Monthly Archives: June 2022

How Digital Technologies Enable Efficient Waste Management

  By | | ,
3 Comments

Computer-based technology continues to transform our lives and lead to innovation in industries crucial to the earth’s ecological balance. One such sector benefiting from new inventions is waste management, which is responsible for keeping communities clean through waste removal and recycling. This sector utilizes digital tools that work together to advance global sustainability efforts and ensure the smooth running of operations at waste management companies.

To learn more, here’s how digital technology enables efficient waste management:

Benefits of Digital Technologies in Waste Management

Management Through Cloud-Based Software

The waste management process has become more streamlined thanks to smart waste management software and cloud computing. These computer applications help in tracking, customer service, controlling, monitoring, scheduling, organizing, and optimizing waste collection and administration. They give a digitized outline of locations where waste needs to be managed. It means displaying real-time data on bin waste levels, dumpster truck routing, and overall waste inventory.

This technology can also be used in entire districts on a large scale or by a single waste collection company. The whole management operation can be done in a semi-automated process between a waste collector and an IT company, such as https://fusioncomputing.ca/ and similar ones for running and management. The information generated by these programs creates a large volume of data that requires cloud services to transmit and store. Thus, it becomes necessary to be on a cloud-based platform to maintain efficiency.

Pneumatic Sorting

Separating waste is essential to reducing the chances that its byproducts don’t end up in a landfill and pollute the environment. It’s also necessary to classify waste according to recyclable materials and those that need a different disposal method.

While waste management industries mostly still use manual labor to carry out this process, the ongoing development of digital technology is likely to change this in the form of robots. Industrial robotics is an emerging science where robots are created to use pneumatic or sensor-based sorting to deconstruct waste into its simplest parts.

waste-management-sweden

These robots use detectors and computerized image recognition to identify what rubbish can be dismantled to reuse or throw away its components. Doing this increases waste sorting efficiency and operational effectiveness by saving time, labor, and floor space in waste management plants.

Automation Through AI

Artificial intelligence can improve the waste management industry by providing solutions on how to optimize operations. These AI and neural networks can, among many things, use data to pinpoint the causes of waste within a particular sector. It then uses this information to configure the best possible model for a waste management company to reduce the amount of waste produced or give sustainable solutions on how to dispose of it.

For instance, an AI system can weigh food ingredients in a restaurant against usage frequency. Then, it can be used to determine how much product is needed to reduce waste and improve food waste management. Another AI application is through autonomous waste cleaning machines such as street sweepers. These processes are completed through automation and machine learning algorithms to minimize human involvement.

Smart Technology Products

It’s no secret that the internet of things is revolutionizing how people live. This constant connection of physical devices and goods to the internet and computer software also impacts waste management. Technology products such as smart bins, e-waste recycling kiosks, and waste level sensors have become commercially available for consumers, businesses, and high-density cities.

smart waste management

AI-based waste management systems can help in route optimization and waste disposal

These devices can process materials for recycling faster and eliminate the human error that comes with incorrect recycling. Sensors can detect the levels of waste in a dumpster or trashcan to inform waste management when bins need to be collected. Doing this maximizes resource use, leading to cleaner urban environments by preventing overflowing rubbish from polluting the surrounding area.

Data Analysis

Data analysis is key to utilizing digital technology in waste management optimization. Information collected through cloud services, smart technology, and AI can optimize waste management. It can be done by discovering patterns that lead to developing a more efficient business model, enhancing accuracy, and reducing costly errors.

For instance, data analysis can help identify better routes for refuse removal trucks or how to eliminate the amount of unrecyclable waste that mistakenly lands up in landfills. It can also calculate and estimate trends and the volume of waste produced within an area and evaluate how efficient the current management system is to make improvements where applicable.

Conclusion

Smart waste management technologies enables efficient waste management through computer software, data utilization, and artificial intelligence. These systems can be integrated and automated using smart devices that work together to improve operations such as waste sorting and waste level detection.

Furthermore, digital technology in waste management contributes to greater efficiency by using data analytics to discover trends and identify patterns that can be used to construct a better business model for the waste management company. In the end, although humans will always play a role in waste management, future technology will increasingly take over most of the labor involved.

What You Need to Know About Food Waste Management

  By | | , ,
13 Comments

Food waste is an untapped energy source that mostly ends up rotting in landfills, thereby releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Food waste is difficult to treat or recycle since it contains high levels of sodium salt and moisture, and is mixed with other waste during collection. Major generators of food wastes include hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, residential blocks, cafeterias, airline caterers, food processing industries, etc.

