Over the past 30 years, humanity has spent a third of the resources available on Earth. Every year, resource consumption increases by one and a half percent. This is why saving is so important. natural resources, search for alternative resources, recycling of raw materials, reuse of waste.

Over the last century, the world's population has increased 4 times, and industrial production has increased almost 20 times. But modern technology does not allow us to properly purify air and water or dispose of production waste. Currently, about 80 billion tons of garbage have accumulated in dumps. And these mountains are growing because only a third of the by-products are processed.
Everyone knows convenient plastic bottles. They decompose in the ground for hundreds of years, while tin can it will take 10 years, but cardboard only takes 1-2 years. In general, the decomposition time of polyethylene depends on its structure and can exceed several thousand years.

Every year the population throws away more and more packaging, tires, household appliances. Today, the issue of waste reuse is again on the agenda. The “second life” of waste helps save significant amounts of raw materials and energy.
Hundreds of flowers made from plastic bottles. All this is an exhibition called "A Thousand Suns", taking place in American state Michigan

All over the world, waste paper, packaging, glass, wood, metal, household appliances are recycled - waste recycling has become one of the fastest growing industries. We, with a generous hand, send it all to landfills.
Here's a unique motorcycle made from old car and bicycle parts

Modern electronic components recycling plant in Tokyo

On average, one ton of computer junk contains as much gold as 18 tons of gold-bearing rock.

An interesting use for plastic bottles was found in the city of Roubaix, France. They were used to build these spherical meeting rooms in the park.

What to do with the huge number of vuvuzelas left after the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa? A competition was held to reuse these musical instruments. In this place they were used to make an original lamp.

You can make original designer bags from film from old video cassettes.

Old pipe recycling plant

This man rummages through a landfill in Manila, Philippines, looking for copper and other metals. For many people living here, this is their only source of income.

A tiger made from everything. He took part in the Chinese New Year parade in Sydney

Globe model created by designer from plastic bottles, Petah Tikva, Tel Aviv

Collection and recycling point for old mobile phones in Tokyo

In the Israeli city of Kiryat Gat there is a “tank graveyard” where about 700 decommissioned armored vehicles are located. They are sold for processing at a price of $0.25/kg

In the American city of Columbus, Ohio, stores have special bins for old, unnecessary glasses. They are then collected, disinfected and distributed free of charge to those in need.

Exhibition in Taipei, April 9, 2010. One of the Taiwanese companies built a three-story exhibition pavilion from 1.5 million plastic bottles instead of bricks.

Interesting installation in Sydney, Australia - a Christmas tree made from old bicycles

Aluminum can recycling plant in Laval, France

Violinist of the Paraguayan symphony orchestra "Melodies of Trash", whose musicians play instruments made from waste materials

10-meter transformable robot made from scrap car, Beijing

You can also make fuel for cars from plastic bottles. A worker at a plastic recycling plant holds a container of fuel oil in Hong Kong on August 24, 2011. It will be able to turn 3 tons of old plastic into 1,000 liters of fuel in the future.
By the way, this year specialists from a Russian company from the city of Tomsk presented an installation that is capable of producing as much as 900 grams of fuel from 1 kilogram of crushed plastic bottles.

18-meter catamaran made from 11,000 plastic bottles, Sydney, Australia

Disposal and recycling of household waste is a pressing problem in the modern world. There are more and more landfills on earth; extensive littering threatens an environmental disaster. The solution to the problem is recycling of solid waste at specialized waste processing plants. Following the conditions of objective reality, humanity needs to improve waste disposal methods in order to achieve the most effective processing of solid waste at minimal cost.

3 reasons why competent recycling of solid waste is necessary

Waste can be divided into the following: kinds:

• Household waste. We include human waste in this group. The garbage that is thrown out of residential buildings and administrative buildings. Plastic products, food scraps, paper, glass and other items. Many wastes are classified as hazard classes IV and V.

The issue of plastic waste should be resolved as follows: the waste is subject to mechanical grinding, followed by chemical treatment with solutions, as a result of such manipulations a mass is formed from which polymer products can be made again. Paper and food scraps can turn into compost, rot and benefit the agricultural sector of the economy.

• Biological waste. This type of waste is produced biological species(human and animals). A large number of such materials are produced by veterinary clinics, hospitals, sanitary and hygienic organizations, catering establishments and other similar institutions. Biological waste is destroyed by incineration. All organic materials can be disposed of using this method.
• Industrial waste. Such waste is the result of production processes. Construction, the operation of industrial equipment, installation and finishing work - all this leaves behind a huge amount of wood, paints and varnishes, thermal insulation materials, some of which can also be burned. For example, wood releases energy during combustion, which can also be used for purposes beneficial to society.
• Radioactive waste. Often, biomaterials and other waste contain radioactive substances that pose a danger. This group also includes gases and solutions - that is, those wastes that cannot be used in the future. Some of this waste can be destroyed by burning, but the rest can only be buried.
• Medical waste. This is waste from medical institutions, 80% of which is non-hazardous household waste, and the remaining 20% ​​poses a risk to the human body. Like the processing of radioactive waste, the destruction of this type of waste has many restrictions and prohibitions in Russian legislation. The methods of its burning and burial are described in detail. For medical waste, as well as for radioactive waste, special burial grounds are created. Some people dispose of medical waste this way: they put it in bags and burn it. But many drugs belong to hazard classes I and II, so this disposal method is clearly not for them.

All waste is classified according to the degree of its danger to the environment. There are four hazard classes in total. The first class is garbage, which poses the most serious threat to the planet and all organisms living on it. If you do not recycle first class solid waste in the manner prescribed by law, the damage to the ecological system may be irreparable. Waste of the first hazard class: mercury, lead salts, plutonium, polonium, etc.

Waste of the second hazard class can also greatly harm the environment. The effects of such damage will continue to impact for a long time. The planet will recover within 30 years after being polluted by such waste. These include arsenic, selenium, chlorine, phosphates, etc.

After waste of the third class of danger, the ecosystem can recover within a decade. Of course, restoration is possible only after processing solid waste, otherwise the waste will not stop harming the environment. The third class includes zinc, ethyl alcohol, chromium, etc.

The fourth hazard class is low-hazard waste (simazine, sulfates, chlorides). After their removal from the contaminated object, the ecosystem needs three years to recover.

But fifth class waste is completely safe.

Let's consider why is it necessary proper processing of solid waste:

1. Waste pollutes the environment, which is already oversaturated with emissions from factories and vehicle emissions.
2. Resources that are extracted from nature or created industrially are seriously limited, so it is advisable to recycle and reuse them.
3. It turns out to be cheaper to use recycled raw materials, so recycling MSW is economically beneficial.

The most common methods of processing solid waste

Method 1.Garbage disposal.

Landfills are created specifically for the purpose of processing solid waste on their territory. The waste stream enters these areas (up to 95%), and then the organic part decomposes spontaneously. In the landfill area there are formed special conditions for an intense biochemical dissociation process. The resulting anaerobic environment promotes recycling, enhanced by methanogenic microorganisms that form biogas (otherwise known as “landfill gas”). What is the disadvantage of such polygons? Landfill gas toxins enter the atmospheric air and spread in the direction of the wind over vast distances. And if industrial emissions are mixed in with them, then the environment is exposed to even greater danger.

