabolism Considering Community Stratification in a Rapid Urbanizing Area of China.

PubMed

Xiao, Lishan; Lin, Tao; Chen, Shaohua; Zhang, Guoqin; Ye, Zhilong; Yu, Zhaowu

2015-01-01

The relationship between social stratification and municipal solid waste generation remains uncertain under current rapid urbanization. Based on a multi-object spatial sampling technique, we selected 191 households in a rapidly urbanizing area of Xiamen, China. The selected communities were classified into three types: work-unit, transitional, and commercial communities in the context of housing policy reform in China. Field survey data were used to characterize household waste generation patterns considering community stratification. Our results revealed a disparity in waste generation profiles among different households. The three community types differed with respect to family income, living area, religious affiliation, and homeowner occupation. Income, family structure, and lifestyle caused significant differences in waste generation among work-unit, transitional, and commercial communities, respectively. Urban waste generation patterns are expected to evolve due to accelerating urbanization and associated community transition. A multi-scale integrated analysis of societal and ecosystem metabolism approach was applied to waste metabolism linking it to particular socioeconomic conditions that influence material flows and their evolution. Waste metabolism, both pace and density, was highest for family structure driven patterns, followed by lifestyle and income driven. The results will guide community-specific management policies in rapidly urbanizing areas.

Waste Characterization Methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vigil-Holterman, Luciana R.; Naranjo, Felicia Danielle

2016-02-02

This report discusses ways to classify waste as outlined by LANL. Waste Generators must make a waste determination and characterize regulated waste by appropriate analytical testing or use of acceptable knowledge (AK). Use of AK for characterization requires several source documents. Waste characterization documentation must be accurate, sufficient, and current (i.e., updated); relevant and traceable to the waste stream’s generation, characterization, and management; and not merely a list of information sources.

Waste Information Record Keeping System (WIRKS) in Romania

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dogaru, D.M.; Raducea, D.; Dogaru, G.

2006-07-01

In Romania there is no common national WIRKS used by all waste management organizations. Each waste management organization uses an own WIRKS. The regulatory authority approves the WIRKS of each radioactive waste facility and checks the recordings during the process of authorization. This paper summarizes the regulatory requirements regarding to WIRKS, the types of the waste generators, facilities and their waste classification of radioactive waste. Also the paper summarizes the WIRKS applied to the most important waste generators. (authors)

Quantitative assessment of medical waste generation in the capital city of Bangladesh

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patwary, Masum A.; O'Hare, William Thomas; Street, Graham

2009-08-15

There is a concern that mismanagement of medical waste in developing countries may be a significant risk factor for disease transmission. Quantitative estimation of medical waste generation is needed to estimate the potential risk and as a basis for any waste management plan. Dhaka City, the capital of Bangladesh, is an example of a major city in a developing country where there has been no rigorous estimation of medical waste generation based upon a thorough scientific study. These estimates were obtained by stringent weighing of waste in a carefully chosen, representative, sample of HCEs, including non-residential diagnostic centres. This studymore » used a statistically designed sampling of waste generation in a broad range of Health Care Establishments (HCEs) to indicate that the amount of waste produced in Dhaka can be estimated to be 37 {+-} 5 ton per day. The proportion of this waste that would be classified as hazardous waste by World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines was found to be approximately 21%. The amount of waste, and the proportion of hazardous waste, was found to vary significantly with the size and type of HCE.« less

Low-level radioactive waste management handbook series: Low-level radioactive waste management in medical and biomedical research institutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1987-03-01

Development of this handbook began in 1982 at the request of the Radhealth Branch of the California Department of Health Services. California Assembly Bill 1513 directed the DHS to ''evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of (1) reducing the volume, reactivity, and chemical and radioactive hazard of (low-level radioactive) waste and (2) substituting nonradioactive or short-lived radioactive materials for those radionuclides which require long-term isolation from the environment. A contract awarded to the University of California at Irvine-UCI (California Std. Agreement 79902), to develop a document focusing on methods for decreasing low-level radioactive waste (LLW) generation in institutions was amore » result of that directive. In early 1985, the US Department of Energy, through EG and G Idaho, Inc., contracted with UCI to expand, update, and revise the California text for national release.« less

Implementation of lean manufacturing for frozen fish process at PT. XYZ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setiyawan, D. T.; Pertiwijaya, H. R.; Effendi, U.

2018-03-01

PT. XYZ is a company specialized in the processing of fishery products particularly in frozen fish fillet. The purpose of this research was to identify the type of waste and determine the recommendations of minimizing waste Lean manufacturing approach was used in the identification of waste by describing the Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and selecting tools in the Value Stream Analysis Tools (VALSAT). The results of this research showed that the highest waste that generated was the defect of leak packaging on fillet products with an average of 1.21%. In addition to defect, other insufficiencies were found such as: unnecessary motion, unnecessary overhead, and waiting time. Recommendations for improvements that given include reduction of time at several stages of the process, making production schedules, and conducting regular machine maintenance. VSM analysis shows reduced lead time of 582.04 minutes to 572.01 minutes.

Determinants of recycling common types of plastic product waste in environmental horticulture industry: The case of Georgia.

PubMed

Meng, Ting; Klepacka, Anna M; Florkowski, Wojciech J; Braman, Kristine

2016-02-01

Environmental horticulture firms provide a variety of commercial/residential landscape products and services encompassing ornamental plant production, design, installation, and maintenance. The companies generate tons of waste including plastic containers, trays, and greenhouse/field covers, creating the need to reduce and utilize plastic waste. Based on survey data collected in Georgia in 2013, this paper investigates determinants of the environmental horticulture firms' recycling decision (plastic containers, flats, and greenhouse poly). Our findings indicate that the decision to discard vs. recycle plastic containers, flats, and greenhouse poly is significantly influenced by firm scope, size, location, and partnership with recycling providers, as well as whether recycling providers offer additional waste pickup services. Insights from this study are of use to local governments and environmental organizations interested in increasing horticultural firm participation in recycling programs and lowering the volume of plastic destined for landfills. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

POTENTIAL IMPACT OF BLENDING RESIDUAL SOLIDS FROM TANKS 18/19 MOUNDS WITH TANK 7 OPERATIONS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eibling, R; Erich Hansen, E; Bradley Pickenheim, B

2007-03-29

High level waste tanks 18F and 19F have residual mounds of waste which may require removal before the tanks can be closed. Conventional slurry pump technology, previously used for waste removal and tank cleaning, has been incapable of removing theses mounds from tanks 18F and 19F. A mechanical cleaning method has been identified that is potentially capable of removing and transferring the mound material to tank 7F for incorporation in a sludge batch for eventual disposal in high level waste glass by the Defense Waste Processing Facility. The Savannah River National Laboratory has been requested to evaluate whether the materialmore » transferred from tanks 18F/19F by the mechanical cleaning technology can later be suspended in Tank 7F by conventional slurry pumps after mixing with high level waste sludge. The proposed mechanical cleaning process for removing the waste mounds from tanks 18 and 19 may utilize a high pressure water jet-eductor that creates a vacuum to mobilize solids. The high pressure jet is also used to transport the suspended solids. The jet-eductor system will be mounted on a mechanical crawler for movement around the bottom of tanks 18 and 19. Based on physical chemical property testing of the jet-eductor system processed IE-95 zeolite and size-reduced IE-95 zeolite, the following conclusions were made: (1) The jet-eductor system processed zeolite has a mean and median particle size (volume basis) of 115.4 and 43.3 microns in water. Preferential settling of these large particles is likely. (2) The jet-eductor system processed zeolite rapidly generates settled solid yield stresses in excess of 11,000 Pascals in caustic supernates and will not be easily retrieved from Tank 7 with the existing slurry pump technology. (3) Settled size-reduced IE-95 zeolite (less than 38 microns) in caustic supernate does not generate yield stresses in excess of 600 Pascals in less than 30 days. (4) Preferential settling of size-reduced zeolite is a function of the amount of sludge and the level of dilution for the mixture. (5) Blending the size-reduced zeolite into larger quantities of sludge can reduce the amount of preferential settling. (6) Periodic dilution or resuspension due to sludge washing or other mixing requirements will increase the chances of preferential settling of the zeolite solids. (7) Mixtures of Purex sludge and size-reduced zeolite did not produce yield stresses greater than 200 Pascals for settling times less than thirty days. Most of the sludge-zeolite blends did not exceed 50 Pascals. These mixtures should be removable by current pump technology if sufficient velocities can be obtained. (8) The settling rate of the sludge-zeolite mixtures is a function of the ionic strength (or supernate density) and the zeolite- sludge mixing ratio. (9) Simulant tests indicate that leaching of Si may be an issue for the processed Tank 19 mound material. (10) Floating zeolite fines observed in water for the jet-eductor system and size-reduced zeolite were not observed when the size-reduced zeolite was blended with caustic solutions, indicating that the caustic solutions cause the fines to agglomerate. Based on the test programs described in this report, the potential for successfully removing Tank 18/19 mound material from Tank 7 with the current slurry pump technology requires the reduction of the particle size of the Tank 18/19 mound material.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edjabou, Maklawe Essonanawe, E-mail: vine@env.dtu.dk; Jensen, Morten Bang; Götze, Ramona

