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Manejo de Residuos Sólidos
MSc. Erwin Binner
erwin.binner@boku.ac.at
Institute of Waste Management
BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna
Muthgasse 107
A-1190 Vienna / Austria
Whole over the world inadequate waste disposal is recognized as danger for
environment (and for humans). Thus during last decades waste disposal is changing
from „End of Pipe Technology“ to „Integrated Waste Management Systems“. Thus in
most countries similar “Waste Management Laws” were set into effect. The new
waste management hierarchy system of “5 R” was developed. “pRevention” –
“Reuse” – “Recycling” – “Recovery of Energy” and last but not least “pRetreatment
and Adequate Landfilling” got basic requirement in Europe as well as in most other
countries.
In Austria main changes in Waste Management already started in the 70ies of last
century. After recognizing the connection between waste and hygienic problems
(diseases, mortality) already in the 19th century a waste collection system was
installed to (collect and) transport waste out off our cities, the next step took place.
Inadequate landfilling (uncontrolled dumps = botaderos) was recognized as source
for groundwater pollution. For example a very huge ground water area in the south
of city of Vienna had to be excluded from use for drinking water supply because of
pollution from dump sites. Thus the second step in Waste Management took place –
an enhancement of landfill technique. Technical standards for sanitary landfill sites
as there are base liner systems, gas and leachate collection systems as well as top
covers were developed. These measures helped to reduce groundwater pollution
and other negative local effects of landfill sites respectively. But the main problem –
landfilling of very reactive wastes – remained.
Since 1995 a separate collection of biogenous wastes is obligatory (Bio Waste
Ordinance, 1992). This ordinance caused in two effects. On one hand the organic
wastes in landfill sites is reduced, on the other hand high quality compost for
use in agriculture can be produced.
In order to enhance recycling, a law for separate collection of packaging material was
installed. Since 1998 industries producing and companies selling packaging
materials have to pay for collection and recycling of these waste fractions.
Last but not least in 1996 a new “Austrian Landfill Ordinance” was set into effect. In
this ordinance not only technical measures for landfilling wastes were regulated. The
main innovation was to regulate requirements on waste quality! Since 2004 in
Austria wastes have to be pretreated prior to landfilling. Main requirements which are
to be undercut are the “Total Organic Carbon Content” (TOC) of 5 % DM (dry matter)
or – if waste is biologically treated – “Respiration Activity” of 7 mg O2/g DM and “Gas
Formation” of 20 Nl/kg DM. This makes sure, that no more (or very low) anaerobic
degradation (which produces landfill gas s well as contaminated leachate) will take
place in landfill sites.
The effects of these legislative measures can be seen in the Austrian “Federal Waste
Management Plan” 2011. Since 2009 no more waste (<1 %) was directly landfilled
(without pretreatment). Approximately 19 % of municipal solid wastes were
transformed into compost (after separate collection), 32 % were recycled, 36 % were
thermally treated and 10 % were treated in mechanical biological treatment plants
(the remaining 2 % are separate collected hazardous wastes from households).
For implementation of Integrated Waste Management Systems to other countries,
the local situation and the time frame have to be taken into account. In
industrialised countries changes in waste management started already 30 years ago!
For not industrialised countries this makes clear that implementation of an “Integrated
Waste Management System” will need several decades as well as high demand in
money. Thus only an implementation step by step will make sense.
Looking to industrialised countries – for sure – is important. But not to implement
European standards immediately. A concept for realisation of an adapted system (to
local conditions) step by step has to be developed. Therefore targets to be reached
within the next decades will have to be defined as soon as possible (e.g. in Austrian
Landfill Ordinance the targets for 2004 already were defined in 1996!). Cost-benefit
considerations (how to get highest effects by the low amount of available money),
local conditions (different waste composition compared to industrialised countries)
and informal sector activities (in not industrialised countries many inhabitants get
income by informal waste collecting activities) as well as implementation of adequate
(low tech) systems have to be taken into account!