Hazardous Waste ManagementHazardous Waste Management

ENVM 649: Principles of Waste Management and Pollution Control

Dr. Robert Beauchamp

DEFINING CHEMICAL HAZARDOUS WASTE: DEFINING CHEMICAL HAZARDOUS WASTE:

QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTION BY ORIGIN, TYPE, AND CONSTITUENTS.

CHARACTERISTICS BASED UPON TESTING PROCEDURES.

CONCENTRATION OF SPECIFIC CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES. REQUIRES SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT & OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

HAZARDOUS WASTE IS UNSUITABLE FOR TREATMENT IN MSW TREATMENT FACILITIES.

USEPA UNDER RCRA AUTHORITYUSEPA UNDER RCRA AUTHORITY

WASTE IS CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS IF IT EXHIBITS

– IGNITABILITY

– CORROSIVITY

– REACTIVITY

– TOXICITY

IGNITABILITYIGNITABILITY

LIQUIDS WHOSE VAPORS IGNITE IN THE PRESENCE OF SOURCES.

NON-LIQUIDS CATCH FIRE FROM FRICTION OR CONTACT WITH H2O.  

CHEMICAL FLASH POINT – ASTM

FLAMMABLE LIQUID – 37.8 0 C

FLAMMABLE MATERIALSFLAMMABLE MATERIALS

FINELY DIVIDED PARTICLES

LIQUID MIST OR SPRAY WITH O2

METAL DUSTS (Mg, Zr, Ti, Al)

COAL DUST & GRAIN DUST

COMBUSTIBLE SUBSTANCES REACT WITH OXIDIZERS (O2) TO PRODUCE HEAT AND FIRES.

PYROPHORIC SUBSTANCES – WHITE PHOSPHOROUS, ALKALI METALS, POWDERED Mg, Ca, Co, Mn, Fe, Zr, Al.

CORROSIVE MATERIALSCORROSIVE MATERIALS

SUBSTANCES THAT DISSOLVE OR CAUSE OXIDATION OF METALS. ALSO DESTROY LIVING TISSUE.

EXAMPLE - SULFURIC ACID CONC. SULFURIC ACID IS A DEHYDRATING AGENT & OXIDANT. DANGEROUS. HAS A AFFINITY WITH H2O & PRODUCES HEAT WHEN MIXED

- BOILING AND SPATTERING.

INHALATION OF SULFURIC ACID FUMES OR MISTS DAMAGES TISSUES & EYES.

LONG-TERM EXPOSURE – ERODES TEETH

OTHER CORROSIVE SUBSTANCESOTHER CORROSIVE SUBSTANCES

NITRIC ACID

HYDROCHLORIC ACID

HYDROFLUORIC ACID

ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDES

REACTIVE MATERIALSREACTIVE MATERIALS

REACTIVE WASTES – UNSTABLE

REACT VIOLENTLY WITH WATER - FORM EXPLOSIVE MIXTURES.

RATE OF REACTION INCREASES WITH INCREASING TEMPERATURE.

IF NO HEAT DISSAPATION , RATE OF REACTION CAN DOUBLE W/ EVERY 100 RISE IN TEMPERATURE – UNCONTROLLED EVENT

FINELY DIVIDED MATERIAL REACTS EXPLOSIVELY WITH O2.

SELF-REACTIVE COMPOUNDSSELF-REACTIVE COMPOUNDS

NITROGEN CONTAINING COMPOUNDS.

NITROGLYCERIN.

TRINITROTOLUENE (TNT)

INORGANIC REACTIVE COMPOUNDSINORGANIC REACTIVE COMPOUNDS

HALOGEN COMPOUNDS OF NITROGEN.

COMPOUNDS OF METAL-NITROGEN BONDS.

HALOGEN OXIDES.

TOXIC MATERIALSTOXIC MATERIALS

UTMOST CONCERN OF LONG TERM EFFECTS FROM CONTINUAL/ PERIODIC EXPOSURE TO TOXINS.

ACUTE EFFECTS FROM A SINGLE LARGE EXPOSURE

NOT ALL TOXINS ARE IMMEDIATELY APPARENT. EXAMPLE - METALS.

