MBARARA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

PRESENTAION OF HAZARDOUS WASTES

BY
AMOS SENYONJO
2019/MSc/027/PS
SOURCES AND NATURE OF
HAZARDOUS WASTES; THEIR
CHEMISTRY AND METHODS OF
DISPOSAL

WASTES
 WASTE

• Any material that is discarded, useless or unwanted is considered as a

waste.
• Any substance which constitutes a scrap material or an effluent, or other
unwanted surplus substance arising from the application of a process, and
any substance or article which requires to be disposed of as being broken,
worn out, contaminated or otherwise spoiled is classified as waste material.
 TERMINOLOGIES USED IN
CHARACTERISING WASTES
• Industrial Wastes:
Any solid, liquid or gaseous substance discharged, permitted to flow or
escaping from any industrial, manufacturing, commercial or business
establishment or process or from the development, recovery or
processing of any natural resource as distinct from sanitary sewage is
categorised as Industrial waste.
Industrial waste is that waste specific to a particular industry of
industrial process.
 CONT’N

• Municipal Waste: Waste generated by domestic premises, homes or human

settlements. Includes a wide variety of materials such as paper and cardboard, food,
garden waste,
glass, plastic, metal etc.
• Special wastes: Includes asbestos wastes, radioactive and biomedical wastes that
are regarded as hazardous but which, with special management techniques, may be
disposed of safely.
• Clean Fill: Have no harmful effects on the environment.
 CONT'N

• Inert: largely non-biodegradable, non-flammable and not

chemically reactive.
• Putrescible: Food wastes or wastes of animal or vegetable
origin, which readily biodegrade within the environment of a
landfill.
• Intractable: Waste that is a management problem by virtue
of its toxicity or chemical
or physical characteristics which make it difficult to dispose of
 • HAZARDOUS WASTES

• These are the wastes which poses a threat or risk to public health, safety and
environment
• The Hazardous waste can be further classified as under.
(i) Ignitable: Hazardous waste that is classified as ignitable includes the
following:
• Liquids with a flashpoint of less than 60°C/140°F
• Solids that burn spontaneously
• Flammable compressed gas
• Oxidizers
 CONT’N

• (ii) Toxic: Wastes containing one or more of 39 specified contaminants.

(iii) Reactive: Waste that is classified as reactive includes the following:
• Materials that tend to be unstable at normal temperatures and
pressures
• Water reactive materials
• Explosives
• Cyanide or sulfide bearing wastes
(IV) CORROSIVE

Waste that is classified as corrosive includes:

• Aqueous solutions with pH less than 2 or greater than 12.5
 CLASSIFICATION OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
AND WASTES

• Many specific chemicals in use are hazardous because of their

chemical reactivities, fire hazards, toxicities, and other properties.
• There are numerous kinds of hazardous substances, usually consisting
of mixtures of specific chemicals.
• These include explosives; flammable liquids; flammable solids, such
as magnesium metal and sodium hydride; oxidizing materials such as
peroxides; corrosive materials (i.e.; strong acids; etiologic agents that
cause disease) and radioactive materials.
 CONT’N

Wastes can be classified hazardous by either or both of the following criteria;

(i) The list provided by government agencies declaring that substance as
hazardous.

(i) Characteristics such as ignitibility, corrosivity, reactivity and toxicity of

the substance
 I) THE LISTED WASTE

• By regulation, some specific wastes are hazardous wastes. These wastes are
incorporated into five lists.
• These five lists are organized into four categories:
• The F-list (non-specific source wastes): This list identifies wastes from many
common manufacturing and industrial processes, such as solvents that have been
used for cleaning or degreasing.
• he K-list (source-specific wastes): This list includes certain wastes from specific
industries, such as petroleum refining or pesticide manufacturing. Also, certain
sludges and wastewaters from treatment and production processes in these
specific industries are examples of source-specific wastes.
 CONT’N

• The P-list and the U-list (discarded commercial chemical products):

