waste disposal and recycling reduce, reuse, recycle

Waste Disposal and Recycling Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

3 Key Take-aways We can never really throw anything away Waste often does not stay put Preventing pollution is much safer & cheaper than trying to clean it up

Case Study: Love Canal - There Is No Away Between 1842-1953, Hooker Chemical sealed multiple chemical wastes into steel drums and dumped them into an old canal excavation (Love Canal). In 1953, the canal was filled and sold to Niagara Falls school board for $1. The company inserted a disclaimer denying liability for the wastes.

Case Study: Love Canal - There Is No Away In 1957, Hooker Chemical warned the school not to disturb the site because of the toxic waste. In 1959 an elementary school, playing fields and homes were built disrupting the clay cap covering the wastes. In 1976, residents complained of chemical smells and chemical burns from the site.

Love Canal - There Is No Away President Jimmy Carter declared Love Canal a federal disaster area. The area was abandoned in 1980 (left). Figure 22-1

Love Canal - There Is No Away Love Canal sparked creation of the Superfund law, which forced polluters to pay for cleaning up abandoned toxic waste dumps. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA 1980) Helps clean up hazardous waste sites In 1983, Love Canal became the 1 st superfund site Took 20 years & 400 million to clean up

Core Case Study: Love Canal - There Is No Away The dumpsite was covered with new clay cap In June 1990, state officials started selling some of the 260 homes that still remained in the area renamed Black Creek Village No guarantees about safety of living in these homes

Core Case Study: Love Canal - There Is No Away It still is a controversy as to how much the chemicals at Love Canal injured or caused disease to the residents. difficult to link long-term health effects How many other Love Canals are there around the world Chemical time bombs

Consumption of natural resources by modern industrial economies remains very high, in the range of 45-85 tons per capita annually. Each person in an industrialized society consumes many tons of raw materials each year. These must be extracted, processed, and disposed of as waste. Waste Limestone quarry, Yorkshire Dales Bulldozer working on landfill site, UK

Wasting Resources Solid waste: any unwanted or discarded material we produce that is not a liquid or gas. Municipal solid waste (MSW): produce directly from homes. (Mostly paper) Industrial solid waste: produced indirectly by industries that supply people with goods and services. Hazardous (toxic) waste: threatens human health or the environment because it is toxic, chemically active, corrosive or flammable.

WASTING RESOURCES The US has 4.5% of worlds population, but produces 1/3 of the worlds trash. About 98.5% is industrial solid waste. The remaining 1.5% is MSW. 55% of U.S. MSW is dumped into landfills, 30% is recycled or composted, and 15% is burned in incinerators.

Wasting Resources Two reasons to be concerned represents unnecessary waste of earths finite resources In producing the products we use and discard, we are creating huge amounts of Air pollution Water pollution Land degradation Solid and hazardous waste

WASTING RESOURCES Solid wastes polluting a river in Jakarta, Indonesia. The man in the boat is looking for items to salvage or sell. Figure 22-3

Wasting Resources US leads the world in trash production 4.5 pounds per person 2 times as much as other industrialized nations 5 10 times as much as developing countries Trash buried in landfills 38% paper 12% yard waste 11% food waste 11% plastic

A lot of household waste ends up in landfills where it is eventually buried. In poorer countries people make a living by collecting items from other peoples rubbish. Wasting Resources Living from waste, Philippines

Wasting Resources What we throw away in our high waste economy Enough aluminum to rebuild countrys commercial airline fleet every 3 months Discarded carpet each year would cover Delaware 27 million tons of edible food each year Enough paper to build a wall 11 feet high across the entire country every year Americans spend more money on trash bags than 90 other countries spend on everything they buy.

