A Career Prospects of Hazardous Waste Scientist - Term Paper Example

Hazardous Waste Scientist Introduction There needs to a clear understanding of opportunities available in environmental health. While undertaking the course one should carry out a depth analysis on what the specialization offers. The career is marketable both in the private and public filed. The field presents lots of opportunities for graduates. The essay will focus on Hazardous waste scientist as a subdivision of the environmental health science. It will explain what the market has to offer as far as the opportunity is concern. There need to be an understanding of duties that the Hazardous waste scientist is tasked with. The academic qualifications and code of ethics of the scientist will also be discussed emerging trends and challenges facing the Hazardous waste scientist will be dealt with in the review. The challenges that the scientist faces will be addresses in the essay. Emerging trends and their effect on the working environment will be basis of body. Academic qualifications and available opportunities The field entails academic qualifications, to become a Hazardous waste scientist one needs to have enrolled in a course related to environmental health. The unit involves research and other chemical analysis hence one need to have background knowledge in organic and inorganic chemistry. The combination of the health science and chemistry gives an individual the needed academic qualifications needed to becoming a Hazardous waste scientist. The academic knowledge combines well with experiences in providing a qualified individual to work in the environmental health sector. Opportunities available include working in governmental institutions, factories and as an environmental activist. While working for the government one is charged at overseeing activities of individuals and companies and how they manage their waste. In case of a court dispute the scientist provides facts and evidence on the matter at hand. While at the factory he advises the firm on how to dispose its waste and designs a procedure to be followed while releasing affluent to the environment. As activist they watch on those bridging the laws on disposing waste. It is evident how a Hazardous waste scientist is important in any given organization as they act as advisers and gives guideline on environment related matters. They are the ultimate solutions towards different issues. Hazardous waste Hazardous waste includes industrial gases and metals. They include sulfur dioxide, lead, mercury. The scientist identifies these gases as a way of ensuring that they are studied and managed in the most appropriate manner. While designing a landfill, the scientist should ensure harmful gases are reduced. The existence of volatile organic compounds and other metals such as mercury needs to be addresses by the scientist. They are assigned the duty of ensuring that each fume emitted from the site is analyzed to test for their compounds. Other hazardous waste includes oil which may be accidental or channeled to the environment by factories. They are released on land and to the sea. Accidents may occur at sea or n land. Oil spills may occur while transporting oil hence releasing hazardous waste to the sea (Friis, 2012). Other waste originate from demolition and other human activities where. The nature of waste is identified by the scientist to be hazardous hence they develop measures to manage and eliminate these wastes from the environment (Hilgenkamp, 2006) Duties of a Hazardous waste scientist The Hazardous waste scientist is tasked with the duty of ensuring the available waste is managed in various ways and create innovative measures to taken by different players in ensuring their waste are correctly managed. Waste is classified into two controlled waste that emanate from household and industries and non- controlled waste that emerges from mines, quarry and commercial industrial waste other related activities. The Hazardous waste scientist is tasked with differentiating the two while carrying out an analysis. The nature at which the wastes are being released to the environment calls for actions (Hilgenkamp, 2006). Hazardous waste scientist is tasked in studding these trends. The occupation requires an in- depth knowledge about waste and their effect on the environment and the entire ecosystem. The study includes the knowledge of the environment before the introduction of waste and the study after the introduction of the waste. After the study the scientists carries out various test to create a leeway towards amicable solutions. The waste if not harmful is tested and suggestions made on how the waste could be utilized. The scientist study waste and recommend the nature in which the waste should be deposited. Suggestions include recycling, non biodegradable waste such as plastics, metal and glass. The scientist recommends on the re usage of such materials. This avoids the harmful nature in which the materials may posse to the environment. The second suggestion after analyzing the waste may include composting where biodegradable organic waste undergoes a biological process as a means of ensuring the waste becomes useful. The result of composting is the creation of organic fertilizer that eventual becomes useful in farming. The scientist studies the components involved in the process and suggest the compounds to be included and determines the period at which the waste needs to be broken down. Other waste to