Waste Sites Research Articles

Mobile Laboratory Investigations of Industrial Point Source Emissions during the MOOSE Field Campaign

Industrial emissions of trace gases and VOCs can be an important contributor to air quality in cities. Disentangling different point sources from each other and characterizing their emissions can be particularly challenging in dense industrial areas, such as Detroit, Dearborn and surrounding areas in Southeast Michigan (SEMI). Here, we leverage mobile measurements of trace gases and speciated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to identify emitting sites. We characterize their complicated emissions fingerprints based on a core set of chemical ratios. We report chemical ratios for 7 source types including automakers, steel manufacturers, chemical refineries, industrial chemical use (cleaning; coatings; etc.), chemical waste sites, compressor stations, and more. The source dataset includes visits to over 85 distinct point sources. As expected, we find similarities between the different types of facilities, but observe variability between them and even at individual facilities day-to-day. Certain larger sites are better thought of as a collection of individual point sources. These results demonstrate the power of mobile laboratories over stationary sampling in dense industrial areas.

UPAYA PENGOLAHAN SAMPAH MELALUI ECOBRICK DIDESA KEPOH KABUPATEN BANGKA SELATAN

Abstract- Kepoh Village is used as a TPA (Final Disposal Site) for waste from all villages in Toboali District. The mountainous pile of garbage dominated by plastic is a serious problem that must be addressed immediately. Waste management in Kepoh Village is still not managed properly so that a lot of waste ends up in landfills, especially plastic waste. In fact, plastic waste is waste that takes a long time to decompose and has a negative impact on the earth. With these problems, MAs KKN students try to work together with village officials, hamlet heads, RT heads, PKK mothers, Karang Taruna and Kepoh Village elementary school students to carry out plastic waste recycling activities as the best step in overcoming these problems through making ecobrick. The introduction of ecobrick to the residents of Kepoh Village was carried out through socialization and workshops which were not only carried out once, attended by more than 50 participants. The results of this study indicate that there is an increase in environmental awareness, creativity, perseverance and tenacity in every Kepoh Village resident. The ecobricks that have been made produce chairs and tables that local people can use.
 

Environmental Conditions and Vehicle Disturbance Influence Stress Behaviors in a Working Harris’s Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)

ABSTRACT Harris’s hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) is used for pest control, as their presence can deter wild birds such as gulls. Working Harris’s hawk on UK waste sites is permitted in accordance with regulations and legislation. This study investigated the general environment of a waste site compound yard where a single Harris’s hawk was flown for pest control. The hawk’s behaviors were evaluated in an ethogram, alongside environmental measures, and disturbance levels. Data was analyzed using Generalised Linear Latent Variable Models (GLLVM) to elucidate the effects of disturbance and environment on hawk behaviors. Results suggested cloudy conditions encouraged grooming responses that were normal and relaxed in their nature. Rain, sun and wind conditions increased recognized stress behaviors. Frequency of disturbance by construction vehicles inside the compound increased stress behaviors, such that keepers are recommended to revise welfare conditions. Increased stress behaviors by birds worked in dynamic environments like waste recycling yards could potentially elicit damaging illness such as feather breaking behavior. Reducing stress factors for Harris’s hawk in industrial working yards combined with amending husbandry practices will improve welfare for the species.

Presence of Toxic Heavy Metals in Hill Water Bodies of Arunachal Pradesh, India – A Health Implication to the Indigenous Population

Water bodies in hilly areas are considered the cleanest in India. They are also sites for household and recreation activities. On the contrary, they are disposal sites for household and toxic industrial wastes. This study evaluates the physio-chemical parameters and the toxic heavy metal content in two water bodies of Itanagar, the capital city of the Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh. Physiochemical parameters were evaluated using standard procedures and toxic heavy metal contents were analyzed using Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. The study revealed high dissolved oxygen contents in both water bodies. Other parameters such as alkalinity, carbon dioxide, phosphate, chloride, and nitrate contents were found to be within the permissible limits. However, lead and arsenic were found in trace amounts but below the permissible limits in both water bodies. Cadmium was exactly within the permissible limit whereas, antimony was found to exceed the permissible limit (0.010ppm). Also, chromium (0.070±0.002 ppm) in Ganga Lake and nickel (0.086±0.011 ppm) in Poma River were found to be above the permissible limits. The presence of toxic metals in these natural hilly areas is alarming and can be attributed to increasing anthropogenic activities. Adequate measures and precautions to prevent such contamination activities should be undertaken.

