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Your septic system takes in wastewater from your home and discharges it back into the ground water system. If you take care of your system and you use it properly you can reduce its effects on ground water quality. A system that is improperly sited, improperly maintained, or overloaded can put bacteria, viruses, nitrates and hazardous chemicals into ground water, which is the same water you drink. Even if it isn't your well or your neighbours well, the contaminants found in the ground can still go to surface waters close by, like lakes, streams or coastal waters. This can seriously damage lakes, rivers and bays because there is more algal growth. Fish are in danger and this may mean closing shellfish harvesting areas.
What you put into your septic system whether through toilets, sinks, tubs or floor drains, can affect the quality of the wastewater and how well your system can handle it. Waste water and the solids that are carried with it go into the septic tank. Once in the tank, most of the solids go to the bottom, bacteria breaks down the materials some, forming sludge. Some of the materials float on top of the water and form a layer of scum. The wastewater then goes to the disposal field carrying with it viruses, bacteria, nitrate and any chemicals that were mixed with the water.
The most common disposal field design uses perforated pipe, this is laid on a bed of screened or crushed stone. How big the disposal field depends on how many people are using the system and how permeable the soil is. Each perforated pipe carries the waste water into the field where the water moves through the stone and into the soil. The soil acts like a filter because it removes the larger partials from the wastewater and slows down the rate at which the water travels. This makes time for bacteria and viruses to die off, and for bacteria in the soil to break down some of the organic compounds. Soil and bacteria may not remove a lot of the toxic chemicals that come as a result of putting cleaners, polishes and detergents into the septic system. These chemicals contaminate the sludge in the septic tank, travel into the ground water, and may kill the good bacteria that breaks down organic materials carried by wastewater.
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North Americans use a lot of disposable products, like bottles, plates, cups, diapers, containers and packaging materials. These conveniences cut down on work but need energy for production and make disposable problems.
Industrial societies with high income produce more waste per person than do poor, developing societies. People who make more money use more convenience products. The average North American throws away 300 kg's of packaging material every year.
In North America, most of the solid waste is buried in landfills. But the bad thing is, most cities are starting to notice that they are quickly running out of landfill space. In a couple of years, at least one-half of American cities will run out of space for landfills. One solution to this problem would be to burn the waste . However, this can be a problem when burning some items because certain materials produces toxic compounds. For example, plastic and bleached paper contain chlorine compounds produce dioxins when burned. Some dioxins are among the most toxic substance known. Incineration of municipal waste releases dioxins and other toxic chemicals into the air. Recycling would take away most of the need for incineration and landfill space. Recycling also reduces the need for raw materials, saves energy, and cuts down on air and water pollution.
To manufacture, use, and dispose of toxic chemicals is one of the most serious causes of air and water pollution. A lot of everyday products like detergent, household cleaners and plastic containers are made with toxic chemicals. Toxic chemicals are generated as waste in industrial production processes. Toxins are also created by burning, a waste disposal method.
Until just lately industries disposed of toxic wastes by burying them in the ground or dumping them in landfills or in the water. Now, however, it seems that people living near toxic chemical dump sites have an above average rate of birth defects and cancer.
Technology has been known to find ways to solve environmental problems that us humans have caused. Sadly, technology cannot solve all pollution problems. We must change some of our habits if we want to protect our environment and enjoy good health.
Sludge is semisolid material such as the type precipitated by sewage treatment.
Primary Treatment removes solids by passing water through a series of grates, screens, skimmers and settling tanks.
Secondary Treatment uses bacteria to break down organic material still in the wastewater. This process removes most of the suspended solids and disease - causing bacteria. The wastewater is often treated with chlorine at this stage.
Tertiary Treatment is used to further clean the wastewater, but this step is expensive, so it is not frequently used.
Perforated Pipe is pipe with holes in it so water can drain out.
Non-Biodegradable materials are not capable of being broken down by biological decomposition.
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