TOXIC MATERIALSTOXIC MATERIALS

AGROCHEMICALS – GROUP OF CHEMICALS USED FOR CONTROL OF INSECTS, WEEDS, FUNGAL DISEASES.

PESTICIDES– INSECT CONTROL. – HIGHLY TOXIC– INCLUDES INSECTICIDES

INSECTICIDES – KILLS OR INTERFERS WITH LIFE CYCLE OF INSECTS. – EXAMPLE – TNT, BENZENE HEXACHLORIDE (BHC).– PERSISTENT IN THE ENVIRONMENT.– UNDERGO BIOCONCENTRATION.– IMPACT PREDITOR BIRDS (PERIGINE FALCON).– REPLACED WITH LESS PERSISTENT COMPOUNDS

IMPORTANT FACTORSIMPORTANT FACTORS

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS FROM PESTICIDES DEPENDS ON ITS DEGRADATION IN SOILS. – SORPTION ONTO SOILS– LEACHING OF PESTICIDE INTO WATER

EFFECTS OF MICROORGANISMS & ANIMAL LIFE IN SOILS.– ANY REACTIONS THAT CAUSE SECONDARY GENERATION

TOXINS.– BIODEGRADATION – CHEMICAL DEGRADATION– PHOTO-CHEMICAL REACTIONS

HERBICIDES – SUPPOSEDLY SELECTIVELY TOXIC TO PLANTS

POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLSPOLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS

A FAMILY OF 209 CHLORINATED ISOMERS OF BIPHENYL. BIPHENYL IS FORMED FROM 2 BENZENE RINGS & JOINED BY A SINGLE BOND.

– EXAMPLE – PCB’S.

HEAVY METALSHEAVY METALS

DAMAGE GROUNDWATER

METAL IONS ADSORBED BY SOIL

INTERACT WITH ORGANIC MATTER IN SOIL – UNDERGO OXIDATION-REDUCTION PROCESSES LEADING TO MOBILIZATION OR VOLATIZED.

COAL & PETROLEUM DERIVED MATERIALS--& THEIR BY-PRODUCTS CAN PRODUCE POLLUTION.

COAL & PETROLEUM DERIVED MATERIALSCOAL & PETROLEUM DERIVED MATERIALS

COAL & PETROLEUM DERIVED MATERIALS--& THEIR BY-PRODUCTS CAN PRODUCE POLLUTION.

POLYNUCLEAR HYDROCARBONS– A LARGE CLASS OF PETROLEUM COMPOUNDS WITH 2 OR

MORE BENZENE RINGS. EX. FOSSIL FUELS; INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION OF ORGANIC MATERIALS.

– MAJOR SOURCE OF POLLUTION BY HUMAN ACTIVITY FROM POINT SOURCE LEAKS , SPILLS, & NON-POINT SOURCE EMISSIONS.

– FORMED IN NATURE – LONG-TERM LOW TEMP. REACTION IN SEDIMENTARY DEPOSITS, VOLCANOES, FOREST FIRES.

– ACCUMULATE IN SOIL, SEDIMENT, AND BIOTA. TOXIC BY DISRUPTING MEMBRANE FUNCTION.

STANDARD EPA TEST - TOXICITY CHARACTERISTIC LEACHING PROCEDURE (TCLP).

COMBUSTIONCOMBUSTION

ANOTHER SOURCE OF TOXIC COMPOUNDS IS COMBUSTION

EXAMPLES– CABON MONOXIDE

– SULFUR DIOXIDE

– HYDROGEN CHLORIDE

RADIOACTIVE MATERIALRADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

MAIN ELEMENTS INVOVED IN POLLUTING THE ENVIRONMENT & CAUSING HEALTH EFFECTS ARE:– ISOTOPES OF IODINE, STRONTIUM, CESIUM, &

RUTHENIUM.

RADON GAS – GENERALLY HIGH IN REGIONS WHERE ROCKS CONTAIN URANIUM AND THORIUM.

GRANITES, SHALES, IRON STONES.

MUST HAVE MIGRATION PATHWAYS & WEATHERED HOST ROCK. HIGH PERMEABILITY & FISSURES.