Current development results in a linear flow from raw material to waste, which cannot be sustainable in the long term. Plus, a global population of 7 billion people means that there are 7 billion waste producers in the world. At present, dumping and landfilling are the primary practices for getting rid of municipal solid waste (MSW). However, this waste contains resources that we've yet to utilize. To create sustainable societies, we need to approach zero waste by recovering these resources. There are cities and countries where zero waste is close to becoming a reality. Landfilling of organic waste is forbidden in Europe, and countries such as Sweden, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland have developed a variety of technologies to recover resources from MSW. Resource Recovery to Approach Zero Municipal Waste explores the solid waste management laws and regulations of different countries, comparing the latest resource recovery technologies and offering future perspectives. The book tackles the many technical, social, ecological, economical, and managerial aspects of this complex subject while promoting the development of sustainable societies to achieve a greener global environment.

Dieses Handbuch besteht aus insgesamt 7 Einzelbanden. Von der Bundesanstalt fur Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe berufene Wissenschaftler stellen aufgrund verschiedenster Methodenkombinationen, unter Berucksichtigung der wissenschaftlichen Grundlagen und Informationen, das Werk zusammen. Dieser Band befasst sich mit den geochemischen und chemisch-anlytischen Methoden, die bei der Erkundung des geologischen Untergrundes von Deponien und Altlasten zum Einsatz kommen koennen. Erlautert werden auch die Messprinzipien, die Anlage und Durchfuhrung der Feldarbeiten, die Bearbeitung und Interpretation der Messdaten, die Qualitatssicherung sowie der personelle, technische und zeitliche Aufwand. Beispiele veranschaulichen die Anwendungsmoeglichkeiten der Methoden und die Darstellung der Ergebnisse.

Legislation, Technology and Practice of Mine Land Reclamation contains the proceedings of the Beijing International Symposium on Land Reclamation and Ecological Restoration (LRER 2014, Beijing, China, 16-19 October 2014). The contributions cover a wide range of topics: - Monitoring, prediction and assessment of environmental damage in mining areas - Subsidence land reclamation and ecological restoration - Soil, vegetation and biological diversity - Mining methods and measures for minimization of land and environmental damage - Solid wastes and AMD treatment - Contaminated land remediation - Land reclamation and ecological restoration policies and management - Surface mined land reclamation and ecological restoration - Case study on mining reclamation and ecological restoration Legislation, Technology and Practice of Mine Land Reclamation will be of interest to engineers, scientists, consultants, government officials and students involved in environmental engineering, soil science, ecology, forestry, mining, and land reclamation and ecological restoration in mining areas.

Metallurgical slags are generated as a by-product of smelting during ironmaking, steelmaking, and the production of ferroalloys and non-ferrous metals. The formation conditions result in complex chemical and mineralogical characteristics unique to slags alone. Historically slags have been discarded as a waste product and, through release of potentially toxic trace elements, represent a hazard to the environment and human health. However, increasingly we are realizing the resource potential of what was previously thought of as waste, thus reducing the environmental impact and taking a step closer to a circular economy. This book is a definitive reference on the environmental geochemistry and resource potential of metallurgical slags by summarizing processes for the generation of slags, describing their chemical and mineralogical characteristics, outlining the fundamental geochemistry that propels slag weathering, and illustrating the utilization of slags. Particular attention is given to the value of slags in modern society as they are widely used as construction materials in civil engineering, and as an irreplaceable filter in sequestering excess nutrients, pathogens, metal and/or organic contaminants, and even greenhouse gases. The latest developments on recovering residual valuable metals in slags, including new techniques for extracting by-product elements needed for green and frontier technologies, are revealed. This book is essential reading for environmental geochemists, geologists, metallurgists, mining and civil engineers, waste and resource managers, and all those interested and inspired by a circular economy and minimizing our environmental footprint on planet Earth.

As prosperity levels rise, so too does the level of products and services manufactured. For decision makers facing a growing waste burden, it is imperative that more sustainable waste management programmes are based on an understanding of the complex relationship between waste prevention policies and individual behavior regarding waste generation. This book examines the interplay; taking a close look at the role of motivation, difficulties, values and constraints. The first part of the book explores the theoretical framework, policy, barriers and facilitators for waste prevention behaviour. The second part presents in-depth case studies from three cities (in Brazil, the UK and Japan) examining the contextual factors, behavioural variations among them and the role of motivation and constraints in their populations. The book provides a detailed picture of how waste prevention policies enter the private, domestic sphere, offering insights for generating behavioural change at the household level and thus moving larger communities towards sustainable waste management.The book should be of interest to students and researchers in the areas of environmental policy, management, sociology, psychology, geography, technology and waste studies.

