Source reduction of wastes - Municipal Solid Wastes

Prof. M.R.Ezhilkumar
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology
Coimbatore
ezhilkumar@skcet.ac.in
I only feel angry when I see waste.
When I see people throwing away
things we could use. – Mother
Teresa
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17CE413
SOLID AND HAZARDOUS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
2.1 – Source Reduction of Waste

SHWM – Module 2 – MUNICIPAL OF SOLID WASTES HANDLING AND MANAGEMENT  Mr.M.R.Ezhilkumar 2
Learning Outcomes
☼ Define of Source Reduction
☼ Implications of source reduction
☼ Government participation
☼ Development of source reduction plan
☼ Strategies for source reduction
2.1 – Source Reduction of Waste

Video Session

SHWM – Module 2 – MUNICIPAL OF SOLID WASTES HANDLING AND MANAGEMENT  Mr.M.R.Ezhilkumar
Whenever a consumer or establishment takes part in an activity that reduces the
amount and/or toxicity of waste which otherwise would have been generated, they are
participating in Source Reduction.
The USEPA considers source reduction the highest priority method for addressing solid
waste issues.
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Source Reduction

The USEPA defines source reduction as the design, manufacture, purchase or use of
materials to reduce their quantity or toxicity before they reach the waste stream.
The National Recycling Coalition (NRC) define source reduction as “any action that
avoids the creation of waste by reducing waste at the source, including redesigning of
products or packaging so that less material is used; making voluntary or imposed
behavioral changes in the use of materials; or increasing durability or re-usability of
materials.”
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Source Reduction

 Several terms are often used to mean source reduction.
 These include
 Waste reduction
 Waste prevention
 Waste minimization
 Pollution prevention
 Precycling
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Source Reduction

♦ According to the U.S. EPA (1999a), per capita waste generation rates in the United
States have risen from 2.68 lb per person per day in 1960 to 4.44 lb per person per
day in 1997.
♦ While the waste generation rate continues to increase, the recycling rate has
increased to what appears to be a plateau of about 30 percent.
♦ Without some government intervention, it is unlikely that recycling rates will get much
higher given the economic and environmental costs of solid waste management and
the enormous quantities of waste generated in our society.
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Source Reduction

♦ In recent years source reduction, also known as waste prevention, has been gaining
more attention in the United States and around the world.
♦ The goal of a source reduction program is to decrease the amount and toxicity of
material that must be managed by preventing its generation in the first place.
♦ Thus, source reduction is distinguished from other forms of solid waste management,
such as recycling and yard waste collection, because it eliminates and/or facilitates
the need to manage waste.
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Source Reduction

In general, the primary routes of source reduction are:
♦ Decreasing or eliminating the amount or toxicity of material used in the manufacture
and packaging of products
♦ Redesigning products for increased life span, reusability, and repairability
♦ Changing purchasing decisions to favor those products that have minimized residual
toxicity and waste associated with them
♦ Modifying patterns of consumption and material use in a way that reduces the
amount and toxicity of waste generated
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Source Reduction

Definitions of Terms Relevant to Source Reduction
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Source Reduction

• There are both economic and environmental advantages to source reduction,
primarily the reduction in pollution and cost of solid waste management and
disposal.
• In addition, source reduction activities can result in changes to the
composition of solid waste.
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Effects of Source Reduction

