Overview on Hazardous Waste Management

Mixture Mixture of hazardous + non-hazardous

• If resultant mixture does not exhibit hazardous nature, it is
not classified as hazardous waste.
• A mixture of paint waste (ignitable) + sand (non-ignitable)
Contained-In Natural material incorporated into HW
Rule

• If contaminant such as phenol leaks from a storage container

and get into the groundwater, then the contaminated
groundwater is also a hazardous waste.

Derived-From Solid waste generated from risk sources

• Any solid waste generated from treatment/storage/ disposal
of HW (such as ash, sludge, particulate matter, etc.) is also a
HW.

Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 1

 Overview on Hazardous Waste Management
Hazardous waste treatment methods

1. Physical
2. Chemical
3. Biological

Physical Chemical

Sedimentation Chemical Chemical

Adsorption Aeration Neutralization
Precipitation Redox

Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 2

 Overview on Hazardous Waste Management
Sedimentation/Floatation
❑ Sedimentation process separates solids Sludge Sedimentation
from liquids by the action of the gravity.
❑ Floatation enables removal of solids
particles by introducing fine bubbles into Clear zone
waste stream.
❑ The bubbles collect particles as they rise
and facilitate collection by floating them
on top.
❑ The clear phase can further be treated to
remove fine solid particles by filtration, Clear zone
centrifugation, etc. Sludge Floatation

Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 3

 Overview on Hazardous Waste Management
Adsorption
Adsorbent: GAC

❑ Suitable for small conc. of HW substances.

❑ Physical adhesion of chemicals on to the
surfaces governs the separation.

Demerits:

(i) Regeneration/replacement of bed is

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
GAC is very porous material
An handful of GAC ≈ internal SA of 1 acre of land
required.
(ii) Regeneration is expensive and energy-
intensive process.
(iii) Regeneration is time consuming and
hence may slow down the treatment rate.

Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 4

 Overview on Hazardous Waste Management
Aeration
Adsorbent: GAC

❑ Stripping tower + GAC removes VOCs.

❑ Contaminated water trickles down and
air is passed upward.
❑ 95% of VOCs are removed.
❑ Contaminants are stripped away by air.

VOCs: Trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene,

toluene, trichloroethane, benzene, etc.

GAC is very porous material

Abdullahi, M. E., Hassan, M. A. A., Noor, Z. Z., & Ibrahim, R. K. R. (2014). Application of a packed
An handful of GAC ≈ internal SA of 1 acre of land column air stripper in the removal of volatile organic compounds from wastewater. Reviews in
chemical engineering, 30(5), 431-451.

Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 5

 Overview on Hazardous Waste Management
Neutralization Chemical Treatment
𝐻𝐶𝑙 + 𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 → 𝑁𝑎𝐶𝑙 + 𝐻2𝑂
❑ Anything corrosive, pH<2|pH>12, are
HW.
❑ Acidic wastes are neutralized with
Ca(OH)2.
❑ Alkaline wastes are neutralized by
H2SO4 or CO2.
❑ When CO2 is bubbled in wastewater
stream, it forms carbonic acid (H2CO3).
Source: RCRA

H2SO4+𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 → 𝑁𝑎2𝑆𝑂4 + 𝐻2𝑂 Use of CO2 is cost-effective as it is readily

available from exhaust gas from combustion
Neutralization
processes.
https://web.deu.edu.tr/atiksu/ana52/ychem02.html

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 Overview on Hazardous Waste Management
Precipitation Chemical Treatment

❑ Soluble metals are converted into

insoluble metals and inorganic salts
using precipitates.

𝑵𝒊+𝟐 + 𝑵𝒂𝑶𝑯 → 𝑵𝒂+ + 𝑵𝒊 𝑶𝑯 𝟐

pH is playing a crucial role

Sources of HWs containing
traces of metals:
o Metal plating and polishing
industries.
o Inorganic pigments.
o Mining
o Electronics.
https://web.deu.edu.tr/atiksu/ana52/ychem02.html

Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 7

 Overview on Hazardous Waste Management
Precipitation Chemical Treatment

❑ Oxidation: Electrons are removed from an atom or molecule.

