Pollution of the planet with garbage: a global problem. The problem of garbage in Russia Environmental problems of municipal solid waste
The problem of waste disposal has been relevant at all times, but today this issue has become so acute that it raises the Shakespearean theme to a global scale: in fact, to be or not to be our planet?
There are only two possible answers: either people turn to face the problem, or our beautiful Earth will perish under a pile of fetid garbage.
Today, there are a huge number of industrial enterprises in the world. And only a few of them can boast of waste-free production, while the rest cope with waste as best they can or do not cope at all.
About a third of all waste is recycled, that is, disposed of. The rest are forced to lie dead weight and pollute our atmosphere. And the longer we live with this garbage nearby, the less chance of survival for future generations. This question has already matured so clearly that it is time for everyone to think and ring the bells anxiously.
Waste disposal is a complex measure. In order to qualitatively approach the solution of this problem, it is necessary to take into account the presence of different types of waste, and the processing of each of them should be approached individually.
How much is processed in Russia
In particular, Russian enterprises annually produce 3.5 billion tons of waste.
Of these, 2.6 billion are industrial, 700 million tons are liquid waste generated by poultry and livestock farms, 42 million tons are, and 30 million tons are sewage treatment plant sludge.
Classification of waste by type
Depending on the origin, waste is divided into different types and classes. Let's name the most common ones, although this is a rather conditional division, in fact there are much more species and subspecies.
Household waste
This type includes waste generated in the process of human life. These are various food, paper, plastic and other wastes that citizens throw out of their homes and institutions. Ordinary, familiar to all garbage, found everywhere and everywhere, belongs to the fourth or fifth class of danger.
biological waste
Animals and humans are biological species. Their waste products are great. These include public catering, sanitary facilities, veterinary clinics and the like. The main method of their disposal is. Liquid fractions are taken out on special machines.
Industrial waste
These include waste generated as a result of production and technological work. This type also includes construction waste, which appears as a result of the production of building and finishing materials (paint and varnish, heat-insulating, etc.), during the construction of houses and structures, as well as during installation, finishing, facing and repair work.
radioactive waste
These are unusable gases, solutions, various materials and products, biological objects that contain radioactive substances in excess of the allowable amount.
Depending on this indicator, the degree of their danger is determined.
This group includes waste produced by medical institutions. Of these, about 80% is ordinary household waste, the remaining 20% pose a threat to humans to one degree or another.
Division by hazard class
Waste is also classified according to its state of aggregation, that is, it can be liquid, solid and gaseous. According to the degree of danger, waste is divided into classes, there are four of them. 
The lower the class of waste, the greater the threat they pose to humans and the planet as a whole.
- The first class includes extremely hazardous wastes that can disrupt the ecosystem on a catastrophic scale. The consequences of such an impact are irreversible.
- The second class is represented by very hazardous wastes that pose a threat to the environment for a long period (about 30 years).
- The third class is moderately hazardous waste. The ecosystem has been disturbed, but its restoration is possible only after 10 years, provided that the harmful source is eliminated.
- Low hazardous waste is the fourth class. Their detrimental impact on the environment continues for 3 years.
- Class 5 waste does not pose a threat to the environment.
What danger does each species pose to the environment and humans
Waste is one of the leading environmental problems worldwide today. Alas, some countries still do not understand the danger that nature and man are in. The planet is literally littered with garbage.
Municipal solid waste is diverse: cardboard and wood, metal and ordinary paper, textiles and leather, rubber, stones, glass. Especially dangerous is plastic waste, which does not decompose for a long period and can lie in the ground for tens and even hundreds of years.
Rotting household waste is a favorable environment for the development of many pathogens.
From year to year, the number of industrial enterprises is growing, respectively, the amount of waste is increasing, which leads to pollution and littering of nature.
As a result, the quality of the environment is constantly deteriorating, and natural landscapes are increasingly subject to an irreversible process of destruction. Hundreds of thousands of hectares of land suitable for agricultural activities are dying under the rubble of rotting waste.
Industrial waste negatively affects not only the atmosphere, but also the planet's water resources. The discharge of industrial waste into wastewater leads to pollution of the waters of the World Ocean, which, in turn, reduces biological productivity and negatively affects the Earth's climate as a whole.
Construction debris, consisting of the remains of wood, drywall, metal, concrete, etc., can damage the balance of the ecosystem. The decomposition time of such waste is quite long. For example, brick fragments can lie in the soil for up to 100 years.
Radiochemical plants, nuclear power plants, research centers emit the most dangerous waste into the environment - radioactive. They are not just dangerous, they can lead our Earth to an ecological disaster. The last sad experience in Chernobyl showed firsthand the global threat of this type of pollution.
Despite the fact that Russia has accumulated enough of its own nuclear waste, radioactive waste from other countries is brought into the country for processing and further storage.
The danger of medical waste is great. They can contain highly dangerous, self-reproducing pathogenic microorganisms, and if they are simply thrown into landfills, there is a risk of spreading bacteria, which will result in outbreaks of various epidemics.
