Sample records for environmental waste containment

  1. CONTAINMENT TECHNOLOGIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Hazardous waste containment's primary objective is to isolate wastes deemed as hazardous from man and environmental systems of air, soil, and water. Hazardous wastes differ from other waste classifications due to their increased potential to cause human health effects or environ...

  2. 40 CFR 268.31 - Waste specific prohibitions-Dioxin-containing wastes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Waste specific prohibitions-Dioxin-containing wastes. 268.31 Section 268.31 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) LAND DISPOSAL RESTRICTIONS Prohibitions on Land Disposal § 268.31 Waste...

  3. 40 CFR 268.31 - Waste specific prohibitions-Dioxin-containing wastes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Waste specific prohibitions-Dioxin-containing wastes. 268.31 Section 268.31 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) LAND DISPOSAL RESTRICTIONS Prohibitions on Land Disposal § 268.31 Waste...

  4. 40 CFR 268.31 - Waste specific prohibitions-Dioxin-containing wastes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Waste specific prohibitions-Dioxin-containing wastes. 268.31 Section 268.31 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) LAND DISPOSAL RESTRICTIONS Prohibitions on Land Disposal § 268.31 Waste...

  5. 40 CFR 268.31 - Waste specific prohibitions-Dioxin-containing wastes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Waste specific prohibitions-Dioxin-containing wastes. 268.31 Section 268.31 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) LAND DISPOSAL RESTRICTIONS Prohibitions on Land Disposal § 268.31 Waste...

  6. 40 CFR 268.31 - Waste specific prohibitions-Dioxin-containing wastes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Waste specific prohibitions-Dioxin-containing wastes. 268.31 Section 268.31 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) LAND DISPOSAL RESTRICTIONS Prohibitions on Land Disposal § 268.31 Waste...

  7. 40 CFR 148.11 - Waste specific prohibitions-dioxin-containing wastes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Waste specific prohibitions-dioxin-containing wastes. 148.11 Section 148.11 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) HAZARDOUS WASTE INJECTION RESTRICTIONS Prohibitions on Injection § 148.11...

  8. 40 CFR 273.4 - Applicability-Mercury-containing equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... equipment. 273.4 Section 273.4 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT General § 273.4 Applicability—Mercury...-containing components have been removed. (c) Generation of waste mercury-containing equipment. (1) Used...

  9. 40 CFR 148.10 - Waste specific prohibitions-solvent wastes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Waste specific prohibitions-solvent wastes. 148.10 Section 148.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER... injection unless the solvent waste is a solvent-water mixture or solvent-containing sludge containing less...

  10. Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes (40 CFR Part 191)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This regulation sets environmental standards for public protection from the management and disposal of spent nuclear fuel, high-level wastes and wastes that contain elements with atomic numbers higher than uranium (transuranic wastes).

  11. Configuration management at an environmental restoration DOE facility (Fernald)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Beckett, C.; Pasko, W.; Kupinski, T.

    This report contains information about a meeting held to discuss the decontamination and decommissioning of the Fernald site in Ohio. This site contains two major types of waste. First is the legacy waste. This waste consists of the wastes which were left over from production which is stored in various drums and containers across the site. Second is the waste generated from the remedial activities.

  12. Determinants of recycling common types of plastic product waste in environmental horticulture industry: The case of Georgia.

    PubMed

    Meng, Ting; Klepacka, Anna M; Florkowski, Wojciech J; Braman, Kristine

    2016-02-01

    Environmental horticulture firms provide a variety of commercial/residential landscape products and services encompassing ornamental plant production, design, installation, and maintenance. The companies generate tons of waste including plastic containers, trays, and greenhouse/field covers, creating the need to reduce and utilize plastic waste. Based on survey data collected in Georgia in 2013, this paper investigates determinants of the environmental horticulture firms' recycling decision (plastic containers, flats, and greenhouse poly). Our findings indicate that the decision to discard vs. recycle plastic containers, flats, and greenhouse poly is significantly influenced by firm scope, size, location, and partnership with recycling providers, as well as whether recycling providers offer additional waste pickup services. Insights from this study are of use to local governments and environmental organizations interested in increasing horticultural firm participation in recycling programs and lowering the volume of plastic destined for landfills. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Plasma methods for metals recovery from metal-containing waste.

    PubMed

    Changming, Du; Chao, Shang; Gong, Xiangjie; Ting, Wang; Xiange, Wei

    2018-04-27

    Metal-containing waste, a kind of new wastes, has a great potential for recycling and is also difficult to deal with. Many countries pay more and more attention to develop the metal recovery process and equipment of this kind of waste as raw material, so as to solve the environmental pollution and comprehensively utilize the discarded metal resources. Plasma processing is an efficient and environmentally friendly way for metal-containing waste. This review mainly discuss various metal-containing waste types, such as printed circuit boards (PCBs), red mud, galvanic sludge, Zircon, aluminium dross and incinerated ash, and the corresponding plasma methods, which include DC extended transferred arc plasma reactor, DC non-transferred arc plasma torch, RF thermal plasma reactor and argon and argon-hydrogen plasma jets. In addition, the plasma arc melting technology has a better purification effect on the extraction of useful metals from metal-containing wastes, a great capacity of volume reduction of waste materials, and a low leaching toxicity of solid slag, which can also be used to deal with all kinds of metal waste materials, having a wide range of applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. 40 CFR 261.7 - Residues of hazardous waste in empty containers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Residues of hazardous waste in empty containers. 261.7 Section 261.7 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) IDENTIFICATION AND LISTING OF HAZARDOUS WASTE General § 261.7 Residues of hazardous...

  15. Data sharing report characterization of population 7: Personal protective equipment, dry active waste, and miscellaneous debris, surveillance and maintenance project Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Harpenau, Evan M.

    2013-10-10

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (EM-OR) requested that Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), working under the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) contract, provide technical and independent waste management planning support under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Specifically, DOE EM-OR requested that ORAU plan and implement a sampling and analysis campaign targeting certain URS|CH2M Oak Ridge, LLC (UCOR) surveillance and maintenance (S&M) process inventory waste. Eight populations of historical and reoccurring S&M waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have been identified in the Waste Handling Plan formore » Surveillance and Maintenance Activities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, DOE/OR/01-2565&D2 (WHP) (DOE 2012) for evaluation and processing to determine a final pathway for disposal. Population 7 (POP 7) consists of 56 containers of aged, low-level and potentially mixed S&M waste that has been staged in various locations around ORNL. Several of these POP 7 containers primarily contain personal protective equipment (PPE) and dry active waste (DAW), but may contain other miscellaneous debris. This data sharing report addresses the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) specified waste in a 13-container subpopulation (including eight steel boxes, three 55-gal drums, one sealand, and one intermodal) that lacked sufficient characterization data for possible disposal at the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility (EMWMF) using the approved Waste Lot (WL) 108.1 profile.« less

  16. Aging and Curing Temperature Effects on Compressive Strength of Mortar Containing Lime Stone Quarry Dust and Industrial Granite Sludge.

    PubMed

    Amin, Muhammad Nasir; Khan, Kaffayatullah; Saleem, Muhammad Umair; Khurram, Nauman; Niazi, Muhammad Umar Khan

    2017-06-11

    In this study, the researchers investigated the potential use of locally available waste materials from the lime stone quarry and the granite industry as a partial replacement of cement. Quarry sites and granite industry in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia produces tons of powder wastes in the form of quarry dust (QD) and granite sludge (GS), respectively, causing serious environmental problems along with frequent dust storms in the area. According to ASTM C109, identical 50-mm3 specimens were cast throughout this study to evaluate the compressive strength development of mortars (7, 28 and 91 days) containing these waste materials. Experimental variables included different percentage replacement of cement with waste materials (GS, QD), fineness of GS, various curing temperatures (20, 40 and 60 °C as local normal and hot environmental temperatures) and curing moisture (continuously moist and partially moist followed by air curing). Finally, the results of mortar containing waste materials were compared to corresponding results of control mortar (CM) and mortar containing fly ash (FA). The test results indicated that under normal curing (20 °C, moist cured), the compressive strength of mortar containing the different percentage of waste materials (QD, GS, FA and their combinations) remained lower than that of CM at all ages. However, the compressive strength of mortar containing waste materials slightly increased with increased fineness of GS and significantly increased under high curing temperatures. It was recommended that more fineness of GS be achieved to use its high percentage replacement with cement (30% or more) incorporating local environmental conditions.

  17. Aging and Curing Temperature Effects on Compressive Strength of Mortar Containing Lime Stone Quarry Dust and Industrial Granite Sludge

    PubMed Central

    Amin, Muhammad Nasir; Khan, Kaffayatullah; Saleem, Muhammad Umair; Khurram, Nauman; Niazi, Muhammad Umar Khan

    2017-01-01

    In this study, the researchers investigated the potential use of locally available waste materials from the lime stone quarry and the granite industry as a partial replacement of cement. Quarry sites and granite industry in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia produces tons of powder wastes in the form of quarry dust (QD) and granite sludge (GS), respectively, causing serious environmental problems along with frequent dust storms in the area. According to ASTM C109, identical 50-mm3 specimens were cast throughout this study to evaluate the compressive strength development of mortars (7, 28 and 91 days) containing these waste materials. Experimental variables included different percentage replacement of cement with waste materials (GS, QD), fineness of GS, various curing temperatures (20, 40 and 60 °C as local normal and hot environmental temperatures) and curing moisture (continuously moist and partially moist followed by air curing). Finally, the results of mortar containing waste materials were compared to corresponding results of control mortar (CM) and mortar containing fly ash (FA). The test results indicated that under normal curing (20 °C, moist cured), the compressive strength of mortar containing the different percentage of waste materials (QD, GS, FA and their combinations) remained lower than that of CM at all ages. However, the compressive strength of mortar containing waste materials slightly increased with increased fineness of GS and significantly increased under high curing temperatures. It was recommended that more fineness of GS be achieved to use its high percentage replacement with cement (30% or more) incorporating local environmental conditions. PMID:28772999

  18. Environmental Support Specialist, Block V, 17-6. Military Curriculum Materials for Vocational and Technical Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohio State Univ., Columbus. National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

    This military-developed text contains the third section of a four-part course to train environmental support specialists. Covered in the individual sections are field sanitation, classes and sources of waste, composition and characteristics of sewage, principles of sewage treatment, primary waste treatment, secondary waste treatment, tertiary…

  19. 75 FR 61225 - Energy Northwest; Columbia Generating Station Environmental Assessment and Finding of No...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-04

    ..., fission products, some plutonium-contaminated waste, and toxicological waste. The DOE intends to remediate... through 1967 and contains low- to high-activity waste, fission products, some plutonium-contaminated waste...

  20. 40 CFR 267.1105 - What do I do if my containment building contains areas both with and without secondary containment?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... operating log a written description of the operating procedures used to maintain the integrity of areas... of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITIES OPERATING UNDER A STANDARDIZED PERMIT Containment...

  1. 40 CFR 267.1105 - What do I do if my containment building contains areas both with and without secondary containment?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... operating log a written description of the operating procedures used to maintain the integrity of areas... of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITIES OPERATING UNDER A STANDARDIZED PERMIT Containment...

  2. 40 CFR 267.1105 - What do I do if my containment building contains areas both with and without secondary containment?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... operating log a written description of the operating procedures used to maintain the integrity of areas... of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITIES OPERATING UNDER A STANDARDIZED PERMIT Containment...

  3. 40 CFR 267.1105 - What do I do if my containment building contains areas both with and without secondary containment?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... operating log a written description of the operating procedures used to maintain the integrity of areas... of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITIES OPERATING UNDER A STANDARDIZED PERMIT Containment...

  4. 40 CFR 267.1105 - What do I do if my containment building contains areas both with and without secondary containment?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... operating log a written description of the operating procedures used to maintain the integrity of areas... of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITIES OPERATING UNDER A STANDARDIZED PERMIT Containment...

  5. Laboratory Reactor for Processing Carbon-Containing Sludge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korovin, I. O.; Medvedev, A. V.

    2016-10-01

    The paper describes a reactor for high-temperature pyrolysis of carbon-containing sludge with the possibility of further development of environmentally safe technology of hydrocarbon waste disposal to produce secondary products. A solution of the urgent problem has been found: prevention of environmental pollution resulting from oil pollution of soils using the pyrolysis process as a method of disposal of hydrocarbon waste to produce secondary products.

  6. Effects from past solid waste disposal practices.

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, L J; Daniel, D E; Abeele, W V; Ledbetter, J O; Hansen, W R

    1978-01-01

    This paper reviews documented environmental effects experience from the disposal of solid waste materials in the U.S. Selected case histories are discussed that illustrate waste migration and its actual or potential effects on human or environmental health. Principal conclusions resulting from this review were: solid waste materials do migrate beyond the geometric confines of the initial placement location; environmental effects have been experienced from disposal of municipal, agricultural, and toxic chemical wastes; and utilization of presently known science and engineering principles in sitting and operating solid waste disposal facilities would make a significant improvement in the containment capability of shallow land disposal facilities. PMID:367769

  7. 40 CFR 273.35 - Accumulation time limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... container became a waste or was received; (2) Marking or labeling the individual item of universal waste (e... Section 273.35 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste...

  8. 40 CFR 273.35 - Accumulation time limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... container became a waste or was received; (2) Marking or labeling the individual item of universal waste (e... Section 273.35 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste...

  9. 40 CFR 273.35 - Accumulation time limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... container became a waste or was received; (2) Marking or labeling the individual item of universal waste (e... Section 273.35 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste...

  10. 40 CFR 273.35 - Accumulation time limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... container became a waste or was received; (2) Marking or labeling the individual item of universal waste (e... Section 273.35 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste...

  11. 40 CFR 273.35 - Accumulation time limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... container became a waste or was received; (2) Marking or labeling the individual item of universal waste (e... Section 273.35 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste...

  12. Super Saver Investigators: An Elementary, Interdisciplinary, Environmental Studies Activity Guidebook about Solid Waste and Natural Resources.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Landis, David; And Others

    This is an elementary, interdisciplinary, environmental studies activity guidebook about solid waste and natural resources. "Super Saver Investigators" what solid waste is, where it is generated, how we manage it and could manage it better, and the consequence of mismanagement. It contains many hands-on, skill enhancing activities for…

  13. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH BRIEF: WASTE REDUCTION ACTIVITIES AND OPTIONS FOR A MANUFACTURER OF PLASTIC CONTAINERS BY INJECTION MOLDING.