In United States, food waste is the third largest waste stream after paper and yard waste. Around 13 percent of the total municipal solid waste generated in the country is contributed by food scraps. According to USEPA, more than 35 million tons of food waste are thrown away into landfills or incinerators each year, which is around 40 percent of all food consumed in the country.

As far as United Kingdom is concerned, households throw away around 4.5 million tons of food each year. Food wastage in Canada causes 56.6 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions. These statistics are an indication of tremendous amount of food waste generated all over the world.

food_waste

Food Waste Management Strategy

The proportion of food waste in municipal waste stream is gradually increasing and hence a proper food waste management strategy needs to be devised to ensure its eco-friendly and sustainable disposal. The two most common methods for food waste recycling are:

  • Composting: A treatment that breaks down biodegradable waste by naturally occurring micro-organisms with oxygen, in an enclosed vessel or tunnel;
  • Anaerobic digestion (AD): A treatment that breaks down biodegradable waste in the absence of oxygen, producing a renewable energy (biogas) that can be used to generate electricity and heat.

Currently, only about 3 percent of food waste is recycled throughout USA, mainly through composting. Composting provides an alternative to landfill disposal of food waste, however it requires large areas of land, produces volatile organic compounds and consumes energy. Consequently, there is an urgent need to explore better recycling alternatives.

Anaerobic digestion has been successfully used in several European and Asian countries to stabilize food wastes, and to provide beneficial end-products. Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Germany and England have led the way in developing new advanced biogas technologies and setting up new projects for conversion of food waste into energy.

biogas-enrichment

Of the different types of organic wastes available, food waste holds the highest potential in terms of economic exploitation as it contains high amount of carbon and can be efficiently converted into biogas and organic fertilizer. Food waste can either be used as a single substrate in a biogas plant, or can be co-digested with organic wastes like cow manure, poultry litter, sewage, crop residues, abattoir wastes, etc.

Food waste is one of the single largest constituent of municipal solid waste stream. Diversion of food waste from landfills can provide significant contribution towards climate change mitigation, apart from generating revenues and creating employment opportunities. Rising energy prices and increasing environmental pollution makes it more important to harness renewable energy from food wastes.

Anaerobic digestion technology is widely available worldwide and successful projects are already in place in several European as well as Asian countries which makes it imperative on waste generators and environmental agencies in USA to strive for a sustainable food waste management system.

10 Ways To Make Your Lifestyle More Green

  By | | , ,
2 Comments

We should all be looking for ways to make our lifestyles more green. Of course, it’s up to the major corporations to alter their practices in order to protect the planet as well, but we can all do our part to make things that little bit better for the environment. You might think that doing so will result in a huge upheaval to your life, and while it certainly will mean making some serious changes, it doesn’t all have to be arduous. Here are 10 ways to make your lifestyle more green:

a paper free office

1. Go paperless

One of the biggest ways that you can help the environment is to eliminate paper waste from your life to as much of a degree as possible. Let’s say you’ve taken out a loan and you’re dealing with the loan company. For personal loans and quick loans alike, you can ask for paperless bills and status updates, thus significantly reducing the amount of paper that circulates. You can do the same for other correspondence; bank statements, utility bills, and other necessary documents can all usually be delivered in paperless form.

2. Ditch your car

Personal vehicles are one of the biggest contributors to climate change in the world. If you want to have a significant impact on the environment, then it’s a good idea to ditch your car entirely. If you can, try to walk or cycle anywhere you need to go; this is a great way to reduce your carbon emissions. If you absolutely can’t walk or cycle to your destination, then try to take public transport; buses and trains are much better for the environment than driving yourself.

3. Change your diet

Many researchers agree that the best diet for the planet would be a “flexitarian” diet. This involves eating mostly plant-based foods with the occasional meal consisting of meat or fish. It’s not that difficult to achieve this; there are many delicious plant-based recipes out there, and you’d be surprised how many of the foods you already consume on a regular basis are entirely vegan. If you don’t think you can commit to a totally vegan diet, then try flexitarian eating for a while; you might surprise yourself!

Also Read: How to Select an Organic Food Wholesale Supplier

growth of organic food industry

4. Switch off appliances

You might have grown accustomed to leaving appliances in standby mode, but if you want to live a more sustainable lifestyle, you should turn things off when you’re not using them. That means switching them off at the wall or turning off the main power switch rather than simply placing them in “rest” mode. Contrary to popular belief, for example, switching off a light when you exit a room is pretty much always more energy-friendly than leaving it on, no matter how many times you’re doing it.

