02.0 Waste - its origin, its destination... 2337KB Mar 29 2010 05:00:20 AM

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Waste – its Origin

Waste Threatens Sustainability,

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

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Waste is an Environmental Problem…

Environment: resource base

Environment as waste sink

Waste Residuals (Pollution)

Waste and the environment:

1. Waste contains hazardous materials that affect the environment

2. Natural environment has a certain assimilative

capacity; pollution =

residual flow > assimilative capacity

Limits to Waste Absorption

2.1 – Characterization of Waste

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Waste is an Economic Problem…

Waste and the economy:

1. Waste is lost economic value

2. Waste causes nuisance, odour and is a threat to aesthetics

3. Waste disposal entails considerable costs

Waste is a flow or a stock of materials with a negative economic value, which implies it is cheaper to discard these materials than to use (Pichtel 2005)

Time

Economic

capital

Materials economic value curve

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Waste of Today Causes a Future Problem…

Waste and the future:

1. Waste has potential long-term impacts

Typical example: nuclear waste

2. Future generations bear the consequences of today’s waste discharge

Typical examples: global GHG emissions and climate change, leachate from landfills

Waste residuals of today are the problems of tomorrow,…next year,…next century…

Review (1.5)…

Pollution problems depend on:

•Environmental impact potential of materials •Spatial scale of impact

•Damage potential (severity of hazards) •Degree of exposure

•Remediation and reversibility time

•Quantity of materials used (throughput)

Review (1.5)…

Pollution problems depend on:

•Environmental impact potential of materials •Spatial scale of impact

•Damage potential (severity of hazards) •Degree of exposure

•Remediation and reversibility time

•Quantity of materials used (throughput)

2.1 – Characterization of Waste

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…therefore, Waste Imposes a Threat to Sustainability

Planet Profit People Decisions inte rdep ende nce interdependence inte_rd ep en de nc_e Review (1.5): Review (1.5): …Sustainable development is

development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet

their own needs …

WCED Our Common Future

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We Need Effective Waste Management

• To protect the environment

• To ensure economic development

• To reduce potential impacts on future generations

Effective waste management involves understanding of the waste problem and thus a clear characterization and

classification of waste types

• To assign its impacts (environmental, economic and societal) • To improve stakeholder involvement (we all produce waste) • To guide adequate management (technologies and strategies)

2.1 – Characterization of Waste

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Characterization of waste

Involvement of

stakeholders

Awareness of

impacts

Development of

adequate

strategies

Effective waste

management

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Characterization through Classification

Classification is possible in several ways, according • Generator type

• Composition and chemical/physical properties • Hazardousness

• Etc. GeneratorGenerator PropertyProperty AspectAspect

Households Industries Chemical Physical Hazard potential Organic Anorganic Solid Liquid Gaseous Ignitable Corrosive Reactive Toxic

2.1 – Characterization of Waste

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Generator Types: Waste Originates From a Variety of

Sources

Extraction W as te is p ro du ce d th ro ug ho ut t he p ro du ct li fe cy cl e Production Use Disposal inputs

inputs residualsresiduals

Generator type Waste stream (examples)

Municipal Food scrap, office paper, yard waste, plastics, glass, textiles

Hazardous Petroleum refining residuals, electroplating solvents

Industrial Coal combustion, pulp, iron scrap, chemicals

Medical Infectious agents, waste human blood, pathological waste

Universal Batteries, agricultural pesticides, thermostats

Construction Concrete, asphalt, roofing

Radioactive Uranium fuel, cleanup items from nuclear plants

Mining Rock, smelting residuals

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Properties: Waste has Chemical and Physical

Properties

Chemical properties and examples:

Chemical Organic Anorganic

•paperpaper

•some plasticssome plastics

•foodfood

•yard wasteyard waste

•some textilessome textiles

•rubberrubber

•GlassGlass

•MetalsMetals

•Dirt (ashes)Dirt (ashes)

•Some bulky wastesSome bulky wastes

Physical

Solid Liquid Gaseous

Municipal solid waste (MSW)

