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Questions and Answers
What defines hazardous waste according to the HPC?
What was one of the main triggers for the adoption of the Basel Convention?
What does the acronym NIMBY stand for in the context of hazardous waste management?
When did the Basel Convention enter into force?
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What was a significant consequence of the Khian Sea waste disposal incident?
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What was the cargo of the ship involved in the Khian Sea incident?
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What does the Basel Convention aim to combat?
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Why did some operators seek cheap disposal options for hazardous waste in Eastern Europe and the developing world?
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What was a significant outcome of the Bhopal disaster in 1984?
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According to the US EPA regulations, which of the following is NOT a characteristic established for defining hazardous waste?
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Which definition describes hazardous waste according to the UNEP?
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What characteristic is NOT associated with hazardous waste as defined by the Basel Convention?
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Which of the following best defines hazardous waste?
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Which of the following is a characteristic that makes waste hazardous under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)?
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Which of the following statements about PCBs is true?
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Why is the definition of hazardous waste considered difficult?
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What is the recommended action regarding the storage of hazardous products?
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Which of the following is a benefit of proper household hazardous waste (HHW) management?
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What does proper disposal of hazardous waste prevent?
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What is the significance of a groundwater monitoring system in secure landfills?
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Which method is NOT typically part of land disposal practices for hazardous waste?
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What is considered household hazardous waste?
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Which of the following is NOT a common household hazardous waste product?
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What is one potential consequence of improper disposal of household hazardous waste?
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What does CPCB stand for in relation to hazardous waste management?
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Which of these methods is not recommended for disposing of household hazardous waste?
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What is one way to reduce household hazardous waste?
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How many common secured landfill facilities (SLFs) are there according to the data provided?
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Which of the following is a hazard linked to exposure to improperly disposed household hazardous waste?
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What is the primary goal of immobilisation in hazardous waste treatment?
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Which of the following is NOT a technique used in stabilisation?
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What is the key difference between solidification and stabilisation?
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Which of the following binders can be used in the solidification process?
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Which of the following statements regarding solidification/stabilisation methods is correct?
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What is a potential advantage of solidification/stabilisation processes?
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What type of chemical reaction primarily occurs in stabilisation?
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Which of the following statements about the treatment of hazardous wastes is true?
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Study Notes
Hazardous Waste and its Impacts
- PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls): widely used as transformer coolant and plasticizer, carcinogenic and toxic in higher concentrations.
- Bhopal Disaster (1984): Union Carbide plant in India leaked methyl isocyanate, causing over 4,000 deaths and 3,000 disabilities. This event led to the enactment of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act in the US.
- Environmental Protection Act (1986): enacted in India following the Bhopal disaster, aiming to protect the environment.
Defining Hazardous Waste
- Key Factors: composition, physical form, chemical properties, physical properties, biological properties.
- Basel Convention: defines 45 categories of hazardous wastes, requiring the presence of at least one hazardous characteristic (flammable, oxidizing, poisonous, infectious, corrosive, ecotoxic).
- UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme): defines hazardous waste as any waste that poses a risk to health or the environment due to its chemical activity or toxic, explosive, corrosive, or other characteristics.
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US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency): defines hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) through three criteria:
- Listed wastes: specific wastes identified in EPA regulations.
- Characteristics: wastes exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics: ignitable, corrosive, reactive, toxic.
- Generator declaration: wastes declared hazardous by the generator.
Hazardous Waste Management
- HSE (Health and Safety Executive): defines hazardous wastes as any substance that poses danger to health or the environment due to its physical, chemical, reactive, toxic, flammable, explosive, corrosive, radioactive, or infectious characteristics.
- Basel Convention (1989): established to control the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes, driven by the "toxic trade" where countries sought cheaper disposal options in developing nations.
- Khian Sea Incident (1986): a ship carrying incinerator ash from Philadelphia dumped a portion of its load in Haiti and subsequently dumped more waste into the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, highlighting the need for stricter regulations.
