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TITLE Resource Recovery Overview [Teacher'sGuide]; Resource Recovery and You [Student Book].Resource Recovery Education Program. INSTITUTION National Association of Secondary SchoolPrincipals, Washington, D.C.; National Center forResource Recovery, Inc., Washington, D.C. PUB DATE 74 NOTE 56p.; Related documentsare SO 007 867, 868, and 870 AVAILABLE FROM National Association of SecondarySchool Principals, 1904 Association Drive, Reston,Virginia 22091 ($12.00 for kit, 20 percent discounton orders of five or more)

EDRS PRICE MF-$0.75 HC Not Available fromEDRS. PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS Career Education; *Conservation (Environment); *Ecology; Energy; *EnvironmentalEducation; Futures (of Society); InterdisciplinaryApproach; *Natural Resources; Program Descriptions; Recycling;Resource Materials; Secondary Education;Teaching Methods; *Waste Disposal ABSTRACT The Resource Recovery EducationProgram contains a variety of ideas, approaches, andlearning ai4s for teaching about solid waste disposal at the secondarylevel. The program kit consists of a teacher's guide which providesan overview; separate teacher's guides for social studies, science,and industrial arts;a student booklet of readings; anda wall chart. Each of the componentscan be used independently of the other. Theprogram is intended to introduce students to the problem of solidwaste disposal and to involve them in doing something about it.Teaching strategies involve the student in community studies, research, andclassroom discussion. The teacher's guide and the student bookare available in this document. For other components of the programsee the related documents listed in the descriptive note. Theteacher's guide discusses the needfor teaching about solid waste disposal andthe approach to content used in the program. It also describes thesix components of theprogram, the unit topics, and specific objectivesand presents informationon environmental careers and industrialresources. The student booklet contains a fictional story followedby a section on basic environmental principles, a list oforganizations that make available free and low-cost materials, anda glossary of terms. (Author/RM) U S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION a WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO DucED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN A !NO IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY

Teacher's Guide RESOURCE RECOVERY Air OVERVIEW

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J Copyright 1974 National Association of Secondary School Principals 1904 Association Drive, Reston. Virginia 22091 National Center for Resource Recovery, Inc. 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N. W. Washington. D. C. 20036 bEST COPY AVAILABLE

Ir______Art_1104 RESOURCE RECOVERY EDUCATION PROGRAM

A CHALLENGE: WEALTH IN WASTE Owen B. Kiernan Executive Secretary National Association of Secondary School Principals 3

INTRODUCTION Richard L. Lesher President National Center for Resource Recovery 4

APPROACH TO CONTENT James V. Bernardo Chief of Education Programs National Center for Resource Recovery 5

DESCRIPTION OF COMPONENTS 6

UNIT TOPICS AND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 8

ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS 9

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES 13 EDUCATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE PROJECT TEAM Owen B. Kiernan, Executive Secretary, Coordinator James V. Bernardo, Teacher, National Association of Secondary School School Administrator, Curriculum Specialist, Principals Author; formerly Director of Educational Programs, Merrill Hartshorn, Executive Secretary. National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Council for the Social Studies presently Chief of Educational Programs, NCRR. Robert Carleton, Executive Secretary (Red, Science Section Avery Dennis, Ph.D. in Organic National Science Teachers Association Chemistry, University of North Carolina; on faculties of Louisburg College. Louisburg, N. C., Edward Kabakjian, Executive Secretary. and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N. C.; American Industrial Arts Association presently chairman of Science Department, James Becker, Executive Director, National Sandhills Community College, Southern Pines, N. C. Foundation for the Improvement of Education Social Studies Section Richard Scott Craddock, Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, Duke University; Teacher, Supervisor, Principal in PROJECT STAFF North Carolina Schools; on faculty, University of Delaware and educational consultant to several Thomas F. Koerner, Editor and Director of Latin-American countric3; presently Head of Publications, National Association of Secondary Elementary Education Department, Western School Principals Carolina University, Cif,whee. N. C. "lade St. Clair, Director of Information, National Industrial Arts Section:i6Imar W. Olson, Ph.D., Center for Resource Recovery Ohio State University; Ator and recognized Robert Bird, Manager of Community Services. authority in Industrial Art.. and Technical National Center for Resource Recovery Education; presently Prcessor and Coordinator of Jordan Sachs, formerly President, MSC Graduate Studies for Illta.strial Arts. North Macalster Carolina State University, Raleigh, N. C. 2

BatcoelMAILABLE UST COY AVAILABLE A CHALLENGE: WEALTH IN WASTE

Principals and teachers have an obligation to or, the nation's entire energy consumption for acquire insight into and knowledge about major residential and commercial lighting; or more than issues facing society today in order to be able to half of the direct oil imports from the Middle East in teach effectively and adequately prepare 1972. students. One complex issue of growing national In many cities cver the next few years, interest has to do with the broad area of the programs will be adopted to collect waste paper managerrirmt and utilization of both human and and systems will be installed to mechanically natural ri,..ources. As we approach the mid-1970's, process the mixture of garbage and trash to Americans are facing the confounding situation of extract valuable metals and minerals. The shortages of many products which have become remaining combustible residue can then be used accepted as necessary ingredients in our for fuel. advanced life style. Metals and minerals once It seems to me a vital goal is to learn and presumed to be abundant-- are increasingly in communicate present efforts to eliminate ill short supply. Of more immediate concern is the effects from solid waste while exploiting its energy crisis precipitated primarily by the inherent values. An informed teacher and student shortage of oil and other fossil fuels. citizenry can then assist in shaping enlightened Recognizing what Dr. Richard L. Lesher, community response to these challenges. This president of the National Center for Resource Resource Recovery Education Program is an Recovery, has characterized as the "movement important step in supplying information and from an age of abundance to an age of scarcity," perspective to teacher and student. The kit was the increasing challenge of this decade is to developed by the National Center for Resource effectively conserve, manage, and utilize the finite Recovery (NCRR), a non-profit research resources of our planet. This charge spurs the organization, in cooperation with the National realization that there is a ready, but virtually Association of Secondani School Principals. untapped, source for many desired resources: our Counsel and assistance has been provided by an mounting heaps of garbage and trash. interested and involved Advisory Committee to the Some 4.3 million tons of solid waste are project: Dr. James Becker, National Foundation for. generated in the annually from all the Improvement of Education: Robert Carleton, sc.:.;,ces. Of this, roughly three percent is National Science Teachers Association: Dr. Merrill , Improperly handled (as too Hartshorn, National Council for the Social Studies: often it is), this creates environmental problems; Dr. Edward Kabakjian, American Industrial Arts further, many municipalities are hard-pressed to Association; and myself. find disposal sites for the increasing volume. We are pleased to join with NCRR in this effort Proper management and resource recovery from to assist in developing basic understandings of mixed refuse offer a positive solution for reducing the exciting and significant drive to garner wealth the amount of refuse that can be disposed of in an from waste. environmentally acceptable manner, while reclaiming needed mate: ials and values for new Owen B. Kiernan, use. Executive Secretary, In the daily discards from homes, schools and National Association of businesses are materials that can be recovered, Secondary School and metals and minerals that can be substituted Principals for virgin resources in the manufacturing process. More significantly, waste can be utilized as an economical and ecologically desirable fuel in urban areas where energy demands are the highest. A recent report from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency indicated the potential energy available from solid waste. If energy recovery were practiced in all major urban areas, the report noted, an estimated quadrillion BTU's of energy would be added to the nation's energy pool. This quantity of energy is equivalent to about 1.5 percent of the nation's total energy consumption: BEST CO? AVAILABLE INTRODUCTION

Env mnment seems to be the watchword of the The Program has been developed so that each 70's. It has burst into the public mind almost component can be used separately; there is no overnight and is of particular concern to our need to use all the items. The choice of materials school and college youth. The early rumblings of to be used at a secondary school level is left to the cc.ic,..irn are having resounding echoes in teacher. This allows a spiral approach, with the Washington. Young citizens, who are the ecology study in one grade repeated in the next grade in movement's chief patrons, demand to know more greater depth and variety. The first teacher lays a about environmental problems, about the realities basic foundation upon which the next teacher of what can be done, and about productive ways of builds and elaborates. getting involved. Since the guides contain instructional The problem of solid waste is not a new one: materials and ideas in three major curriculum throughout history people have discarded refuse areasscience, social studies, and industrial with little thought for where it goes. Today the artsthere is also an excellent opportunity to problem has become acute because of growing apply an interdisciplinary approach when and the danger to the environment from practical and proper. Thus, where team teaching is improper solid waste disposal. Until recently most practiced, several different dimensions of the solid of our environmental concern centered on threats waste challenge can be considered, and students to our air and water. Except for some scattered can become more aware of the many social, attention to litter, very little educational focus has economic, political, and technological processes been placed on the problems of solid waste that are so much a part of their own communities. caused by the inefficient and improper The basic objectives of the Programand of management of our trash and garbage. Today the NCRRare represented in our modern version responsible citizens are beco.ning concerned with of the Chinese infinity symbol that appears below. finding solutions to the problems of solid waste. The circle shows the ultimate goal of closing the And, just as young people of the 60's saw the first loop in the solid waste stream so that all possible 4 steps taken to explore space students of today resources are recovered. The space left open will see a new era of science and technology represents the distance remaining before the devoted to c, .serving our earth. They will share in ultimate goal is achieved. We at NCRR are pleased meeting the challenge of finding value in what has to be able to present this program in order to share traditionally been worthless. In doing this, they will information about the challenge of resource be helping to protect the environment and to recovery and, hopefully, to hasten the day when improve the quality of life for themselves and for the circle will be closed. future generations. The National Center for Resource Recovery Richard L. Lesher, (NCRR), a nonprofit corporation, was founded by President. National Center American industry and labor to coordinate the for Resource Recovery efforts of industry with those of government in developing lasting solutions to the nation's solid waste challenge. As an important part of its responsibility for developing public awareness the NCRR has initiated an educational program, with instructional materials and aids to learning, to nelp schools and colleges in this important field. This venture is the Resource Recovery Education Program, a multidisciplinary package designed for secondary school students. The Resource Recovery Education Program contains a variety of ideas. approaches. and learning aids for the teaching of the fundamental concepts usually included in the curriculum of the secondary high school.The materials offer teachers and students interesting choices of activities and ways to proceed from concrete facts to more subtle and abstract environmental conce, ts. hitita.ABLE

Lv.4ja a dt.i.itiLi."4113LE APPROACH TO CONTENT

The purpose of the Resource Recovery Education is included in the students' booklet, and students Program is to introduce students to the problem. may assist in writing (as well as in clipping, organizing, of solid waste disposal. The problems of air and and filing materials) for information. It is suggested, are well known, and steps are be- however, that wily one letter, writtenon official ing taken to deal with them. But because the prob- school stationery, be sent to each agency or lem of solid wastethe "third pollution"has organization. been recognized only recently, people are less A word of caution should be noted about free aware of it and of the mounting environmental and and inexpensive materials. Such materials often social problems caused by it. Now that the prob- emphasize the interest of the sponsoring organiza- lem is beginning to receive attention, it is esse.i- tion, and this interest may be reflected in thepre- tial that students learn about solid waste pollution ser )n. However, this fact should not preclude and that they become involved in doing something tt.. of such materials; it simply means that about it. The Resource Recovery Education Pro- stuoents and teachers should be careful to seek gram is designed to meet that need. a b.-lanced perspective by using a variety of The study of solid waste disposal includes sources. Actually, a careful analysis of thdse mate- many aspects of the problem. First, students must rials and a comparison of the facts and viewpoints become aware that the problem exists. They must pre_ented can constitute a valuable lesson in criti- become familiar with scientific facts and techno- cal reading and evaluation. logical developments related to waste disposal Other instructional materials (books, films, and recovery. And because people's awareness slides, etc.) are available from conventional pub- and attitudes are basic to the problem, students lishers and producers of materials for schooluse. should be involved in developing public concern A wise course of action, both economically and about waste. Finally, students need to consider the pedagogically, is to purchase one or two copies implications of waste disposal and resource re- of many different references, rather than many covery for themseives as individuals and for soci- copies (that is, a full class set) of only aie or two ety as a whole. references. In this way students are exposed to dif- In the various components of theprogram an ferent kinds of reference materials at various objective review is provided of solid wasteman- levels of difficulty. agementof definitions, causes, methods forcon- Student activities. The activities suggestea in trol and recovery, and costs. On the basis of this the teacher's guides are designed to promote the information the student is involved in activities greatest possible participation and involvement on that require observation and interpretive thinking. the part of the students. Hopefully, the teacher Included also are critical reading and thinking and students will undertake a study of how their skills, together with techniques for locating,ana- community handles its refuse. This study should lyzing, and applying information to the problem- be conducted on an inquiry-discovery basis that solving / decision- making process. Throughout the utilizes many different aspects of the problem- program emphasis is given to understanding ab- solving process. stract concepts rather than to compiling sets of Many of the activities suggested are open- facts. Inquiry is stimulated through investigation. ended, with emphasis on locating and gathering record- keeping, and experimentation. Because the informationsometimes in printed sources, but learning experiences are open-ended. the student often from firsthand, or primary, sources. The very is enabled to make personal discoveries through process of trying to accumulate necessary data questioning and to draw his own conclusions and to determine the facts presents certain diffi- through the development of a framework of under- culties (such as incomplete and changing informa- standing. As a result the student is motivated to tion or conflicting evidence) that are in themselves form his own analysis of. and insights into, today's valuable learning experiences. In real life, people solid waste challenge. are continually forced to make decisions and take Instructional materials. Materials for studying actions based on incomplete and contradictory resource recovery are available at little or no cost evidence, and students need exposure to some o. from a variety of sources. such as newspapers and the complexities of problem analysis and decision- magazines, industrial and labor organizations, making. governmental agencies, and various organizations Some exploratory activities are designed to concerned with the environment and with solid initiate the study, to encourage questions. and to waste management. A list of these organizations develop interest and motivation in the students. BEST COPY AVAILABLE Other activities, developmental in nature,are in- tion and materials). taking turns, listening atten- tended to develop a basic understanding ofcon- tively to others, criticizing constructively and cepts. The various activities may be done by indi- fairly, and participating (as either a leaderor a viduals. pairs of students. small groups, or even follower). Other attitudes and behaviors, related the entire class. In most cases more activitiesare more directly to the search for knowledge, involve suggested than any single class will wr.nt to objectivity, love of truth, willingness to seek and undertake. present all the evidence, awareness of one'sown Questions for discussion and research. The preferences and prejudices. and a desire to avoid questions are designed to stimulate thinking, dis- exaggeration and distortion. cussion, and research. They should promote in- quiry, suggest the possibility of significant relation- James V. Bernardo, ships, and lead students to draw conclusions on Chief of Education their own. Many of the questions, like the activi- Programs, ties, are open-ended and should generate diver- National Center for gent thinking. The teacher should take the time Resource Recovery necessary to help students become aware of the partial and tentative nature of many of the answers and should avoid leading students into accepting DESCRIPTION OF COMPONENTS a single answer where nine exists. Basic understandings to be developed. The The Resource Recovery Education Program con- basic understandings represent the main concepts tains guides for both teachers and students, as and ideas; they also include pertinent points of well as resource materials for general use. This set information related to the various topics. Hope- of brief but balanced components should provide fully, tie teacher will refrain from "teaching" these students with a basic understanding of today's basic understandings in the sense of tellingor solid waste challenge, with emphasis on conserv- explaining them. Too great relianceon expository ing our limited natural resources. readings or audiovisual materials tiat also simply tell or explain should also be avoided. Instead. Teacher's Guide. The Overview is designed to teachers should permit and enc'urage students introduce teachers to the philosophy and scope of to develop-these understandings on their own the entire program. A list of unit topics and specific through the kinds of active participation and in- objectives provides more detailed information. A volvement suggested by the activities and ques- survey of environmental careers contains a tions. general checklist of career fields and the The factual information and content related to academic preparation necessary for specific solid waste management are secondary in impor- occupations. Finally, a list of instructional tance to the more significant basic understana- resources contains an up-to-date selection of ings. Specific details and facts vary and charcie books. articles. and films pinpointing materials rapidly. depending on time and place, where(; the related to each of the major topics. basic understandings persist. Consequently, any emphasis on expository teaching. rote learning, Industrial Arts, Science. Social Studies.The and memorization of "last year's facts" is strongly teacher's guides for social studies, science, and discouraged. industrial arts follow an identical structure and Affective earnings. One of the more impor- approach, with emphasis on the use of process tant goals of instruction is the development of de- methodology. Together, they provide a more sirable attitudes. values, and behavioral patterns. complete teaching-learning experience than Certainly, the issues of environment, conservation, would be possible within a single subject. and management of urban litter and solid waste Because the problems related to solid waste cut are closely related to the affective aspects of our across subject lines. it would be highly desirable lives. and it is impossible to study and discuss for teachers in all three disciplines to cocperate in these topics without concern for values and value team-teaching the materialsa method that will conflicts. demonstrate how close the separate disciplines Although the teacher should avoid rank in- are in relation to the central theme. However, the doctrination. it is nevertheless desirable to encour- program materials are entirely suitable for single age the development of certain affective objec- class study if the course is organized in that way. tives. Some of these relate to working together The content of each of the teacher's guides is harmoniously (as in committees), sharing (informa- organized around five main topics: BEST COPYKiiitiLABLE I. Solid Waste: A Growing Problem the recoveryof valuable resources from municipal II. Collection and Transportation refuse. Ill. Disposal In the other major section of the manual, "A IV. Resource Recovery Survey of Resource Recovery," basic environ- V. Solid Waste Management Systems mental principles are introduced as a framework for later understanding and a serious look is taken Each of these topics has in turn been organized at current municipal collection and disposal prac- into five sections: tices. Successive topics describe new efforts and A. Objectives systems under way to help solve this growing B. Student Activities problem while also illustrating the use of technol- C. Questions for Discussion at" Research ogy to reclaim glass, metals, aluminum, paper, D. Basic Understandings to Be Ueveloped plastics, and rubber. Some of these recovered ma- E. Instructional Resources terials can be converted into new products: others can be used to provide energy or heat. A con- The Student Activities, in Section B, are re- lated to concepts, with questions or suppositions cluding section explores the subject of solid waste as a problem for human planning and emphasizes presented in the hope that direct experience will that all people, not only ecologists, must meet enhance understanding. The activities are de- the challenge. _ signed to involve students in analysis and prob- lem- solving; they stress the importance of an indi- The students' manual also contains a thought- vidual's evaluating evidencelr himself as well provoking section, "Getting Involved In Resource as seeking expert opinion. If the activities influ- Recovery "; a list of organizations that make ence the student to rethink an attitude, question a available. on request, free and low-cost materials; commonplace idea, or make a new value judg- and a glossary of terms related to solid waste. ment, then a worthwhile goal has been achieved. Wall chart. A wall chart has been included in The variety of questions in Section C, Ques- the package as another approach to resource tions for Discussion and Research, should help recovery. It should be hung on a bulletin board or students to review their learning and to apply their in some other prominent place in the classroom. knowledge to actual life situations. The summary The chart traces the major steps in handling solid in Section D. Basic Understandings to Be Devel- waste arid in recovering resources, beginning with oped. is intended to aid the teacher and the stu- a garbage truck hauling away household and dents in evaluating their progress. commercial waste and ending with the operation A basic premise behind the structure of the of a recovery plant. This schematic flow chart teacher's guides is that students can learn the provides a comprehensive picture of how a full skills of scientific investigation while they are gain- recovery system works. ing an understanding of important environmental principles. There is generally an adequate amount of information contained in the kit materials for achieving the stated objectives. If more informa- tion is needed, suggestions to students and teach- ers for further research and reinforcement activi- ties for each topic are listed in Section E, Instruc- tional Resources. There is also an abundance of excellent information made available by organiza- tions, industry, and government (see the List of Organizations in the students' manual).

