Waste

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Waste
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What is solid waste?

• waste that is not a liquid or a gas
• EX paper, wrecked cars, plastic wrapping, etc

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What are the problems with solid wastes?

• 1) The amount of solid waste has doubled in the
  last 40 years. (Americans produce more solid
  waste than any other country!)

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2) Not all solid waste is biodegradable.

• many products do not decompose.

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3) Landfills are filling rapidly.

• about ½ of all trash is put in a landfill

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4) Some solid wastes pollute water.

• water leaches through trash on its way to the
  aquifers.

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5) Some waste (about 25) is burnedcreates air
pollution.
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Where does the waste come from?

• 56 - manufacturing
• 26 - mining
• 9 - Agriculture
• 6 - hazardous wastes
• 2 - households / businesses
• 1 - other

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3 Solutions to solid waste problems

• Newer landfills
• are lined to prevent leaching
• collect methane to sell as fuel

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How new landfills work

• Have layers of sand clay
• Have collection pipes to collect methane
• Trash is sandwiched between layers of dirt
• A plastic liner is used to prevent leaching

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New landfill
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Gas is collected at new landfills
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2) Recycle
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3) Incinerate - burn

• Trash can be used to generate electricity.