5. Save food

Instead of throwing away leftovers, why not try to find something fun and clever to do with them? If you’re eating chicken, for example, and you have bones left over, then you can make stock from them. Similarly, if you’ve had a meal with a lot of vegetables and you haven’t managed to eat them all, you could turn the leftovers into “bubble and squeak” or any number of other dishes. Other tips include microwaving near-stale bread to give it a little more freshness and eating dinner leftovers for lunch.

6. Change your energy company

If you’re with an energy company that hasn’t made any significant pledges to focus on the environment, it might be time to change. Shop around for a different energy company that emphasises its commitment to sustainability. Changing your energy company is very easy; many firms will try to make you believe it’s difficult, but it’s not, and it could save you a huge amount of money as well. This goes for utility bills and other services, too.

7. Ditch plastics

It’s not always possible to ditch single-use plastics; they’re a huge part of the way in which many supermarkets and other shops package their products. However, where possible, it’s a good idea to move away from plastics in favour of paper-based or recyclable packaging. Many plastics still aren’t recycled; only 16% of the world’s plastic waste is actually recycled to make new plastics. Don’t buy bananas in plastic packaging; buy the ones with a paper sleeve instead.

8. Don’t use your dryer

Tumble dryers are one of the most energy-inefficient appliances you can use. Instead of drying your clothes in a tumble dryer, hang them outside and let them dry naturally in the sun. If you don’t have access to an outdoor space, then hang them up near a window and let the sunlight get to them. Only use your dryer if you absolutely have to; it’s a needless expense considering that most clothes will dry naturally if you leave them for a little while.

9. Turn off water when not in use

Many of us are guilty of leaving the tap running when we’re brushing our teeth or after the shower has warmed up. Turning off taps can have a surprisingly significant impact on the environment, so when you’re brushing your teeth, don’t leave the tap running. Only turn it on when you absolutely need the water, and turn it off as soon as you’re done. Similarly, step into the shower as soon as it’s warm enough for you, then exit when you’re clean.

ecofriendly plumbing practices

10. Save your water when you’re done

Bathwater, pasta water, and other “waste” water can actually have a lot of uses once you’re done with it. For example, you can use bathwater, or “greywater” as it’s otherwise known, to water your plants; it’s just as nutritious for them as fresh water or rainwater. Similarly, you can save pasta water to do the same thing. This combines fantastically with growing your own fruit and vegetables; not only are you saving water, but you’re also building a self-sustainable lifestyle!

3 Ways to Reuse Water Using Renewable Energy

  By | | , ,
4 Comments

Water is essential to life, making it one of the most valuable resources on the planet. We drink it, use it to grow food and stay clean. However, water is of increasingly short supply and the Earth’s population only continues to expand. Many of the countries with the largest populations are also ones that use the most water. For instance, in the United States, the average person uses 110 gallons of water each day. Meanwhile, three-fourths of those living in Africa don’t have access to clean water.

To ensure we have enough water to survive — and share with those in need — the best approach is to conserve this resource and find sustainable ways of recycling it. Currently, conventional methods or water purification use about three percent of the world’s energy supply. This isn’t sustainable long-term and can have adverse effects on the environment.

Recently, however, major steps have been made to reduce both the collective water and carbon footprint. Now, there are multiple, sustainable ways to both save energy and reuse water using renewable energy.

1. Anaerobic Digestion

Anaerobic digestion — or AD — is the natural process in which microorganisms break down organic materials like industrial residuals, animal manure and sewage sludge. This process takes place in spaces where there is no oxygen, making it an ideal system for cleaning and reusing wastewater. This recycled water can provide nutrients for forest plantations and farmland alike.

For example, in Yucatan, Mexico, the successful implementation of AD systems has provided water to promote reforestation efforts. This system has also helped accelerate the search for a sustainable solution to water-sanitation issues in rural Latin American communities.

Additionally, anaerobic digestion also reduces adverse environmental impacts. As the system filters water, it creates two byproducts — biogas and sludge. The biogas can be used as energy to supply electricity or even fuel vehicles. And the sludge is used as fertilizers and bedding for livestock. In poor countries, like Peru, 14 percent of primary energy comes from biogas, providing heat for food preparation and electricity to homes that would not have access to it otherwise.

2. Vapor Compression Distillation

In this process, the vapor produced by evaporating water is compressed, increasing pressure and temperature. This vapor is then condensed to water for injection — highly purified water that can be used to make pharmaceutical-grade solutions.

