Shows why plastics, in aggregate, have become a toxin to humans, wildlife, and the planet, and proposes novel solutions that involve neither traditional recycling nor giving up plastic. "Plastics!" In the 50 years since Dustin Hoffman's character in The Graduate was instructed that this was the career field of the future, we have not been able to escape this ubiquitous but poorly understood material. Author Jack Buffington argues that the plastics crisis is careening toward a tipping point from which there will be no return. There is still time, however, to do something about this crisis if we have the imagination and the will to move away from the failed policies of the past. This book is the first to propose a new model for linking our synthetic world to the natural one, rather than seeking to treat them as separate entities. The key is supply chain innovation. Buffington presents five market-based solutions based on this principle that will allow consumers to continue to use plastic, which has in many ways enabled our way of life. Alongside these proposed solutions, he also addresses the proliferation of plastic as we know it-growth that, if left unchecked, will lead to a "planetary crisis," according to the United Nations-and considers how the material itself might be adapted for a sustainable future. Provides a realistic solution for our use of plastic: not to eliminate it, but to innovate it Views plastic not only as a known environmental and health hazard but as a material critical to our future and therefore worth revising for future use Explains what we must do-and by when-in order to be able to keep using plastic without harming the planet or our health Shows the links between the environmental, toxicological, and socioeconomic challenges in our use of plastic, and how these dangers can be remedied by supply chain innovation Introduces two significant disruptive innovations that if implemented, will save us from the growing problem posed by synthetics

WINNER: 2020 International Solid Waste Association Publication Award Among other factors, rapid global population growth, our development model and patterns of production and consumption have increased waste generation worldwide to unsustainable rates. This rise has led to crises in many countries where waste management practices are no longer sound. Global Waste Management outlines the emerging global waste crisis considering the perspectives of developed and developing countries around the world and the international relationships between them. This book provides an ecological viewpoint as well as studying these problems from a legal and justice standpoint. Global Waste Management contextualises the problems faced when dealing with waste including the causes and origins. Focus is given to cross border waste transfer, as an ongoing and controversial practice, making waste management a global matter. This book scrutinizes existing international, European and Brazilian regulation on waste to highlight the complexity of the subject and the weaknesses of the law. Using a critical and socio-ecological approach, the book proposes an original model of governance to support a new system of global waste management that takes into account ecological sustainability and social justice to overcome the waste crisis. To create these models, a theoretical framework on socio-ecological justice is developed and combined with different discourses and theories described throughout the book. This is the essential guide to understanding the global waste crisis and the future of waste management.

Landfilling has been and still remains an important means of municipal solid waste management but it poses a threat to the purity of the environment, especially air. In the coming years, a radical decline in the share of landfilling in waste disposal practices should not be expected. However, this is not to say that people are powerless in the face of the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere, the spread of bioaerosols and odors. There are many ways of preventing the negative impact of landfills or protecting the environment against such an impact.

Some of these preventive and protective measures are described in Mitigation of Landfill Gas Emissions. Special attention is given to the application of anaerobic, aerobic and semi-aerobic bioreactor landfills for control of landfill gas emission. Different types of biotic systems for the oxidation of methane and trace gases, such as biocovers, biofilters, and biowindows, are also presented.

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.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. This new book provides a multiperspective look at research into many elements of remediating environmental hazards connected to sewage and landfill leachate. Sewage and landfill leachate treatments include various processes that are used to manage and dispose of the liquid portions of solid waste. Untreated leachate and sewage are hazards to the environment if they enter the water system. The goal of treatment is to reduce the contaminating load to the point that leachate and sewage liquids may be safely released into groundwater, streams, lakes, and the ocean. Around the world, however, huge volumes of contaminated water from sewage and landfill leachate is still pumped directly into water systems, especially in the world's developing nations. Aside from the damage to marine environments and fisheries that this causes, it also jeopardizes the world's vulnerable water resources. This compendium volume explores effective sewage management, which is essential for nutrient recycling and for maintaining ecosystem integrity. It looks at a range of technologies that are available for the treatment of sewage and landfill leachate. The editor, himself a respected and experienced researcher in this field, includes chapters that cover biological treatments, reverse osmosis, and chemical-physical processes. This volume offers important research that will help us both assess our existing treatment facilities, as well as build better, more effective ones for the future.

