hazardous waste

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Hazardous waste

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Hazardous wastesHazardous wastes may may bebe::

liquid, solid or gasliquid, solid or gas toxictoxic highly corrosivehighly corrosive explosiveexplosive

Examples:Examples: Insulation, plastics, Insulation, plastics,

lubricantslubricants PesticidesPesticides CleanersCleaners Metals - lead, mercury, zincMetals - lead, mercury, zinc radioactive wastesradioactive wastes..

U.S. did not address hazardous waste issues until 1980’s.

safe disposal is safe disposal is expensiveexpensive

companies dumped it companies dumped it illegally to save $$$.illegally to save $$$.

CComprehensive omprehensive EEnvironmental nvironmental RResponse, esponse, CCompensation, and ompensation, and

LLiability iability AAct of 1980ct of 1980 Commonly referred to as theCommonly referred to as the

Superfund Act.Superfund Act.

GOAL:GOAL: Nationwide program Nationwide program

addressing serious threats addressing serious threats from from hazardous wasteshazardous wastes. . Made Made polluters paypolluters pay for for

cleanupcleanup..

SuperfundSuperfund gave gave EPA EPA thethe right toright to:

Sue responsible parties for the release or potential

release of hazardous wastes and make them clean up or pay for clean up of the site.

Potential Responsible Parties:

Current and former site owners

Operators of the site

Anyone who disposed of or produced waste found at the site

Superfund Trust Fund – financed by taxes on Chemical

and petroleum industries

What happens when no What happens when no responsible party can be responsible party can be

identified?identified?

Clean-up costs are taken fromClean-up costs are taken from 8.5 8.5 billion Superfund Trust Fundbillion Superfund Trust Fund..

Hooker Chemical Co., City of Hooker Chemical Co., City of Niagara Falls & U.S. Army Niagara Falls & U.S. Army dumped toxic chemicals into dumped toxic chemicals into abandoned canals.abandoned canals.

Schools and homes were built Schools and homes were built over the dumpsite.over the dumpsite.

The Story of the Love Canal in Niagara Falls, NY

Love Canal Story Continued:

1976 heavy rains caused 1976 heavy rains caused chemicals to leak, rise to surface chemicals to leak, rise to surface and seep into basements.and seep into basements.

1978 – 1980, 1978 – 1980, federal emergency federal emergency declareddeclared – 950 homes evacuated – 950 homes evacuated

Love Canal Story Continued: Dumpsite covered with a clay Dumpsite covered with a clay

or synthetic cap and special or synthetic cap and special drainage systemdrainage system

Hooker Chemical Co Hooker Chemical Co reimbursed EPA Superfund reimbursed EPA Superfund $128 million; U.S. Army $8 $128 million; U.S. Army $8 millionmillion

1.1. Produce Produce lessless of it of it

2.2. Reuse Reuse – Ex. – Ex. Dow Chemical Dow Chemical reuses a reuses a solvent several solvent several times.times.

3.3. Biological treatment Biological treatment – – bacteria used to bacteria used to break down break down hazardous waste into hazardous waste into harmless products.harmless products.

4.4. Physical Treatment Physical Treatment – – using physical using physical processes to remove processes to remove hazardous wastes. hazardous wastes. Ex. Evaporation, Ex. Evaporation, distillationdistillation

5.5. Chemical Chemical TreatmentTreatment – – using chemicals using chemicals to make wastes to make wastes harmlessharmless

6.6. Deep-well Deep-well injectioninjection: wastes : wastes pumped deep into pumped deep into ground & absorbed ground & absorbed into rock below into rock below groundwater. groundwater.

7.7. Drums Drums buried buried undergroundundergroundWhat’s wrong with this What’s wrong with this

picture?picture?

8.8. ship ship to to poorer poorer statesstates or or developing developing countriescountries with less with less stringent laws.stringent laws.

9.9. Incinerate Incinerate

Hazardous Wastes at Home:

Collection sites for Collection sites for chemicals, oils, batteries chemicals, oils, batteries

(for recycling)(for recycling) FYI - FYI - 2 L of old oil can make 2 L of old oil can make

1,000,000 L of fresh water 1,000,000 L of fresh water undrinkable!undrinkable!

End Slide Show!

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