Given the accumulation of microorganisms that enhance the occurrence of chemical reactions, fires may occur locally due to excessive overheating. At the same time, polyaromatic hydrocarbons are released into the environment, causing cancer. Such emissions are thousands of times higher than the permissible concentrations of such substances in the air. Aqueous solutions formed in the air fall out in the form of precipitation, the evaporation of which, as with the combustion of polymer substances, releases dioxins. So through precipitation harmful chemical elements enter ground and surface waters.

Since it is impossible to set up such landfills within the city, areas outside large populated areas are allocated for them. If you calculate the cost of allocating territories, their arrangement according to all the rules, transportation costs for transporting waste to such a solid waste processing site, you will get a rather impressive figure. Add to this air pollution associated with the release of combustion products of motor fuel and the wear and tear of suburban roads. The picture is not rosy.

Due to the fact that the qualified development of solid waste processing sites is associated with high costs, some people prefer to organize unauthorized landfills. In such places of unauthorized storage there is no any sealing; liquid waste directly enters the environment without going through the neutralization stage, creating a high danger for the population. And these landfills are only multiplying and growing.

Thus, storing unprocessed waste in landfills is very dangerous, and therefore this method of disposal should be prohibited at the legislative level. And there are many reasons for this:

• lack of bacteriological and epidemiological safety;
• rapid spread of substances hazardous to the human body over large areas (penetration into air, water, soil);
• release of dioxins during fire;
• the high cost of land and landfill development, as well as the need for subsequent reclamation of the site;
• contradiction to the “Fundamentals of state policy in the field of environmental development Russian Federation for the period until 2030".

Method 2.Composting waste.

This method of processing solid waste is based on the fact that some of the waste can be disposed of independently - through biodegradation. Thus, organic waste can be composted. Nowadays, there are special technologies for composting food waste and unseparated garbage.

Mass composting is not common in our country, but is used by that part of the population that has private houses or summer cottages. However, in general, it is possible to organize the waste composting process centrally, by allocating special sites for this. The resulting compost can later be successfully used in the agricultural industry.

Method 3.Thermal waste processing (MSW).

Organic matter can also be easily destroyed thermally. Thermal processing of solid waste is a sequential procedure for exposing waste to heat in order to reduce its mass and volume, as well as neutralize it. Such processing of solid waste may be accompanied by the production of inert materials and energy carriers.

Advantages of thermal processing:

• Efficiency in terms of neutralization (destroys pathogenic microflora).
• Significantly reduces the volume of garbage (up to ten times).
• Using the energy potential of organic waste.

The most common method of thermal processing of solid waste is combustion. This one has simple way there are many advantages:

• It has been tested many times.
• Combustion equipment is available and mass-produced and has a long service life.
• An automated process that does not require the involvement of labor resources.

If previously garbage was simply burned, modern technologies make it possible to use this process more efficiently, simultaneously extracting the fuel fraction from it. As a result of such techniques, the incineration procedure turns into not just the elimination of waste, but also the production of additional energy - electrical or thermal. The most promising technology at the moment is plasma combustion technology, which provides a higher combustion temperature. As a result, useful energy is released, and the remainder is a completely harmless vitrified product.

Method 4.Plasma waste processing (MSW).

Recycling of solid waste using the plasma method is a process of converting waste into gas. This gas is subsequently used to produce steam and electricity. Non-pyrolyzable solid waste residues are one of the elements of plasma processing.

The advantage of high-temperature pyrolysis is that this process destroys a wide variety of waste without any preliminary preparation, without harming the environment. From an economic point of view, this is a very profitable technology, since there is no need for additional costs for drying, sorting and other procedures for preparing waste for disposal.

The output is slag, which does not harm the environment and can even be reused.

What equipment is used for processing solid waste?

The industrial world does not stand still; more and more equipment and waste disposal plants are becoming available. The most common types of equipment for such enterprises include:

1. Presses.

It is impossible to imagine any solid waste recycling and recycling plant without waste compaction. After compaction, the waste is more convenient to store and transport. Presses can have different dimensions: from the most gigantic to relatively small ones that can fit in the territory of a regular store. In Russia, two types of presses are used:

• Baling presses.
• Briquetting presses.

According to the method of loading the press there are:

• Vertical (front loading).
• Horizontal (able to compress debris more tightly).

If the dimensions of vertical presses are quite compact, then horizontal ones are usually installed only in large factories, since they are difficult to fit in a regular room.

According to their purpose, presses can be universal (for all types of waste) or specialized (for only one type).

2. Compactors.

Compactors are considered very close to presses. As the name suggests, they also make the garbage more compressed. This type of equipment mainly uses PET bottles, polyethylene films, aluminum cans, as well as paper and cardboard. For shopping malls, this type of equipment is indispensable, because there is always a need to compress large amounts of garbage.

Waste hauling companies unanimously claim that transportation and storage costs are significantly reduced by compacting waste using compactors. In this case, it does not matter at all whether the compactor is mobile or stationary.

Stationary and mobile equipment have their pros and cons. If mobile compactors are monoblocks, then stationary compactors contain a press and a replaceable container, which allows you to load much more waste than into a single monoblock. The continuous cycle of operation also significantly distinguishes the stationary compactor from other recycling equipment. Just have time to change containers.

But the mobile compactor can be used in different places, and it does not need to be mounted and dismantled again each time. This is a hermetically sealed design, which allows it to work even with wet waste.

3. Shredders.

Shredders have a completely different type of operation than presses and compactors. They help in waste disposal by shredding or crushing it. This is why Russian-speaking users call shredders crushers. Not a single solid waste processing plant can do without them. Shredders are designed for shredding:

• glass;
• wood;
• plastics;
• paper;
• rubber;
• metal;
• organic and mixed waste;
• hazardous substances.

Some shredders only work with one type of waste, such as glass. But there are also many models that are designed for shredding a wide variety of waste.

4. Containers.

We encounter this type of equipment every day. These are our usual garbage containers that we use regularly. The material from which containers are made is usually plastic, although metal is sometimes found. Containers can be used for separate waste storage or for mixed waste. Not so long ago, containers were stationary, but now we increasingly see containers on wheels. Containers equipped with wheels make it more convenient to transfer garbage to garbage trucks.

5. Sorting lines.

It is much easier and more efficient to process solid waste in sorted form. As we have already said, for different types Garbage has its own methods of disposal, and therefore it is so important to first separate one type of waste from others. To this end, waste treatment plants today mandatory waste sorting lines are installed. Sorting lines are designed to separate municipal solid waste into fractions for the purpose of their subsequent pressing, compaction and transformation into secondary raw materials, which can then be sold. Sorting lines have become an integral part of the waste recycling process.

How is a solid waste processing plant equipped?

The set of equipment for any plant is selected taking into account its specialization. There are wide-ranging enterprises that process various types of solid waste. But small plants usually deal only with a specific type of waste. This can be construction waste, tires and other rubber products, household waste, etc.

It is safest to invest in functional and powerful equipment that can serve a large area, working without interruptions or breakdowns.

An example of such a complex is the waste incineration mini-plant MPZ-5000 (manufactured by Sifania (Russia)). It is designed to process huge amounts of solid household waste; for example, it will cope perfectly with five thousand tons of garbage per year. A mini-plant involves a set of equipment for burning waste. The example we are considering is suitable for serving a small area with a population of about 25 thousand people. The equipment set includes not only a waste incineration machine, but also units for:

• waste sorting;
• shredding plastic bottles;
• waste paper compaction;
• pyrolysis of non-degradable materials.

The cost of the equipment is quite high. Its simplest standard configuration will cost the enterprise ten million rubles.