Edited by Reinhard Kirsch, this book demonstrates the use of geophysics for the detection and delineation of groundwater resources. As well as being an excellent reference, it could also be used as a textbook. An addition to the bookshelf of any geophysicist.

Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering is concerned with the application of the principles of mechanics to physical, chemical and electro-magnetic processes in the upper-most layers of the earth and the design and construction of the rock structures associated with civil engineering and exploitation or extraction of natural resources in mining and petroleum engineering. Rock mechanics requires profound knowledge of rock-constituting elements, discontinuities and their behavior under various physical and chemical actions in nature. The governing equations together with constitutive laws and experimental techniques and the solution techniques are explained and some examples of applications are given. The applications of rock mechanics to engineering structures in/on rock, rock excavation techniques and in-situ monitoring techniques are explained and some specific examples are given. The dynamic aspects associated with the science of earthquakes and their effect on rock structures, and the characteristics of vibrations induced by machinery, blasting and impacts as well as measuring techniques are described. Furthermore, the degradation and maintenance processes in rock engineering are explained. Some chapters are devoted to possible new directions in rock mechanics. This two-volume set is intended to be a fundamental resource for younger generations and newcomers and a reference work for experts specialized in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering and associated with the fields of mining, civil and petroleum engineering, engineering geology, and/or specialized in Geophysics and concerned with earthquake science and engineering.

Geotextile encapsulated sand elements are three-dimensional systems manufactured from textile materials, non-woven materials or combinations of textile and non-woven materials that are filled with sand on-site. These systems are relatively new and the number of applications is growing in river and coastal engineering. Quite often Geosystems are mentioned as a possible solution, but planners, designers and contractors feel rather hesitant about the application of geotextile encapsulated sand elements due to a lack of experience and adequate design rules. The use of geosystems has the advantage that local material can be applied and that no (expensive) quarry stone needs to be extracted and transported from the mountains to the site. Compared to traditional construction methods (with quarry stone) the application of geotextile sand filled elements may add considerable operational advantages to the execution of marine works and may offer attractive financial opportunities. In the application of geotextile encapsulated sand elements however, proper attention should be paid to the laying down of different responsibilities of the parties in the contract. In Geosystems. Design Rules and Applications four types of geotextile sand elements are distinguished, each with specific properties: geo-bags, geo-mattresses, geotextile tubes and geotextile containers. The focus is on the use of geosystems filled with sand as a construction in river and coastal engineering. Geosystems filled with sludge are not covered. The chapters "Introduction" and "General design aspects" are followed by four chapters of the same structure dealing with the various systems. Each of these four chapters starts with a general description and applications and ends with a calculation example. Design aspects are dealt with in the remaining paragraphs. Geosystems. Design Rules and Applications is based on research commissioned by the Dutch Rijkswa

Conflicts over waste disposal facility siting is a pressing issue not only in developed countries but also in fast-growing countries that face drastic waste increase and rapid urbanisation. How to address distributive justice has been one of the biggest concerns. This book examines what determines the influence of distributive justice in siting policy. In the 23 wards of Tokyo, one idea of distributive justice, known as "In-Ward Waste Disposal" (IWWD), emerged amid the ongoing garbage crisis in the early 1970s. IWWD was adopted as a significant principle, but its influence waxed and waned over time, until the idea was finally abandoned in 2003. To unravel causes and mechanisms behind the changing influence of IWWD, this book adopts a framework that considers not only ideational causes, but also the power struggles between rationally calculating actors, as well as the influence of external events and environments. By combining an in-depth case study with an integrative theoretical framework, this book tells a thought-provoking story of the changing influence of IWWD in a deep, comprehensive and consistent way. This book provides significant insights and lessons for both academics and practitioners.

