575.620.81 - Solid Waste Engineering & Management

Course Structure

The course content is divided into modules as well as a midterm and a final exam. Course Modules can be accessed by clicking Course Content on the left menu. A module will have several sections including the overview, content, readings, discussions, and assignments. Students are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting. Most modules run for a specified period of days, exceptions are noted on the Course Outline page. Students should regularly check the Calendar and Announcements for assignment due dates.

Course Topics

• Introduction; Definition of Solid Waste; Waste Generation; Evolution of Solid Waste Management; Functional Elements of a Waste Management System; Hierarchy of Integrated Solid Waste Management.
• Regulatory Aspects; Major Legislation; Governmental Agencies.
• Sources, Types, Composition, and Properties of Solid Waste; Determination of the Composition of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in the Field; Types of Materials Recovered from MSW.
• Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties of Municipal Solid Waste; Physical, Chemical, and Biological Transformations of Solid Waste.
• Management of Hazardous Wastes Found in Municipal Solid Waste; Properties and Classification of Hazardous Waste; Sources, Types, Quantity and significance of Hazardous Wastes in MSW; Physical, Chemical, and Biological Transformations of Hazardous Waste Constituents Found in MSW.
• Transformation of Solid Waste; Aerobic Composting; Waste Transformation through Combustion.
• Collection, transport, and transfer of municipal solid waste.
• Recycling of Materials Found in Municipal Solid Waste; Key Issues in Materials Recycling; Aluminum Cans, Paper and Cardboard, Plastics, Glass, Ferrous Metal, Nonferrous Metals, Yard Wastes Collected Separately, Organic Fraction of MSW, Construction and Demolition Wastes, Wood, Waste Oil, Used Tires, Electronics Waste, and Future Recycling Opportunities.
• Landfill Method of Solid Waste Disposal; Landfill Classification, Types, Methods and Siting Considerations; Layout and Preliminary Design of Landfills.
• Composition and Characteristics, Generation, Movement, and Control of Landfill Leachate and Gases; Surface Water Management; Structural and Settlement Characteristics; Environmental Quality Monitoring; Design and Installation of Groundwater Monitoring Wells; Landfill Operation.
• Landfill Closure and Post-closure Care; Environmental Monitoring Systems, Routine Inspections and Infrastructure Maintenance, Liability and Financing of Post-closure Maintenance, Financial Assurances.
• Remedial Actions at Closed, Inactive, or Abandoned Waste Disposal Sites; Site Identification, Environmental Testing, Preliminary Assessment, Site Inspection, Hazardous Ranking Analysis and NPL, Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study, Remedy Selection, Remedial Design, and Other Elements of Superfund Process.
• Municipal Wastewater Biosolids; Definition, Quantity, Constituents and Characteristics of Sewage Sludge; Control of Pathogens; Land Application of Sludge; Comparison of Sewage Sludge and Commercial Fertilizers; Composting, Landfilling, and Incineration of Sludge and Evaluation of Disposal Alternatives.
• Separation and Processing of Solid Waste; Reuse and Recycling Opportunities for Waste Materials; Materials Recovered at Drop‑off and Buy‑back Centers; Options for the Separation of Waste Materials; Introduction to the Unit Operations Used for the Separation and Processing of Waste Materials; Facilities for Handling, Moving, and Storing Waste Materials; Development and Implementation of MRFs.

Course Goals

By the end of the course, students will be able to apply the integrated and multidisciplinary (technical and non-technical) concepts and approaches of engineering and management solutions to municipal solid waste problems and the cross-media (air, surface water, groundwater, and soil) nature of the solid waste issues.

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• Apply a the acquired knowledge of the regulatory requirements pertaining to solid waste management Provide in-depth knowledge and expertise on solid waste land disposal facilities including double liner and leachate collection system and landfill cover design. Practice the present engineering and management methodologies in composting, recycling, and incineration of solid waste. Explain the basics of fate and transport of contaminants in the subsurface and groundwater monitoring. Demonstrate a vast knowledge on contemporary technologies regarding to collection, transport, transfer, and processing of municipal solid waste.