Vapor compression distillation is incredibly sustainable because it can produce pure water on combustible fuel sources like cow dung — no chemicals, filters or electricity necessary. This makes it water accessible to even the most rural communities.

The system only needs enough energy to start the first boil and a small amount to power the compressor. This energy can be easily supplied by a solar panel, producing roughly 30 liters of water an hour using no more energy than that of a handheld hairdryer.

3. Solar Distillation

Utilizing solar energy for water treatment may be one of the most sustainable solutions to the water crisis, without sacrificing the environment or non-renewable resources. Between 80 and 90 percent of all energy collected through commercial solar panels is wasted, shed into the atmosphere as heat. However, recent advancements in technology have allowed scientists to capture this heat and use it to generate clean, recycled water.

By integrating a solar PV panel-membrane distillation device behind solar panels, researchers were able to utilize heat to drive water distillation. This panel also increases solar to electricity efficiency. This device can even be used to desalinate seawater, providing a sustainable solution to generating freshwater from saltwater.

Environmental and Economic Benefits

Finding sustainable methods of recycling water is essential to reducing energy consumption and helping the planet, and all those dependent upon it, thrive. Using methods like anaerobic digestion and environmentally-friendly distillation processes can reduce toxic emissions and provide purified, recycled water to those who need it most.

Sustainable reuse of water can also benefit the economy. The financial costs of constructing and operating desalination and purification systems are often high compared to the above solutions. Furthermore, using recycled water that is of lower quality for agricultural and reforestation purposes saves money by reducing treatment requirements.

Ultrasonic Pretreatment in Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge

  By | | , ,
3 Comments

Anaerobic digestion process comprises of four major steps – hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis. The biological hydrolysis is the rate limiting step and pretreatment of sludge by chemical, mechanical or thermal disintegration can improve the anaerobic digestion process. Ultrasonic disintegration is a method for breakup of microbial cells to extract intracellular material.

Ultrasound activated sludge disintegration could positively affect anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. Due to sludge disintegration, organic compounds are transferred from the sludge solids into the aqueous phase resulting in an enhanced biodegradability. Therefore disintegration of sewage sludge is a promising method to enhance anaerobic digestion rates and lead to reduce the volume of sludge digesters.

The addition of disintegrated surplus activated sludge and/or foam to the process of sludge anaerobic digestion can lead to markedly better effects of sludge handling at wastewater treatment plants. In the case of disintegrated activated sludge and/or foam addition to the process of anaerobic digestion it is possible to achieve an even twice a higher production of biogas. Here are few examples:

STP Bad Bramstedt, Germany (4.49 MGD)

  • First fundamental study on pilot scale by Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg, 3 years, 1997 – 1999
  • reduction in digestion time from 20 to 4 days without losses in degradation efficiency
  • increase in biogas production by a factor of 4
  • reduction of digested sludge mass of 25%

STP Ahrensburg, Germany (2.64 MGD)

  • Preliminary test on pilot-scale by Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg, 6 months, 1999
  • increase in VS destruction of 20%
  • increase in biogas production of 20%

STP Bamberg, Germany (12.15 MGD)

  • Preliminary full-scale test, 4 months, 2002 2) Full-scale installation since June 2004
  • increase in VS destruction of 30%
  • increase in biogas production of 30%
  • avoided the construction of a new anaerobic digester

STP Freising, Germany (6.87 MGD)

  • Fundamental full-scale study by University of Armed Forces, Munich, 4 months, 2003
  • increase in biogas production of 15%
  • improved sludge dewatering of 10%

STP Meldorf, Germany (1.06 MGD)

  • Preliminary full-scale test, 3 months, 2004 2) Full-scale installation since December 2004
  • increase in VS destruction of 25%
  • increase in biogas production of 25%
  • no foam or filamentous organisms present in the anaerobic sludge digester

STP Ergolz 2, Switzerland (3.43 MGD)

  • Full-scale test, 3 months, 2004
  • increase in VS destruction of 15%
  • increase in biogas production of 25%

STP Beverungen, Germany (2.64 MGD)

  • Full-scale test, 3 months, 2004/2005
  • increase in VS destruction of 25%
  • increase in biogas production of 25%

To sum up, ultrasonication has a positive effect on sludge solubilisation, sludge volume, biogas production, flock size reduction and cells lyses. Ultrasonic pretreatment enhances the subsequent anaerobic digestion resulting in a better degradation of volatile solids and an increased production of biogas.

