Where does our garbage go?

Module 4 Lesson 2

Lesson 2: Where Does Our Garbage Go? OVERVIEW:

In this lesson, students will explore what happens to garbage after it is thrown away. The first activity looks at the garbage itself. Garbage will be classified as either biodegradable or not, and connected to the principle of the conservation of matter. The second activity concerns garbage disposal methods. Students will participate in a jigsaw activity where they learn about one garbage disposal system, and then will teach their peers about the different systems. The focus will be on the advantages and disadvantages of each method. The third activity is a debate which shows that garbage disposal issues can disproportionately impact low income communities.

SUB-QUESTION:
What happens to garbage once it is thrown out and where does it go?

WAYS OF KNOWING URBAN ECOLOGY:

Understand
Students will Understand that garbage can be classified as biodegradable or non-biodegradable. Understand that there are advantages and disadvantages associated with four different garbage disposal systems: landfilling, incinerating, ocean dumping and recycling. Argue for or against building an incinerator based on ecological, social, and economic factors. No specific goals connected with acting on urban ecology in this lesson. No specific goals connected with acting on urban ecology in this lesson.

Talk Do Act

SAFETY GUIDELINES
No specific safety issues are associated with this lesson.

PREPARATION:
Time: 2 class periods: Day 1: Activity 2.1 Activity 2.2 Day 2: Activity 2.3 Materials: Activity 2.1 Chalk Board/ White Board Activity 2.2 Copies of Student Sheets PowerPoint- Where does garbage go in MA? Activity 2.3 Image of Municipal Garbage

Where does our garbage go? Copies of Student Sheets

Module 4 Lesson 2

Instructional Sequence
Activity 2.1: What happens to garbage? 1. Review the concept of the Conservation of Matter o Matter is neither created nor destroyed o If this is the case then what happens to all the garbage that we produce? Ask students to brainstorm some ideas about what happens to garbage if it is not destroyed o Possible student responses: garbage sits around, it changes forms like if we burn it, we reuse the materials. Use the student responses to introduce and guide the lesson. 2. Have students call out different garbage items. Write these items on the board in two unlabeled groups. One group will be biodegradable materials, like food and paper and the other group will be non-biodegradable, like plastic and glass. If you are unsure of an item you can make a third column and have students look up these materials. o Once all garbage items are listed have students analyze the different groups. Ask what types of materials are in each group? o Have students try to come up with category headings. Write their ideas by the appropriate grouping of items. o At the end of the brainstorming write biodegradable and nonbiodegradable on the board for the appropriate groups. 3. Define biodegradable- capable of being broken down into non harmful products by air, water, and bacteria o Even though an item may be biodegradable it still may take a long time to break down Teacher Background Although there are many materials that decompose, it can take a very long time. It might be useful to share some time ranges with students so they better understand the biodegradation process. If it takes longer than a persons lifetime to decompose we do not consider the material to be biodegradable.
Material Cotton Rags Paper Rope Wool Socks Cigarette butts Leather Shoes Nylon Fabric Tin Cans Aluminum Cans 6 pack holder rings Diapers Styrofoam Glass Bottles Plastic Bottles Time to Break Down 1-5 months 2-5 months 3-14 months 1-5 years 1-12 years 25-40 years 30-40 years 50-100 years 80-100 years 450 years 500 years 2000 years 1 mill years Forever

Where does our garbage go?

