E-waste
electronic waste, typically exported
municipal solid waste (MSW)
refuse collected by municipalities from households, small businesses, and institutions (schools, prisons, municipal buildings, and hospitals)
Industrial solid waste
from industry - mining, agriculture, industry
reduce
also known as waste minimization and waste prevention
source separation
users sort their recyclables from rest of trash, sorted materials are collected by community
reuse
allows a material to cycle within a system longer before becoming an output
recycle
process by which materials destined to become MSW are collected and converted into raw materials that are then used to produce new objects
reduce
use less of what is needed
refuse
Don't buy things you don't need
compost
organic matter that has decomposed under controlled conditions to produce an organic-rich material that enhances soil structure, cation exchange capacity and fertility
leachate
the water that leaches through the solid waste and removes various chemical compounds with which it comes into contact
sanitary landfills
an engineered ground facility designed to hold MSW with as little contamination of the surrounding environment as possible
cap
a cover of soil and clay covering the landfill when it reaches capacity
fee per bag
fee for the weight of the trash left on curbside
incineration
process of burning waste materials to reduce their volume and mass and sometimes to generate electricity or heat
ash
residual nonorganic material that does not combust during incineration
bottom ash
residue collected underneath furnace
fly ash
residue collected beyond the furnace
waste to energy system
when heat generated by incineration is used rather than released to the atmosphere
Superfund
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), a 1980 US federal act that imposes a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries, funds the cleanup of abandoned and nonoperating hazardous waste sites, and authorizes the
NPL - national priority list
contaminated industrial or commercial sites that require environmental cleanup before they can be redeveloped or expanded
life-cycle analysis
an important system tool that looks at the materials used and released throughout the lifetime of a product - from the procurement of raw materials through their manufacture, use, and disposal
Integrated Waste Management
employs several waste reduction, management, and disposal strategies in order to reduce the environmental impact of MSW
acid deposition
acids deposited on Earth as rain and snow or as gases and particles that attach to the surfaces of plants, soil, and water
hazardous waste
waste material that is dangerous or potentially harmful to humans or ecosystems
1. toxic, 2. reactive, 3. corrosive, 4. flammable
RCRA
US Resource Conservation & Recovery Act; protects human health and the natural environment by reducing or eliminating the generation of hazardous waste
Landfill location rules
-away from rivers or streams
-located in soil rich in clay
-far from populations
SO2, NOx
exhaust gases from combustion
CERCLA
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
cradle to grave
life cycle analysis- keeping track of hazardous wastes from creation to disposal
leachate
water that percolates through landfill and collects at the bottom, must be collected
methane production
waste breaks down in low oxygen conditions, explosive, must be collected and vented away
MRF - Material Recovery Facilities
users put all recyclables together, then machines sort what can be recycled and burn the rest
USA composition of municipal solid waste
-cardboard/paper: 37%
-yard waste: 12%
-food: 11%
-plastic: 11%
-metal: 8%
Pros/Cons of recycling
pros:
provides jobs, educates people of waste issues, less waste in landfills
cons:
sometimes more expensive than disposal, only 5% of plastics are recycled, can be inefficient,
ways to produce less hazardous waste
recycle or reuse materials (paints, batteries), use substitute materials (alcohol vs mercury thermometers), use clean energy sources, more regulations
ways to make hazardous waste less hazardous
bioremediation, phytoremediation, incineration
Bioremediation
using living organisms to remove toxins and contaminants
Phytoremediation
using plants to remove toxins and contaminants
long-term disposal of hazardous waste
deep-well disposal, surface impoundments
deep-well disposal
liquid wastes pumped into porous rock deep beneath aquifers, only pump into geologically stable areas, wastes should be retrievable, potential for water pollution
Surface Impoundments
lined landfill for liquid wastes, potential for leakage if lining breaks
love canal
NY, before WWI a guy named love started building a canal, ran out of money and sold to Hooker Chemical Company, Hooker used it for chemical storage, hooker later covered it with dirt and vegetation, Hooker sold land to NY for $1, community was built aroun
Great Pacific Garbage Patch
a large collections of waste in the pacific ocean (waste came from land), about the size of Texas,
Gyre
slow moving area in the ocean amoung faster moving currents, trash collects there and so do chemicals, 6 currently
Basel Convention Treaty
international treaty to reduce movement of hazardous waste from nation to nation, includes e-waste, doesn't include radioactive waste, USA did not agree to sign this
Environmental Justice
idea that people have a right to a clean environment, waste needs to be spread out amongst users not put in poorest or politically weakest areas, very rascist, "Cancer Alley