This book compiles research findings directly related to sustainable and economic waste management and resource recovery. Mining wastes and municipal, urban, domestic, industrial and agricultural wastes and effluents-which contain persistent organic contaminants, nanoparticle organic chemicals, nutrients, energy, organic materials, heavy metal, rare earth elements, iron, steel, bauxite, coal and other valuable materials-are significantly responsible for environmental contamination. These low-tenor raw materials, if recycled, can significantly address the demand-supply chain mismatch and process sustainability as a whole while simultaneously decreasing their impacts on human life and biodiversity. This book summarises the large volume of current research in the realm of waste management and resource recovery, which has led to innovation and commercialisation of sustainable and economic waste management for improved environmental safety and improved economics. Key Features: Reviews the key research findings related to sustainable and economic resource recovery and waste management techniques Discusses minimizing waste materials and environmental contaminants with a focus on recovering valuable resources from wastes Examines the potential uses of mining waste in the re-extraction of metals, provision of fuel for power plants, and as a supply of other valuable materials for utilisation/processing Presents research on recycling of municipal, urban, domestic, industrial and agricultural wastes and wastewater in the production and recovery of energy, biogas, fertilizers, organic materials and nutrients Outlines topical research interests resulting in patents and inventions for sustainable and economic waste management techniques and environmental safety

This book provides extensive information on the chemicals that inhabit our environment, our food, our water and our air and the impact that they may be having on human health. The author is a medical scientist, with training in the law. The book documents current understanding about pesticides in food, the plastics revolution, toxic metals, air, water and electronic waste pollutants, chemical exposure in the workplace, radiation pollutants, chemical exposure and hearing loss, how our bodies deal with chemicals, genetic variability and the risk of disease, the effect of chemicals on genes, mitochondria and the immune system and what we can do about it all. Industrialisation has resulted in many thousands of chemicals, which are being continuously developed and often escaping from where they are used into our human environment, without us really knowing enough about them. In high dosages or with continuous small dosage, the evidence suggests, that many of them could interfere with human health and some of them are known to be doing so. But for the vast majority, we are left wondering whether some could be responsible for some diseases the causes of which are inadequately understood. Every chapter is thoroughly reinforced with several pages of references from the peer-reviewed literature.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. This compendium volume contains the most current technical and economic analyses of emerging waste disposal strategies. The editor, a well-respected researcher in this field, has selected articles that will be valuable to readers who range from engineers and academics to decision-makers in both the public and private sectors. Several international case studies give practical applications and examples of the various technologies and approaches. A final section discusses policy planning for the future.

Industrial wastewater contains many pollutants. This book focuses on heavy metals found in textile effluents because of their known toxicity effect in the environment. Wastewater from a textile industry (UTEXRWA) in Rwanda has been screened for the occurrence of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn. Batch and pilot experiments on adsorption equilibrium, kinetics, and sulfide precipitation using volcanic rock as adsorbent and packing material have been investigated. A low cost and integrated system for treatment has been developed, combining an anaerobic bioreactor as the main treatment step, followed by a polishing step composed by a polishing pond containing algae, duckweed, and water hyacinth. More than 90% of metal removal was achieved in the bioreactor, with metal sulfide precipitation as long-term removal mechanism. The use of algae and duckweed as alternatives for water hyacinth plants showed no differences between algae and duckweed ponds based on abiotic differences. Overall, both systems' performance was close and these systems are well suited as a polishing step for wastewater containing low metal concentrations. The integrated system for heavy metal removal showed how two complementary systems for heavy metal removal can work in combination and good removal performance can therefore be achieved.

Die TU Darmstadt setzte in Kooperation mit namhaften Industrieunternehmen EcoDesign nachhaltig in deren Unternehmenspraxis um. Der Forschungsbereich wurde von der DFG gef rdert und erzielte praxisnahe und nachvollziehbare Ergebnisse: zuk nftige rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen, Implementierung, Entwicklung umweltgerechter Energiespeicher, Arbeitsmittel f r Investitionsg ter u.v.m. Plus: konkrete Fallbeispiele, Umsetzungsleitfaden f r Anwender.

Global trade in electronic waste (e-waste) has led to various waste management challenges and many regions of the Global South have suffered the toxic consequences. In Burning Matters, Peter C. Little explores the complex cultural, economic, and environmental health politics of e-waste work in Ghana. He brings to light the lived experiences of Ghana's e-waste workers, as they navigate the health, social, and economic challenges of highly toxic e-waste labor. In particular, Little engages the experiences of e-waste workers who burn bundles of electrical cables to extract copper, a practice that contaminates bodies and the urban environment and which has attracted international organizations seeking to mitigate risk and find quick tech solutions to this highly toxic e-waste work. A nuanced perspective on e-waste burning and environmental politics in Africa at a time when global e-waste generation and trade is at an all-time high, Burning Matters contends that e-waste interventions devoid of ethnographic perspective and knowledge risk downplaying the vibrant complexities of e-waste itself and the matters of social life and labor that matter most to Ghana's e-waste workers.

Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW), from the construction, maintenance, renovation and demolition of buildings and structures, represents a large proportion of the waste in industrialized societies. Compared to other forms, such as household waste, more than 90% of CDW can be used as a resource and a substitute for construction materials, especially for primary, natural raw materials. Reuse, recovery and recycling depends on the quality and market for the materials, and the environmental impact of the processes for conversion of CDW from old structures to its use in new structures. However, the utilization today of CDW products as secondary resources is marginal. Most CDW is deposited or used as fill material, and the opportunities of high quality recycling are generally neglected. This book presents the opportunities for the sustainable and resource efficient utilisation of CDW, focusing on recycling of concrete and masonry as the major forms of CDW. The recycling of gypsum, timber, mineral wool, asphalt and other types are also described. Its aim is to present a chain of value and material streams in the transformation of obsolete buildings and structures into new buildings and structures. It takes a holistic view, focusing on the lifecycle economy (the circular economy) and integrated management aspects of various scenarios ranging from high industrial urban renewal to debris removal and management after disasters and conflicts. It is based on the authors 35 years of research and development combined with practical international experience within the demolition and recycling area. It addresses students, architects, civil engineers, building owners, public authorities and others working in urban planning, demolition and resource management in the building and construction sector and in the reconstruction of damaged buildings after disasters and wars.

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) generation is a global problem. Despite the growing awareness and deterring legislation, most of the WEEE is disposed improperly, i.e. landfilled or otherwise shipped overseas, and treated in sub-standard conditions. Informal recycling of WEEE has catastrophic effects on humans and the environment. WEEE contains considerable quantities of valuable metals such as base metals, precious metals and rare earth elements (REE). Metal recovery from WEEE is conventionally carried out by pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods. In this PhD research, novel metal recovery technologies from WEEE are investigated. Using acidophilic and cyanide-generating bacteria, copper and gold were removed from crushed electronic waste with removal efficiencies of 98.4 and 44.0%, respectively. The leached metals in solution were recovered using sulfidic precipitation and electrowinning separation techniques. Finally, a techno-economic assessment of the technology was studied. This research addresses the knowledge gap on two metal extraction approaches, namely chemical and biological, from a secondary source of metals. The essential parameters of the selective metal recovery processes, scale-up potential, techno-economic and sustainability assessment have been studied.

This open access book provides a cross-sectoral, multi-scale assessment of marine litter in Africa with a focus on plastics. From distribution, to impacts on environmental and human health, this book looks at what is known scientifically. It includes a policy analysis of the instruments that currently exist, and what is needed to help Africa tackle marine litter-including local and transboundary sources. Across 5 chapters, experts from Africa and beyond have put together a summary of the scientific knowledge currently known about marine litter in Africa. The context of the African continent and future projections form a backdrop on which the scientific knowledge is built. This scientific knowledge incorporates quantities, distributions, and pathways of litter into the marine environment, highlighting where the impacts of marine litter are most felt in Africa. These impacts have widespread effects, with ecological, social, economic, and human health repercussions. While containing detailed scientific information, this book provides a sound knowledge base for policymakers, NGOs and the broader public.

Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering IX contains 204 technical and scientific papers presented at the 9th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering (NUMGE2018, Porto, Portugal, 25-27 June 2018). The papers cover a wide range of topics in the field of computational geotechnics, providing an overview of recent developments on scientific achievements, innovations and engineering applications related to or employing numerical methods. They deal with subjects from emerging research to engineering practice, and are grouped under the following themes: Constitutive modelling and numerical implementation Finite element, discrete element and other numerical methods. Coupling of diverse methods Reliability and probability analysis Large deformation - large strain analysis Artificial intelligence and neural networks Ground flow, thermal and coupled analysis Earthquake engineering, soil dynamics and soil-structure interactions Rock mechanics Application of numerical methods in the context of the Eurocodes Shallow and deep foundations Slopes and cuts Supported excavations and retaining walls Embankments and dams Tunnels and caverns (and pipelines) Ground improvement and reinforcement Offshore geotechnical engineering Propagation of vibrations Following the objectives of previous eight thematic conferences, (1986 Stuttgart, Germany; 1990 Santander, Spain; 1994 Manchester, United Kingdom; 1998 Udine, Italy; 2002 Paris, France; 2006 Graz, Austria; 2010 Trondheim, Norway; 2014 Delft, The Netherlands), Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering IX updates the state-of-the-art regarding the application of numerical methods in geotechnics, both in a scientific perspective and in what concerns its application for solving practical boundary value problems. The book will be much of interest to engineers, academics and professionals involved or interested in Geotechnical Engineering. This is volume 2 of the NUMGE 2018 set.

