Anita Sego Spring, 2005

Chap 15: Environmental Concerns: Wastes and Pollution

Anita Sego

Spring, 2005

Chap 15: Wastes and Pollution

Chapter Objectives

• Define the terms environment, ecology, and biosphere.

• Explain how human activities affect the environment through the production of wastes and residues.

• Name the primary sources of solid wastes.

• List and briefly explain the four approaches to solid waste management.


Chapter Objectives

• Define hazardous wastes.

• Explain the difference between sanitary and secured landfills.

• Identify the five approaches to hazardous waste management.

• Explain what is meant by the term Superfund.

• Explain the Pollution Standard Index (PSI).


Chapter Objectives

• Briefly describe acid rain, ozone layer, global warming, and photochemical smog.

• Identify the major indoor air pollutants.

• Explain the difference in point source and nonpoint source pollution.

• Identify the categories of water pollution.


Chapter Objectives

• Briefly describe waste water treatment.

• List means of conserving water.

• Name the primary sources of radiation.

• Explain how nuclear wastes are handled in the United States.

• Identify the two basic characteristics of sound.

• Identify steps to reduce problems associated with noise pollution.


Introduction to Environment

• External conditions, circumstances, and influences surrounding and affecting the growth and development of an organism or a community of organisms.

• Ecology

• Biosphere


Natural Environmental Hazards• Natural hazards

• Biology hazards– Insect– Microbiological– Vegetation

• Psychological hazards– Stress– Boredom– Anxiety

• Sociological hazards– Overcrowding– Isolation– Anomie


Residues & Wastes from Humans• Factors contributing

– urbanization– industrialization– human population growth– production and use of disposable products


Types of Wastes and Pollution• Solid wastes

• Hazardous Waste

• Water and its pollution

• Radiation

• Noise pollution


Solid Waste

• Sources of solid waste– agriculture– mining– industry– municipalities– utilities

• Decomposing waste


Sources of Waste

utilitiesindustry

household

mining

agriculture


Solid Waste

• Solid wastes management– collection – disposal

• sanitary landfills• incineration• recycling• source reduction


Hazardous Waste

• A product that may

1.cause or contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serous irreversible, or incapacitating reversible illness, or

2. Pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of, or otherwise managed.


Hazardous Waste

• Management– Secured landfill - least expensive– Deep well injection– Incineration of Hazardous waste– Hazardous Waste Recycling and

Neutralization– Source Reduction


Hazardous Waste

• Cleanup

• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

• Superfund


Air Pollution

• Contaminants of Outdoor Air– transportation

– electric power plants

– industry - mills & refineries

• National Ambient Air Quality Standards

• Pollutant Standard Index


Special Concerns with Outdoor Air• Acid Rain

• Destruction of the Ozone Layer– chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

• Global Warming– greenhouse gases– greenhouse effect

• Photochemical Smog– thermal inversion


Indoor Air

• Indoor Air Pollutants– asbestos– formaldehyde– radon– environmental tobacco smoke– volatile organic compounds

• Air Quality and Conservation– sick building syndrome– ventilation– testing


Water Pollution

• Sources of water

• Treatment of water for use– coagulation and flocculation– sedimentation– filtration– disinfection


Sources of Water Pollution

• Point source pollution - single identifiable source that discharges pollutants into the water.

• nonpoint source pollution - all pollution that occurs through the runoff, seepage, of falling of pollutants into the water.


Types of Water Pollutants

• Biological pollutants– pathogens– overgrowth of aquatic plants

• Toxic pollutants– inorganic chemicals– radioactive materials– synthetic organic chemicals


Water Quality

• Strategies to ensure safe water– policy– water treatment– municipal waste

water treatment– primary treatment– secondary treatment– tertiary treatment– septic systems– conservation


Radiation

Sources• Naturally

– Cosmic radiation - sun & outer space– Terrestrial radiation - Earth & its minerals– Internal radiation - inside the body from

ingestion

• Human-made – X-rays– Nuclear medicine– Nuclear weapons


Sources of Radiation

Radon54%

Consumer products

3%

Others1%

Nuclear medicine

4%

Medical X-rays11%

Internal11%

Terrestrial8%

Cosmic8%


Radiation

Danger– Roentgen equivalent man - REMS– damage cells & tissues

Policy– USDE– Nuclear waste disposal is highly controversial


Noise Pollution

Measure by annoyance factor• Frequency

– cycles per second– hertz– vibrations per second

• Amplitude– decibels (dB)

• Noise abatement– Policy - Noise Control Act of 1972– Education programs– Environmental changes


Chapter 15

Environmental Concerns:Wastes and Pollution

Anita Sego Spring, 2005

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