But this example is suitable for a small-scale organization. For larger production, you can purchase a sorting station capable of passing up to ten tons per hour. The productivity of such equipment is much higher than that of a mini-factory. This station is capable of separating 16 types of solid waste from a mixed stream. Maintenance of the station requires at least 40 people. A good option for such equipment is the JSSORT complex. It has impressive dimensions. To install the entire station, an area 40 meters wide and 80 meters long will be required. Such equipment is capable of servicing about 15 garbage trucks in one eight-hour working day.

Such a complex of equipment will cost three times more than a mini-plant. Its cost is about 30 million rubles. This includes the cost of constructing suitable premises for the station.

A very profitable option for making money from waste disposal is a plant for processing rubber products (car tires) into small crumbs. After the operation of specialized equipment, only rubber powder remains, crushed into granules, which is ideal for recycling.

It is in demand in production:

• asphalt;
• road speed limiters;
• materials for sound insulation;
• mastics with anti-corrosion properties and other products of the construction industry.

A set of equipment for rubber processing is capable of processing up to three tons of waste per hour. An imported mini-plant of this type costs about 25 million rubles.

It should be noted that all processing enterprises have approximately a similar set of components. The differences lie mainly in the degree of their power and the level of automation of the process. The solid waste processing plant includes the following equipment:

• receiving conveyor;
• inclined belt conveyor;
• sorting line;
• packaging press machine;
• pyrolysis unit;
• plastic shredder;
• glass container.

Sometimes this set is complemented by a receiving workshop with magnetic equipment for separating scrap metal.

Let's consider the operation scheme of a mini-plant for processing solid waste:

• First of all, the waste stream goes through a magnetic receiver to sort the metal;
• a vertical conveyor transports raw materials to the sorting line;
• sorting complexes can be automated and separate waste using optical devices or semi-automated and use manual labor;
• all waste paper is sorted and sent for packaging;
• plastic products fall into the shredding device;
• glass waste is sent to a collection container;
• all other waste goes into a receiving hopper, from where it subsequently goes to the press for compaction. The further fate of such waste is burial.

If recyclables are packaged, they can be sold or processed, depending on which direction is provided by the plant itself. For example, one of the divisions of the enterprise may be a workshop for the production of toilet paper.

The main problems of solid waste processing

Problem 1.Lack of funds.

Currently, waste is removed mainly at the expense of the population. But the tariffs for the disposal of household waste established by regulations are prohibitively low. So much so that they are not able to compensate for the costs of even transporting garbage, not to mention its processing and disposal.

Of course, the funds collected from the population are not enough, so the rest of the resources are allocated by the state. But for unknown reasons, housing and communal services never have the opportunity to develop and modernize the waste disposal system. We still do not have separate collections, as is customary throughout Europe. And on the material level there is no stimulation for sorting. If you dump all the garbage into one container or separate the waste by type, you still pay the same tariff for recycling solid waste.

Problem 2.Of secondary importance.

Solid waste processing is currently carried out by organizations whose main activity is the provision of various public services.

Only if specialized enterprises undertake waste collection and processing will they be able to plan for more efficient waste collection, improve the equipment used, and optimize income and costs for solid waste processing.

Problem 3.Lack of responsible persons.

All activities related to the disposal of household waste are dispersed across various departments. A unified structure of hierarchy and responsibility in this matter has not been built. In European countries everything is different. There, the issue of household waste management is controlled by the Environmental Protection Agency. In our country there is a similar government agency - the Ministry of Natural Resources, however, the issue of solid waste processing has not been transferred to the jurisdiction of this body.

As a result, existing ministries and departments deal with this area to varying degrees, but shift responsibility to each other, and the process of issuing bills in this area is delayed due to the lengthy approval procedure.

Problem 4.Concentration in the hands of government agencies.

Government agencies zealously hold on to the recycling of solid waste, although, as we have seen, they do not have enough funds, desire and understanding to organize the process at the proper level. European states are showing the effectiveness of involving private companies in this issue. In Europe, organizations have long been cooperating with municipalities in matters of waste collection and disposal. Perhaps someday in the future our authorities will reach a similar level of cooperation, but for now landfills are piling up and continue to poison the environment.

Foreign experience shows that private companies are very enthusiastic about solving this problem, since it is directly related to commercial benefits. So, they are looking for the most effective and economical ways to process solid waste. By building large factories and attracting foreign investment, commercial organizations work with great efficiency, and the results of their activities are obvious.

Problem 5.There is no work with the population.

The fact that the population practically does not understand the advantages of separate waste collection is a sad flaw in the domestic management of this issue. After all, if you inform citizens about the problems of solid waste processing, their awareness and desire to correct the situation may increase, including on their own. After all, this planet is our home, where we live and plan to inhabit it for a long time.

Problem 6.Lack of fixtures.

The abundance of data in the public domain allows many conscious citizens, despite the lack of centralized information, to come to an understanding of the problem of waste disposal. But even if people have a desire to throw garbage into separate containers, they were not given such an opportunity. The only equipment for collecting waste is an ordinary garbage chute. There is only one way out of the situation: seal all existing garbage chutes and set up a waste sorting system.

It is more expedient to design new houses without garbage chutes, since in general this will not only provide the possibility of separate waste collection, but will also increase cleanliness in the entrances.

Problem 7.Recycling of recyclable materials is not organized.

In Russia there are organizations that are engaged in the processing of solid waste. There are not as many of them as we would like, but even these units often have problems with the disposal of secondary raw materials. And this is sad, because in fact, using scrap can provide significant economic benefits.

Motivating the use of recyclable materials in production is again a state task. Moreover, we are talking not only about establishing obligations for enterprises, but also about developing a system of rewards, benefits, incentives that could encourage business representatives to establish markets for the sale of scrap and its use.

Thus, when carrying out public procurement in European countries Benefits are often provided for organizations that produce products from recycled materials.

Problem 8.Lack of planning.

To prevent the processing of solid waste and the use of recyclable materials from becoming local and episodic phenomena, it is necessary to draw up detailed plans aimed at achieving desired results. Thus, this waste management plan should cover a long period during which the necessary activities are envisaged, as well as the timing of their implementation, sources of financing, goals and persons responsible for the implementation of such actions.

All of the above problems actually arise due to the same factor: the task of competent processing of solid waste is not a priority at the state level. In addition, we have not yet come to the realization of making the most efficient use of available resources. Therefore, environmental issues have not yet been resolved, and an effective waste disposal system has not been built.

What are the prospects for recycling solid waste in Russia?

In Russia, the idea of ​​rational use of waste has not yet been developed. IN Lately This area is receiving a little more attention. But only a little. A number of waste processing enterprises have been created in our country, but their operation has not yet been put on a wide scale. The process has not been established; there is no competent interaction between such organizations and the state. In general, so far such companies operate mainly in the central regions of the country - Moscow, St. Petersburg. But ideally, such activities should be carried out everywhere.

The fact is that in large cities there are much more earning opportunities for waste recycling enterprises. The waste disposal business is very profitable where there is an abundance of it, and there is a catastrophic lack of areas for storing and slowly destroying waste. Not so on the periphery. Most often, waste is transported to lands that are located on the outskirts of cities and towns. This method is harmful to the environment and is also economically unprofitable. While recycling regular household waste is profitable business, and at this time in the domestic economy this niche is free.