Economics
1. In a study of solid waste management in New York City (Clarke et al., 1999) it
was found that $300 million was spent for waste collection per year, $50
million for disposal, and slightly less for recycling, while only $1 to 2 million
was invested in waste prevention programs.
2. However, a 9 percent reduction in the solid waste stream would save an
estimated $90 million in collection and disposal costs annually.
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Economics
3. Choosing to refurbish, reuse, and repair an item can represent a substantial
savings over disposal.
4. Choosing products for reusability also has long-term cost benefits; for
example, when a restaurant or cafeteria switches to reusable utensils and
dishware, there is no longer a need to reorder disposable products
continually.
5. Regular maintenance and repair increases the lifetime that an item is in
service and reduces the need to dispose of and replace that item.
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Economics
Other environmental benefits include,
 Reduced pollution from trucks and disposal
 Less resource depletion from excess packaging not generated
 Economic development of New York reuse and repair industries
 Reduced need for landfill capacity
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Environmental
1. Many environmental benefits are associated with waste and toxicity
reduction, primarily the reduced need for natural resources, less energy and
pollution from avoided processing/reprocessing of materials, and a reduction
in the amount of material sent to landfills and waste combustion facilities.
2. Greenhouse gases, such as NOx, CO2, and CH4, are released when energy
is expended to mine raw materials, transport and process those materials,
manufacture products, transport those products, and finally collect and
dispose of the residual waste after the product’s useful life has ended.
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Environmental
3. Activities such as deposit and refund systems for beverage containers have
been shown to reduce litter and increase the recovery rate for these materials
to more than 80 percent in most places.
4. Because of the complexities associated with predicting a product or materials
impact on the environment, a measurement known as life-cycle assessment
(LCA) can be used (U.S. EPA, 1993).
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Environmental
5. The process of LCA is used to assess a product or material’s overall
environmental footprint on the earth by considering the effects of the following
processes:
● Choice of and extraction of raw materials
● Transport and processing of those materials
● Manufacture of products from those materials
● Use of those products
● Fate at end of life
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Waste Composition
1. As consumption habits change, the quantity and composition of solid waste
generated will also change.
2. Processes such as switching to a packaging material that is lighter or more
efficient, or choosing to use packaging that can be accommodated by the
existing recycling infrastructure, will also affect the characteristics of waste
generated.
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Waste Composition
3. The recycling and reuse of plastics will reduce the amount of plastics in a
waste stream and, for example, change the energy value of that waste
stream.
4. Food waste composting and food waste grinders will reduce the amount of
food waste sent to disposal.
5. Substantial reduction in the generation of solid wastes will reduce the amount
of material that requires management, creating more capacity in the waste
management system.
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• A variety of programs and policies can be used to encourage or require
participation in waste reduction.
• Central, state, and local governments have the ability to implement measures
that will reduce the amount of waste generated, including:
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Involvement of Government
1. Restrictions on packaging and products
2. Establishing procurement guidelines
3. Bans on the disposal of certain materials
and products
4. Legislation requiring manufacturers to meet
certain packaging and product guidelines
5. Taxes proportional to material use and
waste fraction of a product
6. Outreach and education programs
7. Information clearinghouses
8. Requiring waste audits and the
development of source reduction plans

• Planning is central to developing effective source reduction programs.
• Before source reduction planners start developing specific source reduction
initiatives for their communities, it is extremely important that they know what they
are trying to reduce, how much reduction they want to achieve, and how they will
measure their results.
• Municipal solid waste plans need to include an explicitly stated source reduction
policy, clearly defined goals, and meaningful measurement strategies.
• Without these measures, it is not possible to evaluate the effectiveness of such
programs.
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DEVELOPING A SOURCE REDUCTION PLAN