Rapid arsenite oxidation by Paenarthrobacter nicotinovorans strain SSBW5: unravelling the role of GlpF, aioAB and aioE genes.

A novel arsenite resistant bacterial strain SSBW5 was isolated from the battery waste site of Corlim, Goa, India. This strain interestingly exhibited rapid arsenite oxidation with an accumulation of 5mM arsenate within 24h and a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 18mM. The strain SSBW5 was identified as Paenarthrobacter nicotinovorans using 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Fourier-transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of arsenite-exposed cells revealed the interaction of arsenite with several important functional groups present on the cell surface, possibly involved in the resistance mechanism. Interestingly, the whole genome sequence analysis also clearly elucidated the presence of genes, such as GlpF, aioAB and aioE encoding transporter, arsenite oxidase and oxidoreductase enzyme, respectively, conferring their role in arsenite resistance. Furthermore, this strain also revealed the presence of several other genes conferring resistance to various metals, drugs, antibiotics and disinfectants. Further suggesting the probable direct or indirect involvement of these genes in the detoxification of arsenite thereby increasing its tolerance limit. In addition, clumping of bacterial cells was observed through microscopic analysis which could also be a strategy to reduce arsenite toxicity thus indicating the existence of multiple resistance mechanisms in strain SSBW5. In the present communication, we are reporting for the first time the potential of P. nicotinovorans strain SSBW5 to be used in the bioremediation of arsenite via arsenite oxidation along with other toxic metals and metalloids.

Estimating of gases emission from waste sites to generate electrical energy as a case study at Al-Hillah City in Iraq

Methane (CH4) is a greenhouse gas resulting from human activities, especially landfills, and it has many potential environmental issues, such as its major role in global warming. On the other hand, methane can be converted to liquid fuel or electricity using chemical conversion or gas turbine generators. Therefore, reusing such gases could be of great environmental and economic benefit. In this context, this study aims to estimate the emissions of methane gas from the landfills in Al-Hillah City, Iraq, from 2023 to 2070 and the producible electric energy from this amount. The estimating process was carried out using the Land GEM model and compared with traditional models. The obtained results demonstrated that the total estimated landfill methane emissions for 48 years are 875,217 tons, and the average annual methane emission is 18,234 tons based on a yearly waste accumulation rate of 1,046,413 tons and a total waste amount of 50,227,808 tons. The anticipated loads of methane gas can be utilized to generate about 287,442 MW/year of electricity from 2023 to 2070. In conclusion, the results obtained from this study could be evidence of the potential environmental and economic benefits of harvesting and reusing methane gas from landfills.

Bioaccumulation of contaminants in Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles at sites polluted by coal combustion residuals and radiocesium

Anthropogenic contamination from coal-fired power plants and nuclear reactors is a pervasive issue impacting ecosystems across the globe. As a result, it is critical that studies continue to assess the accumulation and effects of trace elements and radionuclides in a diversity of biota. In particular, bioindicator species are a powerful tool for risk assessment of chemically contaminated habitats. Using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and auto-gamma counting, we analyzed trace element and radiocesium contaminant concentrations in Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles (Order: Coleoptera), important taxa in decomposition and nutrient cycling, at contaminated and reference sites on the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, U.S. Our results revealed variability in trace element concentrations between Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles at uncontaminated and contaminated sites. Compared to Scarabaeidae, Silphidae had higher levels of chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn). Unexpectedly, concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Ni were higher in both taxa at the uncontaminated sites. Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles at the coal combustion waste site consistently had high concentrations of arsenic (As), and Scarabaeidae had high concentrations of selenium (Se). Of the 50 beetles analyzed for radiocesium levels, two had elevated radioactivity concentrations, both of which were from a site contaminated with radionuclides. Our results suggest carrion beetles may be particularly sensitive to bioaccumulation of contaminants due to their trophic position and role in decomposition, and thus are useful sentinels of trace element and radionuclide contamination.