Man, being part of the ecosystem, is also exposed to the harmful effects of industrial waste. In recent years, a number of diseases have appeared - allergic, endocrine, toxic - caused by the action of chemicals released by humans into the natural environment.
Waste disposal methods in the Russian Federation
The problem of waste disposal is relevant all over the world today, including in Russia. There are three main ways that are used for waste disposal in our country:
- storage of garbage in specially designated landfills;
- burning;
- processing into secondary raw materials.
In order to engage in this type of activity, you must have a license and conclude an agreement. Moreover, each type of waste has its own rules.
Solid household waste and its disposal
The nature of Russia is beautiful and diverse. However, today in the vastness of our vast Motherland there is not a single natural corner that has not been touched by a human hand. Traces of human carelessness can be found everywhere: bottles, bags, cans, cigarette packs, etc. lying around.
80% of all household waste in Russia is simply taken to landfills. The cost of this method is the lowest. The official landfills of the Russian Federation, in which about 82 billion tons of waste are buried, are about 11 thousand. Their number is constantly increasing, thereby causing enormous damage to nature.
Some of the garbage is incinerated and then buried. However, this method also has a number of disadvantages, since the harmful substances formed during the combustion process are very toxic, their release into the environment adversely affects human health.
Food waste is placed in stores, where under the influence of a certain temperature they decompose, compost.
Only 3% of household waste undergoes industrial processing. This method of disposal today poses the least danger, but the whole problem lies in the construction of such enterprises, or rather, the need to invest in this industry.
Recycling of industrial waste
Industrial waste is generated literally at every stage of production. Recently, state authorities have seriously thought about introducing fundamental changes in the field of environmental management, when the correct processing and disposal of industrial waste generated by enterprises will be subject to strict accounting.
Plants for processing industrial waste into secondary raw materials are already operating on the territory of the Russian Federation. So far, this industry has just begun its development, so today only 35% of this type of waste undergoes high-quality processing. The rest is still dumped in landfills or, even worse, in sewage, thereby causing irreparable damage to the planet. Unfortunately, this problem is global, and it must be solved at the global level.
Disposal of radioactive and medical residues
Numerous bans have been introduced in Russia on the conditions of handling, disposal, as well as on the import of these types of waste. However, to date, burial and incineration are the main methods of their disposal. There are special burial grounds in which solid and liquid radioactive substances are buried.
Medical waste is first collected in special bags and then mostly incinerated, which is also unsafe. At this stage, special furnaces equipped with gas cleaning equipment have already begun to function, and alternative methods of combustion have also appeared (autoclaving, microwave and steam-thermal treatment).
Is the problem of waste disposal solvable?
Despite the huge scale, the problem of waste disposal is solvable. Of course, every inhabitant of the planet must start the fight with himself. But still, the consciousness of people must be necessarily supported by measures taken at the state level. A comprehensive system is needed to deal with the responsible management of natural resources and waste management. Only an integrated approach to the problem on the part of the state, local authorities, as well as each individual inhabitant of the planet can minimize the risks of the detrimental impact of waste on the ecosystem.
Solid household waste accompanies a person all his life. It is important to know what kind of waste exists and what kind of harm they bring to humans and nature. According to the method of obtaining MSW are classified:
- Household waste is waste generated as a result of human activity. Household waste includes food leftovers, packaging, expired medicines, and household items. According to statistics, a family of four produces about 30 kg of garbage per week.
- Industrial waste - the remains of industrial raw materials that are not to be used for their intended purpose, as well as waste from the activities of the enterprise. These include wood, metals, plastic, polyethylene, dust.
- Construction waste - residues from the construction and production of building materials. Defective building materials that have become unusable during storage and transportation: metal profiles, drywall, pipes, cement, gypsum, fiberglass, foam plastic. This also includes dried varnishes and paints, building mixtures, antifungal additives, and so on.
- Radioactive waste - waste from the production and use of radioactive substances. The most hazardous waste is practically not found in cities.
Household and industrial waste not only clutters up nature, but also negatively affects the quality of life and human health. Toxic waste decomposition products kill soil microflora. Decaying into small particles, waste penetrates into groundwater, and from there into rivers and lakes.
According to the degree of danger, municipal solid waste differs:
- Less hazardous, to be disposed of, they are also called environmental waste. This includes any waste that can be recycled without harming the environment. For example, wood shavings, brick fragments, glass, food waste.
- Medium hazardous waste. Decay in the natural environment less than 3 years. They pose a minor environmental hazard. Example: used paper, wood, rubber, plastic, cellophane.
- Hazardous waste. Cause damage to the ecosystem. After the elimination of the source of impact, the period of restoration of nature is up to 10 years. Example: metal structures, paints and varnishes and acetone-containing substances, cement.
- The most dangerous. These include municipal solid waste with an exposure period of about 30 years, poisoning the environment for several generations to come. For example, batteries, used engine oil.
