Disposed substances that can cause harm to not only people but also the surrounding environment are known as hazardous wastes. The expansion in cities, industries and the increase in the population is the primary cause of the accelerated production of these hazardous wastes. Governments of both developed, developing and underdeveloped countries in recent years have been striving to deal with these wastes and reduce their harmfulness. Despite so much effort put in place, the effective disposal of these wastes is still a major concern. Management of hazardous wastes is very complex and is handled as a speciality of its own. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act describes hazardous wastes as wastes that cause significant harm to not only human health but also the other living organisms. The RCRA also defines the wastes as non biodegradable and can be amplified biologically.
Due to the disastrous and even lethal repercussions that may be encountered if hazardous wastes are mismanaged, they are often identified by the following characteristics:
- Ignitability
These wastes ignite easily and are recognized as D001 as classified by EPA. They include non liquids which ignite under specific conditions and liquids whose flash point is degrees Celsius or 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Corrosive wastes
These are wastes that are corrosive and have their pH either as 2 or less or as 12.5 and more. They are detailed as D002 by the EPA.
- Reactivity
Reactive Wastes can be unstable and can easily react with water to form a toxic compound or gas. They are identified by the EPA by their instability, the violent reaction with water and the poisonous gases released when it reacts with water. These kinds of wastes are named D003 by the EPA.
- Toxicity
Toxic waste causes delayed or chronic effects to people and the environment if ingested or absorbed. These wastes are usually identified using the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure test (TCLP).
The EPA produced four lists, the F, K, U, and P lists, of hazardous wastes documented within 40 CFR 261 in sub section D in order to further identify hazardous wastes.
- The F listed wastes ( Non specific source wastes) and The K listed wastes ( specific source wastes).
The F listed wastes mainly include used solvents and wastewater. They are often generated from common industrial and manufacturing operations. Their production can occur from any part of an industry.
On the other hand, K listed wastes are specific source wastes which are drawn from a specific section of the industry or operations. They mainly include industrial wastes which are very particular to the industrial process.
- The U and P listed wastes.
The U and P listed wastes are generally underutilized materials with only one active component. The most common wastes in their lists are disposed of commercial chemical products, residues in containers, and spillages. The basic distinction between the latter is that P-Listed wastes are not as poisonous as U listed wastes. The empty containers containing P listed wastes must be washed thrice. The rinsate is then collected and transported as hazardous waste. Manufacturers are expected to adhere to stricter storage duration regulations when storing the P listed wastes.
Hazardous waste disposal in hazardous wastes landfills is commonly practiced in many countries as a method of limiting the diversity of these wastes effects. Non-liquid hazardous waste are disposed of in the designed and excavated hazardous waste landfill. There are numerous hazardous wastes storage, treatment and disposal facilities in Florida. Chemical Conservation Corp and Lockheed Martin Electronics and Missiles are the main treatment, storage and disposal facilities in Orlando.
Unlike municipal solid waste landfills, which only feature a single liner and a single leachate collection system, hazardous waste landfills have two liners and two leachate collection and removal systems. Leak detection devices and wind dispersal controls are also installed in hazardous waste landfills
With the aim of reducing both production and poor disposal of hazardous wastes there has been so much noticeable effort put in place by CERCLA , the superfund. The superfund empowers environmental protection agencies to identify parties responsible for hazardous waste generation and ensure that they are engaged in mitigation activities. From the very beginning, the superfund has made so much promising development towards a cleaner environment. The EPA, with the help of CERCLA, by 2009 had conducted 96,781 remedial site assessments in preparation for future cleanups. This helped them in determining if the sites needed more of their attention and those which were more vulnerable.
The Superfund is entangled with numerous success stories across the country, from the Eastland Woolen mill site in the State of Maine to Bunker Hill of Coeur d’Alene basin cleanup. Just in the fiscal year 2020 CERCLA found 34 additional sites that met the Site-wide Ready for Anticipated Use (SWRAU) criterion, meaning they had all long-term safeguards in place. SWRAU now has 969 locations.
According to the list provided by the NPL by 2020 the superfund had 1300 sites. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have been created in communities as a consequence of redevelopment of Superfund sites, which can begin before the SWRAU designation. The superfund has accelerated cleanups and operations so that to increases SWRAU accomplishments.
REFERENCE
Greer, L. E. (1984). Definition of hazardous waste. Hazardous waste, 1(3), 309-322.
Lejano, R. P., & Iseki, H. (2001). Environmental justice: spatial distribution of hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities in Los Angeles. Journal of urban planning and development, 127(2), 51-62.
Talinli, I., Topuz, E., & Aydin, E. (2016). Waste management alternatives for hazardous waste lists. European Water, 53(37), 2016.
Vrijheid, M. (2000). Health effects of residence near hazardous waste landfill sites: a review of epidemiologic literature. Environmental health perspectives, 108(suppl 1), 101-112.
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