• Implementing a source reduction program also involves developing an
infrastructure to support it.
• Specifically, an effective program requires independent leadership, authority,
appropriate staffing, and an adequate budget.
1. Source Reduction Policy
2. Setting Source Reduction Goals and Establishing Measurement
Methodologies
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• Legislation and regulation governing source reduction programs are increasing.
• Source reduction legislation often focuses on establishing the following:
• Specific goals
• Government procurement and purchasing requirements
• Packaging requirements and guidelines
• Labeling requirements and guidelines
• Business planning and reporting requirements
• Yard material bans
• Specific chemical and packaging bans
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• Education, including promotion, technical assistance, planning and reporting, and
economic incentives are key elements of such legislation.
• To achieve a comprehensive policy approach, decision makers can focus on four
strategies:
• “command and control” regulations
• economic incentives and disincentives
• education and technical assistance
• government financial support for source reduction practices (i.e., supplying bins for home composting of
yard trimmings).
• Yard material bans and Specific chemical and packaging bans
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Methodologies
• The next steps in source reduction planning are setting goals and establishing
measurement methodologies.
• Goals and measurement systems are important for effective source reduction
programs because they help communities establish program priorities, track and
evaluate progress, and recognize accomplishments and target areas for further
efforts.
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Methodologies
• To set goals most effectively and establish measurement methodologies,
communities need to take the following four steps.
1. Establish an overall source reduction goal that is separate from the recycling goal with
specification of:
● The baseline year
● Target year
● Type of reduction to be measured (from the current total waste generation levels, from current per capita
generation levels, or from the projected increase)
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Methodologies
2. Determine separate goals desired for:
● Generating sectors (residential, commercial, and institutional)
● Materials (paper, glass, plastics, organics, etc.)
● Products (Styrofoam cups, glass bottles, tires, cardboard boxes, newspapers, etc.)
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Methodologies
3. Select unit of measurement:
● Weight
● Volume
● Weight and volume (preferable, if possible)
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Methodologies
4. Selected measurement methodology:
● Waste audits
● Sampling (including weighing-in places such as transfer stations)
● Surveys
● Purchases (tracking sales)
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Methodologies
Information Needs for Measuring Source Reduction
• Good data collection is vital for measuring source reduction, because communities need to
know which sources are generating which types of waste materials and how much they are
generating.
• Thus, at a minimum, communities need to collect data on:
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● Amount of residential waste
● Amount of commercial waste
● Residential population
● Total employment
● Projections of population change
● An index of economic activity

• Enormous potential exists to implement programs that will prevent the generation
of waste.
• In 1996, the EPA estimated that 23 million tons of MSW were source-reduced in
the United States, or 11 percent of the total 209.7 million tons that were generated
that year (U.S. EPA 1999c).
• Yard wastes and food scraps accounted for the largest fraction of waste
prevented (58.1 percent of the 23 million tons), followed by containers and
packaging (17.2 percent), nondurable wastes (15.3 percent), and durable goods
(9.4 percent).
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STRATEGIES FOR SOURCE REDUCTION

There are many strategies available to accomplish source reduction. The EPA
(1999c) has identified the following examples of source reduction activities:
1. Redesigning products or packaging to reduce the quantity or toxicity of the materials
used, substitution of lightweight materials, or making them reusable.
2. Reusing existing materials, products, or packaging; for example, refillable bottles,
reusable pallets, reconditioned toner cartridges, and copying on both sides of a
sheet of paper.
3. Reducing the amount of a product or packaging used.
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4. Lengthening the lives of products or materials to postpone disposal, such as through
regular maintenance or choosing to repair an item
5. Using packaging that reduces the amount of damage or spoilage to a product
6. Managing organic wastes (such as food scraps and yard trimmings) through on-site
composting or other alternatives to disposal (such as leaving grass clippings on the
lawn)
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 The residential sector
contributes 55 to 65 percent
of the total MSW generation
(U.S. EPA, 1999a).
 It is estimated that an
average home can reduce its
waste by 30 percent through
source reduction practices;

 Various ways exist for people to
prevent the generation of
household waste, including
green purchasing and product
use, and participation in reuse
and exchange programs.
 Green purchasing and product
use is giving consideration to the
environmental impacts of
purchasing decisions and how
the item is used.

 Commercial (stores, restaurants, hotels, and service stations) and institutional
(government, schools, correctional facilities, hospitals, and libraries) sources of waste
can include large quantities of paper, cardboard, food waste, plastics, and hazardous
wastes.
 Because of the large number of people associated with these establishments,
significant potential for solid waste prevention exists.
 Successful initiatives that have been undertaken include efficient use of office paper,
on-site food waste composting, and switching to reusable supplies.