    EPA Science Inventory

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded a project with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy (NJDEPE) to assist in conducting waste minimization assessments at thirty small- to medium-sized businesses in the state of New Jersey. ne of the ...

  14. Environmental assessment of alternative municipal solid waste management strategies. A Spanish case study.

    PubMed

    Bovea, M D; Ibáñez-Forés, V; Gallardo, A; Colomer-Mendoza, F J

    2010-11-01

    The aim of this study is to compare, from an environmental point of view, different alternatives for the management of municipal solid waste generated in the town of Castellón de la Plana (Spain). This town currently produces 207 ton of waste per day and the waste management system employed today involves the collection of paper/cardboard, glass and light packaging from materials banks and of rest waste at street-side containers. The proposed alternative scenarios were based on a combination of the following elements: selective collection targets to be accomplished by the year 2015 as specified in the Spanish National Waste Plan (assuming they are reached to an extent of 50% and 100%), different collection models implemented nationally, and diverse treatments of both the separated biodegradable fraction and the rest waste to be disposed of on landfills. This resulted in 24 scenarios, whose environmental behaviour was studied by applying the life cycle assessment methodology. In accordance with the ISO 14040-44 (2006) standard, an inventory model was developed for the following stages of the waste management life cycle: pre-collection (bags and containers), collection, transport, pre-treatment (waste separation) and treatment/disposal (recycling, composting, biogasification+composting, landfill with/without energy recovery). Environmental indicators were obtained for different impact categories, which made it possible to identify the key variables in the waste management system and the scenario that offers the best environmental behaviour. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was used to test some of the assumptions made in the initial life cycle inventory model. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL FOR WASTE CONTAINMENT FACILITIES. Project Summary

    EPA Science Inventory

    It is generally agreed that both quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) are essential to the proper installation and eventual performance of environmentally safe and secure waste containment systems. Even further, there are both manufacturing and construction aspects to...

  16. 40 CFR 243.200-2 - Recommended procedures: Design.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... diameter at the top of the container to facilitate discharge of the solid waste by gravity. Containers...-2 Section 243.200-2 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES GUIDELINES FOR THE STORAGE AND COLLECTION OF RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL SOLID...

  17. Environmental Assessment: Construction and Operation of Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command Campus

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-01-21

    Headquarters AFRC Campus 2 January 21, 2010 ( pest /vegetation control and oil spill dispersal) using...activities is generated at the Proposed Action Site. This solid waste includes kitchen waste, paper, plastics, metal and glass containers, and standard...includes kitchen waste, paper, plastics, metal and glass containers, and standard housekeeping materials, and is handled in accordance with Robins

  18. 40 CFR 243.200-2 - Recommended procedures: Design.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... diameter at the top of the container to facilitate discharge of the solid waste by gravity. Containers....200-2 Section 243.200-2 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES GUIDELINES FOR THE STORAGE AND COLLECTION OF RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL SOLID...

  19. 40 CFR 243.200-2 - Recommended procedures: Design.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... diameter at the top of the container to facilitate discharge of the solid waste by gravity. Containers....200-2 Section 243.200-2 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES GUIDELINES FOR THE STORAGE AND COLLECTION OF RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL SOLID...

  20. 40 CFR 243.200-2 - Recommended procedures: Design.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... diameter at the top of the container to facilitate discharge of the solid waste by gravity. Containers....200-2 Section 243.200-2 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES GUIDELINES FOR THE STORAGE AND COLLECTION OF RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL SOLID...

  1. [Methodological approaches to the development of environmentally benign technology for the use of solid waste in iron metallurgy].

    PubMed

    Pugin, K G; Vaĭsman, Ia I

    2013-01-01

    On the basis of the life cycle of materials, containing wastes of iron and steel industry, new methodological approaches to the assessment of technologies of the secondary use of wastes are developed A complex criteria for selection of the technology for the use of resource potential of solid waste of iron and steel industry are developed with taking into account environmental, technological and economic indices. The technology of the use of wastes of ferrovanadium industry as bulk solid materials at the solid waste landfill is shown.

  2. Pit 9 Category of Transuranic Waste Stored Below Ground within Area G

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hargis, Kenneth M.

    2014-01-08

    A large wildfire called the Las Conchas Fire burned large areas near Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in 2011 and heightened public concern and news media attention over transuranic (TRU) waste stored at LANL’s Technical Area 54 (TA-54) Area G waste management facility. The removal of TRU waste from Area G had been placed at a lower priority in budget decisions for environmental cleanup at LANL because TRU waste removal is not included in the March 2005 Compliance Order on Consent (Reference 1) that is the primary regulatory driver for environmental cleanup at LANL. The Consent Order is an agreementmore » between LANL and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) that contains specific requirements and schedules for cleaning up historical contamination at the LANL site. After the Las Conchas Fire, discussions were held by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with the NMED on accelerating TRU waste removal from LANL and disposing it at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).This report summarizes available information on the origin, configuration, and composition of the waste containers within Pit 9, their physical and radiological characteristics, and issues that may be encountered in their retrieval and processing. Review of the available information indicates that Pit 9 should present no major issues in retrieval and processing, and most drums contain TRU waste that can be shipped to WIPP. The primary concern in retrieval is the integrity of containers that have been stored below-ground for 35 to 40 years. The most likely issue that will be encountered in processing containers retrieved from Pit 9 is the potential for items that are prohibited at WIPP such as sealed containers greater than four liters in size and free liquids that exceed limits for WIPP.« less

  3. Hot Cell Liners Category of Transuranic Waste Stored Below Ground within Area G

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jones, Robert Wesley; Hargis, Kenneth Marshall

    2014-09-01

    A large wildfire called the Las Conchas Fire burned large areas near Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in 2011 and heightened public concern and news media attention over transuranic (TRU) waste stored at LANL’s Technical Area 54 (TA-54) Area G waste management facility. The removal of TRU waste from Area G had been placed at a lower priority in budget decisions for environmental cleanup at LANL because TRU waste removal is not included in the March 2005 Compliance Order on Consent (Reference 1) that is the primary regulatory driver for environmental cleanup at LANL. The Consent Order is an agreementmore » between LANL and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) that contains specific requirements and schedules for cleaning up historical contamination at the LANL site. After the Las Conchas Fire, discussions were held by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with the NMED on accelerating TRU waste removal from LANL and disposing it at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). This report summarizes available information on the origin, configuration, and composition of the waste containers within the Hot Cell Liners category; their physical and radiological characteristics; the results of the radioassays; and the justification to reclassify the five containers as LLW rather than TRU waste.« less

  4. Tritium Packages and 17th RH Canister Categories of Transuranic Waste Stored Below Ground within Area G

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hargis, Kenneth Marshall

    A large wildfire called the Las Conchas Fire burned large areas near Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in 2011 and heightened public concern and news media attention over transuranic (TRU) waste stored at LANL’s Technical Area 54 (TA-54) Area G waste management facility. The removal of TRU waste from Area G had been placed at a lower priority in budget decisions for environmental cleanup at LANL because TRU waste removal is not included in the March 2005 Compliance Order on Consent (Reference 1) that is the primary regulatory driver for environmental cleanup at LANL. The Consent Order is a settlementmore » agreement between LANL and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) that contains specific requirements and schedules for cleaning up historical contamination at the LANL site. After the Las Conchas Fire, discussions were held by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with the NMED on accelerating TRU waste removal from LANL and disposing it at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). This report summarizes available information on the origin, configuration, and composition of the waste containers within the Tritium Packages and 17th RH Canister categories; their physical and radiological characteristics; the results of the radioassays; and potential issues in retrieval and processing of the waste containers.« less

  5. Environmental Programs: Status of Work and Current Priorities for FY13

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jones, Patricia

    2012-08-17

    Presentation outline is: Mission/overview, Regulatory framework, Current status of cleanup, Shift in priorities to address highest risk, Removal of above-ground waste, Continued focus on protecting water resources, and Priorities for fiscal year 2013. LANL's Environmental Mission is to: (1) Repack and ship legacy transuranic waste containers; (2) Investigate and remediate Cold War (legacy) hazardous and radioactive waste areas; (3) Demolish unused buildings; (4) Disposition solid waste from Laboratory operations; and (5) Lifecycle cost nearly $3 billion.

  6. SWSA 6 interim corrective measures environmental monitoring: FY 1991 results. Environmental Restoration Program

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Clapp, R.B.; Marshall, D.S.

    1992-06-01

    In 1988, interim corrective measures (ICMs) were implemented at Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 6 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The SWSA 6 site was regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The ICMs consist of eight large high-density polyethylene sheets placed as temporary caps to cover trenches known to contain RCRA-regulated materials. Environmental monitoring for FY 1991 consisted of collecting water levels at 13 groundwater wells outside the capped areas and 44 wells in or near the capped areas in order to identify any significant loss of hydrologic isolation of the wastes. Past annual reports show thatmore » the caps are only partially effective in keeping the waste trenches dry and that many trenches consistently or intermittently contain water.« less

  7. The mass flow and proposed management of bisphenol A in selected Norwegian waste streams.

    PubMed

    Arp, Hans Peter H; Morin, Nicolas A O; Hale, Sarah E; Okkenhaug, Gudny; Breivik, Knut; Sparrevik, Magnus

    2017-02-01

    Current initiatives for waste-handling in a circular economy favor prevention and recycling over incineration or landfilling. However, the impact of such a transition on environmental emissions of contaminants like bisphenol A (BPA) during waste-handling is not fully understood. To address this, a material flow analysis (MFA) was constructed for selected waste categories in Norway, for which the amount recycled is expected to increase in the future; glass, vehicle, electronic, plastic and combustible waste. Combined, 92tons/y of BPA are disposed of via these waste categories in Norway, with 98.5% associated with plastic and electronic waste. During the model year 2011, the MFA showed that BPA in these waste categories was destroyed through incineration (60%), exported for recycling into new products (35%), stored in landfills (4%) or released into the environment (1%). Landfilling led to the greatest environmental emissions (up to 13% of landfilled BPA), and incinerating the smallest (0.001% of incinerated BPA). From modelling different waste management scenarios, the most effective way to reduce BPA emissions are to incinerate BPA-containing waste and avoid landfilling it. A comparison of environmental and human BPA concentrations with CoZMoMAN exposure model estimations suggested that waste emissions are an insignificant regional source. Nevertheless, from monitoring studies, landfill emissions can be a substantial local source of BPA. Regarding the transition to a circular economy, it is clear that disposing of less BPA-containing waste and less landfilling would lead to lower environmental emissions, but several uncertainties remain regarding emissions of BPA during recycling, particularly for paper and plastics. Future research should focus on the fate of BPA, as well as BPA alternatives, in emerging reuse and recycling processes, as part of the transition to a circular economy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. An overview of EPA regulation of the safe disposal of transuranic waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

    PubMed

    Wolbarst, A B; Forinash, E K; Byrum, C O; Peake, R T; Marcinowski, F; Kruger, M U

    2001-02-01

    In March of 1999, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeast New Mexico, the world's first deep geological repository for radioactive materials, began receiving defense-related transuranic waste. The WIPP was designed and constructed by the U.S. Department of Energy, but critical to its opening was certification by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that the repository complies with the radioactive waste disposal regulations set forth as environmental radiation protection standards (40 CFR Part 191) and compliance criteria (40 CFR Part 194). This paper provides a summary of the regulatory process, including the Environmental Protection Agency's waste containment, groundwater protection, and individual dose regulations for the WIPP; the Department of Energy's performance assessment and the other parts of its compliance certification application; and the Environmental Protection Agency's review and analysis of the compliance certification application and related documentation.

  9. 40 CFR 265.228 - Closure and post-closure care.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Section 265.228 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) INTERIM STATUS STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, AND... or operator must: (1) Remove or decontaminate all waste residues, contaminated containment system...

  10. Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program Case Studies: Demonstrating Program Outcomes, Volume III

    EPA Science Inventory

    This booklet, ETV Program Case Studies: Demonstrating Program Outcomes, Volume III contains two case studies, addressing verified environmental technologies for decentalized wastewater treatment and converting animal waste to energy. Each case study contains a brief description ...

  11. The No Waste Anthology: A Teacher's Guide to Environmental Activities K-12.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    California State Dept. of Toxic Substance Control, Sacramento.

    This book is designed to provide teachers with interdisciplinary, action oriented environmental activities for grades K-12 concerning the issue of waste. The activities are organized into three sections and several subsections. The first section contains 29 activities pertaining to natural resources and pollution in subsections involving needs and…

  12. Volunteer for Change: A Guide to Environmental Community Service.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Solid Waste and Emergency Response.

    This booklet contains examples of volunteer projects related to solid waste management as developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), whose mission is to protect human health and the natural environment. EPA's Office of Solid Waste (OSW) promotes volunteerism and community service programs for people of all ages. A variety of…

  13. 78 FR 43810 - State of Kansas; Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-22

    ... seeking authorization for the National Environmental Performance Track Program (April 22, 2004, 69 FR... terminated the National Environmental Performance Track Program. (c) Kansas has not adopted the optional... or more hazardous waste containers are stored, on a monthly basis. (c) At 28-31-262a(f)(2)(B)(i) and...

  14. No-migration variance petition. Appendices C--J: Volume 5, Revision 1

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1990-03-01

    Volume V contains the appendices for: closure and post-closure plans; RCRA ground water monitoring waver; Waste Isolation Division Quality Program Manual; water quality sampling plan; WIPP Environmental Procedures Manual; sample handling and laboratory procedures; data analysis; and Annual Site Environmental Monitoring Report for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

  15. 40 CFR 264.171 - Condition of containers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... waste is not in good condition (e.g., severe rusting, apparent structural defects) or if it begins to... Section 264.171 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL FACILITIES...

  16. 40 CFR 264.171 - Condition of containers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... waste is not in good condition (e.g., severe rusting, apparent structural defects) or if it begins to... Section 264.171 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL FACILITIES...

  17. 40 CFR 264.171 - Condition of containers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... waste is not in good condition (e.g., severe rusting, apparent structural defects) or if it begins to... Section 264.171 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL FACILITIES...

