5.2 - Solid waste

Solid waste is typically referred to as any trash, garbage, or refuse that is made of solid or semi-solid materials that are unusable, obsolete, unwanted, or hazardous. The number of solid waste has increased over the years due to the use it and lose it attitude. Statistics show that the top five counties average four pounds of waste per person per day. Engineers have developed a plan to slow the rate of solid waste. Over the years, solid waste landfills have been growing in size. Until recently, in the last decade, recycling and composting have become the fastest growing method of solid waste management. The challenge for engineers is to carry on developing methods for the recycling of parts and components, and solving all complex problems linked to hazardous materials. These “green engineers” will need to incorporate the types of practices that have been effective in the recycling of such things as aluminum and paper into future designs for products such as automobiles, computers, factory equipment and machinery.