A Sustainable Waste Strategy - Incineration · A Sustainable Waste Strategy Paul Connett, PhD...

A Sustainable Waste StrategyA Sustainable Waste Strategy

Paul Paul ConnettConnett, PhD, PhDExecutive Director (AEHSP)Executive Director (AEHSP)

AmericanAmericanHealthHealthStudies.orgStudies.orgpconnett@[email protected]

House of Commons, Nov 2, 2010House of Commons, Nov 2, 2010

mailto:[email protected]

OUTLINEOUTLINE

1. A few words about Sustainability1. A few words about Sustainability2. Using the waste hierarchy to drive 2. Using the waste hierarchy to drive

towards sustainabilitytowards sustainability3. The Zero Waste 2020 Strategy3. The Zero Waste 2020 Strategy4. Zero Waste steps around the world4. Zero Waste steps around the world5. Appeal for help to end the worst 5. Appeal for help to end the worst

recycling program in the world!recycling program in the world!

SustainabilitySustainabilityWe would need We would need FOUR planetsFOUR planets if every if every one consumed as much as the one consumed as much as the average average AmericanAmericanWe would need We would need TWO planetsTWO planets if every if every one consumed as much as the one consumed as much as the average average EuropeanEuropeanMeanwhile, Meanwhile, India, China etcIndia, China etc. are . are copying our consumption patternscopying our consumption patternsSomething has got to change and Something has got to change and the the best place to start is with wastebest place to start is with waste

Extraction ofExtraction ofVirginVirgin

MaterialsMaterials

Production ofProduction ofManufacturedManufactured

itemsitemsConsumptionConsumption DiscardedDiscarded

MaterialsMaterials

Solid wasteSolid wasteAir pollutionAir pollutionWater pollutionWater pollution

Carbon dioxideCarbon dioxide



ENERGYENERGY ENERGYENERGY

A LINEAR SOCIETYA LINEAR SOCIETY


MaterialsMaterials



MaterialsMaterials






GLOBAL WARMINGGLOBAL WARMING

A LINEAR SOCIETYA LINEAR SOCIETY


MaterialsMaterials



MaterialsMaterials






LANDFILLSLANDFILLS



MaterialsMaterials



MaterialsMaterials






INCINERATION INCINERATION


Both landfills and incinerators Both landfills and incinerators represent business as usual represent business as usual ––

NEITHER are sustainableNEITHER are sustainable


MaterialsMaterials



MaterialsMaterials







RECYCLING OF MATERIALSRECYCLING OF MATERIALS


MaterialsMaterials



MaterialsMaterials







REUSE OF OBJECTSREUSE OF OBJECTS


MaterialsMaterials



MaterialsMaterials







COMPOSTINGCOMPOSTING

COMPOSTCOMPOST

2. Using the waste hierarchy to drive 2. Using the waste hierarchy to drive towards sustainabilitytowards sustainability

The waste hierarchy & sustainabilityThe waste hierarchy & sustainability

COMPOSTING COMPOSTING ++++++REUSE REUSE ++++RECYCLING RECYCLING ++INCINERATION INCINERATION ––LANDFILLING LANDFILLING –– ––

Surcharge versus sustainabilitySurcharge versus sustainability

Right now the landfill surcharge is driving Right now the landfill surcharge is driving the building of massive incineratorsthe building of massive incineratorsUK is moving from worst solution to the UK is moving from worst solution to the next worse solution i.e. moving from the next worse solution i.e. moving from the bottom of the waste hierarchy up.bottom of the waste hierarchy up.What we need are financial incentives to What we need are financial incentives to encourage communities to move to the encourage communities to move to the top of the waste hierarchy top of the waste hierarchy ––i.e. towards i.e. towards sustainability.sustainability.

DrivingDriving the waste hierarchy towards the waste hierarchy towards sustainabilitysustainability

COMPOSTING COMPOSTING 30 pound/ton rebate30 pound/ton rebateREUSE REUSE 20 pound/ton rebate20 pound/ton rebateRECYCLING RECYCLING 10 pound/ton rebate10 pound/ton rebate

INCINERATION INCINERATION 20 pound/ton surcharge20 pound/ton surcharge40 pound/ton surcharge on ash40 pound/ton surcharge on ashLANDFILLING LANDFILLING 40 pound/ton surcharge 40 pound/ton surcharge

Why UK should avoid incinerationWhy UK should avoid incineration

1) It is not sustainable1) It is not sustainable2) It is a poor economic investment. Most 2) It is a poor economic investment. Most

of the money spent leaves the of the money spent leaves the community (and the country). Very community (and the country). Very few jobs created for very large capital few jobs created for very large capital investmentinvestment

3) It stifles innovation3) It stifles innovation


4) It wastes energy!4) It wastes energy!

