Household waste

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/221035/pb13888-thermal-treatment-waste.pdf

Produce a report that assesses the technical and economic viability of developing a thermal plant for the treatment/ processing of household wastes. This is likely to be a joint venture between a local authority and the private sector. Include a brief introduction and conclusion.

Your report should:

a) discuss a currently available thermal process. Include a technical overview of the process and detail the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the process for the treatment of household wastes. (70%)

b) consider how the environmental impact of constructing and operating such a plant might be reduced (15%)

c) provide details of:

i. capital costs (5%)
ii. sources of funding (5%)
iii. viability of the project in relation to length of contract to the private sector company (5%)

Assignment Brief

This assignment has a weighting of 20%

Very Important:

•    Read these instructions prior to commencing the assessment
•    Non conformance may result in penalization

General Advice for ENV Assignments

•    You may find it helpful to read through the whole assignment before starting to answer the first question;
•    You should certainly read through the whole assignment before starting to answer any part of it;
•    Note the wording of assignment, in particular the action verbs and ensure that you answer the question asked and not the one that you think should have been asked!
•    ENV are science modules, hence your answers should be scientific in tone;
•    Where required, present arguments that are logical and contain statements which are supported by scientific information expressed in the correct scientific terminology;
•    Your tutor will not look favourably on over-generalised discursive writing that fails to address the points at issue;
•    For most written answers, credit will be given for the overall ‘quality’ of the writing – for clarity, structure and appropriate style – as well as for the content

Student Declaration Form (Cover Sheet)

•    You must sign the Student Declaration Form accompanying this assignment brief and attach it your assignment prior to submission to the Assignment Handling Office.

Module Learning Outcomes and Key Skills

The following Learning Outcomes and Key Skills will be assessed:

The following Learning Outcomes and Key Skills will be assessed:

Knowledge and Understanding

c)    Understand the chemical and physical principles associated with the thermal treatment of wastes;

Subject-specific Skills

d)    Assess the impact of the National Waste Strategy and other relevant drivers for change away from landfill, to other methods of waste management;
e)    Review the regulatory framework controlling the bioprocessing and thermal treatments of wastes;
f)    Assess the advantages and disadvantages of a range of bioprocessing and thermal treatments from both an environmental and economic viewpoint;
g)    Evaluate strategies available to reduce the environmental impact of bioprocessing and thermal treatment facilities;

Key Skills

h)    Distinguish facts from values, evidence from opinion and reason logically;
i)    Communicate complex ideas clearly and accurately in an appropriate style;

Presentation of the Assignment

•    All answers must be printed or typed on sheets of A4 paper.
•    Present answers in clear English with a good standard of grammar.
•    When answering questions requiring calculations and data presentation, remember to:
–    present your answer clearly;
–    include all steps in a calculation;
–    use SI units;
–    give your answers to an appropriate number of significant figures;
–    give all graphs, tables and diagrams a title;
–    clearly label axes on graphs.
•    It is essential that all work that is not your own is referenced (see Plagiarism below)
•    The Study Skills Guide details an acceptable method of referencing.
•    Where reference is made to legislation, guidelines and principles, state the full name and date.

Plagiarism

What constitutes plagiarism or cheating?
If you submit an assignment that contains work that is not your own, without indicating this, you are committing ‘plagiarism’. This might occur in an assignment when:

•    Using a choice phrase or sentence that you have come across;
•    Copying word-for-word directly from a text
•    Using text downloaded from the internet
•    Borrowing statistics or assembled facts from another person or source;
•    Copying or downloading figures, photographs, pictures or diagrams without acknowledging your sources
•    Copying from the notes or essays of a fellow student.

The penalties for plagiarism are severe and could result in you being terminated from your programme of study at the University
http://www.northampton.ac.uk/info/20321/about-your-studies/597/plagiarism

Referencing

•    All texts should be referenced using the Harvard System. An on-line referencing tutorial is available at: http://www.northampton.ac.uk/info/200208/library/428/information-skills-tutorials
•    A guide that you can print off is available from: http://www.northampton.ac.uk/downloads/download/207/referencing-guides
•    Cite academic journals, textbooks and government-reports in preference to web-pages.
•    Assignments which are poorly referenced and/or overuse web-based only sources of information will be penalised.

INSTRUCTIONS

1000-1200 words excluding tables, figures and references

Produce a report that assesses the technical and economic viability of developing a thermal plant for the treatment/ processing of household wastes. This is likely to be a joint venture between a local authority and the private sector. Include a brief introduction and conclusion.

Your report should:

a)    discuss a currently available thermal process. Include a technical overview of the process and detail the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the process for the treatment of household wastes. (70%)

b)    consider how the environmental impact of constructing and operating such a plant might be reduced (15%)

c)    provide details of:

i.    capital costs (5%)
ii.    sources of funding (5%)
iii.    viability of the project in relation to length of contract to the private sector company (5%)

Notes:

Include tables and figures where appropriate (labeled, referenced and discussed in your text).

Your report should be referenced using the Harvard system in the text and include a full reference list at the end of your report. Include a minimum of 10 references from a range of sources including journal articles. See the University’s Harvard system referencing guide for details on the correct method for formatting in the text and reference list..