Module 4 Lesson 2

Activity 2.2: Where does our garbage go? 1. Introduce the Jigsaw activity. Tell students that they are going to be learning about 4 different ways to dispose garbage. These are not the only 4 ways to dispose garbage and these methods do not necessarily exist in isolation from each other. o Each student will read about a disposal method. They will then meet with other students who read about the same method. Students should discuss what the method is, advantages, and disadvantages. They should fill out their organizer for this particular method. o Form new student groups so there is at least one representative from each disposal method in a group. Each representative should teach the other students about their disposal method. Students should complete their organizers. 2. Hand out the Activity 2.2 Student Sheets. Have students complete the activity. Emphasize that the students need to be teaching their group members, not allowing them to copy their sheets. 3. Discuss as a class each of the disposal methods. Have students share their ideas from their worksheets and add any pieces that they might be missing. o Ask students to think about the differences in scale of the impacts of each disposal method. Who and what is being affected? Conclusion 1. PowerPoint- Where Does Garbage Go in MA? 2. (Optional) For homework have students research what happens with their garbage once it leaves their house. A good starting point for finding this information is on the website for their city or town. Activity 2.3: Not In My Back Yard 1. Opening- what makes up municipal garbage o Project the image of Municipal Garbage. Tell students that these are the relative percentages of what you throw away at home. o Have each student choose 3 types of garbage and answer the following question: What disposal method should be used to dispose of this garbage that will have the lowest ecological impact? Why? 2. Introduce the debate and hand out the Student Sheets. Tell students that the NIMBY issue is one of the most popular debates involving almost all environmental issues. These debates involve social, political, and economical factors in addition to the ecological sciences. o Today the students will get to experience the pros and cons of making garbage disposal decisions. These decisions involve the whole community, and many people have strong, conflicting opinions. 3. Go over the debate directions with the students. The debate on what to do with garbage must be resolved today. o Have students independently read the situation and background information o Hand out the role cards, one for each student. You can do this randomly or assign roles to set up the debate dynamic based on your class.

Where does our garbage go?

Module 4 Lesson 2

o After students have an understanding of their own debate position, have the students meet in groups according to the color of their cards. As a group they should share their ideas and opinions. Each group is representing a particular sector of the city. If the group is opposed to building the incinerator they must come up with alternative proposals. 4. Conduct the debate. All students should participate, speaking only one at a time. Members of the same group should not speak more than once before the other groups get the chance to respond. 5. At the end of the debate take a class vote. Each student should be voting individually according to the person they are representing. If other proposals came up during the debate, also vote on those options. The winners of this debate will be determined by majority rules. Conclusion 1. Discuss the realistic components of the debate. Emphasize that waste and its corresponding effects disproportionately impact low income communities. In a real world NIMBY debate, majority rules is rarely followed. o The political influence of particular individuals or groups is taken into account. For instance, the opinion of a council member or scientist may be more influential than a resident. o In order to get their opinion heard, people also need to be active in their community. Even though many residents may be against the idea of an incinerator they may not be organized or well represented at a similar type of meeting like this debate. 2. Discuss components of the debate that may not be realistic. The Pro and Con groups might not be as clearly defined. It is not likely to get everyone from one group to feel the same way about the issue. o You will often have many people that have a conflict of interest, such as a person who works in the industrial sector but lives in low income residential area. 3. Reflection question: Today you were representing a particular person in the debate. How would you react if you lived in Trashville? Would you change your vote? Why?

Where does our garbage go?

Module 4 Lesson 2

Name: ______________________________ Date: _________ Class/Period:________ Activity 2.2: Where does garbage go? Landfill: How does it work? What are the advantages? What are the disadvantages?

Incinerator: How does it work? What are the advantages? What are the disadvantages?

Where does our garbage go? Ocean Dumping: How does it work? What are the advantages?

Module 4 Lesson 2

What are the disadvantages?

Recycling: How does it work? What are the advantages? What are the disadvantages?

Where does our garbage go?

Module 4 Lesson 2

Landfills
A landfill is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal. Before building a landfill many factors need to be taken into consideration: topography, groundwater level, amount of precipitation, type of soil and rock, and proximity to surface water bodies, such as rivers and lakes. Very few locations fit the ideal area for a landfill site. Landfill design needs to be very particular to meet EPA requirements, especially if the land location is not perfect. First there needs to be clay and plastic liners surrounding the site. There also needs to be a drainage system to collect and monitor water as well as another system to collect and monitor gas. Although costs to construct a landfill are moderate, continuous monitoring results in more expenses, even after the landfill stops accepting trash and closes. Landfills also require an exact operation. Each day trash is brought to the site where it is reduced to the smallest volume possible. This trash is gathered into a cell and covered with a layer of compacted soil. This system helps to restrict, but not prevent, rodents, animals, and birds from interacting with the garbage. The conditions of the cells, however, do not allow biodegradable materials to decompose, as the exposure of the garbage to air and water is extremely limited. The biggest concern with landfills is water pollution. Leachate is water that has moved through the garbage and contains some of its dissolved elements. Leachate is often highly toxic to both humans and ecosystems, especially if it gets into groundwater or surface water. Advanced monitoring systems can detect the presence of leachate. Landfills not only help humans by accepting their garbage, but can contribute to the community in other ways. Although landfills produce large amounts of methane gas which is a greenhouse gas and therefore a pollutant, if the gas is collected it can provide a source of energy for the homes in the area. Furthermore, although landfills take up a considerable amount of space, the land is still useable. If properly capped with plastic and clay liners, the site can be converted into a park, offering recreational opportunities. It is important to note that landfills are not open dumps for garbage. They are a carefully regulated and operated waste disposal system.