The collection, digitisation, interpretation and publication of geological data in the German site selection procedure – status and challenges

Abstract. The German site selection procedure for a repository site for high-level nuclear waste is subdivided into three major phases. During the first phase, the subsurface of Germany is evaluated based on existing data, with the aim of defining siting regions for surface-based underground exploration. Although Germany is covered by large amounts of geoscientific data – including ca. 50 000 boreholes deeper than 300 m and more than 340 000 km of reflection seismic lines – the legal obligation to make these data publicly available on a national scale is fairly new and dates back to the Geological Data Act of 2020 (GeolDG: Geologiedatengesetz vom 19. Juni 2020; BGBl. I S. 1387). However, significant amounts of data are available in analogue form only, posing a significant challenge to the timeline of the site selection procedure. As the German nuclear waste management organisation, the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE) is in charge of collecting, interpreting and publishing geoscientific data that are relevant to the decisions made within the site selection procedure. In this contribution, we outline the path of data within the first phase of the site selection procedure. We start with an overview of the BGE's current and past activities related to data collection and digitisation, focussing on a major campaign through which more than 16 000 drilling reports are being digitised in cooperation with the State Office for Mining, Energy and Geology in Lower Saxony (LBEG). We then report on the different approaches of data quality control, processing and supply, highlighting challenges related to the federal organisation of geodata storage in Germany. We present selected examples of how data are used for evaluating the subsurface in terms of suitability as a potential repository site. Finally, we give an outlook of how data could be integrated into a web application that is currently being developed as an interactive tool for the public presentation of results and underlying decisions.

Uranium mining – challenges and lessons to learn for nuclear disposal in view of participation and safety

Abstract. Uranium mining and milling is where the nuclear fuel chain starts. Nevertheless, it is the most disregarded part of this chain when thinking about resilience and safety, both in academic debates and in the process of resource extraction. This workshop aims at addressing this gap in addition to improving our understanding of the lessons we can learn for nuclear waste disposal. Uranium mining and milling is challenging when considering safety, from the first day a mine is in operation to the final day of land rehabilitation. During the operation of the mine and mill, the health of the miners is at risk and so is the well-being of the population living in the surrounding area of the mine and the ore-processing plant. Moreover, environmental issues such as pollution pose a risk during the entire lifetime of a mine. The remnants of mining activities can be regarded as long-term liabilities, since they must be monitored for many generations. Uranium mining and milling facilities are often situated on the land of indigenous people. Their rights to information and their participation in the decision-making processes regarding the mining operations, in addition to being informed about basic health outcomes, were and frequently continue to not be given, leading to injustices by mining companies and governmental authorities. Participation, however, is crucial for positive societal outcomes, such as avoiding the deepening of structural inequalities and the development of violent conflict, and for building trust – and thus also for security. This is not only true for operations at the beginning of the nuclear fuel chain but also for actions taken at the end (i.e., during the quest for the safest possible disposal site for nuclear waste). Based on insights from the processes of uranium extraction, we can draw conclusions about the site selection process of a final repository, specifically regarding licensing, operation and land rehabilitation processes. Bearing this in mind, it is worth having a detailed look at the beginning of the nuclear fuel chain as we move forward to resolve the issues we will face during the final stage of nuclear waste disposal. Learning in this context means looking closely at the processes during the licensing, operation, closure and rehabilitation of uranium mines and mills and drawing conclusions about the site selection process, in particular with respect to inclusion of the individual stakeholders and safety concepts. As a result, we can develop recommendations for the ongoing revision of the search process for a final repository for radioactive waste. Therefore, safety and participation issues are the focus of the uranium mining and milling workshop. The workshop will gather academics and practitioners from different fields in a transdisciplinary setting. We plan about five short inputs (up to 10 min each) based on some visualizations (slides, posters or similar), followed by a World Café related to the input talks and a concluding plenary discussion. The entire workshop will last about 2.5 h. The workshop is topped off by an excursion to the Wismut facilities in Ronneburg (Thüringen/Thuringia, Germany) on the Saturday after the conference. The field trip will be guided by Wismut GmbH, the Church Environmental Group Ronneburg and the local Miners' Association. This workshop will enhance the transdisciplinary capabilities of the participants with respect to the logic and externalities of uranium extraction, in addition to providing opportunities for exchange and networking. We aim to compose a publication format for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Disposal platform, based on the contributions of all workshop participants.