- Extremely dangerous. The most harmful, destroy the environment without the possibility of recovery. This includes wastes containing heavy metals (mercury, tin, zinc, lead) and radioactive components. Example mercury thermometers, batteries, fluorescent lamps.
Toxic products also enter the lungs and stomach of a person through water and air, causing irreversible changes and diseases.
Methods of disposal of solid waste
It is impossible to accumulate waste indefinitely, otherwise the planet will turn into a huge general dump. Recycling (recycling) of solid urban waste is required. The following disposal methods are known:
Natural decomposition in the environment.
Different wastes have certain decomposition periods. Food waste decomposes in 1 month. Paper (depending on density) from 2 months to 2 years. Tin cans and leather shoes for about 10 years. Brick and metal foil approximately 100 years old. Rubber tires, plastic electric batteries from 100 to 200 years. Non-ferrous metals, which are considered the most dangerous waste, are up to 500 years old.
Burial of municipal solid waste in special landfills partially solves the problem of recycling.
MSW landfill
A fairly common method of disposal, applicable to waste that is not subject to fire. Waste disposal sites are a complex engineering system that prevents contamination of groundwater and air by carbon monoxide decomposition products of garbage.
Devices have been installed at European landfills that capture gases for further use to generate electricity or heat water. The disadvantage of this method is that it constantly requires new space for landfills, and land resources are far from unlimited. A way to solve the problem of a solid waste landfill can be the use of a recycling method.
Recycling
A method that became widespread 30 years ago, when environmental problems and the disposal of mineral waste were less relevant. This is a cycle of recycling garbage for further reuse. The cycle is not widely used in the Russian Federation, but is very popular in developed countries.
Cost effective as valuable production components are recycled. However, this is a very time-consuming process that requires material costs, namely the construction of special processing plants.
Currently, 4 stages of recycling are used:
- Mechanical. At this stage, municipal solid waste is sorted in order to remove garbage prone to spontaneous combustion. Then comes the grinding and processing of waste to obtain new high-quality raw materials. Typical mechanical recycling is waste paper recycling and paper production.
- Incineration. Burning waste in an open way in order to obtain an additional source of energy. The advantage of this method is that most of the waste can be burned and disposed of forever, and the resulting ash is used in the production of building cinder blocks. However, as a result of combustion, toxic gases enter the atmosphere. This recycling problem can be solved by installing high-quality filters.
- Pyrolysis. Waste burning takes place in a closed chamber, devoid of oxygen. As a result of combustion, municipal solid waste decomposes into simple substances. This releases a large amount of energy, so pyrolysis is an alternative to natural sources of hydrocarbons. Slags after pyrolysis are smaller in volume and are less harmful to the environment. The pyrolysis method utilizes rubber, used machine oil, auto scrap.
- Chemical. Solid domestic waste of one type is affected by chemical components, as a result, new raw materials are obtained, which are subsequently used in production. Massively used for the processing of construction waste, such as cement, concrete, building plastic.
It is difficult to refuse the blessings of civilization, but natural resources are not endless. The environment is in a critical state, so recycling is not just an acute problem, it is a critical need for all of humanity.
Waste recycling is a complex process that requires economic costs and the participation of everyone, but this will reduce the cost of producing new goods, but also preserve nature for future generations.
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Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution
higher professional education
"Vladimir State University
named after Alexander Grigorievich and Nikolai Grigorievich Stoletov"
Department of Ecology
Report on the topic: "Environmental problem: waste"
Completed:
Page gr. IST-110
Kiselev M.G.
Vladimir 2013
Waste- this is one of the main modern environmental problems, which carries a potential hazard to human health, as well as a danger to the natural environment. In many countries, there is still a problem of misunderstanding of the seriousness of the problem of municipal solid waste, and therefore, there are no strict regulations, as well as the necessary legal acts regulating issues related to waste and garbage.
The seriousness of the waste problem has not been so visible before. Nature until a certain time coped with the processing of waste itself, but the technological progress of mankind played an important role in this moment. New materials have appeared, decomposition or processing, which in a natural way can last more than one hundred years, and such anthropogenic loads are beyond the power of nature. Yes, and quite an important factor is the modern volume of waste produced. It's just huge. But today, waste and garbage can be considered as raw materials. They can be recycled and reused. For every city dweller, approximately, there are from 500 to 800 kg of waste per year. In some countries up to 1000 kg. And this number is growing all the time.
Modern waste incineration and waste processing plants with all their arsenal are a kind of whole industry for the processing and disposal of municipal solid waste from the urban population.
What are the types of waste?
Household or municipal - a huge amount of liquid and solid waste thrown out by man, as well as formed as a result of human activity. This can include spoiled or expired food, medicines, household items, and other trash.
Industrial- raw material residues that have been formed as a result of the production of any product, production work and have lost their properties in whole or in part. Industrial waste can be liquid or solid. Solid industrial waste: metals and alloys, wood, plastics, dust, polyurethane foams, polystyrene foams, polyethylenes and other garbage. Liquid industrial waste: wastewater of varying degrees of pollution and their sediments.