be analyzed by the scientists is the sewage waste the scientist studies the waste and suggests for a sewage treatment process. At the plant the waste is taken through a biological process and water separated from the hazardous affluent contained in the waste. The scientist suggests the safest ways in which the process is done and develops a plant that is environmental friendly. The health of the locals is considered and safety measures provided to those surrounding the plant to avoid human conflict (Bilitewski et al 1994). The other processes that the scientist deals with include the landfill sites and incineration. Landfills involve depositing waste in a large designed area. The scientist studies the area and regularly check on the site to ensure that waste deposited in the area poses no health threats to the locals. They design the site in order to minimize emissions. The landfills create a best exploration region in which the scientist analyses the nature of waste being deposited in the sites and monitors activities at the site. Incineration is also one of the suggested modes of depositing waste. This entails combustion of waste. The scientist uses this method as last resort. The mode usually is used as a way of generating energy to be used by various companies and homes. It generates electricity (Bilitewski et al 1994). This process of designing the process and laying out procedures to include while extracting energy without harming the environment is assigned to the Hazardous waste scientist. Challenges The specialty contains major challenges; they range from health to those created by the sociality. The continuous exposure to hazardous waste poses a health risk to the scientists. Fumes emitted in landfills include sulfur dioxide, lead and chromium. They directly affect workers at the site which include the hazardous waste scientist, an accident while working at a laboratory may expose the scientist to dangers. The effect includes respiratory related illnesses and cancer. The other challenges faced by the scientist emanates from the society as many individuals tend to ignore warnings and guidelines given by scantiest. This affects their nature of work while at the field investigating a given disaster. The public may tamper with the specimens and a time they may resist attempts to evacuate them while carrying out a study. The other challenge in the field, this includes the management of electronic waste. There remains a challenge as to how technological related waste ought to be deposited. The scientist then is tasked to seek for proper methods to ensure this waste is deposited without affecting the ecosystem. Electronic waste contains, lead and mercury the compounds are known to cause mental and other effects. The rise in electronic waste provides a major challenge to scientist as a proper mode of depositing the waste has not yet been developed. There is also the nature in which individuals fail to dispose off their use electronic gadgets create a self indicated problem. A proper manner of disposing needs to be designed by the scientist as a way of reducing the impact to the environment. Emerging trend Emerging trends in the field includes introduction of technology in the analysis and management of hazardous waste. This has come as a challenge as most scientists are forced to acquire more skills or face the possibility of being forced out of the occupation. The knowledge needed to operate high technological devises makes the occupation to be more challenging as compared to the previous occupant of the positions. One the other hand it has reduced the bulkiness of the scientist while working and created a comfortable working environment. It has reduced the amount of time used while preparing a report. Technology has been positive to the users but has led to the reduction of staff hence creating unemployment (Lenchner, 2011). The initial group of scientist are then reduced and replaced by high tech devises. The new trend has reduced the rate of eras and improved on accuracy. These technologies are essential as they have reduced the way the scientist contact with these hazardous wastes. The acceptance levels of technology has been high hence the increased efficiency. Organizational structure The hazardous waste scientist is integrated and has a defined organization structure. Under his department there exist large teams that assist him with duties involving research. The team is organized under a team leader who is the chief scientist; he is deputized by a member. The team them comprises of laboratory technicians, a team of field researchers among others. The researchers study the trend in society and alerts when a danger of occurs. The report is forwarded to the department and a recommendation done depending on the nature. To ascertain the claims a lab test is carried out and people tasked are the laboratory technician who under the supervision of the senior scientist prepare a report and hence a course of action taken. In an overall management structure the hazardous waste scientist included in the structure. The scientist is answerable to the administrator. A report from his team is presented to the administration by him. A protocol is followed in that the scientist seeks guidance from the administration before undertaking any action. His duties are advisory in nature thus depends on the administration in order to perform a given task. The levels of communication are defined in that the scientist represents his team. Upon