Geowissenschaftliche Methoden – Datenbank (GeM-DB) – a basis for planning surface exploration programs

Abstract. In phase II of the German site selection procedure for a final repository site for high-level radioactive waste, identified siting regions will be explored above ground. For each siting region, different geoscientific data exist, resulting in various exploration requirements as results of the representative preliminary safety analysis. The exploration requirements, i.e. exploration objectives (Kneuker et al., 2020) and parameters, are based on a legal foundation, especially sections 22–24 of StandAG (2017). The exploration requirements in turn define the methods to be used for surface exploration of siting regions to collect all data needed for the further-developed preliminary safety analyses at the end of phase II. Commissioned by the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE), the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) is developing a database, GeM-DB, which allows the search for different geophysical and geoscientific exploration methods. Among the exploration methods are airborne, ground and borehole methods as well as investigations on obtained samples, e.g. from drill cores. The database entries consist of a general description, different attributes and an evaluation of the suitability and applicability for (1) the different host rocks (claystone, crystalline rock and rock salt) and (2) the exploration objectives deriving from the legal foundations, especially the exclusion criteria, minimum requirements and geoscientific weighing criteria as stated in sections 22–24 of StandAG (2017). This link is the key element of the database and a unique compilation of the collective knowledge of BGR experts. Certain filters and selection options allow queries of the database content, for instance to generate host rock-specific sequences of exploration methods. These sequences of methods can be used as a basis for the exploration programmes to be planned by the BGE.

OP02_4. Distance of the home from hazardous waste sites, chronic hypertension and preeclampsia

OP02_4. Distance of the home from hazardous waste sites, chronic hypertension and preeclampsia

Breaking the Myth of Nuclear Power Omnipotence in the Cold War era: Discourse on Nuclear Power and the Movement against the Construction of Nuclear Power Plants in South Korea in the 1980s and early 1990s

In South Korea, the frontline of the Cold War in East Asia, an active anti-nuclear movement could not emerge until the 1970s due to the effects of Korean War, national division, and the Cold War culture. In the 1970s, youth activists, religious figures, and intellectuals who opposed the military regime became concerned about environmental issues as a reaction to the adverse effects of industrialization pursued by the military. In the 1980s, the ecological movement gave way to the anti-nuclear peace movement, which confronted the security discourse that dominated the Cold War era. The South Korean democratization movement of the 1980s overcame and transcended Cold War factionalism on an ideological level, and as a result, anti-nuclear peace activists opposed the nuclear disarmament of the Korean Peninsula and called for the abolition of nuclear power plants. Based on anti-foreign nationalism, they used a discourse that directly linked individual life, safety, and health rights to national survival and peace, and treated nuclear weapons as a symbol of imperialist oppression.</br>Environmentalist organizations, such as the ‘Anti-Pollution Movement Association’, actively engaged in solidarity activities with local residents' protests against the construction of nuclear power plants and nuclear waste sites. As the case of Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do shows, the difference in position between the local residents who pursued economic compensation and the establishment of a sustainable basis for livelihood and the environmental movement group that pursued the public spread of the anti-nuclear movement led to distrust and conflict, despite the devoted solidarity of both sides. As the case of Anmyeonisland shows, conflicts between residents were intensified by monetary inducements from government organizations, undermining their everyday relationships. Nevertheless, the anti-nuclear movement in Korea from the late 1980s to the early 1990s contributed greatly to breaking the myth of nuclear power omnipotence in the Cold War era, revealing the ecological agenda to Korean society, and laying the foundation for the growth of the eco-environmental movement in the 1990s.