Highlights: • Tiered approach to waste sorting ensures flexibility and facilitates comparison of solid waste composition data. • Food and miscellaneous wastes are the main fractions contributing to the residual household waste. • Separation of food packaging from food leftovers during sorting is not critical for determination of the solid waste composition. - Abstract: Sound waste management and optimisation of resource recovery require reliable data on solid waste generation and composition. In the absence of standardised and commonly accepted waste characterisation methodologies, various approaches have been reported in literature. This limits both comparability and applicability of the results. In thismore » study, a waste sampling and sorting methodology for efficient and statistically robust characterisation of solid waste was introduced. The methodology was applied to residual waste collected from 1442 households distributed among 10 individual sub-areas in three Danish municipalities (both single and multi-family house areas). In total 17 tonnes of waste were sorted into 10–50 waste fractions, organised according to a three-level (tiered approach) facilitating comparison of the waste data between individual sub-areas with different fractionation (waste from one municipality was sorted at “Level III”, e.g. detailed, while the two others were sorted only at “Level I”). The results showed that residual household waste mainly contained food waste (42 ± 5%, mass per wet basis) and miscellaneous combustibles (18 ± 3%, mass per wet basis). The residual household waste generation rate in the study areas was 3–4 kg per person per week. Statistical analyses revealed that the waste composition was independent of variations in the waste generation rate. Both, waste composition and waste generation rates were statistically similar for each of the three municipalities. While the waste generation rates were similar for each of the two housing types (single-family and multi-family house areas), the individual percentage composition of food waste, paper, and glass was significantly different between the housing types. This indicates that housing type is a critical stratification parameter. Separating food leftovers from food packaging during manual sorting of the sampled waste did not have significant influence on the proportions of food waste and packaging materials, indicating that this step may not be required.« less

Forecasting municipal solid waste generation using prognostic tools and regression analysis.

PubMed

Ghinea, Cristina; Drăgoi, Elena Niculina; Comăniţă, Elena-Diana; Gavrilescu, Marius; Câmpean, Teofil; Curteanu, Silvia; Gavrilescu, Maria

2016-11-01

For an adequate planning of waste management systems the accurate forecast of waste generation is an essential step, since various factors can affect waste trends. The application of predictive and prognosis models are useful tools, as reliable support for decision making processes. In this paper some indicators such as: number of residents, population age, urban life expectancy, total municipal solid waste were used as input variables in prognostic models in order to predict the amount of solid waste fractions. We applied Waste Prognostic Tool, regression analysis and time series analysis to forecast municipal solid waste generation and composition by considering the Iasi Romania case study. Regression equations were determined for six solid waste fractions (paper, plastic, metal, glass, biodegradable and other waste). Accuracy Measures were calculated and the results showed that S-curve trend model is the most suitable for municipal solid waste (MSW) prediction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Healthcare waste generation and management practice in government health centers of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Tadesse, Menelik Legesse; Kumie, Abera

2014-11-25

Healthcare wastes are hazardous organic and inorganic wastes. The waste disposal management in Addis Ababa city is seen unscientific manner. The waste management practice in the health facilities are poor and need improvement. This study will help different organizations, stakeholders and policy makers to correct and improve the existing situation of healthcare waste legislation and enforcement and training of staff in the healthcare facilities in Addis Ababa. The study aimed to assess the existing generation and management practice of healthcare waste in selected government health centers of Addis Ababa. The cross-sectional study was conducted to quantify waste generation rate and evaluate its management system. The study area was Addis Ababa. The sample size was determined by simple random sampling technique, the sampling procedure involved 10 sub-cities of Addis Ababa. Data were collected using both waste collecting and measuring equipment and check list. The Data was entered by EPI INFO version 6.04d and analyzed by and SPSS for WINDOW version15. The mean (±SD) healthcare waste generation rate was 9.61 ± 3.28 kg/day of which (38%) 3.64 ± 1.45 kg/day was general or non-hazardous waste and (62%) 5.97 ± 2.31 kg/day was hazardous. The mean healthcare waste generation rate between health centers was a significant different with Kurskal-Wallis test (χ2 = 21.83, p-value = 0.009). All health centers used safety boxes for collection of sharp wastes and all health centers used plastic buckets without lid for collection and transportation of healthcare waste. Pre treatment of infectious wastes was not practiced by any of the health centers. All health centers used incinerators and had placenta pit for disposal of pathological waste however only seven out of ten pits had proper covering material. Segregation of wastes at point of generation with appropriate collection materials and pre- treatment of infectious waste before disposal should be practiced. Training should be given to healthcare workers and waste handlers. Incinerators must be constructed in a manner that facilitates complete combustion and the lining of placenta pit should be constructed in water tight material.

Production and degradation of polyhydroxyalkanoates in waste environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, S.Y.; Choi, J.

1999-06-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are energy/carbon storage materials accumulated under unfavorable growth condition in the presence of excess carbon source. PHAs are attracting much attention as substitute for non-degradable petrochemically derived plastics because of their similar material properties to conventional plastics and complete biodegradability under natural environment upon disposal. In this paper, PHA production and degradation in waste environment as well as its role in biological phosphorus removal are reviewed. In biological phosphorus removal process, bacteria accumulating polyphosphate (poly P) uptake carbon substrates and accumulate these as PHA by utilizing energy from breaking down poly P under anaerobic conditions. In the followingmore » aerobic condition, accumulated PHA is utilized for energy generation and for the regeneration of poly P. PHA production from waste has been investigated in order to utilize abundant organic compounds in waste water. Since PHA content and PHA productivity that can be obtained are rather low, PHA production from waste product should be considered as a coupled process for reducing the amount of organic waste. PHAs can be rapidly degraded to completion in municipal anaerobic sludge by various microorganisms.« less

Biomass adaptation over anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and trapped grease waste.

PubMed

Silvestre, G; Rodríguez-Abalde, A; Fernández, B; Flotats, X; Bonmatí, A

2011-07-01

The feasibility of sewage sludge co-digestion using intermediate waste generated inside a wastewater treatment plant, i.e. trapped grease waste from the dissolved air flotation unit, has been assessed in a continuous stirred lab reactor operating at 35°C with a hydraulic retention time of 20 days. Three different periods of co-digestion were carried out as the grease waste dose was increased. When the grease waste addition was 23% of the volatile solids fed (organic loading rate 3.0 kg(COD)m(-3)d(-1)), an increase in methane yield of 138% was reported. Specific activity tests suggested that anaerobic biomass had adapted to the co-substrate. The adapted inoculum showed higher acetoclastic methanogenic and β-oxidation synthrophic acetogenic activities but lower hydrogenotrophic methanogenic activity. The results indicate that a slow increase in the grease waste dose could be a strategy that favours biomass acclimation to fat-rich co-substrate, increases long chain fatty acid degradation and reduces the latter's inhibitory effect. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Municipal solid-waste management in Istanbul.

