What to do with waste - Essay Example

What to Do with Waste To imagine, the amount of wastes being generated in hundreds of million to billion tonnes per year on a global scale should be alarming to the point we could not at all afford to neglect the issue and show meager efforts toward resolution of the encompassing matter. Actually, no exact statistical figures convey the immense number that must be dealt with since there are unreported cases of waste generation in several countries yet we can only be certain of the fact that waste quantities increase as they vary in direct proportion with human activities, material and energy consumption, as well as the widely experienced technological growth through time. The world has long struggled at managing waste disposals and treating wastes due chiefly to insufficient funds and appropriate fields of study that lack resources in terms of skilled researchers or interested experts who may be visualized together as solid passionate teams in creating ideas and innovating systems that efficiently address waste problems. Given this ever-worsening scenario, thus, we are brought to ask in serious enthusiastic tone “What do we and can we really do about our wastes on this planet in order to save mother nature, human health, and probably settle other critical concerns thereafter?” At one aspect, we can think of the fossil fuel crisis that affects almost everyone in the world and consider the equivalence fossil fuels make with contemporary wastes. By common knowledge, we are aware that fossil fuels are derived from organic remains of prehistoric plants and animals that undergo natural process of anaerobic decomposition. It normally takes 700 million years for decaying plant and animal matters to be fossilized upon exposure to extreme levels of heat and pressure. So how exactly would wastes, in relative measure, account for the risks of fossil fuel depletion? The point of advantage lies at discovering wastes as possible substitute for fossil fuels based on similar useful components such as coal, natural gas, oil, or petroleum which may be recovered from a bulk of wastes’ organic composition. A successful content analysis must illustrate, by comparative studies, how wastes could feasibly become a good alternative for such non-renewable source of energy as their commonalities basically indicate that wastes are rich in carbon, hydrogen, and other elements capable of evolving heat energy upon combustive mechanisms. Once we have wholly figured such feasibility of producing energy with wastes through large volumetric yields of hydrocarbons, the next approach would be to come up with practical tools and methods relevant for the task. Hence, realizing the full potential of wastes in the context of possibly replacing fossil fuels should in part respond to the main query. Moreover, in the attempt to carry out energy conversions via exothermic reactions with wastes in solid and gaseous states, it would be necessary to establish medium to large-scale fuel plants just as what Dr. Martin Linck proposed to do in aiming for a 300,000-gallon per day production of fuel. An article written by Earth Times online columnist Dave Armstrong entitled “What to do with waste? Make our own fossil fuels!” notes Dr. Linck’s attendance and discourse during the 244th meeting of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia where a scientific breakthrough known as the Integrated Hydropyrolysis and Hydroconversion Process (IH2) was introduced. According to Armstrong, “IH2 was developed by Dr. Linck’s Gas Technology Institute (GTI) in Des Plaines – Hydrogen from the waste and many cheaper catalysts move the processes by which the ‘feedstock’ raw materials are converted into the oily products.” Apparently, in this setting, wastes enter a type of modern technology which would manufacture gaseous hydrogen and oils as ready-to-use fuels. At this stage, we may further extend thought to the probability of adopting designs for fuel production at optimum level and we may to some degree be glad on pondering that while the required equipment and installation costs high, there is absolutely no need to spend for purchasing wastes which serve as the fundamental raw materials available everywhere. With the concept promoted by Dr. Linck, it is quite astonishing to find out that IH2 possesses two key features, namely – (1) that fuel recovery finalizes the operation which means no refining steps follow for the end-product is obtained in the absence of non-crude properties; and (2) that the ‘feedstock’ to be processed could be as Armstrong cited “any wood, cornstalks, algae from rivers, other plant material, and solid municipal waste.” Generally, this is a condition that enables us to hope and seek better options in aiding waste treatment which conventionally occurs to be expensive and inefficient when applied to complex waste setup at times. Seemingly, waste utilization in this manner is something that can be done on waste to compensate for deficiency in calorific resources. Though it is achievable to acquire vast quantities of energy from wastes for use in everyday living as in running automobile engines or home appliance, essential thoughts are left in reference to proper waste management. Just because useful energies are extracted from a biomass of wastes does not mean that the latter are totally eradicated, but merely reduced. When we conduct material balance for the entire plant operation, the law of conservation of mass should govern so that the output still consists of residues and by-products that may not be fed back at any stage in the process. If there is no way we can find value with these remainders then they are as good as wastes to be dumped by all means, nevertheless, not at the expense of the environment and man’s health. We know that the major ground for treating waste is to prevent it from causing pollution that alters the quality of air, water, and the rest of the ecosystem to unfavorable extent. Question is – how else do we go about waste disposal and treatment besides the old impractical techniques we have worked with heretofore? Building of sanitary landfills has traditionally and extensively been implemented especially by the First World countries. While these functional sites bear the capacity of breaking wastes down physically, chemically, and biologically, its high mode of maintenance is too costly that majority of other countries with mediocre to average economy find it rather difficult to put up landfill schemes to manage their wastes. If feasible, however, diplomatic relations among certain countries may induce accumulation of monetary reserves via direct solicitation, campaigns or concerts for cause, or voluntary donations from which to fund a global project that would centralize and sustain engineering facilities for effective treatment of wastes originating from various places. A few large treatment facilities may be strategically designated within isolated continental spots that are a core to surrounding local regions where tunnelling pipes can be mounted for direct streaming of sewages from the primary source to the facility. In this fashion, the habit of long waste shipment may be minimized since the engineered system must be designed with huge pipe diameters and volumes that can accommodate ample amounts of solid wastes made to enter the tunnels less frequently. Whether the international or intercontinental landfill centers operate at fixed or variable pressure and temperature, engineers must ensure safe construction of sites where only rare occasions or tendencies of ‘leaching’ can be expected. Materials used on constructing site structures must be guaranteed free of defects and are within depths that make no perceivable contact with the ‘water table’. Each central facility would be self-sufficient on treating wastes, in which case, it may include energy conversion utility to draw electrical power out of waste heat and this would be one less financial strain to be bothered with. Furthermore, UN officials along with other non-profit organization may combine forces to help create a more organized approach of collecting and segregating tons of garbage by locating labourers. People from nations experiencing severe poverty may be willing to participate in waste segregation programs prior to the actual treatment process. Hiring these people would somehow provide relief to unresolved issue of unemployment when the poor agree to perform menial jobs to be paid in return. With the consent of the UN community and concerned human rights institution altogether, employers may be rightfully demanded of economic security and health protection from the hazards of toxicity for the workers. Eventually, these hired individuals ought to determine which portion of the gathered wastes can be recycled or reused in human activities without posing threat either to ecological framework or human wellness – and this completes the action that answers the paper’s interrogative theme. References EESC V2200 - Fossil Fuels as Energy Sources. 2012. EESC V2200 - Fossil Fuels as Energy Sources. [ONLINE] Available at:. [Accessed 7 November 2012]. What to do with waste? Make our own fossil fuels! | Energy | The Earth Times. 2012. What to do with waste? Make our own fossil fuels! | Energy | The Earth Times. [ONLINE] Available at: . [Accessed 8 November 2012]. Waste Generated. 2012. [ONLINE] Available at: . [Accessed 8 November 2012]. What is a Sanitary Landfill?. 2012. What is a Sanitary Landfill?. [ONLINE] Available at:. [Accessed 9 November 2012]. Read More