1. Toxicology, Solid and Hazardous Waste Treatment
Brian Kaestner
Saint Mary’s Hall
Thanks to Miller and Clements

2. Dose (hypothetical units) Number of individuals affected
Toxicology
DDT in fish-eating
birds (ospreys)
25 ppm
DDT in large
fish (needle fish)
2 ppm
DDT in small
fish (minnows)
0.5 ppm
DDT in
zooplankton
0.04 ppm
Toxicity
Dosage
Bioaccumulation
DDT in water
ppm,
Or 3 ppm
Biomagnification
Very
Sensitive
Majority
of population 20 40 60 80
Dose (hypothetical units)
Number of individuals affected
Synergism
Acute effect
Chronic effect

3. Poisons
100 75 50 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Percentage of population killed by a given dose
Dose (hypothetical units) LD
Poison
LD50 25

4. Chemical Hazards Hazardous chemicals Mutagens Teratogens Carcinogens
Neurotoxins
Precautionary principle

5. Wasting Resources Industrial and agricultural waste
Municipal solid waste
Burned in
incinerators
(16%)
Dumped in
landfills
(54%)
Recycled or
composted
(30%)
US: 1,600 lb/person
Mining and oil
and gas
production
75%
Industry
9.5%
Agriculture
13%
Sewage sludge 1%
Municipal
1.5%

6. Hazardous Wastes Contains one or more of 39 identified compounds
Catches fire easily
Reactive or explosive
Corrodes metal containers

7. Producing Less Waste and Pollution
Waste management (high waste approach)
Burying, burning, shipping
Waste prevention (low waste approach)
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Chemical or biological treatment
Burial

8. Dealing with Materials Use and Wastes
1st Priority
2nd Priority
Last Priority
Primary Pollution
and Waste Prevention
• Change industrial
process to eliminate
use of harmful
chemicals
• Purchase different
products
• Use less of a harmful
product
• Reduce packaging and
materials in products
• Make products that
last longer and are
recyclable, reusable or
easy to repair
Secondary Pollution
• Reduce products
• Repair products
• Recycle
• Compost
• Buy reusable and
recyclable products
Waste Management
• Treat waste to reduce
toxicity
• Incinerate waste
• Bury waste in
landfill
• Release waste into
environment for
dispersal or dilution
Fig. 21.4, p. 521

9. Hazardous Waste Regulation in the United States
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
Superfund
National Priority List
Polluter-pays principle

10. Dealing with Hazardous Wastes
Produce Less Waste
Convert to Less Hazardous or Nonhazardous Substances
Put in Perpetual Storage
Manipulate
processes
to eliminate
or reduce
production
Recycle
and
reuse
Land
treatment
Incineration
Thermal
Chemical
physical, and
biological
Ocean and
atmospheric
assimilation
Landfill
Underground
injection
Waste
piles
Surface
impoundments
Salt
formations
Arid region
unsaturated
zone

11. Above Ground Hazardous Waste Disposal
transporter
Hazardous waste
Support
column
Inspector
Elevator shaft

13. Deep-well Disposal Advantages Safe method if sites are chosen
carefully
Wastes can be
retrieved if
problems
develop
Low cost
Disadvantages
Leaks or spills at
surface
Leaks from
corrosion of well
casing
Existing fractures
or earth quakes
can allow wastes
to escape into
groundwater
Encourages
waste production

14. Municipal Waste

15. Sanitary Landfill Compacted solid waste Topsoil Sand Clay Garbage
Synthetic liner
Subsoil
When landfill is full,
layers of soil and clay
seal in trash
Methane storage
and compressor
building
Electricity
generator
Leachate
treatment system
Methane gas
recovery
Pipe collect explosive
methane gas used as fuel
to generate electricity
Compacted
solid waste
storage tanks
monitoring
well
Groundwater
Leachate pipes
Leachate pumped up
to storage tanks for
safe disposal
Clay and plastic lining
to prevent leaks; pipes
collect leachate from
bottom of landfill

16. Advantages Disadvantages
No open burning
Little odor
Low groundwater
pollution if sited
properly
Can be built
quickly
Low operating
costs
Can handle large
amounts of waste
Filled land can
be used for other
purposes
No shortage of
landfill space in
many areas
Noise and traffic
Dust
Air pollution from
toxic gases and
volatile organic
compounds
release
greenhouse
gases (methane
and CO2)
Groundwater
contamination
Slow
decomposition
of wastes
Encourages
waste production
Eventually leaks
and can
contaminate
groundwater

17. Power plant Steam Smokestack Electricity Turbine Generator Crane Wet
scrubber
Boiler
Electrostatic
precipitator
Furnace
Conveyor
Dirty
water
Water
Bottom
ash
Fly
ash
Waste pit
Conven-
tional
landfill
Hazardous
Waste
landfill
Waste
treatment

18. Mass burn incineration
Burning Wastes
Mass burn incineration
Advantages
Reduced trash
volume
Less need for
landfills
Low water
pollution
Disadvantages
High cost
Air pollution
(especially
toxic dioxins)
Produces a
highly toxic ash
Encourages
waste production
Air pollution
Waste to energy

19. Reuse Extends resource supplies Reduces energy use
Reusable shipping containers and grocery bags

20. Recycling Primary (closed-loop) Post consumer waste
Aluminum can, used once
Steel can used once
Recycled steel can
Glass drink bottle
used once
Recycled aluminum can
Recycled glass drink bottle
Refillable drink bottle, used 10 times 8 16 24 32
Energy (thousands of kilocalories)
Primary (closed-loop)
Post consumer waste

21. Characteristics of Recyclable Materials
Easily isolated from other waste
Available in large quantities
Valuable

22. Benefits of Recycling Reduces global warming Reduces acid deposition
Reduces urban
air pollution
Make fuel
supplies
last longer
Reduces
Saves
energy
energy demand
water pollution
Recycling
Reduces solid
waste disposal
mineral
demand
Protects
species
habitat
destruction
Fig. 21.7, p. 530

23. Recycling in the US Centralized recycling of mixed waste (MRFs)
Separated recycling
Economic benefits
Increasing recycling in the US

24. Case Studies: Recycling Aluminum, Wastepaper, and Plastics
40% of aluminum recycled in US
Recycled aluminum uses over 90% fewer resources
Paper: preconsumer vs. postconsumer recycling
10% or less of plastic recycled in US

25. Solutions: Achieving a Low-Waste Society
Local grassroots action
International ban on 12 persistent organic pollutants (the dirty dozen)
Cleaner production