  18. 40 CFR 264.171 - Condition of containers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... waste is not in good condition (e.g., severe rusting, apparent structural defects) or if it begins to... Section 264.171 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL FACILITIES...

  19. 40 CFR 63.748 - Standards: Handling and storage of waste.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ...: Handling and storage of waste. Except as provided in § 63.741(e), the owner or operator of each facility subject to this subpart that produces a waste that contains HAP shall conduct the handling and transfer of... waste. 63.748 Section 63.748 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR...

  20. 40 CFR 63.748 - Standards: Handling and storage of waste.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...: Handling and storage of waste. Except as provided in § 63.741(e), the owner or operator of each facility subject to this subpart that produces a waste that contains HAP shall conduct the handling and transfer of... waste. 63.748 Section 63.748 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR...

  1. 40 CFR 63.748 - Standards: Handling and storage of waste.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...: Handling and storage of waste. Except as provided in § 63.741(e), the owner or operator of each facility subject to this subpart that produces a waste that contains HAP shall conduct the handling and transfer of... waste. 63.748 Section 63.748 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR...

  2. Final environmental impact statement. Management of commercially generated radioactive waste. Volume 3. Public comments hearing board report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1980-10-01

    This EIS analyzes the significant environmental impacts that could occur if various technologies for management and disposal of high-level and transuranic wastes from commercial nuclear power reactors were to be developed and implemented. This EIS will serve as the environmental input for the decision on which technology, or technologies, will be emphasized in further research and development activities in the commercial waste management program. The action proposed in this EIS is to (1) adopt a national strategy to develop mined geologic repositories for disposal of commercially generated high-level and transuranic radioactive waste (while continuing to examine subseabed and very deepmore » hole disposal as potential backup technologies) and (2) conduct a R and D program to develop such facilities and the necessary technology to ensure the safe long-term containment and isolation of these wastes. The Department has considered in this statement: development of conventionally mined deep geologic repositories for disposal of spent fuel from nuclear power reactors and/or radioactive fuel reprocessing wastes; balanced development of several alternative disposal methods; and no waste disposal action. This volume contains written public comments and hearing board responses and reports offered on the draft statement.« less

  3. Hanford Immobilized Low Activity Waste (ILAW) Performance Assessment 2001 Version [Formerly DOE/RL-97-69] [SEC 1 & 2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    MANN, F.M.

    2000-08-01

    The Hanford Immobilized Low-Activity Waste Performance Assessment examines the long-term environmental and human health effects associated with the planned disposal of the vitrified low-activity fraction of waste presently contained in Hanford Site tanks. The tank waste is the byproduct of separating special nuclear materials from irradiated nuclear fuels over the past 50 years. This waste is stored in underground single- and double-shell tanks. The tank waste is to be retrieved, separated into low-activity and high-level fractions, and then immobilized by vitrification. The US. Department of Energy (DOE) plans to dispose of the low-activity fraction in the Hanford Site 200 Eastmore » Area. The high-level fraction will be stored at the Hanford Site until a national repository is approved. This report provides the site-specific long-term environmental information needed by the DOE to modify the current Disposal Authorization Statement for the Hanford Site that would allow the following: construction of disposal trenches; and filling of these trenches with ILAW containers and filler material with the intent to dispose of the containers.« less

  4. Management and utilization of poultry wastes.

    PubMed

    Williams, C M; Barker, J C; Sims, J T

    1999-01-01

    Waste by-products such as excreta or bedding material that are generated by the worldwide annual production of more than 40 million metric tons (t) of poultry meat and 600 billion eggs are generally land applied as the final step of a producer's waste management strategy. Under proper land application conditions, the nutrients and organisms in poultry wastes pose little environmental threat. Environmental contamination occurs when land application of poultry wastes is in excess of crop utilization potential, or is done under poor management conditions causing nutrient loss from environmental factors such as soil erosion or surface runoff during rainfall. Environmental parameters of concern are N, P, and certain metals (Cu and Zn in particular), as well as pathogenic microorganisms that may be contained in poultry waste. The biochemical cycle of N is very dynamic, and N contained in poultry waste may either be removed by crop harvest, leave the animal production facility, waste treatment lagoon, or application field as a gas (NH3, NO, NO2, N2O, or N2), or, due to its mobility in soil, be transported in organic or inorganic N forms in the liquid state via surface runoff or leaching into groundwater. Elevated concentrations of NO3-N in groundwater used for human consumption is a health risk to infants that are susceptible to methemoglobinemia. An environmental impact resulting from elevated NO3-N is eutrophication of surface waters. Ammonia loss from poultry waste is an environmental concern because of volatilized wet and dry deposits of NH3 into nitrogen-sensitive ecosystems. Phosphorus in poultry wastes may contribute to environmental degradation by accelerating the process of eutrophication. Unlike N, P is very immobile in soil and must first be transported to a surface water environment to have an environmental impact. It is generally accepted, however, that this nutrient affects receiving waters via transport in eroding soil as sediment-bound P or in surface runoff as soluble inorganic or organic P. Numerous studies have reported that excess P contained in land-applied manures may contribute to eutrophication. Soils containing P concentrations that greatly exceed the agronomic potential of crops may require years or even decades to return to levels that are crop limiting for this nutrient. Environmental concerns include the capacity of such soils to adsorb new P and the amount of P loss from these soils from erosion, runoff, drainage, or leaching to groundwater. Although much information is available regarding the loss of P from agricultural fields from erosion and runoff, less information is available regarding P losses from fields receiving poultry wastes. However, studies have shown that there are many challenges to controlling P losses from fields receiving manures. In addition, subsurface transport of P resulting from repeated application of poultry manure onto soils that are artificially drained is an environmental concern where drainage waters enter or interact with water bodies sensitive to eutrophication. Trace elements such as As, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, and Zn are often added in excess to poultry feed to increase the animal's rate of weight gain, feed efficiency, and egg production and to prevent diseases. Because most of the excess trace elements are not absorbed by the bird, the concentration of elements excreted in the manure will reflect dietary overformulation. Because trace elements are generally required in very small quantities for crop growth and, like P, are immobile in most soil types, their concentrations will increase with repeated land application of poultry wastes. Of particular concern are accumulations of Cu and Zn in certain soil types utilized for certain crops. Copper and Zn toxicity for some crops have been documented in some areas receiving repeated land-applied poultry wastes. A potential environmental concern relative to poultry litter and trace elements in receiving soils involves the transpor

  5. Recycling Study Guide [Resource Packet].

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wisconsin State Dept. of Natural Resources, Madison.

    This resource packet contains six documents developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in order to help teachers infuse the environmental education topics of recycling and solid waste into social studies, art, English, health, mathematics, science, and environmental education classes. "Recycling Study Guide" contains 19…

  6. Quantifying capital goods for collection and transport of waste.

    PubMed

    Brogaard, Line K; Christensen, Thomas H

    2012-12-01

    The capital goods for collection and transport of waste were quantified for different types of containers (plastic containers, cubes and steel containers) and an 18-tonnes compacting collection truck. The data were collected from producers and vendors of the bins and the truck. The service lifetime and the capacity of the goods were also assessed. Environmental impact assessment of the production of the capital goods revealed that, per tonne of waste handled, the truck had the largest contribution followed by the steel container. Large high density polyethylene (HDPE) containers had the lowest impact per tonne of waste handled. The impact of producing the capital goods for waste collection and transport cannot be neglected as the capital goods dominate (>85%) the categories human-toxicity (non-cancer and cancer), ecotoxicity, resource depletion and aquatic eutrophication, but also play a role (>13%) within the other impact categories when compared with the impacts from combustion of fuels for the collection and transport of the waste, when a transport distance of 25 km was assumed.

  7. Electrochemical extraction of gold from wastes as nanoparticles stabilized by phospholipids.

    PubMed

    Moriwaki, Hiroshi; Yamada, Kotaro; Usami, Hisanao

    2017-02-01

    A simple one-step method for the extraction of gold from wastes as nanoparticles stabilized by phospholipids is demonstrated. This is achieved by applying an AC voltage for 5s to the gold-containing wastes, which act as the electrodes in a buffer solution containing a dispersed phospholipid (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, DOPC). This is an environmentally friendly and rapid method for recovering gold from wastes. The extracted gold nanoparticles have significant potential as a catalyst or biomedical material. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Environmental control and waste management system design concept

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gandy, A. R.

    1974-01-01

    Passive device contains both solid and liquid animal waste matter for extended period without being cleaned and without contaminating animal. Constant airflow dries solid waste and evaporates liquid matter. Technique will maintain controlled atmospheric conditions and cage cleanliness during periods of 6 months to 1 year.

  9. Fractionation study in bioleached metallurgy wastes using six-step sequential extraction.

    PubMed

    Krasnodebska-Ostrega, Beata; Pałdyna, Joanna; Kowalska, Joanna; Jedynak, Łukasz; Golimowski, Jerzy

    2009-08-15

    The stored metallurgy wastes contain residues from ore processing operations that are characterized by relatively high concentrations of heavy metals. The bioleaching process makes use of bacteria to recover elements from industrial wastes and to decrease potential risk of environmental contamination. Wastes were treated by solutions containing bacteria. In this work, the optimized six-stage sequential extraction procedure was applied for the fractionation of Ni, Cr, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn in iron-nickel metallurgy wastes deposited in Southern Poland (Szklary). Fractionation and total concentrations of elements in wastes before and after various bioleaching treatments were studied. Analyses of the extracts were performed by ICP-MS and FAAS. To achieve the most effective bioleaching of Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Mn, Fe the usage of both autotrophic and heterotrophic bacteria in sequence, combined with flushing of the residue after bioleaching is required. 80-100% of total metal concentrations were mobilized after the proposed treatment. Wastes treated according to this procedure could be deposited without any risk of environmental contamination and additionally the metals could be recovered for industrial purposes.

  10. The use of short rotation willows and poplars for the recycling of saline waste waters

    Treesearch

    Jaconette Mirck; Ronald S. Jr. Zalesny; Ioannis Dimitriou; Jill A. Zalesny; Timothy A. Volk; Warren E. Mabee

    2009-01-01

    The production of high-salinity waste waters by landfills and other waste sites causes environmental concerns. This waste water often contains high concentrations of sodium and chloride, which may end up in local ground and surface waters. Vegetation filter systems comprised of willows and poplars can be used for the recycling of saline waste water. These vegetation...

  11. Community Solutions to Solid Waste Pollution. Operation Waste Watch: The New Three Rs for Elementary School. Grade 6. [Second Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Virginia State Dept. of Waste Management, Richmond. Div. of Litter & Recycling.

    This publication, the last in a series of seven for elementary schools, is an environmental education curriculum guide with a focus on waste management issues. It contains a unit of exercises selected for sixth grade students focusing on community solutions to solid waste pollution. Waste management activities included in this unit seek to…

  12. Collaboration Between Environmental Water Chemistry Students and Hazardous Waste Treatment Specialists on the University of Colorado-Boulder Campus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dittrich, T. M.

    2012-12-01

    The University of Colorado-Boulder is one of a few universities in the country that has a licensed Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF) for hazardous waste on campus. This facility, located on the bottom floor of the Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) building, allows CU to more economically treat hazardous waste by enabling treatment specialists on staff to safely collect and organize the hazardous waste generated on campus. Hazardous waste is anything that contains a regulated chemical or compound and most chemicals used in engineering labs (e.g., acids, solvents, metal solutions) fall into this category. The EH&S staff is able to treat close almost 33% of the waste from campus and the rest is packed for off-site treatment at various places all over the country for disposal (e.g., Sauget, IL, Port Aurthor, TX). The CU-Boulder campus produced over 50 tons of hazardous waste in 2010 costing over $300,000 in off-campus expenses. The EH&S staff assigns one of over 50 codes to the waste which will determine if the waste can be treated on campus of must be shipped off campus to be disposed of. If the waste can be treated on campus, it will undergo one of three processes: 1) neutralization, 2) UV-ozone oxidation, or 3) ion exchange. If the waste is acidic but contains no heavy metals, the acid is neutralized with sodium hydroxide (a base) and can be disposed "down the drain" to the Boulder Wastewater Treatment Plant. If the waste contains organic compounds and no metals, a UV-ozone oxidation system is used to break down the organic compounds. Silver from photography wastewater can be removed using ion exchange columns. Undergraduate and graduate students worked with the hazardous waste treatment facility at the Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) building on the CU-Boulder campus during the fall of 2011 and fall of 2012. Early in the semester, students receive a tour of the three batch treatment processes the facility is equipped with. Later in the semester, the students conduct a bench-scale laboratory exercise where they study part of the treatment process. Several small start-up companies are testing components in the lab, which adds to the colaboration of the project.; Figure 1. Students in Environmental Water Chemistry lab conducting a titration.

  13. Tobacco industry responsibility for butts: a Model Tobacco Waste Act

    PubMed Central

    Curtis, Clifton; Novotny, Thomas E; Lee, Kelley; Freiberg, Mike; McLaughlin, Ian

    2017-01-01

    Cigarette butts and other postconsumer products from tobacco use are the most common waste elements picked up worldwide each year during environmental cleanups. Under the environmental principle of Extended Producer Responsibility, tobacco product manufacturers may be held responsible for collection, transport, processing and safe disposal of tobacco product waste (TPW). Legislation has been applied to other toxic and hazardous postconsumer waste products such as paints, pesticide containers and unused pharmaceuticals, to reduce, prevent and mitigate their environmental impacts. Additional product stewardship (PS) requirements may be necessary for other stakeholders and beneficiaries of tobacco product sales and use, especially suppliers, retailers and consumers, in order to ensure effective TPW reduction. This report describes how a Model Tobacco Waste Act may be adopted by national and subnational jurisdictions to address the environmental impacts of TPW. Such a law will also reduce tobacco use and its health consequences by raising attention to the environmental hazards of TPW, increasing the price of tobacco products, and reducing the number of tobacco product retailers. PMID:26931480

  14. 76 FR 19794 - Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-08

    ... hydrogen-3 (tritium) and carbon-14 by incineration. The licensee also disposed of wastes containing... that it had disposed of wastes containing about 19 millicuries (0.7 gigabecquerels) of hydrogen-3... status survey results were well below the NRC's screening values for hydrogen-3 and carbon-14 as...