Treatment and Disposal
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Solidification/Stabilisation (S/S): a collective term for a range of treatment processes aimed at immobilizing hazardous waste and reducing leaching potential.
- Stabilization: converting hazardous wastes into a more stable form.
- Solidification: creating a solid mass of either the original waste or the stabilized waste.
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S/S Benefits:
- Reduces mobility or solubility of contaminants.
- Converts pollutants into less toxic forms.
- Decreases waste surface area.
- Reduces pollutant mobility.
- Creates a solid mass with no free liquid.
- Improves handling and physical characteristics of the waste.
- S/S Applications: often used as a pre-treatment for land disposal activities to meet regulations.
Stabilization Techniques
- Chemical Reactions: acid/alkali neutralization, chelation, complexation, oxidation/reduction, precipitation.
- Chemisorption: chemical bonding of hazardous substances to a solid material.
- Ion Exchange: using materials to remove hazardous ions from the waste.
Solidification Techniques
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Binders: used to create a solid mass and include:
- Cement-based: portland cement, cement kiln dust, lime/limestone/quicklime, lime/fly ash, lime kiln dust.
- Thermoplastic materials: asphalt (bitumen), paraffin, polyethylene.
- Thermosetting polymers: polybutadiene, (poly)urea-formaldehyde, polyvinylesterstyrene.
S/S Methods
- In-Situ: treatment implemented directly in the original location.
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Ex-Situ: treatment carried out in a different location.
- Physical: physical processes that aim to reduce the mobility of contaminants.
- Chemical: chemical reactions to transform the contaminants into less harmful forms.
- Thermal: thermal processes like vitrification to immobilize contaminants.
S/S Advantages
- Speed: can be completed relatively quickly.
- Versatility: suitable for treating recalcitrant contaminants such as heavy metals, PCBs, and dioxins.
- Flexibility: can be performed in-situ or ex-situ.
- Footprint: requires relatively small space for equipment.
- Soil Improvement: can improve the structural properties of the soil.
Biological Treatment
- Aerobic treatment: uses microorganisms that require oxygen to break down hazardous waste.
- Anaerobic treatment: uses microorganisms that do not require oxygen to break down hazardous waste.
- Composting: a controlled biological process that promotes the decomposition of organic materials.
Hazardous Waste Disposal Facilities
- The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India established 29 common secured landfill facilities (SLFs) with a total disposal capacity of about 34 MMT and 14 common incinerators in 7 states with a total capacity of about 0.45 MTA to manage hazardous wastes generated from various industries.
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)
- Definition: Leftover household products containing corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients.
- Examples: household cleaners, paints, solvents, motor oil, batteries, pharmaceuticals, fluorescent tubes, etc.
- Dangers of Improper Disposal: environmental pollution, health risks including cancer, respiratory problems, heart disease, etc.
HHW Reduction and Management
- Reduce Purchase: consider buying products without hazardous ingredients.
- Alternatives: explore alternative methods or products without hazardous ingredients.
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Care at Home: use and store hazardous products safely.
- Never store hazardous products in food containers.
- Keep them in their original containers with labels.
- Handle corroding containers carefully.
- Do not mix HHW with other products.
- Follow instructions for use and disposal on labels.
Benefits of Proper HHW Management
- Resource Conservation: reduces the need for producing more products by reusing and recycling HHW.
- Cost Savings: reusing hazardous products can reduce expenses and the need to generate new hazardous substances.
- Pollution Prevention: protects human health and the environment from pollution.
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Land Disposal: While the least desirable option, land disposal is often necessary for hazardous wastes that cannot be destroyed by incineration or other chemical processes.
- Methods: landfilling and underground injection.
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Secure Landfills: designed to minimize the risk of groundwater contamination.
- Features: double leachate collection system, layered system, and regular monitoring of groundwater.
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Description
This quiz covers the crucial aspects of hazardous waste, examining specific examples like PCBs and the Bhopal Disaster. It discusses legal frameworks such as the Environmental Protection Act and international agreements like the Basel Convention. Test your knowledge on the definitions, categories, and impacts of hazardous waste.