These lists include specific commercial chemical products that have not
been used, but that will be (or have been) discarded
• M-listed Wastes (discarded mercury-containing products): This list
includes certain wastes known to contain mercury, such as fluorescent
lamps, mercury switches and the products that house these switches,
and mercury-containing novelties
 II. CHARACTERISTICS OF HAZARDOUS WASTES

• Wastes may be hazardous wastes if they exhibit any of the four

characteristics of a hazardous waste; i.e
• Ignitability,- highly flammable e.g waste oils and used
• Corrosivity-corrosive materials with pH <2.0 for acids and >12.5 for
bases
• Reactivity,- they are unstable under normal conditions
• Toxicity -Toxic wastes are harmful or fatal when ingested or
absorbed (e.g., wastes containing mercury, lead, DDT, PCBs, etc.
 TRANSPORT, EFFECTS, AND FATES OF HAZARDOUS
WASTES

• The transport of hazardous wastes is largely a function of their physical

properties, and chemical factors.
Physical Properties of Wastes
The major physical properties of wastes that determine their amenability to
transport are volatility, solubility, and the degree to which they are adsorbed to
solids, including soil and sediments.
Chemical Factors
As an illustration of chemical factors involved in transport of wastes, consider
cationic inorganic species consisting of common metal ions.
These inorganic species can be divided into three groups based upon their
• Elements that tend to be highly retained by clay include cadmium,
mercury, lead, and zinc. Potassium, magnesium, iron, silicon, and NH4+
ions are moderately retained by clay, whereas sodium, chloride, calcium,
manganese, and boron ions are poorly retained
• The retention of the last three elements is probably biased in that they are
leached from clay, so that negative retention (elution) is often observed.
It should be noted, however, that the retention of iron and manganese is a
strong function of oxidation state in that the reduced forms of Mn and Fe
are relatively poorly retained, whereas the oxidized forms of
Fe2O3•xH2O and MnO2 are very insoluble and stay on soil as solids.
EFFECTS OF HAZARDOUS WASTES.

The effects of hazardous wastes in the environment can

be divided among ;
Effects on organisms,
Effects on materials,
Effects on the environment.
 FATES OF HAZARDOUS WASTES
• The fate of a hazardous-waste material is a simple function of its
physical properties and surroundings.
• The fate of a hazardous-waste substance in water is a function of the
substance’s solubility, density, biodegradability, and chemical reactivity
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT

Hazardous waste management, as is the case with non-hazardous

solid waste management, consists of several functional elements;
• generation,
• storage and collection,
• transfer and transport,
• processing and disposal.
 GENERATION

Waste Category Source

• Radioactive substances • B M R F, Colleges and university laboratories,
offices, hospital, nuclear power plants.

• Toxic chemicals
• Agricultural chemical companies, battery
shops, car washes, chemical shops, college and
university laboratories, construction companies,
electric utilities, hospitals and clinics,
 CONT’N

Biomedical research facilities, drug companies, hospitals,

• Biological wastes
medical clinics, etc.

• Flammable wastes
Dry cleaners, petroleum reclamation plants, petroleum
refining and processing facilities, service stations, tanker
truck cleaning stations
• Explosives Construction companies, dry cleaners, ammunition
production facilities
 B) STORAGE AND COLLECTION

• Onsite storage practices are a function of the types and amounts of

hazardous wastes generated and the period over which generation occurs.
• Usually, when large quantities are generated, special facilities are used that
have sufficient capacity to hold wastes accumulated over a period of
several days.
• When only a small amount is generated, the waste can be containerised,
and limited quantity may be stored
 C) TRANSFER AND TRANSPORT

• Typically, hazardous wastes are not compacted (i.e., mechanical volume

reduction) or delivered by numerous community residents.
• Instead, liquid hazardous wastes are generally pumped from collection
vehicles and sludge or solids are reloaded without removal from the
collection containers for transport to processing and disposal facilities.
• It is unusual to find a hazardous waste transfer facility, where wastes are
simply transferred to larger transport vehicles.
• Some processing and storage facilities are often part of the material
handling sequence at a transfer station. For example, neutralisation of
corrosive wastes might result in the use of a lower-cost holding tank on
 D) PROCESSING