  15. Characterizing the environmental impact of metals in construction and demolition waste.

    PubMed

    Yu, Danfeng; Duan, Huabo; Song, Qingbin; Li, Xiaoyue; Zhang, Hao; Zhang, Hui; Liu, Yicheng; Shen, Weijun; Wang, Jinben

    2018-05-01

    Large quantities of construction and demolition (C&D) waste are generated in China every year, but their potential environmental impacts on the surrounding areas are rarely assessed. This study focuses on metals contained in C&D waste, characterizing the metal concentrations and their related environmental risks. C&D waste samples were collected in Shenzhen City, China, from building demolition sites, renovation areas undergoing refurbishment, landfill sites, and recycling companies (all located in Shenzhen city) that produce recycled aggregate, in order to identify pollution levels of the metals As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn. The results showed that (1) the metal concentrations in most demolition and renovation waste samples were below the soil environmental quality standard for agricultural purposes (SQ-Agr.) in China; (2) Cd, Cu, and Zn led to relatively higher environmental risks than other metals, especially for Zn (DM5 tile sample, 360 mg/kg; R4 tile sample, 281 mg/kg); (3) non-inert C&D waste such as wall insulation and foamed plastic had high concentrations of As and Cd, so that these materials required special attention for sound waste management; and (4) C&D waste collected from landfill sites had higher concentrations of Cd and Cu than did waste collected from demolition and refurbishment sites.

  16. Environmental sustainability comparison of a hypothetical pneumatic waste collection system and a door-to-door system.

    PubMed

    Punkkinen, Henna; Merta, Elina; Teerioja, Nea; Moliis, Katja; Kuvaja, Eveliina

    2012-10-01

    Waste collection is one of the life cycle phases that influence the environmental sustainability of waste management. Pneumatic waste collection systems represent a new way of arranging waste collection in densely populated urban areas. However, limited information is available on the environmental impacts of this system. In this study, we compare the environmental sustainability of conventional door-to-door waste collection with its hypothetical pneumatic alternative. Furthermore, we analyse whether the size of the hypothetical pneumatic system, or the number of waste fractions included, have an impact on the results. Environmental loads are calculated for a hypothetical pneumatic waste collection system modelled on an existing dense urban area in Helsinki, Finland, and the results are compared to those of the prevailing, container-based, door-to-door waste collection system. The evaluation method used is the life-cycle inventory (LCI). In this study, we report the atmospheric emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), SO(2) and NO(x). The results indicate that replacing the prevailing system with stationary pneumatic waste collection in an existing urban infrastructure would increase total air emissions. Locally, in the waste collection area, emissions would nonetheless diminish, as collection traffic decreases. While the electricity consumption of the hypothetical pneumatic system and the origin of electricity have a significant bearing on the results, emissions due to manufacturing the system's components prove decisive. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Global challenges for e-waste management: the societal implications.

    PubMed

    Magalini, Federico

    2016-03-01

    Over the last decades the electronics industry and ICT Industry in particular has revolutionized the world: electrical and electronic products have become ubiquitous in today's life around the planet. After use, those products are discarded, sometimes after re-use cycles in countries different from those where they were initially sold; becoming what is commonly called e-waste. Compared to other traditional waste streams, e-waste handling poses unique and complex challenges. e-Waste is usually regarded as a waste problem, which can cause environmental damage and severe human health consequences if not safely managed. e-Waste contains significant amounts of toxic and environmentally sensitive materials and is, thus, extremely hazardous to humans and the environment if not properly disposed of or recycled. On the other hand, e-waste is often seen as a potential source of income for individuals and entrepreneurs who aim to recover the valuable materials (metals in particular) contained in discarded equipment. Recently, for a growing number of people, in developing countries in particular, recycling and separation of e-waste has become their main source of income. In most cases, this is done informally, with no or hardly any health and safety standards, exposing workers and the surrounding neighborhoods to extensive health dangers as well as leading to substantial environmental pollution. Treatment processes of e-waste aim to remove the hazardous components and recover as much reusable material (e.g. metals, glass and plastics) as possible; achieving both objectives is most desired. The paper discuss societal implications of proper e-waste management and key elements to be considered in the policy design at country level.

  18. Waste Treatment in the Undergraduate Laboratory: Let the Students Do It!

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nash, John J.; And Others

    1996-01-01

    Presents the details of a waste treatment experiment that enables students to employ much of the chemistry they have learned in class to solve a real chemical problem. Heightens students' awareness of the potential environmental impact associated with the waste they have generated. Contains 21 references. (JRH)

  19. Solid Waste Management: A List of Available Literature.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH.

    Information, demonstration projects, and other activities, pertaining to solid-waste-related research, available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are contained in this document. These EPA publications are reports of the research, development, and demonstrations in progress as authorized by the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965.…

  20. Integrated environmental policy: A review of economic analysis.

    PubMed

    Wiesmeth, Hans; Häckl, Dennis

    2017-04-01

    Holistic environmental policies, which emerged from a mere combination of technical activities in waste management some 40 years ago, constitute the most advanced level of environmental policies. These approaches to environmental policy, among them the policies in integrated waste management, attempt to guide economic agents to an environment-friendly behaviour. Nevertheless, current holistic policies in waste management, including policies on one-way drinks containers and waste electrical and electronic equipment, and implementations of extended producer responsibility with further applications to waste electrical and electronic equipment, reveal more or less severe deficiencies - despite some positive examples. This article relates these policy failures, which are not necessarily the result of an insufficient compliance with the regulations, to missing constitutive elements of what is going to be called an 'integrated environmental policy'. This article therefore investigates - mostly from a practical point of view - constitutive elements, which are necessary for a holistic policy to serve as a well-functioning allocation mechanism. As these constitutive elements result from a careful 'integration' of the environmental commodities into the economic allocation problems, we refer to these policies as 'integrated environmental policies'. The article also discusses and illustrates the main steps of designing such a policy - for waste electrical and electronic equipment and a (possible) ban of Glyphosat in agriculture. As these policies are dependent on economic and political stability with environmental awareness sufficiently developed, the article addresses mostly waste management policies in highly industrialised countries.

  1. TRUPACT-II 157 Examination Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Barry H. O'Brien; Jeffrey M. Lacy; Kip E. Archibald

    2003-12-01

    This report presents the results of examination and recovery activities performed on the TRUPACT-II 157 shipping container. The container was part of a contact-handled transuranic waste shipment being transported on a truck to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico when an accident occurred. Although the transport vehicle sustained only minor damage, airborne transuranic contamination was detected in air samples extracted from inside TRUPACT-II 157 at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Consequently, the shipping container was rejected, resealed, and returned to the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory where the payload was disassembled, examined, and recovered for subsequent reshipmentmore » to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. This report documents the results of those activities.« less

  2. Litter Pollution. Operation Waste Watch: The New Three Rs for Elementary School. Grade Two. [Second Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Virginia State Dept. of Waste Management, Richmond. Div. of Litter & Recycling.

    This publication, the third in a series of seven for elementary schools, is an environmental education curriculum guide with a focus on waste management issues. It contains a unit of exercises selected for second grade students to introduce the ideas that littering causes environmental problems, both man-made and natural objects cause litter, and…

  3. Final environmental impact statement. Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1980-10-01

    This volume contains the appendices for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Alternative geologic environs are considered. Salt, crystalline rock, argillaceous rock, and tuff are discussed. Studies on alternate geologic regions for the siting of WIPP are reviewed. President Carter's message to Congress on the management of radioactive wastes and the findings and recommendations of the interagency review group on nuclear waste management are included. Selection criteria for the WIPP site including geologic, hydrologic, tectonic, physicochemical compatability, and socio-economic factors are presented. A description of the waste types and the waste processing procedures aremore » given. Methods used to calculate radiation doses from radionuclide releases during operation are presented. A complete description of the Los Medanos site, including archaeological and historic aspects is included. Environmental monitoring programs and long-term safety analysis program are described. (DMC)« less

  4. Final Environmental Impact Statement for Treating Transuranic (TRU)/Alpha Low-level Waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    N /A

    2000-06-30

    The DOE proposes to construct, operate, and decontaminate/decommission a TRU Waste Treatment Facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The four waste types that would be treated at the proposed facility would be remote-handled TRU mixed waste sludge, liquid low-level waste associated with the sludge, contact-handled TRU/alpha low-level waste solids, and remote-handled TRU/alpha low-level waste solids. The mixed waste sludge and some of the solid waste contain metals regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and may be classified as mixed waste. This document analyzes the potential environmental impacts associated with five alternatives--No Action, the Low-Temperature Drying Alternative (Preferred Alternative), themore » Vitrification Alternative, the Cementation Alternative, and the Treatment and Waste Storage at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Alternative.« less

  5. E-waste scenario in India, its management and implications.

    PubMed

    Wath, Sushant B; Dutt, P S; Chakrabarti, T

    2011-01-01

    Electronic waste or E-waste comprises of old, end-of-life electronic appliances such as computers, laptops, TVs, DVD players, refrigerators, freezers, mobile phones, MP3 players, etc., which have been disposed of by their original users. E-waste contains many hazardous constituents that may negatively impact the environment and affect human health if not properly managed. Various organizations, bodies, and governments of many countries have adopted and/or developed the environmentally sound options and strategies for E-waste management to tackle the ever growing threat of E-waste to the environment and human health. This paper presents E-waste composition, categorization, Global and Indian E-waste scenarios, prospects of recoverable, recyclable, and hazardous materials found in the E-waste, Best Available Practices, recycling, and recovery processes followed, and their environmental and occupational hazards. Based on the discussion, various challenges for E-waste management particularly in India are delineated, and needed policy interventions were discussed.

  6. Comparative risk assessments for the production and interim storage of glass and ceramic waste forms: Defense waste processing facility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, J. C.; Wright, W. V.

    1982-04-01

    The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) for immobilizing nuclear high level waste (HLW) is scheduled to be built. High level waste is produced when reactor components are subjected to chemical separation operations. Two candidates for immobilizing this HLW are borosilicate glass and crystalline ceramic, either being contained in weld sealed stainless steel canisters. A number of technical analyses are being conducted to support a selection between these two waste forms. The risks associated with the manufacture and interim storage of these two forms in the DWPF are compared. Process information used in the risk analysis was taken primarily from a DWPF processibility analysis. The DWPF environmental analysis provided much of the necessary environmental information.

  7. Biotechnology in the management and resource recovery from metal bearing solid wastes: Recent advances.

    PubMed

    Sethurajan, Manivannan; van Hullebusch, Eric D; Nancharaiah, Yarlagadda V

    2018-04-01

    Solid metalliferous wastes (sludges, dusts, residues, slags, red mud and tailing wastes) originating from ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgical industries are a serious environmental threat, when waste management practices are not properly followed. Metalliferous wastes generated by metallurgical industries are promising resources for biotechnological extraction of metals. These wastes still contain significant amounts of valuable non-ferrous metals, sometimes precious metals and also rare earth elements. Elemental composition and mineralogy of the metallurgical wastes is dependent on the nature of mining site and composition of primary ores mined. Most of the metalliferous wastes are oxidized in nature and contain less/no reduced sulfidic minerals (which can be quite well processed by biohydrometallurgy). However, application of biohydrometallurgy is more challenging while extracting metals from metallurgical wastes that contain oxide minerals. In this review, origin, elemental composition and mineralogy of the metallurgical solid wastes are presented. Various bio-hydrometallurgical processes that can be considered for the extraction of non-ferrous metals from metal bearing solid wastes are reviewed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Environmental modelling of use of treated organic waste on agricultural land: a comparison of existing models for life cycle assessment of waste systems.

    PubMed

    Hansen, Trine Lund; Christensen, Thomas Højlund; Schmidt, Sonia

    2006-04-01

    Modelling of environmental impacts from the application of treated organic municipal solid waste (MSW) in agriculture differs widely between different models for environmental assessment of waste systems. In this comparative study five models were examined concerning quantification and impact assessment of environmental effects from land application of treated organic MSW: DST (Decision Support Tool, USA), IWM (Integrated Waste Management, U.K.), THE IFEU PROJECT (Germany), ORWARE (ORganic WAste REsearch, Sweden) and EASEWASTE (Environmental Assessment of Solid Waste Systems and Technologies, Denmark). DST and IWM are life cycle inventory (LCI) models, thus not performing actual impact assessment. The DST model includes only one water emission (biological oxygen demand) from compost leaching in the results and IWM considers only air emissions from avoided production of commercial fertilizers. THE IFEU PROJECT, ORWARE and EASEWASTE are life cycle assessment (LCA) models containing more detailed land application modules. A case study estimating the environmental impacts from land application of 1 ton of composted source sorted organic household waste was performed to compare the results from the different models and investigate the origin of any difference in type or magnitude of the results. The contributions from the LCI models were limited and did not depend on waste composition or local agricultural conditions. The three LCA models use the same overall approach for quantifying the impacts of the system. However, due to slightly different assumptions, quantification methods and environmental impact assessment, the obtained results varied clearly between the models. Furthermore, local conditions (e.g. soil type, farm type, climate and legal regulation) and waste composition strongly influenced the results of the environmental assessment.

  9. 40 CFR 61.149 - Standard for waste disposal for asbestos mills.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... asbestos mills. 61.149 Section 61.149 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... Standard for Asbestos § 61.149 Standard for waste disposal for asbestos mills. Each owner or operator of any source covered under the provisions of § 61.142 shall: (a) Deposit all asbestos-containing waste...

  10. 40 CFR 61.149 - Standard for waste disposal for asbestos mills.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... asbestos mills. 61.149 Section 61.149 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... Standard for Asbestos § 61.149 Standard for waste disposal for asbestos mills. Each owner or operator of any source covered under the provisions of § 61.142 shall: (a) Deposit all asbestos-containing waste...

  11. 40 CFR 61.149 - Standard for waste disposal for asbestos mills.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... asbestos mills. 61.149 Section 61.149 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... Standard for Asbestos § 61.149 Standard for waste disposal for asbestos mills. Each owner or operator of any source covered under the provisions of § 61.142 shall: (a) Deposit all asbestos-containing waste...