Industrial waste water (IWW)

Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG))

Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG)) Physical properties and examples:

Lipids Lipids Carbohydrates Carbohydrates Crude fibers Crude fibers Proteins Proteins

2.1 – Characterization of Waste

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Properties: Waste May Have a Certain Hazard

Potential

Hazard potential

Ignitable Corrosive

Reactive

Toxic

Cleaning solvents, paint thinners

Acidic wastes from metal plating

Explosives, electroplating solutions

Paint waste, dental amalgam, batteries

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Waste is Often Highly Heterogenous

Example: Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

As a function of source (many generator types) • Residential (single-, multi-family homes)

• Commercial (restaurants, retail companies) • Institutional (schools, hospitals)

• Industrial (packaging and administrative businesses) As a function of property (mixed chemical composition)

• Organic (paper, plastics, food, yard waste, textiles and rubber) • Inorganic (glass, metals, ashes, refrigerators, stoves)

• Hazardous (pesticides, batteries, paint containers)

2.1 – Characterization of Waste

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Involvement of

stakeholders

Awareness of Awareness of

impacts impacts

Development of

adequate

strategies

Effective waste

management

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Classification of Waste Increases Awareness of

Impacts (1)

Example: Electronic waste in MSW disposal • Generator type: households and offices

• Products composition: computers, cell phones, televisions, copiers etc.

• Materials composition:

 Organic: glass

 _{Anorganic: plastic, metals (iron, copper, aluminium)}

 _{Hazard potential: heavy metals (lead, zinc, cadmium, mercury)}

 _{In landfills, e-waste is the main source of heavy metals (}Pichtel 2005)

impacts

2.1 – Characterization of Waste

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Classification of Waste Increases Awareness of

Impacts (2)

Environmental impacts of e-waste disposal:

• Air (CO(CO₂₂ and toxic emissions from incinerators) and toxic emissions from incinerators)

• Soil (leachate from landfills and wet deposition of leachate from landfills and wet deposition of emissions from incinerators)

emissions from incinerators)

• Water (leachate of landfills to groundwater)

Economic impacts of e-waste disposal:

• Manufacturing of (new) electronics requires extraction of _{Manufacturing of (new) electronics requires extraction of}

scarce resources such as precious metals, oil and energy

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Involvement of Involvement of

stakeholders stakeholders

Awareness of impacts

Development of

adequate

strategies

Effective waste

management

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Classification of Waste Encourages the

Involvement of Stakeholders

Example: Electronic waste in MSW Stakeholders from:

• extraction phase: oil companies, mining heavy metals

• production phase: chemical industry, manufacturing of glass, electronic components and plastics

• use phase: energy consumption

• disposal phase: households and businesses

Extraction

Production

Use

Disposal

inputs

inputs residualsresiduals

Waste: ‘who is responsible?’

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Involvement of stakeholders Awareness of

impacts

Development of Development of

adequate adequate strategies strategies

Effective waste

management

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Classification of Waste Encourages Development of

Adequate Strategies

Chemical Physical Hazard potential Organic Anorganic Solid Liquid Gaseous Ignitable Corrosive Reactive Toxic Classification data

Classification data _{Technology design and applications}_{Technology design and applications}

Determines

Determines applicabilityapplicability of waste materials for of waste materials for recyclingrecycling and for fuels in utilities and for

and for fuels in utilities and for agriculturalagricultural fertilizersfertilizers; ; prediction of

prediction of gaseousgaseouscompositioncomposition of emissions from of emissions from incinerators and

incinerators and leachateleachate from landfills from landfills Determines transport and

Determines transport and processingprocessing requirements; requirements; prediction of

prediction of combustioncombustion characteristicscharacteristics and and landfilllandfill lifetime

lifetime (volume of waste compared to landfill capacity) (volume of waste compared to landfill capacity)

Determines the design requirements of

Determines the design requirements of long-term long-term

storage facilities

storage facilities; requires ; requires safe transportationsafe transportation; guides ; guides urban planning

urban planning around hazardous waste landfills around hazardous waste landfills (because of health risks and low concentrations can