Waste generation from industrial and domestic sectors is imposing a very challenging environment and the intervention of biotechnology offers a viable solution for their effective management. This book deals with the employment of biotechnological aspects for waste treatment including the basic concepts, biochemical processes, and various technologies for pollutant reduction and production of value-added products for a cleaner environment. It covers different aspects of biotechnology in the conservation of environment dealing with the sustainable management of waste through the concept of waste-to-economy along with the management of environmental pollutants and natural resource conservation. Focuses on ecological approaches i.e., the use of biocatalysts and biotechnological approaches for waste management Explores the different biotechnology-based solutions for the removal of environmental pollutants Covers various microbiological routes, technological options for waste to energy, removal of contaminants, and the production of value-added products Reviews the bioremediation potential of microbial strains and enzymes Explores the significant routes of biotechnological means of obtaining eco-friendly products substituting the hazardous chemical-based products This volume is aimed at researchers and professionals in environmental, biotechnology, and chemical engineering.

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.

Heavy metals, such as lead, chromium, cadmium, zinc, copper, and nickel, are important constituents of most living organisms, as well as many nonliving substances. Some heavy metals are essential for growth of biological and microbiological lives, yet their presence in excessive quantities is harmful to humans and interferes with many environmental processes. Heavy metals are also nonbiodegradable, making them more difficult to remediate. Decontamination of Heavy Metals: Processes, Mechanisms, and Applications tackles the subject of heavy metals in the environment, with special emphasis on their treatment, removal, recovery, disposal, management, and modeling.

Concepts, Cutting-Edge Technologies, and Applications

The book provides in-depth coverage of the major hazardous heavy metals that are found in water, land, and facilities and that have significant effects on public health and the environment. After an overview of heavy metal contamination, the text reviews the concepts and technologies of pollution prevention. It then examines technologies for metal decontamination, ranging from precipitation which is the most commonly used to cutting-edge technologies such as precipitation-crystallization, ion exchange, membrane filtration, and electrolysis. Mathematical models for metal removal and recovery are also included.

Develop a Feasible Total Heavy Metal Control Program

Complementing other books in the Advances in Industrial and Hazardous Wastes Treatment series, this volume presents important research related to the remediation of heavy metals. Extensive references are included for readers who want to trace, duplicate, or improve on a specific industrial hazardous waste treatment practice. A comprehensive handbook for environmental professionals, researchers, and students, it provides technical information to help readers develop a feasible total metal control program that can benefit both industry and local municipalities.

Following in the footsteps of previous highly successful and useful editions, Biological Wastewater Treatment, Third Edition presents the theoretical principles and design procedures for biochemical operations used in wastewater treatment processes. It reflects important changes and advancements in the field, such as a revised treatment of the microbiology and kinetics of nutrient removal and an update of the simulation of biological phosphorous removal with a more contemporary model. See what's new in the Third Edition: A chapter devoted to the description and simulation of anaerobic bioreactors Coverage of applications of submerged attached growth bioreactors Expanded discussion of modeling attached growth systems Increased information on the fate and effects of trace contaminants as they relate to xenobiotic organic chemicals A chapter on applying biochemical unit operations to design systems for greater sustainability The book describes named biochemical operations in terms of treatment objectives, biochemical environment, and reactor configuration; introduces the format and notation used throughout the text; and presents the basic stoichiometry and kinetics of microbial reactions that are key to quantitative descriptions of biochemical operations. It then examines the stoichiometry and kinetics used to investigate the theoretical performance of biological reactors containing microorganisms suspended in the wastewater. The authors apply this theory to the operations introduced, taking care to highlight the practical constraints that ensure system functionality in the real world. The authors focus on further biochemical operations in which microorganisms grow attached to solid surfaces, adding complexity to the analysis, even though the operations are often simpler in application. They conclude with a look to the future, introducing the fate and effects of xenobiotic and trace contaminants in wastewater treatment systems and examining how the application of biochemical operations can lead to a more sustainable world.

