Page 17 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

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Introduction
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modification to the ISO 14001 standard to be discussed by the ISO Technical
Committee in its next round. This chapter will also propose an environ-
mental reform structure and present a detailed discussion of all the relevant
elements such as regulation, environmental impact assessment (EIA), envi-
ronmental management system (EMS), cleaner production (CP), and industrial
ecology (IE).
Chapter 5 will tackle the issue of municipal solid waste management sus-
tainability (MSWMS). It is the most challenging chapter as it attempts to apply
all the principles covered in the previous four chapters to reach practical cradle-
to-cradle implementations. The fundamental issue in this chapter is limiting
the use of landfills (i.e. reducing disposed waste) or completely eliminating dis-
posed waste from MSWMS. Different techniques for recycling MSW will be
presented such as recycling food waste, bones, tin cans, plastics, glass, and
textiles. The recycling of composite material, used in packaging, will also be
discussed.
The remaining kinds of waste (rejects), which cannot be recycled by any
technique, will be discussed in Chapter 6. Chapter 6 is a completion for MSW,
which allows the full and practical realization of a cradle-to-cradle model.
This chapter will discuss technology developments to recycle unrecyclable
wastes (rejects) as well as product developments to meet or match the needs
of a given community. The properties of the resulting new materials and
suggestions for its suitable applications will also be presented.
Chapter 7 on the sustainability of agricultural and rural waste manage-
ment is very important for most developing countries as well as some devel-
oped countries. The unsustainable nature of agricultural and rural waste
results in environmental pollution and may ultimately lead to complete
depletion of our natural resources. Different technologies for handling this
type of waste, such as composting, animal fodder, briquetting, biogas, con-
struction materials, silicon carbide, etc., will be discussed in this chapter.
These technologies are appropriate for and applicable in both developed and
underdeveloped countries. Two different case studies are included in this
chapter. The first involves converting soil conditioners into organic fertilizers
for organic farming by composting agricultural and rural waste. The second
will combine all agricultural and municipal solid waste, as well as municipal
liquid waste, into one complex called an eco-rural park.
Chapter 8 will discuss the sustainability of construction and demolition
waste and will explain the relevant guidelines to owners and contractors.
This chapter includes three case studies. The first case study uses the 7Rs
rule as a guideline for handling construction waste in a manner that applies
cradle-to-cradle concepts. The second case study demonstrates how much
money is typically spent on getting rid of construction waste. The third and
final case study demonstrates how cradle-to-cradle implementations on con-
struction waste can be advantageous and beneficial.
Chapter 9 on the sustainability of clinical solid waste management
is the most critical chapter in this book because clinical wastes can be very