Above Right: Shows a park that used to be a landfill in Montana

Where does our garbage go?

Module 4 Lesson 2

Above: Shows a cross section of a typical landfill. Landfill design is very precise, especially for the liner and final cover system. Each of the brick like features above represent a cell of compacted garbage covered with soil.

Where does our garbage go?

Module 4 Lesson 2

Incinerators
An incinerator is a garbage disposal method which burns garbage at very high temperatures, around 1,830F. This reduces the volume of garbage by 95%, leaving ash to be disposed of, usually in a landfill. Although incineration takes energy to reach the high temperatures, it can also generate electrical power from burning the garbage, known as the waste to energy system. Incinerators are one of the most popular garbage disposal methods in Europe, and were developed using cutting edge technology. There are many different designs for incinerators that vary according to how it is being used and for what kinds of garbage is being burned. They can be used on a small or large scale. Incinerators are relatively expensive to build and have moderate costs to operate. They use minimal amount of land. Incinerators are regulated primarily through air quality enforcement. The combustion of materials at high temperatures can release nitrogen and sulfur oxides into the atmosphere which can lead to acid rain. Other pollutants can include heavy metals, carbon dioxide, and dioxin, a cancer causing toxin. Modern technology, however, can contain or reduce these pollutants before they enter the environment. The typical incinerator can handle up to 35 tons of waste per hour and can operate 8,000 hours per year. Few people are needed to operate and maintain this disposal system. As technology continues to advance, incinerators are able to improve pollution control and become more efficient. Incineration is relatively new but continues to grow as a preferred garbage disposal method. It is quickly becoming the dominant system in many areas. Florida is the leader in municipal incineration, burning nearly 20,000 tons of trash each day! Yet, as incineration increases recycling declines because the most burnable materials are those which can be recycled. No changes in incineration need to be made across the seasons or during different weather patterns. There are also no strict land requirements to construct an incinerator.

Above Right: Shows an Incineration building in England.

Where does our garbage go?

Module 4 Lesson 2

Above: Shows a diagram of the incineration process. This is a simplified representation and details may vary with different types of incinerators.

Where does our garbage go?

Module 4 Lesson 2

Ocean Dumping
For a long time, oceans have been viewed as a vast space to dispose of garbage. In the U.S. most of this dumping takes place off of the East Coast in the Atlantic Ocean, however this method of waste disposal remains limited and controversial. The locations of the dumping are not random, but are planned offshore dump sites. Many different types of garbage are disposed of in the oceans, including natural materials such as mud and sediment from expanding or dredging harbors, estuaries, or rivers. Depositing trash on the ocean floor does not interfere with other ways that we could use the land. Ocean dumping is inexpensive to implement and relatively convenient. Ocean dumping requires minimal technology and human labor. Garbage disposed of in the ocean impacts the environment. The garbage sites could be a source of nutrients, shelter, and breeding ground for some marine species. The garbage could also release pollutants dissolved in the water, which could harm the ecosystem and animal life. These pollutants could also enter the food chain and become a wide spread issue. The garbage can also disrupt the ecosystem by changing the waters temperature and cause desalinization. Even though there are particular dumping sites, garbage in the ocean is not contained to a certain location and can travel. This can cause garbage to appear in a location it was not intended. Ocean dumping is a difficult garbage disposal method to monitor. In 1988, the U.S. passed an Ocean Dumping Ban Act which called for limitations on the disposal of solid wastes and sewage in the ocean. Today people that use the ocean for recreational purposes are advised to avoid the site areas that were used for garbage disposal.

Above: Shows a picture of a ship carrying garbage to be disposed of in the ocean

Where does our garbage go?

