On-Site Processing of Solid Wastes

Manual Component Separation The manual separation of solid-waste components can be accomplished at the source where solid wastes are generated, at a transfer station, at a centralized processing station, or at the disposal site. Manual sorting at the source of generation is the most positive way to achieve the recoveiy and reuse of materials. The number and types of components salvaged or sorted (e.g., cardboard and high-quality paper, metals, and wood) depend on the location, the opportunities for recycling, and the resale market. There has been an evolution in the solid waste indus-tiy to combine manual and automatic separation techniques to reduce overall costs and produce a cleaner product, especially for recyclable materials. 

This chapter attempts to provide an overview of the application of principles, outlined in previous chapters, to the bioremediation of contaminated terrestrial sites and the associated groundwater. Cardinal microbiological processes will be addressed only briefly, and references should be made to previous chapters for metabolic details. There are several reasons for the heightened concern over the increasing volume of solid waste—both industrial and domestic. On the positive side, however,... 

However, there is one exception to using the TCLP to identify a waste as hazardous. The DC Circuit Court, in Association of Battery Recyclers vs. U.S. EPA, vacated the use of the TCLP to determine whether manufactured gas plant (MGP) wastes exhibit the characteristic of toxicity. As previously stated, the TCLP replicates the leaching process in municipal landfills. The court found that U.S. EPA did not produce sufficient evidence that co-disposal of MGP wastes from remediation sites with municipal solid waste (MSW) has happened or is likely to happen. On March 13, 2002, in response to the court vacatur, U.S. EPA codified language exempting MGP waste from the toxicity characteristic regulation. 

Off-site disposal of regulated medical wastes remains a viable option for smaller hospitals (those with less than 150 beds). Some preliminary on-site processing, such as compaction or hydropulping, may be necessary prior to sending the waste off site. Compaction reduces the total volume of solid wastes, often reducing trans-... 

The INCA system can recover virtually any target metal in any aqueous waste stream containing up to 60% solids. Applications include on-site remediation of mining effluents and contaminated groundwater. The INCA system can also be used as an in-process treatment system for manufacturing processes where metals in solution are a problem. The modular unit can easily be used in tandem with other technologies, such as those that remove hydrocarbons, as part of a total treatment train. 

The refinery generated more than 10,500 tons of solid waste and spent caustic in 1990. More than 80% of the solid waste was recycled or treated either on- or off-site and does not enter the environment. Remaining materials are disposed of in approved landfill sites. Most solid wastes result from activities associated with the refinery s process water collection and treatment system. Nearly 1000 tons/year of soils enter the drainage system where they become oil-coated sludge. 

Cheremisinoff, N. P. 2003. Handbook of Solid Waste Management and Waste Minimization Technologies. Boston, MA Butterworth-Heinemann. An essential tool for plant managers, process engineers, environmental consultants, and site remediation specialists that focuses on practices for handling a broad range of industrial solid waste problans and presents information on waste minimization practices. Included in the text are sidebar discussions, questions for consideration and discussion, recommended resources (print and Web) for the reader, and a comprehensive glossary. 

Your process may produce wastes that cannot be treated on-site, and so must be transported off-site for treatment and disposal. Wastes of this type are usually non-aqueous liquids, sludge, or solids. Often, wastes for off-site disposal are costly to transport and to treat, and represent a third-party liability. Therefore, minimization of these wastes yields a direct cost benefit, both present and future. Measure the quantity and note the composition of any wastes associated with your process that need to be sent for off-site disposal. Record your results in a table or an appropriate spreadsheet. 

Sources of land pollution include direct dumping of domestic and industrial solid waste, excessive application of agrochemicals, and indirect contamination resulting from leaks or from leaching of hazardous components from liquid waste disposal sites or from atmospheric fallout. Land may also become contaminated by chemicals processed, stored or dumped at the site, perhaps in the distant past. Such contamination may pose a health risk to workers on the site, those subsequently involved in building, construction or engineering works, or the public (e.g. arising from trespass), and to animals. 

The two different, but related, considerations in waste disposal are hazard control and loss prevention in the treatment and disposal operations, and the control of environmental hazards. With gas and liquid streams the control of on-site hazards arising from the chemical properties and processing operations generally follows the principles summarized in earlier chapters. The measures necessary with solid wastes may, however, differ, particularly if they are heterogeneous in nature and disposed of on land. 

---