Encyclopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering, Volume I and II

662 MANAGEMENT OF SOLID WASTE

SOURCE REDUCTION

By way of background, it is important to identify the uni-

verse of municipal solid waste, or the “source” from which

the volume of waste may be reduced. The total volume waste

generated in the United States in 1986 was approximately

160 million tons.^40

Source reduction, while related to recycling in some

respects, is nonetheless unique as a waste management

option which occurs “before the fact”. It has been said that

“an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. In the

area of solid waste management, a reduction of a single

ounce in the current per capital generation rate of 3.5 pounds

per person per day represents a decrease in annual volumes

produced of almost 3 million tons! The importance of source

reduction becomes at once apparent.

As noted above, source reduction involves a decrease

in waste volume or toxicity. It is appropriate to offer some

additional analysis of the nature of these two alternatives

and the specific areas which provide the greatest oppor-

tunity for change and thus measurable progress in source

reduction.

Perhaps the greatest concern among solid waste manage-

ment officials is the great number of single use or disposable

products. Disposables are ubiquitous, from beverage contain-

ers to disposable diapers to food service containers and uten-

sils. Furthermore, manufacturing technology has advanced to

the point where even products which traditionally were never

considered single use items may now be purchased at prices

which make their use and replacement competitive with

reliance on a far less frequent purchase of their durable

antecedents. The availability of disposable razors and blades

and such commonplace items as pens is not surprising.

However, widespread marketing of disposable flashlights,

electronic watches, and even cameras must be viewed as

unexpected by all but the most optimistic technologists.

Absent product bans which are unlikely at the federal level

SHREDDERS SEPARATORSMAGNETIC

REFUSE

STORAGE

PIT

INCINERATORS

PYROLYSIS

UNIT

CARBON GAS,

OIL

SAND

CLEAN

GLASS

FERROUS

METALS

NON-FERROUS

METALS

(ALUMINIUM)

PA P E R

FIBER

PA P E R

PELLET

STORAGE

PAPER FIBER

RECLAIMATION

SCREEN

AND AIR

INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION

WASTE

MUNICIPAL

WASTE RECEIVING AREA

STEAM

BUREAU

OF MINES

RECOVERY

UNIT

FIGURE 6 Refuse recycling plant. (Aluminum Association of America).

TABLE 23

Pyrolysis of refuse typical yields^36

Source

Raw material Heil milled industrial

Feed, Million BTu

Available per ton dry basis 17.09 11.29

Pyrolysis Temp. 900°C 900°C

Yield, Wt. % of Refuse

Residue 7.7 38.8

Gas 39.5 29.4

Tar 0.2 0.2

Light oil — 0.6

Free NH 3 0.3 0.04

Sour liquor 47.8 21.8

Yield Per Ton of Refuse

Gas, cu ft 17,741 12,318

(NH 3 )SO 4 lbs 25.1 21.7

Heating Value

Gas btu/ft^3447498

Residue, btu/lb 5,260 2,180

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