PubMed

Kanat, Gurdal

2010-01-01

Istanbul, with a population of around 13 million people, is located between Europe and Asia and is the biggest city in Turkey. Metropolitan Istanbul produces about 14,000 tons of solid waste per day. The aim of this study was to assess the situation of municipal solid-waste (MSW) management in Istanbul. This was achieved by reviewing the quantity and composition of waste produced in Istanbul. Current requirements and challenges in relation to the optimization of Istanbul's MSW collection and management system are also discussed, and several suggestions for solving the problems identified are presented. The recovery of solid waste from the landfills, as well as the amounts of landfill-generated biogas and electricity, were evaluated. In recent years, MSW management in Istanbul has improved because of strong governance and institutional involvement. However, efforts directed toward applied research are still required to enable better waste management. These efforts will greatly support decision making on the part of municipal authorities. There remains a great need to reduce the volume of MSW in Istanbul. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Inhibition of chlorobenzene formation via various routes during waste incineration by ammonium sulfate and urea].

PubMed

Yan, Mi; Qi, Zhi-Fu; Li, Xiao-Dong; Hu, Yan-Jun; Chen, Tong

2014-01-01

Chlorobenzene (CBz) is the precursor of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) generated in the processes of waste incineration, and it is regarded as a good indicator of PCDD/Fs for realizing PCDD/Fs online monitoring, moreover, pentachlorobenzene (PeCBz) and Hexachlorobenzene (HxCBz) belong to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). However, the emission control of CBz in waste incineration does not attract enough attention, so this study focused on the inhibition of the 3 CBz formation routes in waste combustion by ammonium sulfate and urea, including CB formation from fly ash, CB formation from 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-DiCBz) and the combustion of model medical waste. The results showed that both ammonium sulfate and urea reduced CBz yield during these three thermal processes. For instance, the inhibition rates of tetrachlorobenzene (TeCBz), PeCBz and HxCBz were 66.8%, 57.4% and 50.4%, respectively, when 1% urea was co-combusted with medical waste. By comparing the effect of ammonium sulfate and urea on CBz formation by three routes, urea was considered as a comparatively stable inhibitor for CBz.

Investigation and analysis of medical waste generation in Enshi area of Hubei Province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dengchao, Jin; Hongjun, Teng; Zhenbo, Bao; Yang, Li

2017-03-01

Based on medical waste collecting data of Enshi medical waste disposal center. The generation of medical waste and its change trend in Enshi area were both studied. The influencing factors and changing rules of medical waste generation were also analyzed. It can be found that the amount of medical waste in Enshi area is increasing year by year, the average annual growth rate of about 6.14% between 2011-2014. It was also found that the output of medical wastes varied regularity by seasons. February was the lowest month for medical waste, March and July were the peak months. By statistical analysis, average annual medical waste production per 10000 people was 4.5 ton and per bed average annual production was 133.58 kg.

FGF-23 transgenic mice demonstrate hypophosphatemic rickets with reduced expression of sodium phosphate cotransporter type IIa.

PubMed

Shimada, Takashi; Urakawa, Itaru; Yamazaki, Yuji; Hasegawa, Hisashi; Hino, Rieko; Yoneya, Takashi; Takeuchi, Yasuhiro; Fujita, Toshiro; Fukumoto, Seiji; Yamashita, Takeyoshi

2004-02-06

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23 was identified as a causative factor of tumor-induced osteomalacia and also as a responsible gene for autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets. To clarify the pathophysiological roles of FGF-23 in these diseases, we generated its transgenic mice. The transgenic mice expressing human FGF-23 reproduced the common clinical features of these diseases such as hypophosphatemia probably due to increased renal phosphate wasting, inappropriately low serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D level, and rachitic bone. The renal phosphate wasting in the transgenic mice was accompanied by the reduced expression of sodium phosphate cotransporter type IIa in renal proximal tubules. These results reinforce the notion that the excessive action of FGF-23 plays a causative role in the development of several hypophosphatemic rickets/osteomalacia.

Environmental assessment, finding of no significant impact, and response to comments. Radioactive waste storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The Department of Energy`s (DOE) Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (the Site), formerly known as the Rocky Flats Plant, has generated radioactive, hazardous, and mixed waste (waste with both radioactive and hazardous constituents) since it began operations in 1952. Such wastes were the byproducts of the Site`s original mission to produce nuclear weapons components. Since 1989, when weapons component production ceased, waste has been generated as a result of the Site`s new mission of environmental restoration and deactivation, decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of buildings. It is anticipated that the existing onsite waste storage capacity, which meets the criteria for low-levelmore » waste (LL), low-level mixed waste (LLM), transuranic (TRU) waste, and TRU mixed waste (TRUM) would be completely filled in early 1997. At that time, either waste generating activities must cease, waste must be shipped offsite, or new waste storage capacity must be developed.« less

Food waste-to-energy conversion technologies: current status and future directions.

PubMed

Pham, Thi Phuong Thuy; Kaushik, Rajni; Parshetti, Ganesh K; Mahmood, Russell; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar

2015-04-01

Food waste represents a significantly fraction of municipal solid waste. Proper management and recycling of huge volumes of food waste are required to reduce its environmental burdens and to minimize risks to human health. Food waste is indeed an untapped resource with great potential for energy production. Utilization of food waste for energy conversion currently represents a challenge due to various reasons. These include its inherent heterogeneously variable compositions, high moisture contents and low calorific value, which constitute an impediment for the development of robust, large scale, and efficient industrial processes. Although a considerable amount of research has been carried out on the conversion of food waste to renewable energy, there is a lack of comprehensive and systematic reviews of the published literature. The present review synthesizes the current knowledge available in the use of technologies for food-waste-to-energy conversion involving biological (e.g. anaerobic digestion and fermentation), thermal and thermochemical technologies (e.g. incineration, pyrolysis, gasification and hydrothermal oxidation). The competitive advantages of these technologies as well as the challenges associated with them are discussed. In addition, the future directions for more effective utilization of food waste for renewable energy generation are suggested from an interdisciplinary perspective. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emission factors and congener-specific characterization of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PBDD/Fs and PBDEs from an off-road diesel engine using waste cooking oil-based biodiesel blends.

PubMed

Chen, Shui-Jen; Tsai, Jen-Hsiung; Chang-Chien, Guo-Ping; Huang, Kuo-Lin; Wang, Lin-Chi; Lin, Wen-Yinn; Lin, Chih-Chung; Yeh, C Kuei-Jyum

2017-10-05

Few studies have been performed up to now on the emission factors and congener profiles of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) emitted from off-road diesel engines. This investigation elucidates the emission factors and congener profiles of various POPs, namely polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polybrominated dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), in the exhausts of a diesel generator fueled with different waste cooking oil-based biodiesel (WCO-based biodiesel) blends. The PCDD/Fs contributed 87.2% of total dioxin-like toxicity (PCDD/Fs+PCBs+PBDD/Fs) in the exhaust, while the PCBs and PBDD/Fs only contributed 8.2% and 4.6%, respectively. Compared with petroleum diesel, B20 (20vol% WCO-based biodiesel+80vol% diesel) reduced total toxicity by 46.5% for PCDD/Fs, 47.1% for PCBs, and 24.5% for PBDD/Fs, while B40 (40vol% WCO-based biodiesel+60vol% diesel) reduced it by 89.5% for PCDD/Fs, 57.1% for PCBs, and 63.2% for PBDD/Fs in POP emission factors. The use of WCO-based biodiesel not only solves the problem of waste oil disposal, but also lowers POP emissions from diesel generators. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exposure-Reducing Behaviors among Residents Living near a Coal Ash Storage Site

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zierold, Kristina M.; Sears, Clara G.; Brock, Guy N.

2016-01-01

Coal ash, a waste product generated from burning coal for energy, is composed of highly respirable particles containing heavy metals, radioactive elements, and polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons. Coal ash is stored in landfills and surface impoundments frequently located near neighborhoods. Fugitive dust from the storage sites exposes neighborhoods,…

Methodology for quantification of waste generated in Spanish railway construction works.

