Title: Possible Environmental Impacts of Waste

Management

2010

1
In the current paper we
will try to analyze the
definite interconnection
between various waste
management methods (i.e.
landfill, incineration,
composting and finally
energy production from
wastes), humans and
environment.

All three methods that we

will examine (landfill,
incineration and
recycling) are widely used
in European Union
Member States.

Possible Environmental Impacts if Waste Management 12/08/2021 2

Landfill:
Definition:
A full description of how a landfill area
works includes: a) the vehicles that are
used for waste collection are being
weighed at the weighbridge on arrival,
b) Afterwards, they head for the
working front where they unload the
waste. c) Next step is the deposition of
waste, where compactors or dozers
spreads them on the working face, d)
There the compacted waste every day is
being covered with soil, e) Alternative
as waste-cover materials can also be
used some sprayed-on foam sub-
products, temporary blankets, chipped
Source:
wood and chemically 'fixed' bio-solids.
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module
15/LandfillCrossSection.html
Possible Environmental Impacts if Waste Management 12/08/2021 3
Environmental Impact:
• deadly operational incidents (i.e. scavengers buried under waste piles),
• potential wide range pollution of the environment at close proximity to the
landfill facilities (i.e. serious groundwater contamination and aquifers by
leakage),
• contamination of residual soil  during landfill facilities usage,
• decaying organic wastes can be a serious danger for nearby leaving population
because of the offgassing of methane,
• potential thread of dust and noise that are the result of this type of facilities.,
• non exceeding the Odour Emission Factor (OMF) normal levels - that are
calculated to be 5.5±3.4 ouE s−1 m−2 - for public health.

Possible Environmental Impacts if Waste Management 12/08/2021 4

Incineration:
Definition:
Organic compounds are being used in
order to produce energy in waste
incineration plants or as alternative fuel
in cement kilns or even coal fired power
plants.
Stages of an incineration process:
• Combustion
• SNCR (Selective non-catalytic
reduction) flue gas denitrification.
• SCR (Selective catalytic reduction)
flue gas denitrification.
• Flue gas scrubber is used in order to
remove some acidic gases . 
• Heavy metal and dioxine removal. Source:http://www.bsu.hr/en/incinerati
• Continuous emission monitoring. on.html

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Environmental Impact:

Most of the climate-relevant problems that are related to the incineration

process derive from old incinerators and certainly not form modern technology
facilities. In the heart lies of course the emissions (mainly of CO2, N2O, NOx,
NH3, and organic C, measured as total carbon) problem (Johnke, 2000:455-
468). Human health is also at stake from these emissions and this was noted
clearly at the following Table

Possible Environmental Impacts if Waste Management 12/08/2021 6

Possible Environmental Impacts if Waste Management 12/08/2021 7
Composting:
Definition:
Composting process can be defined as
following: “an aerobic process of
decomposition of organic matter into
humus-like substances and minerals by
the action of microorganisms (i.e.
bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi-molds,
yeast, protozoa, rotifers and
earthworms) in combination with
chemical and/or physical reactions”.
Compost is a combination of decaying
material (mainly organic) and it can be
produced from: a) farm manure sewage,
b) sludge, c) agricultural residues or
even d) food wastes Source:http://sappertonzerowaste.file
s.wordpress.com/2010/08/compost-
facility-1-crop.jpg
Possible Environmental Impacts if Waste Management 12/08/2021 8
Environmental Impact:

One of the main disadvantages of composting is that leads to serious losses of

• NH3,
• Methane and also
• Nitrous oxide
to the atmosphere.
These losses can easily contribute to the total amount of emissions that are
connected to the greenhouse effect if:
a) the piles are too wet or
b) if the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio is too low for quick retention of nitrogen
compounds.
Studies have shown that if necessary practices are not followed then it is quite
possible that compost will contain plant and human pathogenic bacteria. The
time also involved is another composting disadvantage because it requires a
sufficient time commitment to properly manage the windrows in order to
produce a higher quality product.

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Energy production from wastes (WtE: Waste to Energy):
Definition:
By this term we realize the creation of energy (heat, electricity, mobility) from
wastes. It is a way for achieving wide scale energy recovery from materials that a
few years ago would be just useless garbage. Electricity is produced most of the
times directly through combustion. Sometimes synthetic fuels are also the
outcome of WtE process. To be more accurate we will examine Denmark WtE
paradigm where only during 2003 approx. 3.3 million tonnes of waste were
incinerated. All incineration facilities were capable of producing electricity and/or
district heating out of waste. Energy statistics of the Danish Energy Agency for
2003 showed that WtE facilities produced: a) 1.47 million MWh of electricity and
b) 6.36 million MWh of district heating. The heat generated from waste made up
approx. 40% of the total heat production from renewable energy sources.
Environmental impact:
WtE methods have the same disadvantages for human health and the
environment as the prementioned methods because it refers to them directly as
main factors of the WtE process.

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Conclusion:
All members of the society must be fully informed about both benefits and
disadvantages of all types of waste management methods (i.e. landfill,
incineration , composting and recycling). A knowledge of the resource cycle as it
is shown below could help people achieve this goal:

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 THANK YOU
FOR
YOUR ATTENTION

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