Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Kay Tam Professor Raquel R. Pinderhughes Urban Studies Program Race, Poverty and the Environmental San Francisco State University Spring 2003
Introduction
This presentation focuses on glass. It is designed to interpret the potential impacts of the processes associated with glass. It takes you through the cradle to grave lifecycle of glass, paying particular attention to the social, environmental and public health impacts of these processes.
Presentation organization
1) We start by looking at the natural resources for making glass. 2) We then go to the glass making processes and its utilization. 3) This is followed by the disposal of glass waste. 4) I will analyze the social, environmental and health impacts associated with each processes throughout my presentation. 5) Lastly, I will talk about the importance of environmental justice in the life cycle of glass and discuss with you how can we address the problems.
Natural Resources
Silica sand 72% Soda Ash 17% Lime 5%
Percentage of Ingredients in Glass
17%
72%
5% 6%
silica sand soda ash lime other ingredients
Silica Sand
Silica Sand
Three of most common rock forming minerals on earth Chemically named: quartz sand / rock crystal Properties:
Extremely heat durable Chemical stack resistance
Chemically weathering:
Less stable minerals
break down to become silica sand
Extraction of theses resources is dependent on whether it is economic and are controlled by the location of population centers
Fig. 1
http://minerals.er.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/silica/780397.pdf
Today:
Glass making, foundry casting, ceramics, filtration, specialist building applications, leisure ( e.g. golf course), filters in numerous products, plastics, the manufacture of chemicals, metal & refractory, as addictives in horticultural & agricultural products & simulating oil production
Soda Ash
Soda Ash
Anhydrous sodium carbonate Texture: soft Color: grayish & white Appearance: lump / powder in nature
Fig.2
www.ansac.com/100_our_story/ 103_supply.asp
Fig.3
Owens Lake
Fig.4
Asia
Fig. 5
www.isonex.com/glass_article_5-97.pdf
Fig.6
cwx.prenhall.com/petrucci/medialib/ media_portfolio/22.html
Lime
Lime
Include hydrated lime & quicklime Only quicklime can use to make glass
www.med.govt.nz/crown_minerals/ minerals/gnsmaps
Export of Lime
56 % of lime in U.S. is produced at companies in Alabama, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania (about 11.5 millions tons annually Other nations producing lime for export: Canada, Mexico, China, France, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom and Japan.
Formation of Lime
Marine organisms dissolve CO2 & extract Calcium from seawater to from calcium carbonate Buried under sediments of seabed after death Limestone formed under heat & pressure on the remains of marine organisms
limestone
Extraction of Lime
Quarry of limestone at trona bed Then, transported to crush plants by trucks / rail Undergo Calcination process:
heating limestone or chalk (Ca3CO2) in kiln till 900 degree celsius CO2 is emitted in this process and calcium oxide (lime) is produced.
Processed Lime
Calcination Process
Environmental Impacts
Extraction may remain large amount of rubbish on the extracted sites, causing serious environmental pollution and degradation
Fig, 9 Fig. 8
Environmental impacts
Nordik Mine Site in 1995
Fig. 10
Water Contamination:
Blasting & digging during extraction process produce wastes & easily get into the water as runoff In waste disposal activities, systems direct waste into rivers & tributaries Inadequate rehabilitation of disturbed areas remain wastes behind the sites
Photo taken by Kira Henschel at Wisconsin mining site at May, 1995
Fig.11
www.cablesands.com.au/cswa/ company-profile.asp
Disease:
Communities may get diseases through consuming the contaminated water / seafood New diseases may be introduced to communities through mine workers from communities far away
Agricultural communities:
Water for irrigation is being contaminated, loss of water resources for drainage Plants & crops die and cattle may get disease
After discussing the effects of extraction process for making glass, we will talk about the Manufacturing Process of Glass
Glass making historical development Todays glass making process Impacts of glass manufacturing process
2. 3.
Fig.12
www.glassforever.co.uk/howisglassmade/
4. 5.
6.
7.
Environmental impact
Environmental degradation: Air pollution:
raw materials used for glass making decompose at furnaces produce large volume of gas such as carbon dioxide combustion of gas for energy production release large amount of pollutant gases, such as sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen
Environmental Impact
Aquatic Life
Hot water is released during glass making process increase water temperature and dissolve oxygen in water change aquatic habitat and threaten aquatic life
Social Impact
Human Health
Breathing in air pollutants release by the glass manufacturing plant can result in serious health impact E.g. respiratory or lung diseases
Economy
Affect fishing and recreational businesses due to changes in aquatic habitat
History of glass How is the utilization of glass importance for communities? Global marketing and consumption status of glass The impacts of glass products
Laboratory equipments
(test tubes, cylinders, measuring flasks, etc.) TV tubes and screens Decorative glass Fiberglass Optical glass Vacuum flasks
Consumption of Glass
Three largest consumers:
1. glass packaging (43%) 2. domestic commodities 3. construction industry
Fig. 13
Glass Industries
The World Glass Industry has a gross production value totaling $82.3 billion
Fig. 14
www.icem.org/events/ bled/matdocen.htm
Fig. 15
waste.eionet.eu.int/activities/0000219.html
When considering the whole EU, projections suggest that glass consumption will increase between 24 and 53% up to the year 2010, using the year 1995 as a base year (European Topic Centre on Waste, 1998).
