Unit 9- Waste Management

Landfill Discussion

Now that we have seen a landfill in person (you did if you went on the field trip), discuss at least 3 types of materials that should not be placed in a landfill and explain the potential environmental and public health consequences of disposing of such things in a landfill.  Outline two methods for reducing the amount of these substances that enter MSW input.

A hazardous material is toxic and/or corrodes metal, is flammable, or volatile. Methane is also extremely dangerous it happens to be released in a landfill because it decomposes into energy and if that energy isn't used then it can explode

Batteries- Batteries sometimes have lead, cadmium, or mercury which can make it highly toxic. Sometimes car batteries can combust because the batteries produce hydrogen and if it becomes overcharged it can explode. Batteries can also leak and are considered e-waste. 

Varnishes- These liquids are highly flammable because of the resin and drying oils. As the varnish cures the wood it gives off heat as well. Even rags with varnish can combust if they are not allowed to give off heat. Like a huge pile of rags stacked together. 

Fluorescent bulbs- Bulbs contain mercury that can be extremely hazardous if it is leaked. 

How to reduce the amount that enters the MSW- Recycle correctly and don't throw these away in a container that leads to a landfill. Also instead of buying the cheap batteries or lightbulbs' buy the more pricey once that last longer. That way there is less waste that goes to the landfill if it does end up going there. 

Recycling Discussion

Three common examples of items that can be recycled are paper, aluminum, and plastics.  Discuss at least one environmental and economic benefit and cost of recycling each of these items.  If your city only had the funding to set up a recycling center for one of these materials, which would you choose and why?  Finally, how would you persuade the members of your community that recycling is ultimately good for the community?

Paper

• Environmental
• Benefit- Can be used as compost. 
• Cost- Recycling paper requires toxic chemicals that can be harmful for the environment
• Economic
• Benefit- Creates jobs for people to pick up the recycling in neighborhood and cities. 
• Cost- It actually is cheaper to throw away trash into a landfill then burning it than to recycle.

Plastic

• Environmental
• Benefit- Don't fill up landfills because they get recycled. 
• Cost- Water bottles contain chemicals that can lead to health problems and recycling only increases the risk. 
• Economic
• Benefit- Can give bottles a second life by reusing them. 
• Cost- It is expensive to continually buy water bottles. 

Aluminum

• Environmental
• Benefit- The average recycling rate of aluminum cans 68%, the highest rate of recycling of any resource.
• Cost- The aluminum industry was responsible for 140 million tons of CO2 production in 2005 alone.
• Economic
• Benefit- Creates jobs all the way from mining to picking the aluminum up to selling it. 
• Cost- There is so much aluminum in landfills that it is easier to pick it out from landfills than to mine it from bauxite ores. 

Aluminum. I would choose aluminum because it is a closed loop process. That means that no new materials are introduced throughout the recycling process and it is infinitely recyclable, unlike paper or plastic. The energy required to recycle aluminum is also less than to mine and create new aluminum. 

I would persuade the members of my society to recycle by proving to them that it creates jobs, is good for the environment because many things that are recycled come from non renewable resources. 

Superfund/Brownfields Discussion

We watched a news clip about the industrial waste buried under the Love Canal near Niagara Falls.  This area was a Superfund site but has been deemed safe enough for people to now live there and has since been redeveloped.  Explain the difference between a Superfund site and a Brownfield and give another example of each in the US.  There are two primary ways for turning these sites back into usable land by either removing the contaminated soil or by planting vegetation that would decontaminate the soil.  Explain two potential problems with each of these methods of reclamation. Reclaiming these sites is a debatable hot topic these days.  Explain one societal and one environmental for reclaiming and using the land.

Brownfield- contaminated areas that may require cleanup before being used to develop businesses or homes or to expand another area. An example is Homestead, Pennsylvania where the Carnegie steel factory was located and it is now a commercial center. 

A superfund site is a site that the USA government funds the cleaning of the site under CERCLA regulations. The Madison County mines were a superfund site. 

Clearing out soil- It is massively expensive to clear out the soil and put new soil in. It can also expose workers to airborne contaminants. 

Planting vegetation- The newly introduced vegetation may harm the insects and bugs that feed on the plants. Whenever the vegetation is removed the land is still hazardous. 

The question does not clearly specify if I should state a benefit or problem with reclaiming and using the land so I wll do both. 

Societal- It makes the surrounding area look better, but it can also go awry and cause problems if it is not done 100% correctly and can lead to deaths and problems, similar to the Love Canal except the LC was not even reclaimed properly and lead to CERCLA.

Environmental- Reduce hazardous runoffs into streams is good, but it can also be bad for the animals that feed off the vegetation in the area. 