Textbooks

Textbook

Required           

Edition: 2ND 02 

Author: Tchobanoglous, George / Kreith, Frank

ISBN 13: 978-0-07-135623-7   

ISBN 10: 0-07-135623-1   

MBS Direct SKU #: 483032

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company

Other Materials & Online Resources

Class PDF notes, slides, video presentations, and items on the discussion board.

Required Software

There is not any specific software required for this course.

Student Coursework Requirements

Student Coursework Requirements

It is expected that each class will take approximately 5–7 hours per week to complete. Here is an approximate breakdown: reading the assigned sections of the texts (approximately 1–2 hours per week) as well as some outside reading, listening to the audio annotated slide presentations (approximately 1–2 hours per week), reviewing additional class notes (approximately 1 hour per week), participation in online discussions and completion of problem assignments (approximately 2 hours per week).

This course will consist of the following basic student requirements:

1. Preparation and Participation (Class Discussions) (10% of Final Grade Calculation)

Each student is responsible for carefully reading all assigned material and being prepared for discussion. The majority of readings are from the course text. Additional reading may be assigned to supplement text readings.

Post your initial response to the discussion questions by the evening of day 3 for that module week (ex. If the module begins on Tuesday, your initial response should be posted no later than Thursday evening). Posting a response to the discussion question is part one of your grade for class discussions (i.e., Timeliness).

Part two of your grade for class discussion is your interaction (i.e., responding to classmate postings with thoughtful responses) with at least one classmate (i.e., Critical Thinking). Just posting your response to a discussion question is not sufficient; we want you to interact with your classmates. Be detailed in your postings and in your responses to your classmates' postings. Feel free to agree or disagree with your classmates. Please ensure that your postings are civil and constructive. Post your response to another classmate by the due date listed in the Calendar.

The instructors will monitor class discussions and will respond to some of the discussions as discussions are posted. In some instances, the instructors will summarize the overall discussions and post the summary for the class.

Evaluation of preparation and participation is based on contribution to discussions.

Preparation and participation is evaluated by the following grading elements:
 
  - Critical Thinking (60%)
  - Timeliness (40%)

Preparation and participation is graded as follows:

100–90 = A—Timeliness [regularly participates; all required postings; early in discussion; throughout the discussion]; Critical Thinking [rich in content; full of thoughts, insight, and analysis].

89–80 = B—Timeliness [frequently participates; all required postings; some not in time for others to read and respond]; Critical Thinking [substantial information; thought, insight, and analysis has taken place].

79–70 = C—Timeliness [infrequently participates; all required postings; most at the last minute without allowing for response time]; Critical Thinking [generally competent; information is thin and commonplace].

2. Assignments (25% of Final Grade Calculation)

Assignments will include a problems associated with each module. Include a cover sheet with your name and assignment identifier. Also include your name and a page number indicator (i.e., page x of y) on each page of your submissions.

All assignments are due according to the dates in the Calendar.

Late submissions will be reduced by one letter grade for each week late (no exceptions without prior coordination with the instructors).

Assignments are graded as follows:

100–90 = A—All parts of question are addressed; All assumptions are clearly stated; All intermediate derivations and calculations are provided; Answer is technically correct and is clearly indicated; Answer precision and units are appropriate.

89–80 = B—All parts of question are addressed; All assumptions are clearly stated; Some intermediate derivations and calculations are provided; Answer is technically correct and is indicated; Answer precision and units are appropriate.

79–70=C—Most parts of question are addressed; Assumptions are partially stated; Few intermediate derivations and calculations are provided; Answer is not technically correct but is indicated; Answer precision and units are indicated but inappropriate.