Resource Recovery and You (three copies). The students' booklet opens with the story "Resource Recovery and You," which provides a fictional setting for confronting students with the problems of solid waste. In the course of the story the emphasis shifts from present practices in waste disposal to future possibilities for resource recovery. This change recognizes that the positive solution to the problems of increased waste and higher costs lies not in the disposal of waste but in BEST COPY AVAILABLE

UNIT TOPICS AND SPECIFIC 4. To examine recent technological and man- OBJECTIVES agerial developments that make it possible to re- As you review the Objectives (Section A of duce the problems and costs of refuse collection. each main topic in the teacher's guides), you will HI. DISPOSAL notice that each objective is identified by one or A. Objectives more symbols (SS for social studies, S for science, 1. To emphasize how in most cases the two pri- and IA for industrial arts). These symbols show mary methods of disposal (open dumping and immediately which of .he three corresponding, burning: substandard incineration) cause pollution, matching teacher's guides has materials pertinent add to the costs of health and environmental pro- to a given part of the curriculum. Through these tection, and waste valuable resources. objectives students can easily see the many inter- 2. To become aware of how local economic, politi- IA S SS acting facets of the solid waste challenge. cal, and social problems are related to solid waste I. SOLID WASTE: A GROWING PROBLEM disposal and how local situations differ. A. Objectives 3. To learn about improved methods for reducing 1. To emphasize that everything in our environ- waste volume and disposing of the residue (sani- ment is related to everything else and that, at least tary landfill, controlled incineration, pyrolysis, etc.) ecologically speaking. everything we do has an IV. RESOURCE RECOVERY effect on someone or something else. A. Objectives 2. To lead students to realize that everyone con- 1. To develop the understanding that throughre- tributes trash and garbage to our communities' source recovery we can utilize materials from solid solid waste stream and that, when properly man- waste and thus conserve depletable resources for aged (collected, transported, processed, and dis- the future. posed of), these discards do not pollute. Improp- 2. To understand that municipal solid waste isa erly managed, these waste products represent vast national resource of materials and energy and what has been called the third pollution (after air that sufficient technology already exists to recover and water). a much greater segment of these precious re- 3. To clarify aspects of our growing municipal sources than we are now extracting. 8 trash and garbage challenge, particularly in terms 3. To be familiar with the most significant resource of increasing volume, diminishing resources, and recovery techniques and systems that are now mounting management costs. To distinguish be- available or in development. tween municipal and other forms of solid waste 4. To understand that, althoughproper solid waste (industrial, commercial, mineral. and agricultural). management can turn a national problem into an 4. To explore the impact of our increasingly popu- economic opportunity, lasting resource recovery lous, affluent, convenience-demanding. and health- is possible only if the value derived from its use ex- conscious society on the problem of solid waste ceeds the cost of separation or processing. The and the need for effective management. challenge is largely economic, and therein lies 5. To understand that litter, which occurs outside both the problem and the solution. the solid waste collection system. represents a V. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS small but highly visible portion of our municipal A. Objectives solid waste load. I I1. To understand that solid waste management 6. To encourage student activities and involve- must be dealt with through a total systems ap- ment that will help students plan and support ac- proach comprising the steps of home collection, tion to protect the envircnment, conserve limited separation, recovery, and conversion and that sev- resources, and improve solid waste management. eral promising systems are already in operation, COLLECTION AND TRANSPORTATION in addition to those in development. A. Objectives 2. To understand that although new systems are 1. 1 o be aware of how trash and garbage are emerging. no single solution is likely to be adapta- handled after they have been left to be hauled ble to every situation. away. To know how they are conveyed and what 3. To identify and remove the stumbling blocks becomes of them. that prevent us from real,zing wide-scale resource 2 To understand that a disproportionate amount recovery today. of money (nearly 80 percent of community refuse 4. To understand that technological problems may expenditures) and manpower is expended on the be solved more readily than economic ones. collection and transportation of solid wastes alone. 5. To determine whether your community has a 3. To be aware of how outmoded collection solid waste management plan that is far-reaching methods add to municipal costs and heaIth and and comprehensive rather than shortsighted and environmental problems. piecemeal. BEST COPY WHAM ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS Basic Sciences This section presents information on the careers Physics Ecology Hydrology that will soon be required to support cur grcwing Chemistry Meteorology Bacteriology involvement with environmental problems and the Geology Limnology Metallurgy new industries that are developing in response to Biology those problems. The section is intended as a Applied Sciences source of counseling information to further Building architecture Agronomy stimulate those students who have already Landscape architecture Statistics expressed some interest in environmental matters Health Services as a possible career field. Bacteriology Preventive medicine Epidemiology Public health Toxicology Changes in career opportunities.In this era of Social Sciencesand Services "future shock," scientific advances and technolog- Sociology Anthropology Forestry ical developments sometimes seem to be coming Law Social work . upon us alittle too fast. Nevertheless, they are Recreation Education Urban planning Writing helping to meet new needs, and they bringnew Economics Soil conservation benefits. Today, the large-scale efforts of Amer- Publicity icans to clean up their polluted environment andto Engineering deal more effectively with the collection, disposal, Chemieel engineering Metallurgy and recycling of solid wastes are leading te. the Civil engineering Design engineering creation of new systems, new approaches, new Electrical engineering Production engineering management, and new jobs. Earlier, the Space Age Mechanical engineering Engineering support created a similar new round of lobs and opportu- services nities. Odom Fanning, author of Opportunities in Environmental Careers, predicts that the number The demand for environmentalcareers.In meet- of those employed in environmental management ing the environmental challenge, scientists,engi- will double in ten years, resulting in severe short- neers, lawyers, public health officers, public ad- ages of trained men and women to fill these jobs ministrators, and members of many otherpro- unless adequate provision for training is made. cessions will play an ever-widening role. Theseand What are the choices? What can young peo- similar careers require men andwomen with pro- ple do to help solve the environmental problems, fessional training, usually a master'sor doctor's especially those relating to solid waste manage- degree in one of these fields. ment and resource recovery? Many students are It is in this category that we findour scientis's asking these and other questions, such as what the the chemists, physicists, andmany others. They educational requirements for various jobs are and are basically involved in research and develop- where such courses are available. ment, working toward new technological break- The environment career spectrum is broad, throughs. Their occupations often lead to high- with many possible types of occupationsworking ranking careers in research and management. indoors or outdoors, doing research or making de- Here also are engineers workingon the manufac- cisions, designing equipment or operating it. The ture, fabrication, and end use of existing materials, range of careers covers many skills and levels of and on the development of new materials,proc- training. Some students may wish to enter a career esses, and equipment. that is direct'y concerned with conservation, with Almost all these professionals require assis- solid waste management. or with pollution control tants whose jobs, though interesting, challenging, and resource recovery. But these are not the only and rewarding, require less academic training. fields in which important contributions can be This job category, called paraprofessional, in- made and in which the individuals may experience cludes laboratory and instrument technicians, a sense of accomplishment, personal fulfillment. repair and maintenance people, computer special- and gratification. To play an active role in meeting ists, and a wide range of skilled operators ofcom- the environmental pollution challenge. students plicated equipment. Some peoplein these jobs should begin planning now. may have been educated in junior and community colleges or technical institutes, and others through past -time day courses or evening study programs. Fields of study related to the environment.The Still others may enter the job market on the basis following list points to key areas of study for prep- of informal apprenticeship and receive on-the-job aration for environmental occupations: training. BEST

Opportunities are also available in the field of Law, medicine, general science. environment?' education. Even schools without and unspecified fields 433 specific curricula or courses in ecology have en- Total 3036 riched their traditional programs to make them more relevart to environmental concerns. Many Water pollution control. colleges have introduced degree programs in The Federal Water Pol- lution Control Administration, reporting to Con- environmental studies. The following institutions also offer graduate studies in environmental pro- gress in 1967, estimated the need for professionals, tection. specificaliy in the solid waste area: technicians. and operators in water pollution con- trol at that time to be 45,000. The estimated need University of Florida by the end of 1972 would be 111,500, an increase Georgia Institute of Technology University of in five years of 66,500. These figures include only University of Illinois those jobs requiring college or special post-high- University of Kansas school education and training. If all jobs in water University of Michigan pollution control had been included, these figures Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute would be more than doubled. Drexel Institute of Technology The following table, compiled in 1970 by the University of Water Pollution Ccntrol Federation, shows an esti- University of mate of employment requirements in four broad University categories: One field that is expanding very rapidly at present is that of pollution control. Environmental Category 1970 1975 pollution is usually divided into three broad cate- Professionals goriesair, water, and solid waste. Important 59,400 89,000 Technicians 42,900 61,500 jobs are being done in all three areas, and many Operators 66,000 93,000 more jobs are being created as environmental im- Related blue-collar workers 141,000 201,500 provement programs get under way. Total 309,300 445,500 control.A recent report by the U.S. 10 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) points to In this category of pollution control, plant opera- the growing employment in the control of air pol- tion is a major employment area. As such, it is lution. There are now a total of 264 air pollution interesting to note the general knowledge and skills control agencies in the United States, employing required to move to the top of the ladder in plant over 5000 people in the following categories: supervision: Job Category Percent mechanical and electrical equipment Inspector 18.5 operation and maintenance Engineer 17.2 communications Technician 10.4 basic physics Specialist (subprofessional) 7.6 basic chemistry Chemist 7.2 fundamental and applied mathematics Aide 2.1 (through algebra) Meteorologist 1.1 general science Administrativelclerical, engineering drawing (plan-reading) supervisory, and all others 36.0 laboratory analysis of water and sewage hydraulics As indicated by college degrees. employees' instrumentation maior fields of study as reported by the air pollu- basic public health tion agencies are: management and administration As you can see, most of these areas require more Number of than a little academic training. Field of Study Degrees More specific information on careers in water Engineering 1204 pollution control can be found in the U.S. Depart- Biological and physical sciences 910 ment of Health. Education and Welfare Technical Health professions 114 Business and commerce 93 Education Program Series No. 11 (0E-80057) titled Social sciences 64 "Water and Wastewater Technology," which is Education 64 available from the U.S. Government Printing Of- Agriculture 58 fice, Division of Public Documents, Washington, Humanities and liberal arts 54 D.C. 20402. The publication contains a suggested Mathematics 42 two-year post-high-school curriculum. Solid waste management and resource recovery. diate employment are very good. Our nation's solid waste is a vast resource of mate- A technical career does not require four rials and energy. We can no longer afford to ig- years of college training. A person can receive the nore it while we deplete our natural resources and necessary background and training at a junior or spoil our land and water with what we call wastes community college or a technical institute in two but what are really riches. There is sufficient tech- years. The table below lists information on techni- nology today to recover a much greater segment cal careers that now exist in the resource recov- of these resources than we are now extracting. ery field. It should be noted that all the training And we will be able to do even more in the future required for these jobs can be obtained in a com- than we can do today. munity or junior college or a technical institute We know what we want to doconserve nat- and that many such s-..ictols offer courses in en- ural resources, preserve environmental quality, vironmental technology. and improve efficiency of solid waste management. Years of Now is the time to begin. We are already burning Training in a and burying more resources than we can afford to Position Technical School lose. and we already have the knowledge and Laboratory aide 1-2 technology for reusing them. We can and we must Vacuum system op :rator 1-2 recover these needed resources as quickly as pos- Electric generator technician 1-2 sible. But the task will require the efforts and en- Pyrolysis reactor technician 1-2 ergies of great numbers of men and women with Chemical laboratory technician 2-3 varying degrees of skills and education. Electronic technician 2-3 Electromechanical technician 2-3 Fire protection specialist 2-3 The education needed for environmental careers. Industrial production technician 2-3 The following table presents some of the profes- Mechanical design technician 2-3 sional careers that can be specifically involved with Sanitation control technician 2-3 solid waste management and resource recovery. It is also true that a great many nonprofessional, nontechnical careers will be required. Local gov- Years of ernments need workers in waste collection and Position College Training disposal, waste and sewerage systems, air pollu- Civil engineer 4 tion regulation, sanitation programs, and many Mechanical engineer 4 other categories. The table below lists job opportu- Electrical engineer 4 Chemical engineer 4 nities that focus on waste management and re- Biochemist 4-6 source recovery. Some on-the-job training is avail- Environmental engineer 4-6 able in all these positions. Physicist 4-6 Months of Training Economist 4-6 Position Beyond High School Facility manager 4-6 Sanitation worker none Statistician 4 Bulldozer operator none Business administrator 4-5 Sanitary landfill operator 3-6 Professional sanitarian 4-5 Shredder operator 3-6 Research biologist 7-8 Conveyor operator 3-6 Research chemist 7-8 Compactor operator 3-6 Research ecologist 7-8 Incinerator operator 3-6 However, it should be emphasized that interesting Compost operator 3-6 and rewarding careers are not solely for profes- Magnetic separator operator 6-9 sionals and are not available only to the college Hydrapulper operator 6-9 graduate. In the past ten years a evolution has oc- Loader operator 6-9 Blue-collar worker curred in science and technology, creating a new none job market. The demand for people with techni- Salary levels in environmental careers.Careers cal skills is growing twice as fast as any of the in ecology can be rewarding from the viewpoint of other job categories. According to the U.S. Office salary as well as personal gratification. Salary of Education there are not enough applicants to fill levels have been rising in recent years in response the technical positions now open. HEW estimates to the increasing demand for talent. that well over a million more of these jobs will A doctoral degree in an environment-related open up by 1975. For anyone with a good scien- profession can usually command a beginning sal- tific or technical education the chances for imme- ary in the $7200 to $11,000 range. For a bachelor's BEST COPYAVAILABLE or master's degree the range is from $5000 to American Anthropological Association $7000. An annual salary of $8400 is about aver- 1703 New Hampshire Avenue. N.W. age for state, county, and city positions in this field. Washington. D.C. 20009 Of course. the salary for a particular job will vary American Chemical Society from place to place and according to the respon- 1155 Sixteenth Street. N.W. sibility of the position. Salaries for ecology officers Washington. D.C. 20036 or college-trained employees with a few years of American Federation of Information experience are substantially higher, rising to more Processing Societies than $25.000 annually at advanced levels. 201 Summit Avenue Montvale. N.J. 07645 The starting salaries for people without col- American Institute of Biological Sciences lege degrees, usually called nonprofessionals, can 200 P Street. N.W. be divided into the following categories: Washington, D.C. 20036 Technician.A qualified technician can enter American Institute of Planners service in government or nongovernment jobs at 917 Fifteenth Street, N.W. about $6200 per year. It should be noted that often Washington, D.C. 20005 the technician and the professional may start at Conservation Foundation nearly the same salary, but because of a broader 1250 Connecticut Avenue. N.W. educational and training background the profes- Washington. D.C. 20036 sional will frequently advance more rapidly and to Ecological Society of America a higher level than will the technician. Oak Ridge National Laboratory Aide.Aides work at a variety of productive tasks Oak Ridge. Tenn. 37831 that help both the technician and the professional. Environmental Science Center They can enter careers at salaries in the $4500 5400 Glenwood Avenue to $5000 range and, with a few years' experience, Minneapolis. Minn. 55422 move up to the $7500 to $10,000 range. Keep America Beautiful, Inc. 99 Park Avenue Clerk.Clerks are support personnel who do cler- New York. N.Y. 10016 ical jobs and staff work. They usually enter ser- National Audubon Society 12 vicet the $4500 to $5000 range. 1130 Fifth Avenue Skirled worker and laborer.The pay scale for New York. N.Y. 10028 people in trades and crafts is based on rates paid National Health Council by private businesses in the area where the job is 1740 Broadway located. Starting pay depends on the particular New York. N.Y 10019 trade or skill, and varies from $400 to $700 per National Home Study Council month. Some workers can command even higher 1601 Eighteenth Street, N.W salaries if the skills involved are in demand be- Washington. D.C. 20009 cause of a short supply. National Sanitation Foundation Of course, as the cost of living and the job P.O. Box 1468 markets change. these salary ranges will also vary. Ann Arbor. Mich. 48106 The environment: A life's work.Naturally, this Occupational Education Project uescription of environmental careers has provided American Association of Junior Colleges only an introduction to the important subject of One DuPont Circle careers in ecology. The point to emphasize is that, Washington. D.C. 20036 since virtually every human activity affects the en- Office of Environmental Sciences vironment, nearly every type of work can be di- Smithsonian Institution rectly or indirectly related to environmental control Washington. D.C. 20560 and improvement. U.S. Department of Health, Education A second point is that the processes of think- and Welfare Office of Education ing about the environment and planning for a Washington. D.C. 20202 career can proceed simultaneously and with mu- U.S. Department of the Interior tual benefit in your students' minds. A student tak- Washington. D.C. 20240 ing part in a voluntary recycling campaign may, as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a result of that experience, discover a new aware- Washington. D.C. 20460 ness of chemistry or engineering as a life's work. Urban Coalition The following sources have available on re- 2100 M Street. N.W. quest further information about environmental Washington. D.C. 20037 careers: BEST CO?

Government Printing Office. August, 1971. Instructional This report presents an overview of federal, private, state, and local activities in the environmental field. It deals in depth with two Resources fundamental aspects of environmental quality economics and legal developmentsand reviews I. SOLID WASTE: A GROWING recent developments related to these subjects. PROBLEM 6. Environmental Quality: The Third Annual Report of the Council on A. ENVIRONMENTGENERAL REFERENCES Environmental Quality. Washington, D.C.: U. S. I. American Association of Museums. Museums Government Printing Office, August, 1972. and the Environment: A Handbook for Education. This most recent report of the Council on Arkville Press, 1971. Environmental Quality discusses the development A distinguished committee of the American of environmental indices: the need for and Association of Museums has supervised this problems in forecasting the future: international collection of practical, effective. and economical aspects; federal, state, and local activities; the exhibit ideas. The how-to-do-it. illustrated National Environmental Policy Act; the costs and instructions are complete even to the color economic impacts of environmental improvement. scheme. The discussion of "Environment. and nat;onal parks. A perspective of the Population, Pollution" develops the themes for the environment in 1972 is also presented. exhibits. 7. Dow Chemical Company. Enviznmental 2. American Iron and Steel Institute. The Story of Involvement: A Teacher's Guide. Barstow Building, Environment and Industry. Education Department, 2020 Dow Center, Midland, Mich. 48640. 1000 Sixteenth Street. N. W.. Washington. D. C. Projects for increasing student awareness of the 20036. environmental quality challenge are the basis of This 20" x 30" chart is a simplified introduction of this booklet, which also includes an annotated the types of environmental pollution, the history bibliography. and economics of the problem, the causes and 8. Fanning. Odom. Opportunities in Environmental cures, and environmental career opportunities. Careers. New York: Universal Publishing and 3. Conservation Education Association. Directory Distribution Corporation, 1971. of Degree Programs Related to Conservation, Opening with a general review of environmental Ecology. Environmental Education, Environmental problems, this book goes on to outline what isnow Science. Outdoor Education. and Natural being done in informal and formal education on Resources. Danville. III.: Interstate Printers and the environment, what is needed, the career Publishers, Inc., 1971. possibilities, and the institutions offering training This directory provides information on courses in these fields. The book includes a bibliography available in the field of environmental studies at and other sources of information. institutions of higher learning throughout the 9. Halacy, D. S., Jr. Now or Never: The Fight country. The pamphlet is arranged alphabetically Against Pollution. New York: Four Winds Press, by states. 1971. 4. Council on Environmental Quality. This book takes a broad look at all pollution Environmental Quality: The First Annual Report of problems and the steps being taken to solve them. the Council on Environmental Quality. 10. National Academy of Sciences. Waste Washington. D. C.: U. S. Government Printing Management and Control. Publication 1400. Office, August. 1970. prepared for the Federal Council for Science and In this report a broad range of issues and problems Technology. Washington, D. C.: Printing and are considered. Included are the sources, costs. Publishing Office, National Academy of Sciences, and effects of air and water pollution: pollution 1966. from solid wastes. . radiation and noise: This report describes in depth the problems of federal state. and local antipollution programs in pollution: the legal. legislative, and institutional the major pollution categories: the problems of problems and areas of inadequacy in the fields of land use: international cooperation on research. education, and technology. Improved environmental problems: and a discussion of approaches and methods that should be present and future environmental needs. investigated and recommendations for meeting 5. Environmental Quality: future demands are also discussed. The Second Annual Report of the Council on 11. National Industrial Pollution Control Council. Environmental Quality. Washington. D C.: U. S National Industrial Pollution Control Council uEsT ci:4 al511 Reports. Washington, D. C : U. S. Government The Bureau of Mines, through its own facilities and Printing Office, 1971. its grant and contract programs, is sponsoring a Thirty subcouncils, composed of members from wide range of solid waste research projects. the engineering, , manufacturing, and goods Projects in progress, some results from completed distribution sectors of American industry. report to research, and areas for further study are the Council. These subcouncils identify problems discussed in this document. A lengthy of pollution control and abatement within the bibliography is also included. various industries and determine the progress that 5. Clark, Roger N.; Hendee, John C.: Burgess, is being made. They have issued the following Robert L. "The Experimental Control of Littering." pamphlets on the results of studies pertinent to The Journal of Environmental Education. Winter, the solid waste field: The Disposal of Major 1972. Appliances. Glass Containers. Paper, Plastics in A technical discussion summarizes previous litter Solid Waste. Rubber. Wood Products. Junk Car research before outlining new approaches to Disposal. and Deep Ocean Dumping of Baled fighting litterincluding methods which use Refuse. incentive approaches. 12. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. 6. Glass Container Manufacturers Institute, Inc. Environment Film Review. The Story of Glass Containers. New York: Glass Lists. classifies, describes, and rates 627 films Container Manufacturers Institute, Inc., 1130 17th covering all major environmental topics. Ordering Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. information and prices are included with each film The history of glass. how glass containers are description. Indexed. made, and how glass bottles affect the 13. Your World, My World environment are discussed in this illustrated A Book for Young Environmentalists. Stock No. SN pamphlet. At the end of each section a list of 3300-00470. Washington. D. C.: U. S. Government classroom activities is also included. Printing Office. 7. Hunter, D. Papermaking: The History and Written primarily for young people of elementary Technique of an Ancient Craft. 2nd ed. New York: and junior high school age. this booklet attempts Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1957. to instill an understanding of environmental This book describes the evolution of paper, which 14 problems, to explain some of the efforts that are has been made and used for hundreds of years. being made by EPA. and to suggest actions that 8. Keep America Beautiful. Guide to Mechanical can be taken by the young to help achieve a better Litter Removal Equipment. Keep America environment. Beautiful, Inc., 99 Park Avenue. New York, N.Y. 8. SOLID WASTEGENERAL REFERENCES 10016. 1. Alexander. Tom. "The Packaging Problem Is a This pamphlet presents basic information about Can of Worms." Fortune. June, 1972. mechanical devices currently available for This article explores the current trends in removing litter from highways and urban areas. packaging, the problems involved in packaging 9. Litter Laws. Keep disposal. and the possible solutions. America Beautiful, Inc., 99 Park Avenue, New York, 2. Aluminum Association. The Story of Aluminum. N.Y. 10016. New York: The Aluminum Association, 750 Third This pamphlet looks at existing antilitter laws, Ave.. New York. N.Y. 10017. discusses problems of enforcement, and gives This illustrated pamphlet relates the history of guidance for updating and improving these laws. aluminum and describes the aluminum-making 10. "New Drive to Get Rid of Trash." U. S. News process. and World Report. June 7, 1971. 3. American Iron and Steel Institute. The Making Various techniques and programs being used for of Steel. American Iron and Steel Institute. 150 solid waste disposal and recycling, as well as East 42nd Street. Mobile Bldg., 38th Floor, New problems encountered by these industries, are York. N.Y. 10017. reviewed in this article. A detailed description of the steel-making process 11. Schmidt, J. H. A National Survey of Litter Law is given in this book. Enforcement. This publication was prepared for 4. Bureau of Mines. U. S. Department of the Keep America Beautiful by the International Interior. Bureau of Mines Research Programs on Association of Chiefs of Police. Gaithersburg, Md.: Recycling and Disposal of Mineral-. Metal-. and The International Association of Chiefs of Police, Energy-Based Solid Wastes, by Charles B. September, 1971. Kenahan and Einar P. Flint. Information Circular This publication analyzes the results of a national No. 8529. Washington. D.C.: U. S. Bureau of Mines, survey of chiefs of police on littering. A description 1971. of the project, discussion of judicial enforcement BEST COPY Mirli ARLE

