evr Hazardous waste learning objectives

Criteria a substance must meet to be considered hazardous/toxic waste

Hazardous wastes- a substance that posesa threat to humans or the environment

Criteria

• Corrosive/acid

• ignitable/burn

• radioactive

• could explode/be reactive

• toxic/poisonous

Examples of persistant and non-persistent toxic waste

Persistent

• Lead

• Mercury

• P.C.B.

Non-persitent

• Sewage

• fertilizers

What threshold levels represent

The amount of toxin that will lead to adverse health conditions or death

Different methods by which hazardous wastes are managed, and their relative abundances

Waste detoxification

• bioremediation=bacteria eates toxicwaste

  • Can only be used or organic wastes(petroleum/oil spills)

• neutralization of acids/bases(alkalines)

Waste Dilution

• discharge into streams, lakes, the ocean, air

• the solution to pollution is dilution

Waste destruction

• incineration

Waste storage options

• deep well injections in dry reservoir rock layers

  • the most common method of waste disposal(25%)

• surface impoundments

• sanitary landfills

• Reduce, reuse, recycle, treatment, disposal

The differences between a persistant and non-persitant pollutant

Persitent

• Remain unchangedd in the environment for a long period of time

Non-persistent

• pollutants that decompose/biodegrade after a short timein the environment

The hazardous waster problem at locations in class(Love canal, New York)

U.S. superfund sites: locations where hazardous wastes were improperly disposed of in the past

• Love Canal, NY

  • Community was built on a buried chemical dump which leaked chemicals into the soil, air and water

  • Dioxin

  • Now considered a “detoxified site”

what is meant by waste immobilization and waste seperation

Waste immobilization: solidify wastes for easier handling

• Vitrified(turned into a non-soluble glass)

Waste separation: separate toxic portions of waste from non-toxic portions

• E-waste(rare metal=$)