Photodegradation vs Biodegradation
plastic only degrades into little pieces thru photodegradation not bio
Microbeads
tiny bits of plastic
nurdles
tiny plastic pellets that get melted down and made into other plastic
statistical risk
probability of suffering harm form a hazard
top 5 risks for USA people
1. living in poverty
2. being male
3. smoking
4. severely overweight
5. being single
top 5 risks for global people
1. living in poverty
2. smoking
3. flu/pneumonia
4. air pollution
5. HIV/AID's
categories of hazards
Physical, Biological, chemical, cultural
infectious vs noninfectious
disease can be spread form person to person vs disease that is not spread from person to person
top 5 deadliest diseases
1. Flu/Pneumonia
2. HIV/AID's
3. Diarrheal disease
4. Malaria
5. Tuberculosis
environmental factors with disease spread
-high population density
-frequent contact with farm animals
-consumption of bushmeat
-habitat loss/alteration
-climate change
-antibiotic resistance
-lack of sanitation
- natural disasters
bushmeat
wild animals
infectious agent
the organism that causes/creates the disease
-AKA pathogen
ex. bacteria, viruses, protists
Mode of transmission/vector
how the infectious agent is spreading
zoonotic disease
any disease transmitted via wild or domesticated animals
Emerging vs Reemerging disease
recently discovered (last 100 years) vs been around a long time and it decreased but now it's increasing again
Treatment vs prevention
deals with taking care of symptoms/ getting people back to normal health vs deals with stopping people from getting the disease at all
Influenza
Infec. agent = virus
transmission = contact w/ respiratory droplets that have flu
Zoonotic = no
Symptoms = fever, chills, Respiratory Congestion, coughing
history: re-emerging (new strains every year)
prevent = cover your mouth when cough/sneeze, quaranti
Tuberculosis (TB)
Infec. agent = bacteria
transmission = contact w/ respiratory droplets that have TB bacteria
Zoonotic = no
Symptoms = Weight loss, blood in mucus, Respiratory Congestion, coughing
history: re-emerging, been around for hundreds of years - antibiotic resist
Malaria
Infec. agent = Protist, plasmodium
transmission = bite from infected mosquito
Zoonotic = yes, mosquito
Symptoms = high fever, chills, Fatigue, Nausea
history: re-emerging (new strains every year), resistance to anti-malarial drugs, mosquitoes r becoming m
Cholera
Infec. agent = bacteria
transmission = ingestion of water/food w/ feces (bacteria)
Zoonotic = no
Symptoms = Diarrhea, fever, Nausea, dehydration, vomiting, lethargy
history: re-emerging, antibiotic resistance is creating new strains
prevent = sanitary col
Dengue Fever
Infec. agent = virus
transmission = bite from infected mosquito
Zoonotic = yes, mosquito
Symptoms = high fever, chills, Fatigue, Nausea
history: emerging, mosquitoes r becoming more pesticide resistant
prevent = spray pesticides, wear long clothing, stay
SARS
Infec. agent = virus
transmission = contact w/ infected respiratory droplets
Zoonotic = no
Symptoms = fever, dry cough, muscle aches, respiratory distress
history: emerging, first seen in 2002
prevent = quarantine, wear face masks/cover mouth/nose, wash h
Ebola
Infec. agent = virus
transmission = contact w/ body fluids (respiratory droplets, blood, sex fluids)
Zoonotic = no
Symptoms = high fever, internal bleeding, muscle pain, fatigue
history: emerging, first seen in Africa, 1970's
prevent = extreme sanitation,
West Nile fever
Infec. agent = virus
transmission = bite from infected mosquito
Zoonotic = yes, mosquito
Symptoms = high fever, swollen lymph nodes, Fatigue, rash
history: emerging
prevent = spray pesticides, wear long clothing, stay indoors in evening,
environ. factors
lyme disease
Infec. agent = bacteria
transmission = bite from infected tick
Zoonotic = yes
Symptoms = Joint pain, fever, Nausea, bullseye rash
history: emerging, first seen in 1970's in Lyme, Connecticut
prevent = spray pesticides, wear long clothing, stay indoors in
Zika
Infec. agent = virus
transmission = bite from infected mosquito, intimate contact with infected bodily fluids (sexual activity)
Zoonotic = yes, mosquito
Symptoms = mild fever, microcephaly in infants born with it, rash
history: emerging, discovered in 201
Protist/protozoan/plasmodium
infectious agent of malaria
Toxicology
the study of adverse effects of chemicals on health
acute vs chronic toxicity
immediate/rapid harmful reaction vs permanent/long lasting effects
solubility of chemical
water soluble vs fat soluble; fat soluble chemicals stays in body longer
Persistance
how easily the chemical breaks down over time
Bioaccumulation
sow easily the chemical is stored in body tissues
Biomagnification
how easily the chemical concentrates as it moves up the food chain
antagonism
chemicals that reduce each other's harmful effects
synergistic
chemicals that mix and multiply harmful effects
mutagen
chemicals that cause mutations in DNA
teratogen
chemical that cause birth defects in developing fetuses
carcinogen
chemicals that cause/promote cancer
Precautionary Principle
if there is reasonable evidence of harm (despite lack of significant testing) one should reduce/prevent use of chemical until proven safe - USA does not follow this
Factors that impact toxicity levels
-Dose of chemical
-Frequency of exposure
-age at exposure
-each individual body system
LD-50/LC-50
lethal dose to kill 50% of test pop./lethal concentration to kill 50% of test pop.