The reuse of wastewater in irrigation is being practiced only recently to solve water scarcity problems in agriculture. Management of water, soil, crop, and operational procedures, including precautions to protect farm workers, play an important role in the successful use of sewage effluent for irrigation. Appropriate water management practices must be followed to prevent salinization. If salt is not flushed out of the root zone by leaching and removed from the soil by effective drainage, salinity problems can build up rapidly. Leaching and drainage are, thus, two important water management practices to avoid salinization of soils. One of the options that may be available to farmers is the blending of treated sewage with conventional sources of water to obtain a blended water of acceptable salinity level. This important book focuses on the use of wastewater as a valuable resource for agricultural micro irrigation purposes. It covers effective wastewater management practices in a variety of climates, including semi-arid regions and others; how to perform effective evaluations to gauge the quality of the water on plants, including potatoes, maize, and eggplant; and the cost-benefit of using wastewater. It addresses the sources of wastewater for irrigation and the problems along with challenges, including water quality, clogging, soil quality, and more. The mission of this compendium is to serve as a reference manual for professionals in biological and civil engineering, horticulture, soil and crop science, and agronomy, as well as for graduate and undergraduate students in related fields. It will be a valuable reference for professionals who work with micro irrigation/wastewater and water management, for technical agricultural centers, irrigation centers, agricultural extension services, and other agencies that work with micro irrigation programs.

Increasingly stringent regulation of pollution and waste production worldwide drives the need to isolate contaminants that pose a threat to human and environmental health by using engineered barrier systems involving the use of low permeable materials. Over the past two decades, geosynthetic clay liners have gained widespread acceptance for use in such barrier systems. They are often used as a component of primary and secondary base liners or final cover systems in municipal solid-waste landfills as well as in regulated industrial storage and mining waste-disposal facilities. This book gives a comprehensive and authoritative review of the current state of practice on geosynthetic clay liners in waste containments. It provides an insight into individual materials (bentonite and the associated geosynthetics) and the manufacturing processes. This is followed by the coverage of important topics such as hydraulic conductivity, chemical compatibility, contaminant transport, gas migration, shear strength and slope stability, and field performance.

This work presents the findings of an extensive study on the state-of-the-art regarding the problem of food waste in Belarus, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. The results show that the problem of food waste can be found at different levels in each country and that our knowledge of it is limited by the current lack of studies in the area. The problem is primarily due to food waste generated by the manufacturing sector, mostly in the form of unused or inefficiently used by-products, as well as on a share of food thrown away by households that is still suitable for human consumption. The main reduction/prevention method, applied across the countries, is food donation; the remaining methods are the same ones used for biodegradable waste in the respective countries. The findings gathered in this study show a number of potential measures/methods for sustainable food waste management, which may be considered in future works in order to reduce the amounts of food waste generated in each of the aforementioned countries.

This book contains up-to-date information and findings in research on the evaluation, treatment, reusability, and development of wastewater in India. The book covers the assessment for drinking water, including membrane filtration, supervision, and evaluation of wastewater, environmental pollution control, wastewater treatment and recycling, advanced bioremediation techniques and wastewater's impact on India. With this wide range of treatment and technologies of wastewater, this book is a source of invaluable information to guide Indian policy planners and makers to move forward to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 6.

This book focuses on exciting new research in polymer science. The first section of the book deals with new advancements in polymer technology, which includes polymers that are responsible for progress in the field of energy, electronics, and medical sciences. It focuses on the most promising polymer nanocomposites and nanomaterials. Composites are becoming more important because they can help to improve quality of life. The second section of the book highlights this aspect of macromolecules, while the third section emphasizes biopolymers, their development, and applications.