practices in different areas of thecountry, limiting Report SW-58-14. Cincinnati: Solid Waste factors for arrests and convictions for littering,and Management Publications DistributiJn Unit, recommendations by the police officials for Environmental Protection Agency. improved litter-law enforcement are presented This listing of publications in the solid waste field here. that have been collected or published by the 12. Small, William E. Third Pollution: TheNational Environmental Protection Agency is issued Problem of Solid Waste Disposal. NewYork: periodically. Frederick A. Praeger. Inc., 1971. Many facets of the solid waste problem, including collection and disposal technology;resource II. COLLECTION AND recovery: volume and disposal of urban. TRANSPORTATION agricultural, mining, and energy wastes. andthe junk auto problem are discussed in thisbook. A. Bogue, M. DeVon. "Clean and Green Solid Graphs and a lengthy bibliographyare also Waste System in Alabama Is Widely Copied." included. Reprinted, with permission, by the Office of Solid 13. Society of the Plastics Industry. ThePlastics Waste Management Programs. U.S. Environmental Industry and Solid Waste Management. NewYork: Protection Agency, from Waste Age. Society of the Plastics Industry September,1970. September-October, 1970. Washington, D.C.: U.S. This paper covers a broadrange of subjects: Environmental Protection Agency. 1971. plastics in solid waste; ecological benefitsof This article describes a county-wide collection plastics: the litter problem: the role ofgovernment: system in Chilton County, Alabama, that was methods of waste disposal and the reaction of designed to improve rural collection of solid waste. plastics to the various methods o disposal;the Citizens bring their refuse to bulk storage need for biodegradability andways to reuse containers for regular pickup, and the refuse is plastics: and SPI's solid waste activities. then sanitary-landfilled. 14. Uniroyal, Inc., Uniroyal Chemical. Rubber B. "Garbage Gets a Glamour Image." Business Reuse and Solid Waste Management. by Robert J. Week, March 4, 1972. Pettigrew and Frank H. Roninger. Report SW-22c, Chains of garbage collection and disposal Contract No. PH 86-68-208, prepared for the U. S. operations have been started by six parent Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid companies across the country. The methods used Waste Management Programs. Washington, D. C.: by these companies and the economic advantages U. S. Government Printing Office, 1971. of large-scale collection and disposal are briefly Part I of this study on the fabricated rubber discussed in this article. products industry discusses the history of the C. Johansson, Bertram B. "Whisking the industry, future trends, divisions of the industry, Garbage." Saturday Review, July 3, 1971. industry disposal costs, and recommendations for In the Swedish city of Sundbyberg the collection future disposal needs. Part II of the study of trash isliandled by a vacuum tube through discusses the waste rubber product disposal which a high-velocity air stream conveys trash to problem, the present status of and future trends in an incinerator for disposal. This system, which is waste reuse, and future areas of collection and being used now at several sites in the United potential reuse. A glossary, a bibliography. patent States, is described in the article. information. and several tables and figuresare D. Kazan, Nick. "Can Free Enterprise Speed Up also given. Our Garbage Collection?" New York Magazine, 15. U. S. Department of Health, Education and July 12. 1971. Welfare. Public Health Service. The National Solid The advantages of private refuse collection in San Waste Survey: An Interim Report. by Ralph J. Francisco (where shares in the companiesare Black: Anton J. Muhich: Albert J. Klee: H. Lanier owned by working and retired garbage men)are Hickman. Jr.: and Richard D. Vaughan. Cincinnati: discussed in this article. This approach is shown Bureau of Solid Waste Management, 1968. to be efficient, good for morale, and economically A need for reliable information on solid wastes led feasible. to the 1968 national survey of community solid E. "Out of Trash and Garbage, Some Answers waste practices reported on in this document. The Scottsdale, a Small City, Leads the Way." The report analyzes community practices in collection Struggle to Bring Technology to Cities. and disposal, and it provides many basic statistics Washington. D.C.: The Urban Institute, 1971. on the solid waste problem. With the design of a new refuse collection vehicle, 16 U S Environmental Protection Agency. Solid "Son of Godzilla," that requires only oneman to Waste Management: A List of Available Literature. drive the truck and pick up the trash, Scottsdale, REST CGilAVAILABLE

Arizona, now has a futuristic trash collection discussed. Graphs, diagrams. tables, and references operation. The preliminary work required for the are included. project and the operation of the new collection This document presents basic information on service are described in this chapter of the report. sanitary landfills, such as planning, design, operation, and public health aspects. Illustrations, references, and a bibliography are also included. III. DISPOSAL F. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Mission 5000: A citizen's Solid Waste Management Project. A. American Public Works Association. Municipal Stock No. 5502-0087. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Refuse Disposal. Danville, Ill.: Interstate Printers Government Printing Office. 1972 and Publishers, Inc.. 1970. The goal of Mission 5000. sponsored by EPA, is to This comprehensive manual on disposal practices eliminate the open dump and to replace it with reviews past and present practices, describes and modern solid waste handling facilities. This analyzes the best current practices. surveys the booklet describes various methods of solid waste costs, and discusses administrative and management and recovery that can be utilized by management problems. It is an excellent "how-to" communities that wish to eliminate open dumps book for municipal officials and a mine of and suggests ways in which citizens can influence information for the interested layman. adoption by their communities of policies and B. General Motors Corporation. How to Harvest practices that will help make Mission 5000 a Abandoned Cars. Detroit, Mich.: General Motors success. Corporation. 1971. This booklet contains information on collecting and processing abandoned cars. The description IV. RESOURCE RECOVERY of the General Motors campaign conducted in Traverse City, Michigan, provides guidelines for A. American Forest Institute. Recycling Questions' communities that want to organize and finance and Answers. American Forest Institute, 1619 their own campaigns to clean up abandoned cars. Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. C. Honeywell Presidential Division. Electronic Air This pamphlet, using a question-and-answer Cleaning: Theory and Fundamentals. Electronic format, discusses recycling in the paper industry. Air Cleaner Inquiries G 2118. 2701 Fourth Avenue B. American Paper Institute. Background South, Minneapolis. Minn. 55408. Information on Recycling Waste Paper. New York: This technical and detailed booklet, adapted from American Paper Institute, 260 Madison Ave., New training material for air-conditioning engineers, York, N.Y. 10016. discusses air pollutants and their means of This pamphlet provides data through 1969 on removalespecially by means of electrostatic grades of waste paper, their disposability, precipitators. Includes data on filler types, ozone products which may be made from recycled waste and odor control. and particle characteristics. paper, and the potential of waste paper as a D. U.S. Department of Health, Education and contributor to the nation's wood fiber supply. Welfare, Bureau of Solid Waste Management. C. American Public Works Association. Refuse Sanitary Landfill Facts, by Thomas J. Sorg and H. Collection Practice. Danville, Ill.: Interstate Lanier Hickman. Jr. Report SW-4ts. Public Health Printers and Publishers, 1966. Service Publication No. 1792. Washington. D.C.: This book is an informative source of materials on U.S. Government Printing Office, 1970. the collection and transportation of refuse. E. Public Health Service. Equipment, methods of collection, costs and Incinerator Guidelines-1969. by Jack De Marco. financing, and special problems of personnel Daniel J. Keller, J Leckman. and James L. Newton. involved in refuse collection are a few of the topics Public Health Service Publication No. 2012. discussed. Many illustrations and bibliography Washington. D C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, references are included. 1969. 0. Battelle Memorial Institute. Recovery and Because many independent sources have Utilization of Municipal Solid Waste. by N. L. contributed to the development of incinerator Drobny, H. E. Hull, and R. F. Testin. Report SW-10c, technology, incinerator design and operation are Contract No. PH 86-67-265, prepared for the U.S. not standardized. This publication, by describing Environmental Prot lotion Agency. Office of Solid the best in incinerator technology, contributes to Waste Management Programs. Washington, D.C.: greater standardization in incinerator development. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1971. Desirable performance characteristics. the process This report is a source book of existing technology of incineration, and the "state-of-the-art- are for three areas of solid waste recovery: size BEST COPY613Liziliik reduction. separation, and recovery (including technology. Processes and systems discussed reuse and conversion). Descriptions of various include incineration and residue separation by methods of resource recovery, their costs, and conventional methods, pyrolysis, composting, their performance characteristicsare included, fiber recovery, and the use of refuse as boiler fuel. along with references, figures. tables, and A list of references is included. illustrations. K. Hoffstrom, Jerry. "Demonstrating the Treatment E. Connor, William J. "Shredding and Metal of Sewage." The American Biology Teacher, May, Salvage Give Landfill New Life." The American 1973. City, April, 1973. Teachers are increasingly called upon to inform This article describes how New Castle County, their students about the most recent technologic Delaware, uses both methods to lower landfill means of improving the quality of the environment. costs and to help pay for its new refuse processing One environment-enhancing task that has plant. There is also discussion of the other undergone important technologic change is reclamation possibilities: for example, the sewage treatment. This paper tells how two recent biodegradable portion of the shredded scrap looks advances in sewage treatment can be promising as a compost additive for the local demonstrated in the high school laboratory. mushroom industry. L. Lesher, Dr. Richard L. "Tackling Resource F. De Vito, Alfred. "'Found' Science Equipment." Recovery on a National Scale." Environmental Science Activities, January, 197w. Science & Technology, December, 1972. To assist the instructor in assemblingsome of the This article describes the concept developed by hardware necessary for the teaching of science, the National Center for Resource Recovery ofa the author has lister several materials thatcan be system for recovering valuable and reusable recycled from trash into an elementary science materials from our presently discarded urban solid program. waste. G. Durmont, Raymond H.; Mikuska, James M."A M. Myer, Judith G. "Renewing the Soil." Practical Recycling Project." Science Activities. Environment, March, 1972. February, 1973. This article covers a broad range of topics about An experiment for recycling aluminum lunchtrays composting, including the costs of composting; into secondary aluminum is described in this some of the problems that have confronted 17 article. As a school recycling program, this activity composting in this country, Europe, and the Middle offers an excellent example of departmental East; a description of compostingprocesses; the cooperation in solving environmental problems. ecological effects of composting; a list of H. Franz, Maurice. "Municipal Garbage into municipal refuse composting plants in the United Mushroom Soil." Compost Science, States and their status, and examples of existing November-December, 1972. and proposed programs in thisarea. Several A journal's description of how men, engineering graphs and a bibliography are included. know-how. and new equipment have teamedup in N. "Refresh This Tired Earth with Compost." New Castle County, Delaware, and Kennett Environmental Action Bulletin, January 23, 1971. Square, Pennsylvania, to grow bigger and better This article describes methods for puttinggarbage mushrooms by using city garbage. to work, including: (1) burying it in pits or in future I. Grinstead, Robert R. "Bottlenecks, Part I." planting rows; (2) feeding it to earthworms;and (3) Environment. April, 1972. composting it with other organic materials. Problems that are associated with therecovery of 0. Schatz, Albert, and Schatz, Vivian. Teaching specific resources and with severalrecovery Science with Garbage. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale methods are presented in this article. The author Books, Inc., 1971. discusses the qualities of the resources and of the This publication suggests experiments thatmay methods of manufacturing that hinder recycling be conducted in the classroom. Although efforts and considers the potential amounts of composting on a miniature scale is emphasized, resources available if resource recovery is other subjectssuch as using fats to makesoap, practiced on a broad scale. Several charts anda constructing "mini" landfills, and studying the comprehensive bibliography are included. composition and volume of garbageare also J. "Machinery for Trash Mining, Part II." discussed. Illustrations, graphs, and a list of Environment, May, 1972. sources of information about composting garbage Part II outlines some of the technology by which are also included. various materials are recovered,assesses the P. Stein, Roy. "Recycling Paper: An Ecology current status of a number of systems, and Experiment." Science Activities, June. 1973. discusses "bottlenecks" of resourcerecovery This one-page article contains a laboratory GEST COPYAYAILABLE experiment on paper recycling. V. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT Q. Sullivan. Kay. "The Redbook Handicrafter: 89 Things To Make Out of What You Were Going to A. Citizens' Advisory Committee on Throw Away." Redbook. June, 1973. Environmental Quality. Community Action for An illustrated article contains 89 suggestions for Environmental Quality. Washington. D.C.: U.S. ways to convert items headed for the trash can. Government Printing Office. 1970. Some are just that suggestions and students This booklet offers suggestions for practical must develop the ideas themselves. Others action by municipalities and residents to improve provide enough basic information to get them many aspects of their environment. started. Some give complete instructions. B. National Academy of Sciences. Policies for R. "Turning Junk and Trash into a Resource." )lid Waste Management. Report SW-11c. Business Week, October 10, 1970. Contract No. PH 86-67-240. prepared for the U.S. This article describes present methods of Department of Health. Education and Welfare. recovering value from waste and some current Eureau of Solid Waste Management. Washington. developments in producing the machinery to D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1970. improve these methods. As a result of the report Waste Management and Control. the Office of Solid Waste Management S. U.S. Congress. Joint Economic Committee. Programs asked the National Academy of Subcommittee on Fiscal Policy. The Economics of Sciences to establish a committee on solid waste Recycling Waste Materials. 92nd Congress. First management. This committee would advise the Session. November 8-9. 1971. Washington. D.C.: Bureau on the feasibility of implementing the 1971. U.S. Government Printing Off NAS-NRC recommendations related to solid This report. which contains statements by wastes. The committee developed a new set of industry, government, and private organizations. recommendations for policies for solid waste covers a wide range of interests. Additional management: these recommendations are information submitted by the witnesses, as well as outlined and discussed in this report. graphs and diagrams. is also included. C. "Resource Recovery: A Positive Approach to T. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. the Solid Waste Problem." Nation's Cities June. 18 Composting of Municipal Solid Wastes in the 1972. United States. Report SW-47r. Washington. D.C.: The potential of resource recovery, its role in solid U.S. Government Printing Office. 1971. waste management, and the National Resource This report discusses the results of an Recovery Network being established by the experimental composting project conducted National Center for Resource Recovery are jointly by the U.S. Public Health Service. The discussed in this article. Valley Authority, and Johnson City. D. Solid Waste Disposal Act. Title II. PL 89-272, Tennessee. Background information on 89th Congress. S.306. October 20. 1965. as composting and the technical and economic amended by the Resource Recovery Act of 1970. feasibility of this method of handling solid wastes PL91-512. 91st Congress. H.R. 11833. October 26. are discussed. Tables, figures. and references are 1970. Washington. D.C.: U.S. Government Printing included. Office. U.The Salvage Industry: What It IsHow It This legislation gives the federal government Works. Stock No. 5502-00108. Washington. D.C. responsibility for research. training, U.S. Government Printing Office. demonstrations of new technology, technical This condensation is based on Salvage Markets assistance, and grants-in-aid for state and for Materials in Solid Wastes, by Arsen Darnay and interstate solid waste programs. The amendment William E. Franklin. and was prepared for the redirects emphasis from disposal to recycling. Federal Solid Waste Management Program as a expands the grant and demonstration program. brief overview of the salvage industry. Included is and creates a National Commission on Materials a section entitled "Salvageable Commodities in Policy. Municipal Wastes." E. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The V. Walter, Richard. "How to Compost Leaves and Challenge of the EnvironmentA Primer on EPA's Turn Them into a Municipal Asset Instead of a Statutory Authority. Stock No. 5500-0078. NuisanceThe American City, June. 1971. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office. The author of this article contends that The reorganization plan that established EPA in composting is what should be done with the December. 1970. combined programs from 15 annual leaf crop in a municipality. and describes departments and agencies. and gave the Agency the successful program of Maplewood. New Jersey.responsibility for air and water pollution control. riEST COPYAiiiiiLABLE pes,:cides, solid waste, radiation, and noise. This Printing Office. booklet summarizes the major legislation in each Jon Thomas, looking for his supper in a garbage of these areas and explains the laws under which can, accidentally falls into his community's solid- EPA has the authority and the responsibility to waste disposal system. The cat's odyssey through fulfill its missionnamely, to protect the the processes of waste disposal illustrates for environment. It is intended to help citizens better students as well as adults the basic methods of understand EPA's role. modern waste management. F. Citizen Action Can Get Results. Stock No. L. Symbol of Hope. 5500-10070. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government This leaflet explains the origin and meaning of the Printing Office. official EPA insignia. From neighborhood cleanup campaigns to legal action against polluters, citizen involvement has become an integral part of the movement for environmental quality in the United States. Brief case histories of successful citizen campaigns are AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS described in this pamphlet, which also contains suggestions for individual action. CYCLES G. Finding Your Way Through EPA. 13Y2 min., color, $200, free loan, 1971. A directory of key sources of information within Glass Container Manufacturers Institute, Inc. Rent EPA, including an up-to-date organizational chart from: Association-Sterling Films, 866 Third and a listing of the regional offices and the Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022. National Environmental Research Centers. The world of nature is a world of cyclescyclesof H. Groups That Can Help seasonal tides and time, of seasons with constant A Directory of Environmental Organizations. Stock change, and continual renewal. This film survey of No. 5501-00418. Washington, D.C.: U.S. new recycling technology provides valuable Government Printing Office. background information on the solid waste The increasing awareness of andconcern for problem and reveals how man is beginningto environmental problems facing us are reflected in recycle the refuse of modern civilization. the ever-growing number of organ izations THE GREEN BOX national, regional, and localworking for the 17 min., color, $200, free loan. restoration and protection of the environment. This Stuart Finley, Inc., 3428 Mansfield Road, Falls directory lists some of these groups and describes Church, Va. 22041. Rent from: National Medical their operations and objectives. It is nota Audiovisual Center (Annex), Station K, Atlanta, Ga. complete listing but a sampling of national 30324. Order No. M-2097-X. nonprofit organizations that can be contacted by The people of Chilton County, Alabama, recall how individuals seeking information and advice. they developed an outstanding container

1. .Highlights The Marine collection system. This system is now being Protection. Research. and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 adopted elsewhere. (Ocean Dumping). IN THE BAG Explains the most significant provisions of the law 19 min., color, $200, free loan. that is aimed at reguiating the dumping of Stuart Finley, Inc., 3428 Mansfield Road, Falls pollutants into the oceans and ultimately putting Church, Va. 22041. Rent from: National Medical an end to the practice. Audiovisual Center (Annex), Station K. Atlanta, Ga. J. In Productive Harmony 30324. Order No. M-2091-X. Environmental Impact Statements Broaden the Describes the refuse sack system of collecting Nation's Perspectives. solid waste. which can provide better service and Discusses and explains the environmental impact eliminate operational problems. statements required by the National RECYCLING Environmental Policy Act of 1969what they are, 21 min., color, $200, free loan. when they are required, how theyare prepared. Stuart Finley, Inc., 3428 Mansfield Road, Falls who has responsibility for reviewand assesses Church, Va. 22041. Rent from: National Medical the effectiveness of the impact statement process Audiovisual Center (Annex), Station K. Atlanta, Ga. in reducing environmental damage from federal 30324. Order No. M-2118-X. activities. Shows existing techniques for recovering K. The Processing and materials from solid waste and describes newly Recovery of Jon ThomasCool Cat. Stock No. developed equipment and systems that may make 5502-0084. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government recycling universal tomorrow. BEST COPY AVAILABLE

SANITARY LANDFILL: ONE PART EARTH TO WE FOUR PARTS REFUSE 281/2 min., color, free loan. 24 min., color. $97.75, free loan. 1969. Rent from: Bureau of the Census, SESA. U.S. Rent from: National Medical Audiovisual Center Department of Commerce, Public Information (Annex). Station K. Atlanta, Ga. 30324. Order No. Office, Room 2089, Federal Office Building #3, M-1740-X. Washington, D.C. 20233. Presents all aspects of landfill planning and Presents related statistics from the 1970 census operation: site selection. equipment requirements. and touches on a population on the move. climate influences, operating procedures, Provides valuable factual perspective on the topography. soil conditions. final planning, and growth of the past decade. ultimate use of the compieted fill. Some of the WEALTH OF THE WASTELAND detail is quite technical. 261/2 min., color, free loan. THE STUFF WE THROW AWAY Rent from: Motion Pictures, Bureau of Mines. U.S. 22 min., color. $200. free loan, 1970. Department of the Interior. 4800 Forbes Avenue. Stuart Finley. Inc., 3428 Mansfield Road, Falls Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213. Church, Va. 22041.. Rent from: National Medical Civilization's waste materials are noxious, Audiovisual Center (Annex), Station K, Atlanta, Ga. unsightly, abundant, and potentially valuable. 30324. Order No. M-2048-X. Besides showing that wastes are pollutants of Describes the massive problem of collecting and land. air, and water. this new film points out that disposing of America's solid waste. It also our vast tonnages of wastes are potential sources illustrates a variety of new and improved of valuable minerals that society needs today and techniques that are being investigated and will need even more in the future. demonstrated under provisions of the Sold Waste WOODLAND MANNERS Disposal Act. 19 min., color, $84, free loan. THINGS WORTH SAVING Rent from: Motion Picture Service, Office of 131.'2 min., color. $65, free loan, 1972. Information, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Center for Resource Recovery. Inc., 1211 Washington, D.C. 20250. Connecticut Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20036. A national forest is the setting for a thematic Highlights the nature and magnitude of municipal contrast between litterbugs and a well-behaved solid waste management problems, defines litter family cleaning up after a camping trip. as differing from solid waste and needing different WORK IN PROGRESS solutions. shows present-day improvements in 27 min., color, free loan. collection and disposal systems. relates the work Rent from: Association-Sterling Films, 866 Third of NCRR in developing systems to mechanically Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022. recover materials and to derive value from mixed Explains how the awareness of the industry to its trash and garbage. and promotes the concept of responsibilities to the environment is leading to resource recovery. the use of improved pollution-control equipment. TH E THIRD POLLUTION Touches on recycling, electrostatic filters, and 23 min., color, $225. free loan, 1966. new waste water facilities. Begins and ends with Stuart Finley, Inc., 3428 Mansfield Road, Falls cartoon format. Church, Va. 22041. Rent from. National Medical Audiovisual Center (Annex). Station K. Atlanta. Ga. 30324. Order No. AM-1404. Dramatizes the nation's $4.5 billion-a-year problem of managing its solid waste. Burning refuse contributes to air pollution. and dumping it contaminates groundwater supplies. In addition, the collection and disposal of solid waste are expensive and technically challenging. This film describes the various alternatives that are available. THE TROUBLE: WITH TRASH 28 min.. color. free ioan Caterpillar Tractor Film Library. 160 East Grand Avenue. Chicago. III. 60611. Vivid portrayal of the positive features of landfill methods of solid waste disposal. BEST COPY AVAILABLE

:4 RESOURCE RECOVERY EDUCATION PROGRAM

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RESOURCE RECOVERY EDUCATION PROGRAM

Copyright 1974 National Association of Secondary SchoolPrincipals 1904 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia 22091 National Center for Resource Recovery, Inc. 1211 Connecticut Avenue, N. W. Washington, D. C.20036 BEST COPYAllell1ABli

IMIIM IMMO ',IMMO' Ar.46 New Products and Energy From Our Garbage?