Dose-response curve
plot the various doses on the x-axis
plot the mortality or the groups on the y-axis
threshhold level/dose
the point where the dose/concentration goes above zero or control group level
pesticide
anything that kills pests
broad-spectrum pesticides
pesticides toxic to a wide array of species
narrow-spectrum pesticides
pesticides toxic to a narrow array of species
Organochlorines/Chlorinated hydrocarbons
broad spectrum, highly persistent, water insoluble, many have been banned due to persistence
Organophosphates
broad spectrum, less persistent (degrade more quickly), severe toxicity to human nervous system
neonicotinoids
chemically similar to nicotine compounds, strong neurotoxicity to insects, water soluble (easy for plants to absorb), plants keep them active and turns out they r pretty bad
pros and cons of pesticides
pros:
can help save lives, improve public health, increase food supplies, increase farm profits, fast acting, easy to use, non toxic (if used properly), new types are safer
cons:pests develop resistance, farmers have to pay more each year for stronger pes
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
suppresses pest pop. below the economic injury level
goals: reduce pesticide use, help control pests
biological/chemical/physical IPM options
help natural enemies, help predatory species/habitat manipulation, creating barriers/spot treat only infected areas, use of pheromones
DDT
used in WWII to control malaria, broad spectrum,
3 negative effects: vomiting, seizures, cancers,
a book was written, still produced in India, China, North Korea
Rachel Carson
wrote a book DDT
Silent spring
a book about DDT
4 factors causing pollinator declines
lack of flowers, pesticides, monoculture, mites/diseases
Bhopal, India
1984, world's worst industrial accident, Union Carbide (pesticide company), leak of over 30 tons of MIC gas (toxic cyanide gas), explosion, toxic cloud floated into town, caused immediate deaths, acute toxicity, and chronic health issues, about 15,000 dea
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP's)
toxic chemicals that do not breakdown and have the potential for bioaccumulation/biomagnification
Dirty Dozen
initial list of the 12 worst POP's
Stockholm Convention/Treaty
defined POP's, defined Dirty Dozen, required the ban or restriction of worst POP's
Endocrine Disruptors
chemicals that block, disrupt, or mimic hormone action in the body, tend to mimic estrogen
Endocrine system organs, functions
Pituitary fland, testes/ovaries, thyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal glands
sources of endocrine disruptors
plastics, cosmetics, health/beauty products, mercury, BPA, Phthalates, DDT, Triclosan, Atrazine, PCB's,
possible effects of endocrine disruptors
reduced fertility/sterility, abnormal growth/function of reproductive organs, increases in reproductive cancers, early puberty, reduced number of males, feminizing effects
Mercury (Hg)
sources: batteries, burning coal for energy, compact flourescent lightbulbs, Electronics/electrical equipment, thermometers, thermostats
health effects: birth defects, kidney damage, nervous system/neurological damage, minamata disease
Elemental vs Inorganic vs methylmercury
simple Hg, not bonded to anything vs non-carbon based mercury compound vs CH3-Hg, most common form of organic mercury
Minamata Disease
mercury poisoning
Fish consumption rule
small walleye: 1 meal a month
larger walleye: do not eat
bass: 1 meal a week
swordfish: do not eat
Lead
sources: batteries, ceramic glazes, leaded gasoline, paint, pesticides, smelting
health effects: birth defects, kidney damage, nervous system/neurological damage, sterility/lower fertility
PCB's
sources: electronics, electrical equipment, flame retardant chemicals, hydraulic systems, lubricants, pesticides, plasticizers, transformers,
health effects: birth defects, cancer, endocrine disruption, liver damage, nervous system damage, reproductive sy
Dioxins and furans
sources: burning coal for energy, chlorine bleaching for paper pulp, incomplete combustion of carbon-based, organic materials, swelting, waste incineration
health effects: birth defects, cancer, hormone imbalance, reproductive system damage, impaired immu
Phthalates
sources: cosmetics and personal care, plastic additives for flexibility, PVC tubing and piping,
health effects: hormone imbalance, reproductive system damage, sterility/lower fertility, birth defects, endocrine disruption,
Bisphenol A (BPA)
sources: linings of steel food cans, plastic additives for strength/rigidity, plastic water bottles
health effects: endocrine disruption, hormone imbalances, reproductive system damage, sterility/lower fertility