PubMed

de Guzmán Báez, Ana; Villoria Sáez, Paola; del Río Merino, Mercedes; García Navarro, Justo

2012-05-01

In the last years, the European Union (EU) has been focused on the reduction of construction and demolition (C&D) waste. Specifically, in 2006, Spain generated roughly 47million tons of C&D waste, of which only 13.6% was recycled. This situation has lead to the drawing up of many regulations on C&D waste during the past years forcing EU countries to include new measures for waste prevention and recycling. Among these measures, the mandatory obligation to quantify the C&D waste expected to be originated during a construction project is mandated. However, limited data is available on civil engineering projects. Therefore, the aim of this research study is to improve C&D waste management in railway projects, by developing a model for C&D waste quantification. For this purpose, we develop two equations which estimate in advance the amount, both in weight and volume, of the C&D waste likely to be generated in railway construction projects, including the category of C&D waste generated for the entire project. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Heat Generation on Nuclear Waste Disposal in Salt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clayton, D. J.

2008-12-01

Disposal of nuclear waste in salt is an established technology, as evidenced by the successful operations of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) since 1999. The WIPP is located in bedded salt in southeastern New Mexico and is a deep underground facility for transuranic (TRU) nuclear waste disposal. There are many advantages for placing radioactive wastes in a geologic bedded-salt environment. One desirable mechanical characteristic of salt is that it flows plastically with time ("creeps"). The rate of salt creep is a strong function of temperature and stress differences. Higher temperatures and deviatoric stresses increase the creep rate. As the salt creeps, induced fractures may be closed and eventually healed, which then effectively seals the waste in place. With a backfill of crushed salt emplaced around the waste, the salt creep can cause the crushed salt to reconsolidate and heal to a state similar to intact salt, serving as an efficient seal. Experiments in the WIPP were conducted to investigate the effects of heat generation on the important phenomena and processes in and around the repository (Munson et al. 1987; 1990; 1992a; 1992b). Brine migration towards the heaters was induced from the thermal gradient, while salt creep rates showed an exponential dependence on temperature. The project "Backfill and Material Behavior in Underground Salt Repositories, Phase II" (BAMBUS II) studied the crushed salt backfill and material behavior with heat generation at the Asse mine located near Remlingen, Germany (Bechthold et al. 2004). Increased salt creep rates and significant reconsolidation of the crushed salt were observed at the termination of the experiment. Using the data provided from both projects, exploratory modeling of the thermal-mechanical response of salt has been conducted with varying thermal loading and waste spacing. Increased thermal loading and decreased waste spacing drive the system to higher temperatures, while both factors are desired to reduce costs, as well as decrease the overall footprint of the repository. Higher temperatures increase the rate of salt creep which then effectively seals the waste quicker. Data of the thermal-mechanical response of salt at these higher temperatures is needed to further validate the exploratory modeling and provide meaningful constraints on the repository design. Sandia is a multi program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04- 94AL85000.

Microbial Characterization of Solid-Wastes Treated with Heat Melt Compaction Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strayer, Richard F.; Hummerick, Mary E.; Richards, Jeffrey T.; McCoy, LaShelle E.; Roberts, Michael S.; Wheeler, Raymond M.

2011-01-01

The research purpose of the project was to determine the fate of microorganisms in space-generated solid wastes after processing by a Heat Melt Compactor (HMC), which is a candidate solid waste treatment technology. Five HMC product disks were generated at Ames Research Center (ARC), Waste Management Systems element. The feed for two was simulated space-generated trash and feed for three was Volume F compartment wet waste returned on STS 130. Conventional microbiological methods were used to detect and enumerate microorganisms in HMC disks and in surface swab samples of HMC hardware before and after operation. Also, biological indicator test strips were added to the STS trash prior to compaction to test if HMC processing conditions, 150 C for approx 3 hr and dehydration, were sufficient to eliminate the test bacteria on the strips. During sample acquisition at KSC, the HMC disk surfaces were sanitized with 70% alcohol to prevent contamination of disk interiors. Results from microbiological assays indicated that numbers of microbes were greatly reduced but not eliminated by the 70% alcohol. Ten 1.25 cm diameter cores were aseptically cut from each disk to sample the disk interior. The core material was run through the microbial characterization analyses after dispersal in sterile diluent. Low counts of viable bacteria (5 to 50 per core) were found but total direct counts were 6 to 8 orders of magnitude greater. These results indicate that the HMC operating conditions might not be sufficient for complete waste sterilization, but the vast majority of microbes present in the wastes were dead or non-cultivable after HMC treatment. The results obtained from analyses of the commercial spore test strips that had been added fo the wastes prior to HMC operation further indicated that the HMC was sterilizing the wastes. Nearly all strips were recovered from the HMC disks and all of these were negative for spore growth when run through the manufacturer's protocol. The 10(exp 6) or so spores impregnated into the strips were no longer viable. Control test strips, i.e., not exposed to the HMC conditions, were all strongly positive. All isolates from the cultivable counts were identified, leading to one concern: several were identified as Staphylococcus aureus, a human pathogen. The project reported here provides microbial characterization support to the Waste Management Systems element of the Life Support and Habitation Systems program.

Hospital waste management in Brazil: a case study.

PubMed

Mattoso, V D; Schalch, V

2001-12-01

The evaluation of the current definition, classification and quantification of hospital waste being carried out by hospitals in different countries is extremely important to avoid improper waste management practices. In this work, the waste management from a 400-bed Brazilian hospital which generates about 386 kg per day of hospital waste was studied. The generation rate of just over one kg per bed per day was considered small, although more than 50% of the waste from non-isolation wards consisted of food waste. It was also interesting to note that the highest generation rate per patient per day was found in private rooms and the lowest rate in the public ones. The waste practices used in this hospital are discussed in terms of current Brazilian legislation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Osmanlioglu, Ahmet Erdal

Pre-treatment of radioactive waste is the first step in waste management program that occurs after waste generation from various applications in Turkey. Pre-treatment and characterization practices are carried out in Radioactive Waste Management Unit (RWMU) at Cekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center (CNRTC) in Istanbul. This facility has been assigned to take all low-level radioactive wastes generated by nuclear applications in Turkey. The wastes are generated from research and nuclear applications mainly in medicine, biology, agriculture, quality control in metal processing and construction industries. These wastes are classified as low- level radioactive wastes. Pre-treatment practices cover several steps. In thismore » paper, main steps of pre-treatment and characterization are presented. Basically these are; collection, segregation, chemical adjustment, size reduction and decontamination operations. (author)« less

Flowsheets and source terms for radioactive waste projections

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forsberg, C.W.

1985-03-01

Flowsheets and source terms used to generate radioactive waste projections in the Integrated Data Base (IDB) Program are given. Volumes of each waste type generated per unit product throughput have been determined for the following facilities: uranium mining, UF/sub 6/ conversion, uranium enrichment, fuel fabrication, boiling-water reactors (BWRs), pressurized-water reactors (PWRs), and fuel reprocessing. Source terms for DOE/defense wastes have been developed. Expected wastes from typical decommissioning operations for each facility type have been determined. All wastes are also characterized by isotopic composition at time of generation and by general chemical composition. 70 references, 21 figures, 53 tables.

Special Analysis: 2016-001 Analysis of the Potential Under-Reporting of Am-241 Inventory for Nitrate Salt Waste at Area G

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chu, Shaoping; Stauffer, Philip H.; Birdsell, Kay Hanson

The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) generates radioactive waste as a result of various activities. Operational waste is generated from a wide variety of research and development activities including nuclear weapons development, energy production, and medical research. Environmental restoration (ER), and decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) waste is generated as contaminated sites and facilities at LANL undergo cleanup or remediation. The majority of this waste is low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and is disposed of at the Technical Area 54 (TA-54), Area G disposal facility.

