SBS Waste Management and the Environment V by V. Popov

This book contains the papers presented at the Fifth International Conference on Waste Management and the Environment that was held in Tallinn, Estonia, in July 2010. This conference is the latest in a successful series that began in 2002. The conference provides a platform for the professionals involved in the waste management sector, industrial sector, governmental and non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to exchange knowledge on the current best practices that are developed and applied in different countries. Governments all over the world have become aware that past solutions to waste management, which mainly rely on landfill disposal, are not sustainable. It is not just the volume of the waste produced, but also the composition and nature of waste that is the problem, since it often contains compounds that would not decay for centuries or that are highly toxic and thus require new ways of dealing with waste. The approach that emerged as the most sustainable strategy was originally termed 3Rs (reduce/reuse /recycle). Recently Rethink has been added as the fourth action (4Rs); for example, recover energy from waste that cannot be reduced, reused or recycled. The book provides papers dealing with a wide range of experiences and applications representing the practices. It also identifies areas for research and improvement.