It seems every day someone remindsus of refuse was only considered as something to be our fast changing world. A multitude of events at disposed of as quickly and inoffensively as home and abroad are increasingly affecting the possible. With greater concern about the way we live. work and play. One cold winter environment. we began realizing that unless these morning, our clocks are set at Standard Time: the discards are properly handled, they pollute air. next day. we awake to the darker skies of Daylight water, and land. Further. we became more Saving Time. The temperatures of our homes and aware of the need to conserve our precious school buildings are set six or more degrees lower natural resources and recognized that in our during winter and air conditioner use is reduced trash cans there are many materials thatcan be during warm weather all because of the recovered for new life if the means can be energy shortage Not too long ago. money was the found to efficiently separate these valuable only apparent limit to how much of any product we materials from the rest of the waste and from each used. Now, many of the things we want anduse are other. in short supply, and sometimes not even available. We are faced with two challenges: to better More and more. we are being madeaware of the manage trash and garbage. thus protecting the shortages of materials arid resources around the environment: and to develop the mechanical world. processes to extract those things of value. This is What may come as a surprise isa rather Resource Recovery...the reclaiming of wealth unlikely source of "raw materials" for making from waste. Resource Recovery is an exciting many of the products and fuels we use our daily concept, a new dimension to traditional practices trash and garbage! In this growing mass of of waste handling. discards is a vast assortment of valuable metals This program will enable you to learn more and minerals that, if separated. can be used along about the things we consume and throw away with other raw materials in the manufacture ofnew about how communities can better handle this products. And. the combustible portion ofour refuse..about the new efforts and systems soon communities' waste represents a fuel that can to be built in many of our cities to recover help generate electricity and heat. important resources..and about how you can We have come to accept garbage asa contribute to a better understanding of our negative. but necessary. by-product of our living garbage problems. solutions. and opportunities. Everybody generates it. Until recent years. this Today's film and discussion, however, had been something else. Their teachers had ended the discussion with a challenge to the whole class to think of how their future careers could help relieve the problem. 4 -They've got to be kidding!" was far and away the overwhelming response. After all, nearly all Mark's friends had big plans for themselves. Dorita wanted to be a lawyer: she'd never lost an argument for as long as anyone could remember. Tony, who was a superstar in science, was set on becoming a chemical engineer. The rest of Mark's friends had equally impressive plansdoctors, salesmen, heavy equipment operators, computer ; / specialists, plumbers, architects, and so on. As Tony put it, "I don't see how they can expect us to change our plans for our lives. Besides. I think my parents have something else in mind for me. I don't know about you guys." The snap...the spot. .the kick... "What kinda off-the-wall talk is that?" It was and with that, another can was lifted Screwball, Dorita's cousin, talking: he was on the into a gentle arc. It seemed to have attack. "In other words, you're just going to sit back for life and say forget it? Even though you plenty of backspin to keep it on course. know that everything you buy or make will But before it had gone about ten yards, eventually end up in somebody's trash bin?" it began to lose power, sail aimlessly, "That's not all," Dorita added. "Think of all the and then drift off to the right. Something things we throw away that end up in that smelly was wrong . . . city dump. And nobody makes an effort to save the valuable metals and glass for recycling." Mark Gamble obviously had a strong leg. A As for Mark, "The heck with it!" he thought. He varsity soccer player who had also been asked to liked to kick a ball, and he was good at it. With that kick for the football team, he had walked home on kind of talent, he had more important things to do this street nearly every afternoon for the past three than worry about the environment or make other years. Usually with the same group of kids from the kinds of life plans. Obviously, the talk was getting neighborhood. too serious. Raising his books over his head in a During all that time Mark had perfected a little gesture of farewell to his arguing friends, he loped ritual that only he could do. As the group walked up the steps to home. along he would scan the gutters along the Mark finished dinner quickly that t and roadside for discarded litter. Spotting a bottle or seemed more annoyed than usual by having to can. he had a way of running up to 't, nudging it take the kitchen trash can out into the chilly night with his foot so that it popped up on end. planting air. "Funny," he thought. "I could swear that trash his left foot. and giving it a ride with his right can was empty just before dinner. Whatever." instep The can would come back to earth, slowly Then he went back to his room andafter 25 deep backspinning, some 20 yards awaydead ahead. knee bends flopped on his bed in the dark. In all every time. Mark was a real phenomenon. it had not been a good day. The last thing Mark Today. however, something was different. remembered thinking about was how that Everyone could feel it. And everyone knew why. afternoon's cartons and cans kept drifting off to They had all gone to an assembly in sixth period the right. this afternoon. Today's topic had been the One particular carton seemed to go much environment and how people were turning the face higher than usual. In fact, Mark could never of the earth into a trash heap. Of course. there was remember having one go that high before. Slowly, nothing particularly new in that. They'd all heard it slowly turning in the air, the sun glinting off it. the before. In fact, they'd even done something about bottle came to rest in some of the softest, greenest the problem collected newspapers for recycling, grass he'd ever seen. Beyond the grass was a sorted bottles at the collection center. and even hedgeone of the most carefully trimmed hedges pulled mattresses and bald tires out of Trident he'd ever seen. Behind the hedge. on a redwood Creek fence, was a sign: BEST CRY

the reverse of an assembly line at a manufacturing plant: here stuff is removed from the conveyor lines instead of being added to them." "Dorita's right, you know. Mark." offered Ryan. "Our whole group of school friends has helped in starting this new system. That's why we're here on this first day. We were sure you'd show up, too." eRESOURCE RECOVERY "I knew it," Mark pretended to yawn. "You City Faciriy Number One guys with your big career ideas! You should have known those plans would flop." "That's where you're wrong," Tony said. "Each of us got the very job he'd been planning on. And each of us was able to contribute in his own 4 special way." Nt I "I can see I've been asleep longer than I first thought," muttered Mark. ;P4 "Yes, you have. I tell you what: we'll give you a 11147 tour of the whole place. You can see all the Mark could see several modern buildings, too. recovery processes and get an idea of just how At his left a line of trash compactor trucks. all of many types of professional careers it has taken to them full, was passing through the main gate. They get this resource recovery facility going. Dorita, seemed to be waiting their turn for something. why don't you lead the way?" Suddenly a voice spoke behind him: "Well, "Fine. Let's start right here. That truck is Mark Gamble! I never!" That voice. Turning. he stopped on the weighing platform. There, the saw it was Dorita and the rest of his school friends. driver gets out and inserts his ID computer card "We haven't seen you for ages. Come on in with us. into the reader. The facility computer We're on our way to work." automatically records information, such as the "This is the first day the plant has been in weight of the trash (after subtracting the weight of operation. We're very proud of it," beamed Ryan. the truck when empty), the date and time, and the "But...What is it?" driver's route. By comparing this information with "Oh. Mark. can't you read? It's a resource past information stored in the computer, the recovery plant! Remember how we worried in facility managers and planners car, predict how school about the waste and environmental threat much trash they'll have to work with that day and in our city's trash and garbage? That wasn't so now much they're behind or ahead of schedule. long ago, was it? Now all that's changedmostly "You see, Mark, we're only at the first stage, because of recovery plants like this one located all and already we've involved computer operators across the nation." Dorita was obviously proud. and design people, programmers, industrial "From where we're standing, you can see the managers and work-flow analysts, computer whole operation. Up to this end of the plant comes manufacturers and trash compactor designers, a steady stream of trash compactors from the city. and the people who designed and built the special They dump their loads, the factory machinery does concrete weighing platform." its magic, and . Shz.zaam...out the other end of "Before we get too far into these operations," the plant go materials that can be used again: put in Tony, "don't forget that the facility itself paper, glass, aluminum, and iron. to name only a involves all kinds of jobs and people. Screwball, few. You can see what we mean by 'resource over there, has done a great job of landscape recovery.' These materials are just as useful as architecture, don't you think? And Ryan, your old natural resources to the manufacturers who plan friend, is now an industrial architect. He laid out to use the outputs of our plant. These products are the whole place sathat it could be run efficiently the recovered resources that have been recycled." and also be a comfortable place to work in. And "Come on. you're putting me on. Right? What while we're on the subject," Tony added, "Dorita is products? It's all garbage, whatever you say. a lawyer with the city administration. She drew up Especially when it gets all mixed up like that." the contracts to buy the land, fought to have the "No, Mark. Just look at what happens here in solid waste codes changed to make all this our plant. As the trash moves through the different possible, and did a great deal of the administrative stages of the recovery process, different machines planning." and operators remove different products and "Many of our other classmates also gather them for resale to manufacturers. It's just contributed during this important planning phase," BESI CO? AVAILABLE

Dorita went on. "Civil engineers did the site in sanitary landfills. preparation studies, and mechanical engineers "Getting back to the heavy materials that evaluated the equipment designs. Economists dropped out the bottom of the air classifier, a made estimates of the demand there would be for magnet removes the steel and other ferrous metals the facility's products, while chemical researchers for recycling. The rest of the 'heavies' are studied the quality and value of those same processed through a variety of other machines products. Once those issues were settled, and equipment to sort out and clean other salesmen were required to canvass the nation for valuable materials for sale to manufacturers for manufacturers who would buy and use the scrap. use in making new products. From such strange Even a team of public relations writersyou machines as 'rising current classifiers,' heavy remember the kids from the school paper were media separators,' and 'optical sorters,' come needed to tell people about the need for the new aluminum, zinc, lead and other non-ferrous metals, facility. You've got to remember that most people and clear, amber and green glass chips. were still thinking of dumps, not of clean and "And there you have it. Most everything of any attractive plants like this one. worth that can be reclaimed from the messy "Just before construction began, a group of mixture that comes into the plant is sorted and draftsmen. engineers. and surveyors began to readied for new, productive use. This, in a nutshell, work with Ryan's architectural firm to make is the story of resource recovery." detailed drawings so that the completed buildings "But that's not all we want you to get out of this would turn out to be what the planners had in visit, Mark. We want you," said Tony, "to remember mind. the many careers that went into creating this "When construction began. a whole army of place. And now I want you to think of the many our friends joined in: foundation layers, professions that are needed to keep it operating. carpenters, heavy equipment operators, Isn't it about time you quit kicking cans and bricklayers, pipe fitters, welders, electricians, and cartons and joined us again? painters. And you have to remember that bankers, "Take me, for instance. You know how I stockbrokers, and insurance men had already been involved in the planning. always wanted to be a chemical engineer. Well, that's what I am. My staff of chemical technicians "But the best part," continued Dorita. "is the and I keep constant watch on the quality of our way the technology and machines are working for our good. Let's get back to the tour. products. Of course, we recycle the water used in our flotation and washing operations; the quality "A city program will have already collected old of that must be monitored, too. There are also newspapers and cardboard that homes and health technicians who work here to protect businesses have kept separate from their garbage. against the threat of contagious disease and to This waste paper can be easily recycled by mills into new paper products. ensure that working conditions and dust levels are safe. In the same way, the state public health "The mass of mixed garbage and trash that's employees are needed to test the conditions at our collected arrives at the resource recovery plant sanitary landfill site and to make sure that the new and is dumped. There. front-end loaders push the landfill sites are selected with some consideration trash on large conveyor belts to be carried to one of health and environmental consequences. of the most important machines in the plantthe shredderwhich grinds everything into small, "Then, too, don't forget about the people who uniform-sized pieces. operate our conveyor belts, shredders, separators. "From there, all the ground-up refuse goes balers, and screens. All these machines require into a machine called an air classifier. There, a much ability and training to operate and to keep in blast of air blows up through the mixture to carry working order. And don't forget that people the lighter materialsshredded paper, food waste, designed and built all that equipment in the first leaves and lawn clippings, plastics and rub: .er place. Our plant also employs operators of front- out the top into a storage bin. The heavier end loaders and forklifts, trash truck drivers and materialsrocks, dirt, metals, and mineralsdrop trash handlers, to say nothing of accountants and to the bottom. clerks. "Now. the light materials represent, happily, "As you can see, Mark, this whole new the combustible portion of garbage and can be industry will need a lot of people with various used as a fuel to help generate steam for heat or amounts of training, ranging from as little as a few electricity for homes, schools, and businesses. For months for some of the technicians and handlers cities that do not yet have systems to recover to as much as seven years beyond high school for energy from waste, the light materials can be used a lawyer or a chemist with a Ph.D. But all these BEST COPY AVAILABLE people, no matter what their training, are of value GETTING INVOLVED IN RESOURCE to the environmental scheme of things. All of them, RECOVERY from paraprofessionals to college graduates, will be important in saving resources and protecting What you can do. Now you know the story of our environment." Mark Gamble. Of course, it took a lot to open Suddenly, it seemed to Mark that everyone Mark's eyes to what he could do to help in meeting from the old days was watching him. He started to the solid waste challenge. Fortunately, he is only back up. one character. But you also know about Dorita and "All of which is to say, Mark, you should pay Tony and Ryan and what they could grow up to do. attention to us. Do you hear? You're getting The point is that everyone fits into this storyeven drowsy. n fact, you are very tired. Go to sleep! And, you. And the sooner all of us together start when you wake up, you'll remember every last bit thinking about environmental pollution and of what went on here. Now...wake up!".. resource recovery, the better off we all will be. Morning, and Mark was very late getting up. No Think about it! Naturally, no one could design, time to think about his dream; he'd have to sprint or build, or operate a resource recovery facility all to make it to school. He really hurried, taking the by himself. Of course not! But what you can start front steps in one jump and loping up the street. He doing is thinking about the environment, and was puffing as he pulled to within sight of Dorita particularly about the solid waste part of and Tony, Screwball and Ryan going in the school environmental pollution. For just as surely as door. you're reading this now. you are living through a Each of his friends seemed to wear a strange major change in attitudes toward the environment. expression. But it was Tony who spoke first: "You Just like the great public concerns of the past, this certainly must have kicked around a lot of trash to one is bringing about great changes in people's be getting here this late. What's up?" thinking. Today, people are beginning to object "That's not it. See, I had this weird dream last strongly to continued abuse of the earth. People night." are making efforts to stop their own pollution; they "We know. So did all of us." are slowing the pace of pollution on the part of "You mean?" industry and cities; they are rapidly changing the "Exactly. We all had a dream about growing up laws of the land to minimize pollution in the future. to be on the same soccer team. Even Dorita." If you are to join the citizens involved in "No," Mark yelled, his voice ricocheting down making these changes, your first step is simply to the corridor. "That wasn't it at all. Wait till I tell you start to think. But if just thinking seems too general this. Listen... and vague for your particular brand of action, take the following test to see what you know about pollution in your community. This story has been about a day in the life of Mark Gamble. But, like many things you read, it A little test. really has another story to tell. In this case it is the 1. Are you alert to the need for a better story of resource recoverywhich is a good way environment? by anybody's standards to meet the challenge of 2. Are your parents and their friends aware of the solid waste. solid waste challenge? Have you taken Maybe you fit into this picture. Let's hope it's opportunities to talk with them about it? not just a dream. 3. Does your community have pollution control Alketek., laws for air, water, noise, litter, and solid waste? 1 Are you familiar with these laws? 4. Do you obey the environmental pollution laws? Is your family car or your incinerator a polluter? Do you litter. and do you growl at your friends who do? a 5.Is litter prevented from accumulating on streets and in vacant lots in your community? Are there penalties for littering? Are there enough trash containers on street corners and in parks to reduce littering? 6. Does your town have a system for testing for EPA DOCUMERIC - James awe various kinds of pollution? BEST COPY AVAILABLE 7. Are all aspects of pollution in your community littering is for you to decide. Whatever you decide, adequately regulated? Or do you know some form however, you will have the satisfaction of knowing of local environmental pollution that ought to be that the effort is worthwhile and that the outcome brought to the attention of your city newspaper, a is vital to us all. councilman, or your congressman? Your career. In the long run, your experiences 8. Do you support the Environmental Protection in thinking about and working for the environment Agency's Mission 5000 program to close open may lead you to new frontiers of knowledge and to dumps? challenges that could even change your plans for a career. In any case, no matter what you may want 9. Does your community have a program to collect to be, you owe it to yourself to make career plans. bundled old newspapers, cardboard, and other As you mull over your future, keep in mind the waste paper? many kinds of occupations that the growing 10. Is your city considering resource recovery in industry of resource recovery will require. its solid waste management plans? Are there Remember that in the future the resource recovery plans for systems to mechanically reclaim industry must keep pace with all the valuable materials and use refuse as a fuel? manufacturing industries if things are to be kept in If you have answered "No" to four or more of the balance. We know this is true because every questions, your answers suggest that your product that is made must eventually end up as community may have solved waste management someone's trash. For this reason, a great many problems. But don't worry; there is still time to people, doing a great many different jobs, will be improve your score. This is not the kind of test you required by this new industry. take and forget You have taken it now, but you can And because it is a new industry, one that is keep on improving your scoreand your just beginning, it will be making demands for environmentfor the rest of your life. trained people in a way that no existing industry Armed with the answers to these kinds of will be able to match. It will be, literally, a new field questions and some well-organized thoughts of opportunity. about the environment, you have an important job The final and perhaps the most telling point to to do. Although it's a simple one, it has a number of remember is that all the people who choose to steps. work in this new industrywhether they are the First. you should be aware that resource highest trained or the least trained, the highest recovery represents a sensible and efficient paid or the lowest paidwill be making an approach to dealing with the problem of solid important contribution to the quality of life. There waste disposal because it reclaims valuable are simply too few careers that offer that particular materials for recycling, reduces the volume of opportunity any moreanywhere. refuse that needs to be disposed of. provides a cheap source of fuel, and operates at the lowest posstle cost. Second. you should share your knowledge of About our cover statue resource recovery and your awareness of environmental problems with friends. responsible "Resourcefully Recovered," a sculpture of junked city officials, politicians. youth groups. and just metals recovered from municipal waste, was made by James C. Berrall for the National Center for about everyone else in your community. Too few Resource Recovery. people today are aware that a solid waste problem even exists. Although resource recovery may not be the solution to every community's needs, the mere process of thinking about the problem of disposal could in itself lead to more efficient management of solid waste, better disposal equipment, and more sanitary conditions at the community level. Above all. don't underestimate the effect of your own concern because you're "too young." Your awareness ma; be just the spark needed to bring about a responsible vote for better pollution-control laws. You may never know. Third, and last. you must act the part of an environmentalist. Whether this involves starting or participating in education campaigns or just not BEST COPY AVAILABLE

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__. OF RESOURCE RECOVERY SLST cutAMI ABLE

I. SOLID WASTE: A GROWING term ecology. This is the important branch of PROBLEM science concerned with how people and all other living things relate to their surroundings. Why have the words environment and ecology so suddenly burst upon the public consciousness, causing so much debate? Part of the answer has to do with our recent historic flights into space. #4;ix-zei. Now that we have all seen pictures of our fi 9. planetary home taken by the Apollo astronauts,we Pit have begun to think of ourselves and the earth j: differently. From space our planet looks small and fragile. We can see ourselves as three andone- half billion astronauts riding together on Spaceship Earth. And we can understand that the resources of this earthcraft are a vital life-support