Superfund Sites and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in New Jersey State: A Photo Essay.

In 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), became law, with one component being an investment to clean-up Superfund and Brownfield sites. Through BIL funding, the Environmental Protection Agency announced $3.5 billion to clean-up Superfund sites that have been awaiting funding for years in mostly historically underserved communities. As in many states, the 3 Superfund sites used as examples in this essay are in a metropolitan or surrounding area and in residential communities. The photos in this essay help highlight how hazardous waste sites have come to look like normal industrial sites and that communities are often unaware of the dangerous exposures they face. The author suggests that in the age of social media, taking pictures and documentation of hazardous waste sites today in our communities can help mobilize public awareness and drive action to be taken toward delayed clean-up.

Synthesised and modified zeolite for effective management of beryllium contaminants in aqueous media under different conditions

The effective management of beryllium (Be) in solution is not well established. In this study, zeolite was synthesised from coal fly ash (CFA) and further modified to enhance Be sorption. Results indicated zeolite NaP1 was effectively synthesised, and cross-linked chitosan was grafted in/on the zeolite structure during modification. The Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area substantially increased from 1.05 m2/g in CFA to 94.0 m2/g in the synthesised zeolite (SZ). Furthermore, the modified zeolite (MZ) showed improved functionality as a reactive site for Be sorption. A comparative sorption study revealed inferior sorption (11.3 %) and higher desorption (56.1 %) of Be using CFA than the sorption using SZ (93.0 % sorption, 2.9 % desorption) and MZ (93.0 % sorption, 1.5 % desorption). Consequently, SZ and MZ exhibited higher sorption efficacy than commercial zeolite (57.4 %) and other commercial sorbents. At an experimental pH of 5.5 [relevant to the pH of Little Forest Legacy Waste Site (LFLS) soil, a representative site for potential Be contamination], MZ showed higher sorption than SZ. The higher sorption in MZ resulted from its elevated ligand complexation [with nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and oxygen (O)] and some ion exchange (with Na+, -NH3+, and H+ ions) mechanisms. Moreover, increased sorption (up to 99 %) was observed using colloidal soil solution (CSS) collected from LFLS soil to simulate field conditions after extensive rainfall. Different environmental factors (e.g. pH, temperature, time, CSS, concentrations of sorbate, and sorbent) regulated Be sorption. The sorption mechanism was best described by the Langmuir model, and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2 = 0.999). Moreover, the sorption reaction was spontaneous (ΔG = -Ve), enthalpically, and entropically influenced. Desorption hysteresis (ndesorption/nsorption < 1) suggested irreversible sorption, and the chemisorption mechanism of Be was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis.

Reciprocity in Corporate Tax Compliance—Evidence from Ozone Pollution

ABSTRACTIn a tax—public goods reciprocity framework between citizens and the state, managers view taxes as a payment to the government in exchange for public goods, and hence they adjust their willingness to pay taxes as public good quality changes. We show that corporate tax planning intensity increases with ground‐level ozone pollution. Revisions in ozone pollution regulations cause counties that failed the revised and more stringent standards to reduce ozone pollution. Consequently, firms headquartered in these counties reduced corporate tax planning intensity relative to firms in other counties. The ozone‐tax link varies in the predicted directions with public attention to pollution, potential welfare loss due to ozone, managers’ stakeholder orientation, taxpayers’ polluting status, political preferences, and civic norms. We also find consistent results for Superfund cleanups of hazardous waste sites. Our research sheds light on reciprocity as a potential mechanism influencing corporate tax compliance.