Energy Comparison: Energy Comparison: RecyclingRecycling versus versus incinerationincineration (ICF consulting, 2005)(ICF consulting, 2005)

materialmaterial Energy Energy savings from savings from recyclingrecyclingGJ/GJ/tonnetonne

Energy output Energy output from from incinerationincinerationGJ/GJ/tonnetonne

Energy savings Energy savings recycling recycling versus versus incinerationincineration

NewsprintNewsprint 6.336.33 2.622.62 2.42.4Fine paperFine paper 15.8715.87 2.232.23 7.17.1CardboardCardboard 8.568.56 2.312.31 3.73.7Other paperOther paper 9.499.49 2.252.25 4.24.2HDPEHDPE 64.2764.27 6.306.30 10.210.2PETPET 85.1685.16 3.223.22 26.426.4Other plasticOther plastic 52.0952.09 4.764.76 10.910.9


5) It generates a toxic ash5) It generates a toxic ash6) It doesn6) It doesn’’t get rid of landfillst get rid of landfills

CHUTESECONDARYCHAMBER

TURBINE

BOILER

ELECTRICITY

STEAM

TRASHBOTTOM ASH FLY ASH

TEMP< 200oC

SEMI-DRYSCRUBBER

FABRIC FILTER

WET SCRUBBER

DE-NOX

ACTIVATEDCHARCOAL

Ca(OH) 2 SUSPENSION

AMMONIAINJECTION

GRATES

For every 4 tons of trash you get about one ton of ashFor every 4 tons of trash you get about one ton of ash

90%90% 10%10%


7) It produces toxic air emissions 7) It produces toxic air emissions ((nanoparticlesnanoparticles))

8) Incineration is poorly monitored 8) Incineration is poorly monitored (no (no regulation or monitoring of regulation or monitoring of nanoparticlesnanoparticles))

9) There is a far better alternative strategy, 9) There is a far better alternative strategy, which is which is cheaper, creates more jobs and cheaper, creates more jobs and business opportunities, does not create a toxic business opportunities, does not create a toxic ash and is sustainableash and is sustainable..

Incineration, Incineration, nanoparticlesnanoparticles & Health& Health

Statement of EvidenceStatement of EvidenceParticulate Emissions and Health Particulate Emissions and Health

ProposedProposedRingaskiddyRingaskiddy WasteWaste--toto--Energy FacilityEnergy Facility

Professor C. Professor C. VyvyanVyvyan Howard Howard MB. MB. ChBChB. . PhD. PhD. FRCPathFRCPath. . June 2009 June 2009

[email protected]@googlemail.com

Can MPs please get a documented Can MPs please get a documented scientific response to scientific response to

Professor Professor VyvyanVyvyan HowardHoward’’s paper from s paper from the Health Protection Agency that has the Health Protection Agency that has

declared that declared that ““a modern well run a modern well run incinerator poses NO health risksincinerator poses NO health risks””??

“Even if we made incineration safe we would never make it sensible.It simply does not make sense tospend so much money destroying resources we should be sharing with the future.” (PC)

The modern incinerator isThe modern incinerator is attempting to perfect a bad ideaattempting to perfect a bad idea

Our task in the 21st Century is not to Our task in the 21st Century is not to find better ways to destroy discarded find better ways to destroy discarded materialsmaterialsBut to stop making packaging and But to stop making packaging and products that have to be destroyed!products that have to be destroyed!