Wasting Resources: Electronics E-waste consists of toxic and hazardous waste such as PVC, lead, mercury, and cadmium. The U.S. produces almost half of the world's e-waste but only recycles about 10%

The disposal of solid and hazardous wastes is one of the most urgent problems of todays industrialized societies. Traditionally, solid waste has been disposed of in open dumps. More recently, disposal occurs in sanitary, scientifically designed sanitary landfills. Most municipal solid waste is disposed of in sanitary landfills. New initiatives are increasingly being implemented by city councils and local authorities for the reduction, reuse, and recycling of solid waste, and the safe disposal of hazardous waste, including oil and industrial chemicals. The safe disposal of radioactive wastes is a problem as these wastes must be isolated and are usually stored on-site. Solid Waste Management Radioactive waste Open dumps are being preplaced by landfills

Integrated Waste Management There is no single solution Use a variety of strategies for: waste reduction waste management This includes the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Integrated Waste Management A program of idealized integrated waste management combines features of traditional waste management with new techniques to reduce and incinerate wastes. Such schemes will form the basis of effective waste management in the future. Idealized management schemes for waste materials provide several tiers of processing. They provide a starting point for comparing how different waste products could be processed or disposed of. Recycling Collection Limiting waste per household Separating green waste from other wastes Reducing waste or avoid use

Primary Pollution and Waste Prevention First Priority Second PriorityLast Priority Release waste into environment for dispersal or dilution Bury waste in landfills Waste Management Incinerate waste Buy reusable recyclable products Recycle Repair products Make products that last longer and are recyclable, reusable, or easy to repair Reduce packaging and materials in products Use less of a harmful product Secondary Pollution and Waste Prevention Treat waste to reduce toxicity Purchase different products Reuse products Change industrial process to eliminate use of harmful chemicals Compost Integrated Waste Management We can manage the solid wastes we produce and reduce or prevent their production.

Integrated Waste Management Components of Integrated Waste Management Processing and manufacturing Product consumption Waste separated at source Initial processing for recycling or reuse Garden waste PaperCans, jars, bottles Mixed waste Hazardous waste PaperGlassPlastics Cans Compost Products Virgin materialsLandfillIncinerator Hazardous waste management

Refuse to buy items that are not really needed. Reduce consumption by living simply and promoting the use of reusable containers like cloth grocery bags. Reuse items that can be used over and over like refillable water bottles. Repurpose items by using those items for another instead of throwing them away. Recycle: paper, glass, aluminum, plastics and buy items made from recycled materials. Rethink ways to educate, use new technology, or provide incentives of disincentives. Solutions: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Reusable grocery bag Candy wrapper purse Recycled plastic bench

Fig. 22-6, p. 524 Follow the five Rs of resource use: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle. Buy products in concentrated form whenever possible. Read newspapers and magazines online. Use e-mail in place of conventional paper mail. Refill and reuse a bottled water container with tap water. Do not use throwaway paper and plastic plates, cups and eating utensils, and other disposable items when reusable or refillable versions are available. Buy things that are reusable, recyclable, or compostable, and be sure to reuse, recycle, and compost them. Rent, borrow, or barter goods and services when you can. Ask yourself whether you really need a particular item. What Can You Do? Solid Waste

Packaging Many packaging items are put into landfills, including boxes, packing peanuts, Styrofoam, shrink wrap, etc. Try to buy things that are not as highly packaged. Many companies use peanuts that are made from cellulose that can be washed down the drain and not put into landfills. Reuse containers and buy smart!

Reuse Reusing products is an important way to reduce resource use, waste, and pollution in developed countries. Reusing can be hazardous in developing countries for poor who scavenge in open dumps. They can be exposed to toxins or infectious diseases.

How People Reuse Materials Children looking for materials to sell in an open dump near Manila in the Philippines. Figure 22-2

Case Study: Using Refillable Containers Refilling and reusing containers uses fewer resources and less energy, produces less waste, saves money, and creates jobs. In Denmark and Canadas Price Edwards Island there is a ban on all beverage containers that cannot be reused. In Finland 95% of soft drink and alcoholic beverages are refillable (Germany 75%).

REUSE Reducing resource waste: energy consumption for different types of 350- ml (12-oz) beverage containers. Figure 22-7

Solutions: Other Ways to Reuse Things We can use reusable shopping bags, food containers, and shipping pallets, and borrow tools from tool libraries. Many countries in Europe and Asia charge shoppers for plastic bags.

Recycling Definition Conservation of resources by converting them into new product.

Recycling Primary (closed loop) recycling: materials are turned into new products of the same type. Secondary recycling: materials are converted into different products. Used tires shredded and converted into rubberized road surface. Newspapers transformed into cellulose insulation.

RECYCLING To promote recycling and separation of wastes, 4,000 communities in the U.S. have implemented pay-as-you-throw or fee-per-bag waste collection systems.