Analyzing topsoil heavy metal pollution sources and ecological risks around antimony mine waste sites by a joint methodology

Studies on soil contamination caused by waste sites near antimony mining areas are scarce. For environmental protection, it is critical to investigate the contamination levels, spatial distribution, and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals (HMs) in the surface soils of different land use types around waste sites and to identify related potential sources. In this study, the pollution status, spatial distribution, sources and ecological risks of Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, As and Sb in the surface soils of built-up areas, woodlands and croplands around the waste sites of antimony mining areas were resolved for the first time by combining self-organizing maps (SOM), K-means clustering, geographic information systems (GIS) and positive matrix factorization (PMF). According to the analysis results of soil samples, the average abundance order of HMs is: Sb > As > Cd > Pb > Cr > Hg. The cumulative geological index defines Sb as a severe pollution level. The pollution index shows that Sb and Cd in all samples are above the severe pollution level. The pollution load index shows that 67.7% of soil samples are heavily polluted. SOM and K-means divided the studied elements into three clusters and were combined with GIS analysis to from Cd as cluster 1, Sb and As as cluster 2, and Pb, Hg and Cr as cluster 3. The PMF analysis yielded three potential sources of heavy metals: natural sources dominated by Hg, Pb and Cr (48.6%), direct sources caused by the accumulation of waste sites represented by Sb and As (32.9%) and mixed sources caused by human activities and transportation represented by Cd (18.5%). Ecological risk shows that the risk of construction area is prominent, and Sb is the main contribution element of high risk. This study combines multiple methods to investigate the current status of heavy metal pollution in the soil environment around antimony mine slag sites, providing a theoretical basis for better research on the pollution of heavy metals in the soil around antimony mine slag sites and source control, and contributing to the scarcity of antimony mine slag site pollution research.

Environmental performance of glass foam as insulation material from waste glass with the alkali activation process

Glass foams is an interesting option for the use of fractions of glass cullet otherwise destined to landfills. As building insulation materials, glass foams obtained by conventional processes have still some drawbacks in the purity of starting feedstock, which can be avoided by implementing an alkali activation process. Using the life cycle assessment methodology, the research analyses the potential impacts associated to the glass foam obtained from waste glass through the alkali activation in a laboratory scale plant with ‘cradle to grave’ perspective. The main phases included in the system boundaries are the downstream activities related to the transportation of glass waste and avoided landfill disposal, the production process to obtain the glass foam, and the upstream activities related to the transportation to potential use phase and the end of life. The life cycle environmental profile of glass foam is calculated starting from primary data integrated with the Ecoinvent database, and using the ReCiPe 2016 impact assessment method and the SimaPro software. Results demonstrate the greatest contribution on the overall environmental impacts due to the production, in which the main impacts are linked to electricity consumption for drying and firing and surfactant for the foaming. Sensitivity analyses clarify that consistent improvement in overall environmental impacts can be obtain with minimization of distances both between glass waste and production site, and between glass foam production and use; otherwise, different energy-mix and lower temperature in chemical processes have negligible effects in the environmental profile. The research reveals useful information to optimize the upcycling of glass foam production before moving on the industrialization: future investigations should involve the selection of biodegradable surfactants, from renewable sources.

