Waste Management and Treatment

Recommended Prerequisites

Fundamentals of Physics; Enviroment and sustainability; Biology;Thermodynamics; Transport Phenomena.

Teaching Methods

Theoretical exposure supported by powerpoint scripts.

Theoretical and practical problems solved and analysis of cases.

Presentation and plenary discussion of scientific articles.

Technical visit to landfill site ou waste treatment unit.

Learning Outcomes

The objective of this course is to introduce students to national and European environmental policies on waste management and the processes and technologies associated with the collection and waste treatment and recovery. The main objective is to provide students with the ability to analyse waste management and treatment systems, acquiring knowledge to identify waste, characterize it and evaluate treatment and recovery methods. It is intended that they develop capacities to identify the best waste treatment techniques and methodologies. Students are also expected to develop skills to design and improve waste management plans.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. General concepts about waste management

2. End-of-life materials and the production of waste

3. Life-cycle assessment and eco-efficiency to integrated waste management

4. Waste management hierarchy: reduction, recycling, energetic valorisation and disposal

5. Waste management policy: national and European legislation and standards

6. Classification of wastes

7. Physical/chemical characterisation of wastes and methodologies to assess hazardous materials

8. Waste production: methodologies to predict waste production,  what factors used to compare waste production

9. Management of waste collection, transportation and sorting process: technologies, infrastructures, efficiency assessment, waste transfer stations, waste sorting station, and facility licensing procedure

10. Physical/Chemical/Biological treatment of wastes and environment impact

11. Thermal valorisation of wastes and environment impact

12. Economic impact of waste management

13. Cases studies of waste management.

Head Lecturer(s)

José Carlos Miranda Góis

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Mini Tests: 10.0%
Laboratory work or Field work: 10.0%
Exam: 80.0%

Bibliography

• G. Tchobanoglous, H. Theisen, S. A. Vigil,; Integrated Solid Waste Management: Engineering Principles and Management Issues, McGraw-Hill, 1993.

• M. Martinho, M. Gonçalves; Gestão de Resíduos, Universidade Aberta, 2000.

• M. LaGrega, P. Buckingham, J. Evans; Hazardous Waste Management, 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2001.

• P. A. Vesilind, W. A. Worrell, D. R. Reinhart ; Solid Waste Engineering, 1st Edition, 2002

• F. Kreith, G. Tchobanoglous, Handbook of Solid Waste Management, McGraw-Hill, 2002.

• Cheremisinoff, N. P.; Handbook of Solid Waste Management and Waste Minimization Technologies, Butterworth Heinemann, 2003.

• C. Brunner; Hazardous Waste Incineration, McGraw-Hill, 1994.