Processing of hazardous waste is done for purposes of recovering useful materials

and preparing the wastes for disposal.
Processing can be accomplished on-site or off-site.
The variables affecting the selection of processing site include
• the characteristics of wastes,
• the quantity of wastes
• the technical ,economical and environmental aspects of available on-site treatment processes.
• the availability of the nearest off-site treatment facility (e.g., distance, fees, and exclusions).
• The treatment of hazardous waste can be accomplished by physical, chemical, thermal or
biological means.
E) DISPOSAL

• Regardless of their form (i.e., solid, liquid, or gas), most

hazardous waste is disposed off either near the surface
or by deep burial.
 TREATMENT OF HAZARDOUS WASTES

• Methods Available
The purpose of treating hazardous waste is to convert it into non-hazardous substances or to stabilise or
encapsulate the waste so that it will not migrate and present a hazard when released into the
environment.
Stabilisation techniques are particularly necessary for inorganic wastes which contain toxic heavy metals.
The various options for hazardous waste treatment can be categorised under
• physical treatments.
• chemical treatments.
• thermal treatments.
• biological treatments.
 CHEMICAL METHODS

• Neutralisation- Waste acid with an alkalis. e.g. sulfuric acid with sodium carbonate:
H2SO4 + CO32- → SO42- + CO2 + H2O
Oxidation
Using common oxidising substances such as hydrogen peroxide.
cyanide waste with calcium hypochlorite:
CN- + OCl- → OCN- + Cl-
OCN- + H3O+ → CO2 + NH3
• Reduction
Used to convert inorganic substances to a less mobile and toxic form e.g. reducing Cr(VI) to
Cr(III) by the use of ferrous sulphate:
CONT’N

• Hydrolysis
Decomposition of hazardous organic substances
• Precipitation
Particularly useful for converting hazardous heavy metals to a less mobile,
insoluble form prior to disposal to a landfill . e.g. precipitation of cadmium
as its hydroxide by the use of sodium hydroxide:
Cd2+(aq) + 2OH- → Cd(OH)2(s)
 PHYSICAL METHODS

• Encapsulation
Immobilising hazardous materials by stabilisation and incorporation within a
solid matrix such as cement concrete or proprietary organic polymers prior to
and filling
• Filtration/Centrifuging/Separation
Physically separating phases containing hazardous substances from other non-
hazardous constituents e.g. separation of oils from ship bilge waters.
 THERMAL METHODS

• These are the treatment processes which involve the application of heat to
convert the waste into less hazardous forms
• The two main thermal treatments used with regard to hazardous wastes are:
(i) Incineration: Incineration can be regarded as either a pre-treatment of
hazardous waste, prior to final disposal or as a means of valorising waste by
recovering energy .
(ii) Pyrolysis: This is defined as the chemical decomposition or change brought
about by heating in the absence of oxygen
 BIOLOGICAL METHODS

• These involve the use of microorganisms under optimised conditions to mineralise

hazardous
organic substances
• Some of the techniques used for biological treatment of hazardous waste:
1. Land treatment:
• This is a waste treatment and disposal process, where a waste is mixed with or
incorporated into the surface soil and is degraded, transformed or immobilised through
proper management
• Land treatment has lower long-term monitoring, maintenance and potential clean up
liabilities and because of this, it has received considerable attention as an ultimate
disposal method
 LAND TREATMENT

• In land treatment, the organic fraction must be biodegradable at reasonable rates

to minimise environmental problems associated with migration of hazardous
waste constituents.
• The various factors involved in the operation of the system are as follows:
I. Waste characteristics: Biodegradable wastes are suitable for land treatment.
Radioactive wastes, highly volatile, reactive, flammable liquids and inorganic
wastes such as heavy metals, acids and bases, cyanides and ammonia are not
considered for land treatment
 II. SOIL CHARACTERISTICS:

• The rate of biodegradation and leaching of waste applied, the availability of

nutrients and toxicants to microorganisms and the fate of hazardous waste
constituents are determined largely by application rate as well as the soil’s
chemical and physical characteristics or reaction. Principal soil characteristics
affecting land treatment processes are pH, salinity, aeration, moisture holding
capacity, soil temperature.
iii. Microorganisms:
• Soil normally contains a large number of diverse microorganisms, consisting of
several groups that are predominantly aerobic in well-drained soil
 IV. WASTE DEGRADATION