Agricultural- any waste generated as a result of agricultural activities: manure, rotten or unusable straw, hay, remains of silos, spoiled or unusable compound feed and liquid feed.
Construction- appear as a result of the production of building and finishing materials (paint and varnish, heat-insulating, etc.), during the construction of buildings and structures, as well as during installation, finishing, facing and repair work. Construction waste (both solid and liquid) can be expired, unusable, defective, superfluous, broken and defective goods and materials: metal profiles, metal and nylon pipes, gypsum plasterboard, gypsum fiber, cement chip and other sheets. In addition, various construction chemicals (varnishes, paints, adhesives, solvents, antifreeze, antifungal and protective additives and agents).
radioactive waste- production and use of various radioactive materials and substances.
Industrial and agricultural waste is commonly referred to as production waste or industrial waste. As a rule, these are toxic and non-toxic waste and garbage.
toxic- waste that can affect a living being in a damaging or poisonous way. On the territory of Russia there is a huge amount of toxic waste. They take up large storage areas. The Ural region is the most polluted with waste. Approximately 40 billion tons of various wastes have accumulated in the Sverdlovsk region. Every year, between 150 and 170 million tons of waste is generated, some of which is toxic. Only a small part of this waste is recycled and neutralized. There is a strong load on the natural environment, which poses a danger to the multi-million population.
The planet is literally filled with debris. Municipal solid waste is diverse: wood, cardboard and paper, textiles, leather and bones, rubber and metals, stones, glass and plastics. Rotting trash is a breeding ground for a variety of microorganisms that can cause infections and diseases.
Plastics are dangerous in their own way. They are not subject to destruction over a long period of time. Plastics can lie in the ground for decades, and some types for hundreds of years. More than a million tons of polyethylene is spent on disposable packaging. Every year in Europe, millions of tons of plastic waste ends up in the trash.
There are innovative methods for obtaining diesel fuel and gasoline from waste plastic products and materials. This method was developed by Japanese scientists. This technology makes it possible to obtain up to 5 liters of diesel fuel or gasoline from 10 kg of plastic waste. By such methods, one can acquire not only economic benefits, but also reduce the anthropogenic load on the environment. waste ecological non-waste
The use of waste and garbage as raw materials makes it possible to more rationally use natural resources and reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere and wastewater discharges. For example, using waste paper as a raw material for the production of paper, it is possible to reduce harmful emissions into the air by 70-80%, pollution of water bodies by 30-35%, compared with the use of primary raw materials. About four cubic meters of wood can be saved by using one ton of waste paper. Thus, thousands of hectares of forest land are preserved, which in turn work to purify the atmospheric air from carbon dioxide. It is possible and necessary to avoid ecological catastrophe and depletion of natural resources. In England, boxes are set up to collect old, read newspapers, where the population throws newspapers, and they are sent for recycling.
Waste paper collection is not the most important process in the production chain of recycled materials. Factories must be equipped with all the necessary production facilities. In Russia, this industry is underdeveloped. To obtain recycled newsprint, it is necessary to remove the paint, clean the mass and bleach it. The process is quite difficult and not cheap. And all economically unprofitable processes in Russia are ending before they even begin.
The Moscow production enterprise "Promothody" has in its arsenal equipment for processing waste paper into insulation. In Europe, heat-insulating material from waste paper has been made for a long time. The so-called ecowool (thermal insulation) has gained popularity not only among builders, but also among the average buyer. This environmental material is completely safe for humans and the environment.
Pollution with non-ferrous metal waste. Hundreds of thousands of used batteries are taken to city dumps. Hundreds of tons of mercury, tin, light bulbs with tungsten end up in landfills along with garbage. It is several times more profitable to process secondary raw materials in the form of waste than to produce from primary ones. Receiving metal from ore is 25 times more expensive than collecting and processing secondary metal. The production of aluminum from primary raw materials consumes 70-80 times more electricity than the remelting of waste.
Glass containers are lying around in mountains in every city, and not only in disadvantaged areas, but also in the very center of the city, this phenomenon is not uncommon. Glass containers either end up in a solid waste landfill, a landfill, or a waste incineration plant. Although reusable glass containers are more economical than producing new ones, this point has not been developed properly.
With the growth of the automotive industry, the negative impact on the environment has grown. In addition to batteries, plastics, metal, a huge amount of waste comes from cars in the form of rubber tires. The main problem with such garbage is that nature is not able to cope with rubber. It is possible to avoid ecological pollution of the environment with automobile tires by processing them into rubber grits, up to 5 mm in size. After that, the production of various products is possible from the obtained material.
Russian scientist Platonov invented a method for obtaining fuel from old tires. Tires are placed in a special reactor and filled with a chemical solution. After a couple of hours, a liquid similar to oil is obtained, which can be distilled into gasoline. By recycling 1000 kg of tires in this way, you can get about 600 kg of an oil-like liquid, from which you will then get 200 liters of gasoline and 200 liters of diesel fuel.