This book addresses waste generation problems from various sectors, including industries, agriculture, and household. It focuses on how modern biotechnological approaches could help manage waste in an eco-friendly manner and generate precious bioenergy. It discusses the inadequate waste management systems damaging the environment and its adverse impacts on climate change-related problems. This book covers all the essential information regarding various types of waste and their management. It is a comprehensive compilation for understanding the efficient generation of bioenergy. It is a relevant reading material (resource) for anyone who wishes to study waste management as Chemist, Biologist, Biotechnologist, Industrialist, Ecologist, Microbiologist, Economist, and all disciplines related to the environment.

Every practicing environmental engineer should already have a firm grasp on the basics of hazardous waste site remediation-the key to confronting a site problem, and devising an effective solution.
Since their original introduction to remediation, technology has kept moving ahead with new ideas and procedures. Fundamentals of Hazardous Waste Site Remediation gives environmental professionals immediate access to the basics of the trade, along with information about recent advancements.
This comprehensive overview examines the basics of such areas as hazardous materials chemistry, hydrogeology, reaction engineering, and clean-up level development. A chapter on Cost Estimating will be of particular interest to specialists, in light of recent concerns about the increased costs of remediation. After reading each chapter, test your new knowledge with the review problems.
As a refresher guide for career environmental engineers, or a helpful tool to newcomers in the field, Fundamentals of Hazardous Waste Site Remediation is a valuable resource for longtime professionals and newcomers alike.

Interest in green and sustainable design is growing throughout the world. Both national and local governments are active in promoting reuse and recycling in order to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. This guide identifies how building designers and constructors can minimize the generation of waste at the design stage of a building project by using reclaimed components and materials. Authoritative, accessible and much-needed, this book highlights the opportunities for using reclaimed components and materials and recycled-content building products for each element of a building, from structure and foundations to building services and external works. Current experience is illustrated with international case studies and practical advice. It discusses different approaches to designing with recycling in mind, and identifies the key issues to address when specifying reclaimed components and recycled materials in construction work. This book will be invaluable for building professionals including architects, specifiers, structural and service engineers, quantity surveyors, contractors and facilities managers as well as students of architecture and civil engineering. Published with NEF

This book introduces advanced or emerging technologies for conversion of wastes into a variety of high-value chemicals and materials. Energy and resources can be recovered from various residential, industrial and commercial wastes, such as municipal wastewater and sludge, e-waste, waste plastics and resins, crop residues, forestry residues and lignin. Advanced waste-to-resource and energy technologies like pyrolysis, hydrothermal liquefaction, fractionation, de-polymerization, gasification and carbonization are also introduced. The book serves as an essential guide to dealing with various types of wastes and the methods of disposal, recovery, recycling and re-use. As such it is a valuable resource for a wide readership, including graduate students, academic researchers, industrial researchers and practitioners in chemical engineering, waste management, waste to energy and resources conversion and biorefinery.

Converting sludge into construction materials is deemed to be a sustainable approach to alleviating sludge disposal problems and conserving natural resources.This compendium presents the state-of-the-art development in recycling sludge into construction materials. A research-based development of engineering products made from sludge for common construction applications such as bricks, aggregates and cement-replacement materials is outlined. In-depth discussions on the properties of the products and their processing technology, the technical suitability for construction applications, and experimental study and assessment of toxic or hazardous chemicals leached from the products are prominently highlighted. Challenges and prospect of sludge recycling are also included.Contributed by eminent authors who are recognized authority in the field of sludge treatment and reuse, the unique monograph is a useful reference guide for professionals, researchers, academics and graduate students majoring in waste management, environmental engineering, civil engineering and materials engineering.