Page 36 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

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Introduction 7

FIGURE 1.3 MSW as a component of Subtitle D wastes. (Reproduced with the kind permission of Franklin
Associates, Prairie Village, KS,1998.)

TABLE 1.2
Physical Composition of Municipal Solid Waste
Chemical Class General Composition
Organic Paper products Office paper, computer printout, newsprint, wrappings
Corrugated cardboard
Plastics Polyethylene terephthalate (1) a
High-density polyethylene (2)
Polyvinyl chloride (3)
Low-density polyethylene (4)
Polypropylene (5)
Polystyrene (6)
Multi-layer plastics (7)
Other plastics including aseptic packaging
Food Food (putrescible)
Yard waste Grass clippings, garden trimmings, leaves, wood, branches
Textiles/rubber Cloth, fabric
Carpet
Rubber
Leather
Inorganic Glass Clear (“flint”)
Amber, green, brown
Metals Ferrous
Aluminum
Other non-ferrous (copper, zinc, chromium)
Dirt Dirt
Stones
Ash
Bulky wastes Furniture, refrigerators, stoves, etc. (“white goods”)
a Plastics coding system, Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.

The heterogeneity of the waste stream is further demonstrated at the disposal site. As we
shall see in Chapter 3, Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regu-
lates the management of wastes other than hazardous wastes. As shown in Table 1.3, RCRA Subtitle