21-5 How Should We Deal with Hazardous Waste? Concept 21-5 A sustainable approach to hazardous waste is first to produce less of it, then to reuse or recycle it, then to convert it to less hazardous materials, and finally, to safely store what is left.

We Throw Away Huge Amounts of Useful Things and Hazardous Materials Hazardous or toxic waste: threatens human health or the environment because it is toxic, chemically active, corrosive or flammable. Organic compounds (Ex. solvents, pesticides, PCB’s, plastics, rubbers, paints, etc…) Readily absorbed in body Halogenated hydrocarbons – especially chlorinated hydrocarbons are most common Persistent and bioaccumulate in tissues Toxic heavy metals (Ex. lead, mercury, arsenic) Radioactive waste (nuclear power plants, weapons facilities) Developed countries produce 80-90% of the world’s hazardous wastes The U.S. produces much more than any other country China could overtake us

What Harmful Chemicals Are in Your Home? Although technically hazardous wastes, the disposal of these chemicals are do not fall under government regulation. However, care should still be taken when choosing a disposal method.

We Throw Away Huge Amounts of Useful Things and Hazardous Materials Two reasons to be concerned about the amount of waste we generate: At least 75% of waste is unnecessary and uses up our earth’s precious resources. Producing the products we use and throw away creates large amounts of air pollution, water pollution, land degradation, and even more waste.

Core Case Study: E-waste – An Exploding Problem E-waste is a the name for electronic products at the end of their "useful life."  Computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines E-waste consists of toxic and hazardous waste such as PVC, lead, mercury, and cadmium. The U.S. produces almost half of the world's e-waste but only recycles about 10% of it.

Core Case Study: E-waste – An Exploding Problem Electronic waste, e-waste: fastest growing solid waste problem Most is shipped to other countries 70% goes to China Hazardous working conditions International Basel Convention Bans transferring hazardous wastes from developed countries to developing countries The U.S., Afghanistan, and Haiti are the only countries who haven’t signed it.

Hazardous Waste Hazardous waste: is any discarded solid or liquid material that is toxic, ignitable, corrosive, or reactive enough to explode or release toxic fumes. Largest producers of hazardous wastes: Military Munitions (used and unused), explosives, other chemicals Chemical industry Chemical production, storage, disposal Mining Heavy metal contamination

Integrated Hazardous Waste Management We can: First, produce less hazardous waste Second, convert waste to less hazardous or (better yet) nonhazardous substances Lastly, put the waste into perpetual storage systems

Traditionally… Waste exhausted through smokestacks Flushed into sewers and nearby waterways “Mad as a Hatter” Cuyahoga River fire….so much flammable material that the river caught fire

Clean Air and Water Act (1970, 1972) Standards for allowable emissions into air and water and timetables for reaching those standards People started dumping waste onto LAND, which was not regulated

We Can Detoxify Hazardous Wastes Methods for removing hazardous wastes or reducing their toxicity: Physical Methods – Using charcoal or resins to filter out solids or precipitating harmful chemicals from solution. Chemical Methods – Using chemical reactions that can convert hazardous chemicals to less harmful or harmless chemicals. Biological Methods Bioremediation – Bacteria or enzymes help destroy toxic and hazardous waste or convert them to more benign substances. Good for organic waste, not heavy metals Phytoremediation – Using natural or genetically engineered plants to absorb, filter, and remove contaminants from polluted soil and water. Sunflowers/Lead , Canola/Selenium

Solutions: Phytoremediation

Detoxification of Hazardous Wastes Bioremediation—microorganisms & enzymes are used to destroy toxic or hazardous substances or convert them to harmless compounds Works well for organic wastes (pesticides, gasoline, diesel fuel, PCBs) Does not work well for toxic metals

Advantages & disadvantages of phytoremediation Phytoremediation—using natural or genetically engineered plants to filter and remove contaminants Sunflowers remove 95% of lead contamination in soils Canola plants soak up selenium from soil Advantages & disadvantages of phytoremediation Inexpensive Can reduce the amount of material dumped into landfills Slow and effective only at depths reached by roots

We Can Detoxify Hazardous Wastes Methods for removing hazardous wastes or reducing their toxicity: Incineration – High temp. (up to 2000̊ C) incinerators can break down and convert waste to less harmful chemicals. The ash produced is MUCH more toxic than other ash Plasma Torch – passing electrical current through gas at a very high temperature can create plasma. The plasma process can be carried out in a torch which can decompose liquid or solid hazardous organic material.

We Can Store Some Forms of Hazardous Wastes In 1970s, three primary land-disposal methods Deep-well disposal – liquid hazardous wastes are pumped under pressure into dry porous rock far beneath aquifers. Surface impoundments – excavated depressions such as ponds, pits, or lagoons into which liners are placed and liquid hazardous wastes are stored. Secure Landfills – Sometimes hazardous waste are put into drums and buried in carefully designed and monitored sites.