  12. 40 CFR 61.149 - Standard for waste disposal for asbestos mills.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... asbestos mills. 61.149 Section 61.149 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... Standard for Asbestos § 61.149 Standard for waste disposal for asbestos mills. Each owner or operator of any source covered under the provisions of § 61.142 shall: (a) Deposit all asbestos-containing waste...

  13. 40 CFR 61.149 - Standard for waste disposal for asbestos mills.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... asbestos mills. 61.149 Section 61.149 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... Standard for Asbestos § 61.149 Standard for waste disposal for asbestos mills. Each owner or operator of any source covered under the provisions of § 61.142 shall: (a) Deposit all asbestos-containing waste...

  14. REDUCING THE WASTE STREAM: BRINGING ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMICAL, AND EDUCATIONAL COMPOSTING TO A LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Northfield, Minnesota area contains three institutions that produce a large amount of compostable food waste. St. Olaf College uses a large-scale on-site composting machine that effectively transforms the food waste to compost, but the system requires an immense start-up c...

  15. Resources and Wastes. In-Service Package for Volunteer Workshop Leaders.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miiller, Marnie

    Designed to be used as a supplementary teaching aid for subjects such as science, social studies, and environmental education, this packet of modules contains materials related to waste and waste management for secondary level students. Each of the eight modules consists of a teacher's page, background information, references, questions, projects,…

  16. Electronic Waste is a Mess: Awareness and Proenvironmental Behavior among University Students in Ghana

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edumadze, John K. E.; Tenkorang, Eric Y.; Armah, Frederick A.; Luginaah, Isaac; Edumadze, Gladys E.

    2013-01-01

    E-waste contains hazardous chemicals and materials that threaten the environment and human health, when improperly disposed. This study examined levels of awareness of e-waste disposal among university students in Ghana, and their proenvironmental decision-making using two outcome variables: "knowledge on environmental impact and policy…

  17. Waste management/waste certification plan for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Environmental Restoration Program

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Clark, C. Jr.; Hunt-Davenport, L.D.; Cofer, G.H.

    1995-03-01

    This Waste Management/Waste Certification (C) Plan, written for the Environmental Restoration (ER) Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), outlines the criteria and methodologies to be used in the management of waste generated during ORNL ER field activities. Other agreed upon methods may be used in the management of waste with consultation with ER and Waste Management Organization. The intent of this plan is to provide information for the minimization, handling, and disposal of waste generated by ER activities. This plan contains provisions for the safe and effective management of waste consistent with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA`s) guidance.more » Components of this plan have been designed to protect the environment and the health and safety of workers and the public. It, therefore, stresses that investigation derived waste (IDW) and other waste be managed to ensure that (1) all efforts be made to minimize the amount of waste generated; (2) costs associated with sampling storage, analysis, transportation, and disposal are minimized; (3) the potential for public and worker exposure is not increased; and (4) additional contaminated areas are not created.« less

  18. Coal tar-containing asphalt - resource or hazardous waste?

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Andersson-Skold, Y.; Andersson, K.; Lind, B.

    2007-09-30

    Coal tar was used in Sweden for the production of asphalt and for the drenching of stabilization gravel until 1973. The tar has high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), some of which may be strongly carcinogenic. Approximately 20 million tonnes of tar-containing asphalt is present in the public roads in Sweden. Used asphalt from rebuilding can be classified as hazardous waste according to the Swedish Waste Act. The cost of treating the material removed as hazardous waste can be very high due to the large amount that has to be treated, and the total environmental benefit is unclear. Themore » transport of used asphalt to landfill or combustion will affect other environmental targets. The present project, based on three case studies of road projects in Sweden, evaluates the consequences of four scenarios for handling the material: reuse, landfill, biological treatment, and incineration. The results show that reuse of the coal tar-containing materials in new road construction is the most favorable alternative in terms of cost, material use, land use, energy consumption, and air emissions.« less

  19. [Hospital and environment: waste disposal].

    PubMed

    Faure, P; Rizzo Padoin, N

    2003-11-01

    Like all production units, hospitals produce waste and are responsible for waste disposal. Hospital waste is particular due to the environmental risks involved, particularly concerning infection, effluents, and radionucleide contamination. Management plans are required to meet environmental, hygiene and regulatory obligations and to define reference waste products. The first step is to optimize waste sorting, with proper definition of the different categories, adequate containers (collection stations, color-coded sacks), waste circuits, intermediate then central storage areas, and finally transfer to an incineration unit. Volume and delay to elimination must be carefully controlled. Elimination of drugs and related products is a second aspect: packaging, perfusion pouches, tubing, radiopharmaceutic agents. These later products are managed with non-sealed sources whose elimination depends on the radioactive period, requiring selective sorting and specific holding areas while radioactivity declines. Elimination of urine and excreta containing anti-cancer drugs or intravesical drugs, particularly coming from protected rooms using radioactive iodine is another aspect. There is also a marginal flow of unused or expired drugs. For a health establishment, elimination of drugs is not included as part of waste disposal. This requires establishing a specific circuit with selective sorting and carefully applied safety regulations. Market orders for collecting and handling hospital wastes must be implemented in compliance with the rules of Public Health Tenders.

  20. Enviromental impact of a hospital waste incineration plant in Krakow (Poland).

    PubMed

    Gielar, Agnieszka; Helios-Rybicka, Edeltrauda

    2013-07-01

    The environmental impact of a hospital waste incineration plant in Krakow was investigated. The objective of this study was to assess the degree of environmental effect of the secondary solid waste generated during the incineration process of medical waste. The analysis of pollution of the air emissions and leaching test of ashes and slag were carried out. The obtained results allowed us to conclude that (i) the hospital waste incineration plant significantly solves the problems of medical waste treatment in Krakow; (ii) the detected contaminant concentrations were generally lower than the permissible values; (iii) the generated ashes and slag contained considerable concentrations of heavy metals, mainly zinc, and chloride and sulfate anions. Ashes and slag constituted 10-15% of the mass of incinerated wastes; they are more harmful for the environment when compared with untreated waste, and after solidification they can be deposited in the hazardous waste disposal.

  1. Waste prevention in liquid detergent distribution: a comparison based on life cycle assessment.

    PubMed

    Nessi, Simone; Rigamonti, Lucia; Grosso, Mario

    2014-11-15

    The distribution of liquid detergents through self-dispensing systems has been adopted in some Italian retail stores over the last few years. By enabling the consumer to refill several times the same container, it is proposed as a less waste-generating and more environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional distribution with single-use plastic containers. For this reason, its implementation is encouraged by the national waste prevention programme recently adopted in Italy. In order to assess such claims, a life cycle assessment was carried out to evaluate whether detergent distribution through self-dispensing systems actually allows to achieve the expected reduction in waste generation and environmental impacts. The focus was on the distribution within the large-scale retail trade and on the categories of laundry detergents, fabric softeners and hand dishwashing detergents. For each of them, a set of baseline single-use scenarios were compared with two alternative waste prevention scenarios, where the detergent is distributed through self-dispensing systems. Beyond waste generation, also the Cumulative Energy Demand and thirteen midpoint-level potential impact indicators were calculated for the comparison. Results showed that a reduction in waste generation up to 98% can be achieved, depending on the category of detergent, on the baseline scenario of comparison and on the number of times the refillable container is used. A progressive reduction in the energy demand and in most of the potential impacts was also observed, starting from a minimum number of uses of the refillable container. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Packaging waste prevention activities: A life cycle assessment of the effects on a regional waste management system.

    PubMed

    Nessi, Simone; Rigamonti, Lucia; Grosso, Mario

    2015-09-01

    A life cycle assessment was carried out to evaluate the effects of two packaging waste prevention activities on the overall environmental performance of the integrated municipal waste management system of Lombardia region, Italy. The activities are the use of refined tap water instead of bottled water for household consumption and the substitution of liquid detergents packaged in single-use containers by those distributed 'loose' through self-dispensing systems and refillable containers. A 2020 baseline scenario without waste prevention is compared with different waste prevention scenarios, where the two activities are either separately or contemporaneously implemented, by assuming a complete substitution of the traditional product(s). The results show that, when the prevention activities are carried out effectively, a reduction in total waste generation ranging from 0.14% to 0.66% is achieved, corresponding to a 1-4% reduction of the affected packaging waste fractions (plastics and glass). However, the improvements in the overall environmental performance of the waste management system can be far higher, especially when bottled water is substituted. In this case, a nearly 0.5% reduction of the total waste involves improvements ranging mostly between 5 and 23%. Conversely, for the substitution of single-use packaged liquid detergents (0.14% reduction of the total waste), the achieved improvements do not exceed 3% for nearly all impact categories. © The Author(s) 2015.

  3. SWSA 6 interim corrective measures environmental monitoring: FY 1991 results

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Clapp, R.B.; Marshall, D.S.

    1992-06-01

    In 1988, interim corrective measures (ICMs) were implemented at Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 6 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The SWSA 6 site was regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The ICMs consist of eight large high-density polyethylene sheets placed as temporary caps to cover trenches known to contain RCRA-regulated materials. Environmental monitoring for FY 1991 consisted of collecting water levels at 13 groundwater wells outside the capped areas and 44 wells in or near the capped areas in order to identify any significant loss of hydrologic isolation of the wastes. Past annual reports show thatmore » the caps are only partially effective in keeping the waste trenches dry and that many trenches consistently or intermittently contain water.« less

  4. Assessing the environmental performance of construction materials testing using EMS: An Australian study.

    PubMed

    Dejkovski, Nick

    2016-10-01

    This paper reports the audit findings of the waste management practices at 30 construction materials testing (CMT) laboratories (constituting 4.6% of total accredited CMT laboratories at the time of the audit) that operate in four Australian jurisdictions and assesses the organisation's Environmental Management System (EMS) for indicators of progress towards sustainable development (SD). In Australia, waste indicators are 'priority indicators' of environmental performance yet the quality and availability of waste data is poor. National construction and demolition waste (CDW) data estimates are not fully disaggregated and the contribution of CMT waste (classified as CDW) to the national total CDW landfill burden is difficult to quantify. The environmental and human impacts of anthropogenic release of hazardous substances contained in CMT waste into the ecosphere can be measured by construing waste indicators from the EMS. An analytical framework for evaluating the EMS is developed to elucidate CMT waste indicators and assess these indicators against the principle of proportionality. Assessing against this principle allows for: objective evaluations of whether the environmental measures prescribed in the EMS are 'proportionate' to the 'desired' (subjective) level of protection chosen by decision-makers; and benchmarking CMT waste indicators against aspirational CDW targets set by each Australian jurisdiction included in the audit. Construed together, the EMS derived waste indicators and benchmark data provide a composite indicator of environmental performance and progress towards SD. The key audit findings indicate: CMT laboratories have a 'poor' environmental performance (and overall progress towards SD) when EMS waste data are converted into indicator scores and assessed against the principle of proportionality; CMT waste recycling targets are lower when benchmarked against jurisdictional CDW waste recovery targets; and no significant difference in the average quantity of waste diversion away from landfill was observed for laboratories with ISO14001 EMS certification compared to non-ISO14001 certified laboratories. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Part B permit application [of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)]. Volume 11, Chapter D, Appendix D4--Chapter D, Appendix D17: Revision 3

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1993-03-01

    This volume contains appendices D4 through D17 which cover the following: Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site environmental report; ecological monitoring program at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant; site characterization; regional and site geology and hydrology; general geology; dissolution features; ground water hydrology; typical carbon sorption bed efficiency; VOC monitoring plan for bin-room tests; chemical compatibility analysis of waste forms and container materials; probable maximum precipitation; WHIP supplementary roof support system room 1, panel 1; and corrosion risk assessment of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant ``humid`` test bins.

  6. Nanoparticles: their potential toxicity, waste and environmental management.

    PubMed

    Bystrzejewska-Piotrowska, Grazyna; Golimowski, Jerzy; Urban, Pawel L

    2009-09-01

    This literature review discusses specific issues related to handling of waste containing nanomaterials. The aims are (1) to highlight problems related to uncontrolled release of nanoparticles to the environment through waste disposal, and (2) to introduce the topics of nanowaste and nanotoxicology to the waste management community. Many nanoparticles used by industry contain heavy metals, thus toxicity and bioaccumulation of heavy metals contained in nanoparticles may become important environmental issues. Although bioavailability of heavy metals contained in nanoparticles can be lower than those present in soluble form, the toxicity resulting from their intrinsic nature (e.g. their size, shape or density) may be significant. An approach to the treatment of nanowaste requires understanding of all its properties--not only chemical, but also physical and biological. Progress in nanowaste management also requires studies of the environmental impact of the new materials. The authors believe Amara's law is applicable to the impact of nanotechnologies, and society might overestimate the short-term effects of these technologies, while underestimating the long-term effects. It is necessary to have basic information from companies about the level and nature of nanomaterials produced or emitted and about the expectation of the life cycle time of nanoproducts as a basis to estimate the level of nanowaste in the future. Without knowing how companies plan to use and store recycled and nonrecycled nanomaterials, development of regulations is difficult. Tagging of nanoproducts is proposed as a means to facilitate separation and recovery of nanomaterials.

  7. SITE DEMONSTRATION CAPSULE --MATCON MODIFIED ASPHALT FOR WASTE CONTAINMENT

    EPA Science Inventory

    MatCon is a polymer modified asphalt material designed specifically for waste contaminment applications. The modifications to the material differentiate it from conventional paving asphalt by minimizing the damaging effects of environmental exposure that could detract from the d...

  8. 40 CFR 265.223 - Containment system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 265.223 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) INTERIM STATUS STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL..., such as grass, shale, or rock, to minimize wind and water erosion and to preserve their structural...

  9. Environmental audits and process flow mapping to assess management of solid waste and wastewater from a healthcare facility: an Italian case study.

    PubMed

    Vaccari, Mentore; Montasser, Waleed; Tudor, Terry; Leone, Luigi

    2017-05-01

    In Europe, there are an increasing number of policy and legislative drivers for a more sustainable approach to the management of natural resources as well as for the mitigation of environmental health risks. However, despite significant progress in recent years, there is still some way to go to achieve circularity of process, as well as risk mitigation within organisations. Using a case study of the Gardone Val Trompia hospital in northern Italy, this manuscript offers a novel holistic examination of strategies to enhance resource efficiency and environmental health within a key sector, i.e. the healthcare sector. Through the use of environmental audits and process flow mapping, trends in waste and wastewater arisings and the associated financial and environmental costs and risks were identified. Recommendations for developing more resource efficient approaches as well as mitigating the environmental and public health risks are suggested. These include strategies for improved resource efficiency (including reduction in the hazardous waste) and reduced environmental impacts during the containment, transport and treatment of the waste.

