SUS 7700B Solid Waste Reuse and Recycling
Characterization of solid waste streams. Solid waste generation in municipal, commercial and industrial sectors. Waste minimization by waste reuse and recycling. Analysis of state-of-the-art reuse and recycling technologies. Economics of waste and its impact on reuse/recycling. Implementation of reuse and recycling technologies in major commercial and industrial sectors such as paper, glass, plastics, metals, wood, tire, electronics and construction/demolition wastes. Local, state and national legislative trends and regulatory requirements. Impact of reuse and recycling of wastes on CO2 emissions, urban sustainability and global warming. Examples of public and private reuse and recycling programs in New York City. Field trips. Invited speakers. The goals of the course are to familiarize the students with: (1) Generation, characterization and disposal methods for domestic, commercial and industrial solid wastes. (2) Environmental, societal and economic considerations in handling of solid wastes. (3) Current state of the art technologies for processing of solid wastes for recycling, including their implementation in selected industries. (4) Laws and local ordinances regulating recycling and reuse of solid wastes. (5) The impact of materials reuse on CO2 emissions, urban sustainability, and energy consumption with specific examples from local and national reuse industries. (6) Factors affecting the success or failure of reuse and recycling in urban systems.
Prerequisite
CE 37200 equivalent or graduate standing.
Contact Hours
3 hr./wk.