4 system the only one we havea fragile and it complex oasis of life in the desert of space. This awareness has forced us to take a fresh look at our endangered earth home. Everywhere 4 we can see signs of its decaythe blight, the litter, and the far more dangerous threats of air and water pollution. And now another major world environmental problem is growing. It has received much less attention than water and air pollution to Until a short time ago most of us probably did not date, but we will be taking a close look at it in this think very much about the environment, much less booklet. This is the environmental concern of solid worry about it. Nowadays. it seems we can't turn waste. on the radio or TV or read a newspaper without A closed system.Our earth is a closed mention of the subject. Hardly a day passes when system: virtually nothing enters it or leaves it. The some environmental issue in our state or region only life-maintaining things we have on our planet isn't brought to the public's attention. It is a rare are those contained in a thin layer of air, soil, and week. too, when our total environment, local water. These life-giving elements can be environment, or even home environment doesn't converted into products and energy. Matter is come up for debate. never used up: it is simply converted into otter Evidently, environment is an extremely forms. At the same time, all living things are serious word, and judging from the number of interrelated, each depending on things beyond times and the ways it crops up in conversation, it itself. For example, consider air and two of its vital must also be an enormously complex one. But ingredients, oxygen and carbon dioxide. When what does this word mean, and why is everyone human beings and animals breathe in, they take in suddenly talking about it? Broadly speaking, the oxygen: when they breathe out, they ex.iale word environment means "surroundings.- and it carbon dioxide. Green plants, however, take in includes everything in existence. carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Thus, there is The environment consists of air, water, and a two-way relationship between people and earthwhat is sometimes called the biosphere. plantsan example of interdependence. More strictly speaking. all earthly things fall into How do changes in the environment affect us? two basic categories: organic (or living) matter, Every day countless things happen in our such as people, animals, and plants: and inorganic environment that have either a good or a bad effect (or nonliving) matter. such as gases, minerals, and on us. Lightning strikes a tree. ram falls on a field, liquids We also speak of our immediate an early spring frost kills flowering crops, a flood environment, which means all the visible things causes erosion along a river, animals are born, that are relatively near: we may also think in terms birds migratethese and many other natural of our broader environment, which refers to things changes in our environment happen all the time, that may be quite far away. Sometimes the terms following nature's rhythms, cycles, and biological microenvironment and macroenvironment are clocks without the action of man. used instead of "immediate" and -broader" Sometimes these earthly changes are swift environment Another word in constant use these and violent. A volcano may erupt or a tornado may daysand closely related to environmentis the strike. These natural disasters may injure people. BEST COPY AtifIAASIF

but they do not affect the natural patterns and When people began to build cities. waste cycles we all depend on for life. If left to itself. disposal became more of a problem; for example. nature usually deals with its own residues. when the site of the ancient city of Troy was changing them over time into new and usable excavated in the late 1800's, archaeologists found forms. other cities buried beneath it, going back to 3000 Many changes in the environment are man- B.C. As each city died or was destroyed bywar, its made. Like natural changes. they can be helpfulor solid wastes soon became the foundation of the dangerous. We may cut down trees and pave an new ,:ity built on top of it. area of grass and flowers, but we can also make an The change in economies from agriculture to entire desert bloom. We may thoughtlessly dump industrial has also had a serious effect on the wastes into the world's rivers and lakes, butwe problem of disposal. When our country'seconomy can also purify water that is unsafe to drink. We was based on agriculture, people fed their food may hunt an animal species to the point of wastes to livestock and plowed animal wastes extinction. but we also have the ability to protect back into the fields. Because metal, clay, and glass and improve a breed of livestock. More thanany containers were scarce and expensive. they were other creature by far, human beings have the treasured and handed down as family heirlooms. choice of making both helpful and harmful People burned paper as fuel in their stoves and changes in their environment. fireplaces. In the villages and towns, ragpickers Problems begin when the fragile balances of and junkmen made a living by picking up and nature are seriously disturbed and made difficult reselling leftover items for reuse. As towns grew. to restore. Most wastes that are created naturally, their citizens decided to pay more taxes in order to such as decaying leaves, are not in themselves have extra trash picked up and hauled away harmful But man-made wastescan become somewhere. But the problem still wasn't severe. pollution, an overload of refuse that critically With the start of the Industrial Revolution in the upsets the natural systems of the environment. 19th century, the population Increased rapidly. Until now, air pollution and water pollution have More and more people began to live in cities. Many attracted the most attention, but this is beginning people were finding that they could afford a higher to change. Solid waste"the third pollution" is standard of living, with many new products to now being recognized as a major problem. make life pleasanter and more convenient. But As a nation, and perhaps as a world, we have while these changes were going on, the methods mistakenly assumed that nature's self-cleaning of waste disposal stayed much thesame. Even powers would magically take care of man-made today, many Americans still dispose of their trash trash and garbage. But there are limits to how and garbage much as the prehistoric mammoth- much waste the air and water can absorb. The past hunters didby burning it or tossing it aside. The few years have taught us that even the vast major difference is in the amount and kind of systems of nature have a saturation point. Weare waste. finally beginning to understand thatour poor Where once the world's population may have management of refuse threatens air, water, and numbered only a few million, it is now in the soil: destroys important resources; and makes the billions. In ancient times it took many generations collecting, processing. and disposal of our growing for a family of hunters to fill a cave with litter. waste more expensive. Today an American family throws awayon the There are positive approaches to changing average about 7000 pounds of solid waste a yea our daily discards into valuable resources for Another important change is in the nature of what further use But before we discuss these methods. is thrown away. The materials our ancestors used let's look more closely at some of the history were natural onesrock and wood, bone and behind this very old and long- neglected problem antler, hide and sinew. The mountains and forests of the -third pollution." seemed limitless. New births filled out the animal herds each year. Gathering food took most of Solid waste: an old problem.As people's time. Food production now takes a much archaeologists well know. the problem of solid smaller part of our labor. Food wastes are only 10 waste disposal has been with us for a long. long to 14 percent of family refuse. Almost all the rest time and has increased with the growth of consists of products frim our shrinking supplies civilization Ancient peoples who lived in caves or of natural resources. huts simply piled their discarded bones. shells. The most favorable explanation of this trend and broken pottery into heaps When the heaps would be to say that we have been too bilsy raising grew too large for their caves or small our standard of living and making more products communities, the people moved on faster to notice the growing piles of wastewe have kiEST COPYAVAILABLE been creating. But one thing has always been removed from the earth until there are none left, at certain: we can put solid waste out of sight and least in the original form. And even if our resources even out of mind, but in the end we have to put it were unlimited. we would still have to worry about somewhere. Today many towns and cities have no disposing of our growing accumulations of trash space left to bury waste or pile it up. As one city and garbage. official glumly remarked. "Everyone wants Protecting the environment and conserving garbage picked up. but nobody wants to let us put our resources are problems that do not have easy it down." solutions. There is probably no single "best" Today collecting and disposing of solid waste answer or "complete" answer. Some attempts at in American communities are major expenses. solving the problem may even create other Their share of town and city budgets is sometimes problems. Nevertheless, there are things that can next to those of schools and highways in size. Yet be done. The same technology that has helped to in spite of these high costs, the national trash pile create our high standard of living can also help in is still growing. solving the waste problem. What we need to do is The price of progress. What factors have to harness the waste explosion and make it work led to the increase in solid waste? There are many, for us. but three of the key ones are a growing number of What is solid waste? Waste is almost people, a great increase in the number of products anything that a person considers worthless and made and used, and the often inefficient ways in throws away. For the most part, this unwanted stuff which solid waste is handled. Just looking at falls into four classes: agricultural (plant and Population growth alone, we can see how these animal) wastes, mineral (primarily mining) wastes. factors work together to create many problems. industrial wastes, and municipal (town and city) In 1917, after three centuries of growth. wastes. America's population passed 100 million. Now. All told, Americans produce some 4 billion half a century later, our population has doubled to tons of solid waste per year. Agricultural wastes more than 200 million. If the present rate of growth account for about 2.5 billion tons; mineral wastes keeps up. by the year 2000 the figure for 1917 for more than 1 billion tons; nonrecycled industrial could even triple, with 300 million people living in wastes for nearly 130 million tons; and household, our country. Even if our population grows at the commercial, and other municipal wastes for about rate of 1 percent per year, our use of electrical 125 million tons. Each person in America now energy and our production of wastes will grow at discards an average of 5.3 pounds of household several times that rate! And at our present rate of refuse every day, or nearly a ton a year! The waste consumption, although Americans make up less we as a nation produce in one year now is enough than 10 percent of the world's population, we are to cover the entire state of Connecticut with a using up 40 percent of the world's goods and layer of trash and garbage six inches deep! Every services! year we discard 30 million tons of paper, 2.5 million Our "waste load" has been growing in part tons of plastics, 65 billion cans, 38 billion bottles, 8 because of our demands as consumers for safer million television sets, and 200 million tires. and more convenient ways of doing things. In the Unless something changes, by the end of the past half century thousands of new products, from century America's refuse will be double what it is food containers to artificial heart valves. have today. helped to create a whole new world of service, convenience, safety, and enjoyment. These products are used in so many ways and in so many different forms that we sometimes forget that they have become available only relatively recently. But the use of these new products means more manufacturing plants, more complex machinery, and more energy needed to run the machinery. The increase in our population and in our rate of consumption has serious implications for our supply of natural resources and raw materials. If we do not do more to conserve and reuse them. there is a real danger that some of them will be in short supply by the end of the century. Some resources, such as forests, can be replanted. But resources like oil and some minerals can be BEST COPY AViiiuidid Municipal waste.Of the four major kinds of Litter. Another type of waste, and one that is a waste, municipal refuse is the smallest amount by nuisance, is litter. By definition, litter is whatever is weightless than 3 percent of the nation's solid thrown away in the wrong placean old tire waste. However, it presents the most immediate thrown into a brook, a tin can discarded at the side and obvious problem. Municipal trash and garbage of the road, an apple core or a candy wrapper are produced in the towns and cities where people tossed on the sidewalk. All these kinds of litter are live, and they have to be disposed of within a caused by people; thus litter is the one refuse limited area. problem that everyone can help to solve. Municipal waste is made up of the things At present our solid waste is handled within thrown away from households, offices, schools. some system: every community has some kind of and hospitals. It includes the things we ourselves process, no matter how old or inefficient, for toss away on vacations. in school. and at home coping with its refuse. But litter is beyond the in our trash and garbage cans. Usually. this kind of reach of any present system. It is the visible part of waste is collected by door-to-door trashmen who our total refuse, like the tip of an iceberg. haul it away to open dumps, landfills, and Besides causing the same problems as other incinerators. kinds of refuse, litter has certain particularly bad Although anything from an old hamster cage effects. It discourages tourism, lowers property to great-uncle's ukulele qualifies as municipal values, drives away shops and businesses, and refuse, household trash baskets and bags more by causing uglinessmakes every one of us a often hold such leftovers as food scraps. pieces of little poorer. It hurts our pocketbooks, our eyes, our broken glass and pottery. grass and leaves, worn- health, and our safety. Yet, all the litter that out leather goods. metal objects, pieces of wood, defaces our cities and spoils our countryside wastepaper and newspapers, plastics, rubber could be changed into rich resources to be reused goods. stones, worn-out clothing, and just plain over and over again. dust and dirt. How can we begin to cope with the problem of litter? First of all, we must work to change basic Actually, the word garbagewhich most attitudes so that people who litter are made to feel people think of as everything that goes into a guilty, with the result that being caught in such "garbage" can, "garbage" truck, or "garbage" behavior will be too embarrassing. Since 1953 the dumprefers only to the food waste portion of national antilitter organization Keep America refuse Much of it comes from restaurants, hotels, Beautiful, Inc. (KAB) has worked to change public supermarkets, and other places where large attitudes concerning litter. It has tried to make amounts of food are prepared and where food people aware of the problem and to suggest scups are discarded. This type of waste contains possible solutionsnew antilitter laws, intensive up to 70 percent moisture. The term trash, or educational campaigns, more public trash rubbish, on the other hand, refers mainly to dry containers, and such new machines as street waste materialspaper, rags, bottles, cans, etc. vacuum cleaners to remove litter. from households, offices, and institutions. The Most experts have long believed that solving cc nvenient, all-purpose term for both types of the litter problem will be much more difficult than rAstegarbage and trashis refuse, which refers solving problems concerning other solid waste. to any combined solid waste. Research is being done to find out why and under Another important kind of distinction what circumstances people litter. If more is known concerning waste is the one between organic and about why people behave so destructively toward inorganic solid waste. Organic waste comes from their environment, perhaps better ways can be living things. The substances contained in it. found to solve the litter problem. which are chemically different from inorganic What can we do about solid waste? It is a substances, are made up of carbon atoms in fact that nearly every human activity produces combination with atoms of some other elements some waste or discard. But solid waste is bad only and are generally produced in the life processes of as long as it is badly managed: then what goes into plants and animals. Food wastes fall into this the air and the water and onto the land comes category, as well as paper (from trees), wood. back to confront us as environmental blight. Solid plastic (from oil and other natural resources). waste is also bad when itis allowed to grow while rubber. and yard clippings. Inorganic waste, by our supply of natural resources shrinks. contrast. is made of matter other than plant. animal, and certain chemical compounds of carbon. Examples of this group are metals and glass. BEST COPY AVAILABLE

There seems to be growing agreement that the COLLECTION AND most promising method of dealing with waste is TRANSPORTATION resource recovery. Refuse is rich in materials that can be saved and reutilized for new products. This idea of recovering resources from solid waste is gaining support. It helps both to reduce pollution and to save natural resources a twofold benefit %T..; Per -." for the environment. One United States Senate .ti br ililiC2A41.4. committee recently summed up this view by im saying that unless we want this planet to turn into a "polluted trash heap," we must stop discarding so much trash and begin to reuse everything we can. Obviously, we cannot allow our planet to t become congested with trash. Let's takea closer look at the problems involved in three stages of solid waste management collecting and L' transporting waste, disposing of waste, and Each year our towns and cities spend about $5 recovering resources from waste. billion to collect and dispose of trash and garbage. Between 75 and 80 percent of this costgoes for the collecting and trucking of refuse. That leaves less than 25 percent to spendon a much more serious problemdisposing of the trash and garbage once it has been collected. The amount of refuse collected from homes, offices, and other buildings throughoutour country is about 125 million tons a year. Refuse collection is a particularly difficult problem in large cities. Try to imagine, for instance, how much trash and garbage comes from New York City's Trade Center, whose twin towerscan hold 130,000 workers and visitors! In 1974 this city-within-a- city will produce about 50 tons of trasha daythe take-off weight of a giant Boeing 747 jumbo jet. And that's just one big skyscraper complex! Today both huge cities and small townsare in great need of more efficient trash removal services. We still see the same slow, inefficient. and expensive methods that have been used for the last 50 years. Noisy, smelly garbage trucks and trash trucks crawl up and down busy streets, tying up traffic. Behind the truck jog one or two helpers, who pick up trash cans and empty them into the truck. Then the trash is hauled away, out of sight. In many cities, uncollected or poorly stored trash and garbage breed rats, flies, and other disease carriers. Technology has made some improvements in the process of collection. Refuse trucks not only collect but also compact trash, thus carrying it in less space. Even so, the amount of waste has increased so much that more trucks are needed. as well as more men to drive and load the trucks. The result is that collection costs have also continued to increase. Another problem is that trucks must sometimes carry refuse long distances to the point BEST COrihutiliALE

of disposal. Transportation wasa minor problem 10 percent of household refuse. Light plastic bags when cities were smaller and dumps, incinerators, make refuse handling cleaner and easier than the and landfill sites were within city boundaries. But old process of emptying refuse from bent and the growth of cities and their surrounding suburbs battered metal cans. Electric wastebaskets cut up has pushed disposal sites fartheraway. San office paper to reduce bulk, and small home Francisco, for example, now takes its refuseto a compactors compress refuse to less than a fifth of landfill site 30 miles beyond its city limits. its original bulk, while neatly wrapping it up for Why haven't we been able to applynew ideas final disposal. and methods to our refuse problems? Technology has made some improvements, but compared with progress in other areas, major changes in refuse collection and transportation remain to be made. There are three main reasons whyso much money and energy are devoted to just getting the job done and very little of either is devoted to improving the whole system. First, labor is the biggest cost in collecting waste. since wages are goingup all the time. And, it is getting harder to find workers willing and able to collect trash. Second, collection equipment costs a lot to buy and keep up. Third, there are high illness and accident rates among workers. It is not generally known that trash collection is one of the most dangerous jobs in America todaynine times more dangerous than the average industrial job. Of greater long-term significance are thenew Perhaps the greatest hindrance to improving inventions and systems now in use or in the waste collection is public apathy. The problem of process of development. One city's answer to the removing solid waste does not cause thesame collection problem was to eliminate the need for excitement and drama as an oil spill ora smog workers to run to and from houses to the waiting crisis. As a result most cities and towns have not collection truck. The desert city of Scottsdale, yet begun to use many of the modern collection Arizona, with help and funds from the methods that are available. But collection isa Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), defined basic part of the solid waste system and the part its collection needs and had the machines that affects people most directly. No matter how designed to meet them. The result was a highly completely and efficiently solid waste can be automated collection truck, called the "Son of reclaimed and recycled, it will still have to be Godzilla," operated by one man. This machine has collected first. And although waste disposal isa a mechanically controlled arm that picks up refuse much greater problem in terms of pollution, that has been set at the curb. This eight-footarm collection remains the greater problem financially. can grab, lift, dump, and replace a specially Modern technology can be applied to solving designed garbage can in less than 20 seconds. the problems of solid waste if the money needed is The Scottsdale experiment is working well. available. In the long run, new methods will Nearly all the residents involved in the trial test actually save money for communities by reducing like the system. Scottsdale officials expect that it the cost of collection; it is possible to reduce the will reduce collection costs by about $75,000a cost of collection and at the same time to improve year. Meanwhile, the workers who drive the new collection methods. For many communities, where trucks enjoy air conditioning and stereo tapesas to begin is the problem. they make their rounds. New collection systems.In recent years many improvements have been made in waste Other kinds of truck equipment have made collection and disposal. Some of these methods collection more efficient. Among these devices are have been developed in other countries, where side-loaders and shredders which can reduce they have been used more in single communities garbage to one-tenth of its original volume. than on a nationwide scale. In our own country Walt Disney World in Florida uses vacuum some progress has been made through such tubes to take in trash and whisk it away. These modest inventions as garbage disposals and low- tubes are part of an advanced method developed priced garbage bags. A garbage disposal can in Sweden and called the Automated Collection shred and wash away the smelliest and messiest System, in which refuse travels through large BESI COPYAVAILABLE

underground vacuum tubes In some ways these landfill in mountain views that will eventually be tubes are like the small tubes that are sometimes made into a landscaped golf course and used to carry sales slips and money in department recreation center. This operation has handled stores. These giant tubes can also be connected to large amounts of waste so efficiently that the idea apartment buildings, hospitals, or offices. Once or is being extended. Plans are now being developed twice a day the user simply drops his trash into a for sorting out metal and glass for recycling at the chute. There it waits on top cif a steel valve, which transfer station. A number of other methods for from time to time slides open and sucks whatever cutting collection costs are being investigated. is resting on it into the tube. The trash is swept Cities and towns served by railroads can have away at an extremely high speed to a central compacted wastes hauled many miles to sanitary collection place or incinerator. landfills at lower costs because of the volume of At Walt Disney World, while visitors above business or the railroads. Towns and metropolitan chat with Mickey Mouse. unsightly and unseen centers located on waterways have for many years trash travels about 30 miles an hour through used barges to transport refuse to disposal sites. underground pipes. It goes to a depository located In London and New York, for example. barges float far from the busy recreation area. There it is under a transfer station to be loaded from above. compacted into bales and then hauled to a new This system has been found to be slightly less incinerator capable of handling 50 tons of waste expensive than hauling by rail. per day. Of the many new ideas for collection, more Community officials across the country are promising seem to be the automated collection taking a close look at this underground truck. the vacuum tube system. and the use of experiment. Whether it is called the "pipeline transfer stations. By putting new machines and system.- "the vacuum system.- or the "pneumatic methods to work at the community level, we can (tube) system.- this method is one of the most help to free money and energy fpr more difficult exciting new developments in waste collection. and more demanding problems in solid waste The transfer station is another relatively new management, such as improving waste disposal. development in the collection process. It attempts to solve the problem. following collection, of getting refuse moved to a disposal sae as fast and as cheaply as possible. This has not always been the problem it is today. Since in the past the amount of solid waste being handled was not so great as it is now, the same truck that collected waste could also drive it to the dump, incinerator. or landfill. Disposal points are being located farther and farther away from the cities and communities where the wastes are collected. At the same time. transportation costs are increasing steadily. Because it is no longer practical for the collection truck to haul waste a long distance to a disposal point. new and more efficient systems are needed At transfer stations the waste is moved from the collection trucks to much larger vehicles that carry it to the final disposal facility. Some of these vehicles have powerful machinery for compacting the refuse Mar...ften the waste is transferred to a building where compacted: it is then loaded into tractor trailers or even trains for the final trip to the disposal site Several cities have shown an interest in developing transfer systems with machines that separate different materials for recycling. In San Francisco, Golden Gate and the Sunset Scavenger Companies have taken on the job of processing all the city's refuse through a modern transfer station From there. the solid waste is taken to a sanitary `i ESTr.i..171'

III. DISPOSAL this very successful pi ogram. with the cooperation of various levels of government and the

s understanding and support of the citizens and u_ communities involved, has closed over 2000 dumps. and hundreds of others are scheduled for Cot 4011r early replacement.

