Waste on land

Although the major concern about the fate of organic pollntants in soil has been about pesticides in agricultural soils, other scenarios are also important. The disposal of wastes on land (e.g., at landfill sites) has raised questions about movement of pollutants contained in them into the air or neighboring rivers or water conrses. The presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or PAHs in snch wastes can be a significant source of pollution. Likewise, the disposal of some industrial wastes in landfill sites (e.g., by the chemical industry) raises questions about movement into air or water and needs to be carefully controlled and monitored. 

A sanitary landfill is defined as a land disposal site that applies an engineered method of disposing of solid wastes on land in a manner that minimizes environmental hazards by spreading the solid wastes to the smallest practical volume, and applying and compacting cover material at the end of... 

Any chemical substance, if improperly managed or disposed of, may pose a danger to living organisms, materials, structures, or the environment, by explosion or fire hazards, corrosion, toxicity to organisms, or other detrimental effects. In addition, when released to the environment, many chemical substances can be classified as hazardous or nonhazardous. Consideration must be given to the distribution of chemical wastes on land systems, in water systems, and in the atmosphere. 

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (Solid Waste Disposal Act) was originally enacted by Congress in 1976 and amended several times subsequently. The 1984 amendments set deadlines for enforcing the regulations. They also placed restrictions on disposal of wastes on land and forced tighter regulation of hazardous wastes. 

Recent amendments to the 1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste Act have discouraged the disposal of dioxin-containing wastes on land and encouraged the development of unique treatment technologies. The 1984 Amendments make provisions for the waiver of research development and demonstration (RD D) permit requirements by Environmental Protection Agency regional administrators to facilitate and expedite critically needed research (pilot-scale and prototype testing). 

NRC (1957). The Disposal of Radioactive Waste on Land Publication 519, National Academy Press, Washington, DC. 

Environmental Protection Act 1990 deals with discharges to the atmosphere, to water courses and the disposal of waste on land. Some of the substances involved can pose a risk to the health of the community and to the ecology of the area. 

A waste management licence is required for keeping, treating or disposing of controlled waste on land. 

Musikas C, Hubert H (1987) Solv Extr Ion Exch 5 877 NAS (1957) The disposal of radioactive waste on land. National Academy Press... 

National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council. 1957. Disposal of radioactive waste on land. Report by the Committee on Waste Disposal, Division of Earth Sciences. National Academies Press, Washington, DC. 

The LDRs at 40 CFR Part 268.7 are the regulations prohibiting the disposal of hazardous waste on land without treating it first. Materials must meet specific treatment standards prior to placement in a landfill, land treatment miit, waste pile, or sruface impomidment. 

This sets out a licensing system designed to regulate the deposit, keeping, treatment or disposal of controlled waste (i.e. industrial, commercial or household wastes) on land. Its objective is to prevent unacceptable environmental emissions by specifying the management system for a site or plant. 

Committee on Waste Disposal—Panel established by the National Academy of Sciences in 1955 to study disposal of radioactive wastes on land. It issued a report in 1957 suggesting that salt formations offered the most promising solution to the problem of high-level wastes. 

The National Academy of Sciences published significant reports on controversial subjects relating to radiological safety. Its 1956 survey. The Biological Effects of Atomic Radiation A Report to the Public is a milestone document and is particularly useful for understanding contemporary sdentific assessments of radiation hazards. The 1960 updated version is also instructive. The National Academy also published two notable reports on radioactive waste. Disposal of Radioactive Waste on Land (1957) and Radioactive Waste Disposal into Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Waters (1959), the second of which aroused a public furor. 

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