<70=F—Some parts of the question are addressed; Assumptions are not stated; Intermediate derivations and calculations are not provided; The answer is incorrect or missing; The answer precision and units are inappropriate or missing.

3. Exams (40% of Final Grade Calculation, combined from 20% for the Midterm and 20% for the Final)

The midterm exam will be available in the 8th week and the final exam will be available in the last week. Each exam will be open for a period of one week. Both the midterm and final exams are timed. Each exam will have a time limit of four hours. If the time limit is exceeded the student will still be able to continue working on the exam however a point reduction will be assessed of 5 percentage points per additional 10 minutes taken beyond the 4-hour limit. Exams are delivered online using the Blackboard Test tool; you must be logged in to Blackboard for the duration of the exam. During the week the exam is open you will need to select a 3-hour block of time to take the exam.

Exams are graded as follows:

100–90 = A—All parts of question are addressed; All assumptions are clearly stated; All intermediate derivations and calculations are provided; Answer is technically correct and is clearly indicated; Answer precision and units are appropriate.

89–80 = B—All parts of question are addressed; All assumptions are clearly stated; Some intermediate derivations and calculations are provided; Answer is technically correct and is indicated; Answer precision and units are appropriate.

79–70=C—Most parts of question are addressed; Assumptions are partially stated; Few intermediate derivations and calculations are provided; Answer is not technically correct but is indicated; Answer precision and units are indicated but inappropriate.

<70=F—Some parts of the question are addressed; Assumptions are not stated; Intermediate derivations and calculations are not provided; The answer is incorrect or missing; The answer precision and units are inappropriate or missing.

4. Design Projects (15% of Final Grade Calculation, combined from 15% for the Group Landfill Conceptual Design Project.)

For the landfill project the students will form groups by themselves to complete the project. Further details on these projects will be revealed as the semester progresses. Students receive full grades as long as the designs are conceptually correct/accurate without any missing component, infrastructures, or required systems.

5. Term Research Presentation (10% of Final Grade Calculation)

Term Research (PowerPoint only) Presentation Guidelines:

Select any Solid Waste Engineering or Management topic of your own interest or pertinent to your work (please let your instruction team know if you need any assistance on this). Obtain information from at least five references (periodicals, books, EPA guidelines, etc.). You should begin your presentation with an introductory section describing the issues that you intend to discuss. Then explain in detail the process, importance, impacts, effects, etc. End your paper with a discussion and conclusions. Cite all references used. The introductory section (selection of the topic only) is due in six weeks. Please submit your term “presentation” file in an electronic format when finalized.

Sample Topics for Term Papers:

- The Effect of Covid on Waste Management

- Solid Waste Dilemma Created by Disasters

- Electronic Waste Disposal and Recycling

- Baltimore Area Recycling (Programs, Markets, Prices, and Issues)

- Landfill Post Closure Use

- Medical Waste Disposal Options

- Disease Associated with Improper Management/Disposal of Municipal Solid Waste

- Pros and Cons of the Land Application of Sewage Sludge, Benefits, Public Concerns

- Flexible Membrane Liners

- Mass and Energy Balance for an Actual Waste to Energy Facility

- Overview of Landfill Liner Materials, Liner Verification Procedures

- Sanitary Landfill Leachate: The Pros and Cons of the Leachate Recycling

- Overview of Landfill Methane Gas Control Technology

- Scrap Tire Disposal and Recycling

- Natural Wood Waste: Disposal vs. Recycling - Problems and Benefits Analysis

- Packaging: Effects on Solid Waste

- Asbestos Issues and Handling

- Economics of Solid Waste (e.g. Out of State Transport)

- Sampling for Groundwater at a Landfill Site: A Typical Protocol

- An Overview of Groundwater Remedial Techniques

- Groundwater Impacts from Landfills, Monitoring Well Design and Drilling Techniques