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What happens to our refuse, once it is collected Alternative methods of disposal.As people and hauled off? Believe it or not. ;_h an age when have become more and more aware of the we have the know-how to land man on the moon disadvantages of unsanitary open dumps, there and to send rockets into space. most city trash is has been a move toward a safer and far more simply deposited. month after month, in open effective method of waste disposal. the sanitary dumps where it either rots or burns. This method is landfill. In this method, each day's refuse is placed only a slight improvement over those of ancient in a trench or depression at the landfill site. It is times. The piles of trash and garbage in such open spread, compacted. and then covered with up to a dumps often pose a fire hazard. cause air and foot of soil at the end of each day or several times water pollution. and provide a breeding ground for a day. Landfills take advantage of the fact that rats. flies, and other disease-carrying pests. many soils have a tremendous capacity for Although open dumps seem to be the least absorbing and neutralizing polluting substances. expensive disposal method. they are perhaps the In the soil organic wastes are broken down most expensive environmentally. since valuable naturally into compounds that reenter the natural resources are wasted cycle of plant and animal life. Soil also acts as a The practice of open dumping has been filter for many inorganic chemicals. outlawed almost everywhere Nonetheless. almost Sanitary landfills have many advantages over 80 percent of municipal solid waste still goes to open dumping and burning. Covering refuse with open dumps. Laws passed against open dumping soil prevents open fires and odors. discourag s are not of much help unless the laws are strictly vermin. and keeps litter from blowing away from enforced and realistic alternatives are provided. the site. When properly located, designed. and Today even the poorest communities are managed, a landfill is :lean and attractive. The site beginning to realize that open dumps are no longer can later be used for parks. playgrounds, golf an adequate method for disposal. For one thing the courses, or even airports and housing areas with amount of solid waste is growing rapidly. and for no trace of the refuse deposited underground. another, less land is available for waste disposal. Landfills can be used to create hills as well as We must develop a disposal system that will to fill low areas Household refuse has been used replace open dumping. that way in several "Mount Trashmores" that have Some national organizations have conducted sprung up across the criuntry. For example. successful campaigns against open dumping to Virginia Beach. Virginia, after five years of spur the development of environmentally safe. stacking 400.000 tons of refuse at the same site, nonpolluting methods of waste disposal The has created or.e of the largest and best known of Environmental Protection Agency. for instance. the "Mount TrashmoresEventually, this site will launched a program called Mission 5000in the contain a picnic area, a coasting ramp for soap box summer of 1970 to close the nation's dumps So far derbies, and a 10,000-seat amphitheater :;ESE COPY IWAILPSLE

Landfills, however, also have some For that reason not many incinerators with these disadvantages. Near most cities suitable land is antipollution devices have been built. hard to find and often prohibitively expensive. As Comparison of various disposal methods. more distant landfill sites are found. transportation Open dumping, which sometimesseems like the costs tend to become too high. Another drawback easiest solution to the disposal problem, is really of landfills. as of open dumps. is tnat valuable nc solution at all. Unfortunately, most of the solid resources are buried. waste collected in American towns and cities ends A third major method of disposing of municipal up in open dumps. As this waste rots and burns, it solid waste is to burn it by means of incineration pollutes the air and water and offers a fertile This process consumes refuse within an breeding ground for disease-carrying pests. enclosure, from a small backyard pit or metal Compacting refuse for burying in a sanitary landfill basket to a huge 1600-tons-a-day installation like and burning refuse in a minpcIluting incinerator the one in Chicago. Municipal incinerators today are better methods. When properly carried out, handle less than 10 percent of all municipal these operations dispose of solid waste without refuse. But incinerators. like sanitary landfills. will environmental side effects. And since there will gain in popularity as the practice of open dumping always be some residue, sanitary landfills will declines. Because more than half of municipal continue to be needed. waste is organic (paper, wood, and textiles). Although developing better methods of waste incinerators are able to reduce the volume of disposal is progress, it does not provide burnable refuse to a fraction of the original as a complete solution. Ws must have better methods much as 85 percent reduction in volume and a 60 of disposal than merely getting rid of waste percent reduction in weight. Thus. the amount of without causing pollution or public health the remaining refuse that must be transported toa final disposal point is greatly reduced. With problems. Waste disposal is closely related to a another major problem facing our nation a smaller volume of waste to bury at a landfill site. the life of the landfill is greatly extended. growing shortage of natural resources. Withmany of our forests gone and our minerals depleted, Incineration also has other advantages we as a cannot afford to burn or bury materials that method of waste disposal. Since even large can be saved and reused. A total solution to the solid incinerators do not require much room. they can waste problem must include not only pollution- be centrally located in the city. The new free disposal but also recovery of all the materials incinerators, which are also designed to serveas and energy values possible. sources of power, are almost pollution-free. Unfortunately. according to a recent study by the Environmental Protection Agency. at least 75 percent of the nation's large-city incinerators are older u:i;ts that are substandard and fail to keep the air clean. These older models c,rten release unburned particles and poisonous gases into the atmosphere. And, like open dumps and landfills. outmoded incinerators waste valuable resources. There are, however, ways of making incinerators efficient and environmentally acceptable. Devices can be installed in the smokestacks to trap both unburned particles and polluting gases. In some of the newer incineration processes, for example. electrically charged plates or pipes called electrostatic precipitators collect or separate out dust particles that would otherwise pollute the air. Several very successful incinerators also contain devices called wet scrubbers that catch dust particles and gases by spraying the exhaust with a liquid, usually water. or by forcing the air through a series of baths. Both methods are less expensive and more efficient when built into new systems than when put into older incinerators. But building new incinerators costs a great deal often several million dollars. 8ESI COY AVAI! AG1 E IV. RESOURCE RECOVERY recovery we are seeking a process fcr reusing dis-.:arded materials. This process, which might be called "closing the circle," is illustrated in the resource recovery loop shown on page 20. Resource recoverypast and present. Resource recovery is not a new idea, although the need for doing it is becoming more urgent. Actually, in some kinds of conservation, previous generations may have been ahead of us. In earlier times it was practical and even necessary for families to be involved in recovery at home. A family's garbage was fed to animals. String and paper were saved to wrap yet another package. Clothes were kept and used until they wore out. Old blankets were braided into rugs. People went to nearby stores with the same pail or pitcher to be refilled many times. And the town ragpicker made Until now we have been looking at ways to collect sure that still other things were used again. and dispose of solid waste. But dealing with solid The growth of industry added to resource waste presents a unique p. sibilitythat of recovery at home. Bottles to be returned to resource recovery. How can trash and garbage be industry by individual users were either washed made useful? There are no easy or magic ways to and reused or melted down and made into change them into new products for us to use. But something new. When supplies of tin and paper we know that they contain valuable resources were becoming scarce in World War II, paper, metals, glass, plastics, rubber, and organic householders enthusiastically separated materials. Many of these materials can be newspapers and cans from their regular trash so processed for reuse. Now you can see why that these products could be reused or recycled. scienti. ts, environmental experts, government Since World War II, the trend in most places officials, and other concerned groups are thinking has been not to bother with segregating waste; it 17 more and more about resource recovery reusing has seemed much easier to throw waste away and recycling refuse as a long-term solution to than to try to recover it. Separating refuse by hand the problem of waste disposal. Resource recovery takes time and is sometimes hard to reconcile with has many advantages: it is nonpolluting, it will the pressures of modern living and our demands save money through the sale of recovered for convenient, efficient ways of doing things. materials, and it will serve as a source of fuel If individuals and families are not willing to do instead of burying or burning them. much about resource recovery, perhaps Closing the circle. We need to become communities can. Municipal recovery, like more aware of the great need to conserve and household recovery, is not entirely new. Back in reuse every available resource, whether in the 1902 a man named Albert C. Day addressed form of raw materials or of solid waste. And we himsz:If to what was then still "the garbage need to develop more efficient recycling systems. question," announcing that "the fortunes of the The concept of resource recovery actually copies future will be made from the crumbs that fall from the pattern of recycling found in nature, where all the world's table." This statement was published matter is combined, broken down. and recombined in a booklet promoting his own company, The in a never-ending process. We can learn to work United States Garbage Reduction Co. Mr. Day's with this process instead of against it by applying vision was clear, but his resources were scant. He the recycling principles of nature to solid waste. planned to search out scraps of leather and But how can we do these things? Let's look at the convert them into a manufactured substance that way resources are made into products. could be used for shoes and belts. The remaining In the past we have obtained resources from trash would be sorted for bottles and pans. But nature by harvesting, slaughtering, mining, and hand picking was then the only available method collecting. Once the resources have been of resource recovery. obtained. they are processed (as iron ore ina steel In 1916, the city of Cleveland starteda sligntly mill), packaged (as sheet metal bya can maker), more mechanized recovery operation. Refuse was sold (as cans of food in a supermarket). and used piled on a revolving belt, and workers pulled from (by consumers). Whatever is left over, suchas the pile what was useful. One man pulled out used containers, is discarded. In resource better grades of paper, a second man pulled out BEST COPYAVAILABLE rags, and a third man salvaged tin cans. Although with other materials. These preseparated the plant was not very successful, it proved the materials are relatively easy to recycle, in contrast basic theory that recovering resources could be to recovering materials from municipal refuse profitable. But it was only by working long hours at which is the major recycling challenge today. low wages that the men could salvage enough to Despite the enthusiasm for community make the system pay. When wages began to go up. recycling drives, difficult practical problems resource recovery by hand sorting declined rF main to be solved. For example, important as because it cost more to separate the materials voluntary campaigns have been, they are not the than the materials were worth. best final answer because they still depend mostly In recent years there has been a dramatic on hand sorting. The new systems now in increase in public interest in preserving our development will use mechanical systems to natural resources. One important way to do this is efficiently separate all reusable materials from by recycling refuse. Local collection and recycling mixed garbage and trash. centers have been springing up around the Putting waste to work.In the 1960's and country as a voluntary method of resource 1970's America has moved into a new erathe recovery. In almost every state people can bring Space Age. Our success in putting human beings their paper, metal, and glass to recycling stations on the moon showed us that when we wanted to for collection and processing. Here volunteers, and needed to, we could devise machines and young and old alike, sort and separate trash in methods to accomplish almost any techiological order to save reusable materials. These materials goal. are often sold back to the industries that Today, with new technology at our command, manufactured the containers or products in the we are taking another look at the problems of solid first place. waste and resource recovery. The increasing cost 4 of solid waste disposal means that it may be less expensive for some cities to process their waste kr' and to reuse materials from it than to simply dispose of the refuse. One reason for this is higher costs to handle waste and a shortage of space for landfills. Another reason is that many of the earth's materials are in limited supply and the solid waste stream provides a treasure trove of materials and energy that should be preserved. With the knowledge and technology that we now have, we I are capable of recovering greater amounts of these resources than we are now doing. For resource recovery to succeed, we need to Although the idea of extracting resources from consider making use of materials in several municipal trash and garbage is relatively new, different ways. We can: industrial recovery has been going on for years. 1. recycle material (such as glass for new bottles Industry has recycled its own solid waste as or scrap metal for new metals) to return it to its salvaged, or secondary, materials. More than half original use or a similar use; the material used in manufacturing steel and lead 2. reuse scrap or recovered material as raw comes from scrap. The manufacture of paper, material for an entirely new material, such as glass copper, and brass uses a little less than half of for the road-paving material called "glasphalt," scrap material; of aluminum, just less than 20 paper fiber for roofing asphalt, and rubber tires for percent: and of glass, 15 percent. Most of this artificial reefs; secondary material is produced and reused within 3. convert waste materials into energy by using the industrial system. Sometimes the scrap is organic food, plastic, or paper-waste refuse as thrown right back into the industrial hopper, fuel; or into new materials through such processes usually to be melted down and go through the as composting and pyrolysis. manufacturing process again More often these Things worth saving. The greatest challenge materials are salvaged by dealers. processed for in waste management comes after refuse has reuse, and sold back to the original manufacturer. been collected at a central location and is ready to The scrap-processing industry, with over 700 be recovered. The purpose of resource recovery is professional scrap dealers across the country, to regain as many valuable resources as possible depends on getting industrial discards unmixed and then to reduce what is left over to the smallest BEST COPYAVAILABLE

dimensions for final disposal. Resource recovery incinerator takes care of whatever cannot be may seem complicated, but italready working, recycled. Only 2 percent of the original refuse and a few forward-looking communitiesare volume remains for disposal. already seeing results. But what about all the valuable refuse we What would an ideal resource recovery continue to throw away without any attempt to operation be like? The process of recovering and recover its resources? Each year hundreds of city recycling municipal solid waste involves twomain incinerators dispose of thousands of tons of mixed kinds of materialsinorganic, the portion of waste garbage and trash. In almost every case the composed of metal and glass: and the organic residue, or what is left of the refuse after portion, composed of food, plastics, rubber, plant incineration, is uselessly buriedand buried material, etc. The first step in a completeresource "alive" because even after burning, the residue recovery system is the delivery of mixed waste by can resupply many valuable resources. The truck to a city reclamation plant. There, ina series "urban ore" present in incinerator residue of mechanical steps, the sorting operation begins. contains iron and steel, copper, aluminum, and In our ideal plant a city's mixed refuse is some zinc, gold, and silver, as well as large carried oil a conveyor belt to a shredding machine. quantities of glass. The metals obtained from This machine grinds and shreds the refuse into urban ore are of high quality, since they have pieces of about the same size. The next step sorts already been manufactured once and only need to the pieces by weight. The shredded refuse then be separated from the mass of ash. enters an air classifier or blower. In thatprocess The idea of "mining" the residue from city the heavy (inorganic) piecesmetals and glass incinerators has been studied at College Park, drop to the bottom while the lighter (organic) Maryland, by a branch of the U.S. Bureau of Mines. piecesfood waste, paper, plastics, and wood Just recently an EPA grant was given to the are blown out an upward chute for disposal or Massachusetts of Lowell to build a full-scale more processing. recycling plant using the technology developed by The heavy pieces that remainpass through a Bureau of Mines researchers. The facility, which magnetic separator that pulls out iron and steel for will handle 250 tons of residue per day, is being sale and recycling. Nonmagnetic materials built by the Raytheon Company. aluminum and glass, in particularare then This plant will sift glass and metal from the further separated. Electric eyes are used to sorta burned-out residue of municipal incinerators. The stream of glass according to color: color glass and metal will be sold, hopefully for a profit: differences in the stream trigger air jets that blow the remaining incinerator ash will be less bulky clear and colored glass into separate bins. At the than the original residue, and much simpler to same time, tanks of liquid are used to separate dispose of. nonferrous metalsespecially aluminumby how The Lowell demonstration should prove the well they float. This process is knownas flotation. usefulness of mining the materials in incinerator Materials Recovery. If you think that this residue. This kind of resource recovery plant holds ideal separating system is one that onlya city of a great promise for cities that depend on million or more people can afford, consider what incineration to process their waste. Franklin, Ohioa community of just 10,000 Hundreds of communities, of course, have no peopleis already doing. Until recently, the town incinerator facilities, but rely on open dumps or of Franklin buried its daily trash layeron layer in a landfills to dispose of their garbage. It is for towns nearby sanitary landfill. When the landfillwas and cities such as these that Bureau of Mines practically full, the citizens of Franklin tooka bold scientists are developing a system of recycling new step toward a permanent solid waste solution raw garbage. This sophisticated new system is by building a unique recycling system. undergoing tests at a pilot plant in Edmonston, Funded partly by a grant from the Maryland. Environmental Protection Agency, the Franklin There raw refuse goes through four major plant uses machinery originally designed for processes, some of them similar to the Franklin recycling wastepaper. But the process now and Lowell systems. handles all the town's daily output of 50 tons of First, a conveyor belt moves the refuse into refuse. and it can handle much more in the future. shredders for grinding. Next, a magnetic separator The metals recovered in this plant are bought and removes pieces of iron and steel and an air reused by a nearby steel company. Reclaimed classifier segregates heavy nonferrous objects paper fiber is sold to another local company to from the light organic substances. The material is make roofing felt. Glass is also recovered to be once again shredded to make paper and glass sold. In a final step a modern nonpolluting residue even smaller. Finally, a second air BEST COPY MUM/ classifier blows lightweight food wastes, paper, usable product, such as fuel, fertilizer, steam, and plastic material into a baling machine. All electricity, or salable materials. recovered materials are recycled for reprocessing Both in this country and abroad, modern and reuse. pollution-controlled incinerators are using In addition to the system already described, garbage and trash to produce steam. When more than 20 cities are using some form of burned, mixed municipal refuse heats about half magnetic separation to sort ferrous and as well as high-grade coal. The steam is then used nonferrous metals for recycling and reuse. In either directly to provide central building heat or California, the cities of Oakland and Sacramento indirectly to drive gas turbines that produce reclaim steel cans at their landfill sites. The electricity. In Paris, for example, much of the city's systems used in Atlanta, Georgia, and Tampa, winter steam heat is produced by burning the Florida, do the separating after incineration. The city's own refuse. In our own country the Norfolk one in Madison, Wisconsin, first shreds and then Naval Station in Virginia has been using garbage separates. to generate steam since 1967. Chicago's The systems just described handle inorganic Northwest incinerator, designed to produce heat wastemetals and glass. But what about all the as a by-product, will separate bi-metal cans from organic components of city waste, like food and the refuse it receives. paper? These organic materials actually make up Nashville, Tennessee, is another city using most of the refuse mix. Can we extract some value garbage as fuel. Nashville is spending over $16 from them? Here, again, technology is at work, and million on a new plant which will be the first facility the answer is "Yes." in the world to heat and cool a downtown area using refuse as a source of energy. PrimaryIII Producer In the Nashville thermal transfer plant, large

Recovery commercial boilerslike those used by the SOS.Energyea 610 nation's utility companies will burn fuel to as 'IPA& t, 11. produce steam energy. The steam is produced Landfill from water circulating through the walls of the and CompostNO* boiler. These same water walls keep temperatures 11 down inside the boiler. (Incinerator boilers such as these, differ from simple incinerators used for burning garbage.) 0 0 The first city to use garbage as a fuel in Consumer uee quantity, however, is St. Louis, Missouri. A full- scale demonstration program now operating here shows how to do this, and at the same time dispose of much of the city's waste. Collection This facility, jointly sponsored by the city, the Union Electric Power Company, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, burns up to 300 tons of shredded refuse each day as a Energy Recovery. Part of the answer to supplementary fuel in one of the electric America's power shortage may be found in the company's coal-burning boilers. This burned most unlikely placethe city dump. waste produces enough electric power to serve The theory, which is rapidly becoming realty, 25,000 homes. is based on the fact that garbage and trash of New York City also took a giant step in this many kindsbut especially the organic fraction direction when it announced the award of funds will burn. And with today's fuel scarcity, there is for a study to modify a boiler in a Consolidated increased interest in converting refuse into Edison Company plant so it could burn 500 - energy. to -1200 tons of shredded garbage a day. A number of systems now in development are Another effective system is the one developed designed to make maximum use of the lighter by the Combustion Power Company's research organic portion of urban refuse. As scientists find program in Menlo Park, California. This system is ways to convert organic refuse into new energy- designed to use urban solid waste as a fuel to yielding resources, yesterday's city dump may produce electricity. The pilot system, called the become tomorrow's "power works." In a total CPU-400, extracts metals and glass and burns the resource recovery operation everything going in, organic refuse under high pressure in a specially whether organic or inorganic, would become a designed incinerator to produce electric power. BEST COPYAVAILABLE Besides burning the organic part of refuseas V. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT a substitute for other fuel, we can also convert garbage and trash into storable fuels. The SYSTEMS pyrolysis form of incineration may bringus even closer to what may be called a state of "zero waste growth". Instead of being burned, wastes placed ina closed chamber are baked at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen, reducing the volume by A-4a about 90 percent. Pyrolysis plants are to be built in Baltimore, Maryland and San Diego. California. With the demand for electric power doubling each decade, all these ways to obtain heat and power from organic refuse are important additions to our energy resources. We may well be ableto get back from garbage almost all the energy that it took away from the environment in the first place. This is resource recovery in its truestsense. In addition to being a source of heat and power, organic refuse has other uses. One of thesecompostinguses bacterial and chemical processes to convert organic wastes into soil conditioners that can enrich gardens and farmlands. As one of the oldest and most familiar forms of resource recovery, composting has until EPA - DOCUMERICA - - James Olive recently been used mainly by home gardeners. We know that value exists in the municipal trash At present municipal composting is most heap, but this value is still largely untapped. To common in Europe, where few land sites for waste have value, materials must be recovered from disposal remain. It was hoped thata profitable refuse on a large scale. Before this can happen, business of producing compost could be made in however, answers must be found to the complex the United States. But composting has never questions of cost, markets, and public attitudes in become well established in this country because order to develop a lasting solution. It isa hopeful there are many other sources of less expensive sign that in the United States today there isa chemical fertilizers. The costs of separating growing public concern about the problem of solid organic compounds from the waste stream and waste and a sincere desire to face the challenge. then of transporting the compost to the point of The challenge ahead. The solutions toour use are high. We must, however, also consider the solid waste problems must come from the benefits of composting in terms of health. technology and the money that created these cleanliness, and resource conservation. as wellas problems in the first place. But before we can the cost of alternative methods of disposal, before begin, we must define the problems, look at the me dismiss it as uneconomical. priorities and alternatives, and see what resources To sum up, the problem in resourcerecovery are needed to get the job done. is not to invent new methods; the machines and processes needed already exist. What is needed is Just as in the total environment everything is somehow connected to something else, so are all to make the best use of those already at hand ina resource recovery system. The valuable inorganic the steps of handling our discards closely related. resources in our garbage and trash can be When we talk about a "systems approach" to solid mechanically separated from mixed municipal waste management, we refer to each stage of the refuse for recycling and reuse. The organic total processfrom the time we throw things away component left after this separation can be through collection, removal, and final disposal. converted into energy or used to restore land. Along the way. these discards might be shredded, compacted. sorted, and processed for reuse. The goal of effective solid waste management is to efficiently handle this waste. City managers and taxpayers want it all done as inexpensivelyas possible; responsible citizens demand that it be done with the least environmental harm; BEST COPY AVAILABLE conservationists stress that less of the total refuse compactors; transfer stations, and many of the be wasted, recognizing that waste is really a improved methods of incineration and landfilling. resource. On the horizon are exciting systems able to Who is involved in achieving these goals? process mixed waste, recover metals and Until recently, the decision-makers were minerals, and produce energy. Across the country, primarily those city officials, public works city programs are springing up to collect old professionals, and the companies or city newspapers and other waste paper that has been employees directly involved with the day-to-day bundled in the household or by business planning and operation of solid waste collection operations. and disposal. Now, it seems everyone has an All of a sudden, it seems, solid waste is being interest. And that's the way it should be; for how viewed not as just the necessary by-product of our we handle our trash and garbage affects us all living, but as a mixture of resources to be sorted with either positive or negative results. and put to valuable new use. Any student, environmentalist or professional There are many vital partners in this new era who takes time to study all the sides of the waste of "waste consciousness". The federal management issue must be aware there are no government became fully involved with the simple answers or solutions. Some of our cities passage of the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965, have efficient collection systems, but still dispose the first such law to assist states and of their garbage in an unsatisfactory manner. A municipalities in upgrading methods and few communities have both effective collection practices. With enactment of the Resource and disposal operations, but are running out of Recovery Act of 1970, the federal effort expanded landfill space. Many municipalities desperately to encourage development of systems to recover want to solve the trash problem, but do not have "wealth" from waste. The Office of Solid Waste long-range waste management planning or Management Programs (OSWMP) of the U.S. adequate funds for better service. And, too many Environmental Protection Agency has the primary of our citizens have unrealistic attitudes. responsibility for technical and training For example, there are those who say, "We assistance, and for funding a series of pilot must do all we can to better handle and dispose of projects to extract the energy potential from waste." Yet, these same people take an altogether refuse, as well as to study and stimulate more different view the moment they learn that a efficient collection and disposal techniques. sanitary landfill might be built in their State governments are also assuming a wider neighborhood. But if properly designed and role in waste management and resource recovery. managed landfills are indeed the only acceptable For example, Connecticut, New York, Wisconsin, means of final disposal of solid waste, then more and Maryland have established state plans and will be needed. Landfills will have to be located authorities to set standards and assist localities close to where the garbage is generated; with waste problems; some of these states intend enlightened citizens will have to accept this fact to build resource recovery operations on a large and realize tnat, when carefully planned and scale. operated, sanitary landfills can add a plus to their Municipalities and countieswhich communityeven in the form of parks and traditionally have had the responsibility of taking playgrounds. care of the waste generated in their jurisdictions Another citizen group claims that modern are now conducting long-range studies of this management, technology, along with adequately once-neglected, low priority area. As spearheaded funded plans, can solve all city ills. In dealing with by EPA's Mission 5000, more than 2000 open solid waste, they are almost right. Certainly, until dumps have been closed since 1971; more just a few years ago, these resources were either efficient systems are being adopted; city clean-up not available or not applied to most of our urban and anti-litter programs conducted; etc. But much centers. But another key ingredient is in the so- remains to be accomplished. called "institutional" area. This includes such Business and industry, through a great variety of things as modern laws and regulations to companies, are becoming more involved, including encourage efficient waste planning, management. those that collect and dispose of our trash and and funding. Major progress has been made in garbage; those that build and operate systems and waste management in the past five to ten years. equipment; those that buy and use scrap, New refuse handling systems and equipment secondary materials and the products from show great promise. particularly the new. versatile voluntary collection programs and resource compactor trucks; computerized routing of recovery facilities; those that manage plants and collection vehicles and crews; stationary businesses that deal in any way with waste. BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Altogether, the broad cross section of industry using modern technology to extract corporations, businesses, and the workers they valuable materials from the municipal solid waste represent, provides a key to waste management stream. The New Orleans system will process and resource recovery success; because the about 650 tons of refuse dailythe waste created private sector is profit motivated, it must delivera by about 200,000 people. Part of the money responsive and economical service. Since needed to operate this New Orleans government at every level would never provide all demonstration center will come from the city. The the funding needed to manage our total waste and city will pay to the center disposal fees whichare recovery resources, the private sector must be a less than the present cost of disposal. More money strong partner. will come from the sale of recovered materials. Students, citizen organizations, and In operation, City collection trucks will deliver envircnmentalistsin fact, all of usare the refuse to the receiving area of the facility. After the "new" constituency to be involved in the solid removal by hand of bundled paper, trash and waste challenge. By learning how our community garbage will be shredded into small pieces. An air collects and disposes of its trash and garbage and classifier will then separate the light and heavy investigating the pressures and priorities that elements; ferrous metals will be magnetically must be considered, we can serve as "enlightened separated; small particles of mixed glass will be citizens" in helping to plan a better community. screened out; flotation tanks will be used to But national action on the problem of solid separate the larger pieces of glass and aluminum waste requires more than the action of one from the other non-ferrous metals (stainless steel, community, one company, the government alone, brass, copper, etc.); and, finally, the remaining or industry and labor by themselves. Somehow the glass will be optically sorted into clear and colored knowledge and concern of all these groups must glass. The remaining shredded light organic be joined in a common effort. One important step material will be used as sanitary landfill. in this direction has already been taken. In 1970a During the pilot stage the demonstration dozen industries making basic materials, program will test new technical discoveries and packaging products, and consumer products apply these to obtain additional recovery from light joined together with American labor to form a waste. New ideas will also be tried in energy unique nonprofit research organization, the recovery. 23 National Center for Solid Waste Disposal. The Conclusion. In the past, the U.S. was not organization is located in Washington, D. C. In much concerned about how it disposed of its solid 1971 the organization changed its name to the waste. We did not care what we threw away or National Center for Resource Recovery (NCRR) in where we threw it. Today, the situation is very recognition of the importance of recovering different. valuable resources from mixed municipal waste. We are living in a decade of fast change. Araw The NCRR has developed four separate materials shortage and dwindling domestic supply programs in relation to resource recovery. The first have driven the price of secondary materials and program provides for research into new and energy upward. These shortages have been promising systems, including economic aspects of projected for many years to come. We have the system under study. The second program is for entered an era of environmental awareness anda the analysis of present and developing newly recognized age of scarce national technologies. The third program is concerned with resources. Both of these factors have created a demonstrations of total resource recovery new mood, a new thrust, from an age of disposal to systems. The fourth program seeks to develop an age of recovery. public awareness of NCRR programs and to keep What we need is a broad public understanding people informed of news in the field of solid waste of the problem involved and the ways theycan be management. Through these programs the NCRR solved; we also need the foresight to choose wise unites the forces of American industry and labor in solutions and the will to implement them. If we can meeting the challenge of solid waste. learn to think of our trash not as junk but as the Resource Recovery Demonstration world's richest mine, we will have taken a long Program. One of the major efforts by NCRR to step toward wise management of the life- promote resource recovery will be a model supporting systems of our Spaceship Earth. resource recovery plant to be built in New Orleans in 1974. This carefully planned and engineered demonstration program is designed as the important missing link between the theory of resource recovery and the actual fact of an BEST COPY AVAILABLE