• Conditions favourable for plant growth are also favourable for the activity of soil
microorganisms.
• The factors affecting waste degradation that (may be adjusted in the design and
operation of a land treatment facility) are soil pH (near 7), soil moisture content
(usually between 30 to 90 %), soil temperature (activity decreases below 10C) and
nutrients.
 2. ENZYMATIC SYSTEMS:

• Enzymes are complex proteins ubiquitous in nature. These proteins, composed

of amino acids, are linked together via peptide bonds. Enzymes capable of
transforming hazardous waste chemicals to non-toxic products can be harvested
from microorganisms grown in mass culture

3. Composting:
• The principles involved in composting organic hazardous wastes are the same as
those in the composting of all organic materials (See Unit 8), though with
moderate modifications. The microbiology of hazardous wastes differs from that
of composting in the use of inoculums.
 4. AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC TREATMENT:

• Hazardous materials are present in low to high concentration in wastewaters, leachate

and soil.
• These wastes are characterised by high organic content (e.g., up to 40,000 mg/l total
organic carbon), low and high pH (2 to 12), elevated salt levels (sometimes, over 5%),
and presence of heavy metals and hazardous organics.
• Hazardous wastes can be treated using either aerobic or anaerobic treatment methods.
I. Aerobic treatment
• In aerobic treatment, under proper conditions, microorganisms grow.
 CONT’N

• They need a carbon and energy source, which many hazardous wastes satisfy,
nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and trace metals and a source of oxygen.
• Some organisms can use oxidised inorganic compounds (e.g. nitrate) as a
substitute for oxygen
• Care is to be taken such that all the required nutrients and substances are supplied
in sufficient quantities.
• Temperature and pH must be controlled as needed and the substances that are
toxic to the organisms (e.g., heavy metals) must be removed.
 II. ANAEROBIC TREATMENT

• Anaerobic treatment is a sequential biologically destructive process in which

hydrocarbons are converted, in the absence of free oxygen, from complex to
simpler molecules, and ultimately to carbon dioxide and methane.
• The process is mediated through enzyme catalysis and depends on
maintaining a balance of population within a specific set of environmental
conditions.
 POLLUTION PREVENTION AND WASTE MINIMISATION

Pollution prevention is the use of materials, processes, or practices that reduce or

eliminate the generation of pollutants or wastes at the source .
Waste minimisation means the feasible reduction of hazardous waste that is
generated prior to treatment, storage and disposal.
• It is defined as any source reduction or recycling activity that results in the
reduction of the total volume of hazardous waste, or toxicity of hazardous waste,
or both.
 WASTE MINIMISATION

Practices that are considered in waste minimisation include

• Recycling
• source separation
• product substitution
• manufacturing process changes and the use of less toxic raw materials.
FACTORS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO POLLUTION
PREVENTION AND WASTE MINIMISATION.
i) Management support and employee participation
(

(ii)Training:
(iii) Waste audits:
(iv) Good operating practices:
(v) Material substitution practices:
(vi) Technological modification practices:
(vii) Recycling options:
viii) Surplus chemical waste exchange options
 HAZARDOUS WASTE REGULATIONS

(i) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) 1970

• Provides “cradle to grave” tracking and management of hazardous waste.
(ii) Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
(iii) Hazardous Material Transportation Act (HMTA) 1975
• It is one of the eight laws defining EPA’s Emergency Management Program.
• It is in the secretary’s authority to designate material or group or class of materials as
hazardous when they meet the definition of hazardous material under the Act.
 CONT’N

(iv) Occupational safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 1970

• Employers must comply with all applicable OSHA standards. Employers must also
comply with the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act which requires employers to
keep their work place free of serious recognized hazards.
(v) Superfund
• The National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) defines
the organization structure and procedures for preparing for and responding to
discharges of oil and releases of hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminants in
the United States
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