Therefore, do not have significant environmental & social impact during consuming process But could result in serious impact after disposal
Fig. 16
waste.eionet.eu.int/activities/0000219.html
While recycling has increased by almost 50% from 5 million to 7,4 million tonnes per year, the amount of waste glass for disposal has only decreased by 12 % (6,7 million to 5,9 million tones) due to the simultaneous increase in waste glass.
Glass Waste
Most of glass waste is generated from glass packaging Glass waste generated from packing is among the top forth in the world.
Fig. 17
Landfill
If people dump useless glass into the garbage and mix it with other rubbish, it will be treated as regular waste Regular waste will then dump into waste dumping site or use for landfill Glass waste will finally break down and decay into sand form naturally under erosion or weathering and once again return to our ecosystem.
Landfill gas:
167m3/minute (in 2001)
Fig. 19
smg.metro.seoul.kr:9000/ waste/part4.html
Recycling of Glass
Recycle of glass is mostly used for packaging Recycle process
Virtification
Definition: a new technology
has been discovered to use recycle glass for radioactive waste management
Process:
melt glass together with radioactive waste in barrels or some other container glass will then bind up with radioactive contamination into a huge glass block radioactive waste is bond by the glass and become immobilized keep radioactive waste from interacting with water, stop spreading the waste
Fig. 20
www.vitrification.com/ vitrification.htm
Fig. 21
So, why is the life cycle of glass important for environmental justice?
Environmental Justice
Through studying life cycle of glass can help to raise the social awareness of the importance of environmental justice: Social & Environmental impact result from:
Extraction of raw material for glass manufacturing Glass manufacturing process Glass consumption process Disposal of glass waste
Encourage forces help the disadvantage communities to solve and minimize the social and environmental problems
Consumers:
Control their materialistic desire & be more considerate for other communities who are facing the problems, think in a more globally way Cut down unnecessary consumption:
save raw materials and lands for future & next generations, decrease environmental pollution and social impact
Global Change
The whole world need to be changed ! Cost benefit analysis need to be replaced by cultural precautionary principle
Shift in the way that we make decisions (e.g. when deciding where to place the waste site) Take every communities into consideration when making decisions Consider if the situation is safe for every community in decision-making process
References
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. Bolen, W. P. (1997, February). Sand and Gravel. U.S. Geological Survey. Mineral Commodity Summaries. Retrieved 05/19/2003, from http://minerals.er.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/silica/780397.pdf ANSAC. (2002).California Soda Ash Deposits. Retrieved 05/19/2003, from www.ansac.com/100_our_story/ 103_supply.asp Philips, T. Bishopwebworks. Retrieved 05/19/2003, from science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/ lms/owenslake.htm Keith, John. Mineral Resource in Dessert. 10/29/97. Retrieved 05/19/2003, from pubs.usgs.gov/gip/ deserts/minerals/ Aitala, R. & Aitala, M. (1997, June).Soda Ash in the USA. Glass International. Retrieved 05/19/2003, from www.isonex.com/glass_article_5-97.pdf Petruccl, R. H. (2002). The Solvay process for the manufacture of NaHCO3. A Pearson Company. Retrieved 05/19/2003, from cwx.prenhall.com/petrucci/medialib/ media_portfolio/22.html Economic Development. (2001, Aug 21). New Zealand aggregate sources. Retrieved 05/19/2003, from www.med.govt.nz/crown_minerals/ minerals/gnsmaps Henschel, Kira & Alsom, Rio. (May, 1995). Mining Impact Coalition of Wisconsin Inc. Retrieved 05/19/2003, from www.miningimpacts.net/ micpic3.html Ibt Ibt Cable Sands & RZM. www.cablesands.com.au/cswa/ company-profile.asp RockWare Glass. How is Glass Made? www.glassforever.co.uk/howisglassmade/ Merkuova, E. (2000). National Glass Usage. Administration of Samara Region investment promotion group. http://www.bisnis.doc.gov/bisnis/country/000727glass_samara.htm Bled, S. (2001, June 20-22). International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers Union. www.icem.org/events/ bled/matdocen.htm Brodersen, J. & Jacobsen, H. (2003, March 9). European Topic Center on Waste and Material Flows. waste.eionet.eu.int/activities/0000219.html Ibt http://www.mst.dk/project/NyViden/2000/08030000.htm The citizens committee for green Seoul. Construction of the Sudokwon Landfill. smg.metro.seoul.kr:9000/ waste/part4.html Ibt Vitrification International Technologies, Inc. (2002, March, 3).Schematic of waste vitrification transformations. www.vitrification.com/ vitrification.htm Ibt
End