WASTE WATER DISPOSAL THROUGH A COASTAL AQUIFER1

ABSTRACT: Feasibility of disposing treated sewage in wells sunk into a partially confined coastal limestone aquifer at Waimanalo in the island of Oahu was investigated using an electric analog model. Electric analog modeling was preferred over digital modeling because of ease with which tides could be generated at the ocean boundary in the form of sinusoidal waves. The results of model operation showed that high permeability, low storativity, and the presence of ocean render the Waimanalo aquifer highly suitable for the disposal of waste water in deep wells. Since the quality of water in the aquifer is already unsuitable for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, waste water injection will not result in any loss of fresh water supply source to the island. It is also believed that the cost of waste water disposal through the aquifer will be considerably less than that through an ocean outfall. During model development it was discovered that electric analog models can help prepare certain graphs which can be useful for aquifer analysis without any further use of the model.     

Thermal and hydrometallurgical recovery methods of heavy metals from municipal solid waste fly ash

Heavy metals in fly ash from municipal solid waste incinerators are present in high concentrations. Therefore fly ash must be treated as a hazardous material. On the other hand, it may be a potential source of heavy metals. Zinc, lead, cadmium, and copper can be relatively easily removed during the thermal treatment of fly ash, e.g. in the form of chlorides. In return, wet extraction methods could provide promising results for these elements including chromium and nickel. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare thermal and hydrometallurgical treatment of municipal solid waste fly ash. Thermal treatment of fly ash was performed in a rotary reactor at temperatures between 950 and 1050 °C and in a muffle oven at temperatures from 500 to 1200 °C. The removal more than 90% was reached by easy volatile heavy metals such as cadmium and lead and also by copper, however at higher temperature in the muffle oven. The alkaline (sodium hydroxide) and acid (sulphuric acid) leaching of the fly ash was carried out while the influence of temperature, time, concentration, and liquid/solid ratio were investigated. The combination of alkaline-acidic leaching enhanced the removal of, namely, zinc, chromium and nickel.     

Insights into multisource sludge distributed in the Yangtze River basin, China: Characteristics, correlation, treatment and disposal

Sludge is the by-product of wastewater treatment process. Multisource sludge can be defined as sludge from different sources. Based on the sludge properties of five typical cities in the Yangtze River basin, including Jiujiang, Wuhu, Lu'an, Zhenjiang and Wuhan, this study investigated and summarized the characteristic variations and distribution differences of multiple indicators and substances from municipal sludge, dredged sludge, and river and lake sediments. The results demonstrated pH of multisource sludge was relatively stable in the neutral range. Organic matter and water content among municipal sludge were high and varied considerably between different wastewater treatment plants. Dredged sludge had an obviously higher sand content and wider particle distribution, which could be considered for graded utilization depending on its size. The nutrients composition of river and lake sediments was usually stable and special, with lower nitrogen and phosphorus content but higher potassium levels. The sources of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants in multisource sludge were correlated, generally much higher among municipal sludge than dredged sludge and river and lake sediments, which were the most important limitation for final land utilization. Despite various properties of multisource sludge, the final fate and destination have some overall similarities, which need to be supplemented and improved by standards and laws. The study provided a preliminary analysis of suitable technical routes for municipal sludge, dredged sludge, river and lake sediments based on their different characteristics respectively, which was of great significance for multisource sludge co-treatment and disposal in the future of China.     

化工企业环境污染突发事件的预防与应急处置对策研究

预防和处置化工企业突发环境污染事件必须从项目建设上注重环境风险评估,科学预测评价环境污染突发性事件可能引发的环境风险,提出环境风险防范和应急措施,防患于未然;在项目建设中落实环境风险防范设施建设,加强建设项目施工全程的环境监管,严格执行"三同时"制度;企业要落实主体责任,加强突发污染事件的应急保障体系建设,建立有效的环境风险管控和应急救援体系,加强安全生产;环保、安监等职能部门要强化现场监管,加大宣传力度,提高环保和安全意识.     

海南省废弃物处理温室气体排放估算研究

废弃物处理所释放的甲烷、二氧化碳和氧化亚氮是温室气体排放估算的组成部分之一.通过对海南省废弃物处理固体废弃物填埋、焚烧、生活污水以及工业废水过程中温室气体排放的估算,得出废弃物处理温室气体排放清单.2010年海南省城市废弃物处理温室气体排放以CO2当量计算总量为65.79万吨,同时进行了不确定性分析,不确定性约为30％,并提出拟采取的降低不确定性措施,为今后不断完善废弃物处理温室气体排放清单编制提供依据.     

Is Municipal Solid Waste Recycling Economically Efficient?

It has traditionally been argued that recycling municipal solid waste (MSW) is usually not economically viable and that only when externalities, long-term dynamic considerations, and/or the entire product life cycle are taken into account, recycling becomes worthwhile from a social point of view. This article explores the results of a wide study conducted in Israel in the years 2000–2004. Our results reveal that recycling is optimal more often than usually claimed, even when externality considerations are ignored. The study is unique in the tools it uses to explore the efficiency of recycling: a computer-based simulation applied to an extensive database. We developed a simulation for assessing the costs of handling and treating MSW under different waste-management systems and used this simulation to explore possible cost reductions obtained by designating some of the waste (otherwise sent to landfill) to recycling. We ran the simulation on data from 79 municipalities in Israel that produce over 60% of MSW in Israel. For each municipality, we were able to arrive at an optimal method of waste management and compare the costs associated with 100% landfilling to the costs born by the municipality when some of the waste is recycled. Our results indicate that for 51% of the municipalities, it would be efficient to adopt recycling, even without accounting for externality costs. We found that by adopting recycling, municipalities would be able to reduce direct costs by an average of 11%. Through interviews conducted with representatives of municipalities, we were also able to identify obstacles to the utilization of recycling, answering in part the question of why actual recycling levels in Israel are lower than our model predicts they should be.     

