Questions related to environmental management

Past questions on environmental management 2010 Question 4 What are the problems associated with the disposal of construction solid waste? Give comments on the effectiveness of construction solid waste sorting plants to mitigate the problems that ou have identified! 200" Question # $iscuss the problems associated with construction solid waste in %ong &ong! What recommendations would ou propose to minimi'e the construction and demolition waste? 200( Question # $iscuss the problems associated with construction solid waste in %ong &ong and provide recommendations to overcome the problems! 200) Question # $iscuss the problems associated with construction solid wastes in %ong &ong and recommend suitable solutions!

Definitions
Construction materials waste *+n material, apart from earth materials, which needs to be transported elsewhere from the construction site or used within the construction site itself for the purpose of land filling, incineration, rec cling, reusing or composting, other than the intended specific purpose of the pro-ect due to material damage, e.cess, non/use, or non/compliance with the specifications or being a b /product of the construction process!0

Construction and demolition (C&D) debris consists of waste that is generated during new construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings, roads, and bridges! 12$ debris often contains bul3 , heav materials that include4 1oncrete, wood, and asphalt 5from roads and roofing shingles6 G psum 5the main component of dr wall6 7etals, bric3s, glass, and plastics 8alvaged building components, such as doors, windows, and plumbing fi.tures

9an et al! pointed out that, construction activities involve intricate environmental aspects, and the improvement of these aspects will incur significant e.penses, thus contractors are reluctant to adopt proactive measures! :t is reported that construction and demolition 512$6 waste constituted about ;#< of landfill space in %ong &ong in 1""4="# when it was at its pea3! 9o operate in an environmentall sound manner, integrated solid waste management programs should strive to4 7inimi'e the quantit of waste that must be placed in landfills through elimination, recover , reuse, rec cling, remanufacturing, composting, and similar methods! 7anage non/ha'ardous wastes and special or ha'ardous wastes separatel ! 1ollect and transport all waste effectivel and efficientl ! $esign sanitar landfills and ensure appropriate siting, operation, monitoring, and closure!

Waste Minimization
Reduce, reuse, recycle

>educing the quantit of waste that must be transported and disposed of should be a primar goal of all municipal solid waste management programs! Waste should be recovered at the source, during transport, or at the disposal site! 9he earlier the separation, the cleaner the

material, and, in the end, the higher the qualit and value it will be to its users! :ntegrating and fostering the involvement of the informal sector//itinerant collectors, microenterprises, cooperatives are the 3e s to improving waste minimi'ation! ?ther tips on reducing waste include4
Disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW)

16 @.amples of 78WApac3aging, food scraps, grass clippings, discarded furniture, computers, tires, discarded appliances!!! 26 Bon/e.amples of 78WA industrial, nuclear, ha'ardous, construction waste C6 1ontrol of local governments4 options are Docal government owns the collection truc3s etc! Esing private contractors for services >ec cling ta. P+F9 G pa /as/ ou/throw %ousehold rec cling bins Private companies in charge of rec cling

Landfills

municipal solid waste landfill

1) General info a6 $efinition4 depositing waste on the ground and bur ing it with at least si. inches of dirt b6 7unicipal solid waste landfill Hreceives household wastes but can also receive non/ ha'ardous sludge, industrial solid waste, construction and demolition debris

2) General procedures / options a6 Dandfill siting 5approval6 b6 Dandfill e.pansion

c6 Dandfill closure d6 Dandfill reclamation 5golf course, etc!6

3) Landfill types a6 Iioreactor landfills 5bioreactors6 Quic3l transform = degrade organic waste +ddition of liquid and sometimes air to enhance microbial processes b6 1onstruction and demolition debris 512$6 landfills ?nl accepts concrete, asphalt, bric3, wood, dr wall, asphalt roofing shingles, metals, and some t pes of plastics Dandfills are sub-ect to less stringent standards than municipal solid waste landfills due to the relativel inert nature of 12$ debris materials c6 :ndustrial waste landfills $esigned for management of non/ha'ardous industrial process wastes

Solutions to t!e "ro#lem

Source reduction (waste prevention) also called pre cyclin! 16 $efinitionA the reduction of the amount and=or to.icit of waste at or before the point of generation a6 >eduction of waste b6 1onservation of resources

26 @.amples

a6 7a3ing pac3aging lighter or using less materials b6 Ese email rather than paper mail c6 &eep records and store them electronicall d6 $onation of unwanted items to charities and thrift stores e6 8elling unwanted items online f6 Photocop ing two/sided documents g6 Product maintenance and repair rather than disposal h6 Iu items with less bul3 pac3aging i6 7ulching and bac3 ard composting of ard waste

C6 Ienefits 5from the @P+6 a6 8aves natural resources b6 >educes to.icit of waste c6 >educes costs to communities, businesses, schools and consumers d6 Prevents emissions of man G%G 5Greenhouse gases6 e6 8aves energ f6 >educes the need for new landfills and combustors

"nte!rated waste mana!ement 9he goal of :ntegrated Waste 7anagement is to establish a diverse and well/rounded approach to managing our waste that conserves valuable landfill space, preserves environmental qualit , and conserves natural resources! :ntegrated Waste 7anagement means finding more than one solution for our solid waste dilemma, starting with not creating so much waste to begin with, and then, re/using materials for their highest value!

16 Progression4 a6 Dandfill 5worst option for trash6 b6 :ncineration 5burning trash for fuel6 c6 >ec cling and composting 5materials redone as resources6 d6 >euse 53eeping it out of the waste stream6 e6 >eduction 5donJt generate as much trash6

26 Waste >eduction a6 @.tended product responsibilit 5@P>6 from the @P+4 Product stewardship is a product/centered approach to environmental protection! +lso 3nown as e.tended product responsibilit 5@P>6, product stewardship calls on those in the product life c cleAmanufacturers, retailers, users, and disposersAto share responsibilit for reducing the environmental impacts of products! b6 Parts4 businesses, retailers, consumers, state and local governments, federal government c6 9 pes of products4 batteries, pac3aging, carpet, vehicles, mercur /containing products 5thermometers, thermostats, fluorescent lights, some batteries, some vehicle parts, medical waste6, building materials, paint, pesticides, propane tan3s and gas canisters, radioactive materials

C6 Waste disposalAencouragement of W9@ 5waste/to/energ facilities6 and better related technolog development

46 >ec cling and reuse a6 7aterials recover facilities 57>K6

b6 >euse first c6 7ore durable qualit of goods d6 Iu rec cled 5close the loop6