UNION COLLEGE

Environmental Science, Policy & Engineering Program (ESPE)

Spring 2025

Waste Management and Recycling

ENS-208

Lectures: TTH 9:00 AM - 10:45 AM, ISEC-387. Lab TH 1:55 - 4:45 PM, ISEC-387.

Office hours: immediately after class or request an appointment.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Introduction to various sources of hazardous, non-hazardous, biodegradable, and non-biodegradable waste materials. Focus areas are landfill systems, geosynthetics, geotextiles, geomembranes, geonets, single clay liner, single geomembrane liner, composite liner systems, leak detection and leachate collection, removal and treatment of leachate, and capping and closure systems. The recycling segment will explore natural resources of raw materials including origin and use, and potential and limitation for recycling of materials. Focus on various applications of recycling recyclable and non-recyclable materials. Discussion of methods of manufacture and compositions of such materials will concentrate on advanced industrial applications for the reuse of non-recyclable waste materials. Application areas include production of new materials, materials with superior qualities for special purposes, and materials with high level of resistance against certain environmental conditions. The course will also touch on the political aspect of recycling including consumer attitude and government incentives to encourage recycling. Three class hours and a weekly lab, WAC credit. Prerequisite ENS100 (Introduction to Environmental Studies) or GEO102 (Environmental Geology).

COURSE GRADE

• Assignments = 20%
• Laboratory Reports = 20%
• Term Test (6th week) = 20%
• Term Paper & Presentation = 20%
• Final Examination = 20%

NOTES

• Attendance of exams is mandatory.
• If you must miss the midterm test due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control (a letter from the Dean of Students will be required in this case), your 20 points of the midterm test will be automatically transferred to the final exam, i.e., your final will be graded out of 40 points. No makeup for the midterm test will be allowed for any reason. If you miss the midterm without a supporting letter from the Dean of Students, there will be 5 points penalty. If you must miss the final exam due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control (a letter from the Dean of Students will be required in this case), your grade in the course will be prorated based on the components of your term work. No makeup for the final exam will be allowed for any reason.
• Due date for assigned course work will be announced in class. Late submission is assessed at -1 point per day or part thereof.
• The academic performance of the students in this course will be held to the standards of Union College's Honor Code.
• Students with disabilities will be accommodated as per Union College's Policy.

TEXTBOOK

Worrell, W., Vesilind, P.A., and Ludwig, C. (2017). "Solid Waste Engineering: A Global Perspective" 3rd Edition, Cengage Learning, ISBN-10: 1305635205, ISBN-13: 978-1305635203.

COURSE SYLLABUS

LABORATORY SCHEDULE

• Schenectady County composting facility & household waste sorting facility, and Colonie landfill facility, Colonie

• WTE Recycling Corp.

• Paper and cardboard recycling facility, Albany.

• Metal salvage and recovering facility, Green Island.

• Waste tires conversion and recycling facility, Niskayuna.

• Waste-to-energy facility, Hudson Falls.

• Schenectady County wastewater treatment and sludge composting facility, Schenectady.

• Hazardous and electronic waste recycling facility, Scotia.

• Direct shear test demonstration using geosynthetics.

• Term paper presentation.

SPECIFICATIONS OF LAB REPORT

The sites of field trips are selected to show the students a wide variety of facilities involved in waste management, recycling, treatment, and waste-to-energy production. These visits are intended to be educational and informative. To get the most out of these field trips, students are expected to document every visit in a site-visit report. Students are encouraged to ask tour guides questions, inquire about details of operation, learn about the advantages and disadvantages of shown processes, and seek explanation for how various functions work. The report should contain all technical and non-technical information related to the visited facility: name, location, function, capacity, operation, products, by-products, and any information deemed necessary for a comprehensive report. In addition to written text, students may include in their reports tables, graphs, charts, figures, and site photos.

The lab sessions that will be conducted in the college lab are designed to study some of the specifications of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) related to waste materials and containment systems. The lab report should include a cover page with the name of the student(s), course and standard specification titles, and date. The report itself shall contain the objective of the standard and procedure. The report should emphasize the technical aspect of the standard. Emphasis of grading will be placed on the technical content of the report as well as clarity, creativity, and correctness of writing.

TERM PAPER "COME CLEAN"

Introduction

Come Clean is a research-based paper with focus on waste management systems and recycling techniques. The goal in this paper is to research in depth one of the subjects listed below. Students can also research a subject not listed below but the instructor's approval is required in this case. Students may survey case studies that document effective and economical methods of waste containment as well as successful projects of recycling that resulted in a reduction in waste that goes into landfill. The paper may also offer a study of environmental compliance of a site with the standard specifications of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM, see specifications cited below) and/or the regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Suggested Topics

Paper Subject

• Each student is free to choose the subject they like to research but a given subject may not be selected by more than one student. Students in this course come from many departments and some may wish to address in their paper a problem that is closely related to their major since the problems of waste containment and recycling techniques have many environmental dimensions. Students may also wish to explore a new field of interest or use a theme or a subject that has intrigued them (policy, regulations, environmental law, economics, politics, ethics and environmental justice, public perception, attitude, and opinion, etc.). All subjects must be selected by the end of the seventh week and be submitted for instructor's approval.
• This Waste Management & Recycling course covers a wide variety of topics. Whether it is a containment system or a recycling project, the requirement for an in-depth technical study is always present. Furthermore, one should also ensure the sensibility and foundational premise of the project in order to gain public acceptance.
• The literature is rich with examples of projects that transformed the public's perception of waste and the general attitude towards recycling. Recycling is no longer a choice; it is a necessity for an enduring and sustainable environment. Students are to report in depth on their selected subject and offer a careful analysis of all involved factors. Students may also wish to concentrate on how recyclable materials can be used in the manufacture of conventional products or to impart certain properties that can improve traditional materials.