a report a team consisting of the administration studies it and provides their opinion. The same is relay down the chain to the hazardous waste scientist who relays the same to his team. The administration is supreme and they are the final decision makers. Traits of a good Hazardous waste scientist The scientist has to have passion and should be focused and be honest while working. Passion refers to the love and determination while performing duties. This will eventually increase the accuracy and ensure high work quality while presenting designed work. Focused is needed while carrying out research a clear goal should be set by the scientist and it should be used as a benchmark to gauge the levels of work done and indicate the amount of work left and a period given in which the task should be completed. Honesty while at work will ensure the scientist accept defeat and admit when certain matters are not s planed. By being honest one gets an opportunity to correct on their misfortunes and improve on their strength (Vasu et al, 1989). In addition the scientist should be engaging, posses leadership skills be aware of consequences and have a shared vision. The scientist should include a second party opinion to enhance the outcome. A single opinion tends to reduce the reliability of given evidence. A team player will ensure that the team works as a unit and have a shared vision. Leadership skills include the ability to mobilize, control and guide a team towards a given objective (Vasu et al, 1989). He should have the knowledge to indentify when to award and when to punish. The scientist should have an independent mind to guide his decision and a third part opinion should not influence his credibility. With the leadership skills at hand the scientist needs focus on service delivery and mending loophole within the field. Social responsibilities Besides their work as researchers and analyst, the scientist has social responsibilities. They are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring the society is safe. They work in accordance with what the immediate society expects. They ensure that their work is ethical and perform their duties without interfering with the locals’ culture or beliefs. The code of ethics requires that each scientist should be responsible and should have a sense respect towards the locals and the ecosystem. If a procure seams to affect the locals then alternatives are provides for or compensation made depending on the nature of the research and procedure. The scientist should also be sensible in the manner in which the report a certain matter. F at all the report could affect the locals either physically or emotionally then they ought to abandon it. A times personal interests may conflict with the scientist’s profession and a course of action delayed, at this situation the scientist should choose the public interests rather than personal interest the scientist should be guided by principles that enables them differentiate their professional from personal matters. They should not discriminate individuals based on gender, race or culture rather they should perform their duties based on ethics. While at the work station there need to be a mutual respect between the juniors and the scientist. There also needs to be clear means of communication. There is need to ensure unity among the workmates. This will ensure work is done according to planned schedule to ensure that the clients get satisfied. Conclusion While choosing a career one needs to address the benefits that the desired career holds. The nature of the job and benefits that the career has to offer should be given priority. The Hazardous waste scientist needs to posses distinctive features that allows him to think beyond the ordinary. The occupation is involving and requires commitment. There need to sacrifices made to ensure one achieves the set goals of becoming a Hazardous waste scientist. Environmental health is wide and Hazardous waste scientist is just but a division in the field. Discipline is what is requiring for people venturing into the field. It is evident how the career offers plenty of opportunities and creates a marketable individual ready to venture into the job market without. The most important fact of the job title is the manner in which it gets integrated into any institution. The Hazardous waste scientist is tasked with ensuring the safety of both the public and the entire ecosystem. Challenges faced by those in the field are used as a learning experience. The job also requires that total commitment and determination, flexibility of a scientist is what determines his efficiency. They need to study the environment and act on emerging issues before they escalate into bigger problems. The society is dependent on the scientist and the safety of the society depends majorly on these scientists. References Bilitewski , B., Hardtle, G., Marek, K., Weissbach, A., & Boeddicker. H. (1994). Waste management. Berlin: Springer. Friis, R. (2012). Essentials of Environmental Health. New York: Jones & Bartlett Publishers Hilgenkamp, K. (2006).Environmental Health: Ecological Perspectives. New York: Jones & Bartlett Publishers Lenchner, M. (2011, May 4).Waste management - growth opportunities and emerging sectors. Retrieved from < http://www.examiner.com/article/waste-management-growth-opportunities-and-emerging-sectors> Vasu,L., Stewart , D., G.& Garson, D.(1998). Organizational Behavior and Public Management. Washington D.C.: CRC Press. Read More