8.9 Solid Waste Disposal

• Solid waste includes garbage, trash, and refuse from residential, commercial, and industrial sources
• Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) includes waste generated from households, businesses, and institutions.
• Hazardous Waste is waste that poses a threat to public health or the environment
• Households generate solid waste such as paper, plastics, food scraps, and packaging.
• Landfilling can lead to leachate contamination, which pollutes soil and groundwater
• Globally, landfills account for approximately 3.4% of greenhouse gas emissions.
• Landfills are sites where solid waste is buried and then compacted and covered with soil
• Incineration has high initial costs and can cause air pollution.
• Approximately 54% of global waste ends up in landfills
• What are the three primary methods of improper solid waste disposal that cause environmental damage?

  Landfilling, incineration, illegal dumping
• Leachate contamination from landfilling pollutes soil and groundwater
• Incineration releases harmful emissions like dioxins and furans into the air.
• What is the environmental impact of illegal dumping?

  Contaminates ecosystems
• Landfilling contributes to greenhouse gas emissions
• What are the two primary environmental concerns associated with incineration?

  Air pollution and ash disposal
• Match the disposal method with its environmental impact:

  Landfilling ↔️ Soil and water pollution

  Incineration ↔️ Air pollution (dioxins, furans)

  Illegal Dumping ↔️ Ecosystem contamination
• What percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions is attributed to landfills?

  3.4%
• Steps in the landfill process

  1️⃣ Waste is compacted

  2️⃣ Waste is buried
• Landfills are simple to operate and have high capacity.
• Methane production is a disadvantage of landfilling
• What is the primary goal of incineration?

  Volume reduction and energy recovery
• Air pollution is a major environmental impact of incineration
• What are the two main modern waste management strategies discussed?

  Recycling and composting
• Recycling is challenged by sorting and market inconsistencies.
• Which regulation ensures the safe handling of hazardous waste from generation to disposal?

  Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
• Match the type of solid waste with its description:

  Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) ↔️ Waste from households and businesses

  Hazardous Waste ↔️ Waste posing threats to public health

  Industrial Solid Waste ↔️ Waste from manufacturing processes

  Agricultural Waste ↔️ Waste from farming activities
• What is an example of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)?

  Food scraps
• Households generate solid waste such as paper, plastics, and food scraps
• What type of waste poses threats to public health or the environment?

  Hazardous waste
• Agricultural waste includes manure and crop residues
• Match the source of solid waste with its example:

  Households ↔️ Food packaging

  Businesses ↔️ Cardboard

  Industrial processes ↔️ Metal scraps

  Construction and demolition ↔️ Concrete debris
• What type of waste is generated by retail, offices, and service industries?

  Business waste
• Improper disposal of solid waste harms the environment through landfilling, incineration, and illegal dumping
• Order the environmental impacts of landfilling from most immediate to secondary effects:

  1️⃣ Leachate contaminates soil and groundwater

  2️⃣ Methane production contributes to greenhouse gas emissions
• Globally, landfills account for about 3.4% of greenhouse gas emissions.
• What is the process used in landfills to minimize odors and pests?

  Compacting and layering
• Incineration reduces waste volume and generates energy
• Match the waste disposal method with its disadvantage:

  Landfills ↔️ Methane production

  Incineration ↔️ Air pollution
• Approximately 54% of global waste ends up in landfills.
• What is the primary goal of recycling in waste management?

  Converting waste into reusable materials