Resources

• Students may collect the materials (technical and non-technical) for their chosen project from one or more of the following sources (in no specific order): the Internet, publications, professional journals, magazines, textbooks, movies, documentaries, and all other credible sources including interviews with knowledgeable and experienced individuals.
• Students are required to cite in their paper all the sources they used in their research in the form of "References", "Bibliography", Works Cited", "Footnotes", or any standard method of citation. Internet sites are cited using the address (URL) of those sites. All other references are to be cited with the name of author, year, title of paper or book, page, and publisher.
• Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of materials obtained from Internet sources. Many Internet sources are not peer-reviewed and may lack credibility. Remember that in this day and age, any one can publish anything on the Internet. This does not qualify published materials to be worthy of an academic endeavor such as a term paper.

Submittals

Prior to the tenth week of the term, the final electronic paper of the project is due. as will be announced in class. There is no minimum or maximum limit for papers. Students may wish to supplement their paper with proper photos, pictures, tables, graphs, charts, and figures. Any supplementing materials must be referenced at least once in the text of the paper.

Grading Criteria

Students taking this course will receive Engineering/Technology/Society (ETS) credit. Classroom presentations and discussion will promote critical thinking to enable students to evaluate evidence, results, and claims related to the natural sciences/engineering/technology and their impact on broader human or societal issues. In their written paper and in their oral presentation, students are expected to highlight and detail principles similar to those listed above. The grade in this term paper will be assigned based on the quality and depth of thought, organization, and relevance of content to the subject under consideration, understanding, clarity of presentation, and demonstration of ability to address questions with comprehension.

SUGGESTED REFERENCES

• Ackerman, Frank. (1997). Why do we recycle: markets, values, and public policy. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.
• Albertsson, Anne-Christine. (1995). Degradable Polymers, Recycling, and Plastics Waste Management. CRC.
• Curlee, Randall T. (1994). Waste-to-energy in the United States: a social and economic assessment. Westport, Conn: Quorum Books.
• De, Sadhan K., Isayev, Avraam, and Khait, Klementina. (2004). Rubber Recycling. CRC.
• Farrelly, E. M. (2008). Blubberland: the dangers of happiness. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
• Gandy, Matthew. (1994). Recycling and the politics of urban waste. New York: St. Martin's Press.
• Hegberg, Bruce A. et al. (1992). Mixed Plastics Recycling Technology. Noyes Publications.
• Kanti L. Shah (2000). Basics of Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Technology. Prentice Hall.
• Kharbanda, Om Prakash. And Stallworthy, E.A. (1990). Waste management: towards a sustainable society. New York: Auburn House.
• Kreith, Frank and Tchobanoglous, George. (2013). Handbook of Solid Waste Management. Avery Publisher.
• Lund, H.F. (2001). The McGraw-Hill Recycling Handbook. Second Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Luton, Larry S. (1996). The politics of garbage: a community perspective on solid waste policy making. Pittsburgh, Pa: University of Pittsburgh Press.
• Porter, Richard C. (2002). The economics of waste. Washington, DC: Resources for the Future.
• Nathanson, Jerry and Schneider, Richard (2014). Basic Environmental Technology: Water Supply, Waste Management and Pollution Control, Pearson.
• Pichtel, John (2014). Waste Management Practices: Municipal, Hazardous, and Industrial, CRC Press.
• Rathje, William L. and Murphy, Cullen. (2001). Rubbish!: the archaeology of garbage. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Press.
• Rogers, Heather. (2006). Gone tomorrow: the hidden life of garbage. New York; London: New Press: Distributed by W.W. Norton & Company.
• Tchobanoglous, George, Theisen, Hilary, and Vigil, Samuel A. (1993). Integrated Solid Waste Management. McGraw-Hill Publishing Co.; International edition.
• Williams, Paul T. (2006). Waste treatment and disposal, Chichester, West Sussex, England; Hoboken, NJ, USA: Wiley, 2nd ed.
• Young, Mitchell (ed.). (2007). Garbage and recycling. Detroit: Greenhaven Press.

Standard American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Specifications

• D6008-96 (2014) Standard Practice for Conducting Environmental Baseline Surveys.
• E1527-13 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process.
• E1528-14e1 Standard Practice for Limited Environmental Due Diligence: Transaction Screen Process.
• E1609-01 (Historical Standard) Standard Guide for Development and Implementation of a Pollution Prevention Program.
• E1903-11 Standard Guide for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Process.
• E2018-15 Standard Guide for Property Condition Assessments: Baseline Property Condition Assessment Process.
• E2060-06 (2014) Standard Guide for Use of Coal Combustion Products for Solidification/Stabilization of Inorganic Wastes.
• E2081-00 (2015) Standard Guide for Risk-Based Corrective Action.
• E2091-17 Standard Guide for Use of Activity and Use Limitations, Including Institutional and Engineering Controls.
• E2107-06 (2014) Standard Practice for Environmental Regulatory Compliance Audits.
• E2137-17 Standard Guide for Estimating Monetary Costs and Liabilities for Environmental Matters.
• E2173-07 (2016) Standard Guide for Disclosure of Environmental Liabilities.
• E2201-13 Standard Terminology for Coal Combustion Products.
• E2205-02 (2014) Standard Guide for Risk-Based Corrective Action for Protection of Ecological Resources.
• E2247-16 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process for Forestland or Rural Property.
• E2277-14 Standard Guide for Design and Construction of Coal Ash Structural Fills.
• E2365-14 Standard Guide for Environmental Compliance Performance Assessment.
• E2876-13 Standard Guide for Integrating Sustainable Objectives into Cleanup.

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