RECYCLING Composting biodegradable organic waste mimics nature by recycling plant nutrients to the soil. Recycling paper has a number of environmental (reduction in pollution and deforestation, less energy expenditure) and economic benefits and is easy to do.

Recycling - General Purpose Recycling saves land, reduces the amount of solid waste, energy consumption and pollution. Ex. recycling one aluminum can saves the energy of about 6 oz. of gasoline.

Recycling - Benefits Conserves our natural resources Has a positive effect on the economy by generating jobs and revenues. For example, the Sunday edition of the New York Times consumes 12,000 trees. Currently, only about 20% of all paper in North America is recycled.

Recycling - Problems Recycling does have environmental costs. It uses energy and generates pollution. Ex. the de-inking process in paper recycling requires energy, and produces a toxic sludge that contains heavy metals.

RECYCLING Recycling many plastics is chemically and economically difficult. Many plastics are hard to isolate from other wastes. Recovering individual plastic resins does not yield much material. The cost of virgin plastic resins in low than recycled resins due to low fossil fuel costs. There are new technologies that are making plastics biodegradable.

REUSE & RECYCLING Reuse and recycling are hindered by prices of goods that do not reflect their harmful environmental & health effects associated with the product over its life cycle, too few government subsidies and tax break: extracting industries receive more subsidies than recycling industries price fluctuations must create demand for recycled products

Fig. 22-9, p. 529 Important part of economy Source separation is inconvenient for some people Reduces profits from landfills and incinerators Reduces air and water pollution Saves energy Reduces mineral demand Reduces greenhouse gas emissions Reduces solid waste production and disposal Helps protect biodiversity Can save money for items such as paper, metals, and some plastics Generating demand for recycled products May lose money for items such as glass and most plastic DisadvantagesAdvantages Trade-Offs Recycling

Specific Recycled Items & Plastics

As the concern about landfill space increases, worldwide interest in recycling by means of composting is growing. Compost is the organic materials from plants and animals that is converted into a useful stable product by aerobic decomposition. Compost generally: Reduces the amount of organic material that is placed into landfills, including paper which constitutes the majority of MSW. Aerates the soil, improves the soils ability to retain water and nutrients and helps prevent erosion. Needs 6 to 12 inches of organic material, shade, water and aeration. Biological Reprocessing Home composting being turned Compost piles can combust if not monitored

Composts - Definition A sweet-smelling, dark-brown, humus-like material that is rich in organic material and soil nutrients. Compost heap

Composts - Benefits Aerates the soil. Improves soils ability to retain water and nutrients. Helps prevent erosion. Prevents nutrients from being dumped in landfills.

Recycling - Organic Comprise over 1/2 of the solid waste Includes paper, yard debris, wood materials, bio-solids, food, manure and agricultural residues, land clearing debris, and mixed municipal organic waste. Organic materials have been dumped in landfills or burned. Why not use them!

Metals Precious metals like: Gold, lead, nickel, steel, copper, silver, zinc, and aluminum are recyclable. World supply of rare metals will eventually run out

Glass U.S. recycles about 36% of its glass containers. It costs less to recycle glass than to make new glass. Mixed color glass cullet is used for glassphalt, a glass/asphalt mixture.

Aluminum This is the most recycled material in the U.S. because of $. Making a new can from an old one requires a fraction of the energy than to make a new can from raw materials. Approximately 2/3 of cans are recycled each year, saving 19 million barrels of oil annually.

Paper U.S. currently recycles 40% of its paper and paperboard. Denmark, recycles about 97% of its paper. Many U.S. mills are not able to process waste paper. Many countries like Mexico, import a large amount of wastepaper from the U.S. We export about 19% of our recycled paper.