Module 4 Lesson 2

Recycling
Recycling takes garbage and reprocesses it into new, potentially useful materials. This disposal method reduces the amount of raw materials and energy resources used to create new products. Although recycling does consume resources and energy, it requires less than making a product from scratch. The rise in recycling as garbage disposal was due to the increase in energy costs and fear of depleting resources. The cost of constructing and operating a recycling system is moderate to high. Recycling plants only accept select types of garbage. The garbage accepted includes glass, paper, metal, textiles, and plastics. The sorting of these materials is often left to the consumer who must sort the garbage before throwing it away. It is also often the responsibility of the individual to make sure the recyclable materials end up at a recycling facility. The U.S. has low recycling rates compared to other countries, based on poor citizen participation. Recycling facilities require both technology and manual labor. The system is usually comprised of many conveyor belts in which the materials need to be sorted. The garbage is sorted according to type, weight, and certain properties such as if the item is magnetic. The process of recycling varies in complexity, depending on the type of garbage. For instance, plastics are difficult to reprocess, and some plastics cannot be recycled. Aluminum cans, on the other hand, can efficiently return to their basic form and be remade into cans. Recycling just creates more products that eventually reenter the system as garbage. Recycling materials also can release pollutants and impact the environment. Toxins, chemicals, and solid matter can enter the atmosphere and water, degrading the ecosystem.

Above left: Shows a typical recycling plant in the U.S.

Above Right: Shows the symbol that an item is recyclable

Activity 2.3: Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) Debate

Situation: You either work or live in Trashville, a new and growing city. For the last 5 years, you have been sending your garbage to a landfill in a neighboring city. This landfill has almost reached its capacity, and therefore Trashville city council has proposed building an incinerator to dispose of the citys garbage. This is the issue that is up for debate at todays meeting. Something must be done with the garbage; a decision must be made. Directions: Each of you will be randomly assigned a group of Trashville citizens to represent at the meeting. Read over the Trashville Background Information provided. Then meet with your group and discuss your position on building the new incinerator. Use the information from your role card, land use map, and knowledge of incinerating garbage to give an effective argument. Remember that an effective argument looks at both pros and cons of the situation. At the end of the meeting, every individual will vote to determine whether the incinerator will be built or not. Other proposals made during the debate will also be voted on.

Trashville Background Information

Trashville is a new and growing city. There is a high population density concentrated on opposite ends of the city in the residential zones. More people live in the low income residential area than in the high income residential area. There are two main areas where people work in Trashville. The commercial zone offers many employment opportunities as it has a very popular shopping area. This is the main source of income for the city. The stores are also the main tourist attraction bringing in visitors. Another work area is in the industrial zone. The many factories in this zone employ the largest amount of people in the city. There are many parks in Trashville. These parks have large tree populations. They also are the habitat for many species of small mammals and birds. A river runs diagonally through the city, flowing South West to North East. This river has an abundance of fish which are sold in the local fish market. The river cuts through the largest park providing a nutrient rich habitat where deer live naturally; it is the only area in the entire city where these deer still inhabit. Garbage produced in Trashville is consistent with other city averages. The factories in the industrial zone produce the most amount of garbage. Currently, the city of Trashville has to pay the neighboring town a fee to dispose of the garbage, and pay for extra transportation costs. Since there are extra fees involved in the current garbage disposal, the town has to account for these costs by charging the residents a Garbage Tax. As a new and growing city, Trashville has the resources and the support to use new technology. A city newspaper wrote a detailed article informing the residents and employees about the advantages and disadvantages of the incinerator. Now that everyone understands the issue, a special meeting will be held for the Trashville citizens to voice their opinions.

Role Cards (A class of 24)

Name: Taylor Dosey Role: City Council Member Opinion: I was responsible for choosing the location of the incinerator. The incineration waste disposal method will take up the least amount of space in the city. This prime location already has transportation access, so no new roads will have to take up more land. Name: Dwayne Johnson Role: City Council Member Opinion: It was my idea to keep garbage disposal in our own city. With our own system we will have a more sustainable city. As our city grows we will not have to worry about problems of increasing garbage if we have an incinerator.

Name: Hilary Linton Role: City Council Member Opinion: I am the financial director for the city. Although building the incinerator will be costly, in the long run it will save us money. We will no longer need to pay our neighbors to dispose our garbage and pay the extra transportation costs. Name: Julia Moder Role: City Council Member Opinion: I want to ensure that there are plenty of opportunities for employment in the city. Building an incinerator will create many more job opportunities. This will help keep income in the city and improve the economy.

