OVERVIEW

The course introduces students to the complex system of waste management and prevention, particularly urban waste, providing tools to understand the life cycle of products and waste management. The discipline assumes particular relevance in terms of environmental sustainability and awareness of the impact of human activities on the environment, integrating technical, regulatory and economic aspects.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide students with fundamental knowledge relating to integrated waste management, with particular attention to the principles of prevention, reuse, recycling and recovery. The course aims to develop the ability to critically analyze available public data, environmental problems linked to ineffective waste management and to understand the technological and regulatory solutions adopted at European and national level.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
• Analyze and interpret quantitative and qualitative data relating to waste production at European, national and regional level
• Classify waste according to current regulations, identifying the commodity and chemical-physical characteristics relevant for management
• Apply European and Italian regulatory principles in the waste management sector, evaluating the degree of implementation at local level • Critically evaluate the different technological solutions for waste treatment, recovery and disposal, identifying advantages and criticalities • Understand technical-economic analyses of the waste cycle, integrating environmental, economic and regulatory aspects • Communicate appropriately the problems and solutions relating to waste management using the specific technical-scientific language of the sector

PREREQUISITES

Basic knowledge of mathematics and chemistry.

TEACHING METHODS

The course consists of lectures for a total of roughly 40 hours, during which theoretical content is presented supported by practical examples and case studies.
The lessons include:
• Presentations with slide and connection with institutional web links
• Discussion of practical cases and real situations
• Analysis of regulatory and technical documents
• Insights into innovative technologies

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course is structured in five interconnected modules:
Module 1 - Introduction and Quantitative Data (9 hours)
• Presentation of the waste problem in the context of modern civilization
• Analysis of European, Italian and regional production data
• Study of temporal variations and evolutionary trends
• Comparison between different management systems
Module 2 - Qualitative Data (6 hours)
• Qualitative characteristics of urban waste
• Analysis and characterization methods
• Relevant chemical-physical and commodity properties
• Sampling and analysis criteria
Module 3 - European and Italian Regulations (12 hours)
• Regulatory principles and European strategies
• Community directives and their transposition
• Italian sector legislation
• Assessment of the degree of implementation
• Control and monitoring tools
Module 4 - Waste Classification (6 hours)
• Classification principles according to current regulations
• Commodity and chemical-physical characteristics
• Identification of hazard characteristics
• Classification codes and document management
Module 5 - Management (12 hours)
• Technical-economic analysis of the waste cycle
• Collection and transport systems
• Treatment and recovery technologies
• Recycling and valorization processes
• Disposal of residual waste and landfills
• Comparative evaluation of technological solutions

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

No specific reference text is provided. All teaching materials are available on AulaWeb in electronic format, including:
• Presentations used during lessons
• Technical and regulatory reference documents
• Specialist publications
For further study we recommend:
• European directives on waste (updated)
• Legislative Decree 152/2006 (Environmental Code)
• ISPRA reports on waste management in Italy
• EEA (European Environment Agency) publications

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

TOMASO MUNARI (President)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Classes begin in the second semester according to the academic calendar of the degree course and are preferably held on Thursday and Friday afternoons.
Consult detailed timetable at the following link: https://easyacademy.unige.it/portalestudenti/

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of an oral test during which the following will be evaluated:
• Knowledge of fundamental theoretical content
• Ability to critically evaluate the information provided
• Ability to apply knowledge to practical cases
• Mastery of specific terminology
• Ability to make connections between the different modules of the course
The oral test (3 open questions) includes questions on all modules of the course, with particular attention to the integration of acquired knowledge.
Practical examples and analysis of real situations may be required.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral exam verifies the effective achievement of the expected learning outcomes through:
• Specific questions on theoretical content to verify the acquisition of fundamental knowledge
• Request for analysis and interpretation of quantitative and qualitative data on waste
• Checks on the ability to classify waste according to current regulations
• Evaluation of the ability to critically analyze different technological solutions
• Control of mastery of technical language and specific terminology
• Verification of the ability to connect regulatory, technical and economic aspects
The final grade will take into account the completeness of the answers, the correctness of the information provided, the critical reasoning ability demonstrated and the clarity of presentation.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The course is open to students from different degree courses (Environmental and Natural Sciences, Biological Sciences, Marine Ecology, Chemical Sciences) and welcomes Erasmus students (Teacher speaks english and spanish).
Given the interdisciplinary nature of the course, it is particularly suitable for students interested in environmental, technical and regulatory aspects of sustainability.
Attendance at lessons is recommended for a better understanding of the topics covered.

Students with a physical or learning disability certification filed with the University can find information about support services at https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa, a website provided by the "Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and DSA" department.
You can also contact Professor Cristina Carbone (cristina.carbone@unige.it), the DISTAV contact for disabilities.