Nuclear Waste The safe disposal of radioactive wastes is the problem. Radioactive wastes must be stored in an isolated area where they cant contaminate the environment. It must have geological stability and little or no water flowing nearby. (Remember Yucca Mountain)

Plastic Recycling Recycling many plastics is chemically and economically difficult to recycle. Plastics are often recycled into other forms of plastic and those plastics are often not recyclable. Many plastics are hard to isolate from other wastes. Recovering individual plastic resins does not yield much material. The cost of virgin plastic resins is lower than recycled resins due to low subsidized fossil fuel costs. There are new technologies that are making plastics biodegradable Plastics must be sorted according to their resin identification code which indicates the type of material they were made from. Styrofoam Grocery & bread bags Shampoo and fast food service items Milk bottles and butter tubs Soft drink bottles Yogurt containers, straws, and bottle caps Other various plastics

Waste-to-energy incinerators reduce the volume of waste by up to 90% because of the large organic component that can be used for burning. Incineration can also be used to eliminate hazardous waste products. While waste-to-energy incinerators contribute to CO 2 emissions and air pollution, they produce less than power plants that run on fossil fuels. Plasma gasification uses an ionized or electrically charged gas to convert waste into a syngas which can be used in energy production. Energy Recovery Plasma arc converters can reach temperatures of 12,600 Fahrenheit changing molecular bonds Organic material is burned to boil water producing steam which turns a turbine, generating electricity

Burning Solid Waste Waste-to-energy incinerator with pollution controls that burns mixed solid waste which can contribute to air pollution Figure 22-10

Waste-to-Energy Incineration 1) the volume of waste is reduced by up to 90% and 2) the heat produced, produces steam, which can warm buildings or generate electricity. In 1999, the U.S. had 110 waste-to-energy incinerators, which burned 16% of the nations solid waste & produces less CO 2 emissions than power plants that run on fossil fuels, but still contribute to air pollution.

Burying Solid Waste Burying solid waste has many problems associated with it as well like groundwater contamination, production of methane gas, and incomplete decomposition of waste.

Burying Solid Waste Most of the worlds MSW is buried in landfills that eventually are expected to leak toxic liquids into the soil and underlying aquifers. Open dumps: are fields or holes in the ground where garbage is deposited and sometimes covered with soil. Mostly used in developing countries. Sanitary landfills: solid wastes are spread out in thin layers, compacted and covered daily with a fresh layer of clay or plastic foam.

Landfills Definition Solid waste is placed in a hole, compacted, and covered with soil. Reduces the number of rats associated with solid waste, lessens the danger of fire, and decreases the odor.

Landfills: Current Criteria Landfills cannot pollute surface or groundwater. Compacted to reduce volume and covered daily with soil Clay and plastic sheets are at the bottom (prevents liquid waste from seeping into groundwater) A double liner system must be present (plastic, clay, plastic, clay), and a system to collect leachate (liquid that seeps through the solid waste)

Burning Solid Waste Globally, MSW is burned in over 1,000 large waste-to-energy incinerators, which boil water to make steam for heating water, or space, or for production of electricity. Japan and a few European countries incinerate most of their MSW.

Fig. 22-12, p. 532 Sand When landfill is full, layers of soil and clay seal in trash Methane storage and compressor building Leachate storage tank Leachate monitoring well Groundwater monitoring well Electricity generator building Leachate treatment system Methane gas recovery well Compacted solid waste Leachate pipes Leachate pumped up to storage tank for safe disposal Groundwater Clay and plastic lining to prevent leaks; pipes collect leachate from bottom of landfill Topsoil Sand Clay Subsoil Probes to detect methane leaks Garbage Synthetic liner Sand Clay Pipes collect explosive methane as used as fuel to generate electricity

Landfills: Current Criteria Oil Not allowed Must go to an automotive or environmental company for recycling. Antifreeze Not allowed Must be sent to an automotive or environmental company for recycling.

Landfills: Current Criteria Air Conditioner Coolants Not allowed Must be sent to an automotive or environmental company for recycling. Lead Acid (Car Batteries) Not allowed Must be sent to an automotive or an environmental company for recycling.

Case Study: What Should We Do with Used Tires? We face a dilemma in deciding what to so with hundreds of millions of discarded tires.

Case Study: What Should We Do with Used Tires? They can burn for years producing large amounts of toxic air pollutants... Very hard to put out

Tires Are allowed in landfill if they are shredded otherwise they are recycled.

Hazardous Waste Hazardous waste: is any discarded solid or liquid material that is toxic, ignitable, corrosive, or reactive enough to explode or release toxic fumes. The two largest classes of hazardous wastes are synthetic organic compounds (e.g. pesticides, PCBs, dioxins) and toxic heavy metals (e.g. lead, mercury, arsenic). Hazardous waste is a major cause of groundwater contamination from landfills.

