Chapter 12 –Hazardous Waste Management

(There are no homework problems for Chapt.12)

•RCRA .vs. CERCLA – RCRA (Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act,1976) ,which is
enforced by the EPA, manages hazardous waste from
its point of origin to its final disposal. Before RCRA
took effect, sites “known as superfund” that were
previously contaminated are funded for cleanup
through CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act).
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•Options for Hazardous Waste Management:
•Eliminate or reduce waste quantities
•Reclaim and recycle the waste
•Stabilize the waste
•Incinerate the waste
•Apply modern land disposal methods
•Hazardous waste .vs. Hazardous materials
Toxic Substance Control Act (TOSCA) manages
hazardous materials so that they won’t become
hazardous waste
•Toxic .vs. Hazardous
• Hazardous material/waste must be listed as
such by federal regulations
•Hazardous waste must cause death or serious
illnesses
•Any waste that contains a listed hazardous
waste, regardless of the quantity is hazardous
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Four Primary Characteristic under RCRA
•Ignitability-burns less than 60 C to 140 F
•Reactivity – when mix can explode or form
harmful vapors
•Corrosivity – includes strong alkaline or
acidic substances [ph<2 or ph>12.5] causes
rust in steel
•Toxicity
•Carcinogenic .vs. mutagenic –
Carcinogenic are cancer causing where as
mutagenic causes biological changes in
children or offspring
•Not allowed in even a traceable amount
•TCLP (Toxicity Characteristic Leaching
Procedure ) is used to determine the
mobility of organic and inorganic
compounds
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Additional Type Hazardous Properties
•Infectious or Medical Waste – i.e. human
tissue from surgery, used bandages and
needles, microbiological materials, etc.
•Radioactive – Nuclear power plants have
waste that produce radiation which destroys
living organisms. Decay half life extends its
activity for thousands of years.
Waste Sources
•Generator- Company which generates or
produce hazardous waste.
•Large-Quantity – >2200lb(1000kg)
•Small Quantity –[bet. 220and 2200lb]
•Conditional Exempt Small –Quantity
Generators-[less than 220lb or 100kg]
Note: LQG (90day storage) and SQG (180
day storage) must obtain a EPA Id, Must
handle waste properly before transport, and
keep good records.
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Transportation
•HMTA (Hazardous Materials Transportation Act)
Requires proper labeling and transport of all
hazardous materials and waste.
•TSDF- Treatment, Storage, and Disposal
Facilities are linked together in RCRA legislation.
(This has prevented “midnight dumping”)
•Manifest System – “cradle-to-grave” is a system
of accurately keeping track of source, transporters,
disposal facility, quantities, emergency
response,etc. (text p.379)
Hazardous Waste Treatment Method
•Incineration – Thermal –Chemical process which
causes a molecular change due to extreme high
temperatures and a reduction in volume.
•Exceptions would be heavy metal (it just
vaporizes)
•TCLP test is required for the residual material
after burning, and to insure safety in landfills.
•Equipment includes rotary kiln, fluidized bed
incinerator, multiple-hearth furnace, etc.
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Biological Treatment Process
•Genetically Engineered Bacteria –useful for
breaking down organic waste from the petroleum
industry
•Landfarming or Land treatment – mixing waste in
soils that are non-agriculture but have high levels
of microorganisms and nutrients for bio-
degradation
•Using plants in contaminated water to absorb
contaminants
Physical Treatment Process
•Solidification and Encapsulation by mixing with a
concrete, asphalt, or plastic
•Soil Vitrification Process (melting soils at 1600 to
2900 F)
USTs and Impoundments
•Underground Storage Tanks must comply with the
updated RCRA requirements (1984) or be taken
out of service (text. p.383)
•Surface Impoundments which are used for liquid
hazardous waste must comply with a strict design
for PPLs [pits, ponds, and lagoons] (text p.383)
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Landfills
•Liners- geomembrane or flexible membrane liner
(FML) must have a permeability coefficient less
that 10-6 mm/sec. (see text p.385)
•Landfills must have a double-liner, a cap for a
cover, and a leachate collection system, as well as
a network of monitoring wells to sample
groundwater.
•Underground Injection- For disposal of liquid
hazardous waste into a deep-well (.25 mi from an
underground source of drinking water).
•The well is cased and cemented to protect
drinking water contamination
•The injection pipe has three concentric pipes
•Geological formation must be limestone or
sandstone layers wedged between impervious
layers such as clays or rock.
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Site Remediation (Superfund)
•SARA (Superfund Amendments and
Reauthorization Act) 1986 allocated 8.5 billion
dollars for clean up of the National Priority List
(NPL).
•Critical Path Network diagram involves the
planning and scheduling for a site remediation
project (text pp.389, Fig. 12.13)
Field Sampling Methods
•Non-intrusive methods
• aerial photography
• surface geophysical surveys-Electromagnetics,
ground-penetrating radar, gravity, and seismic
surveys
•surface radiological surveys- gamma walk-over
survey
•Intrusive sampling methods
•Soil-Gas surveying- used for detecting Volatile
Organic Compounds (VOCs)
•Field Screening
• Portable Photoionization detector (PID)
good for contaminant level greater than 1ppm
•Sample Tube method contains ferromagnetic
filaments and and an activated carbon
absorbent which is left 1m in the ground for a
certain time. A mass spectrometer is then
used on the filament to identify organic
compounds.
•Soil Sampling
•grab samples of surface soils
•hand-held augers for less than 5 feet
•SPT or Undisturbed Sampler using a
drill rig for greater than 5 feet
•geoprobe- direct push method
•Groundwater Sampling
•Monitoring wells use bailers to collect
water samples or submersible pumps
Chapter 12
Levels of Protection
Level A –Selected when the highest level of
respiratory, skin, eye, protection is needed.
[Chemically resistance rubber full body suit is
required, with a Self Contained Breathing
Apparatus (SCBA)]

Level B-Selected when the highest level of

respiratory, but not as much skin protection is
needed. [Chemically resistance uniform is
required, with a Self Contained Breathing
Apparatus (SCBA)]

Level C –Selected when the types of airborne

materials is known and its concentration. An air
purifying respiratory is needed.[Dust proof
uniform, normally Tyvec is worn with a respirator]

Level D – Regular work uniform is required where

there is no respiratory, skin, or eye protection
needed. [Coveralls and Steel –Toe Work Boots]
 Holes are identified by yellow paint.

                             
Ground contamination surrounding this tank.
 

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