BIG PICTURE DISCUSSION

Environmental Impact- Waste management has a huge impact on the environment. We saw in the video that Lovefield was deemed to be a national disaster because of the impact it had on the land and the people who moved into the houses on the land. Landfills can contaminate the environment with their trash releasing methane and other gases that be volatile or highly toxic. Furthermore, recycling impacts the environment in both negative and positive ways. When the recycling process occurs it can be done in an unhygienic and unsafe manner. It can lead to widespread pollution, but on the bright side it is good to recycle plastic, paper, aluminum, etc. because that way money and energy don't have to be spent to make new paper, plastic, aluminum, etc. 

Human Impact- Waste management is also impacted by humans and it impacts humans as well. Humans are the reason for why the landfills exist, for why global warming occurs, for why pollution is so widespread, for why the earth is so damaged. And in the end it will end up costing us our home(earth) and our lives. E-waste is a huge impact that humans have placed upon the world. It is highly toxic and hard to get rid off. Sometimes it is sent into outerspace, but that simply corrodes the Galaxy as well. Incineration can lead to pollution as well. Disposing of trash is a lose-lose situation for the environment. Good things about waste management though is that it creates thousands of jobs for humans. 

Economic Impact- Waste management creates a plethora of jobs that range from minimum wage to extremely well paying. But stopping the harm we inflict upon the environment with our waste is costly. The reclaiming of Brownfield's is ludicrously exorbitant and sometimes stops the harm but harms the animals that eat the vegetation. The clearing of soil is perhaps even more expensive financially speaking. In the water treatment facility we learned just how much energy is required to keep the facility running and that energy costs money to the people and to the city. When curing diseases such as malaria, HIV, H1N1 and mad cow disease it cost money to develop cures and to educate the people on the dangers of the diseases. 

Government Legislation- 

RCRA- The resource conservation and recovery act was designed to regulate and eliminate hazardous waste. It ensures that hazardous waste is disposed of properly from the moment it becomes waste until it reaches its end in the cycle. 

CERCLA- the Comprehensive environmental response compensation and liability act is also known as the superfund. It taxes chemical and oil industries and makes sure that brownfields are disposed of properly. It is enforced by the federal government as is the RCRA. 

The Stockholm convention came together to ban 12 chemicals or to reduce their use. These 12 chemicals include PCBs and DDTs

Unit 8 Blog

Freshwater Resource Discussion

Aquifers-

• Ecological benefits
• 1) Provides water in wells for animals 
• 2) It is stored underground and is a good source of water to irrigate crops
• Economic benefits
• 1)Does not have to be desalinated unless there is a saltwater intrusion
• 2) Aquifers are a reliable way to get water
• Human impact-  Humans use aquifers to irrigate crops and if the pumping of water from the aquifer is more than the amount of water in the recharge then a cone of depression can form and dry up nearby wells.

Lakes

• Ecological benefits
• 1)Fertile Soil is common around 
• 2) Regulate the water flow of a river
• Economic benefits
• 1) Lakes attract activities like boating, fishing, and other activities that contribute to the economy
• 2) Artificial lakes are used for hydro-electric power generation
• Human impact- The use of fertilizers can cause eutrophication in Lakes and affect the level of productivity in the lake.

Rivers

• Ecological benefits
• 1) Home for many animals like fishes and turtles
• 2) The rivers fertilize soil in the area
• Economic benefits
• 1) Transport. Like in boats or ships if it is huge river
• 2) Usually people and communities settle near rivers thus making them dependant of the river and creating a lot of activities around the river that create jobs and help the economy. 
• Human impact- Overusing rivers or living near rivers can contaminate or drain them. The thames river in London, England was once a beautiful river, but when the industrial revolution came about it got nasty with pollution. 

Wetlands

• Ecological benefits
• 1)Natural filter of water
• 2) Regulate water distribution
• Economic benefits
• 1) Wetlands reduce the impacts of hurricanes thus making said natural disasters less costly
• 2) Benefit the growth of rice and helps the rice industry
• Human impact- Humans drain wetlands and harm the wetland ecosystem in doing so. 

Water Diversion Discussion

Hoover Dam

• Location- The Hoover Dam is located in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River and impounds Lake Mead to make electricity 
• Ecological
• Benefits
• The Hoover Dam controls floods and can even prevent them. 
• Costs
• The construction of the Dam hurt the ecosystem that took place in the Colorado River. The change of watershed, the erosion of river banks, and the pollution of increased vehicles have hurt said ecosystem. 
• Economic
• Benefits
• Produces electricity
• Costs
• It put the Hoover administration into debt because the cost of the dam was extremely expensive.

Pont du Gard

• Location- The Pont du Gard crosses the Gardon River in Remoulins, in southern France. The PdG carries water from Uzes and diverts it to Nimes. 
• Ecological
• Benefits
• Got water to the people of Rome and maintained the Roman Empire and helped it expand. Got fresh and clean water from streams and springs all the way to Rome!
• Costs
• The fall of the Roman empire was caused partly because of the great aqueducts. Enemies would poison the water which would not only harm the animals, but it would also kill the Romans leading to their fall.
• Economic
• Benefits
• In its time of use the PdG would transport water to the citizens of Nimes making water cheaper. It is now used for tourist purposes in Rome.
• Costs
• The Pont du Gard was costly to build and even more to maintain and in the 10th century the aqueduct became clogged with mineral deposits. The aqueduct also took 15 years to be finished.

