Hazardous Waste

Selected Environmental Legislation

1899 Rivers and Harbors Act

• Prohibited the disposal of solid objects into navigable waters, prohibited interference with interstate navigation

1954 Atomic Energy Act

• Required public participation in siting of nuclear energy facilities, broader powers for the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)

1965 Solid Waste Disposal Act

• Established guidelines, to a limited extent, for the disposal of solid waste.

• Did not address hazardous waste

1970 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

• Required an environmental impact statement (EIS) for all federal government related projects

1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

• Control of toxic chemicals produced and distributed in the nation.

• Does not regulate hazardous or toxic wastes

1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

• First significant controls on hazardous waste management. Regulates the generation, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of hazardous wastes

1980 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liabilities Act (CERCLA or Superfund)

• Intended to supply funding and mechanism for cleanup of uncontrolled hazardous waste disposal sites. Provides for emergency (limited scope) cleanup, long-term (through) cleanup, and a mechanism for obtaining reimbursement from disposers.

1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA)

• Amended RCRA to tighten land disposal regulations, added underground storage tank requirements, new requirements for small quantity generators of hazardous waste

1986 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)

• Amended CERCLA to increase funding and require more stringent cleanup standards, $8.5 billion dollars

• Altered the funding method to include both a petrochemical tax and general revenue funding

Hazardous Waste Sources

• Petrochemical industry

• Chemical industry

• Manufacturing industry

Properties

Generation Rates

• From EPA data

  17,677 large quantity generators -- over 1000 Kg/month

  These generated about 238 million tons of HW in 1987

  5 largest generators contributed >57% of the HW

  50 largest generators contributed >90% of the HW

  The nation's HW is managed at 3300 treatment, storage, and disposal facilities

Recycling And Waste Minimization

DISPOSAL

• Secured Hazardous Waste Landfills

• Monitored Hazardous Waste Incinerators

Remediation -- Cleaning Up Past Mistakes

• There are two levels of cleanup under CERCLA

  Emergency response

  • A short term cleanup to prevent imminent danger to human health and the environment

  Remedial action

  • Long term cleanup to return the site to the environment

• Types of subsurface contamination

  Heavy non-aqueous liquids, often called dense non-aqueous phase liquids or DNAPLs

  These are organic compounds that are heavier than water and do not mix with the water

  They move downward through the soil and the aquifer only stopping when they reach a layer they cannot penetrate

  Chlorinated organic solvents such as those used for dry cleaning or industrial cleaning are examples

  See figure below

• Light non-aqueous liquids, often called light non-aqueous phase liquids or LNAPLs

  These are organic compounds that are lighter than water and do not mix with the water

  They move downward through the soil to the aquifer

  They pool on the top of the aquifer

  Fuels such as gasoline or diesel fuel are examples

  See figure below

• Aqueous phase liquids which mix with the groundwater

  These are organic or inorganic compounds that will dissolve into water or are mixed with water

  They move downward through the soil to the aquifer

  Once in contact with the aquifer they move into and then with the groundwater

  Some soluble pesticides, other soluble compounds are examples

  See below

• Site containment

  To prevent any further contamination

  • Remove contaminants to secure hazardous waste landfill

  • Place a cover (cap) over the site to prevent water entry and install drainage trenches to prevent contamination from moving off site

  • Install a slurry wall to prevent chemical migration

• Correcting subsurface contamination

  Pump and treat

  • Pump the contaminated water to the surface and remove contamination

• Vacuum extraction

Use vacuum wells to remove volatile chemicals from the subsurface

• Example: Groundwater cleanup at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal

• Contamination was discovered in the well water of homes several miles north of the site

• A slurry wall was placed just inside the boundary of the facility

• Contaminated water was pumped to a treatment facility which removed the contaminants

• The water was then discharged back into the groundwater and later to a nearby stream

• Example: DuPont's Chambers Works, Tidewater, New Jersey

  A major manufacturing facility

  Hazardous wastes are either incinerated or placed in a secure hazardous waste landfill. Their contaminated process water is sent to a wastewater treatment facility and then discharged

  Hazardous sludges from wastewater treatment are incinerated at a hazardous waste incinerator

  The ash from the incinerator is placed in a hazardous waste landfill

  Any liquids generated at the hazardous waste landfill are returned to the wastewater treatment facility

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