7 CONCLUSIONES Y RECOMENDACIONES
TEST DE PENSAMIENTO LÓGICO FORMA A
The waste hierarchy (illustrated in Figure XIX in the Appendices section) is a classification of waste management options in order of their environmental impact, such as:
reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery. In the European Union Waste Framework Directive 2008 the waste hierarchy has five steps: prevention; preparing for re-use; recycling; other recovery, e.g. energy recovery; and disposal(Directive 2008/98/EC on waste, Waste Framework Directive).
The waste hierarchy has taken many forms over the past decade, but the basic
concept has remained the cornerstone of most waste minimization strategies. The aim of the waste hierarchy is to extract the maximum practical benefits from products and to generate the minimum amount of waste.
Some waste management experts have recently incorporated an additional R: "Re-think", with the implied meaning that the present system may have fundamental flaws, and that a thoroughly effective system of waste management may need an entirely new way of
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looking at waste. Source reduction involves efforts to reduce hazardous waste and other materials by modifying industrial production. Source reduction methods involve changes in manufacturing technology, raw material inputs, and product formulation. At times, the term
"pollution prevention" may refer to source reduction.
Another method of source reduction is to increase incentives for recycling. Many communities in the United States are implementing variable-rate pricing for waste disposal (also known as Pay As You Throw - PAYT) which has been effective in reducing the size of the municipal waste stream(Mark Ruzzin, "Pay-As-You-Throw"). Source reduction is typically measured by efficiencies and cutbacks in waste. Toxics use reduction is a more controversial approach to source reduction that targets and measures reductions in the upstream use of toxic materials. Toxics use reduction emphasizes the more preventive aspects of source reduction but, due to its emphasis on toxic chemical inputs, has been opposed more vigorously by chemical manufacturers. Toxics use reduction programs have been set up by legislation in some states, e.g., Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Oregon.
2.6.8.1 How the waste hierarchy works
The Rs are categories at the top of our disposal options. They include a variety of initiatives for disposing of discards. Generally, options lowest on the list are least desirable.
a. Reduce - to buy less and use less. Incorporates common sense ideas like turning off the lights, rain barrels, and taking shorter showers, but also plays a part incomposting/grasscycling (transportation energy is reduced), low-flow toilets, and programmable thermostats. Includes the terms: Re-think, Pre-cycle, Carpool, Efficient, and Environmental Footprint(Wikipedia.org).
b. Reuse - elements of the discarded item are used again. Initiatives include waste exchange, hand-me-downs, garage sales, quilting, travel mugs, and composting (nutrients). Includes the terms laundry, repair, regift, and upcycle(Wikipedia. org).
c. Recycle - discards are separated into materials that may be incorporated into new products. This is different from Reuse in that energy is used to change the physical properties of the material. Initiatives include Composting, Beverage Container Deposits and buying products with a high content of post-consumer material.
Within recycling there is distinction between two types:
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i. Upcycle: - converting low-value materials into high-value products (more desirable)
ii. Downcycle: - converting valuable products into low-value raw materials (less desirable)
The promotion of waste minimization has existed for decades, as evidenced by the paper department store bag which urged shoppers to reuse their bags as part of the World War II war effort. The 3R‘s of reduce, reuse and recycle have been considered to be a base of environmental awareness and a way of promoting ecological balance through conscious behavior and choices. It is generally accepted that these patterns of behavior and consumer choices will lead to savings in materials and energy which will benefit the environment.
The three Rs are not the only disposal options:
i. Generate - capturing useful material for waste to energy programs includes Methane Collection, Gasification, and Digestion, and the term Recover.
ii. Incinerate - high temperature destruction of material. Differs from Gasification in that oxygen is used; differs from burning in that high temperatures consume material efficiently and emissions are controlled.
iii. Devastate - to discard into the natural environment, or to "trash" the planet.
Includes litter, landfill, burn barrels, unnecessary vehicle idling, and dumping discards onto land or into water.
2.6.8.2 Zero waste initiative
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia explains zero waste as a philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused. No trash is sent to landfills and incinerators. The process recommended is one similar to the way that resources are reused in nature.
Zero Waste is a goal that is ethical, economical, efficient and visionary, to guide people in changing their lifestyles and practices to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are designed to become resources for others to use. Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them. Implementing Zero Waste will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that are a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health(wikipedia.org).
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In industry this process involves creating commodities out of traditional waste products, essentially making old outputs new inputs for similar or different industrial sectors.
An example might be the cycle of a glass milk bottle. The primary input (or resource) is silica-sand, which is formed into glass and then into a bottle. The bottle is filled with milk and distributed to the consumer. At this point, normal waste methods would see the bottle disposed in a landfill or similar. But with a zero-waste method, the bottle can be saddled at the time of sale with a deposit, which is returned to the bearer upon redemption. The bottle is then washed, refilled, and resold. The only material waste is the wash water, and energy loss has been minimized(wikipedia.org).
Zero waste can represent an economical alternative to waste systems, where new resources are continually required to replenish wasted raw materials. It can also represent an environmental alternative to waste since waste represents a significant amount of pollution in the world(wikipedia.org).