Radiochemical plants, nuclear power plants, scientific research centers produce one of the most dangerous types of waste - radioactive. This type of waste is not only a serious environmental problem, but can also create an environmental disaster. Radioactive waste can be liquid (most of it) and solid. Improper handling of radioactive waste can seriously aggravate the environmental situation. The flow of radioactive waste to Russia from other countries is prohibited, there are enough of our own. There is also a sad experience of acquaintance with radioactive waste - the accident at Chernobyl. This type of pollution is global.
In Russia, the situation with garbage and waste leaves much to be desired. The main part of the garbage sours in landfills and landfills, only 3-4% is recycled. There is a clear shortage of waste processing plants. The presence of several incinerators only turns one type of waste into another. Such an approach will not solve the environmental problem of garbage and waste in Russia.
In addition, Russia is attracting European companies that are ready to build modern waste processing plants free of charge in exchange for importing a certain amount of their waste. Thus, Russia can turn into an international dump. To eliminate environmental problems associated with waste, an integrated approach is required, including an assessment of the situation, the development of a strategy to reduce waste generation, the introduction of waste-free or low-waste technologies in production.
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Introduction
1. Characteristics of household waste
2. Classification of the main types of household waste
3. Methods of disposal of solid waste
Conclusion
List of sources used
Introduction
The problem of household waste disposal is one of the most acute problems in the world today. As the world's population increases, so does the amount of waste generated. The uncontrolled accumulation of waste can lead us to a global catastrophe. Now only in Russia there are several tens of thousands of overflowing garbage dumps. Only the introduction of a program for recycling and waste disposal can solve this urgent problem. The problem of complete destruction or partial disposal of household waste is relevant, first of all, from the point of view of the negative impact on the environment.
In some countries, awareness of the danger of pollution has come quite a long time ago, but somewhere the situation remains at the same level. The environmental problem of waste has received a strong impetus due to technological progress. Undoubtedly, he gave mankind incalculably much, but the situation with salvage materials in the world has worsened. New types of materials (such as plastic) have been developed that take hundreds of years to decompose or do not decompose at all. As a result, they rot in landfills, releasing a whole bunch of toxins.
For any city and locality, the problem of disposal or disposal of household waste is always primarily an environmental problem. It is very important that the processes of disposal of household waste do not violate the ecological safety of the city, the normal functioning of the city economy in terms of public sanitation and hygiene, as well as the living conditions of the population as a whole.
1. Characteristics of household waste
Waste can be classified both by origin: household, industrial, agricultural, etc., and by properties. The best-known division by properties, adopted in the legislation of most countries, is the division into “hazardous” (ie toxic, caustic, flammable, etc.) and “non-hazardous” waste.
The composition and volume of household waste is extremely diverse and depends not only on the country and locality, but also on the season and many other factors. Paper and cardboard make up the most significant part of MSW (up to 40% in developed countries). The second largest category in Russia is the so-called organic, incl. food waste; metal, glass and plastic each account for 7-9% of the total waste. Approximately 4% each falls on wood, textiles, rubber, etc. The amount of municipal waste in Russia is increasing, and its composition, especially in large cities, is approaching the composition of MSW in Western countries with a relatively large share of paper waste and plastic.
In cities and other settlements, the most intensive accumulation of household waste occurs, which, if not disposed of correctly and untimely, can pollute the environment.
Seasonal changes in the composition of MSW are characterized by an increase in the content of food waste from 20–25% in spring to 40–55% in autumn, which is associated with a large consumption of vegetables and fruits in the diet (especially in the cities of the southern zone). In winter and autumn, the content of small screenings (street estimates) is reduced from 20 to 1% in the cities of the southern zone and from 11 to 5% in the middle zone.
2. Classification of the main types of household waste
Food waste
Damage to nature: practically does not cause. Used for nutrition by various organisms.
Harm to humans: rotting food waste is a breeding ground for germs.
The end product of decomposition: the bodies of organisms, carbon dioxide and water.
Decomposition time: 1 - 2 weeks.
waste paper
Material: paper, sometimes impregnated with wax and covered with various paints.
Damage to nature: the paper itself does not cause damage. However, the ink that is coated on the paper can release toxic gases.
Harm to humans: paint can release toxic substances when decomposed.
Ways of decomposition: are used in food by various microorganisms.
End product of decomposition: humus, bodies of various organisms, carbon dioxide and water.
Decomposition time: 2 - 3 years.
Recycling method: recycling for wrapping paper.
The least dangerous disposal method: composting.
Products resulting from neutralization: carbon dioxide, water, ash.
Fabric products
Fabrics are synthetic and natural. Everything written below refers to natural fabrics.
Damage to nature: do not cause.
Decomposition routes: used as food by some microorganisms.
End product of decomposition: humus, organism bodies, carbon dioxide and water.
Decomposition time: 2 - 3 years.
Recycling method: composting.
