Course detail

Waste Treatment and Recycling

FSI-KODAcad. year: 2025/2026

The subject introduces to students the issue of waste management and related legislation at European and national (CZE) level. Students will learn the basics of technologies for both municipal and industrial wastes. Students will learn the methods of waste treatment covering a wide range of technologies and processes:
• For material and energy utilisation of waste
• For secondary raw materials or alternative fuels production
• Processes for disposal residues with the lowest environmental impact
• Processes for the management of gaseous emissions and liquid waste

Students will practice their theoretical knowledge on several practical examples using commonly available software MS Excel. Emphasis will be placed on the identification of material, energy inputs and outputs for the processes studied and on the estimation of the requirements associated with the management of various types of waste.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Entry knowledge

Basic knowledge from process and environmental engineering. Basic knowledge related to material and energy balancing of processes.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Regular and active attendance is required. To gain a classified credit, the students have to: delivering all assignments, presentation of the selected topic and written tests must be passed successfully. The criterion of successful completion of the seminar is obtaining more than half points in tests (required classification at least "E"). The course evaluation is performed by a standard procedure, according to the number of obtained points (0-50 points …F, 51-60 points …E, 61-70 points …D, 71-80 points …C, 81-90 points …B, more than 90 points …A).
The attendance at lectures is recommended. Participation in the seminars is compulsory and is regularly checked. One absence is allowed. In the case of more absences, the students must prove the knowledge by extra tasks to be solved and/or by individual examination. Notes from missed classes have to be completed and handed in for a teacher's check-up. Participation at the lectures is not checked, but completion of assignments in the seminars requires knowledge from the lectures.

Aims

Students will get acquainted with a basic overview of the possibilities of solid municipal and industrial wastes treatment along with the advantages and disadvantages of individual processes concerning environmental impact. The student is familiar with technology and gains an overview of assessing the technical and economic requirements of various processes. The course also complements the knowledge of other selected subjects and puts them in a legislative and environmental context.
The student will understand the current conditions of Czech and European waste management. The student will have an overview of current legislation and the development of waste management—acquaintance with processes for different waste types utilisation.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Aktuální legislativní normativy ČR a EU v dané oblasti
C. Ludwig, S. Hellweg, and S. Stucki, Municipal Solid Waste Management: Strategies and Technologies for Sustainable Solutions, Springer, 2002. (EN)
Kolektiv autorů: Recyklace - Efektivní způsoby zpracování odpadů. Brno: Vysoké učení technické, 2011. ISBN 978-80-2-4-4240-5. (CS)
Plán Odpadového hospodářství ČR na roky 2015 až 2024 (CS)
Weiner, Ruth F.: Environmental engineering. Elsvier. 2003. ISBN: 0750672943

Recommended reading

Jurnik A.: Ekologické skládky. ALDA Olomouc 1999.
Kiely Gerard: Environmental engineering. McGH, London 1998. ISBN: 0071164243.
zákona č. 185/2001 Sb., o odpadech v platném znění

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme N-PRI-P Master's 2 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

13 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

1. Basic terms and definitions
2. Waste management legislation, Waste Catalogue, Hierarchy
3. Parameters and composition of different waste categories
4. Mechanical-biological treatment and landfilling
5. Waste-to-Energy
6. Pre-treatment for material recovery
7. Logistics - collection and transport of waste
8. Biowaste and its treatment
9. Gaseous waste and emissions
10. Liquid waste and sludges
11. Waste flows and treatment plants
12. Semester works presentations
13. Semester works presentations

Exercise

13 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

Syllabus:
1. Conditions of course credit fulfillment, Waste legislation
2. Semester work tasks
3. Waste catalogue
4. Practical consequences of waste landfilling
5. Energy recovery processes balance
6. Material recovery processes balance
7. Waste composition
8. Waste separation
9. Influence of component separation on waste parameters
10. Excursion
11. Excursion
12. Excursion
13. Semester works presentations