RESOURCE RECOVERY SYSTEMS New Orleans, Louisiana: The city, with the MAY EASE MATERIALS, ENERGY National Center for Resource Recovery as its technical SHORTAGES adviser, plans a complete materials recovery system which will handle about 700 tons of refuse a day. It will reclaim ferrous and non-ferrous metals, glass, some of Resource recoveryreclaiming value from trash the newspaper and corrugated paperboard: remaining and garbageis gaining wider acceptance across the shredded light organic material will be used as sanitary country as a possible solution to the nation's landfill. diminishing natural resources and solid waste disposal Norfolk, Virginia (U.S. Naval Base): The problems. Now with the search for new energy sources incinerator on this military base has been using heat increasing, several experts foresee household garbage from burning refuse to produce steam since 1967. as a potential source of power. There have been recent Chicago, Illinois: A city incinerator in northwest de monstrations that organic materialsincluding Chicago, basically a European type model, produces paper, plastics, rubber, and foodwaste may be a saleable steam as a by-product. partial answer to the energy crisis through their Chicago, Illinois: A plant scheduled for completion application as fuel and as a source of fuel. in 1975 will shred refuse for burning as fuel in an Citizen involvement is well indicated by voluntary electric power plant and magnetically extract ferrous programs in some 350 cities where hand-separated metals. bottles, cans, and papers are brought to collection Nashville, Tennessee: This city began centers for later recycling. But more meaningful construction of a facility in 1972 which, using garbage programs for recovery are major plants springing up to as a fuel, will heat and cool a downtown area. Already, process the total mass of daily discards. 32 buildings have contracted for heating and cooling According to the non-profit National Center for from the thermal transfer plant. The facility is planned Resource Recovery (NCRR), several U.S. cities are for completion in the summer of 1974 to process Some either planning to or are now mechanically reclaiming 720 tons of garbage a day. resources from mixed solid waste. St. Louis, Missouri: Shredded municipal solid waste is being used as a supplementary fuel in a coal- burning electric power plant. In a federal-city-private A few of these cities are. industry program, an air classifier (which uses streams Franklin, Ohio: This is one of the most complete of air to separate organic and inorganic wastes) makes waste separation plants in the United States. Every day, the burning operation more efficient. 50 tons of raw, unsorted refuse is picked up and hauled Flushing, New York: A 600-ton-per-day plant is to a new $2 million recycling plant. The waste is ground being designed to recover corrugated paperboari, in water mixing tanks, then separated by special paper fiber, ferrous metals, aluminum, and glass, and machinery into glass, metals, and paper fibers for produce steam. Some of the steps are being operated recovery. on a pilot scale. Hempstez d, New York: The Black Clawson San Diego County, California: A plant now in final Company. which designed the Franklin system, has design will recover ferrous metals and glass from 200 proposed a major resource recovery plant for this tons of refuse per day, then convert most of the suburban Long Island community, the second largest remainder into fuel by the process of pyrolysisheating population center in New York. The process would the refuse in an oxygen-free atmosphere. recover metals and glass. The remaining organic Baltimore, Maryland: Another type of pyrolysis material would then be used as fuel to generate about system, designed to process 1000 tons per day, should 1.000,000 kilowatts of new electrical power per day be in operation in mid-1974. Ferrous metals and a enough saleable electricity to supply about 20 percent glassy aggregate for road construction will be of the households of Hempstead. recovered and the remainder heated in cxygen- New Castle County, Delaware: A 1200-ton-per- deficient atmosphere. The gas which is produced will day plant now in operation shreds the refuse. A be used to generate steam. magnetic system to extract fel; oils metalsan Charleston, West Virginia: This solid waste estimated 250 million steel calls a yearis now being pyrolysis system will begin operating early in 1974 at a installed. 200-ton-per-day plant to produce a clean burning fuel Lowell, Massachusetts: A plant scheduled for gas. The process requires no initial shredding or operation in late 1974 will process 250 tons of separation of the refuse before entering the pyrolysis incinerator residue per dayequal to 2200 tons of raw unit. The resultant gas. although lower in heating value refuse. Ferrous and non-ferrous metals and glass will than natural gas. has flame temperatures and heat- be recovered. transfer characteristics similar to natural gas. National BEST COPY AVAILABLE

INCINERATOR INSTITUTE OF AMERICA Organizations 60 East 42nd Street New York, N.Y. 10017 (Manufacturers of Incinerators for Municipal, INDUSTRY AND LABOR Industrial, Commercial and Domestic Use) AFL-CIO INSTITUTE OF SCRAP IRON & STEEL 815 16th Street. N.W. 1729 H Street, N.W. Washington. D.C. 20006 Washington, D.C. 20006 (National and Local Unions) (Scrap Iron and Steel Processors and Brokers) ALUMINUM ASSOCIATION MANUFACTURING CHEMISTS' ASSOCIATION 750 3rd Avenue 1825 Connecticut Avenue. N.W. New York. N.Y. 10017 Washington, D.C. 20009 (Producers of Aluminum and Manufacturers of (Manufacturers of Chemicals Who Sell a Substantial Semi-Fabricated Aluminum Products) Portion of their Production to Others) AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE ASSOCIATION MOTOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS 25711 Southfield Roa: ASSOCIATION OF THE U.S., INC. Southfield, Mich. 48075 320 New Center Building (Industrial Hygienists) Detroit. Mich. 48202 AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL INSTITUTE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FOOD CHAINS 150 East 42nd Street 1725 Eye Street, N.W. New York, N.Y. 10017 Washington. D.C. 20006 (Basic Manufacturers in the Steel Industry) (Retail Grocery Chains Operating 23,000 AMERICAN NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS Individual Stores) ASSOCIATION NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS P. O. Box 17407 277 Park Avenue Dulles International Airport New York, N.Y. 10017 Washington. D.C. 20041 (Representatives of American Manufacturing) (Publishers of Daily Papers in the U.S., Canada, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RECYCLING Bahamas, Bermuda, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands) INDUSTRIES AMERICAN PAPER INSTITUTE 330 Madison Avenue 260 Madison Avenue New York, N.Y. 10017 New York, N.Y. 10016 (Dealers, Processors and Generators of Waste (Manufacturers of Pulp, Paper and Paperboard) Materials for Recycling) CAN MANUFACTURERS INSTITUTE, INC. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RETAIL GROCERS OF 821 15th Street, N.W. THE U.S. Washington, D.C. 20005 360 North Michigan Avenue (Manufacturers of Metal Cans, Containers and Chicago, Iii. 60601 Packages made wholly or in part from Tin Plateor (Individual Food Retailerstvlanufacturers and similar Sheet Metal) Distributors of Equipment, Food, Fixtures, Groceries DISTILLED SPIRITS COUNCIL OF THE U.S., INC. and other Commodities used or sold by Food Stores) 1132 Pennsylvania Building NATIONAL CANNERS ASSOCIATION Washington. D.C. 20004 1133 20th Street. N.W. (Domestic Distillers of Beverage Alcohol for Washington, D.C. 20036 Whiskey. Vodka, Gin and Rum) (Commercial Packers of Food Products in Hermetically FIBRE BOX ASSOCIATION Sealed Containers. Sterilized by Heat) 224 South Michigan Avenue NATIONAL SOFT DRINK ASSOCIATION Chicago, III. 60604 1101 16th Street. N.W. (Manufacturers of Corrugated and Solid Fibre Washington, D.C. 20036 Shipping Containers) (Manufacturers of Soft Drinks) GLASS BOTTLE BLOWERS ASSOCIATION NATIONAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT 226 South 16th Street ASSOCIATION Philadelphia. Pa. 19102 1145 19th Street, N.W. (Glass Bottle Blowers Union) Washington, D.C. 20036 GLASS CONTAINER MANUFACTURERS INSTITUTE (Commercial Solid Waste Collectors and Disposers) 1800 K Street. N.W. PACKAGING INSTITUTE Washington, D. C. 20036 342 Madison Avenue (Glass Container and Closure Manufacturers, and New York, N.Y. 10017 Suppliers of Raw Materials and Equipment) (Users and Manufacturers of Packaging Materials, GROCERY MANUFACTURERS OF AMERICA Machinery and Services) 1333 Avenue of the Americas PAPERBOARD PACKAGING COUNCIL New York, N.Y 10036 1250 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. (Manufacturers of Branded Food and Non-Food Washington, D.C. 20036 Products Sold Through Grocery Trade) (Manufacturers of Paperboard Packaging) BEST COPY AVAILABLE

SINGLE SERVICE INSTITUTE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES/ 250 Park Avenue NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING New York, N.Y 10017 2101 Constitution Avenue. N.W. (Manufacturers of Single-Service Food and Washington, D.C. 20418 Beverage Containers) (Quasi-Official Agencies Established by the Congress. SOCIETY OF THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY Dedicated to the Furtherance of Science and 250 Park Avenue Engineering) New York, N.Y. 10017 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES (Manufacturers and Processors of Molded. Extru6..ei 1001 Connecticut Avenue, N.W Fabricated. Laminated, Calendered Plastic and Washington, D.C. 20036 Manufacturers of Raw Materials. Machinery. Tools. (County Officials) Dies and Molds) NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY SUPER MARKET INSTITUTE 1130 5th Avenue 200 East Ontario Street New York. N.Y. 10028 Chicago, III. 60611 (Conservationists) (Food Retailers and Grocery Wholesalers with NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH Annual Sales Volume Above Certain Minimum) ASSOCIATION UNITED STATES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue 1615 H Street. N.W. Denver, Colo. 90203 Washington, D.C. 20006 (Environmental Health Professionals) (Voluntary Organizations of Business and NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES/ Professional Men) U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS UNITED STEELWORKERS OF AMERICA 1612 K Street, N.W. 1500 Commonwealth Building Washington, D.C. 20006 Pittsburgh, Pa. 15222 (Cities and Mayors) (Steel Industry Workers) NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION U.S. BREWERS ASSOCIATION 1412 16th Street, N.W. 1750 K Street, N.W. Washington. D.C. 20036 Washington. D.C. 20036 (Conservationists) (Brewers of Beer and Allied Industry Companies) NATURE CONSERVANCY 1522 K Street. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006 (Conservationists) GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SIERRA CLUB AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION Mills Tower 1740 Broadway San Francisco. Cal. 94104 New York. N.Y.10019 (Conservationist and Outdoor Recreation Enthusiasts) (Community Health Workers) CONFERENCE OF STATE SANITARY ENGINEERS Division of Engineering Michigan Department of Public Health 3500 North Logan Lansing, Mich. 48914 (Sanitary Engineering Officials) COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS Ironworks Pike Lexington, Ky. 40505 (State Commissions on Interstate Cooperation) INSTITUTE FOR SOLID WASTES Glossary American Public Works Association 1313 East 60th Street Chicago. MI. 60637 (ConsuItants, Educators and Local Solid Waste ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLE Officials) An unwanted, inoperable motor vehicle that is declared IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE OF AMERICA abandoned according to state law 1326 Waukegan Road AEROBIC Glenview, III. 60025 Able to live and grow only if free oxygen is present (Conservationists) AEROSOL KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL, INC. Fine solid or liquid particles suspended in a gas 99 Park Avenue AGGREGATE New York. N. Y. 10016 Crushed rock or gravel used in road surfaces and concrete (Industries, Conservation Groups. and Other AGRICULTURAL WASTE Interested Parties) Waste materials left over from raising plants and animals for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS food These materials include such things as animal 1730 M Street N.W. manure, plant stalks. hulls, and leaves. Washington. D.C. 20036 AIR CLASSIFIER (Women Citizens of Voting Age) A mechanical device that uses a force of air to separate BEST COPYAVAILABLE mixed trash and rubbish according to weight. BULKY WASTE AIR DEFICIENCY Large discarded articles. such as appliances, furniture. auto The condition in which there is not enough air in an air-fuel parts. and trees. mixture to supply the quantity of oxygen needed to oxidize CARBONACEOUS MATTER the fuel Carbon compounds or pure carbons that are present in the AIR POLLUTANT fuel residue of the combustion process A substance discharged into the atmosphere in large CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) enough concentrations to contaminate the environment A colorless. odorless. nonpoisonous gas that forms AIR POLLUTION carbonic acid when dissolved in water It is produced during The condition in which the atmosphere has an the thermal degradation and microbial decomposition of oyerconcentration of harmful substances solid wastes. AIR QUALITY STANDARDS CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) Legal restrictions on the quantity of a particular air-polluting A colorless. poisonous gas that has a very faint metallic substance that can be present in the air at any one time odor and taste. It is produced during the thermal ALUMINUM degradation and microbial decomposition of solid wastes A strong. light, silver-colored metal derived chiefly from when the oxygen supply is limited bauxite. It is the most abundant metal in the earth's crust CELL AMBIENT AIR A section of solid waste that is compacted and coveredover The surrounding air by natural soil or a cover material ir a sanitary landfill. ANAEROBIC CENTRAL GARBAGE GRINDER Able to live and grow in the absence of real oxygen. A site where all the food waste in a particular area is brought BACKEND LOADER to be pulverized. A refuse truck that loads refuse and trash from therear o: CLASSIFICATION the truck and compacts it The arrangement and Sorting of waste materials into "BACK-END" SYSTEM categories or classes. This usually means grading by Any of several processes forrecovering value, such as organic or inorganic composition. size. weight, color, shape. energy. from the organic portion of the waste stream etc.. in specialized equipment. Examples of such processes are fluid bed incineration. COLLECTION pyrolysis. composting, combustion. and fiber reclaiming The act of picking up waste materials at residences. BACTERIA businesses. or industrial sites and hauling it to a facility for Single-celled. microscopic organisms thatcan cause processing. disease but that are also important toman because of their COLLECTION CENTER chemical effect on such things as solid waste A place where individuals can take particular waste BAGASSE materials. such as glass or cans, or a place where An agricultural waste material consisting of thedry pulp government or private agencies can take wastes that they residue remaining from the processing ofsugarcane after have collected. the juice has been extracted. The fibers are usedas raw COLLECTION VEHICLES materials in the manufacture of pulp and paper Vehicles used to pick up trash and haul it to a collection BALING center or transfer station. (See BACKEND LOADER. A volume-reducing system in which waste materialis COMPACTOR TRUCK. FRONTEND LOADER. SIDE mechanically compressed and bound into large cubelike LOADER. ) shapes. COLOR SORTING OF GLASS BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD) A technique for sorting by color the glass reclaimed from A measure of the amount of oxygen used by micro- solid waste. The sorting might be optical (which compares organisms to break down organic waste materials in water light reflected from each piece with light reflected from a BIODEGRADABLE background standard) or magnetic (which sorts colored Capable of having its physical and/or chemical structure glass containing iron from clear glass with no iron). broken down by microorganisms Most organic waste.such COMBUSTIBLES as food remains and paper. is biodegradable. Burnable waste materials. usually such organic materials as BIOSPHERE paper, plastics. wood, and food wastes. The part of the earth's crust. water, and atmosphere where COMBUSTION living organisms can subsist The chemical combining of oxygen with a substance, BOXBOARD resulting in the pi oduction of heat and usually light Paperboard used in the manufacture of cartons and rigid COMMERCIAL WASTE boxes. (See PAPERBOARD 1 Waste matorial generated by commercial establishments BRITISH THERMAL UNIT (BTU) such as office buildings. stores, markets, theaters. hotels, The amount of heat needed to increase the temperature of and warehouses one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit In resource COMPACTOR recovery systems. BTU would be applied to indicate the A mechanical device that compresses solid waste into amount of heat energy available if a given amount of waste smaller volume This kind of processing system can reduce was burned volume by 50 percent to 80 percent. BROKE COMPACTOR TRUCK Paper that has been discarded anywhere in the process of A truck with an enclosed body that can mechanically load. manufacture It is usually returned to a repulping unit for compress. and distribute waste materials within the truck reprocessing. body. BEST COPY AVAILABLE