  10. Hazardous Waste Environmental Education Resource Kit for Manitoba Teachers: Suggested Activities K-12.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Downey-Franchuk, Andrea J.

    Society has become increasingly aware of the harmful effects that the disposal of chemical waste products have on the environment and human health. Public information is central to the development of a responsible waste management plan. The activities contained in this guide are organized in sequence from kindergarten to grade 12, and provide…

  11. Environmental risks of HBCDD from construction and demolition waste: a contemporary and future issue.

    PubMed

    Nie, Zhiqiang; Yang, Ziliang; Fang, Yanyan; Yang, Yufei; Tang, Zhenwu; Wang, Xingrun; Die, Qingqi; Gao, Xingbao; Zhang, Fengsong; Wang, Qi; Huang, Qifei

    2015-11-01

    Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), as one of the most widely used brominated flame retardants (BFRs), is of great concern globally because of its persistence in the environment and negative impacts on humans and animals. HBCDD has been mainly used in flame-retarded expanded (EPS) and extruded (XPS) polystyrene foams for insulation in the construction industry. Most of these products will become a part of the construction and demolition (C&D) waste at the end of their life cycle (30-50 years) which is typically disposed of into landfills or incineration. However, the recycling of this material takes quite a low share compared with landfill and incineration. Consequently, high environmental risks will exist in these disposal approaches due to the HBCDD in C&D waste. Currently, XPS or EPS products containing HBCDD in the construction industry have not reached the end of their life cycle in most countries. Relatively little attention has been paid to this emergency issue by either the government or public. Furthermore, C&D waste is most likely disposed of by direct dumping, simple stacking, or open burning in developing countries. Therefore, this paper highlights the global environmental risks of HBCDD from C&D waste. Areas of research for key problems of HBCDD contained in C&D waste are suggested to help control and finally eliminate the impact.

  12. Environmental characterization report for the Gulf Interior Region, Texas study area. [Oakwood, Palestine and Keechi salt domes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1982-10-01

    This report is published as a product of the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Program. The objective of this program is the development of terminal waste storage facilities in deep, stable geologic formations for high-level nuclear waste, including spent fuel elements from commercial power reactors and transuranic nuclear waste for which the federal government is responsible. The report is part of the area study phase and contains environmental information for the Texas Study Area of the Gulf Interior Region acquired from federal, state, and regional agencies. The data in this report meet the requirements of predetermined survey plans and willmore » be used in determining locations of approximately 80 square kilometers (30 square miles) that will be further characterized. Information on surface water, atmosphere, background radiation, natural ecosystems, agricultural systems, demography, socioeconomics, land use, and transportation is presented. The environmental characterization will ensure that data on environmental values required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 are available.« less

  13. Energy conservation in solid waste management in Bangladesh

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rahman, M.H.

    1994-12-31

    Recycling of solid wastes has a characteristic pattern in Bangladesh in the context of the general habits and socio-economic status of the population. Extensive resource recovery from solid wastes is being carried out at various stages of disposal. The characteristics of solid wastes at the final disposal site indicate that they contain more than 90% of organic wastes. Hence, anaerobic digestion of these wastes serves a dual purpose in the conservation of energy and of valuable crop nutrients for efficient recycling especially in an agriculture-based economy. This also improves overall environmental sanitation and reduces environmental degradation. In this paper, differentmore » recycling and reuse options for solid wastes are critically discussed from the energy recovery and energy conservation point of view. It has been shown that the resource recovery from solid wastes would minimize the energy problem and would lead to a net reduction of greenhouse gases, particularly in the developing world.« less

  14. Tanks Focus Area annual report FY2000

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    2000-12-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) continues to face a major radioactive waste tank remediation effort with tanks containing hazardous and radioactive waste resulting from the production of nuclear materials. With some 90 million gallons of waste in the form of solid, sludge, liquid, and gas stored in 287 tanks across the DOE complex, containing approximately 650 million curies, radioactive waste storage tank remediation is the nation's highest cleanup priority. Differing waste types and unique technical issues require specialized science and technology to achieve tank cleanup in an environmentally acceptable manner. Some of the waste has been stored for overmore » 50 years in tanks that have exceeded their design lives. The challenge is to characterize and maintain these contents in a safe condition and continue to remediate and close each tank to minimize the risks of waste migration and exposure to workers, the public, and the environment. In 1994, the DOE's Office of Environmental Management (EM) created a group of integrated, multiorganizational teams focusing on specific areas of the EM cleanup mission. These teams have evolved into five focus areas managed within EM's Office of Science and Technology (OST): Tanks Focus Area (TFA); Deactivation and Decommissioning Focus Area; Nuclear Materials Focus Area; Subsurface Contaminants Focus Area; and Transuranic and Mixed Waste Focus Area.« less

  15. Optical and spectroscopic studies on tannery wastes as a possible source of organic semiconductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nashy, El-Shahat H. A.; Al-Ashkar, Emad; Abdel Moez, A.

    2012-02-01

    Tanning industry produces a large quantity of solid wastes which contain hide proteins in the form of protein shavings containing chromium salts. The chromium wastes are the main concern from an environmental stand point of view, because chrome wastes posses a significant disposal problem. The present work is devoted to investigate the possibility of utilizing these wastes as a source of organic semi-conductors as an alternative method instead of the conventional ones. The chemical characterization of these wastes was determined. In addition, the Horizontal Attenuated Total Reflection (HATR) FT-IR spectroscopic analysis and optical parameters were also carried out for chromated samples. The study showed that the chromated samples had suitable absorbance and transmittance in the wavelength range (500-850 nm). Presence of chromium salt in the collagen samples increases the absorbance which improves the optical properties of the studied samples and leads to decrease the optical energy gap. The obtained optical energy gap gives an impression that the environmentally hazardous chrome shavings wastes can be utilized as a possible source of natural organic semiconductors with direct and indirect energy gap. This work opens the door to use some hazardous wastes in the manufacture of electronic devices such as IR-detectors, solar cells and also as solar cell windows.

  16. 40 CFR 264.178 - Closure.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Closure. 264.178 Section 264.178 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR... from the containment system. Remaining containers, liners, bases, and soil containing or contaminated...

  17. Hanford immobilized low-activity tank waste performance assessment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mann, F.M.

    1998-03-26

    The Hanford Immobilized Low-Activity Tank Waste Performance Assessment examines the long-term environmental and human health effects associated with the planned disposal of the vitrified low-level fraction of waste presently contained in Hanford Site tanks. The tank waste is the by-product of separating special nuclear materials from irradiated nuclear fuels over the past 50 years. This waste has been stored in underground single and double-shell tanks. The tank waste is to be retrieved, separated into low and high-activity fractions, and then immobilized by private vendors. The US Department of Energy (DOE) will receive the vitrified waste from private vendors and plansmore » to dispose of the low-activity fraction in the Hanford Site 200 East Area. The high-level fraction will be stored at Hanford until a national repository is approved. This report provides the site-specific long-term environmental information needed by the DOE to issue a Disposal Authorization Statement that would allow the modification of the four existing concrete disposal vaults to provide better access for emplacement of the immobilized low-activity waste (ILAW) containers; filling of the modified vaults with the approximately 5,000 ILAW containers and filler material with the intent to dispose of the containers; construction of the first set of next-generation disposal facilities. The performance assessment activity will continue beyond this assessment. The activity will collect additional data on the geotechnical features of the disposal sites, the disposal facility design and construction, and the long-term performance of the waste. Better estimates of long-term performance will be produced and reviewed on a regular basis. Performance assessments supporting closure of filled facilities will be issued seeking approval of those actions necessary to conclude active disposal facility operations. This report also analyzes the long-term performance of the currently planned disposal system as a basis to set requirements on the waste form and the facility design that will protect the long-term public health and safety and protect the environment.« less

  18. 40 CFR 255.2 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Definitions. 255.2 Section 255.2 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES IDENTIFICATION OF REGIONS AND AGENCIES FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT General Provisions § 255.2 Definitions. The Act contains an...

  19. BIOREMEDIATION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES: PRACTICAL APPROACHES TO IMPLEMENTATION (EPA/625/K-96/001)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This document contains abstracts and slide hardcopy for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) "Seminar Series on Bioremediation of Hazardous Waste Sites: Practical Approaches to Implementation." This technology transfer seminar series, sponsored by EPA's Biosystems ...

  20. Environmental Health Literacy in Support of Social Action: An Environmental JusticePerspective

    EPA Science Inventory

    Different demographic groups in the U.S. experience unequal exposures to environmental hazards, i.e., 56% of the population in neighborhoods containing commercial waste facilities arc people of color, with the associated poverty rates in those communities being 50% hig...

  1. The Office of Technology Development technical reports. A bibliography

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1994-09-01

    The US Department of Energy`s Office of Technology Development (OTD) within the Office of Environmental Management was established in 1989 to conduct an aggressive national program of applied research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation (RDDT&E) for innovative environmental cleanup solutions that are safer and more time- and cost-effective than those currently available. In many cases, the development of new technology presents the best hope for ensuring a substantive reduction in risk to the environment and improved worker/public safety within realistic financial constraints. Five major remediation and waste management problem areas have been identified to date within the DOE weapons complex;more » Contaminant Plume Containment and Remediation; Mixed Waste Characterization, Treatment, and Disposal; High-Level Waste Tank Remediation; Landfill Stabilization; and Facility Transitioning, Decommissioning, and Final Disposition. New technologies to address these problem areas are demonstrated to the point that they are proven to work and that they can be transferred to the private sector end-users. This bibliography contains information on scientific and technical reports sponsored by the Office of Environmental Management from its inception in 1989 through June 1994. Future issues contain reports from Technology Development activities and will be published biannually.« less

  2. Alternative Radiological Characterization of Sealed Source TRU Waste for WIPP Disposal (LAUR-05-8776)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Whitworth, J.; Pearson, M.; Feldman, A.

    2006-07-01

    The Offsite Source Recovery (OSR) Project at Los Alamos National Laboratory is now shipping transuranic (TRU) waste containers to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico for disposal. Sealed source waste disposal has become possible in part because OSR personnel were able to obtain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and DOE-CBFO approval for an alternative radiological characterization procedure relying on acceptable knowledge (AK) and modeling, rather than on non-destructive assay (NDA) of each container. This is the first successful qualification of an 'alternate methodology' under the radiological characterization requirements of the WIPP Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) by any TRUmore » waste generator site. This paper describes the approach OSR uses to radiologically characterize its sealed source waste and the process by which it obtained certification of this approach. (authors)« less

  3. Method and compositions for the degradation of tributyl phosphate in chemical waste mixtures

    DOEpatents

    Stoner, Daphne L.; Tien, Albert J.

    1995-01-01

    A method and process for the degradation of tributyl phosphate in an organic waste mixture and a biologically pure, novel bacteria culture for accomplishing the same. A newly-discovered bacteria (a strain of Acinetobacter sp. ATCC 55587) is provided which is combined in a reactor vessel with a liquid waste mixture containing tributyl phosphate and one or more organic waste compounds capable of functioning as growth substrates for the bacteria. The bacteria is thereafter allowed to incubate within the waste mixture. As a result, the tributyl phosphate and organic compounds within the waste mixture are metabolized (degraded) by the bacteria, thereby eliminating such materials which are environmentally hazardous. In addition, the bacteria is capable of degrading waste mixtures containing high quantities of tributyl phosphate (e.g. up to about 1.0% by weight tributyl phosphate).

  4. 40 CFR 265.223 - Containment system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Containment system. 265.223 Section 265.223 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED... FACILITIES Surface Impoundments § 265.223 Containment system. All earthen dikes must have a protective cover...

  5. 40 CFR 265.223 - Containment system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Containment system. 265.223 Section 265.223 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED... FACILITIES Surface Impoundments § 265.223 Containment system. All earthen dikes must have a protective cover...

  6. Translations on Environmental Quality No. 139

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1977-06-20

    appropriate measures to treat the waste water of everyday life, industry , and livestock and poultry farms. The widespread use of large quantities of...being given in the industrially developed countries. In these countries, industrial wastes are the primary cause of water pollution; water is also...polluted by oil. radioactive substances and the water used to cool power generating centers. Industrial wastes containing organic compounds, such

  7. Changing Waste in Changing Times: Solid Waste and Natural Resource Issues in Rural Alaska--A Teacher's Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moses, Shirley

    This guide was developed to present activities which inform the teacher and students of solid waste management problems that are becoming commonplace in villages. The lessons included present alternatives for taking care of the environment and contains methods to make not only school children more sensitive to environmental problems, but hopefully…

  8. Closing the Loop: Integrated Waste Management Activities for School & Home. K-12 Edition. A School-Based Waste Minimization and Education Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Institute for Environmental Education, Chagrin Falls, OH.

    Increased human population has led to more frequent interactions with the environment. The results of those interactions have affected the Earth's ecosystem. This manual contains hands-on, problem-centered activities to help students develop an environmental ethic and stewardship regarding waste management. The activities are grouped under three…

  9. Environmental Impact Statement Addressing Campus Development at Fort George Meade, Maryland

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-09-01

    II, and III) Hazardous Materials and Wastes No impacts on hazardous materials and wastes would be expected. Short- and long-term, negligible...adverse impacts would be expected from generation of hazardous materials and petroleum products and wastes during construction and operational...activities. No impacts on asbestos-containing materials , radon, lead-based paint, pesticides, or polychlorinated biphenyls would be expected. Short

  10. Comprehensive review of geosynthetic clay liner and compacted clay liner

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shankar, M. Uma; Muthukumar, M.