Let us note that until municipalities begin to perceive this problem as urgent, it is unlikely that anything will change radically. Foreign experience shows that a significant part of waste disposal issues can be resolved by a simple action - installing containers for separate waste collection. This step will greatly simplify the recycling of solid waste.

A criticism of this assumption is the judgment about the inertia and laziness of Russians, who will not want to sort their waste at home. But public opinion polls do not confirm this idea. For example, half of Moscow residents are already ready for separate waste collection. And this is without any propaganda and work with the population on the part of those in power. It is not difficult to guess that, subject to government action in this direction, a quick and effective transition to modern technologies for waste processing and the use of secondary raw materials is possible in our country.

Expert opinion

Solving the problems of solid waste processing using integrated management

L.Ya. Shubov,

Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, member of the Russian community of experts on rational environmental management

HE. Borisova,

Ph.D., Associate Professor, RGUTiS

I.G. Doronkina,

Ph.D., Associate Professor, RGUTiS

Solid waste recycling management consists of the following elements:

• garbage collection;
• export;
• processing (preliminary preparation);
• actual processing;
• disposal;
• burial.

All these components are connected into a single system and are connected to each other.

To ensure solutions to the problems of solid waste processing, it is necessary to be guided by modern requirements for resource conservation and environmental management:

• recycling of waste as sources of raw materials and energy;
• reducing the cost of cleaning settlements;
• transition from the method of solid waste disposal to industrial recycling;
• ensuring environmental safety.

Transformations are not so easy to achieve, because they are associated not only with establishing an effective system for garbage collection and recycling, but also with improving the sanitary and hygienic condition of the city, and this is already a matter of reforming the housing and communal services. At the moment, there are a number of tasks, not least of which are the creation of a service market and the development of competition in the field of solid waste processing. Introducing all these innovations is not so easy.

At the moment, there is a serious shortage of specialists in the processing of solid waste. Universities annually issue diplomas to general ecologists who do not yet possess technologies for the effective processing of technogenic raw materials; it is difficult for them to immediately find a solution to the problem of solid waste.

Some foreign organizations are eager to Russian market, offering a way out of the difficult situation with solid waste using advanced technologies. But often we are talking only about burning garbage. There is still no well-thought-out waste disposal system. At best, industrial facilities appear chaotically, dealing with only one technology in a set of measures necessary for the systematic destruction of waste. This is a road to nowhere.

It is impossible to solve the problem of recycling solid waste by constructing waste incineration plants. While one is being built, the other is finishing its life cycle. Therefore, haphazard construction has already proven its ineffectiveness. In this direction, one cannot rely on one single processing method - combustion.

Practice shows that such a policy does not lead to a solution to the problem, but only contributes to increased pollution of the environment.

It is necessary to follow the example of European countries. Here's what they've achieved so far in terms of solid waste management:

• We have developed a recycling industry based on the separate collection of waste, separating usable elements.
• We have organized and continue to develop a system of specialized sorting plants, thermal and biothermal waste processing enterprises.
• We have developed a system for recycling recyclable materials.

Burning all the garbage is simply unacceptable. The fraction of waste that has already been freed from both hazardous and resource-valuable components is used for thermal processing. Such production can be called environmentally friendly.

In our country, all solid waste processing points are built haphazardly, without communication with each other. The entire waste stream is sent there without prior sorting. Such actions create the threat of an emergency.

If the issue of solid waste is resolved, the problem of environmental safety of the country as a whole will be partially resolved.

There is an urgent need to build a solid waste processing system for the Moscow region and the cities of the resort area. Until government policy on this issue is normalized, crime and corruption will continue to flourish. That is why the development of a scientifically based solid waste recycling strategy is task No. 1.

A strategy for optimizing integrated solid waste management is needed, first of all, to create an advanced effective waste management system and the use of secondary raw materials. The goal of such a program is to develop ways to introduce waste into industrial processing, plan a sequence of actions to massively reduce the flow of waste that is currently going to landfill, and reduce environmental risks and waste disposal costs. The strategy should look like a solid document with understandable and clear terminology, containing a real model for optimizing the use of waste.

It is very uneconomical and unpromising to send garbage to rot for decades in huge landfills that take away space for living. Fortunately, recently humanity has begun to actively look for new ways to process waste so that after disposal it will benefit society. And today we will talk about 5 most unusual ways to use garbage from the landfill.

Art from trash

Often works of art (at least the objects that claim to be) can be trash. But there are cases that modern artists create their new works from real waste that they found in landfills or in garbage containers in the courtyards of multi-story residential areas.

An example of such “junk” art is the work of Jason Klimoski. For example, a huge installation called “Head in the Clouds,” which he created from more than 55 thousand empty plastic bottles.

The famous American artist Lisa Hoke also deals with garbage. She collects solid waste from famous brands to create unusual, meaningful installations that are hosted by even the most reputable galleries in the world.

It is a known fact that there is a huge garbage patch floating in the Pacific Ocean the size of two Texas states and even larger. Some call this object a “garbage island,” and some even call it a “garbage continent.” And every year it grows in size, which promises serious environmental problems not only for the world’s largest ocean, but also for the entire planet.

And the Dutch architectural company WHIM Architecture has taken the initiative to organize this floating waste, creating artificial islands from them for life and industry. The project envisages that the garbage in such objects will be used as a cushion on which the island's base rests. It can be covered with a layer of fertile soil on top to build farms, small factories and small residential villages of varying levels of comfort and prestige.

WHIM Architecture proposes to resettle refugees from hot spots and natural disaster zones to such artificial islands, for example, from the submerged Maldives and small atoll states in the Pacific Ocean.

Garbage clothes

The situation with clothes made from garbage is the same as with works of art made from this material. Some products look like they could be taken straight from the factory, bypassing the stores, to a landfill. But at the same time, there are people who create masterpieces of modern fashion out of real garbage.

A case in point is the garbage collection ONE: Outfits from a New Era, created collectively by fashion designers from the Canadian city of Montreal. It consists of a couple of dozen amazing beauty dresses that were made from the most seemingly inappropriate materials.

For example, one of these dresses is made of black plastic bags, another - from used gun casings, the third - from the remains of a car, and the fourth - even from tin cans.

Surprisingly, these dresses are completely wearable. Not in everyday life, but during appearances in high society, at elite parties, where every lady present tries to stand out from the rest.

Garbage car

Some car enthusiasts find old, almost rotten cars in car scrapyards, and at the cost of their own labor and time, transform them into new vehicles sparkling with fresh paint. And Briton Paul Bacon built a car from ordinary plastic and metal garbage that had accumulated over decades in his garage.

True, he took the chassis from an old BMW Z3 as a basis and added a new engine of his own production, which can accelerate to a speed of 225 kilometers per hour. And the body and interior decoration were created from garbage and household waste.

The result was a car called Cosmotron, which appearance and technical characteristics can well be described as a sports car. Paul Bacon not only drives this car himself, but also regularly rents it out to filmmakers and just newlyweds who are attracted by the unusual appearance of the “junk” car.

3D printer on plastic bottles

The 3D System company has developed one of the most unusual and promising three-dimensional printers in the world. The device with the name uses empty plastic bottles as material for 3D printing.

However, technology does not yet allow one to simply insert a bottle into a printer and get the desired item out. For successful work Ekocycle Cube must be refilled with special cartridges, the contents of which consist partly of plastic containers.

Currently, recycled plastic makes up only a quarter of the total material in such cartridges. But in the future this share will be significantly increased. 3D System's partner in the Ekocycle Cube project was the Coca Cola Corporation, which sees this initiative as a way to increase its environmental responsibility to the planet.