The use of low power ultrasound in bioreactors may present a significant improvement in cost reduction. Therefore, ultrasonic pretreatment enhances the subsequent anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge resulting in a better sludge digestion and efficient recovery of valuables.

Everything You Should Know About Electricity

  By | | ,
8 Comments

Electricity, we use it every day but what is it? The dictionary defines it as a form of energy resulting from the existence of charged particles (such as electrons or protons), either statically as an accumulation of charge or dynamically as a current. This may sound confusing, but by breaking it down we can understand how it works. Electricity is used for many everyday things but breakthroughs of how to use it have resulted in many cool inventions, some of which you can explore on thehomesecuritysuperstore.

A Closer Look at Atoms

So, what is electricity? To understand how electricity works we have to break it down, starting with the charged particles. Everything is made of atoms, and these atoms are mostly empty space. Moving around in the empty space are electrons and protons. These each carry an electric charge, electrons being negative and protons being positive. These opposite charges attract each other. The atom is in balance when there are an equal number of protons and electrons. The number of protons determines what kind of element the atom is, and these numbers and elements are shown on the periodic table.

Imagine the atom as having rings around the nucleus, the center of the atom. These rings can hold a certain number of electrons which move constantly around the nucleus which holds the protons. When the rings hold electrons that are attracted to the protons the strength of this attraction can push an electron out of its orbit and even make them shift from one atom to another. This is where electricity occurs.

Traveling in Circuits

Now that we know the basics of electricity, we can look at how it works. For a basic understanding of how electricity travels through circuits and how we use electricity we will look at batteries and light bulbs. Batteries can produce electricity through a chemical substance called an electrolyte.

The battery is attached to two metals, one on either end, and produces a negative charge in one metal and a positive charge in the other metal. When the battery is then connected on either end by a conductor such as an electrical wire the electrical charge is balanced. If you were to attach a light bulb to the wire in between the sides of the battery, the electrical current would then travel through the light bulb to get to the other side of the battery and thus powering the light.

LED-lighting-workplace

Electricity moves through electrical circuits and must have a complete path for the electrons to move through. The switch or power button on electronic devices opens and closes this path. When you turn on the light switch the circuit is closed and electrons can move freely to turn on your lights. When you turn off the switch it opens the circuit not allowing the electrons through and turning off your lights. When light bulbs burn out the small wire connecting the circuit inside the light bulb breaks and stops the flow of electrons.

Final Thoughts

Energy flows through our entire world and understanding how electricity works is just the beginning. Of course, most of the electricity in your life is not connected to a single battery as in the example above, but the understanding on a basic level is very interesting.

Electricity literally powers everything in our lives and a world without it would be very different. Understanding how these things work lets us enrich our knowledge of the world around us and provides us with practical information we can use in our everyday life. Electricity is all around us and is used in more interesting ways than just light bulbs and batteries.

Additional Resource: What Are The Different Types Of Magnetic Susceptibility?

Best Practices for a Green Business

  By | | , ,
1 Comment

Looking for ways to make businesses greener is a growing trend. Waste and destruction are just bad public relations while making an effort to clean up your act is increasingly supported by customers and employees alike. There are a number of myths about sustainability, such as the belief that it will cost you more money. In fact, taking steps to try to reduce what your company wastes will lead to savings. A green business is good not just for the environment but also for your balance sheet. If you’re considering starting a business but want to adhere to green principles, the tips below can help you.

ecofriendly home

Make it Your Business

If you want to be a small business owner but you aren’t sure what kind of company you want to run, one option is to actually run a green business. You might start a company that recycles metals or paper, or you might look into organic farming, helping homeowners design greener living spaces, or installing solar cells.

You could become an environmental consultant or educator. These are all vastly different types of enterprises requiring very different skill sets and backgrounds and won’t be suitable for everyone. But the point is that if this value is truly a core one for you, consider making it front and center.

Get the Right Tools

Whatever type of company you decide to launch, having the tools that will allow you to run efficiently and with the smallest amount of waste is important. It’s even better if those tools can perform multiple functions as is the case for electronic logging devices in fleet management.

Having ELD devices are necessary to ensure that you remain compliant with hours of service and other regulations, but they have benefits for the sustainably minded as well. They can help streamline operations, reduce costs and save you money. They can help you ensure that your fleets use less fuel. You can review a guide on how they can improve your overall efficiency.