The least dangerous method of disposal: incineration under conditions that ensure complete combustion.
Decontamination products: carbon dioxide, water and ash.
Cans
Material: galvanized or tin plated iron.
Damage to nature: Zinc, tin and iron compounds are poisonous to many organisms. The sharp edges of the cans injure animals.
Harm to a person: injured when walking barefoot. Water accumulates in the jars, in which the larvae of blood-sucking insects develop.
Ways of decomposition: under the influence of oxygen, iron is slowly oxidized.
End product of decomposition: small pieces of rust or soluble iron salts.
Decomposition time: on earth - several decades, in fresh water - about 10 years, in salt water - 1-2 years.
Recycling method: remelting together with the metal.
The least dangerous method of neutralization: burial after preliminary roasting.
Decontamination products: oxides or soluble salts of iron, zinc and tin.
Scrap metal
Material: iron or cast iron.
Damage to nature: iron compounds are poisonous to many organisms. Pieces of metal injure animals.
Harm to a person: cause various injuries.
Ways of decomposition: under the action of oxygen dissolved in water or in the air, it slowly oxidizes to iron oxide.
End product of decomposition: rust powder or soluble iron salts.
Decomposition rate: on the ground - 1 mm deep in 10 - 20 years, in fresh water - 1 mm deep in 3 - 5 years, in salt water - 1 mm deep in 1 - 2 years.
Products resulting from neutralization: oxides or soluble salts of iron.
Foil
Material: aluminum.
Damage to nature: practically does not cause.
Decomposition time: on earth - several decades, in fresh water - several years, in salt water - 1-2 years.
Recycling method: remelting.
Cans for beer and other drinks
Material: aluminum and its alloys.
Damage to nature: sharp edges of cans cause injury to animals.
Harm to humans: water accumulates in jars, in which larvae of blood-sucking insects develop.
Ways of decomposition: under the influence of oxygen, it slowly oxidizes to aluminum oxide.
Decomposition end product: aluminum oxide or salts.
Decomposition time: on earth - hundreds of years, in fresh water - several tens of years, in salt water - several years.
Recycling method: remelting.
The least dangerous method of disposal: burial.
Decontamination products: aluminum oxide.
Glass containers
Material: glass.
Damage to nature: Broken glass containers can cause injury to animals.
Harm to humans: Broken glass containers can cause injury. Water accumulates in the jars, in which the larvae of blood-sucking insects develop.
Ways of decomposition: slowly cracks and crumbles from temperature changes; glass gradually crystallizes and crumbles.
End product of decomposition: fine glass chips, indistinguishable from sand in appearance.
Decomposition time: on land - several hundred years, in calm water - about 100 years.
Recycling method: use for its intended purpose or melt down.
The least dangerous method of neutralization: removal to a landfill or burial.
Products resulting from neutralization: glass chips.
Plastic products
Damage to nature: interferes with gas exchange in soils and water bodies. Can be swallowed by animals, which will lead to the death of the latter.
Harm to humans: Plastics can release toxic substances when they decompose.
End product of decomposition: carbon dioxide and water.
Decomposition time: about 100 years, maybe more.
Recycling method: remelting.
Decontamination products: carbon dioxide and water.
Food packaging
Material: paper and various types of plastics.
Damage to nature: can be swallowed by animals.
Ways of decomposition: slowly oxidized by oxygen in the air. Slowly decomposes under the action of sunlight.
Decomposition time: tens of years, maybe more.
Reuse method: does not exist.
The least dangerous method of disposal: burial.
Products resulting from neutralization: carbon dioxide and water, hydrogen chloride, toxic compounds.
Batteries
Very poisonous garbage!
Material: zinc, carbon, manganese oxide.
Damage to nature: poisonous to many organisms.
Harm to humans: poisonous to humans.
Ways of decomposition: oxidized under the influence of oxygen.
Decomposition end product: zinc and manganese salts.
Decomposition time: on land - about 10 years, in calm water - several years, in salt water - about a year.
Recycling method: Zinc can be used in the school laboratory to produce hydrogen, manganese oxide can be used to produce chlorine.
The least dangerous way of neutralization: removal to a landfill.
Some wastes (for example, medical, pesticides, residues of paints, varnishes, adhesives, cosmetics, anti-corrosion agents, household chemicals) pose a danger to the environment if they get through sewage into water bodies or as soon as they are washed from a landfill and get into ground or surface water. Batteries and mercury-containing devices will be safe until the case is damaged: the glass cases of devices break easily on the way to the landfill, and corrosion will corrode the battery case over time. Then mercury, alkali, lead, zinc will become elements of secondary pollution of atmospheric air, underground and surface waters.
Domestic waste is characterized by multicomponent and heterogeneous composition, low density and instability (the ability to rot).
Approximate composition of MSW in the Russian Federation
According to the latest data, MSW production fluctuates between 0.5 and 1.2 kilograms per person per day. These indicators tend to constantly increase, which is caused by the economic growth of countries. There are also periods when MSW production increases significantly. In this regard, we assume that the indicator of MSW production per person per day is 1 kg.