A Characteristics-Based Approach to Radioactive Waste Classification in Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djokic, Denia

The radioactive waste classification system currently used in the United States primarily relies on a source-based framework. This has lead to numerous issues, such as wastes that are not categorized by their intrinsic risk, or wastes that do not fall under a category within the framework and therefore are without a legal imperative for responsible management. Furthermore, in the possible case that advanced fuel cycles were to be deployed in the United States, the shortcomings of the source-based classification system would be exacerbated: advanced fuel cycles implement processes such as the separation of used nuclear fuel, which introduce new waste streams of varying characteristics. To be able to manage and dispose of these potential new wastes properly, development of a classification system that would assign appropriate level of management to each type of waste based on its physical properties is imperative. This dissertation explores how characteristics from wastes generated from potential future nuclear fuel cycles could be coupled with a characteristics-based classification framework. A static mass flow model developed under the Department of Energy's Fuel Cycle Research & Development program, called the Fuel-cycle Integration and Tradeoffs (FIT) model, was used to calculate the composition of waste streams resulting from different nuclear fuel cycle choices: two modified open fuel cycle cases (recycle in MOX reactor) and two different continuous-recycle fast reactor recycle cases (oxide and metal fuel fast reactors). This analysis focuses on the impact of waste heat load on waste classification practices, although future work could involve coupling waste heat load with metrics of radiotoxicity and longevity. The value of separation of heat-generating fission products and actinides in different fuel cycles and how it could inform long- and short-term disposal management is discussed. It is shown that the benefits of reducing the short-term fission-product heat load of waste destined for geologic disposal are neglected under the current source-based radioactive waste classification system, and that it is useful to classify waste streams based on how favorable the impact of interim storage is on increasing repository capacity. The need for a more diverse set of waste classes is discussed, and it is shown that the characteristics-based IAEA classification guidelines could accommodate wastes created from advanced fuel cycles more comprehensively than the U.S. classification framework.

The Use of Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Ash in Various Building Materials: A Belgian Point of View

PubMed Central

Joseph, Aneeta Mary; Snellings, Ruben; Van den Heede, Philip; Matthys, Stijn

2018-01-01

Huge amounts of waste are being generated, and even though the incineration process reduces the mass and volume of waste to a large extent, massive amounts of residues still remain. On average, out of 1.3 billion tons of municipal solid wastes generated per year, around 130 and 2.1 million tons are incinerated in the world and in Belgium, respectively. Around 400 kT of bottom ash residues are generated in Flanders, out of which only 102 kT are utilized here, and the rest is exported or landfilled due to non-conformity to environmental regulations. Landfilling makes the valuable resources in the residues unavailable and results in more primary raw materials being used, increasing mining and related hazards. Identifying and employing the right pre-treatment technique for the highest value application is the key to attaining a circular economy. We reviewed the present pre-treatment and utilization scenarios in Belgium, and the advancements in research around the world for realization of maximum utilization are reported in this paper. Uses of the material in the cement industry as a binder and cement raw meal replacement are identified as possible effective utilization options for large quantities of bottom ash. Pre-treatment techniques that could facilitate this use are also discussed. With all the research evidence available, there is now a need for combined efforts from incineration and the cement industry for technical and economic optimization of the process flow. PMID:29337887

Household solid waste characteristics and management in Chittagong, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Sujauddin, Mohammad; Huda, S M S; Hoque, A T M Rafiqul

2008-01-01

Solid waste management (SWM) is a multidimensional challenge faced by urban authorities, especially in developing countries like Bangladesh. We investigated per capita waste generation by residents, its composition, and the households' attitudes towards waste management at Rahman Nagar Residential Area, Chittagong, Bangladesh. The study involved a structured questionnaire and encompassed 75 households from five different socioeconomic groups (SEGs): low (LSEG), lower middle (LMSEG), middle (MSEG), upper middle (UMSEG) and high (HSEG). Wastes, collected from all of the groups of households, were segregated and weighed. Waste generation was 1.3 kg/household/day and 0.25 kg/person/day. Household solid waste (HSW) was comprised of nine categories of wastes with vegetable/food waste being the largest component (62%). Vegetable/food waste generation increased from the HSEG (47%) to the LSEG (88%). By weight, 66% of the waste was compostable in nature. The generation of HSW was positively correlated with family size (r xy=0.236, p<0.05), education level (r xy=0.244, p<0.05) and monthly income (r xy=0.671, p<0.01) of the households. Municipal authorities are usually the responsible agencies for solid waste collection and disposal, but the magnitude of the problem is well beyond the ability of any municipal government to tackle. Hence dwellers were found to take the service from the local waste management initiative. Of the respondents, an impressive 44% were willing to pay US dollars 0.3 to US dollars 0.4 per month to waste collectors and it is recommended that service charge be based on the volume of waste generated by households. Almost a quarter (22.7%) of the respondents preferred 12-1 pm as the time period for their waste to be collected. This study adequately shows that household solid waste can be converted from burden to resource through segregation at the source, since people are aware of their role in this direction provided a mechanism to assist them in this pursuit exists and the burden is distributed according to the amount of waste generated.

Household solid waste characteristics and management in Chittagong, Bangladesh

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sujauddin, Mohammad; Huda, S.M.S.; Hoque, A.T.M. Rafiqul

2008-07-01

Solid waste management (SWM) is a multidimensional challenge faced by urban authorities, especially in developing countries like Bangladesh. We investigated per capita waste generation by residents, its composition, and the households' attitudes towards waste management at Rahman Nagar Residential Area, Chittagong, Bangladesh. The study involved a structured questionnaire and encompassed 75 households from five different socioeconomic groups (SEGs): low (LSEG), lower middle (LMSEG), middle (MSEG), upper middle (UMSEG) and high (HSEG). Wastes, collected from all of the groups of households, were segregated and weighed. Waste generation was 1.3 kg/household/day and 0.25 kg/person/day. Household solid waste (HSW) was comprised of ninemore » categories of wastes with vegetable/food waste being the largest component (62%). Vegetable/food waste generation increased from the HSEG (47%) to the LSEG (88%). By weight, 66% of the waste was compostable in nature. The generation of HSW was positively correlated with family size (r{sub xy} = 0.236, p < 0.05), education level (r{sub xy} = 0.244, p < 0.05) and monthly income (r{sub xy} = 0.671, p < 0.01) of the households. Municipal authorities are usually the responsible agencies for solid waste collection and disposal, but the magnitude of the problem is well beyond the ability of any municipal government to tackle. Hence dwellers were found to take the service from the local waste management initiative. Of the respondents, an impressive 44% were willing to pay US$0.3 to US$0.4 per month to waste collectors and it is recommended that service charge be based on the volume of waste generated by households. Almost a quarter (22.7%) of the respondents preferred 12-1 pm as the time period for their waste to be collected. This study adequately shows that household solid waste can be converted from burden to resource through segregation at the source, since people are aware of their role in this direction provided a mechanism to assist them in this pursuit exists and the burden is distributed according to the amount of waste generated.« less

Audits of hazardous waste TSDFs let generators sleep easy. [Hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carr, F.H.

1990-02-01

Because of the increasingly strict enforcement of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), generators of hazardous waste are compelled to investigate the hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility (TSDF) they use. This investigation must include an environmental and a financial audit. Simple audits may be performed by the hazardous waste generator, while more thorough ones such as those performed for groups of generators are more likely to be conducted by environmental consultants familiar with treatment, storage, and disposal techniques and the regulatory framework that guides them.

In-Space Propulsion, Logistics Reduction, and Evaluation of Steam Reformer Kinetics: Problems and Prospects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaworske, D. A.; Palaszewski, B. A.; Kulis, M. J.; Gokoglu, S. A.

2015-01-01

Human space missions generate waste materials. A 70-kg crewmember creates a waste stream of 1 kg per day, and a four-person crew on a deep space habitat for a 400+ day mission would create over 1600 kg of waste. Converted into methane, the carbon could be used as a fuel for propulsion or power. The NASA Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Logistics Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project is investing in space resource utilization with an emphasis on repurposing logistics materials for useful purposes and has selected steam reforming among many different competitive processes as the preferred method for repurposing organic waste into methane. Already demonstrated at the relevant processing rate of 5.4 kg of waste per day, high temperature oxygenated steam consumes waste and produces carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen which can then be converted into methane catalytically. However, the steam reforming process has not been studied in microgravity. Data are critically needed to understand the mechanisms that allow use of steam reforming in a reduced gravity environment. This paper reviews the relevant literature, identifies gravity-dependent mechanisms within the steam gasification process, and describes an innovative experiment to acquire the crucial kinetic information in a small-scale reactor specifically designed to operate within the requirements of a reduced gravity aircraft flight. The experiment will determine if the steam reformer process is mass-transport limited, and if so, what level of forced convection will be needed to obtain performance comparable to that in 1-g.

PROCESS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE RECOVERY OF CRITICAL MATERIALS FROM ELECTRONIC WASTE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lister, T. E.; Diaz, L. A.; Clark, G. G.

