Cost solid waste collection

Parameters pertinent to solid waste collection costs used in the mathematical expressions are as follows ... 

Tier 0 and Tier 1 costs are direct and indirect costs. They include the engineering, materials, labor, construction, contingency, etc., as well as waste-collection and transportation services (in many cases we simply transform an air pollution problem into a solid waste or wastewater problem that requires final treatment and disposal), raw-material consumption (increase or decrease), and production costs. Tier 2 and... 

Economical factors, such as disposal costs, the availability of conventional materials, and transportation costs, are critical considerations. As with any material, transportation costs are generally the highest cost factor in recycling solid waste. The most economically sustainable options for recycling foundry solid waste will generally match the volume and characteristics of the materials with nearby businesses and construction projects. Small foundries may not generate enough material on a weekly or monthly basis to satisfy the need for construction sands. In this case, it may be necessary to collect similar wastestreams from multiple sources or to partially substitute for conventional materials in order to meet volume requirements. 

In most countries, solid waste containing metals such as neutralization sludge from the plating industry and flue dust from the metal and steel industries is currently collected and dumped in landfill, where it constitutes a perpetual toxic threat to the environment and a waste of resources. The alternatives to this landfill disposal are either to reduce the rate of discharge at source by an individually designed recovery process or to separate and recover the metals from the collected waste in a centrally located facility. A presumption for a centrally located facility would be that companies with metals in their effluents require treatment of their total wastewater streams. This could be accomplished through the relatively simple process of neutralization, which requires minor investment in sedimentation tanks and dewatering equipment and involves relatively modest operation costs. 

An initial plan for sampling at the site was developed. This plan would have required two mobilizations to collect soil samples at 20 locations to confirm the presence or absence of contamination where previous reports had implied potential source areas (US EPA, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, 2004). All samples would be sent off-site for analysis. The total costs for this assessment were estimated at 203,000. 

In the US, plastics is the largest growing waste stream, rising from less than 5 wt% of total mnnicipal solid waste (MSW) in 1980 to over 11 wt% today. In 2001, of approximately 25 million tons of waste plastic, only abont 1 million tons were recycled [1], In California and elsewhere, waste plastic is a major issne dne to the growing cost of landfilling. Even plastic which is collected and separated often gets sent to landfills due to lack of a snfficient market [2]. While state law in California has set a recycle rate at 25%, the rate has actnally been declining in recent years, from 24.6% in 1995 to only 17.9% in 1999 [3]. 

The Navy generates approximately 1.75 million tons of solid waste annually. Current costs are approximately 30 per ton for collection, transportation, and disposal. This represents an annual expenditure of approximately 50 million. The Navy could staff up, operate, and maintain a squadron of aircraft at this price. With these costs expected to double or even triple in the next few years due to more restrictive environmental regulations, it becomes prudent for the Navy to develop techniques for managing their waste that are both environmentally and economically acceptable. 

The disposal of solid waste is a critical problem faced by most communities. It is also costly in terms of capital and energy resources. In 1971, 109 million metric tons of solid waste were collected in the United States at a total cost of 2.64 billion for collection and disposal. By 1985, this quantity is expected to increase to between 150 and 200 metric tons per year with an annual cost between 4,02 to 5,06 billion.O). 

The information in Part I is from Post-Consumer Mixed Plastics Recycling-Characterization, Collection, Costs and Markets, prepared by Bruce A. Hegberg, William H. Hallenbeck, and Gary R. Brenniman of the University of Illinois Center for Solid Waste Management and Research for the Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources, Office of Solid Waste and Renewable Resources, January 1991. 

The Council for Solid Waste Solutions (CSWS) conducted a collection analysis for the Minneapolis, MN area in 1990. The impact of plastics collection on five existing curbside collection recycling programs was evaluated in terms of additional collection time, vehicle capacity and additional cost. The collection routes were as follows ... 

Landfill is a common solution to the problem of solid waste and, along with sanitation, is the cheapest means of disposal. It requires waste collection, economic land and transportation cost [21], and is the least preferred method. 

Processes such as pyrolysis and combustion reduce the volume of solid wastes and, in particular, plastics waste. Solving the problem of the vast volume of plastics waste is often the key to successful solid waste management. Low-density polymers such PE, PP and so on, require costly storage at the point of waste generation, which greatly affects the cost and the logistics of collection and handling. Incineration is an attractive process to decrease not only the volume of solid waste but also reduce the burden on landfill and other disposal operations. Incineration is not a final disposal method as it requires landfill or other means to receive the solid residues. 

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