2.1 Waste Generation in Canada
29
in 2017 was 27 billion cubic meters, of which the largest portion was from the
thermal-electric power generation including the fossil fuel and nuclear electric power
generation [1, 2].
Canada’s oil sands are the third largest proven oil reserve in the world, representing
166.3 billion barrels (or 97%) of Canada’s 171 billion barrels of proven oil reserves.
It produced 2.2 million barrels of synthetic crude oil per day from oil sands in
2014 [3]. The oil sands industry, the major energy producer in Canada, is however
the largest solid waste producer in the country. As presented in Fig. 2.1b, the oil
sand industry is the largest solid waste producer, followed by the mining industry,
household manure production and IC&I waste production. The oil sands industry
creates vast and fast-growing quantities of waste every year. For example, it generated
645 million tonnes of tailings in 2008 from surface mining operations [4].
As shown in Fig. 2.1c, air emissions, in particular carbon dioxide, were also in
a large amount. CO 2 emission (annually 587 million tonnes) was ranked the largest
fraction of all air pollutants emitted into the air [5]. Most of the carbon dioxide is
sourced from fossil fuels combustion and can be easily dispersed and transported to
the atmosphere.
In this chapter, various conventional approaches for managing different waste
streams are presented.
2.2 Conventional Approaches for Non-hazardous Solid
Waste Disposal
The two primary methods of non-hazardous solid waste management are disposal and
diversion. Disposal refers to depositing the waste by landfilling or thermal treatment
(such as incineration) and diversion includes reducing, reusing or recycling the waste
[6]. Most of the solid waste in Canada is managed through disposal by landfilling and
incineration. Figure 2.2 shows the amounts of residential and non-residential solid
waste disposed or diverted in Canada between 2002 and 2016. According to the data
presented in this Figure, waste diversion increased from 2.8 million tonnes in 2002
to 4.8 million tonnes in 2016, owing to the availability of more options for diversion
of residential waste through recycling or composting programs [7]. However, the
non-residential solid waste diversion amount remained almost constant.
In addition to the two conventional disposal methods (landfilling or thermal treatment) for non-hazard waste, the following materials are permitted by Environment
Canada to be disposed of at sea [8]:
– Dredged material,
– Fish waste and other organic matter resulting from industrial fish processing
operations,
– Ships, aircraft, platforms or other structures,
– Inert, inorganic geological matter,
– Uncontaminated organic matter of natural origin,
29
in 2017 was 27 billion cubic meters, of which the largest portion was from the
thermal-electric power generation including the fossil fuel and nuclear electric power
generation [1, 2].
Canada’s oil sands are the third largest proven oil reserve in the world, representing
166.3 billion barrels (or 97%) of Canada’s 171 billion barrels of proven oil reserves.
It produced 2.2 million barrels of synthetic crude oil per day from oil sands in
2014 [3]. The oil sands industry, the major energy producer in Canada, is however
the largest solid waste producer in the country. As presented in Fig. 2.1b, the oil
sand industry is the largest solid waste producer, followed by the mining industry,
household manure production and IC&I waste production. The oil sands industry
creates vast and fast-growing quantities of waste every year. For example, it generated
645 million tonnes of tailings in 2008 from surface mining operations [4].
As shown in Fig. 2.1c, air emissions, in particular carbon dioxide, were also in
a large amount. CO 2 emission (annually 587 million tonnes) was ranked the largest
fraction of all air pollutants emitted into the air [5]. Most of the carbon dioxide is
sourced from fossil fuels combustion and can be easily dispersed and transported to
the atmosphere.
In this chapter, various conventional approaches for managing different waste
streams are presented.
2.2 Conventional Approaches for Non-hazardous Solid
Waste Disposal
The two primary methods of non-hazardous solid waste management are disposal and
diversion. Disposal refers to depositing the waste by landfilling or thermal treatment
(such as incineration) and diversion includes reducing, reusing or recycling the waste
[6]. Most of the solid waste in Canada is managed through disposal by landfilling and
incineration. Figure 2.2 shows the amounts of residential and non-residential solid
waste disposed or diverted in Canada between 2002 and 2016. According to the data
presented in this Figure, waste diversion increased from 2.8 million tonnes in 2002
to 4.8 million tonnes in 2016, owing to the availability of more options for diversion
of residential waste through recycling or composting programs [7]. However, the
non-residential solid waste diversion amount remained almost constant.
In addition to the two conventional disposal methods (landfilling or thermal treatment) for non-hazard waste, the following materials are permitted by Environment
Canada to be disposed of at sea [8]:
– Dredged material,
– Fish waste and other organic matter resulting from industrial fish processing
operations,
– Ships, aircraft, platforms or other structures,
– Inert, inorganic geological matter,
– Uncontaminated organic matter of natural origin,