As electronic technology continues to evolve there is a growing need to develop processes which recover valuable material from antiquated technology. This need follows from the environmental challenges associated with the availability of raw materials and fast growing generation of electronic waste. Although just present in small quantities in electronic devices, the availability of raw materials, such as rare earths and precious metals, becomes critical for the production of high tech electronic devices and the development of green technologies (i.e. wind turbines, electric motors, and solar panels). Therefore, the proper recycling and processing of increasing volumes of electronic waste presentmore » an opportunity to stabilize the market of critical materials, reducing the demand of mined products, and providing a proper disposal and treatment of a hazardous waste stream. This paper will describe development and techno-economic assessment of a comprehensive process for the recovery of value and critical materials from electronic waste. This hydrometallurgical scheme aims to selectively recover different value segments in the materials streams (base metals, precious metals, and rare earths). The economic feasibility for the recovery of rare earths from electronic waste is mostly driven by the efficient recovery of precious metals, such as Au and Pd (ca. 80 % of the total recoverable value). Rare earth elements contained in magnets (speakers, vibrators and hard disk storage) can be recovered as a mixture of rare earths oxides which can later be reduced to the production of new magnets.« less

Municipal solid waste management in India: From waste disposal to recovery of resources?

PubMed

Narayana, Tapan

2009-03-01

Unlike that of western countries, the solid waste of Asian cities is often comprised of 70-80% organic matter, dirt and dust. Composting is considered to be the best option to deal with the waste generated. Composting helps reduce the waste transported to and disposed of in landfills. During the course of the research, the author learned that several developing countries established large-scale composting plants that eventually failed for various reasons. The main flaw that led to the unsuccessful establishment of the plants was the lack of application of simple scientific methods to select the material to be composted. Landfills have also been widely unsuccessful in countries like India because the landfill sites have a very limited time frame of usage. The population of the developing countries is another factor that detrimentally impacts the function of landfill sites. As the population keeps increasing, the garbage quantity also increases, which, in turn, exhausts the landfill sites. Landfills are also becoming increasingly expensive because of the rising costs of construction and operation. Incineration, which can greatly reduce the amount of incoming municipal solid waste, is the second most common method for disposal in developed countries. However, incinerator ash may contain hazardous materials including heavy metals and organic compounds such as dioxins, etc. Recycling plays a large role in solid waste management, especially in cities in developing countries. None of the three methods mentioned here are free from problems. The aim of this study is thus to compare the three methods, keeping in mind the costs that would be incurred by the respective governments, and identify the most economical and best option possible to combat the waste disposal problem.

Energy from waste in Europe: an analysis and comparison of the EU 27.

PubMed

Sommer, Manuel; Ragossnig, Arne

2011-10-01

This article focuses on analysing the development of waste-generated energy in the countries of the European Union (EU 27). Besides elaborating the relevant legal and political framework in the waste and energy sector as well as climate protection, the results from correlation analyses based on the databases of the energy statistics from Eurostat are discussed. The share of energy from waste is correlated with macro-economic, waste- and energy-sector-related data, which have been defined as potentially relevant for energy recovery from waste in the countries of the European Union. The results show that a single factor influencing the extent of waste-generated energy could not be isolated as it is being influenced not only by the state of economic development and the state of development of waste management systems in the respective countries but also by energy-sector-related factors and the individual priority settings in those countries. Nevertheless the main driving force for an increase in the utilization of waste for energy generation can be seen in the legal and political framework of the European Union leading to the consequence that market conditions influence the realization of waste management infrastructure for waste-generated energy.

Disaster waste characteristics and radiation distribution as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

PubMed

Shibata, Tomoyuki; Solo-Gabriele, Helena; Hata, Toshimitsu

2012-04-03

The compounded impacts of the catastrophes that resulted from the Great East Japan Earthquake have emphasized the need to develop strategies to respond to multiple types and sources of contamination. In Japan, earthquake and tsunami-generated waste were found to have elevated levels of metals/metalloids (e.g., mercury, arsenic, and lead) with separation and sorting more difficult for tsunami-generated waste as opposed to earthquake-generated waste. Radiation contamination superimposed on these disaster wastes has made it particularly difficult to manage the ultimate disposal resulting in delays in waste management. Work is needed to develop policies a priori for handling wastes from combined catastrophes such as those recently observed in Japan.

40 CFR 761.340 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... leaching characteristics for storage or disposal. (a) Existing accumulations of non-liquid, non-metal PCB bulk product waste. (b) Non-liquid, non-metal PCB bulk product waste from processes that continuously generate new waste. (c) Non-liquid PCB remediation waste from processes that continuously generate new...

Weight Penalty Incurred in Thermoelectric Recovery of Automobile Exhaust Heat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rowe, D. M.; Smith, J.; Thomas, G.; Min, G.

2011-05-01

Thermoelectric recovery of automobile waste exhaust heat has been identified as having potential for reducing fuel consumption and environmentally unfriendly emissions. Around 35% of combustion energy is discharged as heat through the exhaust system, at temperatures which depend upon the engine's operation and range from 800°C to 900°C at the outlet port to less than 50°C at the tail-pipe. Beneficial reduction in fuel consumption of 5% to 10% is widely quoted in the literature. However, comparison between claims is difficult due to nonuniformity of driving conditions. In this paper the available waste exhaust heat energy produced by a 1.5 L family car when undergoing the new European drive cycle was measured and the potential thermoelectric output estimated. The work required to power the vehicle through the drive cycle was also determined and used to evaluate key parameters. This enabled an estimate to be made of the engine efficiency and additional work required by the engine to meet the load of a thermoelectric generating system. It is concluded that incorporating a thermoelectric generator would attract a penalty of around 12 W/kg. Employing thermoelectric modules fabricated from low-density material such as magnesium silicide would considerably reduce the generator weight penalty.

Food and processing residues in California: resource assessment and potential for power generation.

PubMed

Matteson, Gary C; Jenkins, B M

2007-11-01

The California agricultural industry produces more than 350 commodities with a combined yearly value in excess of $28 billion. The processing of many of these crops results in the production of residue streams, and the food processing industry faces increasing regulatory pressure to reduce environmental impacts and provide for sustainable management and use. Surveys of food and other processing and waste management sectors combined with published state data yield a total resource in excess of 4 million metric tons of dry matter, with nearly half of this likely to be available for utilization. About two-thirds of the available resource is produced as high-moisture residues that could support 134 MWe of power generation by anaerobic digestion and other conversion techniques. The other third is generated as low-moisture materials, many of which are already employed as fuel in direct combustion biomass power plants. The cost of energy conversion remains high for biochemical systems, with tipping or disposal fees of the order of $30-50Mg(-1) required to align power costs with current market prices. Identifying ways to reduce capital and operating costs of energy conversion, extending operating seasons to increase capacity factors through centralizing facilities, combining resource streams, and monetizing environmental benefits remain important goals for restructuring food and processing waste management in the state.

Reengineering of waste management at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Volume 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Myrick, T.E.

1997-08-01

A reengineering evaluation of the waste management program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was conducted during the months of February through July 1997. The goal of the reengineering was to identify ways in which the waste management process could be streamlined and improved to reduce costs while maintaining full compliance and customer satisfaction. A Core Team conducted preliminary evaluations and determined that eight particular aspects of the ORNL waste management program warranted focused investigations during the reengineering. The eight areas included Pollution Prevention, Waste Characterization, Waste Certification/Verification, Hazardous/Mixed Waste Stream, Generator/WM Teaming, Reporting/Records, Disposal End Points, and On-Sitemore » Treatment/Storage. The Core Team commissioned and assembled Process Teams to conduct in-depth evaluations of each of these eight areas. The Core Team then evaluated the Process Team results and consolidated the 80 process-specific recommendations into 15 overall recommendations. Benchmarking of a commercial nuclear facility, a commercial research facility, and a DOE research facility was conducted to both validate the efficacy of these findings and seek additional ideas for improvement. The outcome of this evaluation is represented by the 15 final recommendations that are described in this report.« less

Humic acid batteries derived from vermicomposts at different C/N ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamsuddin, R. M.; Borhan, A.; Lim, W. K.