Askarova Ekaterina

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Municipal educational institution

"Secondary school No. 6"

ABSTRACT ON TECHNOLOGY on the topic

"New household waste recycling technologies

And production waste in the modern world»

(school scientific and practical conference"_Live Earth")

10th grade students

Askarova Ekaterina Sergeevna

Head E.V. Shirokova

Pelagiad

2013

R E C E N S

on the essay of 10th grade student Ekaterina Askarova on the topic “New technologies for processing household and industrial waste in the modern world.”
Reviewer: technology teacher Shirokova E.V.

The abstract submitted for review and review corresponds to the level of educational and research work of the student in the subject area of ​​technology. The topic of the abstract is relevant and is devoted to one of the important research problems - the creation of safe, waste-free technologies in the modern world.

Based on the study of a fairly large volume of scientific research literature, the abstract summarizes the results of a study of environmental problems of technogenic human activity. Ways to solve environmental problems of environmental pollution by industrial waste in Russia and in the world are considered.

The undoubted advantage of the abstract is the study of promising technologies for secondary production. Because the intensive way to solve the global environmental problem is to reduce resource-intensive production and transition to low-waste technologies.

In general, the work meets the requirements for the design of a student essay.

1. Introduction. Ecological problems modern civilization ………. 3

2. Don’t turn the planet into a landfill………………………..

3. Disposal of waste from medical institutions…………...

4. Modern technologies for processing solid household waste...

5. Creation and development of waste-free production in Russia……………..

6.Advanced technologies of recycled plastics……………………….

7. World experience in secondary production resources……………………….

8. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………...

9. List of references………………………………………………………

Introduction

Environmental problems of modern civilization

Currently economic activity Humans are increasingly becoming the main source of air and environmental pollution. Gaseous, liquid and solid industrial wastes enter the natural environment in large quantities. Various chemical substances, found in waste, entering the soil, air or water, pass through ecological links from one chain to another, and ultimately enter the human body. It is impossible to find a place on the globe where pollutants were not present in one concentration or another. Even in the ice of Antarctica, where there are no industrial productions and people live only at small stations, scientists have discovered toxic substances of industrial origin. They are brought here by atmospheric air currents. Even short-term exposure to some of them on the human body can cause dizziness, cough, sore throat, nausea, and vomiting. The entry of toxic substances into the human body in large concentrations can lead to loss of consciousness, acute poisoning and even death. An example of such an action is smog that forms in large cities or emergency releases of toxic substances into the atmosphere by industrial enterprises.

The technologies used by humanity are primarily focused on the use of non-renewable natural resources. These are oil, coal, ores, etc. At the same time, their use technologically entails disturbances in the surrounding world: soil fertility and the amount of fresh water decrease, and the atmosphere is polluted.

Over the course of a year, 5 billion tons of carbon dioxide alone are emitted into the atmosphere. As a result, the ozone layer becomes thinner, and ozone holes. Ultraviolet rays rush into these holes, which cause cancer in people. Oxygen on Earth is becoming less and less. And there are more and more exhaust gases from ferrous and chemical industry factories, boiler houses, and transport.

Scientists have calculated that every year so many harmful substances enter water bodies around the world that they could fill 10 thousand freight trains. Even in the waters of the Arctic, washing powder was found.

Soil forms slowly: it takes hundreds and even thousands of years. But it can be destroyed very quickly. Over the past hundred years, approximately 1/4 of all fertile soils on Earth have been destroyed.

Let's not turn the planet into a landfill

Today, using established technologies, humanity has a diverse structure of all kinds of waste of domestic and industrial origin. This waste, gradually accumulating, has become a real disaster.The most commonUntil recently, the method of dealing with household waste in cities - taking it to landfills - did not solve the problem, but, frankly speaking, aggravated it. Landfills are not only an epidemiological danger, they inevitably become a powerful source of biological pollution. Main component biogas - methane - is recognized as one of the culprits greenhouse effect, destruction of the ozone layer of the atmosphere and other global disasters. In total, more than one hundred toxic substances are released into the environment from waste. Landfills often burn, emitting toxic smoke into the atmosphere.

Vast territories have been alienated for landfills for decades; they, of course, could be used more profitably. And finally, in order to equip a landfill and maintain it at the level of modern environmental requirements, large funds are needed. Reclamation of closed (no longer operational) landfills is very expensive. This is a whole set of measures, the purpose of which is to stop the harmful effects of landfills on the environment, including soil and groundwater. Reclamation of just one hectare of landfill today costs 6 million rubles. Transport costs for transporting waste are also high, since landfills are usually located far from the city.

The amount of accumulated garbage is constantly growing. Now there is from 150 to 600 kg of it per year for each city resident. The most garbage is produced in the USA (520 kg per year per inhabitant), in Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the Netherlands - 200-300 kg, in Moscow - 300-320 kg.

For paper to decompose in the natural environment, it takes from two to ten years, a tin can - more than 90 years, a cigarette filter - 100 years, a plastic bag - more than 200 years, plastic - 500 years, glass - more than 1000 years. Remember this before you throw an old plastic bag or bottle into the forest.

Modern household and industrial waste contains a lot of extremely slowly decomposing plastics (polymer materials). The situation is better with new polymer materials - they contain light-sensitive molecular groups that are easily absorbed by microorganisms. The rate of decomposition of such polymer waste

increases many times, eliminating the need to burn them in high-temperature furnaces.

The USA remains one of the most “littered” countries in the world, with up to 160 million waste generated there annually. A column of ten-ton trucks loaded with this garbage would stretch from the Earth to the Moon, and the 18 billion disposable diapers that Americans throw away every year could be stretched from the Earth to the Moon 7 times.

The porous styroform from which disposable cups are made is environmentally friendly. If you arrange the glasses used in a year in a row, they will circle the Earth at the equator 463 times. This plastic does not decompose in nature, and its production from expensive oil releases chlorocarbons into the atmosphere, which destroy the ozone layer.

In the United States, only 20% of waste is recycled, the rest is concentrated in landfills. Up to 1/3 of this garbage is containers. Americans spend 75% of glass produced, 50% of paper, 40% of aluminum, 40% of plastic, 8% of steel on packaging. Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. Governments of developed countries are beginning to pay increasing attention to environmental issues and are encouraging the creation of appropriate technologies. Systems for cleaning areas from waste and technologies for burning it are being developed. However, there are many reasons to believe that waste incineration technologies are a dead end. Already, the cost of burning 1 kg of garbage is 65 cents. If you do not switch to other waste disposal technologies, costs will rise. It should be borne in mind that new technologies are needed that over time could ensure, on the one hand, the consumer needs of the population, and on the other hand, the preservation of the environment.

Disposal of waste from medical institutions

Unfortunately, in our country, 90% of waste is buried (deposited) in landfills, although this is associated with transport costs and disposal large territories. In addition, polygons are often not

meet basic sanitary and hygienic requirements and are secondary sources of environmental pollution. But

While most waste can still be disposed of relatively safely by depositing, some types of waste, for example medical

waste is subject to mandatory recycling. They differ significantly from other waste and require special attention. They contain a danger to humans, due primarily to the constant presence in them

composition of pathogens of various infectious diseases, toxic, and often radioactive substances.

By 2005, according to general data, about 1.8 billion tons of them had already accumulated in the world, which is approximately 300 kg for every inhabitant of the planet.

