Hazardous waste, solid

MEHLHAFF, L.C., COOK, T. and KNUDSON, J. (1979). A quantitative approach to classification of hazardous wastes, Solid Waste Manage. 21, 70-86. 

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976, an eunendment to the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965, and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984, which expanded RCRA, were enacted to protect human health and environment, reduce waste and eneigy, and reduce or eliminate hazardous waste as rapidly as possible. Three programs addressing hazardous waste, solid waste, and underground storage tanks are included in RCRA. 

Drying— removal of solvent or water from a solid or semisolid (sludge) or the removal of solvent from a liquid or suspension— is a very important operation, because water is often the major constituent of waste products, such as sludges. In freeze drying, the solvent usually water, is sublimed from a frozen material. Hazardous-waste solids and sludges are dried to reduce the quantity of waste, to remove solvent or water that might interfere with subsequent treatment processes, and to remove hazardous volatile constituents. 

Hazardous Waste, Solid Waste, and Water Environment.297... 

To satisfy the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1977) and its amendment for hazardous and solid waste (1984), the 80(K) Series Methods have been designed to analyze solid waste, soUs, and groundwater. In particular, methods 8240/8260 require the use of a purge-and-trap device in conjunction with packed or capillary GC/MS, respectively, for the analysis of purgeable organic compounds. Methods 8250/8270 concern analyses for the less-volatile bases, neutrals, and acids by GC/MS after extraction from the matrix by an organic solvent. 

Solid and Hazardous Waste. Regulation of pollution resulting from soHd waste disposal was formulated at a much slower pace than regulation of air or water pollution. It was not until the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 (6) was passed that substantial controls were authorized. 

HSWA Hazardous and Solid Waste Act TSD Treatment, storage, and disposal... 

Much of the current activity in the field of sohd waste management, especially with respect to hazardous wastes and resources recoveiy, is a direct consequence of recent legislation. Therefore, it is important to review the principal legislation that has affected the entire field of solid-waste management. 

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 1976 RCRA is the primaiy statute governing the regulation of solid and hazardous waste. It completely replaced the Sohd Waste Disposal Act of 1965 and supplemented the Resource Recoveiy Act of 1970 RCRA itself was substantiaUy amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 (HSWA). The principal objectives of RCRA as amended are to ... 

Promote the protection of human health and the environment from potential adverse effects of improper solid and hazardous waste management... 

Pohution prevention techniques must be evaluated through a thorough consideration of ah media, hence the term multimedia. This approach is a clear departure from previous pollution treatment or control techniques where it was acceptable to transfer a pollutant from one source to another in order to solve a waste problem. Such strategies merely provide short-term solutions to an ever increasing problem. As an example, air pollution control equipment prevents or reduces the discharge of waste into the air but at the same time can produce a solid (hazardous) waste problem. 

Hazardous Wastes When hazardous wastes are generated, special containers are usually provided, and trained personnel (OSHA 1910.120 required such workers to have HAZWOPER training) are responsible (or should be) for the handling of these wastes. Hazardous wastes include solids, sludges, and hquids hence, container requirements vary with the form of waste. 

The purpose of this subsection is to introduce the reader to the tech-niqiies and methods used to recover materials, conversion products, and energy from solid wastes. Topics to be considered include (I) processing techniques for solid waste, (2) processing techniques for hazardous wastes, (3) materials-recoveiy systems, (4) recovery of biological conversion products, (5) therm processes, and (6) waste-to-energy systems. 

Because many of the techniques, especially those associated with the recovery of materials and energy and the processing of solid hazardous wastes, are in a state of flux with respect to application and design criteria, the objective here is only to introduce them to the reader. If these techniques are to be considered in the development of waste-management systems, current engineering design and performance data must be obtained from consultants, operating records, field tests, equipment manufacturers, and available literature. 

Processing of Hazardous Wastes As with conventional solid wastes, the processing of hazardous wastes is undertaken for three purposes (1) to recover useful materials, (2) to reduce the amount of wastes that must be disposed in landfills, and (3) to prepare the wastes for ultimate disposal. 

LandtiUing of Solid Wastes Landfilling involves the controlled disposal of solid wastes on or in the upper layer of the earth s mantle. Important aspects in the implementation of sanitary landfills include (1) site selection, (2) landfimng methods and operations, (3) occurrence of gases and leachate in landfills, (4) movement and control of landfill gases and leachate, and (5) landfill design. The landfilling of hazardous wastes is considered separately. 

LandtiUing of Hazardous Wastes In many states, the only disposal option available for most hazardous wastes is landfilling. The basis for the management of hazardous-wastes landfills is set forth in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976. In general, disposal sites for hazardous wastes shoiild be separate from sites for municipal solid wastes. If separate sites are not possible, great care must be taken to ensure that separate disposal operations are maintained. 

Applications Deep-well injection has been used principally for liquid wastes that are difficult to treat and dispose of by more conventional methods and for hazardous wastes. Chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical wastes are those most commonly disposed of with this method. The waste may be liquid, gases, or solids. The gases and solids are either dissolved in the liquid or are carried along with the liquid. 

The process related to the paint shop does not impose a significant pollution load on the environment compared to many other industrial activities. It is, however, essential that all possible aspects of environmental pollution by wastewater, environmental hydrology, environmental hydraulics and pneumatics, air, solid waste, noise and hazardous wastes etc. are reviewed to control any kind of pollution within the prescribed limits. Otherwise subsequent tragedies, if caused by environmental negligence in the industrial processes, may lead to the formation of stricter environmental laws. 

In the United States, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) is the major legislation covering the disposal of solid and hazardous wastes (2). This act provides a multifaceted approach to solving the problems associated with the generation of approximately 5 billion metric tons of solid waste each year in the United States. It places particular emphasis on the regulation of hazardous wastes. This law established the Office of Solid Waste within the Environmental Protection Agency and directed the agency to publish hazardous waste characteristics and criteria. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste Management Programs, defines hazardous waste as "wastes or combinations... 

NOTE - Petrochemical plants also generate significant amounts of solid wastes and sludges, some of which may be considered hazardous because of the presence of toxic organics and heavy metals. Spent caustic and other hazardous wastes may be generated in significant quantities examples are distillation residues associated with units handling acetaldehyde, acetonitrile, benzyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride, cumene, phthallic anhydride, nitrobenzene, methyl ethyl pyridine, toluene diisocyanate, trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, perchloro-ethylene, aniline, chlorobenzenes, dimethyl hydrazine, ethylene dibromide, toluenediamine, epichlorohydrin, ethyl chloride, ethylene dichloride, and vinyl chloride. 

Sources Assessment of Atmospheric Emissions from Petroleum Refining, Radian Corp., 1980 Petroleum Refining Hazardous Waste Generation, U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste, 1994. 

If the solid waste is inert and nontoxic, it can generally be landfilled. Hazardous wastes will have more stringent procedures for disposal. In some cases, the solid waste may have value and can be sold or recycled. 

For PM applications, wet scrubbers generate waste in the form of a slurry or wet sludge. This creates the need for both wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal. Initially, the slurry is treated to separate the solid waste from the water. The treated water can then be reused or discharged. Once the water is removed, the remaining waste will be in the form of a solid or sludge. If the solid waste is inert and nontoxic, it can generally be landfilled. Hazardous wastes will have more stringent procedures for disposal. In some cases, the solid waste may have value and can be sold or recycled. 

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