Asbestos disposal

Production, Import/Export, Use, Release, and Disposal. Asbestos is widely used by humans in a variety of products, and exposures are likely from a number of sources. Extensive data are available on current production, import, and use of asbestos (U.S. Bureau of Mines 1992). Releases to the environment may occur either to air or to soil and water, with releases to air being of greatest health concern. Waste friable asbestos is regulated as a hazardous substance, so disposal is permitted only in authorized waste sites. Methods of handling friable asbestos are prescribed to minimize dust release. However, data are lacking on the amount of asbestos disposed in waste sites, and on the location and status of these sites. 

The 1980s saw the removal of large quantities of asbestos (qv) from buildings, creating the need for clothing which could not be penetrated by small asbestos fibrils, yet was iaexpensive enough to permit daily disposal. Certain spunbonded and spunbond/meltblown laminate fabrics demonstrate excellent resistance to asbestos penetration from particles as small as 0.5 p.m (70). 

Asbestos An lAQ investigation often includes inspection above accessible ceilings, inside shafts, and around mechanical equipment. Where material suspected of containing asbestos is not only present, but also has deposited loose debris, the investigator should take appropriate precautions. This might include disposable coveralls and a properly fitted respirator. 

A number of environmental issues have received widespread publicity (Table 7.1), from major accidents at plants (e.g., Seveso and Bhopal) to the global and regional impacts associated with energy utilization (e.g., carbon dioxide, acid rain, and photochemical oxidants), the improper disposal of chemical waste (e.g., Love Canal and Times Beach), and chemicals that have dispersed and bioaccumulated affecting wildlife (e.g., PCBs and DDT) and human health (e.g., cadmium, mercury, and asbestos). 

Fuller, W.H., Movement of Selected Metals, Asbestos and Cyanide in Soils Applications to Waste Disposal Problems, EPA 600/2-77-020, NTIS PB 266 905, U.S. EPA, 1977. 

Older appliances (such as ovens) still sometimes contain asbestos. A waste from which asbestos fibers may be released is classified as a hazardous waste and must be disposed of as specified in the appropriate environmental laws. The heat-transfer oils of older types of mobile convector heaters still sometimes contain PCBs. These fluids must be disposed of as hazardous waste. 

We advise homeowners and concerned consumers to examine material in their homes if they suspect it may contain asbestos. If the material is in good condition, fibers will not break down, releasing the chemical debris that may be a danger to members of the household. (55) Asbestos is a powerful substance and should be handled by an expert. Do not touch or disturb the material—it may then become damaged and release fibers. Contact local health, environmental, or other appropriate officials to find out proper handling and disposal procedures, if warranted. If asbestos removal or repair is needed you should contact a (40) professional. 

Worldwide, there are numerous plasma system designs for treatment of all types of wastes. Economical considerations limit their commercial applications to the most profitable actions. Presently they commercially operate in Switzerland and Germany for low level nuclear waste vitrification, in France and the USA for asbestos waste vitrification, in the USA and Australia for hazardous waste treatment, in Japan and France for municipal fly ash vitrification. The most of installations is working in Japan because there 70% of municipal waste is incinerated and the ash can not be used as landfill. EU Regulations banning the disposal to landfill of toxic and hazardous wastes after year 2002 may cause wider use of plasma waste destruction technology in Europe. 

Regulation increases other costs. Environmental violations arising from waste disposal, asbestos, or other hazards at production facilities have become an increasing fact of life for formulator firms. Scotts Company recently paid fines and cleanup costs for unlicensed waste disposal and asbestos contamination at several sites in the U.K. and Ohio. Federal, state, and local environmental regulators strictly regulate waste disposal from fertilizer- and pesticide-formulating plants. Companies also must be prepared for the potential costs of remediation or liability if any pesticide causes harm. ... 

Hazardous and Nonhazardous Waste—after a fire is extinguished, the clean-up begins. There may be both hazardous and nonhazardous wastes that need disposal. Asbestos wastes may be an issue in older facilities. 

Small quantities of hazardous solid wastes (such as potassium dichromate, lead nitrate, silver nitrate, asbestos, etc.), liquid chemicals (such as chloroform, PCB, methylene chloride, etc.), petrochemicals (such as gasoline. No. 2 fuel oil, etc.), or pure metals (such as mercury, sodium, etc.), which are stored in bottles or cans, however, are not considered to be hazardous household products. Accordingly these nonhousehold hazardous solid wastes, even in small quantities, can only be properly disposed of by licenced or certified environmental professionals. 

Friable asbestos is hazardous, and should be properly disposed of following governmental requirements and guidelines presented in Section 3.6. 

DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS ASBESTOS 3.6.1 Asbestos, Its Existence and Releases... 

Will the contractor properly dispose of the asbestos and leave the site free of asbestos dust and debris ... 

During the removal of asbestos-containing material, workers should wear approved respirators appropriate for the specific asbestos activity. Workers should also wear gloves, hats, and other protective clothing. The contractor should properly dispose of all of this equipment (along with the asbestos material) immediately after using it. 

The contractor should place any material that is removed and any debris from the work in sealed, leak-proof, properly labeled, plastic bags (6 mm thick) and should dispose of them in a proper land-fill. The contractor should comply with Health Department instructions about how to dispose of asbestos-containing material. 

Under the expanded authority of RCRA, a few states have classified asbestos-containing waste as a hazardous waste, and require stringent handling, manifesting, and disposal procedures. In those cases, the state hazardous waste agency should be contacted before disposing of... 

Specific bans on chemicals or uses have not been the most important outcome of TSCA. Only one type of chemical, PCBs, was specifically targeted in the original law and they are now outlawed in most of their uses. EPA administration of the law in its early years led to a ban of chlorofluorocarbons as aerosol propellants, restrictions on dioxin waste disposal, rules on asbestos use, and testing rules on chlorinated solvents. It has led to a central bank of information on existing commercial chemicals, procedures for further testing of hazardous chemicals, and detailed permit requirements for submission of proposed new commercial chemicals. 

Heat-sealable plastic bags and apparatus Heating blocks, thermostat-controlled metal heating block that holds test tubes and/or microcentrifuge tubes Hoods, chemical and microbiological Hot plates, with or without magnetic stirrer Gloves, plastic and latex, disposable and asbestos... 

Insulation. It is common for workers replacing insulation at older plants to encounter asbestos (see Insulation, electric Insulation, thermal). The composition of both old and new insulation should be known to be certain that proper procedures are followed. The removal of asbestos-containing insulation is a complex and difficult process requiring personal protective equipment, monitoring, containment, special disposal procedures, stringent work practices, and record keeping (3). Many companies elect to have asbestos removal done by specialized contractors. 

The system for classification and disposal of hazardous chemical waste developed by EPA under RCRA does not apply to all wastes that contain hazardous chemicals. For example, wastes that contain dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), or asbestos are regulated under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In addition, the current definition of hazardous waste in 40 CFR Part 261 specifically excludes many wastes that contain hazardous chemicals from regulation under RCRA, including certain wastes produced by extraction, beneficiation, and processing of various ores and minerals or exploration, development, and use of energy resources. Thus, the waste classification system is not comprehensive, because many potentially important wastes that contain hazardous chemicals are excluded, and it is not based primarily on considerations of risks posed by wastes, because the exclusions are based on the source of the waste rather than the potential risk. 

Place the asbestos in a separate labeled container for disposal by burning. Burn in furnace whose temperature and design are appropriate to asbestos.3... 

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