(because of health risks and low concentrations can

already have

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Involvement of stakeholders Awareness of

impacts

Development of

adequate

strategies

Effective waste Effective waste

management management

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Data on Waste is Useful for Adequate Waste

Management

• To organize recycling programmes:

Example: residential collection programmes for televisions, audio and stereo equipment etc.; extended producer responsibility (EPR) • To design and operate material recovery facilities

Example: high recyclability of aluminium, iron, tin, copper, nickel, gold and silver from electronic waste in MSW (Pichtel 2005)

• To design optimal municipal incinerators

Example: filter systems and capturing of heavy metals in bottom ash and gas residuals

• To reduce risks and amount of waste generated and reduce costs Example: exclusion of hazardous waste products from MSW,

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More about adequate strategies in waste

management:

Section 2.3:

• Waste prevention: Cleaner production • Eco-efficiency

• Industrial Ecology

2.1 – Characterization of Waste

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Solid Waste – Environmental

Threats

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

Municipal Solid Waste

 _{Biodegradable waste: food and kitchen waste, green}_{Biodegradable waste: food and kitchen waste, green}

waste, paper (can also be recycled).

 _{Recyclable material: paper, glass, bottles, cans, metals,}_{Recyclable material: paper, glass, bottles, cans, metals,}

certain plastics, etc.

 _{Inert waste: construction and demolition waste, dirt,}_{Inert waste: construction and demolition waste, dirt,}

rocks, debris.

 _{Composite wastes: waste clothing, Tetra Packs, waste}_{Composite wastes: waste clothing, Tetra Packs, waste}

plastics such as toys.

 _{Domestic hazardous waste (also called "household}_{Domestic hazardous waste (also called "household}

hazardous waste") & toxic waste: medication, paints,

chemicals, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, spray cans,

fertilizer and pesticide containers, batteries, shoe

polish.

2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats

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Leachate

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Environmental impacts can be

clustered into six categories:

 _{Global warming}_{Global warming}

 _{Photochemical oxidant creation}_{Photochemical oxidant creation}

 _{Abiotic resource depletion}_{Abiotic resource depletion}

 _{Acidification}_{Acidification}

 _{Eutrophication}_{Eutrophication}

 _{Ecotoxicity to water}_{Ecotoxicity to water}

2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats

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Solid Waste Disposal Sites (SWDS)

produce Greenhouse gases (GHG) like:

_{Methane (CH}4)

_{Biogenic carbon dioxide (CO}2)

_{Non methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs)}

_{Small amounts of nitrous oxide (N}2O), nitrogen oxides

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

Solid waste - Landfill

Simplified Landfill Methane Mass Balance

Methane (CH4) produced (mass/time) =

Σ(CH4 recovered + CH4 emitted + CH4 oxidized)

(From Bogner, J., M. ea, Waste Management, In Climate Change 2007: Mitigation)

2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats

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Global Warming Potential (GWP)

20 years 100 years 500 years

Carbon dioxide

CO2 1 1 1

Methane

Methane CHCH44 6262 2323 77

Nitrous

oxide N

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Solid waste - CH

44

emissions for Indonesia

Percentage Share of Various Sectors to the total CH4 emissions -1994

(From: Indonesia: The First National Communication on Climate Change Convention)

2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats

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Leachate of landfill:

_{Dissolved organic matter (alcohols, acids, aldehydes,}

short chain sugars etc.)

_{Inorganic macro components (common cations and}

anions including sulfate, chloride, Iron, aluminium, zinc and ammonia)

_{Heavy metals (Pb, Ni, Cu, Hg)}

_{Xenobiotic organic compounds such as halogenated}

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

IPCC – background

_{Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change}

_{Founded 1988 by WMO (World Meteorological}

Organization) and UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)

_{Objective source of information about climate change}

for decision makers and other interested

http://www.ipcc.ch/

2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats

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The IPCC is honored with the Nobel

Peace Prize

Oslo, 10 December 07 - The Oslo, 10 December 07 - The

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. Change and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. were awarded of the Nobel Peace Prize were awarded of the Nobel Peace Prize "for their efforts to build up and

"for their efforts to build up and

disseminate greater knowledge about disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such

are needed to counteract such change".

