8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 1/40
CH23-1
Hazardous Wastes: Coming to Terms
with the Problem
Hazardous wastes come from a variety ofsources, among them factories and our homes.
These toxic materials are signs ofunsustainable practices.
Fig. 23-1 Toxic hot spot in Stratford, CT
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 2/40
CH23-2
Love Canal: The Awakening
Love Canal was a hazardous-waste disposal sitein Niagara Falls, New York.
Leakage from the site caused serious healthproblems in residents living near it.
The incident alerted the public and governmentofficials to the problem of improper hazardous-
waste disposal.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 3/40
CH23-3
Love Canal
1951 1980
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 4/40
CH23-4
Love Canal- Niagara River
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 5/40
CH23-5
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 6/40
CH23-6
The Dimensions of a Toxic Nightmare
The problem with hazardous wastes is twofold.
1. Tens of thousands of hazardous-waste sites are inneed of cleanup around the world.
These sites contaminate groundwater and can affect thehealth of people who live nearby.
2. Factories continue to generate millions of tons of
hazardous waste each year.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 7/40
CH23-7
LUSTIts Not What You Think
LeakingUnderground Storage Tanks
Hundreds of thousands of underground storage
tanks have been installed in industrial nations.
They are used to store many potentially toxicsubstances.
Over time, steel tanks corrode and begin to leak,contaminating groundwater used for cooking,drinking, and bathing.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 8/40
CH23-8
Fig. 23-4 Sources of groundwater pollution.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 9/40
CH23-9
Managing Hazardous Wastes
Addressing the issue of hazardous waste requires:
plans to clean up contaminated sites preventive actions to greatly reduce or eliminate
hazardous-waste production
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 10/40
CH23-10
The Superfund Act: Cleaning Up Past
Mistakes
The Superfund Act provides money to clean uphazardous waste dumps and other contaminated
sites.
This money comes from a tax on oil andpetrochemicals and is replenished by feescharged to those responsible for the
contamination.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 11/40
CH23-11
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 12/40
CH23-12
The Superfund Act: Cleaning Up Past Mistakes
(cont.)
The cleanup of hazardous waste sites under the Superfund
Act has proven extremely slow, costly, and litigious.
The Superfund Act has been criticized because it provides
money for cleaning up property but no compensation forhealth damage.
Many of the cleanups are considered inadequate.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 13/40
CH23-13
The Superfund Act: Cleaning Up Past Mistakes
(cont.)
Rather than spending millions of dollars to identifyresponsible parties, the Superfund program might
work better with a no-fault policy.
Such a policy would provide funds to clean upsites regardless of who is liable.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 14/40
CH23-14
What to Do with Todays Waste: Preventing
Future Disasters
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Actestablished a reporting system to monitor
hazardous wastes from production throughdisposal.
It seeks to eliminate illegal and improper
hazardous waste disposal.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 15/40
CH23-15
What to Do with Todays Waste: Preventing FutureDisasters (cont.)
Additional steps are needed to further reduce environmentalcontamination by hazardous wastes.
The definition of what is hazardous must be broadened to
include:
municipal waste
sewage
pesticides
mine waste
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 16/40
CH23-16
What to Do with Todays Waste: Preventing Future
Disasters (cont.)
Tighter regulations for the disposal of hazardous wasteshave led to commendable efforts to reduce waste production
by some companies.
They have also led to illegal dumping by less scrupulous
companies.
Some companies export hazardous wastes to LDCs with
little or no oversight of such practices.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 17/40
CH23-17
Dealing with Todays Wastes: A Variety of
Options
Many options exist for getting rid of waste.
The most sustainable approaches involve stepsthat reduce or eliminate hazardous-waste output.
You dont have waste if you dont make it.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 18/40
CH23-18
Fig. 23-6 Hazardous waste options
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 19/40
CH23-19
Dealing with Todays Wastes: A Variety of
Options (cont.)
Changes in manufacturing processes such assubstitution and process manipulation are often
the simplest and most cost-effective means ofreducing or eliminating hazardous wastes.
Waste output can also be dramatically reduced byrecycling and reusing wastes.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 20/40
CH23-20
Dealing with Todays Wastes: A Variety of
Options (cont.)
Hazardous wastes can be converted to nontoxicor less toxic substances by chemical, physical,and biological means, such as:
neutralization
combustion
low-temperature thermal decomposition
bacterial decay
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 21/40
CH23-21
Dealing with Todays Wastes: A Variety of
Options (cont.)
Not all waste can be eliminated by prevention,recycling, or detoxification.
Perpetual storage remains the final, yet leastsustainable, option.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 22/40
CH23-22
Disposing of Radioactive Wastes
Disposing of radioactive waste will be a problemfor a long time, even though nuclear power andnuclear weapons production are on the decline.
