The Disposal of Hazardous Waste

5.
The Disposal of Hazardous Waste

The options available for the disposal of hazardous waste are:

1. Landfill
Hazardous waste may only be disposed of at a landfill designed specifically for the disposal of hazardous waste and legally permitted by the Department, in terms of the Environment Conservation Act. Hazardous waste landfills are classified as either H:H, which can accept all hazardous waste that can be landfilled, or H:h which can only accept hazard rating 3 and 4 waste, and general waste. Hazard rating 1 and 2, which are highly toxic in nature, may only be disposed of in a permitted H:H site.

The total loads per hectare of disposal cannot be exceeded, irrespective of whether the site is designed as a H:H or H:h site. Co-disposal of general waste with hazardous waste at landfills are often carried out to absorb, dilute and neutralise any liquids and to provide a source of biodegradable materials in order to encourage microbial activity that will assist in the degradation of hazardous substances. The ratio of hazardous waste to general waste needs to be determined as per formulae in
the Minimum Requirements.

Landfill disposal restrictions include certain solvents (due to its effects on liners, etc), flammable waste, corrosive waste and reactive wastes. Explosive wastes, waste compressed gases and radioactive waste are prohibited for disposal by landfill.

2. Incineration
Incineration is the preferred means of disposal for most organic and selected inorganic hazardous wastes. This process involves the controlled combustion of waste materials to reduce these to a non-combustible residue or ash and exhaust gases, ie carbon dioxide and water. The need for considerable atmospheric pollution control equipment, the sophistication of the equipment required for the safe handling and analysis of highly toxic materials, and the need for highly trained staff all contribute to the high cost of incineration. Waste typically incinerated includes infectious waste and medical waste.

Other aspects included in this volume are waste handling, storage and transportation, hazardous waste classification tables, toxicity characteristic and acid rain leaching procedures, hazardous waste treatment technologies and determining the hazard rating.

Volume 3 of the series is entitled “ Minimum Requirements for Water Monitoring at Waste Management Facilities”. This volume deals with borehole types and data, casing, screens and filters, monitoring networks, water sampling, sampling frequency, analytical variables and reporting to the Department.

POLLUTION NEWS
http://pollutionnews.blogspot.com/
Sumber:
Core Notes for Module 6 (Elective) of the Course
“Environmental Engineering – Sustainable Development in Coastal Areas”
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)
Cape Town, South Africa
2006
Available to Distance Learners on www.dlist-benguela.org