液化石油气槽车泄漏处置专用接头套组的应用探讨

针对消防救援车辆缺乏专业堵漏和倒罐装备、应急处置受限等问题,研究采用专用注压接头套组与消防车配合,通过向事故槽车阀门注水加压或惰性气体的方式实施辅助堵漏,能够实现因地制宜、快速有效地解决现场液化石油气大量泄漏的问题,降低事故危害。     

Household income,living and working conditions of dumpsite waste pickers in Bantar Gebang: Toward integrated waste management in Indonesia

This paper clarifies household income, living and working conditions of dumpsite waste pickers at Bantar Gebang final disposal site for municipal solid waste generated in Jakarta, and investigates the feasibility of integrating the informal sector into formal waste management in Indonesia. The first author did fieldwork for totally 16 months at the site and quantitative field surveys were conducted twice during the period. All respondents in the first round quantitative survey (n = 1390) were categorized as follows: waste pickers, family workers, wage labors, bosses, family of the bosses, housewives, pupils/students, preschoolers, the unemployed, and others. Based on the results of the second round quantitative survey (n = 69 households), their average household income was estimated to be approximately US 216 dollars per month (n = 59 households), which was virtually equivalent to the minimum wage in Jakarta in 2013. Living conditions of scavengers at the site were horrible, and their working conditions were dangerous due to medical waste and other sharp waste. Polluted groundwater was one of the serious environmental problems at the site. Despite the social, health and environmental problems, they were attracted to the freedom of entering the informal recycling system in Bantar Gebang and withdrawing from the system, in which a lot of opportunities were provided for the people having few marketable skills to obtain cash earnings. The freedom of their choice should be guaranteed as a prerequisite before integrating the informal sector into formal waste management. Furthermore, special attentions are required when incomes of scavengers are the same level as minimum wages and the national economy is rapidly growing, because scavengers cannot easily change their jobs due to few marketable skills. Indonesian national waste laws and regulations should be properly applied to facilitate a socialization process at final disposal sites. Measures need to be taken to prevent children from working as informal recycling actors, especially for waste pickers aged 15 or younger.     

Effect of environmental forcing on the fate of nutrients, dissolved organic matter and heavy metals released by a coastal wastewater pipeline

Discharges of nutrients, urea, dissolved organic matter and heavy metals by a sewage underwater pipeline are analysed in comparison to environmental conditions in a shallow coastal zone. Variable thermo-haline stratifications of the water column and currents in upper (2.62-34.97 cm s^-1) and deeper (0.83-10.91 cm s^-1) layers drive vertical diffusion and lateral transport of wastewaters. Loads of reactive phosphorus (0.13 tons d^-1) and ammonium (1.62 tons d^-1) by the pipeline are not negligible compared to the major river loads in the gulf. High concentrations of urea (≤11.51 μmol N dm^-3) were found in the area of wastewater release. Ammonium uptake (6.14-534 nmol N dm^-3 h^-1) strongly exceeded nitrate uptake (0.19-138 nmol N dm^-3 h^-1), indicating that discharges of ammonium by the pipeline are actively assimilated by plankton community even at low levels of light. Distribution of Zn (≤27.7 ppb), Cu (≤25.6 ppb), Cd (≤0.80 ppb) and Pb (≤13.5 ppb) in the water column and the measurement of their complex-forming capacity in seawater did not indicate a persistent perturbation of the pelagic environment due to heavy metals.     

华南某市生活垃圾组成特征分析

依据城市生活垃圾采样分析方法对华南某市20个街镇生活垃圾的物理性质和物理组成进行历时一年的研究.结果表明,研究区域垃圾平均容重为0.22×103kg·m-3,垃圾三组分(水分、灰分和可燃物)所占比例分别为55.0%~66.9%、18.6%~30.3%、69.7%~81.4%,有机质含量比例为50.1%~58.0%,各研究区镇垃圾热值范围为6 570~9 652 k J·kg-1,平均热值为8 272 k J·kg-1,高于世界银行推荐的垃圾焚烧所需最低热值(7 000 k J·kg-1).其它物理组分所占比例分别如下:厨余类为39.8%~53.3%,橡塑类为16.5%~33.4%,纸类为5.61%~7.95%,纺织类为1.14%~5.16%,竹类为2.49%~5.12%,玻璃类为1.10%~1.47%,混合类5.86%~7.57%,灰土类2.46%~6.73%,金属0.1%~0.32%,陶瓷0.4%~0.69%.相关分析和主成分分析结果表明纺织类、橡塑类、纸类、可燃物比重对焚烧有促进作用,厨余类、玻璃类、容重、灰分、含水率、灰土等则对焚烧有一定的负影响.