TABLE OF CONTENTS In an ideal chemical factory there is, strictly speaking, no waste but only products. The better a real factory makes use of its waste, the closer it gets to its ideal, the bigger is the profit.
A. W. von Hofmann (First President of The Royal College of Chemistry, London) 1848
Waste is a natural consequence of all human activity including the actual process of living; the average adult produces over 300 g of faeces and 1 1 of urine per day. In the UK, however, sewage sludge accounts for less than one per cent of the total waste produced. Mining and agriculture together account for almost 50% of waste production (Figure 2.1) but industry and commerce account for a further 18% - some 76 million tonnes per annum.
The problems posed by waste, including the inefficient use of resources and capital, together with the risks to welfare and the environment are widely recognized by most sectors of society. Many countries now have active programmes to reduce the amount of waste disposed of to land, air and water through increased recycling and deploying waste minimization initiatives. An accepted hierarchy for waste management has been developed (Figure 2.2) with the most preferred solution being reduction of waste at source. Lower down the hierarchy comes re-use, followed by recycling to recover materials and/or energy. Disposal of treated or untreated waste should only be considered as a...