- Application of Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP) Model

- Innovative Air Emission Control Technologies for Waste to Energy Facilities

- Advantage and Disadvantage of Pyrolysis as a Waste Disposal Technique

- Fly Ash Management

- Bioreactor Landfills

- Risk Assessment to Human Health, Ecological Risk Assessment

- Enforcement of Solid Waste Regulation

- Aerobic & Anaerobic Biological Treatment

- Leachate Collection and Treatment

- Ash Leaching and Management

- Life-Cycle Analysis

- Mechanical Separation and Recycling

- Mitigation of Landfill Emissions

- Chemical and Biological Processes in Landfills and Landfill Covers

- Post-Closure Management and Monitoring of Landfills

- Demolition and Debris Management

- Sustainable Waste Management and Waste Minimization

- Waste Based Energy & Thermal Treatment

- Landfill Gas Production, Utilization and Emissions

- Landfill Liners and Covers

- Waste Management Policy, Financing, Planning and Regulation

- Landfill Hydrology and Water Balances

- Waste Management and Climate Change

- Waste Management in Developing Countries

- Marine Debris

6. Extra Credit – Solid Waste Facility Visitation (5% additional credit added to exams scores)

We will consider up to 25 additional points to be counted toward your midterm and/or final exam grades for visiting a solid waste facility and posting a short report. This credit will only apply to midterm and/or final exam grades, and will count towards your final grade according to the percentages specified in the syllabus. For example, if you obtain 80 (out of 100) on your midterm and 90 (out of 100) on your final exam (that is total of 170 points on both equally weighed exams) your total sum will be upgraded to 195. One visit is sufficient to gain knowledge of the facility. The deadline for posting is approximately one week prior to the final exam. To be considered for this extra credit, please follow the directions provided below.

Type of Facility:

You can visit any solid waste facility as long as you have obtained permission to visit. Examples include waste to energy incinerators, landfills, solid waste recycling facilities, and hazardous waste treatment or disposal facilities. Please do not attempt to gain access to these facilities unless you have a scheduled appointment and an official facility escort. You need to identify yourself as a student visitor and state the purpose of your visit to gain permission. Make sure that you wear proper/appropriate clothing and safety equipment as required by the facility personnel and follow all safety rules and regulations expressed.

Documentation Requirements:

During your visitation - You are required to take a few pictures and notes during your site visit. If for security safety, and/or any other reasons you are not permitted to take photographs, you must choose another facility which allows you to take photographic images and notes. Inquire about any restrictions when setting up your scheduled visit.

Posting on Blackboard:

Your instructors will create an “Extra Credit Requirements: Environmental Facility Visitation” thread in the Discussion Board for you to upload your report. The report should include a cover page that contains the facility’s name, the facility’s location, facility’s contact information, when you visited the facility and a very short description of the environmental process. Also upload a minimum of four photographs of any critical parts/aspects of the facility in respect to the environmental process. Provide one descriptive paragraph (caption) for each photograph explaining its significance or an interesting element of the photograph.

Grading Policy

Grading Scale

All assignments, projects, papers, and exams will be graded on a scale from 0 to 100. The final grade will be converted into a letter grade determined by the following weighting to the exact numerical grades as follows (higher grades supersede)

Student Assessment Criteria (Course Expectations and Grading)

The kinds of work you'll be doing in this course include weekly homework assignments, three equally-weighted exams, active participation in class discussion, and oral presentations. The grading basis and policy are summarized below. Letter grades will be assigned to the exact numerical grades as follow, higher grades supersede. The grades are not normalized or curved.

This course uses the following EP grading system:

Course Evaluation

Students' feedback during the midterm and final course evaluations are much valued and greatly appreciated.

Course Policies

The outline provides an overview of the course and assignments by week. Each course module runs for a period of seven (7) days, i.e., one week. Due dates for readings and other assignments are referred to by the day of the module week in which they are due. For example, if a reading assignment is to be completed by Day 3 and the module started on Monday, then the reading assignment should be completed by Wednesday or the 3rd day of the module.

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.