12.4 Integrated Solid Water Management When all of the functional elements have been evaluated for use. and all of the interfaces and connections between elements have been matched for effectiveness and economy, the community has developed an integrated waste management sy stem, In this context integrated solid waste management (ISWM)can be defined as the selection and application of suitable techniques, technologies, and management programs to achieve specific waste management objectives and goals Hierarchy of Integrated Solid Waste Management A hierarchy(arrangement in order of rank) in waste management can be used to rank actions to implement programs within the community. The IS WM hierarchy adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)is composed of the following elements: source reduction, recycling, waste combustion, and landfilling. The ISWM hierarchy used in this book is source reduction, recycling waste transformation, and landfilling. The term waste transfomation is substituted for the U.S. EPa term combustion, which is too limiting. In the broadest interpretation of the IS wM hierarchy, IS WM programs and systems should be developed in which the elements of the hierarchy are interrelated are selected to complement each other. For example, the separate collection of yard wastes can be to effect positively the operation of a waste-to-energy combustion facility Souree reduction The highest rank of the ISWM hierarchy, source reduction, involves reducing the amount and/or toxicity of the wastes that are now generated. Source reduction is first in the hierarchy because it is the most effective way to reduce the quantity of waste, the cost associated with its handling, and its environmental impacts. Waste reduction may occur through the design, manufacture, and packaging of products with minimum toxic content, minimum volume of material, or a longer useful life Waste reduction may also occur at the household, commercial, or industrial facility through selective buying patterns and the reuse of products and materials Recycli The second highest rank in the hierarchy is recycling, which involves(1)the separation and collection of waste materials; (2) the preparation of these materials for reuse, reprocessing, and remanufacture and (3)the reuse, reprocessing, and remanufacture of these materials. Recycling is an important factor in helping to reduce the demand on resources and the amount of waste requiring disposal by Waste Transformation The third rank in the IswM hierarchy, waste transformation, involves the physical, chemical, or biological alteration of wastes. Typically, the physical, chemical, and biological transformations that can be applied to MSW are used (1)to improve the efficiency of solid waste management operations and systems, (2)to recover reusable and recyclable materials, and (3)to recover conversion products (e. g, compost)and energy in the form of heat and combustible biogas. The transformation of waste materials usually results in the reduced use of landfill capacity. The reduction in waste volume through combustion is a well-known example. Landfilling. Ultimately, something must be done with(1) the solid wastes that cannot be recycled and are of no further use;(2)the residual matter remaining after solid wastes have been separated at a materials recovery facility; and(3)the residual matter remaining after the recovery of conversion products or energy. There are only two alternatives available for the long-term handling of solid wastes and residual matter: disposal on or in the earth's mantle, and disposal at the bottom of the ocean Landfilling, the fourth rank of the ISWM hierarchy, involves the controlled disposal of wastes on or in he earth's mantle, and it is by far the most common method of ultimate disposal for waste residuals Landfilling is the lowest rank in the IS wM hierarchy because it represents the least desirable means of dealing with society's wastes Planning for Integrated Waste Management Developing and implementing an ISWM plan is essentially a local activity that involves the selection of the proper mix of alternatives and technologies to meet changing local waste management needs while meeting legislative mandates. The proper mix of technologies, flexibility in meeting future changes, and the need for monitoring and evaluation are considered briefly in the following discussion and are considered in more detail throughout this text12-5 12.4 Integrated Solid Water Management When all of the functional elements have been evaluated for use, and all of the interfaces and connections between elements have been matched for effectiveness and economy, the community has developed an integrated waste management system, In this context integrated solid waste management (ISWM) can be defined as the selection and application of suitable techniques, technologies, and management programs to achieve specific waste management objectives and goals. Hierarchy of Integrated Solid Waste Management A hierarchy (arrangement in order of rank) in waste management can be used to rank actions to implement programs within the community. The ISWM hierarchy adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is composed of the following elements: source reduction, recycling, waste combustion, and landfilling . The ISWM hierarchy used in this book is source reduction, recycling, waste transformation, and landfilling. The term waste transformation is substituted for the U.S. EPA's term combustion, which is too limiting. In the broadest interpretation of the ISWM hierarchy, ISWM programs and systems should be developed in which the elements of the hierarchy are interrelated and are selected to complement each other. For example, the separate collection of yard wastes can be used to effect positively the operation of a waste-to-energy combustion facility. Source Reduction. The highest rank of the ISWM hierarchy, source reduction, involves reducing the amount and/or toxicity of the wastes that are now generated. Source reduction is first in the hierarchy because it is the most effective way to reduce the quantity of waste, the cost associated with its handling, and its environmental impacts. Waste reduction may occur through the design, manufacture, and packaging of products with minimum toxic content, minimum volume of material, or a longer useful life. Waste reduction may also occur at the household, commercial, or industrial facility through selective buying patterns and the reuse of products and materials. Recycling. The second highest rank in the hierarchy is recycling, which involves (1) the separation and collection of waste materials; (2) the preparation of these materials for reuse, reprocessing, and remanufacture; and (3) the reuse, reprocessing, and remanufacture of these materials. Recycling is an important factor in helping to reduce the demand on resources and the amount of waste requiring disposal by landfilling. Waste Transformation. The third rank in the ISWM hierarchy, waste transformation, involves the physical, chemical, or biological alteration of wastes. Typically, the physical, chemical, and biological transformations that can be applied to MSW are used (1) to improve the efficiency of solid waste management operations and systems, (2) to recover reusable and recyclable materials, and (3) to recover conversion products (e.g., compost) and energy in the form of heat and combustible biogas. The transformation of waste materials usually results in the reduced use of landfill capacity. The reduction in waste volume through combustion is a well-known example. Landfilling. Ultimately, something must be done with (1) the solid wastes that cannot be recycled and are of no further use; (2) the residual matter remaining after solid wastes have been separated at a materials recovery facility; and (3) the residual matter remaining after the recovery of conversion products or energy. There are only two alternatives available for the long-term handling of solid wastes and residual matter: disposal on or in the earth's mantle, and disposal at the bottom of the ocean. Landfilling, the fourth rank of the ISWM hierarchy, involves the controlled disposal of wastes on or in the earth's mantle, and it is by far the most common method of ultimate disposal for waste residuals. Landfilling is the lowest rank in the ISWM hierarchy because it represents the least desirable means of dealing with society's wastes. Planning for Integrated Waste Management Developing and implementing an ISWM plan is essentially a local activity that involves the selection of the proper mix of alternatives and technologies to meet changing local waste management needs while meeting legislative mandates. The proper mix of technologies, flexibility in meeting future changes, and the need for monitoring and evaluation are considered briefly in the following discussion and are considered in more detail throughout this text