The Waste problem will not be The Waste problem will not be solved with better solved with better technologytechnology

But withBut withBetter Better organizationorganizationBetter Better educationeducationand better and better industrial designindustrial design

3. The ZERO WASTE 2020 3. The ZERO WASTE 2020 strategystrategy

ZERO WASTE ZERO WASTE IS A IS A NEWNEW

DIRECTIONDIRECTION

NO to INCINERATORS

NO to LANDFILLS

THE THE BACK ENDBACK END

OF OF WASTEWASTE

MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

NO to INCINERATORS

NO to LANDFILLS

THE THE FRONT ENDFRONT END

OFOFRESOURCERESOURCE

MANAGEMENT,MANAGEMENT,INDUSTRIAL INDUSTRIAL

DESIGNDESIGN&&

POSTPOST--CONSUMERISMCONSUMERISM

THE THE BACK ENDBACK END

OF OF WASTEWASTE

MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

Zero Waste can be approached Zero Waste can be approached with a series of with a series of simplesimple stepssteps

which arewhich arePracticalPracticalCost effective Cost effective andandPolitically acceptablePolitically acceptable

SUMMARYSUMMARY 10 steps to Zero Waste10 steps to Zero Waste

SourceSourceSeparationSeparation


Door to DoorDoor to DoorCollectionCollection


Door to DoorDoor to DoorCollectionCollection CompostingComposting

RecyclingRecycling



RecyclingRecyclingReuse, Repair Reuse, Repair & Community& Community

CenterCenter



Waste Waste ReductionReductionInitiativesInitiatives


CenterCenter





CenterCenter



EconomicEconomicIncentivesIncentives



CenterCenter



Residual Residual Separation & Separation &

ResearchResearchCenterCenter




CenterCenter





Better Better IndustrialIndustrial

DesignDesign




CenterCenter






DesignDesign


Temporary LandfillTemporary Landfill



CenterCenter






DesignDesign


Temporary LandfillTemporary Landfill 20202020

RecyclingRecycling



5. Reuse,5. Reuse,RepairRepair

&&DeconstructionDeconstruction

Reusable itemsReusable items

Value of Los Angeles discarded materialsValue of Los Angeles discarded materials

Reuse, Repair & Reuse, Repair & DeconstructionDeconstruction

Urban Ore, Berkeley, CaliforniaUrban Ore, Berkeley, California

Grossing $3 million per yearGrossing $3 million per year27 full27 full--time welltime well--paid jobspaid jobs

Urban Ore Urban Ore operating for 30 operating for 30 yearsyears

VIDEOS ONLINEVIDEOS ONLINE

Examples of Reuse and Repair Examples of Reuse and Repair CentersCenters from California, Vermont, from California, Vermont, Nova Scotia and AustraliaNova Scotia and AustraliaAmericanAmericanHealthHealthStudies.orgStudies.org

Reuse and Repair CentersReuse and Repair CentersCan be used for:Can be used for:1. Job training (Burlington, Vermont, 1. Job training (Burlington, Vermont,

see video)see video)2. Community education2. Community education3. Community building3. Community building4. Support High St. Charity Shops4. Support High St. Charity Shops5. Research for better industrial 5. Research for better industrial

designdesign

RREEUUSSEE

REPAIRREPAIR

JOBJOBTRAININGTRAINING

COMMUNITYCOMMUNITYACTIVITIESACTIVITIES

BUILDING BUILDING MATERIALSMATERIALS

YARD YARD

COMMUNITY COMPOST/COMMUNITY COMPOST/COMMUNITY GARDENSCOMMUNITY GARDENS

RREESSEEAARRCCHH

Reuse, Repair, Research Reuse, Repair, Research & Community Center& Community Center

Resource Recovery ParkResource Recovery Park



Building deconstruction Building deconstruction businessesbusinesses




Materials Recovery Facility Materials Recovery Facility for both domestic waste and for both domestic waste and

commercial and noncommercial and non-- hazardous industrial wastehazardous industrial waste






Construction & Construction & Demolition Waste Demolition Waste

RecyclingRecycling







Construction & Construction & Demolition Waste Demolition Waste

RecyclingRecycling

Businesses using Businesses using recovered secondary recovered secondary materials to make materials to make

new productsnew products

CompostingCompostingFacilityFacility

MaterialsMaterialsRecoveryRecovery

FacilityFacility

1 2 3

ResidualFractionResidualResidualFractionFraction

ResourceResourceRecoveryRecovery

ParkPark

We have to minimize the We have to minimize the residual fraction withresidual fraction with……

1) Waste reduction initiatives1) Waste reduction initiatives2) Economic incentives2) Economic incentives

A Sustainable Waste Strategy - Incineration · A Sustainable Waste Strategy Paul Connett, PhD...

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