2017-06-01

Humic acid is a known fertilizer derived from decomposed organic matters. Organic wastes are normally landfilled for disposal which had contributed negatively to the environment. From waste-to-wealth perspective, such wastes are potential precursors for compost fertilizers. When worms are added into a composting process, the process is termed as vermicomposting. In this work, humic acid from vermicompost derived from campus green wastes was developed into a battery. This adds value proposition to compost instead of being traditionally used solely as soil improver. This research work aimed to study the correlation between electrical potential generated by humic acid at different Carbon to Nitrogen (C/N) ratios of vermicompost at 20, 25, 30 and 35. The temperature and pH profiles of composting revealed that the compost was ready after 55 days. The humic acid was extracted from compost via alkaline extraction followed by precipitation in a strong acid. The extracted humic acid together with other additives were packed into a compartment and termed as vermibattery. Another set of battery running only on the additives was also prepared as a control. The net voltage produced by a single vermibattery cell with Zn and PbO electrodes was in the range of 0.31 to 0.44 V with compost at C/N ratio of 30 gave the highest voltage. The battery can be connected in series to increase the voltage generation. Quality assessment on the compost revealed that the final carbon content is between 16 to 23 wt%, nitrogen content of 0.4 to 0.5 wt%, humic acid yield of 0.7 to 1.5 wt% and final compost mass reduction of 10 to 35 wt%. Composting campus green wastes carries multi-fold benefits of reducing labour requirement, generating fertilizer for campus greenery and green battery construction.

Greater-than-Class C low-level radioactive waste characterization: Estimated volumes, radionuclide activities, and other characteristics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hulse, R.A.

1991-08-01

Planning for storage or disposal of greater-than-Class C low-level radioactive waste (GTCC LLW) requires characterization of that waste to estimate volumes, radionuclide activities, and waste forms. Data from existing literature, disposal records, and original research were used to estimate the characteristics and project volumes and radionuclide activities to the year 2035. GTCC LLW is categorized as: nuclear utilities waste, sealed sources waste, DOE-held potential GTCC LLW; and, other generator waste. It has been determined that the largest volume of those wastes, approximately 57%, is generated by nuclear power plants. The Other Generator waste category contributes approximately 10% of the totalmore » GTCC LLW volume projected to the year 2035. Waste held by the Department of Energy, which is potential GTCC LLW, accounts for nearly 33% of all waste projected to the year 2035; however, no disposal determination has been made for that waste. Sealed sources are less than 0.2% of the total projected volume of GTCC LLW.« less

Mixed waste management options

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Owens, C.B.; Kirner, N.P.

1991-12-31

Disposal fees for mixed waste at proposed commercial disposal sites have been estimated to be $15,000 to $40,000 per cubit foot. If such high disposal fees are imposed, generators may be willing to apply extraordinary treatment or regulatory approaches to properly dispose of their mixed waste. This paper explores the feasibility of several waste management scenarios and attempts to answer the question: Can mixed waste be managed out of existence? Existing data on commercially generated mixed waste streams are used to identify the realm of mixed waste known to be generated. Each waste stream is evaluated from both a regulatorymore » and technical perspective in order to convert the waste into a strictly low-level radioactive or a hazardous waste. Alternative regulatory approaches evaluated in this paper include a delisting petition, no migration petition, and a treatability variance. For each waste stream, potentially available treatment options are identified that could lead to these variances. Waste minimization methodology and storage for decay are also considered. Economic feasibility of each option is discussed broadly.« less

Guidelines for generators to meet HWHF acceptance requirements for hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes at Berkeley Lab. Revision 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Albert, R.

1996-06-01

This document provides performance standards that one, as a generator of hazardous chemical, radioactive, or mixed wastes at the Berkeley Lab, must meet to manage their waste to protect Berkeley Lab staff and the environment, comply with waste regulations and ensure the continued safe operation of the workplace, have the waste transferred to the correct Waste Handling Facility, and enable the Environment, Health and Safety (EH and S) Division to properly pick up, manage, and ultimately send the waste off site for recycling, treatment, or disposal. If one uses and generates any of these wastes, one must establish a Satellitemore » Accumulation Area and follow the guidelines in the appropriate section of this document. Topics include minimization of wastes, characterization of the wastes, containers, segregation, labeling, empty containers, and spill cleanup and reporting.« less

Municipal solid waste management in Phnom Penh, capital city of Cambodia.

PubMed

Seng, Bunrith; Kaneko, Hidehiro; Hirayama, Kimiaki; Katayama-Hirayama, Keiko

2011-05-01

This paper presents an overview of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) for both technical and regulatory arrangements in the municipality of Phnom Penh (MPP), Cambodia. Problems with the current MSWM are identified, and challenges and recommendations for future improvement are also given in this paper. MPP is a small city with a total area of approximately 374 km(2) and an urban population of about 1.3 million in 2008. For the last 14 years, average annual municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in MPP has increased rapidly from 0.136 million tons in 1995 to 0.361 million tons in 2008. The gross generation rate of MSW per capita was 0.74 kg day(-1). However, the per capita household waste generation was 0.487 kg day(- 1). At 63.3%, food waste is the predominant portion of generated waste, followed by plastics (15.5%), grass and wood (6.8%), and paper and cardboard (6.4%). The remaining waste, including metals, glass, rubber/leather, textiles, and ceramic/ stone, accounted for less than 3%. Waste recycling through informal sectors is very active; recycled waste accounted for about 9.3% of all waste generated in 2003. Currently, the overall technical arrangement, including storage and discharge, collection and transport, and disposal, is still in poor condition, which leads to environmental and health risks. These problems should be solved by improving legislation, environmental education, solid waste management facilities, and management of the waste scavengers.

Estimating maquiladora hazardous waste generation on the U.S./Mexico border

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowen, Mace M.; Kontuly, Thomas; Hepner, George F.

1995-03-01

Maquiladoras, manufacturing plants that primarily assemble foreign components for reexport, are located in concentrations along the northern frontier of the US/Mexico border. These plants process a wide variety of materials using modern industrial technologies within the context of developing world institutions and infrastructure. Hazardous waste generation by maquiladoras represents a critical environmental management issue because of the spatial concentration of these plants in border municipalities where the infrastructure for waste management is nonexistent or poor. These border municipalities contain rapidly increasing populations, which further stress their waste handling infrastructure capacities while exposing their populations to greater contaminant risks. Limited empirical knowledge exists concerning hazardous waste types and generation rates from maquiladorsas. There is no standard reporting method for waste generation or methodology for estimating generation rates at this time. This paper presents a method that can be used for the rapid assessment of hazardous waste generation. A first approximation of hazardous waste generation is produced for maquiladoras in the three municipalities of Nogales, Sonora, Mexicali, Baja California, and Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, using the INVENT model developed by the World Bank. In addition, our intent is to evaluate the potential of the INVENT model for adaptation to the US/Mexico border industrial situation. The press of border industrial development, especially with the recent adoption of the NAFTA, make such assessments necessary as a basis for the environmental policy formulation and management needed in the immediate future.

Study of combustion and emission characteristics of fuel derived from waste plastics by various waste to energy (W-t-E) conversion processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazrat, M. A.; Rasul, M. G.; Khan, M. M. K.

2016-07-01

Reduction of plastic wastes by means of producing energy can be treated as a good investment in the waste management and recycling sectors. In this article, conversion of plastics into liquid fuel by two thermo-chemical processes, pyrolysis and gasification, are reviewed. The study showed that the catalytic pyrolysis of homogenous waste plastics produces better quality and higher quantity of liquefied fuel than that of non-catalytic pyrolysis process at a lower operating temperature. The syngas produced from gasification process, which occurs at higher temperature than the pyrolysis process, can be converted into diesel by the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reaction process. Conducive bed material like Olivine in the gasification conversion process can remarkably reduce the production of tar. The waste plastics pyrolysis oil showed brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of about 27.75%, brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) of 0.292 kg/kWh, unburned hydrocarbon emission (uHC) of 91 ppm and NOx emission of 904 ppm in comparison with the diesel for BTE of 28%, BSFC of 0.276 kg/kWh, uHC of 57 ppm and NOx of 855 ppm. Dissolution of Polystyrene (PS) into biodiesel also showed the potential of producing alternative transport fuel. It has been found from the literature that at higher engine speed, increased EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) quantity based biodiesel blends reduces CO, CO2, NOx and smoke emission. EPS-biodiesel fuel blend increases the brake thermal efficiency by 7.8%, specific fuel consumption (SFC) by 7.2% and reduces brake power (Pb) by 3.2%. More study using PS and EPS with other thermoplastics is needed to produce liquid fuel by dissolving them into biodiesel and to assess their suitability as a transport fuel. Furthermore, investigation to find out most suitable W-t-E process for effective recycling of the waste plastics as fuel for internal combustion engines is necessary to reduce environmental pollution and generate revenue which will be addressed in this article.