At the moment, the most common way to destroy solid waste is landfills. However, this simple method is accompanied by the following problems:
– Excessive overflow of existing landfills due to the large volume and low density of the disposed waste. Without pre-compaction, the average density of MSW is 200-220 kg/m 3 , which reaches only 450-500 kg/m 3 after compaction using garbage trucks.
– Negative factors for the environment: contamination of groundwater with leached products, the release of an unpleasant odor, scattering of waste by wind, spontaneous combustion of landfills, uncontrolled generation of methane and unaesthetic appearance are only some of the problems that concern environmentalists and cause serious objections from local authorities.
– Lack of areas suitable for placement of landfills at a convenient distance from large cities. The expansion of cities is pushing polygons further and further away. This factor, combined with rising land prices, increases the cost of MSW transportation.
3. Methods of disposal of solid waste
Table 1. Waste storage
Table 2.Waste disposal
Table 3. Discharge of waste into water bodies
Table 4. Waste incineration
Recycling
Quite a few MSW components can be recycled into useful products
Glass usually processed by grinding and remelting (it is desirable that the original glass be of the same color). Broken glass of low quality after grinding is used as a filler for building materials (for example, the so-called "glassfalt"). In many Russian cities there are enterprises for laundering and reusing glassware. The same, of course, positive practice exists, for example, in Denmark.
Steel and aluminum cans smelted to obtain the corresponding metal. At the same time, smelting aluminum from soft drink cans requires only 5% of the energy needed to make the same amount of aluminum from ore, and is one of the most profitable types of recycling.
paper waste various types have been used for many decades, along with conventional cellulose, for the manufacture of pulp - the raw material for paper. Mixed or low quality paper waste can be used to make toilet or wrapping paper and cardboard. Unfortunately, in Russia only on a small scale there is a technology for the production of high-quality paper from high-quality waste (off-cuts from printing houses, used paper for copiers and laser printers, etc.). Paper waste can also be used in construction for the production of thermal insulation materials and in agriculture - instead of straw on farms.
Plastic– plastic recycling in general is a more expensive and complex process. From some types of plastic (for example, PET - two- and three-liter transparent bottles for soft drinks) it is possible to obtain high-quality plastic of the same properties, others (for example, PVC) after processing can only be used as building materials. In Russia, plastic recycling is not performed.
The chart shows a typical recycling cost
Conclusion
In Russia, the processing industry has been forgotten, a system for collecting secondary resources has not been organized, places for collecting secondary resources (metal) have not been equipped in settlements, a system for the removal of generated waste has not been established everywhere, and there is weak control over their formation. This entails the deterioration of the environment, a negative impact on human health.
It is obvious that no technology by itself will solve the problem of MSW. Both incinerators and landfills emit polyaromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins and other hazardous substances. The effectiveness of technologies can only be considered in the general chain of the life cycle of commodities - waste. Incinerator projects, which public environmental organizations have spent a lot of effort to fight, in the current economic situation, may remain projects for a long time to come.
Landfills will remain in Russia for a long time the main way to remove (recycle) solid waste. The main task is to equip the existing landfills, extend their life, reduce their harmful effects. Only in large and largest cities is the construction of incinerators (or waste processing plants with preliminary sorting of solid waste) effective. The operation of small incinerators for the incineration of specific waste, hospital waste, for example, is real. Different parts of the city can and should use their own methods of MSW disposal. This is due to the type of development, the level of income of the population, and other socio-economic factors.
List of sources used
1. Bobovich B.B. and Devyatkin V.V., "Processing of production and consumption waste", M2000.
2. "Utilization of solid waste", ed. A.P. Tsygankov. - M.: Stroyizdat, 1982.
3. Gorbatovsky V.V., Rybalsky N.G. Environmental safety in the city. M., REFIA, 1996.
4. http://tenzor.math.rsu.ru/3_11.htm - Industrial city waste management
5. http://www.asdg.ru/asdghtml/Ssov/2006/06_11_11/05/cities/chita/p4.html - Investment project for the construction of a waste processing plant and a solid waste landfill.
6. http://www.greenpeace.org/russia/ru/press/releases/976385 - Household waste - something that is always with you!
7. http://www.greenpeace.org/russia/ru/643172/1108634 - How to properly handle household waste.
8. http://zhurnal.lib.ru/l/lapin_i_p/musor.shtml - The main factor of nature pollution.
9. http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9E%D1%82%D1%85%D0%BE%D0%B4%D1%8B - Article "Waste" from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia.
Abstract on the topic “Environmental problems. Household waste" updated: November 27, 2017 by: Scientific Articles.Ru
Waste problem
List the main causes of the waste problem.
What are the current methods of disposal of household waste (garbage)?
What substances are classified as special waste? Give examples of things that are special waste.
Sorting and analyzing household waste in your apartment. Propose a project to reduce their volume and implementation.
