In the last class we discussed MSW, but there are two

other solid waste categories to bring up..

Industrial/Agricultural Solid Waste (invisible)
- Agricultural waste
- Mine operation tailings
- Construction/demolition debris
Industrial/Agricultural waste is much less regulated in
US but is the largest (larger than MSW) form of waste
produced.
Hazardous Waste
- Toxic chemical waste
- Radioactive waste
- Biological waste

Hazardous wastebriefly

Most of it is contained and monitored for leakage (expensive)

But not nearly as expensive as a clean up process

Resource conservation and recovery act (RCRA) 1976

EPA tracks hazardous waste from creation to disposal
cradle to grave

The best solution is to find alternate

non-toxic replacement products
But what do we do with the waste that
we track?
-Convert it to a non-hazardous form
(biological/chemical/radioactive waste)
-Store it deep in secure containers?
-Store it where we can monitor it?

But many sites have already been contaminated...

1980- CERCLA Superfund gives EPA authority to
clean up existing hazardous waste sites
CERCLA- Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act
1)List of contaminated sites
2)Funds to clean up most contaminated sites
3)Ability for govt to recover funds to pay for clean up

Another important programs for

clean up of contaminated sites:
Brownfields program

Urbanization
and global environmental
challenges

 World population is approx 7 Billion people

Increasing by approx. 1.5%/year
(exponential growth)
Increasing by approx. 75 million people/year

For the first time in history, the majority of people live in

cities
In 1950 only 38% of the world population lived in cities
By 2030 approx 70% of the population is expected to live in cities

Sustainable Development: meeting the needs

of the present without compromising the ability
of future generations to their own needs
This is a local and a global challenge

What are the major challenges in NYC and how do

we address them?
Can NYC be a model for sustainable development?

On Earth Day 2007, Mayor Bloomberg announced PLANYC

2030:
A plan for the sustainable development of NYC over the
next 25 years.
This represents a leading effort by a city to use public policy
to address the environmental challenges of population
growth/urbanization

- By 2030 over 1 million additional people are expected to

live within NYC
issues: housing, congestion, open space
Goals:
- all new yorkers live within 10 min walk of a park
- add homes for 1 million while making housing affordable
- improve mass transit capacity and reduce travel times

- The infrastructure within NYC is becoming out dated

issues: energy, transportation, water
Goals:
- provide clean, reliable energy while reducing greenhouse emissions
- repair roads, bridges, subways
- Develop back up systems for drinking water supply and improve waste
water treatment.

- Climate change and population density threaten the

environment of NYC
issues: air quality, brownfields, waterways, climate change
Goals:
- reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30%
- Clean up all contaminated land in NYC
-Open 90% of waterways for recreation by reducing pollution and
preserving natural areas
- achieve the cleanest air in a major U.S. city

UN Millenium Goals:
Global Goals to be achieved by 2015
tight linkage between environment and
human health
1.Slash Poverty and Hunger
2.Achieve Universal Primary Education
3.Promote Gender Equality
4.Reduce Child Mortality
5.Improve Maternal Health
6.Combat AIDS, Malaria and other diseases
7.Ensure Environmental Stability and
Reverse loss of Env. Resources
8.Develop a Global Partnership for
Development
www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

Final exam: Monday 5/18/15 11am

Here in Remsen 100