40 CFR 194.8 - Approval process for waste shipment from waste generator sites for disposal at the WIPP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... waste generator site will be conveyed in a letter from the Administrator's authorized representative to... transmittal to the WIPP Waste Information System database of waste characterization data, in accordance with... will be conveyed in a letter from the Administrator's authorized representative to DOE. EPA will not...

40 CFR 194.8 - Approval process for waste shipment from waste generator sites for disposal at the WIPP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... waste generator site will be conveyed in a letter from the Administrator's authorized representative to... transmittal to the WIPP Waste Information System database of waste characterization data, in accordance with... will be conveyed in a letter from the Administrator's authorized representative to DOE. EPA will not...

40 CFR 194.8 - Approval process for waste shipment from waste generator sites for disposal at the WIPP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... waste generator site will be conveyed in a letter from the Administrator's authorized representative to... transmittal to the WIPP Waste Information System database of waste characterization data, in accordance with... will be conveyed in a letter from the Administrator's authorized representative to DOE. EPA will not...

40 CFR 194.8 - Approval process for waste shipment from waste generator sites for disposal at the WIPP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... waste generator site will be conveyed in a letter from the Administrator's authorized representative to... transmittal to the WIPP Waste Information System database of waste characterization data, in accordance with... will be conveyed in a letter from the Administrator's authorized representative to DOE. EPA will not...

Production facilities for second generation biofuels in the USA and the EU – current status and future perspectives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Janssen, Ranier; Turhollow, Jr, Anthony F.; Rutz, Dominik

2013-10-23

Second generation biofuel production facilities have been slower to reach large-scale production than was anticipated a few years ago even though in Europe, the Renewable Energy Directive has incentives for, and in the United States there are also financial incentives and, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 has targets for second generation biofuels. There have been a number of facilities that have been cancelled, but starting in 2013 it appears that significant quantities of second generation biofuels will be produced. A variety of conversion processes, thermal and biological, as well as hybrids of the two is being utilized.more » There will be a variety of fuels ethanol, drop-in fuels (e.g. gasoline, diesel), biodiesel, steam, electricity, bio-oil, sugars, and chemicals; and a variety of feedstocks crop residues, wood, wood wastes, energy crops, waste oils and municipal solid waste (MSW). One approach to reducing the risk of moving from first to second generation biofuel production has been to take incremental steps such as converting the cellulosic part of grains into ethanol in addition to the starch portion. Many of the second generation biofuel facilities are co-located with first generation biofuel production facilities to share infrastructure as well as trade by-products (e.g. excess steam). One of the challenges has been financing, but both private and government sources are being utilized. Private sources include internal corporate funds and debt offerings, and venture capital. Furthermore, government sources include the U.S. federal government, the European Union, European national governments, and state and local governments.« less

Generation and management of waste electric vehicle batteries in China.

PubMed

Xu, ChengJian; Zhang, Wenxuan; He, Wenzhi; Li, Guangming; Huang, Juwen; Zhu, Haochen

2017-09-01

With the increasing adoption of EVs (electric vehicles), a large number of waste EV LIBs (electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries) were generated in China. Statistics showed generation of waste EV LIBs in 2016 reached approximately 10,000 tons, and the amount of them would be growing rapidly in the future. In view of the deleterious effects of waste EV LIBs on the environment and the valuable energy storage capacity or materials that can be reused in them, China has started emphasizing the management, reuse, and recycling of them. This paper presented the generation trend of waste EV LIBs and focused on interrelated management development and experience in China. Based on the situation of waste EV LIBs management in China, existing problems were analyzed and summarized. Some recommendations were made for decision-making organs to use as valuable references to improve the management of waste EV LIBs and promote the sustainable development of EVs.

Characterizing Urban Household Waste Generation and Metabolism Considering Community Stratification in a Rapid Urbanizing Area of China

PubMed Central

Xiao, Lishan; Lin, Tao; Chen, Shaohua; Zhang, Guoqin; Ye, Zhilong; Yu, Zhaowu

2015-01-01

The relationship between social stratification and municipal solid waste generation remains uncertain under current rapid urbanization. Based on a multi-object spatial sampling technique, we selected 191 households in a rapidly urbanizing area of Xiamen, China. The selected communities were classified into three types: work-unit, transitional, and commercial communities in the context of housing policy reform in China. Field survey data were used to characterize household waste generation patterns considering community stratification. Our results revealed a disparity in waste generation profiles among different households. The three community types differed with respect to family income, living area, religious affiliation, and homeowner occupation. Income, family structure, and lifestyle caused significant differences in waste generation among work-unit, transitional, and commercial communities, respectively. Urban waste generation patterns are expected to evolve due to accelerating urbanization and associated community transition. A multi-scale integrated analysis of societal and ecosystem metabolism approach was applied to waste metabolism linking it to particular socioeconomic conditions that influence material flows and their evolution. Waste metabolism, both pace and density, was highest for family structure driven patterns, followed by lifestyle and income driven. The results will guide community-specific management policies in rapidly urbanizing areas. PMID:26690056

Patterns of waste generation: A gradient boosting model for short-term waste prediction in New York City.

PubMed

Johnson, Nicholas E; Ianiuk, Olga; Cazap, Daniel; Liu, Linglan; Starobin, Daniel; Dobler, Gregory; Ghandehari, Masoud

2017-04-01

Historical municipal solid waste (MSW) collection data supplied by the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) was used in conjunction with other datasets related to New York City to forecast municipal solid waste generation across the city. Spatiotemporal tonnage data from the DSNY was combined with external data sets, including the Longitudinal Employer Household Dynamics data, the American Community Survey, the New York City Department of Finance's Primary Land Use and Tax Lot Output data, and historical weather data to build a Gradient Boosting Regression Model. The model was trained on historical data from 2005 to 2011 and validation was performed both temporally and spatially. With this model, we are able to accurately (R2>0.88) forecast weekly MSW generation tonnages for each of the 232 geographic sections in NYC across three waste streams of refuse, paper and metal/glass/plastic. Importantly, the model identifies regularity of urban waste generation and is also able to capture very short timescale fluctuations associated to holidays, special events, seasonal variations, and weather related events. This research shows New York City's waste generation trends and the importance of comprehensive data collection (especially weather patterns) in order to accurately predict waste generation. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Selection of human consumables for future space missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bourland, C. T.; Smith, M. C.

1991-01-01

Consumables for human spaceflight include oxygen, water, food and food packaging, personal hygiene items, and clothing. This paper deals with the requirements for food and water, and their impact on waste product generation. Just as urbanization of society has been made possible by improved food processing and packaging, manned spaceflight has benefitted from this technology. The downside of this technology is increased food package waste product. Since consumables make up a major portion of the vehicle onboard stowage and generate most of the waste products, selection of consumables is a very critical process. Food and package waste comprise the majority of the trash generated on the current shuttle orbiter missions. Plans for future missions must include accurate assessment of the waste products to be generated, and the methods for processing and disposing of these wastes.

Process Waste Assessment, Mechanics Shop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Phillips, N.M.

1993-05-01

This Process Waste Assessment was conducted to evaluate hazardous wastes generated in the Mechanics Shop. The Mechanics Shop maintains and repairs motorized vehicles and equipment on the SNL/California site, to include motorized carts, backhoes, street sweepers, trash truck, portable emergency generators, trencher, portable crane, and man lifts. The major hazardous waste streams routinely generated by the Mechanics Shop are used oil, spent off filters, oily rags, and spent batteries. The used off and spent off filters make up a significant portion of the overall hazardous waste stream. Waste oil and spent batteries are sent off-site for recycling. The rags andmore » spent on filters are not recycled. They are disposed of as hazardous waste. Mechanics Shop personnel continuously look for opportunities to minimize hazardous wastes.« less