Hazardous Materials HAZMATs

1
Hazardous MaterialsHAZMATs

• Chemicals That Present Hazard or Risk
• Ignitability catch fire readily gasoline
• Corrosivity may corrode storage tanks (e.g.
  acids)
• Reactivity unstable and may explode or create
  toxic fumes when mixed with water explosives,
  concentrated sulfuric acid
• Toxicity injurious to health pesticides,
  chlorine

2
Toxics Release Inventory

• Emergency planning and community right-to-know
  act (EPCRA) 1986
• Industries must report locations and quantities
  of toxic chemicals stored on site and releases of
  toxic chemicals
• Inventory results from 1996
• 722,000 tons of toxic chemicals released to the
  air
• 86,500 tons of toxic chemicals released to the
  water
• 11,702,500 tons of hazardous wastes resulting
  from production of goods
• 1,066,000 tons of toxic chemicals released to the
  environment
• 1,600,000 tons of toxic chemicals from household
  hazardous wastes

3
Product Life Cycle
4
Fate of Toxins

• Many are broken down by natural processes
• Two types persist in the environment
• Heavy metals
• Synthetic organics

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Heavy Metals

• Lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, tin, chromium,
  zinc, copper.
• Used in metal-working, paint, and pesticides,
  among other products
• Soluble in water and readily absorbed by body.
• Interfere with enzyme function.
• Example mental retardation from lead poisoning.

6
Synthetic Organics

• Chemical basis for plastics, synthetic fibers and
  rubber, solvents, and pesticides.
• Resistant to biodegradation.
• Major health effects carcinogenic and mutagenic.
  
• Halogenated hydrocarbons

7
Toxic Chemical Waste Problems

• Cleaning up old wastes
• Managing new wastes
• Avoiding future wastes

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Deep-well Injection
9
Surface Impoundments
10
Landfills
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How Super Is The Superfund?

• Advanced cleanup technology
• Incineration to burn off contaminants in soil
• Cleaning soil with detergent
• Bioremediation
• Phytoremediation
• Brownfields
• Costly and slow

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Major Hazardous Waste Laws