COMPOSTING DISPOSAL The process of using microorganisms to convert organic The final dispostion of wastes. usually through burning or material into humus for soil conditioners and low-grade burying fertilizers DISTILLATION CONSTRUCTION WASTE A separation process used to remove water from waste Waste material from construction sites material in some treatment or recovery systems The water CONSUMER WASTE is vaporized. removed from the unit. and condensed back Material used and discarded by someone who bought it. as into a liquid. opposed to material discarded before it leaves the DUMP manufacturing plant An open land site where waste materials are burned. left to CONVERSION decompose or rust, or simply deposited. In most localities. A resource recovery method that uses chemical or dumps are being phased out because of the problems they biological processes to change waste materials into useful cause, such as water pollution. creation of unsanitary forms Examples are incineration to produce heat. pyrolysis coachtions. and general unsightliness Dumps are also to produce ga ll. oil, and cha,.. and composting to produce breeding grounds for rodents and other disease carriers humus. (See RIECYCLING. REUSE, and ECOLOGY TRANSFORMATION I A branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of CONVEYOR animals, plants, and the environment. (See A mechanical device used to move materials between ENVIRONMENT I operations or as part of a processing system. Conveyors are ECOSYSTEM used in handling waste materials at collection centers. An ecological community of organisms and their transfer stations, and resource recovery plants surroundings COVER MATERIAL EFFLUENT Inorganic material, usually earth, used to cover compacted Solid, liquid, or gas waste that enters the environment as a solid waste in a sanitary landfill by-product of extractive or manufacturing processes CRUSHER ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR A mechanical device used to break up waste material into A device that cCllects unwanted particles from a solution by smaller sizes by a pounding action using hammers. beaters. using an electric charge to attract them onto a collecting etc. (See HAMMER MILL I electrode. This process is sometimes used in incinerators. CULLET furnaces. and treatment plants to collect or Separate dust Scrap glass. usually broken up into small uniform pieces It particles. is often reused in the manufacture of new glass EMISSIONS (GASEOUS) 28 CYCLONE SEPARATOR Waste gases released into the atmosphere as the product of A mechanical separator that uses swirling air to sort combustion. materials according to weight. (See SEPARATION I ENERGY RECOVERY DECOMPOS!TION A type of resource recovery in which all or part of the waste The breakdown of organic waste materials by matenals going into a recovery facility are burned to microorganisms. Total decomposition leaves only carbon produce heat that can be used to produce steam for heating dioxide. water. and inorganic solids. Decomposition occurs or for the generation of electricity (See CONVERSION. ) naturally in the open, as in dumps and landfills. or it can be ENVIRONMENT harnessed in waste treatment equipment to work under The conditions, circumstances, and influences surrounding controlled conditions_ (See BIODEGRADABLE and and affecting the development of an organism or a group of COMPOSTING organisms DEINKING A process in which most of the ink. filler, and other ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) extraneous material is removed from printed and/or An agency of the federal government formed in 1970 to have unprinted reclaimed paper. The result is a pulp that can be the responsibility for ensuring that governmental, used. along with varying percentages of virgin paper. in the residential, commercial. and industrial waste disposal manufacture of new paper, including high-quality printing. activities do not adversely affect the physical environment writing. and office paper. as well as tissue and toweling ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEM DEMOLITtON WASTE The interaction of an organism or a group of organisms with Waste materials produced from the destruction of buildings. its natural and man-made surroundings roads, sidewalks. etc (See CONSTRUCTION WASTE. FERROUS RUBBLE. SOLID WASTE, and WASTE MATERIALS Pertaining to metals that are predominantly composed of DEWATERING iron In the waste materials stream. these usually include The process of removing water from waste by filtration. steel or tin cans. automobiles. old refrigerators. stoves. etc centrifugation: pressing. open-air drying. and other FILTER methods Dewatenng makes sewage sludge suitable for A device through which a liquid or gas is passed in order to disposal by burning or by landfill The term is also used remove particles or dust when removing water from pulp FLUID BED INCINERATOR DIGESTER An incinerator in which the waste material is fluidized by an A mechanical device that softens or decomposes waste upward-controlled air flow A bed of solids acts like a fluid material, usually for further processing when an upward flow of air has just enough velocity to float DISPOSABLE STORAGE CONTAINERS some of the solids One such incinerator confines Plastic or paper sacks used for temporary storage of solid combustion within a bed of waste and sand supported on a waste perforated plate Air is blown upward through the plate. 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churning the waste and sand into a turbulent mass like forms the water table quicksand Volatile gases are collected above the bed HABITS T FLY ASH The natural environment of an animal or a plant Small solid particles of ash and soot produced when HAMMER MILL burning coal. oil. or waste materials After these particles A mechanical device composed of heavy rotating hammers are collected. they can be used for making building that crush waste materials into smaller size pieces materials such as brick or deposited in a sanitary landfill HETEROGENEOUS WASTE FOOD CHAIN Waste that contains a mixture of materials. such as metals. A series or chain of plants and animals that depend on each glass. paper. plastics. any rood other for a food supply An example's algae shrimp f ish man. HOMOGENEOUS WASTE Unmixed waste material composed of similar materials. FOSSIL FUELS such as various kinds of paper waste Fuels such as coal, oil. and natural gas that are the remains of ancient piant and animal life. HULK The body part of a vehicle that remains after such valuable FRONTEND LOADER parts as motor. transmission, and axles have been removed. A truck with mechanical arms at the front that lift a refuse HYDRAPULPER container up and over the cab to the back of the tru^k. where the contents of the container are dumped and A large mechanical device used in the paper industry to compressed pulp waste paper and separate foreign matter HYDROCARBONS -FRONT-END" SYSTEM Any compounds containing only hydrogen and Carbon. Any of several processes that separate and recover Hydrocarbon air pollutants come mostly from incompletely valuable resources from inorganic solid waste. Examples burned fuel are shredding. grinding. screening. flotation, and magnetic and air separation INCINERATION FURNACE The controlled process by which solid, liquid. or gaseous combustible wastes are burned and changed into gases. The area in an incinerator where the preheating, drying. ignition. and most of the burning of refuse take place with the residue produced containing little oi no combustib!..' material. (See COMEUSTION. FLUID BED GARBAGE INCINERATOR. FURNACE, GRATE. INCINERATOR, Waste materials, usually food wastes. that are likely to PYROLYSIS, SCRUBBER. and WATER- WALL FURNACE decompose or putrefy INCINERATOR GASIFICATION A pl..nt designed to reduce waste volume by combustion. The process of converting a solid or liquid fuel intoa Incinerators consist of refuse-handling and storage gaseous fuel facilities. furnaces, combustion chambers, subsidence GENERATION chambers, residue-handling and removal facilities. and The act or process of producing solid waste_ chimneys. Complete conventional incineration reduces GL ASPHALT waste volume by about 90 percent. whereas high- A paving material in which recovered ground glass temperature incineration achieves as much as 98 percent replaces gravel in asptialt reduction. GLASS INDUSTRIAL WASTE A transparent inorganic material that is produced by melting Waste maierial generated by industry. (See WASTE almost pure silica sand with burnt lime or limestone. with MATERIALS. ) soda ash added to give hardness and chemical durability. INORGANIC REFUSE Crushed glass. or cullet. has traditionally been added to Waste material coming from matter other than plants, make the mixture of raw materials more workable animals, certain chemical compounds, or carbon. Examples GRATE arA metals and glass. (See ORGANIC REFUSE. I A surface that supports waste material, usually in the IN-PLANT WASTE primary combustion chamber of an incinerator The surface Waste material discarded during the manufacturing has openings to permit the passage of air through the process. It can be and usually is recovered and recycled burning waste and to permit the removal of ash and within the plant. unburned residue INSTITUTIONAL WASTE GRAVITY SEPARATION (FLOTATION, HEAVY MEDIA) Waste material coming from schools, hospitals. public Separation of materials according to specific gravity by buildings. etc. immersion in liquid In solid waste recovery this process JUNK enables separation of the various nonferrous metals from Waste materialsSuch as rags. paper, metal, toys, and other heavy materials furniturethat are usually suitable for recycling and reuse. GRINDER KRAFT PAPER A mechanical device that pulverizes waste material into A comparatively coarse paper made primarily from wood powder or small particles by rubbing them between two hard pulp produced by the sulfate pulping process and surfaces particularly noted for its strength. Its unbleached grades are GRINDING used mainly as a wrapping or packaging material. The mechanical pulverization of solid waste (See LEACHATE SHREDDER) Liquid that drains out of landfills and tnat contains GROUNDWATER decomposed waste, bacteria, and other contaminants. It Water that is present in the zone of saturation of a bed of must be collected and treated so as not to contaminate rock. sand. or gravel The upper surface of the groundwater water supplies BEST COPY Ai/ARABLE LITTER than paperboard. is used largely for printing. writing. Solid waste that has been carelessly discarded by he wrapping. and sanitary purposes consumer and that is outside the system for collecting and PAPERBOARD disposing of trash and garbage Fiber sheets that are relatively heavier in basis weight. MAGNETIC SEPARATOR thicker. and more rigid than paper There are three broad A mechanical device that uses a magnet to sort ferrous classes of paperboard container board. boxboaid. and material from general waste material (See SEPARATION I such special types as automobile board. building board. and MANUAL SEPARATION tube board. The separation of waste materials by hand PAPERSTOCK MATERIALS RECOVERY A general term used to designate wastepaper s that have One of the concepts of resource recovery in which the been sorted or segregated at the source into various emphasis is on separating and processing waste materials recognized grades Paperstock is a principal ingredient in to be sold for various purposes the manufacture of certain types of paperboard. MECHANICAL SEPARATOR PARTICULATES Any separator of waste materials that is mechanical in Suspended particles of ash. charred paper. dust. soot. and design. such as a cyclone or screen separator (See other partially burned matter carried in the residue of SCREENING and SEPARATION. ) combustion METALS PLASTICS All ferrous. nonferrous. and alloy materials Man-made materials containing primarily carbon and hydrogen. with lesser amounts of oxygen, nitrogen. and METHANE (CH4) various organic and inorganic compounds. Plastics. which An odorless, colorless, and asphyxiating gas produced by are technically referred to as "polymers." are normally solid sol.d waste undergoing anaerobic decomposition Under in their finished state certain circumstances this gas is highly explosive PNEUMATIC COLLECTION (SOLID WASTE) MICROORGANISM A mechanical system for conveying solid waste through Any living thing of microscopic size. such as bacteria. transport pipes. When the system is in operation, a vacuum yeasts. simple fungi. some algae. slime molds. and is developed and a high-velocity air stream is drawn through protozoans Microorganisms are involved in the composting lateral pipes Refuse that is dropped into this moving air of waste materials and in sewage treatment processes stream from standard gravity chutes is carried to a MIXED PAPER collection point Wastepaper of various kinds and levels of quality. usually POLLUTION collected from stores. offices. and schools The contamination of soil. water. or the atmosphere by the MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE discharge of waste or offensive materials, such as gases or Waste materials produced in a municipal area containing chemicals both residences and businesses POPULATION NEWSPRINT All the people living in a certain area. also all the living The kind of paper generally used for printing newspapers things in a certain area. NONFERROUS PRECIPITATION Pertaining to metals that contain no iron In solid waste The physical or chemical separation of a solid substance these are usually aluminum. copper wire. brass. and bronze from a solution. Separation. as in waste treatment OCEAN DUMPING processes. is usually induced The dumping of raw or treated wastes in the sea beyond the PRIMARY MATERIALS continental shelf Ocean disposal. if not completely Resources used for manufacturing basic products. eliminated. should be carefully controlled so as to limit the Examples include wood pulp for paper iron ore for steel. kind. amount. and areas over which the wastes are dumped silica sand for glass. and bauxite for aluminum. Such control is needed to guar; ntee that the ecological PRIVATE UTILITY balance of the sea is not disturbed A firm providing service under a government license or OFFAL contract to collect. transport. process. or dispose of solid Intestines and discarded parts of slaughtered animals waste OPEN BURNING PULP The burning of solid waste in the open. In outdoor Fiber material that is produced by chemical or mechanical Incinerators. or in a dump Such burning is usually means. or a combination of the two. from fibrous cellulose intentional but sometimes accidental raw material and from which, after suitable treatment. paper ORGANIC REFUSE arid paperboard are made. The raw materials may include Waste material made up of substances composed of virgin wood pulp. secondary fibers. or rags chemical compounds of carbon in combination with other PULPING SYSTEM chemical elements. primarily hydrogen. and generally A system of equipment used to convert wood and other manufactured in the life processes of plants and animals fibers into a slurrylike homogeneous mixture of water and These materials include paper. wood. food waste. plastic. fibers that can be further processed into paper products and yard wastes (See INORGANIC REFUSE I PULPWOOD PAPER Roundwood cut from trees and prepared primarily for The general name for all kinds of matter or felted sheets of manufacture into wood pulp or wood fiber. This term does fiber formed on a line screen from a water suspension More not include chips and sawdust produced as residues of specifically, paper is one of two broad subdivisions. the lumber and plywood operations. but it does include chips other being paperboard of the general term paper Paper. manufactured from roundwood in the forest or at chipmills usually lighter in basis weight. thinner. and more flexible remote from a pulp mill BEST COPY AVAILABLE

PULVERIZATION RECYCLING, REUSE, and TRANSFORMATION 1 The crushing or grinding of material into small pieces (See RESOURCE RECOVERY ACT OF 1970 GRINDING and SHREDDER ) An act of Congress that directs the federal government to PUTRESCIBLE emphasize resource recovery as a means of handling solid Capable of being decomposed by microorganisms waste; to accept responsibility for research training, PYROLYSIS demonstrations of new technology, technical assistance, The process of chemically decomposing an organic and grants-in-aid for state solid-waste management substance by heating it in an oxygen-deficient atmosphere agencies; and to create a National Commission on Materials High he s usually applied to the material in a closed Policy to recommend means for extraction, development, chamoer. avaporatin7 III moisture and breaking down and use of materials susceptible of recycling, reuse. or self- materials into variout:.hydrocarbon gases and carbonlike destruction. residue. The gases may be collected with suitable REUSE equipment and used or sold The residue may be further The use of a waste material or product more than once. (See processed into useful materialssuch as carbon, sand, and CONVERSION. RECYCLING, and TRANSFORMATION. gritor it can be landfilled. RUBBER RAW MATERIALS An elastic substance produced by coagulating the milky Unprocessed materials as they come directly from the land juices of various tropical plants. After being laid out in RECLAMATION sheets to dry. the rubber can be modified by chemical The restoring of waste materials to useiulness The treatment to increase its useful properties reclaimed materials may be used for purposes that are RUBBISH differe1it from their original usage. A general term for solid waste that does not contain food RECOVEVABLE RESOURCES waste. Any material that still has useful physical or chemical RUBBLE properties after serving a specific purpose and that can Waste materials made up mainly of broken pieces of brick, then be reused or recycled, either for the same purpose or cinder blocks, cement, or rock but that may also contain for a different one. pieces of lumber or other construction materials. (See RECOVERY WASTE MATERIALS.) The process of obtaining usable materials or energy values RUNOFF from solid waste The portion of precipitationrain or snowor irrigation RECYCLING water that drains from an area as surface flow. A resource recovery method involving the collection and SALVAGE processing of a waste product for use as a raw material in The extraction of materials from the waste stream for reuse. the manufacture of the same product or a similar one. An SANITARY LANDFILL example is the use of ground glass in the manufacture of A method of disposing of refuse on land without creating new glass. (See CONVERSION. REUSE. and nuisances or hazards to public health or safety. This method TRANSFORMATION.) requires careful preparation of the fill area and control of REDUCTION TECHNIQUES water draining from it. Heavy tractorlike equipment spreads Methods to lessen the quantity of various materials in solid the waste in thin layers, compacts it to the smallest practical waste and to make them into a form suitable for reuse or volume. and then covers it with at least six inchespf disposal (See BALING. COMPACTOR. CRUSHER, compacted dirt at the end of each day. After the area has GRINDER. HAMMER MILL. and SHREDDER.) been completely filled up in this manner, covered with a final REFUSE two- to three-foot layer of dirt, and allowed to settle an A term commonly used for all solid waste materials (See appropriate time, the reclaimed land may be turned into a WASTE MATERIALS ) recreational area or, under carefully controlled conditions, RENDERING have certain types of buildings constructed on it. A waste material recovery process in which the remains of SCRAP animals and fish and other wastes from slaughterhouses Waste material that is usually segregated and suitable for and butcher shops are cooked or treated with a solvent to recovery or reclamation. (See WASTE MATERIALS.) derive fats. oils, and a protein residue. The fats and oils are SCREENING used to rake soap, and thelesidue is used as feed for Separating pulverized waste material into various sizes by animals using a sievelike device. This is usually done in two or more RESIDENTIAL WASTE stages, each stage having a different mesh size. Waste materials discarded from houses and apartments SCRUBBER RESIDUE A device that removes unwanted dust particles from an air Solid materials that remain after gases and liquids have stream by spraying the air stream with a liquid, usually been removed by chemical or physical processes. such as water. or by forcing the air through a series of baths (See burning, evaporation, distillation, or filtration. (See ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR and MECHANICAL INCINERATOR and SLUDGE ) SEPARATOR ) RESOURCE RECOVERY SECONDARY MATERIALS The extraction and utilization of materials and values from All types of materials that have fulfilled their useful function mixed municipal waste. Materials recovered include metals and that usually cannot be used further in their present form and minerals that can be used in the manufacture of new or at their present location Also included in this deflnition products. P.ecovery of values includes energy recovery by are materials that occur as waste from the manufacturing or utilizing components of waste as a fuel, production of conversion of products compost using solid waste as a medium, and reclamation of SEEPAGE land through sanitary landfills (See CONVERSION. Movement of water or gas through soil without the forming of BEST COPY AVAILABLE

definite channels VOLUME REDUCTION SEPARATION To process waste materials in such a way as to decrease The manual or mechanical division of waste into groups the amount of space the materials occupy. (See This separation can be either general, such as all paper COMPACTOR and INCINERATOR ) products from metals, or specific. such as clear glass from VOLUME REDUCTION PROCESSES colored glass. Reduction of solid waste is presently accomplished by four SEPARATION TECHNIQUES major processes: (1) mechanical. using compaction Methods for separating out the various kinds of materials techniques (sanitary landfill, baling, etc ): (2) thermal, using such as paper. glass. and metalsfound in solid waste (Sek, heat (incineration. pyrolysis). (3) biological, using bacterial AIR CLASSIFIER, CYCLONE SEPARATOR, FILTER, action to decompose organic waste (composting. aeration. GRAVITY SEPARATION, HYDRAPULPER MAGNETIC etc.). and (4) chemical. using chemical agents such as SEPARATOR. MANUAL SEPARATION. MECHANICAL acids. oxides, chlorine, and solvents to oxidize. neutralize, SEPARATOR, PRECIPITATION, PULPING SYSTEM. and and otherwise alter the character of waste material (See SCREENING BIODEGRADABLE. COMPOSTING, INCINERATION, PYROLYSIS. and SANITARY LANDFILL 1 SHREDDER A mechanical device that breaks waste material into smaller VOLUNTARY RECYCLING (COLLECTION) CENTER pieces by using a tearing action Generally. a volunteer-operated facility where the public can deposit separated waste materials, such as cans. SIDE LOADER (REFUSE TRUCK) bottles. and newspapers These materials are then collected A compactor truck in which solid waste is loaded into the and taken to recycling facilities side VOLUNTARY SEPARATION SLUDGE The manual separation of glass bottles. food and beverage Semiliquid waste that is the residue from the treatment of cans, or newspapers by individuals or groups Of people. sewage either at home or in local collection centers. SMOKE WASTE MATERIALS (SOLIDS) Fine solid or liquid particles suspended in gas produced A wide variety of solid materials that are discarded or during the burning of carbonaceous material rejected as being spent. useless. worthless, or in excess. SOIL This does not usually include waste solids found in sewage The loose natural surface material present above bedrock systems and water resources or those emitted from SOLID WASTE smokestacks. All useless. unused, unwanted. or discarded solid materials WASTE PROCESSING SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT An operation such as shredding. compaction. composting. The management of the entire process of generation. and incineration in which the physical or chemical storage. collection, transportation. processing. reclamation. properties of waste are changed to reduced size or volume and disposal of solid waste to make handling easier STEEL WASTE STREAM An ahoy of iron that contains carbon in any amount up to A general term used to describe the total waste material about 1 7 percent as an essential alloying constituent Steel generated by an area. a location. or a facility. is malleable under suitable conditions WATER TABLE TRANSFORMATION The level of the upper surface of groundwater Wells may be A resource recovery method involving the collection and drilled to this depth in order to obtain water for drinking and treatment, by means other than biological or chemical. of a irrigation (See GROUNDWATER.) waste product for use as raw material in the manufacture of WATER-WALL FURNACE a different product An example would be the use of A furnace with walls made of welded steel tubes through recovered and ground-up glass in making bricks (See which water is circulated to absorb the heat of combustion CONVERSION. RECYCLING. and REUSE ) These furnaces can be used as incinerators The steam or TRASH hot water generated may be put to a useful purpose or Waste materials that usually do not include garbage but that simply used to carry the heat away to the outside may include other organic materials, such as plant environment. trimmings (See WASTE MATERIALS 1 WINDROWING URBAN WASTE The composting process of sorting and shredding refuse. All the waste materials generated from an urban area (See placing it in long rows (usually five or six feet deep). and WASTE MATERIALS ) turning the piles for natural aeration In modified VECTOR windrowing. a quicker and more efficient method. controlled A living insect or other arthropod or an animal (not including amounts of air are blown through the material being humans) that transmits infectious disease from one person composted or animal to another Open dumps provide a haven for WOOD PULP vectors The basic primary material from which most papers are VIBRATING SCREEN made It consists of small. loose wood fibers mixed with A mechanical device that sorts material according to size water Vibrating helps to prevent clogging and to move the material YARD WASTE through the screen. Mechanical screens are used either wet Grass clippings. prunings weeds. and other discarded or dry and in single or multiple decks materials from yards and gardens VIRGIN MATERIAL Any basic material for industrial processes that has not previously been used (See PRIMARY MATERIALS and SECONDARY MATERIALS