Caged mussels and passive samplers used to identify Niagara River organic contaminant sources and shoreline water quality impacts (2012–2018)

Since 1983 the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MECP) monitored and identified Niagara River contaminant sources using caged mussels, and recently (2012–2018), passive samplers. Source identification was consistent among monitoring tools. The advantage of passive samplers was the capability to estimate dissolved water contaminants concentrations enabling comparisons with Water Quality Criteria (WQC) and ambient river concentrations. Dieldrin, p, p’-DDE, p, p’-DDD, hexachlorobenzene, and total PCBs exceeded WQC throughout the river. The highest concentrations of mirex (1.4 ng/L), octachlorostyrene (2.8 ng/L), and hexachlorobutadiene (16 ng/L) were at Occidental Chemical Co. Buffalo Ave. sewer 003, and the highest concentrations of α-HCH were at Cayuga Creek (36 ng/L) and Gill Creek (68 ng/L): all were >WQC. The Pettit Flume cove, Little Niagara River downstream of the 102nd St. Waste Site, Bloody Run Creek (associated with the Hyde Park Hazardous Waste site) and Occidental sewer 003 had the highest concentrations of chlorinated benzenes. Sources of dioxins to the Niagara River included; Pettit Flume cove: (water: 3.9–10 pg TEQ/L; sediment: up to 989,400 pg/g), and Bloody Run Creek: (water: 1.2 pg TEQ/L; sediment: 35,098 pg/g–101,113 pg/g). Total PCBs remain high at known and newly identified sources along the Tonawanda Channel (USA): concentrations ranged up to 387 ng/L with most sites between 5 and 19 ng/L compared with the Chippawa Channel (Canada) (<1 ng/L). Generally, contaminant concentrations on the Canadian side were <0.1 ng/L. Continued contaminant track-downs of storm sewers, sediment and groundwater contributions from historical waste sites is needed to determine required remedial actions.

Analysis of a Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Site: Use of Geographic Information Technology Tools for Decision Making

In this study, the operation of a final disposal site for municipal solid waste in the state of Chiapas, in Mexico, was evaluated. Several spatial analyses and Geographic Information Technology (GIT) tools were used. It was found that the site’s current operation and location are deficient, partially complying with regulations. The gaseous dispersion is not far-reaching (from 100 to 8725 µg/m3 for landfill gas, and from 0.01 to 0.35 µg/m3 for H2S) but requires attention to avoid olfactory unpleasantness. Liquid emissions (conservative pollutants) move in the east direction of the final disposal site, which can damage the environmental infrastructure (water supply wells) in the long term. The highest and lowest concentrations were found in years 1 (12,270 mg/m3) and 20 (1080 mg/m3), respectively. Thermal emissions around the dumping site are important due to the formation of microclimatic zones. Temperature differences were found during the analysis period, ranging from 8.37 °C in summer to 2.49 °C in winter, which are due to waste decomposition processes and anthropogenic activities. Finally, the change in land use around the dumping site increased at a rate of 5.82% per year, mainly due to the growth of homes, communication routes, and shopping centers.

Evaluation of energy sources from municipal solid waste of Gujranwala city in Pakistan

The worldwide atmosphere has been seriously deteriorating due to the poor handling of waste produced in order to get useful products for achieving the high living standards and technological development. Therefore, waste management is a serious concern to avoid ecological damage. Methane gas generated on waste landfill sites is the source of greenhouse gas that is prime contributors to environmental degradation. The main intention is to measure the amount of methane gas produced from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) at the site of Bakhrewali in the Cantonment (Rahwali), Gujranwala, Pakistan and to estimate the extent of energy that potentially could be retrieved from the MSW site. The waste samples were gathered to evaluate the energy content, composition, and methane concentration. The findings from the MSW characterization revealed that the primary constituent of Bahrewali site, Gujranwala MSW is organic waste. The concentration of methane from sites 1, 2 and 3 were analysed to be 118.45, 35.32, 48.26 ppm methane/g waste. The calorific value of samples 1, 2 and 3 were determined to be 13.45, 12.24, and 11.01 MJ/kg respectively. The outcomes confirm that there is production of methane at the waste sites and the municipal waste could be utilized for energy recovery. The analysis of samples collected from MSW sites shows that there is great potential in the waste to be combusted and used for electricity generation.