Three Gorges Dam

• Location- The Three Gorges Dam is located in the Yangtze River in China. 
• Ecological
• Benefits
• The TGD has many purposes and one of them is flood control. 
• Costs
• The fish have been heavily affected by the dam. They can't cross the river anymore because of the dam and their habitats and lifestyle have and will continue to be affected
• Economic
• Benefits
• The TGD produces electricity for the area around it and it produces energy for nine provinces and two cities. 
• Costs
• Erosions in the reservoir have increased the number of landslides in the area. This is costly for the government. 

Water Quality Discussion

Nitrate- In Parr Park we tested the water for nitrate. Nitrate in water can be bad for the consumers health if there is too much of it in the water. At small amounts nitrate isn't bad, but if the water has too much nitrate then that water is unsafe to drink. Nitrate can get into the water in several ways. It can come from fertilizer runoff, leaking from septic tanks, sewage, and erosion of natural deposits. 

Phosphate- Phosphate is not bad for the water but in excess it can lead to algal blooms and thus intoxicate the water. The test for phosphate is to see if the water is still safe for the wildlife or from whoever uses it. Phosphate is naturally in streams but can also come from sewage or fertilizer. 

Temperature- The temperature of the water determines what type of animals can live in it. The temperature of the water is also an indicator of the oxygen levels. If it is warm then it can hold less oxygen. 

Fecal Coliform- Fecal Coliform is a test run to see if the water is intoxicated with fecal matter. If it is then that water is unsafe to drink and can be even hazardous to consume. FC in water can also lead to an increase in oxygen demand for the water. FC comes from human and animal digestive systems. 

Ph- Acidity or baseness of the water. HIgh acidity is horrible for wildlife. The Ph levels normally range from 6.5-8.5.

Biological Indicator Species- Stoneflies. If there are a lot of stoneflies in the area then that tells scientists that the water is high in its oxygen levels. If the temperature is cold then the oxygen levels are high and can lead to an increase in stoneflies.

Water Conservation Discussion

Agriculture

• 1)Use drought tolerant crops and seeds so that you don't need to water them whenever there are droughts
• 2)Harvest rainwater and use that instead of regular irrigation techniques. 

Industry 

• 1)Water-less fracking. A lot of times companies frack for oil and to do that they need water. Water-less fracking technology, albeit expensive, can help preserve water. 
• 2)Don't use nuclear reactors. Nuclear reactors use up a lot of water and water vapor that wastes a lot of water.

Household

• 1)Use low flush toilets to help preserve water instead of wasting clean water on flushing a dump. 
• 2)Be more efficient in the use of sprinklers and gardening techniques in order to cut down on water waste. 

BIG FOUR

Human Impact- Humans contribute a lot to the water world and pollution. In the assignments I did alongside my group I learned that the construction of dams, aqueducts, dikes, etc are all ways that human beings have diverted water for their benefit. The Romans did it in the olden days with aqueducts and now we have huge dams that everybody cares about. I do give a dam(hahaha just a joke Mrs. Kays). Sadly we also impact the environment in a negative manner. Humans have polluted the water and overused it and when we do use it we use it incorrectly. There are more efficient ways to flush to the toilet or to frack for oil. In the Salton Sea project I learned that the use of water from the sea to irrigate can dry out the sea and hurt the whole ecosystem around, irrigation that is cause by humans. 

Environmental Impact- The environment is greatly impacted as well in this. Water is one of the most important parts of the environment. It is essential for farming and for animal life and the pollution of water can really harm the environment. Dams control floods and help the environment but they also prevent water from crossing to another side and harm the wildlife there or prevent fish from getting to their breeding grounds. 

Economic Impact- Hydropower provided by dams helps the economy by providing cheaper energy. Aqueducts in the olden days made clean water cheaper and easier to acquire. Energy is cheaper, but the water can also get polluted in industry when trying to make items more economically viable. In agriculture the government subsidizes the farmers to help them grow crops and even put themselves into debt with the hoover dam. Oil spills are massively harmful and very expensive to fix and recover from. 

Government Legislation- Humans are destroying mother earth. That is a fact. Luckily there are laws to help keep her destruction to minimum. There is the clean water act of 1972 that supports the protection and propagation of fish, wildlife and shellfish and recreation in and on the the water. It is enforced by the EPA. The safe drinking water act of 74, 86, and 96 set standards for what safe water for drinking should be in the USA. These laws have been put into place to not only help prevent mother earths inevitable destruction but to help human beings health as well.