Efficient Management of Wastewater from Manufacturing is an accessible research compendium, highly useful for anyone involved with the phytosanitaries, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, or textile industries. The editor, Victor Monsalvo, is a well-respected expert in the field who has included many of his own studies. He has also enlisted articles from other researchers from around the world. Together, they offer a range of treatment methodologies for manufacturing wastewater, including anaerobic processes and catalyzation. They focus on advanced treatment processes that would improve current efficiency and reduced energy costs. Feasibility and potential problems are also thoroughly discussed, creating a realistic and practical research collection. Included within the book are chapters on the following topics: An overview of pesticide toxicity More efficient anaerobic treatments for agricultural wastewater Wastewater treatment methodologies for specific sectors of the food-production industry, including slaughterhouses, fish processing plants, dairies, fruit canning factories, and wineries Biological treatment systems for wastewater containing cosmetic and pharmaceutical chemicals and byproducts Improved methodologies for removing dye from textile wastewater The range of topics will be of practical use to chemical, civil, and environmental engineers. Researchers at the graduate level will find here a wealth of studies that will prove fruitful for future investigation.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. The quantity and quality of waste generated and discharged into natural water bodies is a topic of serious concern. Consequently, there is a need for different strategies to address wastewater treatment and subsequent reuse, especially in arid and semi-arid areas where water shortages are the rule. Biological treatment processes constitute crucial tools in the biodegradation of organic matter, transformation of toxic compounds into harmless products, and nutrient removal in wastewater microbiology. Edited by a professor of genetics and microbiology with extensive research, this compendium provides an overview of the most current research into many facets of wastewater bioremediation. The book is broken into three sections: microbial communities for wastewater treatment, environmental factors, and treatments. It provides discussions on biological treatment processes for different types of wastewater, such as municipal wastewater and wastewater from tanneries; how environmental factors such as season dynamics affect the diversity of bacteria; and applications and treatment. The range of topics presented will be valuable for biological engineers and others involved with wastewater management. Researchers will find a wealth of studies that will prove fruitful for future investigation.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. The twenty-first century world faces several enormous challenges: how to mitigate climate change, meet a growing energy demand without relying on fossil fuels, and manage the escalating quantities of solid waste generated by cities around the world. This compendium volume offers a viable solution to all three: using solid waste as a renewable resource. Intended for a wide audience ranging from engineers and academics to decision-makers in both the public and private sectors, this volume has gathered together research into a range of technologies and methodologies. The editors, two well-published researchers at the top of their field, have selected articles that lay the foundation for this discussion. They have then included chapters for the following waste management scenarios: anaerobic digestion, composting, pyrolysis and chemical upgrading, incineration and carbonization, and gasification. Research has been included from around the world, representing potential international solutions to what are global challenges, as well as crucial implications for ongoing research in this important field of study.

This compendium volume is an indispensable source of information on the ways in which wastewater can impact public health. The editor, a well-respected expert in his field, has collected the most recent and pertinent investigations into this serious issue. Included are studies involving: * The presence of various human enteric viruses in wastewater, which reach the public through drinking and daily use water, agriculture, and through fishing waters * Antibiotic resistance produced by genetic changes in wastewater bacterial communities, affecting both human and animal health * The presence of antidepressants in water consumed by the public * Possible methods of treatment for removing bacteria and pharmaceuticals from wastewater This threat to public health calls urgently for the development of new treatment technologies. The research in this volume provides state-of-the-art information about recent advances in wastewater treatment and it points the way toward future productive research. Civil engineers, graduate-level research students, and scientific research labs will all find valuable information.

A practical, systems-based approach for a more sustainable farming operation To many people today, using the words "factory" and "farm" in the same sentence is nothing short of sacrilege. In many cases, though, the same sound business practices apply whether you are producing cars or carrots. Author Ben Hartman and other young farmers are increasingly finding that incorporating the best new ideas from business into their farming can drastically cut their wastes and increase their profits, making their farms more environmentally and economically sustainable. By explaining the lean system for identifying and eliminating waste and introducing efficiency in every aspect of the farm operation, The Lean Farm makes the case that small-scale farming can be an attractive career option for young people who are interested in growing food for their community. Working smarter, not harder, also prevents the kind of burnout that start-up farmers often encounter in the face of long, hard, backbreaking labor. Lean principles grew out of the Japanese automotive industry, but they are now being followed on progressive farms around the world. Using examples from his own family's one-acre community-supported farm in Indiana, Hartman clearly instructs other small farmers in how to incorporate lean practices in each step of their production chain, from starting a farm and harvesting crops to training employees and selling goods. While the intended audience for this book is small-scale farmers who are part of the growing local food movement, Hartman's prescriptions for high-value, low-cost production apply to farms and businesses of almost any size or scale that hope to harness the power of lean in their production processes.

Wastewater Treatment by Reverse Osmosis Process provides a one-stop-shop for reverse osmosis (RO), outlining its scope and limitations for the removal of organic compounds from wastewater. This book covers the state-of-the-art on RO processes and describes ten RO process models of different features and complexities. It also covers the advanced model-based techniques for RO process operations, including various rigorous methods for process modelling, simulation, and optimization at the lowest energy cost, as well as advanced tools such as genetic algorithms for achieving the same. * Highlights different types of physico-chemical and biological wastewater treatment methods including hybrid systems * Provides an overview of membrane processes, focuses on different types of membrane processes for water treatment and explains characteristics of membrane modules * Introduces the importance and challenges of process modelling for simulation, design, and optimization and offers examples across various industries *Describes the concept of different types of genetic algorithms for process optimisation and provides the state-of-the art of the GA method in terms of its application in water desalination and wastewater treatment *Emphasizes economic aspects of RO processes for wastewater treatment With its focus on the challenges posed by an increasing demand for fresh water and the urgent need to recycle wastewater at minimum cost, this work is an invaluable resource for engineers and scientists working within the field of wastewater treatment.

