Report on Management of Hazardous Waste

Hazardous Waste
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK...............................................................................................................................................1
Definition....................................................................................................................................1
Sources of hazardous wastes.......................................................................................................2
Classification of hazardous wastes..............................................................................................4
Impacts of hazardous wastes.......................................................................................................6
Hazardous waste management processes....................................................................................8
Research paper..........................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Hazardous Waste Management can be simply defined as the aggregation, handling and
disposal of waste materials (Blackman, 2016). If it is not handled properly, can cause substantive
harm to the health and safety of humans and to environment . These wastes are present in the
form of solid, liquids, gases and sludge. They are created mainly by different activities of
industries such as chemical production, manufacturing and various other activities. They would
cause harm during inadequate storage, management, transportation or disposal operations. The
present report is based on the management of hazardous waste. In this project, definitions,
generation, sources and classification of hazardous waste are explained.
TASK
Definition
According to Kiddee, Naidu and Wong (2013), definition of hazardous waste management vary
from one nation to another as all of them uses different methods for managing wastes. In
general , it is a methodology that is used to manage the harmful or dangerous wastes present in
the surroundings. Those wastes are collection of wastes that are posing a potential hazard to
human beings or other living organism or environment as they are non- degradable in nature.
They includes organic and in organic elements that causes various issues due to their
toxicological, carcinogenic, physical and chemical properties. On the other hand, Hossain and et.
al. (2011) states that hazardous wastes are quite dangerous and causes infection, cancer, birth
defects, harm to ecosystem, explosion or fire and many more things. So, it is very important to
do proper management of wastes. Brown, Milke and Seville (2011) say that anything that has
been thrown and twisted away and can still strongly causes harm to the environment and those
who dwell in them are thought as hazardous waste. On the other hand, Lu, Chang and Liao
(2013) stated that these could be anything from chemical products and matters left over from
manufacturing or fabrication to household garbage like cleaning solutions, non-disposable
plastics and batteries or dry cells. In United States, the management, storage and disposal of such
hazardous wastes are regulated or organized under the RCRA (Resource Conservation Recovery
Act ). Hazardous wastes are described under RCRA in 40 CFR 261 where they are segmented
into two main categories namely characteristic wastes and listed wastes. The United Nations
Environmental Programme (UNEP) calculated that more than 400 millions tons of hazardous
1

wastes are generated globally every year. Large number or quantities of these materials are
created by industrialized nations.
Sources of hazardous wastes
As per the view point of Moreira and Günther (2013), the term hazardous waste frequently
involves by- products of commercial, domestic, industrial and health care activities. The
industrial technologies, their process of manufacturing products are increasing at very fast rate.
This increases generation of hazardous wastes. Large quantity of wastes are generated in the
creation of products for consumption or furthermore industrial applications. On the contrary,
sources of hazardous wastes involves research laboratories, corporations, mineral processing
sites, institutional formation, mining sites and the agricultural facilities. Some of the major
sources of generation of hazardous wastes are discussed below:
Agricultural land and agro-industry : According to Tsydenova and Bengtsson (2011),
large quantity of waste products are generated by the agricultural land and agro-industries. They
are exposing human and animals to dangerous pesticides, veterinary wastes of products and
fertilisers. Farms are the primary sources of such waste material and agricultural chemicals are
leaching into the surroundings while in storage or are causing harm after their applications.
Where as Blackman (2016) says that pesticides, fertilisers and chemicals have to be used by the
farmers in order to grow crop. So, this cannot be stopped. But various techniques can be used for
the proper management of those things.
Domestic : Massarutto, de Carli and Graffi (2011) say that house hold stocks different
hazardous materials such as paint thinners, mosquito repellents, batteries, paints, furniture
polishes, fuels like kerosene, petrol, rat poisons, etc. Variety of dangers are present at the time of
their storage, use and disposal. On the other hand, Barbieri and et. al. (2013) stated that domestic
waste product can be handled easily by adults but should be keep in out of reach from children as
consumption of those can cause severe issues regarding health .
Mines and mineral processing sites : Assamoi and Lawryshyn (2012) say that at the
sites of mining and mineral processing, lots of wastes are produced. This causes different
diseases regarding heart, respiration, kidney, etc. So, preventive steps should be taken in order to
cope with those wastes.
Health care facilities : According to Ichinose and Yamamoto (2011), pathological
wastes, contaminated needles and human blood are generated by the health care facilities.
2