Injection needles and syringes pose a particular danger, since improper handling after use can lead to reuse. According to WHO estimates, in 2000 the following people became infected as a result of syringe reuse alone:

• 21 million people with hepatitis B virus(HBV) (32% of all new infections);
• two million people with hepatitis C virus(HCV) (40% of all new infections); And
• at least 260,000 people have HIV (5% of all new infections).

Modern technologies for processing solid household waste

The most promising way to solve the problem of urban landfills is waste recycling. The following main directions in processing have been developed: organic matter is used to obtain fertilizers, textile and paper waste is used to obtain new paper, scrap metal is sent to the smelter. The main problem in recycling is sorting waste and developing technological processes for recycling.

The proposed modern technologies make it possible to simultaneously solve the problem of waste disposal and create local energy sources. Thus, garbage will return to us not in the form of growing landfills and polluted water, but in the form of electricity through wires, heat in radiators, or vegetables and fruits grown in greenhouses

Pre-sorting.This technological process involves the separation of municipal solid waste into fractions at waste treatment plants manually or using automated conveyors. This includes the process of reducing the size of waste components by crushing and sifting them, as well as removing larger or smaller metal objects, such as cans. Their selection as the most valuable secondary raw materials precedes further recycling of solid waste (for example, incineration).

Sanitary earth filling.This technological approach to the disposal of solid household waste is associated with the production of biogas and its subsequent use as fuel. For this purpose, household waste is covered using a certain technology with a layer of soil 0.6 m thick

compacted form. Biogas landfills are equipped with ventilation pipes, gas blowers and containers for collecting biogas.

High temperature pyrolysis.This method of solid waste disposal is essentially nothing more than gasification of garbage. The technological scheme of this method involves the production of secondary synthesis gas from the biological component (biomass) of waste in order to use it to produce steam, hot water, electricity. An integral part of the high-temperature pyrolysis process are solid products in the form of slag, i.e. non-pyrolyzable residues.

Burning. This is a widespread method of disposal of municipal solid waste, which has been widely used since the end of the 19th century. The difficulty of direct disposal of solid waste is due, on the one hand, to its exceptional multicomponent nature, and on the other, to increased sanitary requirements for the process of their processing. In this regard, incineration is still the most common method of primary treatment of household waste. Burning household waste, in addition to reducing volume and weight, allows you to obtain additional energy resources that can be used for centralized heating and electricity production.

Recycling of combustible waste.The proposed gasification technology makes it possible to process flammable waste in a closed reactor to produce combustible gas. The following types of waste can be recycled:

• combustible fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW), separated during sorting;
• industrial solid waste - non-toxic solid waste produced by industrial, commercial and other centers, for example: plastic, cardboard, paper, etc.;
• solid flammable products from automobile recycling: most automotive plastics, rubber, foam, fabric, wood, etc.;
• wastewater after drying (the most effective wastewater processing is achieved using biothermal technology);
• dry biomass such as wood waste, sawdust, bark, etc.

The gasification process is a modular technology. A valuable processing product is flammable gas produced in volumes from 85 to 100 m 3 in a minute. Gas can be used to produce heat/electricity for related industries or for sale.

Recycling rotting waste.The organic fraction of solid waste obtained as a result of sorting, as well as waste from farms and wastewater treatment plants, can be subjected to anaerobic processing to produce methane and compost, suitable for agricultural and horticultural work.

The processing of organic matter occurs in reactors where methane-producing bacteria process the organic substance into biogas and humus.

Recycling of used tires.To recycle tires, low-temperature pyrolysis technology is used to produce electricity, sorbent for water purification or high-quality soot suitable for the production of tires.

Dismantling lines for old cars.To recycle old cars, industrial dismantling technology is used, which allows individual parts to be reused. The economic efficiency of the enterprise is ensured by the sale of automotive parts and sorted materials. For efficient operation of the plant, depending on transport tariffs, 25,000 old car wrecks must be available within a radius of 25-30 km from the plant. IN general case The plant requires a site of at least 20,000 m 2 . The supply of an industrial dismantling line includes training of operating personnel at the customer’s site and in Western Europe, training in enterprise management and training in organizing the collection of old cars and selling spare parts and materials.

Disposal of medical waste.The proposed medical waste treatment technology sterilizes such types of medical waste as needles, lancets, medical containers, metal probes, glass, biological cultures, physiological substances, medications, syringes, filters, vials, diapers, catheters, laboratory waste, etc. Medical waste treatment technology crushes and sterilizes waste so that it turns into dry, homogeneous, odorless dust (pellets with a diameter of 1-2 mm). This residue is a completely inert product, does not contain microorganisms and does not have bactericidal properties. The remainder can be disposed of as normal municipal waste or used for landscaping.

The proposed modern technologies make it possible to simultaneously solve the problem of waste disposal and create local energy sources. Thus, garbage will return to us not in the form of growing landfills and polluted water, but in the form of electricity through wires, heat in radiators, or vegetables and fruits grown in greenhouses.

Creation and development of waste-free production

What are the ways to solve the global environmental problem of environmental pollution from industrial waste?The creation of even the most advanced treatment facilities cannot solve the problem of environmental protection.An intensive way to solve the global environmental problem is to reduce resource-intensive production and transition to low-waste technologies.

Waste-free production is a production in which all raw materials are ultimately transformed into one or another product and which is at the same time optimized in terms of technological,

economic and socio-ecological criteria. The fundamental novelty of this approach to the further development of industrial production is due to the inability to effectively solve problems of environmental protection and rational use of natural resources only by improving methods of neutralization, disposal, processing or disposal of waste. The concept of waste-free production provides for the need to include the sphere of consumption in the cycle of use of raw materials. In other words, products after physical or moral wear and tear must be returned to production. Thus, waste-free production is an almost closed system, organized by analogy with natural ecological systems, the functioning of which is based on the biogeochemical cycle of matter.

Waste-free production involves the cooperation of industries with a large amount of waste (production of phosphate fertilizers, thermal power plants, metallurgical, mining and processing industries) with production that consumes this waste, for example, construction materials enterprises. In this case, waste fully meets the definition of D.I. Mendeleev, who called it “neglected products of chemical transformations, which over time become the starting point of new production.”

Secondary production resources in Russia

Waste generation in the Russian economy is 3.4 billion tons per year, including 2.6 billion tons/year - industrial waste, 700 million tons/year - liquid poultry and livestock waste, 35-40 million tons/year - solid waste, 30 million tons/year - sludge from wastewater treatment plants. The average level of their use is about 26%, of which industrial waste is processed by 35%, solid waste by 3-4%, and the rest of the waste is practically not processed.

The low level of waste utilization (with the exception of certain types of waste - scrap ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as types of waste paper, textile and polymer waste of sufficient quality in terms of raw materials) is explained mainly not by the lack of technology, but by the fact that the processing of most waste into as a secondary raw material, it is characterized by low profitability or is not profitable at all.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, 2.4 thousand hazardous waste disposal sites have been taken into account. The conditions for disposal of such waste in many cases do not comply with the environmental requirements in force in Russia and the standards accepted throughout the world. As a result, the impact of waste accumulation and disposal sites on the environment often exceeds established limits.MPC . There are many examples when such an excess is tens and hundreds of times.

Many different types of waste can be reused. For each type of raw material there is a corresponding processing technology. Various types are used to separate waste into different materials.separation , for example, for metal extraction - magnetic.

