Hazardous Waste - Assignment Example

Hazardous waste Introduction Environmental concerns are continuously increasing in the global scale, whereas people from all over the world become more conscious about the environment in which they live, the air they breathe, the water they drink, about the wastes polluting the land, and especially about the climate change (Williams 1993). In addition to the public concerns, there are many organizations that have been formed in order to protect both the environment and people from the effects of pollution. Thus, for example, in December 1970 was formed the new Environmental Protection Agency (Williams 1993). The United States Environmental Protection Agency is the governmental organization acting with a purpose to ensure: that all Americans are protected from significant risks to their health and environment where they work, live, or learn and that the federal laws protecting the environment and human health are effectively and fairly enforced (EPA, n.d.). The purpose of this research is to provide an overview of US-EPA’s definition of the hazardous waste, the types of hazardous wastes and solid waste. As well the paper is aiming to analyze critically whether there are any discrepancies in the regulations and what effects on human health and environment have hazardous wastes. Hazardous Wastes and its Types US Environmental Protection Agency defines hazardous waste as a waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment (EPA, n.d., n.p.). To this category of wastes can be included sludges, liquids, gases, and solids. There are two ways of identifying solid wastes as hazardous based on the EPA’s regulations. The first way is to check whether it is included on a EPA’s list of wastes, and the second way is to identify whether the waste exhibits certain hazardous characteristics (EPA, n.d.). EPA has formed a list of hazardous wastes which is comprised of four different classifications: the F-list, K-list, P-list, and U-list. The F-list of hazardous waste includes the wastes identified as “non-specific source wastes” – wastes from common industrial and manufacturing activities. These hazardous wastes can be produced in different sectors of industry or manufacturing processes and that is why their sources are not specified under the F-list category (EPA 2008, 5). On the contrary to the F-list, the K-list of hazardous waste include particular solid wastes coming from specific industries (EPA 2008). The P-list as well as the U-list includes the wastes from commercial chemical products. Commercial chemical products have the generic names, container residues, spill residues, and off-specification species. However, the P-list and U-list are differentiated from each other by its effect: P-list includes acute hazardous wastes, while U-list includes toxic wastes (EPA 2008). In addition to the EPA’s listed wastes, there are identified some other types of hazardous wastes, including: characteristic wastes, universal wastes, and mixed wastes. Characteristic wastes are the wastes that exhibit corrosivity, toxicity, ignitability, or reactivity. While these wastes do not meet EPA’s listing criteria, it is defined by the EPA’s Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR). Universal wastes are the wastes of batteries, equipment containing mercury, pesticides, and lamps. Mixed wastes are the wastes that contain not only hazardous but also radioactive waste components (EPA, n.d.). Discrepancies in the Regulations No discrepancies in the EPA’s regulation have been discovered during research. While some discrepancies have been publicly presented few decades ago, no criticisms have been found on public sources. However, further analysis is required for this research issue. Solid Waste and its Disposal The Code of Federal Regulations provides a clear and efficient definition of the solid waste describing it as “any discarded material that was abandoned, or recycled, or considered inherently waste-like, or a military munition identified as a solid waste” (Code of Federal Regulations 2012). In other words, solid wastes include solid or semisolid materials, which are hazardous, unwanted, or useless (Huang 2009). Solid wastes can be classified as: rubbish (non-decomposable wastes; non-combustibles such as glass, metal, ceramics; and combustibles such as wood, cloth, or paper); garbage (decomposable food wastes); dead animals; ashes; industrial, mining, and agricultural wastes; sewage-treatment solids (Huang 2009). There are several disposal methods of solid wastes, including: landfill, incineration, and composting. Disposal of solid wastes on land accounts for more than 90 percent of the U.S nation’s municipal refuse being the most common method of solid waste disposal in the U. S. (Huang 2009). Popularity of sanitary landfill as a solid disposal method can be contributed to the fact that it is the cheapest way of disposal. By this way of disposal, refuse is spread on the landfill in thin layers, whereas each layer is tread by a bulldozer. When about 10 ft of refuse is laid down, the landfill area is covered by a thin layer of clean earth, and it is once again tread by a bulldozer. Incineration is less popular method of solid waste disposal as it accounts for less than 10% of the U.S. nation’s municipal refuse. This method implies burning of refuse on moving grates in refractory-lined chambers, whereas the remains of solids and combustible gases are burned in secondary chambers (Huang 2009). Combustible materials are combusted for 85-90 percent in result of incineration. The third and the least popular method of solid waste disposal is composting, where refuse is presorted, prepared, deposited in mechanical systems or placed in long piles on the ground, and degraded by aerobic microorganisms to a humus (Huang 2009). After approximately 20 days, the disposed product is ready for further processing: blending with additives, curing, bagging, and marketing (Huang 2009). Correlation between adverse human health effects and exposure to hazardous environment Exposure to hazardous environment can have adverse effects on human health. Exposure to hazardous environment can have acute or chronic effect on the human health. In case of chronic exposure to certain environment, chronic health effects are more common. These can included injuries or illnesses that develop through certain time period (for example, cancer, slowed development, liver failure, etc.) (Epa.gov., n.d.). Heart diseases, lung cancer or other lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis are some of the adverse effects on human health that can be caused by general airborne pollution (Agius 2007). This type of pollution is generated by the products of combustion, such as power station. Combustion of fossil fuels generates carbon dioxide which in low concentrations does not affect human health directly but contributes to the global warming generating green house gas (Agius 2007). While in this case there is no direct correlation, mortality rates can be increased in result of increasing extremes of temperature caused by climatic change (Agius 2007). Sun radiation, decay of nature, and many other factors also may negatively impact negatively on the human health causing various diseases, slow development, and health injuries. Conclusion The research has provided an overview of hazardous wastes, its types and EPA’s classification. Also there were reviewed solid wastes and the ways of its disposal, including: landfill, incineration, and composting. As it has been discussed further there is a high correlation between adverse human effects and exposure to hazardous environment. People tend to suffer from chronic illnesses and injuries to which contributes the environment where they live or spend time. While not directly, it relates to the global warming effect and its impact on the human health. References: Agius, R. (2007). What effects can the Environment have on Health?. [online] Agius.com. Available at: http://www.agius.com/hew/resource/introeh.htm [Accessed 10 Jul. 2014]. Code of Federal Regulations,(2012). Definition of solid waste. [online] Available at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2012-title40-vol27/xml/CFR-2012-title40-vol27-sec261-2.xml [Accessed 10 Jul. 2014]. EPA,. (2008). Hazardous Waste Listings (1st ed.). Available at http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/wastetypes/pdfs/listing-ref.pdf EPA (n.d.). Our Mission and What We Do | About EPA | US EPA. [online] Available at: http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa/our-mission-and-what-we-do [Accessed 10 Jul. 2014]. EPA (n.d.). Hazardous Waste | Wastes | US EPA. [online] Available at: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/ [Accessed 10 Jul. 2014]. Epa.gov, (n.d.). Superfund for Students and Teachers | Superfund | US EPA. [online] Available at: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/students/clas_act/haz-ed/ff_01.htm [Accessed 10 Jul. 2014]. Huang C. (2009). Solid Waste Disposal, Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 July 2014. Williams, D. (1993). The Guardian: EPAs Formative Years, 1970-1973 | About EPA | US EPA. [online] Www2.epa.gov. Available at: http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa/guardian-epas-formative-years-1970-1973 [Accessed 10 Jul. 2014]. Read More