Reduce Waste in Offices

Within your offices, you can create a green culture that takes steps to try and cut back on waste. There are many ways to do this. Make an effort to purchase items that have little or no packaging. Discourage any type of one-time usage of disposable items.

waste management for businesses

Have recycling containers throughout the workspace, and encourage their use. Keep reusable plates, cups, glasses and silverware in the kitchen. Install a dishwasher, which washes dishes with less waste than handwashing and takes the burden of washing the non-disposable items off any single person.

Make an effort to learn more about plants and choose only native plants for landscaping, ensure that any landscaping does not require a great deal of water and maintenance. Recycle electronics and buy used when you can. The ubiquitous nature of computers in modern workplaces may mean that less paper is wasted than would have been a few decades ago, but there is still a lot that companies can do to cut back on paper usage as well. Use recycled paper, and print on both sides. Distribute reports and other documents electronically.

Asbestos Related Illnesses in the Bioenergy Industry

  By | | , ,
2 Comments

When we think of asbestos, we usually picture old, condemned buildings filled with harmful asbestos-based insulation, but this isn’t always the case.

Since 1989, the use of asbestos has been banned in construction work in the UK and many buildings which contain this harmful substance, are being replaced or made safe.

While this is of course, good news, these buildings are not the only source of asbestos and in this article, we’ll be examining the rising cases of mesothelioma compensation claims by bioenergy industry employees.

Asbestos Related Illnesses in the Bioenergy Industry

What is Asbestos?

A naturally occurring substance, asbestos is a fibrous silicate mineral made up of long, thin microscopic fibrous crystals.  When dormant, asbestos can be relatively harmless but, the danger occurs when fibrils are released into the atmosphere and inhaled by humans.

Inhalation of asbestos can lead to serious diseases such as COPD and mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer which is associated with asbestos and which is almost always terminal.

In recent years, concerns have been growing over the number of bio energy employees who have been diagnosed with this devastating disease

What is Bioenergy?

Bioenergy is the term used for the generation of gas and electricity which is renewable and which causes less harm to the planet’s resources than other, more traditional methods which use coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy.

Bioenergy methods use organic matter such as food waste to create a flexible energy source. Wet feedstocks like food and other organise material is placed into sealed tanks and allowed to rot. This creates methane gas which can then be collected and burned to generate electricity. Dry materials like wood pellets are also burned in a furnace to boil water, create steam and thereby generate electricity.

Although bioenergy does produce carbon dioxide and release it into the atmosphere, it does so only at the rate at which the organic matter absorbed the carbon dioxide while growing. This makes it greener and more sustainable.

Energy crops are grown in the UK specifically for the use of producing bio-energy. There are currently 1855 bioenergy plants in the UK, employing around 35,000 people.

What’s the Connection Between Bioenergy and Mesothelioma?

At the beginning of this article, we mentioned that old buildings containing asbestos insulation are not the only places that asbestos can be found. In fact, at any given time, the air we breathe can contain asbestos.

However, this is usually at incredibly low levels of between 0.00001 to 0.0001 fibers per millimeter of air and does not pose any danger to human health. Having said that, many doctors will disagree, as many will argue that no level of asbestos is ever safe.

On average, it’s thought that the ‘danger zone’ for asbestos stands at around 1%. An individual who has been exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos may be unaware of this as symptoms will often not present themselves until ten or even twenty years after the exposure.

Asbestos occurs naturally in rocks, particularly altered ultramafic rocks and some mafic rocks. Asbestos can also occur naturally in some kinds of soil.

The Connection Between Plant Workers and Illnesses

It has been discovered that, in some instances, dedicated bioenergy crop sites have been created on land where the soil has been contaminated by asbestos, either naturally or through previous commercial endeavors.

Employees who are responsible for working with these crops including planting, nurturing and picking, become vulnerable to high levels of asbestos. When inhaled, this level of asbestos can be harmful to health and has led to mesothelioma.

As well as soil contamination, the process of converting food and organic waste into energy such as creating methane, can produce small amounts of asbestos. Although these may be minimal, continued exposure over time can lead to health problems in workers, including mesothelioma.

Unfortunately, mesothelioma is often caught late and on average, the life expectancy of the patient from the point of diagnosis is only between 4 and 18 months.

anaerobic_digestion_plant

Asbestos Claims in the UK

In 2020, there were 17,023 asbestos compensation claims, with payouts of around £233.9 million. Despite almost forty years passing since the prohibition of asbestos in buildings, some UK solicitors report that claims are increasing rather than dwindling as victims seek financial compensation after being diagnosed with asbestos related diseases.

While some of these claims are made by former employees of old-style power plants, more and more are now emerging from bioenergy facilities.

