OVERVIEW

The Course of "economia circolare e recupero ambientale", held by Prof. Michela Gallo in the first semester of Master Degree in Chemical Engineering, has total duration of 50 h, including 6 h of exercise in classroom and a 4 h visit to a waste treatment plant 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course offers a broad discussion of the issues of pollution, remediation and restoration of the soil, based on the principles of the risk analysis. Beside the management of the polluted sites, circular economy approach and the solid waste management are also discusssed by analysing several case studies

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The objectives of the course are aimed at acquiring specific skills in the remediation of polluted sites (about 50% of the hours) and waste management (about 50% of the hours). An additional objective is therefore the acquisition of management principles associated with the use of low environmental impact technologies, introducing a new design approach that takes into account the potential environmental impacts generated throughout the entire life cycle.
Alongside plant engineering aspects, the course is mainly aimed at transferring basic knowledge and skills, necessary to assess the problems connected to the environmental sustainability of processes and the principles of the circular economy.
From this point of view the principles of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and risk analysis are introduced within the course with the main purpose of being able to compare different technologies and treatment systems to identify the least impacting design solution among those applicable

PREREQUISITES

For a successful learning of the Course, basic knowledge of chemistry, physics and mathematics is required, but no formal prerequisites are foreseene.

TEACHING METHODS

- frontal lessons
- analysis of case studies related to waste management plants and sites subject to remediation
- exercises and use of softwares
- visit to a waste treatment plant

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

A broad treatment of the aspects of remediation to soil and groundwater pollution is proposed. Part of the course discussion focuses also on waste treatment, analyzing the different and main management methods: controlled landfills, incineration plants, composting, recycling, etc.
- introduction to environmental policies and regulatory references
- waste classification and management and regulatory
- circular economy, reuse and recycling of different waste fraction
- principles of life cycle analysis
- landfill disposal and analysis of case studies
- plant visit (exercise)
- composting and biodigestion and analysis of case studies
- incineration plant, iddirect combustion and analysis of case studies
- abatement and treatment of effluents of incineration plants
- remediation of contaminated sites and regulatory aspects
- soil characteristics and principles of geochemistry
- diffusion of contaminants in soils and groundwater
- risk analysis
- soil and subsoil contamination
- permanent and emergency safety measures
- main remediation techniques
- biological and chemical-physical treatments
- analysis of case studies on sites subject to remediation

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. D.lgs 152 Testo Unico Ambientale
2. ISO 14040:2006 Environmental management -- Life cycle assessment -- Principles and framework
3. Bonifica dei terreni contaminati - CTTC - Comitato Tecnico Terreni Contaminati
4. Urban Mining - a Global cycle approach to resource recovery from solid waste

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MICHELA GALLO (President)

ATTILIO CONVERTI

ADRIANA DEL BORGHI

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/10376/p/studenti-orario

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists in passing an oral exam.

Three exam sessions will be foreseen during the winter session (December, January and February) and three exam sessions will be foreseen during the summer session and during the fall stop of the Polytechnic School. No extraordinary further exam sessions will be issued outside the regular Polytechnic School periods, with the exceptions of students without didactic activities in their current academic year curriculum.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Questions will be asked about both the soil remediation and both the waste management, relating to the topics covered during the course and present in the teaching material provided. The case studies analized during lessons can be asked too.

A correct understanding of the Risk Analysis and of Life Cycle Methodoly is required too during examination.

Regarding the soil remediation, a specific situation of contamination of an environmental matrix will be presented and the student will have to identify the applicable options between the remediation techniques seen during lessons.

Regarding the waste treatment and utilisationthe the student has to illustrate what are the options of treatment or matter/energy recovery, applicable to a specific fraction of waste.

​Quality of the presentation, correct terminology and critical thinking skills will also be evaluated.

Exam schedule