It is advisable to recycle most metals. Unnecessary or damaged items, so-called scrap metal, are handed over to recycling collection points for subsequent melting. Particularly profitable is the processing of non-ferrous metals (copper, aluminum, tin), common technical alloys (will win) and some ferrous metals (cast iron). significant amount waste generation in Russia;

Paper recycling is possible: old papers are soaked, cleaned and shredded to obtain fibers -cellulose . The further process is identical to the process of producing paper from forest products.

Currently, the government is considering proposals to create Russian system secondary resources.

“Secondary resources” - providing collection and acceptance of decommissioned vehicles, their disaggregation, primary processing and sale of the resulting secondary raw materials, as well as collection and primary processing of waste generated as a result of the operation of vehicles - tires, batteries and battery electrolytes, oiled filters , plastic parts;

“Vtortekhresursy” - providing collection and reception of obsolete complex household appliances and radio-electronic equipment (computer equipment, photocopiers, faxes, televisions, washing machines

etc.), their degassing, primary processing and marketing of the resulting secondary raw materials;

“Vtorresursy” - providing the procurement of waste paper, packaging waste from laminated paper, polymer film and other polymer waste, PET bottles, textile waste, cullet and other types of traditional secondary raw materials.

In addition, you must install industrial relations or partnerships with the Rtutservice (fluorescent lamps and other mercury-containing waste), Vtornefteprodukt, Vtorchermet and Vtortsvetmet systems already operating in the secondary raw materials market.

The implementation of the proposal to create a Russian system of secondary resources will make it possible to fundamentally change the organizational, regulatory and economic conditions for the procurement and processing of secondary raw materials in Russia. The level of use of the main types of secondary raw materials will increase 5 years after the system is put into operation by at least 30%, for a number of items by 1.5-2 times, the loss of natural raw materials contained in waste will decrease. The level of environmental waste pollution will noticeably decrease.

New jobs will be created, which will have a beneficial effect on the socio-economic indicators of most regions of Russia.

One of the conditions for Russia’s accession to the WTO will be met (in terms of ratification of the 1994 EU Directive No. 62 “On packaging and packaging waste”).

Promising technologies for recycled plastics

The main mechanical method for processing PET waste is grinding, which involves substandard tape, injection molding waste, partially drawn or undrawn fibers. This processing makes it possible to obtain powdered materials and crumbs for subsequent injection molding. It is characteristic that during grinding the physicochemical properties of the polymer practically do not change.

The proposed technologies make it possible to process only uncontaminated technological waste, leaving unaffected food containers, which, as a rule, are heavily contaminated with protein and mineral impurities, the removal of which involves significant capital investment.

costs, which is not always economically feasible when processing on a medium and small scale.

Technology of casting products from mixtures of secondary polymers.The crushed polymer waste is mixed to average the composition of the mixture. At the mixing stage, the necessary ones are added (light and heat stabilizers, dyes, etc.). The prepared mixture is fed into the extruder. The technology is based on filling a special injection mold due to the pressure created by the extruder. Today, such equipment is used to produce elements of decorative fencing (posts, details of decorative fencing, etc.), which are beginning to be used in the urban improvement program. For example, columns made from polymer waste, molded to look like cast iron, are an order of magnitude cheaper than cast iron ones. The range of products can be very diverse.

Pressing technology.This technology involves melting a polymer, dosing it into a mold mounted on a vertical hydraulic press, pressing the product and cooling it in the mold. The advantage of this technology is the use of relatively inexpensive equipment and molds. However, this technology places higher demands on the initial secondary raw materials, namely, itssorting. Using this technology, floor slabs and transport pallets are made from recycled materials.

Nonwovens.According to Western experts, 60 to 70% of recycled PET is used to produce fibers and nonwovens. In Russia today, no more than 15% of collected recycled PET is processed into products, the bulk of which in the form of “flexes” is sold outside the country, mostly to China. The low level of processing is associated with the high cost of imported equipment for the production of fibers and nonwovens.
Today, equipment is produced for the production of nonwoven bulk materials from thermoplastic fiber-forming polymers (including recycled PET) using aerodynamic melt spraying technology. The air flow forms a fiber from the melt and sprays it onto a rotating collector-collector, on which the fibers are thermally bonded and a non-woven bulk material is formed.

Materials obtained using this technology can be used for the manufacture of petroleum product sorbents, various filters for liquids, gases and aerosols, as well as insulation for clothing, fillings for furniture and soft toys.
Thus, all of the above indicates that today

Domestic technologies and equipment exist and are already used in production, making it possible to produce highly profitable products from polymer waste.

World experience of secondary production resources

In economically developed countries, less and less household waste is disposed of in landfills and more and more is processed industrially. The most effective of them is thermal. It makes it possible to reduce the volume of waste disposed of in landfills by almost 10 times, and the unburned residue no longer contains organic substances that cause rotting, spontaneous combustion and the danger of epidemics.

Against the backdrop of a decline in the role of the state in managing waste recycling in Russia over the past 10 years, in developed countries of the world, on the contrary, the degree of state influence in this area has increased. In order to reduce the cost of products using waste, tax incentives have been introduced. To attract investment in the creation of waste processing facilities, a system of preferential loans has been created, including partially refundable and free loans in case of unsuccessful decisions. In order to stimulate demand for products using waste, a number of countries are imposing restrictions on the consumption of products manufactured without using waste, and are increasing the scale of use of the system of city and municipal orders for products from waste.

There is a company in Europe that recycles processors and extracts gold from them. It is done something like this: processors are removed from computers and other equipment and immersed in a chemical solution (which contains nitrogen), resulting in a sediment that is subsequently melted down and becomes gold bars.

Scientists from the Netherlands presented the latest developments in the field of waste processing - an improved technology that, without pre-sorting, within one system, separates and purifies all the waste that comes there, down to the original raw materials. The system completely recycles all types of waste (medical, household, technical) in a closed cycle, without residue. Raw materials are completely cleaned of impurities (harmful substances, dyes, etc.), packaged and can be reused. At the same time, the system is environmentally neutral.

A TUV plant was built and tested in Germany, which has been successfully operating using this technology for 10 years in test mode. For now

The government of the Netherlands is considering the construction of a similar plant in its country.

Rechargeable batteries and batteries.Today, all types of batteries produced in Europe can be recycled, regardless of whether they are rechargeable or not. For recycling purposes, it does not matter whether the battery is charged, partially discharged, or completely discharged. Once the batteries are collected, they are sorted and then, depending on what type they are, the batteries are sent to the appropriate recycling plant. For example, alkaline batteries are recycled in the UK, and nickel-cadmium batteries are recycled in France. There are about 40 companies involved in battery recycling in Europe.

Textiles and footwear.In many European countries, in addition to containers for collecting metal, plastic, paper and glass, containers for collecting used clothing, shoes and rags have appeared at garbage collection sites in residential areas.All rags go to the sorting center. Here, clothes that may still be suitable for use are selected; they subsequently go to charitable associations for the poor, churches and the Red Cross. Unsuitable clothing undergoes careful selection: all metal and plastic parts (buttons, snakes, snaps, etc.) are separated, then separated by type of fabric (cotton, linen, polyester, etc.). For example, denim goes to paper mills, where the fabric is shredded and soaked, after which the production process is identical to pulp. The method of making paper from cloth has remained unchanged for many centuries and was brought to Europe by Marco Polo when he first visited China. The result is two types of paper: 1. “Artistic” for watercolor or engraving with its own texture, strength and durability. 2. Paper for the production of banknotes.

