Disposing of solid waste generated by residents is one of the more complex operations for a municipality. As one of the fastest-growing cities in Arizona, the City of Peoria has continually opted to remain on the frontline of providing sustainable waste management services for its residents, particularly for more challenging materials.
Electronic waste, or e-waste, has become the forefront of sustainable waste management in an increasingly technological age. Used and discarded electronics often end up in landfills where they can leach toxic chemicals into the environment. However, e-waste materials can be refurbished and reused for additional electronic products through material recovery practices. Due to the hazardous and expensive nature of recycling, e-waste is not typically offered as part of municipal waste programs provided to residents. The City of Peoria is interested in expanding its solid waste collection services to accommodate e-waste. Peoria is also seeking alternative fuel technologies to divert waste from third-party landfills, including biogas and syngas technologies.
Students in Al Brown’sERM 432/532 Sustainable Solid WasteManagementcourse split into two groups to investigate the feasibility of an e-waste recycling program and a biomass gasification program. Students conducted a literature review of the two materials and identified potential municipal and private partners to expand its solid waste programs.
While e-waste and biomass gasification are two very different materials, the findings indicate that Peoria should consider partnering with other municipal and private entities to provide additional solid waste services to its residents. Additionally, students identified the need for community engagement in designing these services through public education and events that emphasize the importance of sustainably recycling these materials. The student research and recommendations provide the City of Peoria with baseline information to further investigate waste management practices for Peoria’s more challenging materials.