    2017-11-01

    Human activity inevitably produces waste materials that must be managed. Some waste can be reused. However many wastes that cannot be used beneficially must be disposed of ensuring environmental safety. One of the common methods of disposal is landfilling. The most common problems of the landfill site are environmental degradation and groundwater contamination caused by leachate produced during the decomposition process of organic material and rainfall. Liner in a landfill is an important component which prevent leachate migration and prevent groundwater contamination. Earthen liners have been widely used to contain waste materials in landfill. Liners and covers for municipal and hazardous waste containment facilities are often constructed with the use of fine-grained, low plasticity soils. Because of low permeability geosynthetic clay liners and compacted clay liners are the main materials used in waste disposal landfills. This paper summaries the important geotechnical characteristics such as hydraulic conductivity, liquid limit and free swell index of geosynthetic clay liner and compacted clay liner based on research findings. This paper also compares geosynthetic clay liner and compacted clay liner based on certain criteria such as thickness, availability of materials, vulnerability to damage etc.

  11. RCRA Facility Investigation report for Waste Area Grouping 6 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Volume 2. Sections 4 through 9

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    1991-09-01

    This report presents compiled information concerning a facility investigation of waste area group 6(WAG-6), of the solid waste management units (SWMU's) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The WAG is a shallow ground disposal area for low-level radioactive wastes and chemical wastes. The report contains information on hydrogeological data, contaminant characterization, radionuclide concentrations, risk assessment and baseline human health evaluation including a toxicity assessment, and a baseline environmental evaluation.

  12. Characteristics and biological treatment of leachates from a domestic landfill

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Waste material from urban areas is a major environmental concern and landfill application is a frequent method for waste disposal. The leachate from landfills can, however, negatively affect the surrounding environment. A bioreactor cascade containing submerged biofilms was used to treat newly forme...

  13. Innovating e-waste management: From macroscopic to microscopic scales.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Xianlai; Yang, Congren; Chiang, Joseph F; Li, Jinhui

    2017-01-01

    Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE or e-waste) has become a global problem, due to its potential environmental pollution and human health risk, and its containing valuable resources (e.g., metals, plastics). Recycling for e-waste will be a necessity, not only to address the shortage of mineral resources for electronics industry, but also to decline environmental pollution and human health risk. To systematically solve the e-waste problem, more attention of e-waste management should transfer from macroscopic to microscopic scales. E-waste processing technology should be significantly improved to diminish and even avoid toxic substance entering into downstream of material. The regulation or policy related to new production of hazardous substances in recycled materials should also be carried out on the agenda. All the findings can hopefully improve WEEE legislation for regulated countries and non-regulated countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Review of LLNL Mixed Waste Streams for the Application of Potential Waste Reduction Controls

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Belue, A; Fischer, R P

    2007-01-08

    In July 2004, LLNL adopted the International Standard ISO 14001 as a Work Smart Standard in lieu of DOE Order 450.1. In support of this new requirement the Director issued a new environmental policy that was documented in Section 3.0 of Document 1.2, ''ES&H Policies of LLNL'', in the ES&H Manual. In recent years the Environmental Management System (EMS) process has become formalized as LLNL adopted ISO 14001 as part of the contract under which the laboratory is operated for the Department of Energy (DOE). On May 9, 2005, LLNL revised its Integrated Safety Management System Description to enhance existingmore » environmental requirements to meet ISO 14001. Effective October 1, 2005, each new project or activity is required to be evaluated from an environmental aspect, particularly if a potential exists for significant environmental impacts. Authorizing organizations are required to consider the management of all environmental aspects, the applicable regulatory requirements, and reasonable actions that can be taken to reduce negative environmental impacts. During 2006, LLNL has worked to implement the corrective actions addressing the deficiencies identified in the DOE/LSO audit. LLNL has begun to update the present EMS to meet the requirements of ISO 14001:2004. The EMS commits LLNL--and each employee--to responsible stewardship of all the environmental resources in our care. The generation of mixed radioactive waste was identified as a significant environmental aspect. Mixed waste for the purposes of this report is defined as waste materials containing both hazardous chemical and radioactive constituents. Significant environmental aspects require that an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) be developed. The objective of the EMP developed for mixed waste (EMP-005) is to evaluate options for reducing the amount of mixed waste generated. This document presents the findings of the evaluation of mixed waste generated at LLNL and a proposed plan for reduction.« less

  15. Tobacco industry responsibility for butts: a Model Tobacco Waste Act.

    PubMed

    Curtis, Clifton; Novotny, Thomas E; Lee, Kelley; Freiberg, Mike; McLaughlin, Ian

    2017-01-01

    Cigarette butts and other postconsumer products from tobacco use are the most common waste elements picked up worldwide each year during environmental cleanups. Under the environmental principle of Extended Producer Responsibility, tobacco product manufacturers may be held responsible for collection, transport, processing and safe disposal of tobacco product waste (TPW). Legislation has been applied to other toxic and hazardous postconsumer waste products such as paints, pesticide containers and unused pharmaceuticals, to reduce, prevent and mitigate their environmental impacts. Additional product stewardship (PS) requirements may be necessary for other stakeholders and beneficiaries of tobacco product sales and use, especially suppliers, retailers and consumers, in order to ensure effective TPW reduction. This report describes how a Model Tobacco Waste Act may be adopted by national and subnational jurisdictions to address the environmental impacts of TPW. Such a law will also reduce tobacco use and its health consequences by raising attention to the environmental hazards of TPW, increasing the price of tobacco products, and reducing the number of tobacco product retailers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  16. 5 Steps to Responsible E-Waste Management at Your School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawless, Caprice

    2008-01-01

    Demand for environmentally responsible stewardship is increasing, and the education technology sector is responding. Former L&L Senior Editor Caprice Lawless offers an overview of local and national e-waste legislation and resources for related classroom projects. (Contains 3 resources and 13 online resources.)

  17. Method and compositions for the degradation of tributyl phosphate in chemical waste mixtures

    DOEpatents

    Stoner, D.L.; Tien, A.J.

    1995-09-26

    A method and process are disclosed for the degradation of tributyl phosphate in an organic waste mixture and a biologically pure, novel bacteria culture for accomplishing the same. A newly-discovered bacteria (a strain of Acinetobacter sp. ATCC 55587) is provided which is combined in a reactor vessel with a liquid waste mixture containing tributyl phosphate and one or more organic waste compounds capable of functioning as growth substrates for the bacteria. The bacteria is thereafter allowed to incubate within the waste mixture. As a result, the tributyl phosphate and organic compounds within the waste mixture are metabolized (degraded) by the bacteria, thereby eliminating such materials which are environmentally hazardous. In addition, the bacteria is capable of degrading waste mixtures containing high quantities of tributyl phosphate (e.g. up to about 1.0% by weight tributyl phosphate). 6 figs.

  18. Final report: survey and removal of radioactive surface contamination at environmental restoration sites, Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico. Volume 2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lambert, K.A.; Mitchell, M.M.; Jean, D.

    1997-09-01

    This report contains the Appendices A-L including Voluntary Corrective Measure Plans, Waste Management Plans, Task-Specific Health and Safety Plan, Analytical Laboratory Procedures, Soil Sample Results, In-Situ Gamma Spectroscopy Results, Radionuclide Activity Summary, TCLP Soil Sample Results, Waste Characterization Memoranda, Waste Drum Inventory Data, Radiological Risk Assessment, and Summary of Site-Specific Recommendations.

  19. Proceedings of the tenth annual DOE low-level waste management conference: Session 2: Site performance assessment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1988-12-01

    This document contains twelve papers on various aspects of low-level radioactive waste management. Topics of this volume include: performance assessment methodology; remedial action alternatives; site selection and site characterization procedures; intruder scenarios; sensitivity analysis procedures; mathematical models for mixed waste environmental transport; and risk assessment methodology. Individual papers were processed separately for the database. (TEM)

  20. Installation Restoration Program. Phase 1. Records Search, Charleston AFB, South Carolina

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-10-01

    and plastics plants. Conducted industrial waste surveys, landfill design, and planning for plant environmental protection programs; evaluated air...management study for a major plastics manufacturing company. Responsibilitites included identification and investigation of a number of operating...61 aste Caracteristics 68 Pathways 69 Total 198 divided by 3 = 63 3ross total sc,:re B. Aooly factor for waste containment from waste manaement

  1. Optical and spectroscopic studies on tannery wastes as a possible source of organic semiconductors.

    PubMed

    Nashy, El-Shahat H A; Al-Ashkar, Emad; Moez, A Abdel

    2012-02-01

    Tanning industry produces a large quantity of solid wastes which contain hide proteins in the form of protein shavings containing chromium salts. The chromium wastes are the main concern from an environmental stand point of view, because chrome wastes posses a significant disposal problem. The present work is devoted to investigate the possibility of utilizing these wastes as a source of organic semi-conductors as an alternative method instead of the conventional ones. The chemical characterization of these wastes was determined. In addition, the Horizontal Attenuated Total Reflection (HATR) FT-IR spectroscopic analysis and optical parameters were also carried out for chromated samples. The study showed that the chromated samples had suitable absorbance and transmittance in the wavelength range (500-850 nm). Presence of chromium salt in the collagen samples increases the absorbance which improves the optical properties of the studied samples and leads to decrease the optical energy gap. The obtained optical energy gap gives an impression that the environmentally hazardous chrome shavings wastes can be utilized as a possible source of natural organic semiconductors with direct and indirect energy gap. This work opens the door to use some hazardous wastes in the manufacture of electronic devices such as IR-detectors, solar cells and also as solar cell windows. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Consumption and production waste: another externality of tobacco use.

    PubMed

    Novotny, T E; Zhao, F

    1999-01-01

    To describe the waste produced by and environmental implications of individual cigarette consumption (filter tips, packages, and cartons) and tobacco manufacturing. All available articles and reports published since 1970 related to cigarette consumption and production waste were reviewed. Global cigarette consumption data were used to estimate cigarette butt and packaging waste quantities. Data from the Center for Marine Conservation's International Coastal Cleanup Project were used to describe some environmental impacts of tobacco-related trash. Data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Toxics Release Inventory and reported global cigarette consumption totals were used to estimate waste production from cigarette manufacturing. In 1995, an estimated 5.535 trillion cigarettes (27,675 million cartons and 276,753 million packages) were sold by the tobacco industry globally. Some of the wastes from these products were properly deposited, but a large amount of tobacco consumption waste ends up in the environment. Some is recovered during environmental clean-up days. For the past eight years (1990-1997), cigarette butts have been the leading item found during the International Coastal Cleanup Project; they accounted for 19.1% of all items collected in 1997. The tobacco manufacturing process produces liquid, solid, and airborne waste. Among those wastes, some materials, including nicotine, are designated by the EPA as Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) chemicals. These are possible environmental health hazards. In 1995, the global tobacco industry produced an estimated 2262 million kilograms of manufacturing waste and 209 million kilograms of chemical waste. In addition, total nicotine waste produced in the manufacture of reduced nicotine cigarettes was estimated at 300 million kilograms. Laws against littering relative to cigarette butts could be better enforced. Additional taxes might be levied on cigarette products that would then be directed to environmental clean-up efforts. The tobacco industry should improve the biodegradability of filters, reduce packaging waste, and educate its customers. Worksites and public buildings should be encouraged or required to supply appropriate disposal mechanisms at all building entrances. Public awareness campaigns about the magnitude and prevention of cigarette consumption waste could be developed through partnerships among environmental groups, health organisations, and environmental protection agencies. Tobacco production waste should be a source of concern and regulation by governments throughout the world; it contains numerous chemicals which may be considered health hazards, not the least of which is nicotine produced in the manufacture of low-nicotine cigarettes.

  3. 40 CFR 262.104 - What are the minimum performance criteria?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... XL Project-Laboratory Environmental Management Standard § 262.104 What are the minimum performance... container management. (f) The management of laboratory waste must not result in the release of hazardous... waste management program approved under 40 CFR part 271) if it is determined in the laboratory by the...

  4. Consumption and production waste: another externality of tobacco use

    PubMed Central

    Novotny, T.; Zhao, F.

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVE—To describe the waste produced by and environmental implications of individual cigarette consumption (filter tips, packages, and cartons) and tobacco manufacturing.
STUDY SELECTION—All available articles and reports published since 1970 related to cigarette consumption and production waste were reviewed.
DATA SOURCES—Global cigarette consumption data were used to estimate cigarette butt and packaging waste quantities. Data from the Center for Marine Conservation's International Coastal Cleanup Project were used to describe some environmental impacts of tobacco-related trash. Data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Toxics Release Inventory and reported global cigarette consumption totals were used to estimate waste production from cigarette manufacturing.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS—In 1995, an estimated 5.535 trillion cigarettes (27 675 million cartons and 276 753 million packages) were sold by the tobacco industry globally. Some of the wastes from these products were properly deposited, but a large amount of tobacco consumption waste ends up in the environment. Some is recovered during environmental clean-up days. For the past eight years (1990-1997), cigarette butts have been the leading item found during the International Coastal Cleanup Project; they accounted for 19.1% of all items collected in 1997. The tobacco manufacturing process produces liquid, solid, and airborne waste. Among those wastes, some materials, including nicotine, are designated by the EPA as Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) chemicals. These are possible environmental health hazards. In 1995, the global tobacco industry produced an estimated 2262 million kilograms of manufacturing waste and 209 million kilograms of chemical waste. In addition, total nicotine waste produced in the manufacture of reduced nicotine cigarettes was estimated at 300 million kilograms.
CONCLUSIONS—Laws against littering relative to cigarette butts could be better enforced. Additional taxes might be levied on cigarette products that would then be directed to environmental clean-up efforts. The tobacco industry should improve the biodegradability of filters, reduce packaging waste, and educate its customers. Worksites and public buildings should be encouraged or required to supply appropriate disposal mechanisms at all building entrances. Public awareness campaigns about the magnitude and prevention of cigarette consumption waste could be developed through partnerships among environmental groups, health organisations, and environmental protection agencies. Tobacco production waste should be a source of concern and regulation by governments throughout the world; it contains numerous chemicals which may be considered health hazards, not the least of which is nicotine produced in the manufacture of low-nicotine cigarettes.


Keywords: tobacco waste; litter; environmental impact PMID:10465821

  5. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    This permit application (Vol. 7) for the WIPP facility contains appendices related to the following information: Ground water protection; personnel; solid waste management; and memorandums concerning environmental protection standards.

  6. An Educational Guide for Planning an Improved Human Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kohuth, Barbara J.; Marsh, Boyd T.

