Hazardous Wastes CE 326 Principles of Environmental Engineering

Hazardous Wastes CE 326 Principles of Environmental Engineering February 9, 2009 Tim Ellis, Ph. D. , P. E.

Announcements l l l Review session Tuesday, February 10 at 7 pm in 1104 Gilman – come with questions! First exam Friday, February 13 th in class Field trip on Wednesday at the Boone County Landfill (optional since using personal vehicles) – sign up if need or can offer a ride

Hazardous Wastes l l Scope of the Hazardous Waste Problem______ per year in U. S. (300 -500 world-wide) Hazardous Wastes Generators: ______ Treatment Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDF): ______ 93% of hazardous wastes managed by: ______ TSDF’s

l l Chemical Products Industry ($125 b annually) contributes _____% of hazardous wastes Number of Chemicals – _______ New Chemicals Manufactured every year: ____ Abandoned Hazardous Wastes Sites: ______

Superfund In 1980 Congress passed the C______ E_______ R______ C______ and L______ A____ CERCLA - Superfund l

Superfund l l $1. 6 b from taxes on c____ o____ & commercial chemicals every state had to compile a list of hazardous waste sites and submit it to EPA l N_______ P_____ L_____ (NPL)

Superfund l EPA prioritized these sites based on the potential hazard from g_____ (SGW), s____ water (SSW), and a___ exposure (SA): where SM is the composite score

Superfund l l l There are ____ sites on the list Only _____ sites have been cleaned up There are 3 unique things about Superfund l l _________ l party can be liable for actions that were previously l______ l p____ r______ p____________ l anyone who buys p_____ contaminated with hazardous wastes can be liable l only way to avoid liability is to make “a_____ _____” prior to purchase

Superfund l ____________ l l liability can be shared between parties or any one party may be liable for entire cleanup “deep pockets” l l EPA only needs to s___ one party that party must sue other parties to recoup c_____

Cl o Cl Cl 2, 3, 7, 8 TCDD dioxin l l l l dibenzo - - dioxin over twenty different i_____ byproduct of h____/p______ manufacture created during incineration of h_____ wastes contaminant in 2, 4 -D, a_____ o____ and others c_______, teratogenic, mutagenic, embryo-toxic in animal studies b_______ in fatty tissue no known link to h_______ e____

Cl 3 -chlorobiphenyl polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) l l l l over 200 isomers different c_____ composition (Araclor 1248) virtually i______ - useful as transformer fluid (in every transformer: 1930 - 1970) toxic effects to e____ workers noted in 1937 environmental contamination realized in 1969 ____ pounds produced prior to 1977 led to T______ S____ C______ A___ of 1976

What makes a waste hazardous? l l l Potentially dangerous to human health or the environment Causes adverse physiological effects Official EPA definition l l On EPA list (it must be discarded to be classified as a waste) or Exhibits certain characteristics

Listed Wastes (Appendix C) l F Wastes l from non-specific sources l e. g. chlorinated solvents § § l Trichloroethylene Methylene chloride K Wastes l from specific sources l e. g. wood preserving wastes (contain creosote and possibly arsenic)

Listed Wastes (Appendix C) l P Wastes l l off spec products and intermediates acuteley toxic l l e. g. toxaphene U Wastes l off spec products and intermediates l l generally toxic DDT

DDT l Organochlorine

The Panama Canal (1905 -1910) l The construction of the Panama Canal was possible only after yellow fever and malaria were controlled. l l These diseases were a major cause of death and disease among workers. In 1906, there were over 26, 000 employees working on the Canal. l 21, 000 were hospitalized for malaria during their work. l By 1912, there were over 50, 000 employees, and the number hospitalized decreased to 5, 600. l They used an integrated program of insect and malaria control.

Biomagnification

Characteristic Wastes l Ignitibility l l l Liquid with < 24% alcohol Has a flash point < 60°C Capable of spontaneous combustion Ignitable compressed gas oxidizer

Characteristic Wastes l Corrosivity l l Aqueous p. H 2 or 12. 5 Corrodes steel at a rate of 6. 35 mm/y at 55°C

Characteristic Wastes l Reactivity l l l Normally unstable Reacts violently with water Forms explosive mixtures with water Generates toxic vapors Cyanide or sulfur containing waste

Characteristic Wastes l Toxicity (EP Toxicity test) l Liquid extract from acid extraction has to meet the required standard l e. g. : § § § 5. 0 mg/L arsenic 0. 5 mg/L benzene 0. 20 mg/L vinyl chloride

EP Toxicity

Cradle to Grave l l RCRA requires a manifest system to track hazardous wastes from its source of generation to ultimate disposal Generator required to maintain records and assume responsibility for the waste along the way

EPA Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest

Hazardous Waste Landill