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

IPCC – organization

Chairman Rajendra K. Pachauri

2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats

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IPCC – organization

3 Working Groups and Task Force

_{WG1 – “The Physical Science}

Basis of Climate Change”

_{WG2 – “Climate Change Impact,}

Adaptation and Vulnerability”

_{WG 3 – “Mitigation of Climate Change”}

_{Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas}

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

IPCC - Waste Model

• Relatively simple model as basis for the estimation of

CH4 emissions from SWDS

• Calculates emissions generated in current inventory year from the waste deposited in previous years

2.2 – Waste-Environmental Threats

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Waste – its destination

End-of-pipe Treatment, Waste

Prevention, Cleaner Production

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

We need effective waste management

• To protect the environment

• To ensure economic development

• To reduce potential impacts on future generations

Review (2_.1):

Characterization of waste Involvement of Involvement of stakeholders stakeholders Awareness of Awareness of impacts impacts Innovation of Innovation of strategies strategies Effective waste Effective waste management management

Waste: Its_origin

Waste: Its

desitnatio n

Waste: Its

desitnatio

n

2.3 – Waste-its Destination

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• The Destination of Waste

• Conventional waste management: end-of-pipe

treatment

• Modern waste management: prevention



Concept of Eco-efficiency



Concept of Cleaner Production



Concept of Industrial Ecology

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

Mass balance principle: all material extractions

from the environment will eventually be returned

to it, which implies:

• …there is no ‘away’ of materials

• …the natural environment functions as

resource base and waste sink: the final

destination of unwanted materials is also the

resource base of these materials

Waste residuals are discharged into the environment

2.3 – Waste-its Destination

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The pollution problem in ‘physical’ terms:

…and cause environmental threats (see also 2.2)

Material flows and accumulations Quantity-aspect Throughput Quality-aspect Hazard potential Throughput Hazard potential Amount

Amount of of Waste (level of

Waste (level of

materials

throughput)

Composition

Composition of of waste (hazard waste (hazard potential of potential of materials) materials)

• Assimilative capacity of environment to absorb waste is limited • Waste materials impose threats to climates, ecosystems, material

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

1. The amount of waste need to be reduced

2. The hazard potential of waste need to be reduced

Important note: Solutions are shaped by our approach to waste (Miller 2004):

What are the options to deal with the problem of

waste?

Unavoidable

product of

economic

growth?

2.3 – Waste-its Destination

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Conventional Waste Management:

“Waste is a problem”

End-of-pipe treatment: burning, burying or transporting

of waste residuals

Expensive

• In 1992 the US spent US$ 100 billion, the EU US$ 30 billion on ‘end-of-pipe’ treatment (Ecological Sustainable Industrial Development, UNIDO, 1994)

• HOWEVER: There is very little direct financial return to the industries that incur this expenditure

How do we manage waste?

approach

strategy

costs

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

Dumping into the environment (after limited treatment…?)

• Air (example: emissions from incineration) • Soils (example: solid waste to landfills)

• Water (example: wastewater to oceans)

In effect: end-of-pipe transfers waste materials from one part of the environment to another

Types of conventional waste management

incineration

landfilling

discharge to water

2.3 – Waste-its Destination

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• Pollution of atmosphere (exhaust of toxic substances and GHGs from incineration or landfills)

• Pollution of soils (leakage of heavy metals from landfills)

• Pollution of water (deterioration of water quality, loss of biodiversity)

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Is conventional waste management effective?

