Waste Minimization and Disposal

Wastes may be solids, liquids, or gases. A centrifuge produces a sludge or cake containing the solids that were removed from suspension. If this sludge is a waste product, the first consideration should be to reduce its quantity. Next, a safe method must be designed for its disposal. This involves the same considerations as does the disposal of a filter cake (Section 3.9) or other solid wastes (Section 2.7). 

Alternatively, the liquid removed in the centrifuge may be the waste material. The section on filter waste minimization and disposal (3.9.2) lists the relevant safety precautions. 

In addition, the purge gas may become a waste that requires proper handling. 

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Waste Minimization and Disposal. CFF systems minimize disposal costs (e.g., when ceramic filters are used) whereas in diatomaceous (DE) pre-coat filtration substantial waste disposal costs may be incurred, particularly if the DE is contaminated with toxic organics. Currently, in many applications, DE is disposed of in landfills. In future, however, this option may become less available forcing the industry to use cross-flow microfiltration technology or adopt other waste minimization measures. 

Assurance of competent staff begins by preparing position descriptions that specify the educational requirements, operational experience, and duties of the laboratory personnel. The qualifications of the supervisors, analysts, and instrument operators who are hired must match these descriptions. Each staff position should have a set of core training specifications (e.g., radiation safety, chemical safety, waste minimization and disposal, quality assurance) plus specific training in its area of responsibility. Table 13.3 provides suggested position titles, educational requirements, and general responsibilities for the optimal laboratory staff. 

Despite the emphasis on waste minimization and recycling, society will continue to generate waste requiring incineration or landfill disposal in the foreseeable future. Owing to the formation of bottom and fly ash through MSW incineration, it is important to find criteria for their utilization in an environmentally sound manner. This is in line with the policies adopted by several EU countries, such as Italy, where the utilization of... 

Source reduction is pollution prevention, which reduces the toxicity and/ or quantity of hazardous material at the source. Therefore, it is fundamentally different from the pollution management practices of recycling, treatment and disposal. Because waste minimization and source reduction have been defined in various ways, the following are considered not to be source reduction [16,17, 20-23,26,36,44] ... 

ETAD advocates a strict waste minimization and management program which should prevent emissions from cleaning or disposal of emptied containers (which account up to 10% of unexhausted dyebath) to wastewater streams. Estimates of typical dyeing capacities in the leather industry are depicted from Table 22.4. 

Originally it was intended to use manual methods for isolation and removal of items to the conditioning area and recovery of plutonium residues, followed by remote size reduction, waste monitoring, and disposal. Subsequent studies have indicated that there is little benefit, in terms of minimizing operator dose, from the use of remote techniques when the additional installation and maintenance activities associated with the more complex remote equipment is considered. Thus manual techniques are being employed. 

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