 Strategies for implementing source reduction in commercial facilities and institutions
can be classified in two main categories:
(1) Changing procurement policies and (2) Modifying operations

(1) Changing procurement policies
There is an abundance of opportunities for reducing waste through procurement policies.
Some additional options are:
• Setting a price preference for reusable, refillable, and durable equipment that reduces
waste, such as double-sided (duplexing) copy machines
• Requiring companies that ship goods to package them in reusable shipping containers
and/or to take back the packaging; for example, furniture that can be delivered in
reusable shipping blankets
• Negotiating for longer and more comprehensive warranties and service contracts
when purchasing durable goods

• Leasing equipment instead of buying it to provide manufacturers with an incentive to
keep it in good repair
• Purchasing items that can reduce paper use, such as double-sided photocopy
machines, laser printers, and equipment and computer software that permit faxing
from a computer to reduce printouts

(2) Operations
Some additional strategies for reducing paper and waste include:
• Using e-mail instead of paper for communications
• Eliminating fax cover sheets
• Editing and careful proofreading on the computer before printing
• Storing files on computer disks and printing only when necessary
• Loading laser printer paper trays with paper used on one side for drafts
• Reducing mailings by targeting audiences as narrowly as possible
• Using scrap pieces of paper for short memos

Industry not only has the ability to prevent waste during manufacturing
processes (through procurement and material use), but also the unique capacity to
manipulate the packaging and/or product being manufactured before production,
distribution, marketing, and sale.
 The EPA (1995b) has provided the following list of items to increase industrial source
reduction:
1. Recover plant materials such as solvents, metal, paper, oil, and cooling water
2. Increase production efficiency to reduce the generation of scrap material
3. Limit production to what is required
4. Reuse and repair used pallets

5. Reuse and refill packaging containers, such as bags and drums
6. Return packaging materials for reuse and/or reuse packing material
7. Redesign products to prevent waste associated with packaging and manufacturing
8. Use materials from a materials exchange program in place of virgin materials

Construction and demolition activities contribute 136 million tons, or 2.8 lb
per person per day, to waste disposed of in landfills in the United States (U.S.EPA,
1998c).
 New construction debris can be reduced by building only as necessary, using
materials with reduced or no toxicity, and choosing building materials with reduced
packaging.
 Waste can also be prevented by choosing to use refurbished or reusable products and
incorporating materials that have an extended life span into the project.
 Demolition waste can be reduced through deconstruction efforts.

 Deconstruction is the careful dismantling of structures before or instead of demolition
to maximize the recovery of materials.
 Typically, electrical circuits and plumbing fixtures are recovered for reuse, metals and
lumber are reused or recycled, wood flooring is remilled, and doors and windows are
refinished for use in new construction (U.S. EPA 1998c).
 The EPA reported that in one apartment building deconstruction project, 76 percent of
the materials by weight were diverted to reuse or recycling.
 Other concepts related to waste prevention in the construction and demolition field
include conducting concurrent deconstruction and new construction projects to
increase material reuse, and designing and constructing buildings with future
disassembly in mind (Goldstein, 1999).

Special events, such as festivals, fairs, and sporting events, represent good
opportunities to both implement source reduction plans and educate participants and the
public about waste prevention.
 Activities such as not making disposable products an option ensures that they will be
reduced in the waste stream.
 The event organizers have attempted various measures to prevent and reduce the
generation of wastes associated with the festival.

 Strategies to prevent and reduce waste have included:
1. Use of biodegradable utensils and can liners
2. Separate collection of compost
3. Promotion of foods that do not require utensils
4. Serving foods such as pizza with a napkin instead of a plate
5. Educational booths to inform people about composting
6. Signs with sayings such as “bring your own fork”
7. Use of durable items (plates, utensile, etc.)
8. Reward program for food vendors utilizing innovative waste prevention programs
9. Not allowing the use of materials that would require disposal

Assessment Time
Review
Question Identify the waste composition from an (1) Educational
Institution and (2) Automobile Industry, and Analyse and
propose a strategic plan for a source reduction of waste.

Source reduction of wastes - Municipal Solid Wastes

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