ROLE PLAY SIMULATION: METHOD TO DISPOSE SOLID WASTES IN DU PAGE COUNTY

The purpose of this exercise is to determine one of three methods to dispose of solid wastes in Du Page County by the year 2000. At this time, the two existing landfills, Green Valley and Mallard Lake, both located in Forest Preserves, are scheduled to close per a court order in 1994.

The three possible methods to dispose of solid waste are:

• 1. Primary Method: Open a new state of the art sanitary landfill that collects methane to burn for electricity. Secondary Method: Recycling (current level).
• 2. Primary Method: Build a state of the art incinerator that also converts the excess heat into electricity. Secondary Method: Recycling (current level) and also a new small landfill is still needed for ash and non-combustible items.
• 3. Primary Method: Use a more extensive resource recovery/recycling/composting system. Secondary Method: A medium size landfill is still needed.

You will have the opportunity to appear before the County Board of Commissioners to express your views on the three proposed methods of waste disposal. The problem is critical because existing landfills are almost filled. Exporting the waste out of the county is not an option. For option #3, extensive state of the art collection and separation facilities will be required. For our purposes the economics for all three systems is about equal.

To prepare for this hearing read the available references in the textbook and various sites on the Internet. Write out some notes that can be used to support and summarize your view point. The presentation format will be as follows: Each student will make an opening statement and describe each solid waste method including safeguards, opposition statements will be presented, then the floor will be open for general debate. For most of the discussion, you must represent your initial position, even if you do not agree with it. Near the conclusion, you may switch positions based on the arguments in the debate. You must reach a conclusion to accept one of the proposals.

ROLES:

• Sanitary Landfill Operator
• Citizen Proponent of Landfill
• Incinerator Operator
• Citizen Proponent of Incinerator
• Resource Recovery/Recycling Operator
• Citizen Proponent of Recycling
• Citizen Opponent of very Extensive Recycling
• NIMBY Citizen opponent of Landfill
• NIMBY Citizen opponent of Incinerator

*** NIMBY = Not In My Backyard syndrome of opposition

INTRODUCTION TO SOLID WASTE:

• Municipal Solid Waste - Canada.
  This introduction to solid waste includes some graphs on amounts and sources of solid waste.
• Municipal Solid Waste FAQs
  A grab bag of questions, but not too long.

• Sanitary Landfills -Canada
  Very brief introduction on the construction and potential problems from landfills.
• Solid Landfill Course
  This give a lot of details about how a landfill is constructed and operated including details about the collection of gases and leachate. Look primarily at: 2. LANDFILLING PRICIPLES; 3. LANDFILL GAS MOVEMENT, CONTROL, AND USES; 4. LEACHATE CONTROL AND TREATMENT
• Inspect a Municipal Waste Landfill
  Virtual graphic tour of a modern landfill. A little slow in loading the pictures.
• Commentary on EPA regulations of landfills.
  Suggests that even the most strictly regulated landfills will leak over time.
• The Basics of Landfills and why they will leak.
  Contains many web links to related issues and articles.

MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE INCINERATORS:

• Incineration - Canada
  Short introduction on the use of incineration to dispose of solid wastes
• Burnaby Incinerater Vancouver, Canada.
  Burns garbage/Produces steam Good description and graphic of how an incinerator works.
• Case Studies of Incinerators in Norway and United Kingdom
  This description provides some information about why an incinerator should not be part of the solid waste solution.
• The Green Island Incinerator: Pros and Cons.
  Gives a fairly balanced view for both sides
• Incinerator Health Hazards
  Gives a number of examples of chemicals emitted, including a discussion of dioxin and mercury.

• Economic Consideration of Waste Disposal and Reduction
  The 4 R's - reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery
• Alternatives for Waste Management
  Contains five or six links with brief information about waste reduction, reuse, and recyling.
• Sierra Club Policy: Municipal Solid
  Waste Management Comprehensive analysis of all options for the management of solid wastes.
• Case Study: Solid Waste Management in the Halifax-Dartmouth Metropolitan Area of Canada. Gives details of the mix of solutions proposed for those cities.
• Cornell Composting - Operator Facts Sheets
  Check out two of the sheets: Compost Process; and Compost Ingredients.
• Case Study - Proposed Yard Waste Composting Facility at Brown's Island
• Recyled Plastics
• Banning Plastic is Not a Solution to Our Solid Waste Problems