Name: Alicia More Role: High Income Resident Opinion: I am in favor of building the incinerator. If we dispose of our own garbage locally then we will no longer have to pay the Garbage Tax. As the cost of living continues to increase any tax break is beneficial to the residents.

Name: Derek Williams Role: High Income Resident Opinion: I heard that the incinerator might help lower the deer population. They are starting to take over my back yard and feast on my prize winning garden! The deer need to be put into check, so I want to build the incinerator.

Name: Brittney Shield Role: Real Estate Agent Opinion: Having a state of the art incinerator will help put Trashville on the map. Having our own garbage disposal system leaves plenty of room for a growing population. Taxes will go down and more people will buy houses.

Name: John Lee Role: High Income Resident Opinion: I say build the incinerator; it is not going to be too close to my house. I just dont want garbage to pile up in the streets. You wont even notice it because it will just be a building, not like a huge pile of trash in the city.

Name: Homer Sampson Role: Factory Manager Opinion: My textile factory produces the highest volume of garbage in the city. All of the garbage is completely flammable but takes many years to decompose. Building the incinerator would be a perfect solution to the garbage problem.

Name: Becky Allen Role: Incinerator Representative Opinion: An incinerator would be a great addition to this city. It is an efficient way of disposing high volume garbage. It would create many job opportunities in the city. It will also blend into the surrounding development.

Name: Danielle Ross Role: Factory Employee Opinion: I want them to build the incinerator. If we dont choose a disposal method that can be implemented fast then the managers might have to cut back on production. If production slows than I might lose my job.

Name: Jimmy Ray Role: Factory Manager Opinion: I manage a factory real close to the proposed location of the incinerator. Right now I pay extra transportation costs because we produce so much garbage. The incinerator would save me a lot of money.

Name: Kanye East Role: Environmentalist Opinion: The incinerator is too close to the river. Excess heat and garbage could get into the river and disrupt ecosystems. The fish, deer, and mammal populations depend on the river to survive, and the pollution could cause species depletion.

Name: Jackie Moss Role: Environmentalist Opinion: The incinerator does not solve the garbage disposal problems in the city. Ashes still need to be disposed of and some garbage is not safe to burn. If we build the incinerator we will just need additional methods of disposal.

Name: Elizabeth Burton Role: Environmentalist Opinion: Incineration is not the best method of garbage disposal for our city. It will release pollution into the air such as the nitrates that result from burning organic matter. This will have consequences, including acid rain.

Name: Chris Nunez Role: Environmentalist Opinion: The incinerator is taking up valuable green space in the city. This space is the home to small mammals and many birds. The pollution associated with the incinerator will negatively impact the habitats and animals.

Name: Billy Wonka Role: Low Income Resident Opinion: I do not want to have an incinerator in my neighborhood. The incinerator will be making noise all night long, and I have to be up early for work. It will also stink up the place with all that garbage coming in.

Name: Eva Lopez Role: Low Income Resident Opinion: Building an incinerator will make traffic so much worse in my neighborhood. It is already crowded and now garbage trucks will be taking up the entire road. Increased traffic will cause more accidents and delays to work.

Name: Angela Curtis Role: Real Estate Agent Opinion: It is going to be very difficult to sell apartments next to an incinerator. Building the incinerator will be costly and will come from the residents pockets. No one is going to want to live near expensive garbage.

Name: Lenny James Role: Low Income Resident Opinion: Building the incinerator is a bad idea. I can barely pay for food and now my insurance is going to increase. I do not produce enough garbage to be slammed by the extra costs.

Name: Damian Smith Role: Low Income Resident Opinion: There are too many health risks to introduce an incinerator into the city. The burning of garbage can produce toxins that we will inhale without realizing. I have two young kids and I do not want to put them in danger.

Name: Melanie Wang Role: Store Owner Opinion: The incinerator will be bad for business. No one will want to buy more stuff next to a garbage disposal site. People will go to neighboring towns to shop. I will lose money and will have to close down my store.

Name: Erik Fredricks Role: Fish Market Owner Opinion: I make my living by selling fish from the Trashville River. Not only could the incinerator kill off the fish but eating these fish could make people sick. The incinerator will harm my business and family.

Name: Wendy Rich Role: Travel Agent Opinion: The shopping area is the biggest tourist attraction to the city. Building the incinerator will make our city seem dirty and people wont want to come. Without money being spent in the stores the economy will suffer.