Further Risk Assessments Need to be Improved by Employers…

In 2022, it’s reasonable to assume that, when you start a new job, the last thing on your mind is the risk of coming into contact with asbestos. Many of the bioenergy employees who are now making claims are justifiably angry about the fact that they were never made aware of any risk during the course of their work.

While this is devastating, it’s not necessarily evidence of sinister dealings by bioenergy companies. In many cases, employers did not inform their employees of risk for the simple reason that they weren’t aware of it themselves.

There’s no doubt that bioenergy is the future as we continue to move away from environment harming processes. However, while we call this progress in some ways, employers will need to examine all of their processes and materials to identify any possible risks to employees, in order to prevent unnecessary illness and death.

10 Most Common Injuries in the Waste Management Sector

  By | | , ,
1 Comment

Waste management is a vital part of our lives and one which helps to keep our homes free from pests and disease. Employment within the waste management sector is usually secure and well paid, however, it’s not without its risks.

Personal injury solicitors have revealed that a significant number of the claims that they handle are on behalf of those working in waste management. So, just how dangerous is the job?

Keep reading to find out the 10 most common injuries in the waste management sector, and what they may mean for employees.

covid19-waste-management

1. Cuts and Abrasions

Waste management employees spend a lot of their time handling unwieldy wheely bins and guiding them into large metal trucks. Although these employees wear gloves and other protective clothing, having to work quickly in order to meet the demands of their schedules means that they are often subject to cuts, bruises and abrasions. While these are usually not serious, a number of these injuries will require a visit to A&E.

2. Musculoskeletal Disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders are increasingly common among those working in the waste management industry; particularly back problems due to repeated bending and lifting.  In some cases, these injuries can be life changing and can result in early retirement in instances where the condition means that the employee is no longer able to do the job.

3. Skin Irritation

The official description of waste is ‘a composite mixture of different substances including endotoxins, organic dust and bio-aerosol stuffed with micro-organisms, and various toxic organic and inorganic chemicals’. This goes to show that waste is made up of all sorts of nasties which can cause skin irritations. Although not life threatening, these can certainly be unpleasant and can cause itching and soreness when waste employees come into contact with them.

4. Lung Conditions

A more serious byproduct of working in waste management is that of respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).  While these conditions can be managed to a certain extent, they are not curable and, particularly in the case of COPD, will progressively become worse and result in early death.

5. Being hit by a Motorist

Waste management employees are often working on busy streets and, because they tend to do their rounds early in the morning, they may be working in the dark during the winter. These conditions mean that bin men are sometimes at risk of being hit by motorists as they go about their work.

In 2018, a waste management employee in Slough was signed off work for eight weeks after being hit by a motorist who had not properly cleaned snow and ice from their windscreen.

6. Slips and Trips

Hard working waste management employees are out and about in all kinds of weather and, sometimes even the sturdiest, grippiest boots are no match for pavements and roads made slick by snow and ice. Every year, a large number of bin men suffer a form of injury through slipping or tripping during the course of their work.

7. Bacteremia

A less common injury, but a serious one nonetheless, is bacteremia. This is a dangerous infection which is caused by coming into contact with used hypodermic needles which have been carelessly disposed of.

Those suffering from this disease face a long recovery process and, often, early retirement. In Sussex in 2012, two binmen had their hands pierced by needles that had been incorrectly disposed of and had to face. As a result, they had to go through 6 months of medical checks.

Non-Hazardous and Hazardous Pharmaceutical Waste

8.  Falling Objects

Falling objects can be a serious concern for bin men – both that of objects falling from their lorries and other factors from their surroundings. One such incident ended in tragedy in 2013 when a 55-year-old waste management worker was killed after being hit by a telegraph pole which his lorry had collided with. Poor visibility can often mean that waste workers are vulnerable to injury from falling objects.

9. Stress and Anxiety

Very few jobs can be considered stress-free, and waste management certainly isn’t one of them. As well as being required to stock to tight schedules on often understaffed routes, bin men also often have to contend with disgruntled customers taking their frustrations out on them. These issues can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression which can also have a knock-on effect on physical health.

10. Poor Weather Conditions

We’ve already mentioned weather earlier in this article as, if there’s one thing certain about the weather is that it cannot always be predicted accurately. While this final piece is, thankfully, not a hugely common one, it is nonetheless a risk.

In 2019, a California garbage truck was struck not once, but twice by lightning, setting the truck on fire. Happily, nobody was injured in the incident but stories like this one are a very real reminder of just how dangerous weather systems can be for the humble waste management worker.