Fig. 22-15, p. 534 What Harmful Chemicals Are in Your Home? Glues and cements Dry-cell batteries (mercury and cadmium) Rust inhibitor and rust remover Brake and transmission fluid General Cleaning Battery acid Wood preservatives Stains, varnishes, and lacquers Automotive Gasoline Used motor oil Paint Latex and oil-based paints Paint thinners, solvents, and strippers Gardening Pesticides Weed killers Ant and rodent killers Antifreeze Flea powders Disinfectants Septic tank cleaners Spot removers Drain, toilet, and window cleaners Artist paints and inks Solvents

Certain substances in the environment are harmful when absorbed in high concentrations. These substances include: Pesticides Radioactive isotopes Heavy metals (cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury). Industrial chemicals such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). They can be taken up by organisms via food or water or simply absorbed from the surroundings. Many of the toxins and chemical substances can easily leach into groundwater. Chemicals and toxins can be released at safe levels but may react or combine with other chemicals, from synergism, to create dangerous mixtures. Toxins in the Environment Poisonous chemical store Spraying apples with insecticide, Japan

Bioaccumulation (also called biological magnification) occurs when highly persistent pesticides, which cannot be metabolized or excreted, are stored and accumulate in the fatty tissues of the body. There is a progressive concentration of the pesticides with increasing trophic level; higher order consumers are at greater risk because they eat a large number of lower order consumers. Bioaccumulation Biomagnification of DDT in an aquatic ecosystem

Hazardous Waste Regulations (US) Two major federal laws regulate the management and disposal of hazardous waste in the U.S.: RCRA - Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Tracks waste progress Cradle-to-the-grave system to keep track of waste. CERCLA - Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act Commonly known as Superfund program. Clean up abandoned waste sites

Hazardous Waste Regulations (US) The Superfund law was designed to have polluters pay for cleaning up abandoned hazardous waste sites. Most severe sites on NPL National Priorities List Only 70% of the cleanup costs have come from the polluters, the rest comes from a trust fund financed until 1995 by taxes on chemical raw materials and oil.

Hazardous Waste Regulations (US) Brownfields Abandoned, contaminated industrial & commercial sites. Factories, junkyards, older landfills, gas stations Not as bad as superfund sites Can be cleaned up & redeveloped as parks, atheletic fields, preserves, etc.

DEALING WITH HAZARDOUS WASTE We can produce less hazardous waste and recycle, reuse, detoxify, burn, and bury what we continue to produce.

Conversion to Less Hazardous Substances Physical Methods: using charcoal or resins to separate out harmful chemicals. Chemical Methods: using chemical reactions that can convert hazardous chemicals to less harmful or harmless chemicals, usually by incineration. Biological Methods: Bioremediation: bacteria or enzymes help destroy toxic and hazardous waste or convert them to more benign substances. Phytoremediation: involves using natural or genetically engineered plants to absorb, filter and remove contaminants from polluted soil and water.

Phytostabilization Plants such as willow trees and poplars can absorb chemicals and keep them from reaching groundwater or nearby surface water. Rhizofiltration Roots of plants such as sunflowers with dangling roots on ponds or in green- houses can absorb pollutants such as radioactive strontium -90 and cesium-137 and various organic chemicals. Phytodegradation Plants such as poplars can absorb toxic organic chemicals and break them down into less harmful compounds which they store or release slowly into the air. Inorganic metal contaminants Organic contaminants Radioactive contaminants Brake fern Poplar tree Indian mustard Willow tree Sunflower Oil spill Landfill Groundwater Soil Polluted leachate Decontaminated water out Polluted groundwater in Groundwater Soil Phytoextraction Roots of plants such as Indian mustard and brake ferns can absorb toxic metals such as lead, arsenic, and others and store them in their leaves. Plants can then be recycled or harvested and incinerated.

Fig. 22-18, p. 538 Inexpensive Low energy use Easy to establish Trade-Offs Phytoremediation AdvantagesDisadvantages Some plants can become toxic to animals Some toxic organic chemicals may evaporate from plant leaves Produces little air pollution compared to incineration Can reduce material dumped into landfills Slow (can take several growing seasons) Effective only at depth plant roots can reach

Conversion to Less Hazardous Substances Incineration: heating many types of hazardous waste to high temperatures up to 2000 C in an incinerator can break them down and convert them to less harmful or harmless chemicals. Plasma Torch: passing electrical current through gas to generate an electric arc and very high temperatures can create plasma. The plasma process can be carried out in a torch which can decompose liquid or solid hazardous organic material.