Safe, permanent repositories are needed to store
huge amounts of waste produced by power plantsand other facilities.
Fig. 23-8 Aerial view
of Yucca Mountain,
Nevada
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 23/40
CH23-23
Some Obstacles to Sustainable Hazardous-
Waste Management
Hazardous waste production is on the decline, butcompanies still release large quantities into the air,
water, and land.
Fig. 23-9 Reduced but
not forgotten
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 24/40
CH23-24
Individual Actions Count
Individuals can help reduce the hazardous-wastethreat by:
properly disposing of hazardous materials
avoiding their use when possible
cutting down on nonessential consumption
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 25/40
CH23-25
Solid Wastes: Understanding the
Problem More developed nations produce enormous amounts of solid
waste each year.
Much of the waste is burned or landfilled.
Waste production is increasing in many countries such asthe U.S.
Recovery rates (recycling and composting) are growingmuch faster, a trend that bodes well for the future.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 26/40
CH23-26
Fig. 23-11 Anatomy of U.S. Waste
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 27/40
CH23-27
23.4 Solving a Growing Problem
Sustainably Solid waste management strategies fall into one
of three categories:
1. those that deal with waste after it has been produced
2. those that divert waste back into the production-consumption cycle
3. those that prevent waste generation
Fig. 23-12 Strategies for
reducing waste.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 28/40
CH23-28
The Traditional Strategy: The Output Approach
Worldwide, most trash is still dumped in landfills.
Open garbage dumps have been replaced by sanitary landfills.
Landfills are pits into which garbage is dumped, then covereddaily with a thin layer of dirt to eliminate odors and pests.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 29/40
CH23-29
The Traditional Strategy: The Output Approach (cont.)
Oceans have long been viewed as a huge wastedump site for a variety of wastes, includingradioactive materials.
This practice is no longer legal in the U.S., but itcontinues in other countries.
Fig. 23-13 Ocean dumping of
sewage has declined.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 30/40
CH23-30
The Traditional Strategy: The Output Approach (cont.)
Garbage can be burned in incinerators, whichgreatly reduces trash.
This, however, even when linked to energyproduction, is viewed by many as an unsustainableway of dealing with municipal solid waste.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 31/40
CH23-31
Sustainable Options: The Input Approach
Source reduction techniques reduce the amount of wasteentering the waste stream.
They represent the most sustainable waste managementstrategy.
More durable goods last longer and reduce the amount ofwaste.
Manufacturers and consumers can play large roles by
making and buying more durable products.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 32/40
CH23-32
Sustainable Options: The Input Approach (cont.)
Efforts to make products smaller and morecompact can significantly reduce resourcedemand.
One of the most effective means of reducing solidwaste is to reduce consumption buy only whatyou need.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 33/40
CH23-33
The Throughput Approach: Reuse, Recycling,and Composting
The throughput approach diverts waste from the wastestream for recycling and reuse.
Reusing materials and products cuts down on resource
demand.
Citizens can participate in two ways:
donating used products
buying used goods
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 34/40
CH23-34
Table 23-1
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 35/40
CH23-35
The Throughput Approach (cont.)
Many products can be returned to recyclingfacilities, where they are shipped to factories to beused to make new products.
Recycling is on the rise, but most countries havebarely tapped the full potential of recycling.
Many states now recycle 30% or more of theirmunicipal solid waste.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 36/40
CH23-36
The Throughput Approach (cont.)
Recycling programs generally involve drop-off sites orcurbside pickup.
These may be run by private industry or by city and towngovernments.
Although recycling is a promising strategy for wastemanagement, many obstacles hinder its full implementation.
Some of the these are federal laws and subsidies that give
the raw materials industry an unfair economic advantageover recycling.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 37/40
CH23-37
The Throughput Approach (cont.)
Expanding the amount of garbage that is recycledrequires removal of:
legal and economic barriers
subsidies that give benefits to companies that use virginmaterials rather than recycled ones.
Commitment on the part of citizens is vital tomaking recycling a success.
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 38/40
CH23-38
Fig. 23-19 Systems of production and consumption
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 39/40
CH23-39
The Throughput Approach (cont.)
One of the most important boosts to recycling is purchasingproducts made from recycled materials.
Governments, businesses, and individuals can all engage inthis activity.
Governments can help strengthen the markets by:
providing incentives to companies that use recycled materials
requiring them to use a certain percentage of recycled contentin their products
8/6/2019 Hazardous Waste Solid
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/hazardous-waste-solid 40/40
CH23-40
The Throughput Approach (cont.)
Composting is a way of returning the nutrientscontained in organic matter such as yard wasteand food scraps to the soil.
This strategy not only reduces the need forlandfilling, it helps nourish soils, creating a moreclosed-loop system.
Recycling is not only good for the environment, itoften costs less than other strategies and createsmany jobs.