Waste management and pollution control

The most common methods of pollution control are source reduction and recycling. Waste treatment and disposal are not classed as components of a construction pollution prevention programme, although they should be considered for inclusion within the scope of the environmental section of the site s Safety Plan. 

Source reduction emphasises conservation and the more efficient use of hazardous and non-hazardous materials, energy, water and other resources. 

The hierarchy of waste management is a set of stepped alternatives which provides guidance on best practice in minimising or preventing the generation of waste materials. It also applies to pollution in general  

Source reduction is any method or technique used at or before the point of generation that reduces or eliminates the creation or use of hazardous substances or all controlled wastes so as to reduce the risks to health and the environment. Source reduction can be achieved through  

For both sites and offices, water pollution goals can be met by working towards the following  

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There are significant opportunities for industry to reduce or prevent pollution at tlie source tlirough cost-effective changes in production, operation and raw materials use.. . . The opportmiities for source reduction are often not realized because existing regulations, and tlie industrial resources tliey require for compliance, focus upon treatment and disposal, rather tliaii source reduction.. . . Source reduction is fundamentally different and more desirable tlian waste management and pollution control. 

The shift of emphasis from end-of-pipe waste management and pollution control to waste minimization is not without its obstacles [16, 17, 20-23]. However, the barriers to waste minimization are similar to those of any other major change in business practices. The recognition of the hazards, liabilities, and costs associated with hazardous waste generation is relatively new to the industrial community and there are significant limitations on available financial resources, information, and technical capabilities. Waste minimization can be further limited by institutional barriers due to the persistent end-of-pipe outlook on hazardous wastes that is common to both government and industry. Some of the barriers to waste minimization include [16,20-23,28-30,36,37] ... 

As in Europe, waste minimisation is a key element of US policy, endorsed by regulatory requirements including the Pollution Prevention Act (1990), The Clean Air Act(1967) and the amendments of 1990, the Toxics Substances Control Act (1976), and The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1976) The Pollution Prevention Act (1990) arose out of growing national concern with waste generation and management practices (Thurber and Sherman, 1995), and In it s deliberations, US Congress declared that "source reduction is fimdamentally different and more desirable than waste management and pollution control". 

Nathanson, Jerry A. Basic Environmental Technology Water Supply, Waste Management, and Pollution Control. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J. Prentice Hall, 2007. An introduction to the multifaceted held of environmental engineering, with illustrations for clarity and practice problems at the end of each chapter. 

Hartless R. (2004) Developing a risk assessment framework for landfill gas calculating the probability of a landfill gas explosion. Waste 2004, Integrated waste management and pollution control policy and practice, research and solutions. 28-30 September 2004, Stratford-upon-Avon. UK. 

Abstract This chapter introduces the European Union (EU) and discusses some of its directives and regulations. Today the EU has some of the most progressive environmental policies in the world that extend to all areas of environmental protection. Some of these areas are air pollution control, water protection, waste management, and the control of chemicals. This chapter includes information about the End of Life Vehicles Directive (ELV), the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS), and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE). The EU regulation called Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) is described too. 

The volume represents the initial fulfillment of a series, and is aimed at assisting process engineers, plant managers, environmental consultants, water treatment plant operators, and students. Subsequent volumes are intended to cover air pollution controls, and solid waste management and minimization. 

In addition, pollution control prevention also has economic benefits. Although waste management and recycling in most cases increase the production cost, it pays back the initial investment in the long term. Economic benefits include the amount of reduction of waste produced or treated and disposed, and also in reduction of raw material. 

Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association (formerly Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association. Amonlhly ]owna of the Air Pollution Control Association that present articles on air pollution, waste management, and methods of abatement with research articles. 

Masters, G. M. and W. P. Ela. 2008. Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science. Upper Saddle River, NJ Prentice Hall. A good, undergraduate-level introductory text for environmental engineering. Chapters include such topics as environmental chanistry, risk assessment, water pollution, water quality control, air pollution, and solid waste management and resource recovery. 

Disposal The final func tional element in the sohd-waste-management system is disposal. Disposal is the ultimate fate of all solid wastes, whether they are wastes collected and transported direc tly to a landfQl site, semisolid wastes (sludge) from industrial treatment plants and air-pollution-control devices, incinerator residue, compost, or other substances from various solid-waste processing plants that are of no further use. 

The atmospheric movement of pollutants from sources to receptors is only one form of translocation. A second one involves our attempt to control air pollutants at the source. The control of parhculate matter by wet or dry scrubbing techniques 3delds large quantities of waste materials—often toxic—which are subsequently taken to landfills. If these wastes are not properly stored, they can be released to soil or water systems. The prime examples involve the disposal of toxic materials in dump sites or landfills. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 and subsequent revisions are examples of legislation to ensure proper management of solid waste disposal and to minimize damage to areas near landfills (4). 

Murley, L. (ed.), "Clean Air Around the World. National and International Approaches to Air Pollution Control." International Union of Air Pollution Prevention Associations, Air Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, 1991. 

Tables 27-1 to 27-3 have concentrated on the personnel makeup of control agencies. For a broader look at places of employment. Table 27-4 shows where 8037 members of the Air Pollution Control Association (APCA) of the United States and Canada worked in 1982. (This list includes foreign as well as domestic members of APCA but does not include the membership of the air pollution control associations of other countries.) This table shows that only 10.7% of the members work in control agencies. This table gives a somewhat distorted picture because in many air pollution organizations only the senior executive, professional, and scientific personnel belong to APCA, whereas the total North American workforce in air pollution includes several times the 8037 membership total who are in junior, technical, service, or manual sectors and are not association members. These numbers could be still greater if those engaged in this work outside North America were included. The Air Pollution Control Association changed its name to the Air and Waste Management Association in 1988. The Air and Waste Management Association had a membership of over 14,000 in 1993, but only a portion of the members were active in the air pollution profession.

Bernstein, Janis D. Alternative Approaches to Pollution Control and Waste Management Regulatory and Economic Instruments. Washington The World Bank, 1993. 

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