University of Technology, Sydney

Staff directory | Webmail | Maps | Newsroom | What's on

49123 Waste and Pollution Management

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

UTS: Engineering: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 120 credit points of completed study in C10061 Bachelor of Engineering Diploma in Engineering Practice OR 120 credit points of completed study in C10066 Bachelor of Engineering Science OR 120 credit points of completed study in C10067 Bachelor of Engineering
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Handbook description

In this subject waste minimisation and pollution control are treated in an integrated and comprehensive manner, permitting evaluation of benefits of waste minimisation to industry and of pollution reduction in the environment. Students are introduced to leading edge technologies of waste minimisation and pollution control such as membrane processes; raw materials extraction and refinement; product development including design, manufacture, use, re-use/recycling and environmental auditing of the product life cycle. An understanding of management techniques for solid/hazardous and liquid wastes is developed. Other topics comprehensively covered include institutional barriers to improving the technologies of waste technology and management practices adopted in domestic waste, the paper industry, metal plating industry, food and dairy industry, household waste and water recycling in buildings.

Subject objectives

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Comprehensively describe how waste minimisation and pollution control are treated
2. Evaluate the benefits of waste minimisation to industry and of pollution reduction in the environment
3. Appreciate, evaluate and apply leading edge technologies
4. Utilise various methods of management techniques for solid/hazardous and liquid wastes
5. Describe an overview of institutional barriers to improving the technologies of waste technology and management practices adopted in domestic waste, the paper industry, metal plating industry, food and dairy industry, household waste and water recycling in buildings.

This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:

  • Identify, interpret and analyse stakeholder needs. (A.1)
  • Establish priorities and goals (A.2)
  • Apply principles of sustainability to create viable systems (A.4)
  • Apply systems thinking to understand complex system behaviour including interactions between components and with other systems (social, cultural, legislative, environmental, business etc.) (A.5)
  • Identify and apply relevant problem solving methodologies (B.1)
  • Design components, systems and/ or processes to meet required specification (B.2)
  • Implement and test solution (B.5)
  • Demonstrate research skills (B.6)
  • Appreciate ethical implications of professional practice (F.2)

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject includes 3 blocks of lectures, tutorials and computer laboratories through the semester. Each block will be held at 9.30 to 5pm on a Tuesday and 9.30 to 1pm on a Wednesday. The course is taught by lectures, assignment and project work.
Lectures are supported by lecture notes and readings and are placed on UTS online. You will gain most from the lectures if you read each block’s material in advance.
As a student in this subject you are expected to attend and participate in all tutorials, actively contribute to discussions, complete your assignments by their due dates.

Content

Introduction: Pollution control and needs for clean technology; Advances in pollution control: Processes and case studies, technological aspects of waste management; Techniques to achieve cleaner technologies with examples; Waste minimisation with case studies of developed and developing countries; Waste auditing in industries with examples on tanning and metal plating industries; Institutional barriers to waste minimisation: Employee incentives; Strategies for promotion of cleaner production for sustainable development; Treatment and utilisation practices for recycle of sewage and sludge; Solid and hazardous waste minimisation and management.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Waste Management and Recycling

Intent:

To understand the wastewater and bio-solids management principles, basic design calculations and management practices

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objectives:

1

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:

A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2 and B.6

Weight: 10
Criteria:

Criteria: Single answers (Quantitative and qualitative) and methodology/approach to problem-solving.
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Correctness of calculations 25 1 A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, B.6
Correctness of design 25 1 A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, B.6
Correctness of reasoning and interpretation 30 1 A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, B.6
Appropriateness of recommendation 20 1 A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, B.6
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Waste minimisation methodologies and practices

Intent:

To be able to carry out simple process design and rational description of processes in industrial waste minimisation.
Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objectives:

2, 3, 4 and 5

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:

A.1, A.2, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.5, B.6 and F.2

Weight: 15
Criteria:

Criteria: Single answers (Quantitative and qualitative) and methodology/approach to problem-solving.
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Correctness of calculations 25 2, 3, 4, 5 A.1, A.2, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.5, B.6, F.2
Correctness of design 25 2, 3, 4, 5 A.1, A.2, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.5, B.6, F.2
Correctness of reasoning and interpretation 30 2, 3, 4, 5 A.1, A.2, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.5, B.6, F.2
Appropriateness of recommendation 20 2, 3, 4, 5 A.1, A.2, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.5, B.6, F.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Alternative water sources

Intent:

To understand the alternative water sources and their importance through search of case studies and design calculations
To figure out pollution abatement strategies for a given waste management scenario
Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objectives:

1, 2 and 3

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:

A.1, A.4, B.1 and B.2

Weight: 25
Criteria:

Individual assignment on best management strategies. Short qualitative and quantitative questions to illustrate the above principles (10%)

Class group assignment on pollution abatement strategies (10%)
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Correctness of calculations 25 1, 2, 3 A.1, A.4, B.1, B.2
Correctness of design 25 1, 2, 3 A.1, A.4, B.1, B.2
Correctness of systems model 0 1, 2, 3 A.1, A.4, B.1, B.2
Correctness of reasoning and interpretation 30 1, 2, 3 A.1, A.4, B.1, B.2
Appropriateness of recommendation 20 A.1, A.4, B.1, B.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 4: Final Exam

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following course intended learning outcomes:

A.1, A.2, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.5 and B.6

Weight: 50
Length:

The duration of the examination is 3 hours and 10 minutes.
Criteria:

Marks for each exam question are stated in the exam sheets.
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Correctness of calculations 25 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 A.1, A.2, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.5, B.6
Correctness of design 25 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 A.1, A.2, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.5, B.6
Correctness of reasoning and interpretation 30 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 A.1, A.2, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.5, B.6
Appropriateness of recommendation 20 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 A.1, A.2, A.4, A.5, B.1, B.5, B.6
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

In order to pass the subject, you must

  • complete, and submit each of the Assessment tasks
  • obtain a minimum of 50% in the final exam and
  • earn an overall total of 50 marks or more for the subject

Required texts

  • Vigneswaran S, Visvanathan C and Jegatheesan V, 1998, ‘Industrial waste minimisation’, Ensearch, Malaysia
  • Course notes are available at the bookshop

The CN Number is: Waste and Pollution Management, CN No. and Price will be advised at http://my.feit.uts.edu.au/pages/course/postgraduate/distance_mode/materials.

Recommended texts

Information on specific text will be provided in class

References

see recommended text

Other resources

see UTSonline