Fig. 22-19, p. 538 Advantages Trade-Offs Plasma Arc Small High cost Produces no toxic ash Can vaporize and release toxic metals and radioactive elements Can release particulates and chlorine gas Mobile. Easy to move to different sites Produces CO2 and CO Disadvantages

Long-Term Storage: Hazardous Waste Hazardous waste can be disposed of on or underneath the earths surface, but without proper design and care this can pollute the air and water. Deep-well disposal: liquid hazardous wastes are pumped under pressure into dry porous rock far beneath aquifers. Surface impoundments: excavated depressions such as ponds, pits, or lagoons into which liners are placed and liquid hazardous wastes are stored.

Fig. 22-20, p. 539 Safe method if sites are chosen carefully Trade-Offs Deep Underground Wells AdvantagesDisadvantages Encourages waste production Existing fractures or earthquakes can allow wastes to escape into groundwater Leaks from corrosion of well casing Leaks or spills at surface Low cost Easy to do Wastes can be retrieved if problems develop

Fig. 22-21, p. 539 Low construction costs Can store wastes indefinitely with secure double liners Groundwater contamination from leaking liners (or no lining) Trade-Offs Surface Impoundments Advantages Promotes waste production Disruption and leakage from earthquakes Overflow from flooding Air pollution from volatile organic compounds Wastes can be retrieved if necessary Can be built quickly Low operating costs Disadvantages

Long-Term Storage of Hazardous Waste Long-Term Retrievable Storage: Some highly toxic materials cannot be detoxified or destroyed. Metal drums are used to stored them in areas that can be inspected and retrieved. Secure Landfills: Sometimes hazardous waste are put into drums and buried in carefully designed and monitored sites.

Secure Hazardous Waste Landfill In the U.S. there are only 21 commercial hazardous waste landfills.

Case Study: Lead Lead is especially harmful to children and is still used in leaded gasoline and household paints in about 100 countries. Figure 22-24

Case Study: Mercury Mercury is released into the environment mostly by burning coal and incinerating wastes and can build to high levels in some types of fish. Figure 22-26

Fig. 22-25, p. 542 BIOMAGNIFICATION IN FOOD CHAIN SEDIMENT PRECIPITATION WINDS AIR WATER Inorganic mercury and acids (Hg 2+ ) Inorganic mercury and acids (Hg 2+ ) Organic mercury (CH 3 Hg + ) Inorganic mercury (Hg 2+ ) Hg 2+ and acids Runoff of Hg 2+ and acids Large fish Small fish ZooplanktonPhytoplankton Hg and SO 2 Hg 2 + and acids Human sources Incinerator Coal- burning plant Elemental mercury vapor (Hg) Photo- chemical Oxidation Elemental mercury liquid (Hg) Deposition Bacteria and acids Settles out Settles out Settles out Vaporization Deposition

Achieving a Low-Waste Society In the U.S., citizens have kept large numbers of incinerators, landfills, and hazardous waste treatment plants from being built in their local areas. (NIMBY) Environmental justice means that everyone is entitled to protection from environmental hazards without discrimination. NIABY Not In Anyones Backyard NOPE Not On Planet Earth

Global Outlook: International Action to Reduce Hazardous Waste An international treaty calls for phasing out the use of harmful persistent organic pollutants (POPs). POPs are insoluble in water and soluble in fat. Nearly every person on earth has detectable levels of POPs in their blood. The U.S has not ratified this treaty.

Solutions: mimic nature 1.Consume less 2.Redesign manufacturing processes and products to: use less material and energy create less pollution and waste 3.Develop products that are easy to repair, reuse, recycle, or compost cradle to cradle 4.Eliminate or reduce packaging material 5.Charge fee-per-bag for trash collection, but free recycle collection 6.Establish cradle to grave responsibility laws

Making the Transition to a Low- Waste Society: A New Vision Everything is connected. There is no away for the wastes we produce. Dilution is not always the solution to pollution. The best and cheapest way to deal with wastes are reduction and pollution prevention.

waste disposal and recycling reduce, reuse, recycle

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