Shoes undergo a similar sorting process: the sole is separated from the upper, the components are sorted by type of material, and then go to plants that process rubber, plastic, etc. Innovative sportswear company NIKE has achieved success in this, and in its stores in the United States you can get discount by leaving your worn-out sneakers.

Conclusion

The real prospect of solving the environmental crisis lies in change production activities a person, his way of life, his consciousness. Scientific and technological progress not only creates overloads for nature; in the most advanced technologies it provides a means of preventing negative impacts, creates opportunities for environmentally friendly production. Not only an urgent need has arisen, but also an opportunity to change the essence of technological civilization and give it an environmental character. One of the directions of such development is the creation of safe production facilities. Using the achievements of science, technological progress can be organized in such a way that production waste does not pollute the environment, but returns to the production cycle as secondary raw materials. An example is provided by nature itself: carbon dioxide released by animals is absorbed by plants, which release oxygen necessary for animal respiration. If we consider that modern industry converts 98% of raw materials into waste, then the need for the task of creating waste-free production becomes clear.

Some alternative (relative to thermal, nuclear and hydroelectric power plants) energy sources are also environmentally friendly. It is necessary to quickly find ways to practically use the energy of the sun, wind, tides, and geothermal sources.

The environmental situation makes it necessary to assess the consequences of any activity related to interference with the natural environment.

Even F. Joliot-Curie warned: “We cannot allow people to direct those forces of nature that they were able to discover and conquer towards their own destruction.”

Time doesn't wait. Our task is to stimulate by all available methods any initiative and entrepreneurship aimed at creating and implementing latest technologies, contributing to the solution of any environmental problems. Promote the creation of a large number of control bodies consisting of highly qualified specialists, based on clearly developed legislation in accordance with international agreements on environmental issues. Constantly convey information to all states and peoples on ecology through radio, television and the press, thereby raising the environmental consciousness of people and promoting their spiritual and moral revival in accordance with the requirements of the era.

Humanity has come to understand that further development of technological progress is impossible without assessing the impact of new technologies on the environmental situation. New connections created by man must be closed to ensure the invariance of those basic parameters of planet Earth that affect its ecological stability.

In conclusion, I would like to recall the statement of Saint-Simon: “Happy will be the era in which ambition begins to see greatness and glory only in the acquisition of new knowledge and abandons the unclean sources with which it tried to quench its thirst.” These were sources of disaster and vanity, quenching the thirst only of the ignorant, the conquering heroes and destroyers of the human race.

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Every year the problem of garbage accumulation becomes more acute. Today it poses a great threat to nature and humans. This is due to the emergence of new industrial enterprises and an increase in the volume of their products. According to statistics, the amount of solid waste from consumption and production increases annually by an average of 10–15%.

Just a few decades ago, garbage was simply taken to landfills and left untouched. However, the situation has changed dramatically in better side. Scientists have come to grips with solving environmental problems and have developed special waste processing technologies. These innovations can reduce waste disposal costs and even recover economic benefit from the remaining raw materials. As a result, recycled materials are new life. They can be reused in various areas of human activity, for example, in construction or agriculture.

Target setting

Since waste recycling technologies are a way to conserve natural resources, many countries are developing and subsidizing special programs to return waste to the production cycle.

To successfully implement them, authorities often involve ordinary citizens who can help collect household waste. necessary for several reasons:

• it allows you to preserve limited natural resources and provides time and opportunity for their replenishment;
• used products are the strongest source of ecosystem pollution;
• secondary and tertiary materials are cheaper and more accessible compared to natural sources.

Subsequent waste processing, or recycling, is associated with technogenesis. It is ideal for printing and organic waste, as well as for rubber, polymer products, glass, etc.

Profit and costs

Each waste processing technology is viewed through the prism of capital investment.

This approach involves dividing secondary raw materials into types:

• High quality products such as scrap metal or glass. They do not contain impurities, so their processing does not require enormous amounts of costs.
• Materials of average quality require the use of special technologies and capital comparable to the profit from the sale of processed products. This group includes textiles and waste paper.
• Difficult to recycle waste - polyethylene, broken glass and residues. During their processing, valuable substances are extracted, and this requires certain costs.
• Special treatment methods and technologies are used for hazardous secondary waste. This is an expensive business from an economic point of view.

Solid waste processing technology

Different variants

Each type of raw material has its own processing technology:

• Sorting waste into small fractions precedes waste disposal and recycling. This process can be carried out manually or using special machines. Consumed materials are reduced in size as their constituent components are crushed and sifted.
• One of the most common methods is burning. It allows you to obtain additional products necessary for the production of electricity and heat supply. The fire method reduces the amount of waste used by 10 times. Since innovations are aimed at renewing resources, the government of many civilized countries encourages their implementation, abandoning the usual burning of waste. Scientists have recognized that this method is expensive and has an adverse effect on human health. During combustion, toxic substances are released into the atmosphere that can cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Therefore, waste processing by combustion must be carried out in special installations or incineration plants, taking into account all rules and requirements. Waste incinerators, depending on the type of furnace, use different waste processing technologies, for example, layer combustion, fluidized bed method, pyrolysis, gasification.
• Composting technology is used in agriculture and livestock farming. It is based on natural reactions. Microorganisms that live in the soil and in organic waste process the source material. As a result, a new product is formed - compost, which can be used as fertilizer. Composting is a useful way of recycling waste, as it retains moisture, saturates the soil with useful substances and improves its condition. Over time, it was improved: in practice, heated sealed installations began to be used to speed up the decomposition process.
• Earth filling of animal waste involves obtaining it for further use as organic fuel. This process is carried out at special testing sites. Processing takes place in the depths of the earth, where ideal conditions are created for the proliferation of microscopic bacteria. An industrial installation with ventilation pipes, gas collectors, boilers and tightly closing containers is built in there. Biomass decomposition occurs in stages and over a certain period.

Keep up with the times

Not long ago, new technologies for the further use of industrial and household waste appeared. They allow you to derive economic benefits, and therefore attract the attention of businessmen and public figures.

The thermal method consists in burning solid household waste, freeing it from organic compounds and rendering it harmless for subsequent disposal and burial.

As a result, the starting material is significantly reduced in volume, and some types of raw materials can be reused. The thermal method is suitable for, as it destroys pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms.

is a unique and promising waste recycling technology.

The process is carried out at very high temperatures melting, resulting in the production of gas necessary for the generation of electrical and thermal energy. This method is environmentally friendly. It allows you to achieve good results.

“3R” technology came to life in 2000. Specialists from various fields are involved in its implementation using the latest equipment - a pyrolysis unit.

The innovative method involves the stage-by-stage implementation of production tasks. First, the waste to be recycled is analyzed and classified. Then calculations are made of their payback and efficiency of use.

At the next stage, the collected material is automatically sorted, crushed and cleaned. This is a complex technological process that can be applied to any type of waste.

Scientists have proven that from 100 kg of waste, 96 kg of finished high-quality raw materials are produced. "3R" technology was tested by German engineers. Today they are ready to share their work with specialists from other countries.

A look into the future

The modern waste disposal technologies used make it possible to simultaneously solve problems aimed at eliminating and recycling waste, saving natural resources and obtaining additional sources of energy.

Science does not stand still. Scientists and environmentalists work together to decide ecological problems world level. Today, in many laboratories they are researching new methods of recycling and waste disposal using improved equipment.

Who knows, maybe very soon innovations will be added to the traditional list, and humanity will receive the greatest benefit from this.