HAZARDOUS WASTE

HAZARDOUS WASTE Definition of Hazardous Waste The term “hazardous waste” means a solid waste, or combination of solid wastes, which because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical or infectious characteristics may – cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible, or incapacitating reversible illness; or pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of, or otherwise managed

generic characteristics of hazardous waste Corrosivity Aqueous with 2.0 ≥ pH ≥ 12.5 Liquid and corrodes steel at a rate of 6.35 mm or more per year as determined by a test from the National Association of Corrosion Engineers Solids are not considered corrosive

Instability and readiness to undergo violent change Reactivity Instability and readiness to undergo violent change Violent reactions when mixed with water Formation of potentially explosive mixtures when mixed with water Generation of toxic fumes in quantities sufficient to present a danger to human health or the environment when mixed with water

Toxicity Toxicity is a measure of the degree to which something is toxic or poisonous. Waste is subjected to Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) involving extraction at pH 5 or 3 (basic solids) Waste is considered a hazardous waste if any of the drinking water maximum contaminant levels (MCL) are exceeded in the extract

incinerators Incinerators reduce the solid mass of the original waste by 80–85% and the volume (already compressed somewhat in garbage trucks) by 95-96 %, depending on composition and degree of recovery of materials such as metals from the ash for recycling. This means that while incineration does not completely replace landfilling, it significantly reduces the necessary volume for disposal. Garbage trucks often reduce the volume of waste in a built-in compressor before delivery to the incinerator.

incinerators Alternatively, at landfills, the volume of the uncompressed garbage can be reduced by approximately 70% by using a stationary steel compressor, albeit with a significant energy cost. In many countries, simpler waste compaction is a common practice for compaction at landfills.

incinerators Incineration has particularly strong benefits for the treatment of certain waste types in niche areas such as clinical wastes and certain hazardous wastes where pathogens and toxins can be destroyed by high temperatures. Examples include chemical multi-product plants with diverse toxic or very toxic wastewater streams, which cannot be routed to a conventional wastewater treatment plant.

incinerators Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials. Incineration and other high temperature waste treatment systems are described as "thermal treatment". Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas, and heat. The ash is mostly formed by the inorganic constituents of the waste, and may take the form of solid lumps or particulates carried by the flue gas. The flue gases must be cleaned of gaseous and particulate pollutants before they are dispersed into the atmosphere. In some cases, the heat generated by incineration can be used to generate electric power.

The overall recycling efficiency. Component Disposal Waste Composition, % by weight Recycle Efficiency, % by weight Specific Weight kg/m3 Misc. Organics 18 22 166 Mixed Paper 31 33 86 Glass 52 196 Plastics 13 14 65 Metal 10 320 Miscellaneous 100 Sum 100.0 The overall recycling efficiency. The composition of the generated and recycled wastes The volumetric reduction (%) in disposed wastes due to recycling assume the total wastes component are 820 Kg.