Currently, each of the inhabitants of our planet accounts for an average of about 1 ton of garbage per year, and this is not counting the millions of worn out and broken cars. If all the garbage accumulated during the year is not destroyed and not processed, but poured into one heap, a mountain as high as Elbrus would form - the highest mountain peak in Europe.
There are several reasons for the increase in the amount of garbage:
growth in the production of disposable consumer goods;
increase in the amount of packaging;
raising the standard of living, allowing usable things to be replaced by new ones.
Garbage, despite the prohibitions, is dumped in places that are not intended for this at all. Such territories are not fenced, there are no specialists monitoring the proper disposal of garbage. From these "wild" (unauthorized) landfills, the wind blows paper and other light waste. "Wild" landfills not only disfigure the landscape, but also pose a threat to human health. Substances formed during the decomposition of waste pollute the atmospheric air. Rainwater washes away poisonous substances from decomposed waste; this leads to pollution and contamination of open water bodies and groundwater. Now there are ways to destroy household waste that do not pose a serious threat to the environment.
Waste problem in the city
The three most common ways to dispose of waste are:
arrangement of specially equipped landfills;
garbage composting;
disposal at waste processing plants.
Garbage composting
Not every place can arrange a specially equipped dump. Specialists from various fields are involved in solving this problem: geologists, hydrologists, ecologists, etc. In this case, the following should be taken into account:
wind rose in the landfill area;
distance from settlements, water protection and nature protection zones;
soil permeability;
the area of the territory allotted for the landfill (the area should be sufficient to receive garbage for a long time);
location convenient for transport access, etc.
Specially equipped landfills are not the best way to get rid of garbage, although today they are indispensable.
Waste composting is a way to neutralize and use waste. The composting method can only process organic matter, which in the case of household waste makes up a little more than half of the garbage. Organic substances of natural (plant and animal) origin decompose under the influence of bacteria and atmospheric oxygen. In composting, as a rule, household waste is mixed with waste generated during the processing of wastewater at wastewater treatment plants. Waste rots and forms compost, which is used as fertilizer. Similarly, compost is obtained in agriculture by mixing manure with plant residues.
Table 7
Comparative characteristics of various methods of waste disposal
Recycling and recycling of waste is becoming increasingly important, as it saves the raw materials of our planet. American scientist A. Teller said: "We must no longer see waste as something to be destroyed; we must learn to see it as an unused source of raw materials".
Every year, about 130 million m3 of municipal solid waste is generated in Russian cities, which is about 0.2 tons per person. There are 7 incinerators operating in Russia today, which process about 3% of municipal solid waste, and 9% is removed from cities to more than 1000 landfills. The rest of the waste goes to landfills. There are 2 waste incineration plants in St. Petersburg (Gorelovo, Yanino). One of the ways to solve the problem of waste is their initial well-organized sorting.
Wastes that are particularly hazardous to the environment and human health and which, for various reasons, cannot be disposed of together with household waste are called special wastes, which include approximately 600 highly hazardous substances. These include:
pesticides contained mainly in waste products from the production of plant protection chemicals;
radioactive waste generated at enterprises using radionuclides and at nuclear power plants;
mercury and its compounds - chemical industry waste;
arsenic and its compounds contained in waste from metallurgical industries and thermal power plants;
lead compounds, which are found especially often in waste products from the oil refining and paint and varnish industries, etc.
Each of us uses a lot of things every day, which after their use also become special waste, for example:
batteries;
unused medicines;
residues of chemical plant protection products (toxic chemicals);
residues of paints, varnishes, anti-corrosion agents and adhesives;
cosmetic residues (eyeshadow, nail polish, nail polish remover);
residues of household chemicals (cleaning products, deodorants, stain removers, aerosols, furniture care products);
mercury thermometers.
Liquidation (utilization) of liquid and solid special waste is regulated by strict rules and regulations. Part of special waste is incinerated at special installations, part is placed at special waste landfills. Most special waste has to be stored on the surface of the earth, observing strict precautions. Waste is placed on a waterproof platform up to 3 m thick. All drains and groundwater are constantly monitored.
The problem of waste is complicated by the fact that the natural decomposition of various materials requires a certain time. For example, it takes 2 to 10 years for paper to decompose, 90 years for a tin can, 100 years for a cigarette filter, 200 years for a plastic bag, 500 years for plastics, and 1,000 years for glass.
Solid waste is also used as a secondary resource, which has a significant environmental effect. So, in the production of paper or cardboard from waste paper, emissions into the atmosphere are reduced by 85%, water pollution - up to 40%, compared with the production of these products from primary raw materials - wood. Waste recycling allows you to save natural resources.
Mention should be made of the problem of disposing of the huge amounts of worn-out tires accumulated in each country. By processing them to the so-called dispersed state (into rubber crumb with particle sizes from 0.63 to 5 mm), it is possible not only to eliminate mountains of tires, but also to make various rubber products from them. Among them are hydrothermal insulation blocks used in construction.