Personal Injuries in the Waste Management Sector Are Rife

Without waste management employees, our lives would be constantly at risk of disease, not to mention bad smells. As such, it’s incredibly important that councils ensure that working conditions for these employees are as safe as possible, as well as taking the time to ensure your disposing of your waste correctly. in addition to protecting employee health, putting stringent measures in place for their safety will ensure the smooth running of the services and will help with retention of valued staff members.

Everything You Need to Know About PVC Recycling

  By | | ,
9 Comments

PVC is one of the most widely used plastics worldwide. A major problem in the recycling of PVC is the high chlorine content in raw PVC and high levels of hazardous additives added to the polymer to achieve the desired material quality. As a result, PVC requires separation from other plastics before recycling. PVC products have an average lifetime of 30 years, with some reaching 50 or more years.  This means that more PVC products are reaching the end-of-life and entering the waste stream, and the amount is likely to increase significantly in the near future.

pvc-recycling

PVC Recycling Methods

Currently, PVC plastic is being recycled by either of the two ways:

  • Mechanical recycling – This involves mechanically treating the waste (e.g. grinding) to reduce it into smaller particles.  The resulting granules, called recyclate, can be melted and remolded into different products, usually the same product from which it came.
  • Feedstock recycling – Chemical processes such as pyrolysis, hydrolysis and heating are used to convert the waste into its chemical components.  The resulting products – sodium chloride, calcium chloride, hydrocarbon products and heavy metals to name a few – are used to produce new PVC, as feed for other manufacturing processes or as fuel for energy recovery.

In mechanical recycling, because no chemical reaction is involved, the recyclate retains its original composition. This poses a recycling challenge because PVC products, depending on their application, contain different additives.  For example, rigid PVC is unplasticized whereas flexible PVC is added plasticizers because this additive increases the plastic’s fluidity and thus, its flexibility. Even products used for the same application may still differ in composition if they have different manufacturers.

When different kinds of PVC waste are fed to a mechanical recycler, the resulting product’s composition is difficult to predict, which is problematic because most PVC products, even recycled ones, require a specific PVC content.  In order to produce a high-quality recylate, the feed ideally should not be mixed with other kinds of plastic and should have a uniform material composition.Material recycling is therefore more applicable for post-industrial waste than for post-consumer waste.

PVC-waste

Feedstock recycling is seen to be complementary to conventional mechanical recycling as it is able to treat mixed or unsorted PVC waste and recover valuable materials.  However, a study showed that feedstock recycling (or at least the two that was considered) incurred higher costs than landfilling, primarily due to the low value of the recovered products. This provides little incentive for recyclers to pursue PVC recycling.  This may change in the future as more stringent regulations to protect the environment are enacted.  Some countries in Europe have already banned PVCs from landfills and PlasticsEurope is targeting a “zero plastic to landfill” in Europe by 2020.

Post-industrial waste is relatively pure and comes from PVC production and installation, such as cut-offs from laying of cables or scraps from the installation of window frames.  These are easily recycled since they can be collected directly from processors or installers or even recycled by producers themselves as raw material to manufacture the same product.

Post-consumer waste contains mixed material and has been used for different applications.  These are products that have reached the end-of-life or are replaced due to damage, like pipes from underground, window frames being replaced for renovation and electric cables recovered from demolition. These would require further sorting and cleaning, adding cost to the recycling process.  The recyclate produced is usually of lower quality and consequently of decreased economic value.

Recent Developments

Europe is leading the way for a more sustainable use of PVC with programs, such as RecoVinyl and VinylPlus, where recycling is advanced as one of the ways to use resources more efficiently and to divert as much waste as possible from landfills. Recovinyl, created in 2003, is an initiative of the European PVC industry to advance the sustainable development of the PVC industry by improving production processes, minimise emissions, develop recycling technology and boost the collection and recycling of waste.

Having been successful in all of its goals, including an increase in recycling of PVC across Europe to over 240,000 tonnes a year, in 2011 the PVC industry redefined the role of Recovinyl as part of the ambitious new ten-year VinylPlus sustainable development programme. VinylPlus works in partnership with consumers, businesses, municipalities, waste management companies, recyclers and converter, as well as the European Commission and national and local governments. The goal is to certify those companies who recycle PVC waste and those accredited converting companies who purchase recyclate to manufacture new products and applications.

Even if some types of PVC recycling are not feasible or economically viable at present, it will likely be reversed in the future as governments, manufacturers, consumers and other stakeholders create programs that innovate and find ways to achieve a sustainable future for the PVC industry.