Hazardous WasteHazardous Waste

Hazardous WasteHazardous WasteAny discarded material, liquid or solid, Any discarded material, liquid or solid,

that contains materials known to bethat contains materials known to beFatalFatal in low doses in low dosesToxicToxic, carcinogenic, mutagens or , carcinogenic, mutagens or teratogensteratogens

Ignitable at less than 60Ignitable at less than 60ooCCCorrosiveCorrosiveExplosiveExplosive

Hazardous WasteHazardous WasteIn most developed nations, In most developed nations,

generation and disposal is generation and disposal is highly regulatedhighly regulatedRCRARCRAEPAEPA

These materials must be These materials must be tracked from “cradle to tracked from “cradle to grave.”grave.”

MOST HazardousMOST HazardousTwo ClassesTwo Classes

Synthetic Organic Synthetic Organic CompoundsCompounds

Heavy MetalsHeavy MetalsThese materials These materials

bioaccumulate and bioaccumulate and persist over time.persist over time.

Synthetic Organic Synthetic Organic CompoundsCompounds

Resist bacterial Resist bacterial decompositiondecomposition

Can be readily absorbed Can be readily absorbed through the skinthrough the skin

Can act as Can act as MutagensMutagensCarcinogens,Carcinogens,TeratogensTeratogensEndocrine disruptorsEndocrine disruptors

Heavy MetalsHeavy Metals

Break down Break down slowlyslowly

Fat solubleFat solubleBio-Bio-

accumulateaccumulateBio-magnify Bio-magnify

in food chainsin food chains

ExamplesExamplesLeadLeadChromiumChromiumMercuryMercuryArsenicArsenicCadmiumCadmiumTinTinCopperCopper

The environmental metals of greatest concern are lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium..

Heavy MetalsHeavy MetalsIn the past lead paint lead paint was available for use in

homes, and lead pipes and/or lead solder. As a result people can be exposed to lead on a daily basis; this exposure is a major pediatric concern

MercuryMercury is a contaminant of our water ways. Humans are exposed to mercury in the fish they eat as well as in the amalgam fillings in their teeth.

ArsenicArsenic is found naturally in high concentration in drinking water in various parts of the world.

CadmiumCadmium has been classified as a known human carcinogen.

Electronic WasteElectronic Waste• New and substantially fast-

growing source of waste due to today’s proliferation of computers, cell phones, and DVDs

• Compose 2% of the U.S. solid waste stream.

• Contain: heavy metals, toxic flame retardants

Electronic Waste Electronic Waste ExportExport

E-waste is routinely exported by developed countries to developing ones, often in violation of the international law.

Inspections of 18 European seaports in 2005 found as much as 47 percent of waste destined for export, including e-waste, was illegal.

Electronic Waste Electronic Waste ExportExport

In the UK alone, at least 23,000 metric tonnes of undeclared or 'grey' market electronic waste was illegally shipped in 2003 to the Far East, India, Africa and China.

In the US, it is estimated that 50-80 percent of the waste collected for recycling is being exported in this way.

This practice is legal because the US has not ratified the Basel Convention.

Electronic Waste Electronic Waste ExportExport

Mainland China tried to prevent this trade by banning the import of e-waste in 2000. However, we have discovered that the laws are not working; e-waste is still arriving in Guiya of Guangdong Province, the main centre of e-waste scrapping in China.

Electronic Waste Electronic Waste ExportExport

We have also found a growing e-waste trade problem in India.

25,000 workers are employed at scrap yards in Delhi alone, where 10-20000 tonnes of e-waste is handled each year, 25 percent of this being computers.

Other e-waste scrap yards have been found in Meerut, Ferozabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai.

Disposal MethodsDisposal Methods• Hazardous waste landfillsHazardous waste landfills

• Stricter standards and more impervious layers in order to keep hazardous material away from groundwater

• Surface impoundmentsSurface impoundments• Shallow depressions lined with impervious material

• Deep-well injection Deep-well injection • Wells are drilled deep beneath the water table into

porous rock, where wastes are injected for long-term storage

Household hazardous Household hazardous materialsmaterials

•Gasoline•Paint•Used Batteries•Used Fluorescent Light Blubs•Paint thinners and Solvents•Pesticides•Oil•Caustic Cleaning Agents•TV’s, Computers, Cell Phones, etc.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act: CERCLACERCLA

• Commonly known as Superfund, was enacted by Congress on December 11, 1980.

• This law created a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries and provided broad Federal authority to respond directly to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances that may endanger public health or the environment.

• Over five years, $1.6 billion was collected and the tax went to a trust fund for cleaning up abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act: CERCLACERCLA

• CERCLA• established prohibitions and requirements

concerning closed and abandoned hazardous waste sites

• provided for liability of persons responsible for releases of hazardous waste at these sites

• established a trust fund to provide for cleanup when no responsible party could be identified.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act: CERCLACERCLA

• The law authorizes two kinds of response actions:• Short-term removals, where actions may be taken to

address releases or threatened releases requiring prompt response.

• Long-term remedial response actions, that permanently and significantly reduce the dangers associated with releases or threats of releases of hazardous substances that are serious, but not immediately life threatening.

• These actions can be conducted only at sites listed on EPA's National Priorities List (NPL).

Love Canal, Niagara FallsLove Canal, Niagara FallsResidents forced to evacuate when hazardous Residents forced to evacuate when hazardous

wastes leaking from former disposal site wastes leaking from former disposal site threatened health and homes in the late1970s. threatened health and homes in the late1970s.

More Hazardous Chemicals to More Hazardous Chemicals to be concerned aboutbe concerned about

DioxinsDioxinsComponent of Agent Orange

(Herbicide used in Vietnam War)Produced from the combustion of

CL containing compounds found in municipal & medical wastes

Dioxins are emmited when waste products are incinerated then settle on organisms

Dioxins are lipophillic (stored in fat) therefore they bioaccumulate

1994 EPA report concluded dioxins cause cancer and disrupt human immune, reproductive and nervous systems

PCB'sPCB'sChlorinated hydrocarbons used in Chlorinated hydrocarbons used in

industrial processes and products industrial processes and products such as such as electrical capacitors and cooling electrical capacitors and cooling fluidsfluids

Lipophillic and bioaccumulateLipophillic and bioaccumulateBanned in 1970: large quantities Banned in 1970: large quantities

were dumped into landfills creating were dumped into landfills creating today’s problems today’s problems

Effectively degraded by high Effectively degraded by high temperaturetemperature

Hanford Nuclear Hanford Nuclear ReservationReservation

Located on the Columbia River in Washington

Most seriously contaminated nuclear waste site in U.S.

Radioactive and Toxic Radioactive and Toxic Wastes Produced Wastes Produced During the Cold WarDuring the Cold War

Established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project in the town of Hanford in south-central Washington,

During the Cold War, the project was expanded to include nine nuclear reactors and five large plutonium processing complexes, which produced plutonium for most of the 60,000 weapons in the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

Hanford Nuclear ReservationHanford Nuclear Reservation• Left behind 53 million US gallons (200,000 m3)

of high-level radioactive waste.• An additional 25 million cubic feet (710,000 m3)

of solid radioactive waste.• 200 square miles (520 km2) of contaminated

groundwater beneath the site.• And occasional discoveries of undocumented

contaminations that slow the pace and raise the cost of cleanup.

• The Hanford site represents two-thirds of the nation's high-level radioactive waste by volume.