Environmental problem

Depletion of resources: Dilution of resources: Pollution of resources: Damage to resources:

Effectiveness

Not effective

Effective

Not effective

2.3 – Waste-its Destination

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“waste is a challenge”:

reduction, reuse, recycling, redesign

Modern waste Management: prevention

approach

strategy

costs

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

Characteristics of modern, sustainable waste

management

E ffe ct iv e E ffe ct iv e E ffi ci en t E ffi ci en t

•Is aimed at long term solution •Eliminates waste problem

•Prevents hazardous waste residuals from entering the environment •Reduces total material throughput

•Reduces waste impact against lowest possible:

_{Energy use} _{Water use} Costs

2.3 – Waste-its Destination

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What are technical options for sustainable waste

management?

• Prevent (design low-impact products and adapt production processes)

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

What are technical options for sustainable waste

management?

Sustainable waste management suggests an

eco-industrial revolution or a low-waste economy (Miller 2003):

• Eco-efficiency

• Cleaner Production • Industrial Ecology • Reuse and recycle nonrenewable

matter

• Use renewable accordance to replinishment rate

• Use matter and energy efficiently • Reduce unnecessary

consumption

• Prevent pollution

Related c

oncepts, but slightl_{y differen}

t scopes

2.3 – Waste-its Destination

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Eco-efficiency: characterization

• Is about industrial or economic efficiency

Economy Environment

Eco-efficiency

The delivery of competitively priced goods and services that satisfy human needs and bring quality of life, while progressively reducing ecological impacts and resource intensity throughout the life cycle, to a level at least in line with the earth's estimated carrying capacity.

World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) (1992)

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Eco-efficiency: product life-cycle characteristics

Eco-efficiency

Functional performance over life-cycle

Environmental impact over life-cycle

=

2.3 – Waste-its Destination

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($) (products generated)

 =

($) (raw materials used + waste generated)

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($) (products + more products generated)

 =

($) (raw materials used + waste generated)

[‘eco’ = ‘economic’]

Conventional wisdom – to produce more products,

increase production

2.3 – Waste-its Destination

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($) (products generated)

 =

($) (raw materials used + reduced waste generated)

[‘eco’ = ‘ecologic’]

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Cleaner Production: characterization

• Is about pollution prevention (P2) and environmental (resource and energy) efficiency

Economy Environment

Eco-efficiency

The practical application of knowledge, methods and means, so as to provide the most rational use of natural resources and energy, and to protect the environment

(First UN seminar organized by the ECE, 1976)

• Scope: minimize environmental impacts, while saving costs

2.3 – Waste-its Destination

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Cleaner Production: two important items

1. Good housekeeping: prevent pollution by different use of techniques or behavioural change

2. Clean technology: apply new technology that uses

resources and energy more efficiently and at the same time generate less pollution

The cleaner production concept is used at different levels: • As a policy tool

• As a methodological tool

• As a managenent tool for industry

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

Cleaner Production: pollution prevention and

avoidance of unwise resource use

• better choice of resources: • less in-process spillage:

• more reuse/recycling: • more recovery:

• less ‘end-of-pipe’ waste: • less observable pollution: • better public image:

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Cleaner Production leads also to good business

Examples:

3M Corporation - USA

Printing firm - Norway

Química y Textiles Proquindus - Peru

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

• Visibility: smogPollution Prevention Pays (PPP) program Worldwide

1975 - 1990 (15 years)

• 126,000 tons of air pollutants • 16,600 tons of sludge

• 6,600 m3_{of wastewater}

• 409,000 tons of solid/hazardous waste • 210,000 barrels of oil annually

• US $ 506,000,000 in 15 years

Cleaner Production at 3M Corporation - USA

2.3 – Waste-its Destination

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Industrial Ecology: closing material loops between

companies

• Eco-Efficiency and Cleaner Production: prevention,

recycling, reuse of material flows within processes

and companies

• Industrial Ecology: prevention, recycling and reuse of

material flows between companies

2.3 – Waste-its Destination

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Industrial Ecology: symbiosis between firms

Industrial Ecology in Kalundborg

(Denmark): achieving financial

and environmental sustainability

through network co-operation

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2 – Waste, its origin, its destination

Industrial Ecology: example of waste reduction

Reduction in resource

consumption and emissions

in Kalundborg (Denmark).

Waste products are used as

resources