The advent of consumer societies in the United Kingdom and West Germany after 1945 led to the mass 'production' of garbage. This book compares the social, cultural and economic fallout of the growing volume and changing composition of waste in the two countries from 1945 to the present through sustained attention to changes in the business of handling household waste. Though the UK and Germany are similar in population density, degrees of urbanisation, and standardisation, the two countries took profoundly different paths from low-waste to throwaway societies, and more recently, towards the goal of 'zero-waste'. The authors explore evolving balances between public and private provision in waste services; the transformation of public cleansing into waste management; the role of government legislation and regulation; emerging conceptualisations of recycling and resource recovery; and the gradual shift of the industry's regulatory and business context from local to national and then to international.

SOLID WASTE ENGINEERING is one of a handful of engineering textbooks to address the growing and increasingly intricate problem of controlling and processing the refuse created by our urban society. While the authors discuss issues such as regulations and legislation, their main emphasis is on solid waste engineering principles. They maintain their focus on principles by first explaining the basic principles of the field, then demonstrating how these principles are applied in real world settings through worked examples.

This book is a compilation of process, technologies and value added products such as high value biochemicals and biofuels produced from different waste biorefineries. The book is sectioned into four categories providing a comprehensive outlook about zero waste biorefinery and technologies associated with it. The emerging technologies that potentially put back the lignocellulosic waste, municipal solid waste and food waste into intrinsic recycling for production of high value biochemicals and bioenergy, along with associated challenges and opportunities are also included. The content also focuses on algal biorefineries leading to sustainable circular economy through production of broad spectrum of bioactive compounds, bioethanol, biobutanol, biohydrogen, biodiesel through integrated biorefinery approach. The volume also includes chapters on conversion technologies and mathematical models applied for process optimization. A sound foundation about the underlying principles of biorefineries and a up-to-date state-of-the-art based overview on the latest advances in terms of scientific knowledge, techno-economic developments and life cycle assessment methodologies of integrated waste biorefinery is provided. This volume will be of great interest to professionals, post-graduate students and policy makers involved in waste management, biorefineries, circular economy and sustainable development.

This book is based on recent trends for the research in emerging environmental contaminants in different compartment of the environment. It provides a recent understanding for the fate, transport, and degradation of emerging contaminants in different environmental sectors, including water, air, and soil. The contents discuss the fate and transport of microplastics, PPCPs, along with the method of detection and degradation. It includes removal of variety of pollutants including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products from the water using adsorption technique, electrooxidation, membrane technology and other advance oxidation methods. This volume will be of great value to those in academia and industry involved in environmental science and engineering research.

This book highlights advances in sustainable wastewater treatment technologies, particularly biological wastewater treatment, cavitation-based treatment, hybrid water treatment, membrane technologies, advance oxidation processes, and adsorption. The book focuses on a variety of advanced treatment techniques that are useful for the degradation of organic components, dyes, heavy metals effluent, etc. in wastewater. Industrial wastewater consists of variety of discharges based on the type of industry, such as the dairy/food industries, which generate more fats and high BOD value with variation in the pH value, while the electroplating industry may expel more inorganic matter and dissolved solids. The oil extraction industries will have more solvents contained in the effluent, and dyes and textiles industry create a higher organic load with high TDS. Hence, every type of manufacturing industry needs a different method for the treatment of its effluents. Looking at the use of intensified chemical processes in order to make cleaner environment, Innovative Technologies for the Treatment of Industrial Wastewater explores the new and innovative methods for pollutant removal that will prove useful for a variety of industries. Conventional wastewater treatment processes require a significant amount of energy and involve expensive equipment and maintenance. Sustainable wastewater treatment technologies, however, involve less generation of energy and employ more economically feasible treatment methods, requiring less equipment and fewer maintenance costs. Looking at the use of intensified chemical processes in order to make a cleaner environment, this volume explores new and innovative methods for pollutant removal that will prove useful for a variety of industries. This book highlights advances in sustainable wastewater treatment technologies, particularly biological wastewater treatment, cavitation-based treatment, hybrid water treatment, membrane technologies, advanced oxidation processes, and adsorption.