Deep Well Injection No way to guarantee injected wastes will not escape and contaminate groundwater Not used as much today…

Surface Impoundment Usually a temporary holding area Inadequate seal could cause leaching Leaks in pipes Rainfall could cause overflow Wastes could evaporate

Landfills To be effective: Monitored Properly lined System to remove leachate And properly capped

Midnight Dumping Businesses would take money and “dispose” of waste, usually at night, anywhere they wanted…unregulated Orphan sites are places where waste is dumped but then left with no responsible party to clean it

Remedies Clean up the mess already created (especially if it threatens drinking water) Regulate handling and disposal of wastes currently being produced Look toward future solutions

Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 EPA sets standards… MCL (maximum contaminant levels…in 1986 the EPA set standards for 83 contaminants 1996 amendment allowed small municipalities greater flexibility More people turned to bottled water, which only has to be as safe as tap water… 

Case Study: Lead Exposure to lead poses a serious health threat, especially for children. acute lead poisoning causes severe neurological problems; children who survive acute lead poisoning can display decline in mental capabilities, palsy paralysis, blindness, and mental retardation; lead is not easily excreted and accumulates in the body, such that chronic lead poisoning is a serious problem; lead exposure in the U.S. has decreased due to governmental regulations that phased out lead in gasoline and solder, however lead is commonly used in gasoline in developing countries; other sources of lead include old paint, plumbing, and ceramic glazes.

Case Study: Lead Sources of lead exposure for children and fetuses Fig. 22-13

Case Study: Dioxins Dioxins are a family of 75 chlorinated hydrocarbons formed as unwanted by–products in many manufacturing processes. dioxins promote cancer by activating DNA damaged by other carcinogens, cause reproductive problems, and weaken the immune system; dioxin can best be controlled at the sources: primarily medical waste incinerators, municipal solid waste generators, paper mills, iron ore sintering plants, and cement kilns used to burn hazardous wastes.

Case Study: Chlorine Modern society depends heavily on chlorine and chlorine containing compounds. chlorine used to produce plastics, solvent, bleach paper and wood pulp, purify water, and produce household bleaching agents; many chlorine containing compounds are persistent, accumulate in body fat, and cause serious health problems; less harmful and affordable alternatives to chlorine are available for many uses, including cleaning solvents, paper production, and water purification.

Case Study: Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United States Two major federal laws regulate the management and disposal of hazardous waste in the U.S.: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Cradle-to-the-grave system to keep track waste. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Commonly known as the Superfund program.

Case Study: Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United States Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Our nation's primary law governing the disposal of solid and hazardous waste Congress passed RCRA in 1976 to address the increasing problem of our growing municipal and industrial waste RCRA banned all open dumping of waste, encouraged source reduction and recycling, and promoted the safe disposal of municipal waste and mandated strict controls over the storage, and disposal of hazardous waste.

Case Study: Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United States Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Under this law, the EPA : Categorizes hazardous wastes into specific categories and sets standards for each one Issues permits that allow the production and disposal of a certain amount of wastes in certain ways Requires permit holders to keep track of their wastes from “cradle-to-grave” Cradle – where/who it was produced Grave – where/how it is disposed of

Case Study: Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United States Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Commonly known as Superfund The Superfund law was designed to have polluters pay for cleaning up abandoned hazardous waste sites. Also created a tax on chemical and petroleum industries The revenue from the tax went into a fund to help pay for the clean up of hazardous waste sites when no responsible party is identified.

Case Study: Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United States Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) This act also establishes a National Priorities List (NPL) of the worst sites in the country. These are otherwise known as Superfund Sites These sites are scheduled for clean up using the most cost-effective methods. Only 70% of the cleanup costs have come from the polluters, the rest comes from the “superfund” financed until 1995 by taxes on chemical raw materials and oil. Congress refused to renew the tax in 1996, so now the superfund is broke and taxpayers foot the bill when guilty parties cannot be found

Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-know Act - 1986 As a result of Union Carbide pesticide plant explosion in Bhopal, India in 1984 30-40 tons of methyl isocyanate released The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-know Act - 1986 Requires industries to report the locations and quantities of toxic chemicals stored on each site to state and local governments

Case Study: Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United States 1 in 4 Americans live near a brownfield (an abandoned industrial or commercial site) contaminated with haz-mats. Superfund sites in the U.S.

Love Canal – There Is No “Away” Between 1842-1953, Hooker Chemical sealed multiple chemical wastes into steel drums and dumped them into an old and unfinished canal excavation (Love Canal). In 1953, the canal was filled and sold to Niagara Falls school district for $1. The company inserted a disclaimer denying liability for the wastes.

Love Canal – There Is No “Away” In 1957, Hooker Chemical warned the school not to disturb the site because of the toxic waste. In 1959 an elementary school, playing fields and homes were built disrupting the clay cap covering the wastes. In 1976, residents complained of chemical smells and chemical burns from the site. There were also increased cases of cancers and birth defects reported by residents of the area.

Love Canal – There Is No “Away” President Jimmy Carter declared Love Canal a federal disaster area. The area was abandoned in 1980 It still is a controversy as to how much the chemicals at Love Canal injured or caused disease to the residents. Love Canal sparked creation of the Superfund law, which forced polluters to pay for cleaning up abandoned toxic waste dumps.

Providing Environmental Justice for Everyone Is an Important Goal Every person is entitled to protection from environmental hazards regardless of race, age, gender, income, social class, etc. A disproportionate share of polluting factories, hazardous waste dumps, and landfills are in communities populated mostly by minorities.

Making the Transition to a Low-Waste Society: A New Vision Everything is connected. There is no “away” for the wastes we produce. Dilution is not always the solution to pollution. The best and cheapest way to deal with wastes are reduction and pollution prevention.