❑ Reduction: Electrons are added to an element.
Oxidation

𝑺𝑶𝟐 + 𝑯𝟐 𝑶 → 𝑯𝟐 𝑺𝑶𝟑 (𝑺𝒖𝒍𝒇𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒅)

Metal-bearing waste

Reduction
𝟐𝑪𝒓𝑶𝟑 + 𝟑𝑯𝟐 𝑺𝑶𝟑 → 𝑪𝒓𝟐 (𝑺𝑶𝟒 )𝟑 + 𝟑𝑯𝟐 𝑶
Organic waste

➢ The most common oxidation states of chromium are +6, +3, +2

https://web.deu.edu.tr/atiksu/ana52/ychem02.html

Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 8

 Overview on Hazardous Waste Management
Thermal Treatment
Three kinds of treatment methods
1. Incineration (ii) Pyrolysis (iii) Gasification

Jonathan W.C. Wang et al. Sustainable solid waste management, American society of Civil Engineers, 2016

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 Overview on Hazardous Waste Management
Thermal Treatment
❑Incineration = Solid wastes +
oxygen + heat.
❑Incineration reduces the
volume of toxicity by exposing
them to higher temperature.
❑Solid matter are subjected to
temp. of 430-1700℃ and break
down to simpler and less toxic
Rolling gate Chain gate
forms.
Jonathan W.C. Wang et al. Sustainable solid waste management, American society of Civil Engineers, 2016

Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 10

 Overview on Hazardous Waste Management
Thermal Treatment
Incineration Pyrolysis Gasification
Aim To maximize waste To maximize waste To maximize thermal
conversion into conversion into high decomposition of
flue gases, mainly heating value fuel gases, solid waste into
CO2 and H2O. mainly CO, H2and CH4. condensed phases.

Reaction condition O2 amount larger O2 amount lesser than O2 = 0

than stoichiometry stoichiometry
Reactants Air Air, pure O2, steam None
Temperature 430-1700℃ 1000-1600℃ 500℃
Products CO2, H2O CO, H2, CH4, and other Bio-oil, biochar, and
HCs CO2

Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 11

Overview on Hazardous Waste Management
Biological Treatment

Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 12

 Environmental Ethics (EE)
➢ EE refers to discipline in philosophy that studies the moral relationship of human beings and the
environment.

➢ EE broadly deals with environment and its value, endangered species and restoration of nature.

The major factors that influence environmental ethics are,

1) New effects on nature: Modern technological civilization greatly affects nature.

2) New knowledge about nature: (i) Modern science teaches us that how burning of fossil fuels and
clearing forests change the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and in turn the climate
change. Updating of knowledge and raising new ethical issues are needed to initiate remedial action
globally.

3) Expanding moral concerns: When it comes to environmental issues, people attribute the problems
to animals, trees, etc. but more importantly human civilization should be brought to the centre of the
problems and made responsible by expanding moral ethics to include environment.

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 Environmental Ethics (EE)
What are environmental ethics?

Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 14

 Environmental Ethics (EE)
Environmental Concerns in India

❑Burgeoning population and its impact on life support systems.

❑Land degradation due to water and wind erosion (159 million hectares),
salinity and alkalinity (8 million hectares), and river action and other
factors ( 7 million hectares).
❑The annual rate of loss of the forest cover is 47,500 hectares.
❑Loss of habitat leads to the extinction of plant, animal and microbial
species. Around 1500 plant and animal species are reported to be in
endangered category.

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 Environmental Ethics (EE)
Environmental Concerns in India
❑ Wetlands of India which are rich in aquatic are badly affected by the pollution and over-exploitation.
❑ Coastal areas have been severely affected due to indiscriminate construction, illegal encroachment,
waste disposal, etc.
❑ Extensive deforestation leading to severe loss of natural resources.
❑ Non-judicious use of water for different sectors such as agriculture, domestic, energy generation,
industry that caused the depletion of water source.
❑ Increased pollution resulting from improper means of disposal of toxic wastes and non biodegradable
consumer articles.
❑ Absence of mechanism to indigenously arrive at a reliable estimate of total greenhouse gas emissions
arise from various sources such as agriculture, animals, forest, energy production and consumption,
etc. Such reliable data are required to deal with international law, protocols, and conventions on
environment-related issues.
Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 16
 Environmental Ethics (EE)
Different types of environmental ethics
1. Anthropocentric Human-centered
2. Stewardship Encourages fair, just and equal
treatment of employees and
shareholders.
3. Biocentric It extends the status of moral object
from human beings to all living things
in nature.
4. Ecocentric It is the philosophical study of value of
environment and relationships of
human to that environment.
5. Ecofeminism Ecofeminism affirms the equal value of
all life both living and non-living on
earth.
Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 17
 Environmental Ethics (EE)
Does the ethical decisions of human beings affect environment?
❑ Resource depletion:
❑ We should have profound respect for
S h o u l d we
c o n t i n u e to
propagate?
❑ Depletion of Species
nature. & Habits
❑ Depletion of Fossil
Fuels.

Should we
continue to
Ethical Should we
continue to
use gasoline
cut forests?
decisions powered
vehicles?
Your
thoughts??
❑ Pollution:
❑ Air pollution
❑ Land pollution What

❑ Water pollution
environmental
obligations do we
need to keep for
❑ We must maintain harmonious relationship
future
generations?
with other species.
Introduction to Environmental Science Engineering (GE111) 18