Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIgure 23.7
Workers.must.be.fully.protected.when.dealing.with.hazardous.waste.
the.pollution.and.potential.health.effects.these.procedures.cause,.these.procedures.
have.become.unacceptable.
Today,.hazardous.waste.must.be.collected,.placed.in.containers,.and.transported.to.
a.storage.or.treatment.facility.for.proper.disposal..Individuals.who.must.remove.and.
work.with.hazardous.waste.must.be.trained.in.accordance.with.the.Hazardous.Waste.
Operation.and.Emergency.Response.(29.CFR.1910.120).regulation.(see.Figure 23.7)..
This.regulation.addresses.the.requirements.and.procedures.for.the.remediation.of.a.
hazardous.waste.site.that.ensures.both.protection.of.the.public.and.the.workforce..
Approximately.140.chemicals.have.been.identiied.as.the.most.common.chemicals.
found. on. hazardous. waste. sites. by. the. Agency. for. Toxic. Substances. and. Disease.
Registry.(ATSDR).
A. special. U.S.. Department. of. Transportation. Hazardous. Waste. Manifest. is.
needed.to.transport.these.hazardous.chemicals.across.the.nation's.highways..Drivers.
of.such.vehicles.must.possess.a.Commercial.Drivers.License.(CDL).and.be.trained.
in.the.safe.transport.of.hazardous.waste.
Once.the.hazardous.waste.arrives.at.a.disposal.facility,.it.may.be.stored,.buried,.or.
incinerated..How.it.will.be.disposed.of.depends.on.the.degree.of.hazard.presented.by.
the.waste..Hazardous.materials.such.as.polychlorinate.biphenyls.(PCBs).are..usually.
incinerated.. The. PCBs. must. be. destroyed. to. a. level. of. six. 9s. or. 99.9999 percent.
burned. to. ensure. that. little. or. no. toxic. residue. survives.. Other. materials. such. as.
asbestos,.which.is.a.regulated.waste,.can.be.buried.because.it.is.very.unlikely.due.to.
it.stability.to.get.into.groundwater.and.spread.
The.United.States.is.a.chemical-using.country,.and.much.has.been.done.to.mini-
mize.the.amount.of.chemicals.being.used..However,.it.is.not.feasible.to.do.away.with.
all.the.chemicals.that.are.needed.in.our.industrial.environment..Thus,.it.is.neces-
sary. to. ensure. that. proper. procedures. are. in. place. to. handle. hazardous. waste. and.
prevent.further.contamination,.illnesses.of.the.public.and.workers.due.to.exposure,.