    This guide contains a curriculum featuring learnings and activities concerning environmental health of the home, neighborhood and city. There are six main sections to this guide: (1) Resources - containing sections on solid wastes, sound, radiation, air, water, shelter, and chemicals; (2) Environment - containing sections on positive and negative…

  7. Environmental factor(tm) system: RCRA hazardous waste handler information (on CD-ROM). Data file

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1995-11-01

    Environmental Factor(trademark) RCRA Hazardous Waste Handler Information on CD-ROM unleashes the invaluable information found in two key EPA data sources on hazardous waste handlers and offers cradle-to-grave waste tracking. It`s easy to search and display: (1) Permit status, design capacity, and compliance history for facilities found in the EPA Research Conservation and Recovery Information System (RCRIS) program tracking database; (2) Detailed information on hazardous wastes generation, management, and minimization by companies who are large quantity generators; and (3) Data on the waste management practices of treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities from the EPA Biennial Reporting System which is collectedmore » every other year. Environmental Factor`s powerful database retrieval system lets you: (1) Search for RCRA facilities by permit type, SIC code, waste codes, corrective action, or violation information, TSD status, generator and transporter status, and more. (2) View compliance information - dates of evaluation, violation, enforcement, and corrective action. (3) Lookup facilities by waste processing categories of marketing, transporting, processing, and energy recovery. (4) Use owner/operator information and names, titles, and telephone numbers of project managers for prospecting. (5) Browse detailed data on TSD facility and large quantity generators` activities such as onsite waste treatment, disposal, or recycling, offsite waste received, and waste generation and management. The product contains databases, search and retrieval software on two CD-ROMs, an installation diskette and User`s Guide. Environmental Factor has online context-sensitive help from any screen and a printed User`s Guide describing installation and step-by-step procedures for searching, retrieving, and exporting.« less

  8. (Hydrogeology of hazardous waste, Sede Boker Campus, Ben-Gurion University, Israel)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stow, S.H.

    1990-03-29

    This trip report describes progress made by the International Commission on the Hydrogeology of Hazardous Waste in preparing a document on hydrogeologic and environmental issues associated with siting of hazardous waste disposal facilities. This document follows the successful completion of a commission report on siting of facilities for subsurface disposal of liquid wastes. Also contained in this trip report are descriptions of water and waste management activities throughout the southern part of Israel. Water availability and the need to protect the country's limited water supplies from contamination resulting from waste disposal are issues of paramount importance to Israel.

  9. Research on Recycling and Utilization of Solid Waste in Civil Airport

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Bo; Zhang, Wen; Wang, Jianping; Yi, Wei

    2018-05-01

    The aviation industry is embracing unprecedented prosperity together with the economic development. Building green airports resource-saving, environment-friendly and sustainable has become the inevitability of the times. The operation of airport will generate the large amount of waste every day, which certainly exposes airports and surrounding regions to waste disposal and ecological environment pressure. Waste disposal directly affects the surrounding environment of airports, which can be effectively mitigated by disposing waste into resources, i.e., sorting and recycling them into renewable materials. The development of green airport can also be promoted in this process. The article elaborates on the current methods of waste disposal adopted by airports. According to the principle of waste reduction, harmlessness, and resource recycling, a set of solid waste recycling and utilization methods suitable for airports are proposed, which can reduce the costs of waste transported to other places and landfilled. Various environmental pollution caused by landfill and other disposal methods can also be contained effectively. At the same time, resources can be fully recycled, converting waste into useful resources in an efficient and environmental-friendly way.

  10. Current techniques in rice mill effluent treatment: Emerging opportunities for waste reuse and waste-to-energy conversion.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Anuj; Priyadarshinee, Rashmi; Roy, Abhishek; Dasgupta, Dalia; Mandal, Tamal

    2016-12-01

    Rice mills release huge volumes of wastewater and other by-products when processing paddy rice. The wastewater often contains toxic inorganic and organic contaminants which cause environmental damage when released. Accordingly, cost-effective techniques for removing contaminants are needed. This article reviews current processes for curbing pollution and also reusing and recycling waste products. Novel techniques exist for converting waste products into energy and value-added products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. 40 CFR 61.345 - Standards: Containers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Standards: Containers. 61.345 Section 61.345 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS National Emission Standard for Benzene Waste...

  12. 40 CFR 61.345 - Standards: Containers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 9 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Standards: Containers. 61.345 Section 61.345 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS National Emission Standard for Benzene Waste...

  13. E-waste: an assessment of global production and environmental impacts.

    PubMed

    Robinson, Brett H

    2009-12-20

    E-waste comprises discarded electronic appliances, of which computers and mobile telephones are disproportionately abundant because of their short lifespan. The current global production of E-waste is estimated to be 20-25 million tonnes per year, with most E-waste being produced in Europe, the United States and Australasia. China, Eastern Europe and Latin America will become major E-waste producers in the next ten years. Miniaturisation and the development of more efficient cloud computing networks, where computing services are delivered over the internet from remote locations, may offset the increase in E-waste production from global economic growth and the development of pervasive new technologies. E-waste contains valuable metals (Cu, platinum group) as well as potential environmental contaminants, especially Pb, Sb, Hg, Cd, Ni, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Burning E-waste may generate dioxins, furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs), and hydrogen chloride. The chemical composition of E-waste changes with the development of new technologies and pressure from environmental organisations on electronics companies to find alternatives to environmentally damaging materials. Most E-waste is disposed in landfills. Effective reprocessing technology, which recovers the valuable materials with minimal environmental impact, is expensive. Consequently, although illegal under the Basel Convention, rich countries export an unknown quantity of E-waste to poor countries, where recycling techniques include burning and dissolution in strong acids with few measures to protect human health and the environment. Such reprocessing initially results in extreme localised contamination followed by migration of the contaminants into receiving waters and food chains. E-waste workers suffer negative health effects through skin contact and inhalation, while the wider community are exposed to the contaminants through smoke, dust, drinking water and food. There is evidence that E-waste associated contaminants may be present in some agricultural or manufactured products for export.

  14. Radiation release at the nation's only operating deep geological repository--an independent monitoring perspective.

    PubMed

    Thakur, P; Ballard, S; Hardy, R

    2014-11-04

    Recent incidents at the nation's only operating deep geologic nuclear waste repository, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), resulted in the release of americium and plutonium from one or more defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste containers into the environment. WIPP is a U.S. Department of Energy mined geologic repository that has been in operation since March, 1999. Over 85,000 m3 of waste in various vented payload containers have been emplaced in the repository. The primary radionuclides within the disposed waste are 239+240Pu and 241Am, which account for more than 99% of the total TRU radioactivity disposed and scheduled for disposal in the repository. For the first time in its 15 years of operation, there was an airborne radiation release from the WIPP at approximately 11:30 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST) on Friday, February 14, 2014. The radiation release was likely caused by a chemical reaction inside a TRU waste drum that contained nitrate salts and organic sorbent materials. In a recent news release, DOE announced that photos taken of the waste underground showed evidence of heat and gas pressure resulting in a deformed lid, in material expelled through that deformation, and in melted plastic and rubber and polyethylene in the vicinity of that drum. Recent entries into underground Panel 7 have confirmed that at least one waste drum containing a nitrate salt bearing waste stream from Los Alamos National Laboratory was breached underground and was the most likely source of the release. Further investigation is underway to determine if other containers contributed to the release. Air monitoring across the WIPP site intensified following the first reports of radiation detection underground to ascertain whether or not there were releases to the ground surface. Independent analytical results of air filters from sampling stations on and near the WIPP facility have been released by us at the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring & Research Center and confirmed trace amounts of 241Am and 239+240Pu, at ratios reflecting the suspect waste stream. The highest activity detected offsite was 115.2 μBq/m3 for 241Am and 10.2 μBq/m3 for 239+240 Pu. These concentrations in air were very small, localized, and below any level of public health or environmental concern.

  15. Exposure to toxic waste containing high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide illegally dumped in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Dongo, Kouassi; Tiembré, Issiaka; Koné, Blaise Atioumonou; Zurbrügg, Christian; Odermatt, Peter; Tanner, Marcel; Zinsstag, Jakob; Cissé, Guéladio

    2012-09-01

    On August 2006, a cargo ship illegally dumped 500 t of toxic waste containing high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide in numerous sites across Abidjan. Thousands of people became ill. Seventeen deaths were associated with toxic waste exposure. This study reports on environmental and health problems associated with the incident. A cross-sectional transect study was conducted in five waste dumping site areas. Of the households, 62.1% (n = 502) were exposed to the effects of the pollutants and 51.1% of the interviewed people (n = 2,368) in these households showed signs of poisoning. Most important symptoms were cough (37.1%), asthenia (33.1%), pruritus (29.9%) and nausea (29.1%). The health effects showed different frequencies in the five waste impact sites. Among the poisoned persons, 21.1% (n = 532) presented symptoms on the survey day (i.e., 4 months after incident). Transect sampling allowed to determine a radius of vulnerability to exposure of up to 3 km from the point of toxic waste disposal. The area of higher vulnerability is influenced by various environmental factors, such as size and severity of pollution site, duration of toxic waste pollution on the impact site and locally climatic conditions. The surveillance of effects on environment and human health is warranted to monitor the development.

  16. Growth, ethanol production, and inulinase activity on various inulin substrates by mutant kluyveromyces marxianus strains NRRL Y-50798 and NRRL Y-50799

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Economically important plants contain large amounts of inulin. Disposal of waste resulting from their processing presents environmental issues. Finding microorganisms capable of converting inulin waste to biofuel and valuable co-products in a biorefinery at the processing site would have significant...

  17. CHARACTERIZATION AND EH/PH-BASED LEACHING TESTS OF MERCURY-CONTAINING MINING WASTES FROM THE SULFUR BANK MERCURY MINE, LAKE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

    EPA Science Inventory

    Mine waste rock and roaster tailings were collected from the Sulfur Bank Mercury Mine (SBMM) located in Clearlake Oaks, California. The site has been under investigation as a Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) site. Leaching profiles o...

  18. High-level waste storage tank farms/242-A evaporator Standards/Requirements Identification Document (S/RID), Volume 7. Revision 1

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Burt, D.L.

    1994-04-01

    The High-Level Waste Storage Tank Farms/242-A Evaporator Standards/Requirements Identification Document (S/RID) is contained in multiple volumes. This document (Volume 7) presents the standards and requirements for the following sections: Occupational Safety and Health, and Environmental Protection.

  19. INFLUENCE OF PH AND OXIDATION-REDUCTION (EH) POTENTIAL ON THE DISSOLUTION OF MERCURY-CONTAINING MINE WASTES FROM THE SULFUR BANK MERCURY MINE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Mine waste rock and roaster tailings were collected from the Sulfur Bank Mercury Mine (SBMM) located in Clearlake Oaks, California. The site has been under investigation as a Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) site. Characterization an...

  20. New technology recipes include horseradish, vinegar, mushrooms

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bishop, J.

    1995-08-01

    Technology development for more effective environmental management continues to abound. This article contains some recent innovations in the following areas: wastewater treatment; site remediation; and air pollution control. In addition several emerging technologies address solid and hazardous waste management with techniques designed to reduce waste volume, recycle valuable materials and create new energy sources.

  1. EPA Facility Registry Service (FRS): RCRA

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This web feature service contains location and facility identification information from EPA's Facility Registry Service (FRS) for the subset of hazardous waste facilities that link to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information System (RCRAInfo). EPA's comprehensive information system in support of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) of 1984, RCRAInfo tracks many types of information about generators, transporters, treaters, storers, and disposers of hazardous waste. FRS identifies and geospatially locates facilities, sites or places subject to environmental regulations or of environmental interest. Using vigorous verification and data management procedures, FRS integrates facility data from EPA's national program systems, other federal agencies, and State and tribal master facility records and provides EPA with a centrally managed, single source of comprehensive and authoritative information on facilities. This data set contains the subset of FRS integrated facilities that link to RCRAInfo hazardous waste facilities once the RCRAInfo data has been integrated into the FRS database. Additional information on FRS is available at the EPA website https://www.epa.gov/enviro/facility-registry-service-frs

  2. An economic and ecological perspective of ethanol production from renewable agro waste: a review

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Agro-industrial wastes are generated during the industrial processing of agricultural products. These wastes are generated in large amounts throughout the year, and are the most abundant renewable resources on earth. Due to the large availability and composition rich in compounds that could be used in other processes, there is a great interest on the reuse of these wastes, both from economical and environmental view points. The economic aspect is based on the fact that such wastes may be used as low-cost raw materials for the production of other value-added compounds, with the expectancy of reducing the production costs. The environmental concern is because most of the agro-industrial wastes contain phenolic compounds and/or other compounds of toxic potential; which may cause deterioration of the environment when the waste is discharged to the nature. Although the production of bioethanol offers many benefits, more research is needed in the aspects like feedstock preparation, fermentation technology modification, etc., to make bioethanol more economically viable. PMID:23217124

  3. Final Environmental Assessment for the CV-22 Interim Beddown

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-04-01

    as asbestos -containing materials and lead-based paints, depending on the age of the buildings demolished. The Proposed Action and proposed...Demolition could generate additional hazardous wastes and materials such as asbestos -containing materials and lead-based paints, depending on the

  4. Properties of concrete containing foamed concrete block waste as fine aggregate replacement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muthusamy, K.; Budiea, A. M. A.; Zaidan, A. L. F.; Rasid, M. H.; Hazimmah, D. S.

    2017-11-01

    Environmental degradation due to excessive sand mining dumping at certain places and disposal of foamed concrete block waste from lightweight concrete producing industry are issues that should be resolved for a better and cleaner environment of the community. Thus, the main intention of this study is to investigate the potential of foamed concrete block waste as partial sand replacement in concrete production. The foamed concrete waste (FCW) used in this research that were supplied by a local lightweight concrete producing industry. The workability and compressive strength of concrete containing various percentage of foamed concrete waste as partial sand replacement has been investigated. Prior to the use, the foamed concrete waste were crushed to produce finer particles. Six concrete mixes containing various content of crushed foamed concrete waste that are 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% were used in this experimental work. Then the prepared specimens were placed in water curing until the testing age. Compressive strength test and flexural strength tests were conducted at 7, 14 and 28 days. The result shows that integration of crushed foamed concrete waste as partial sand replacement in concrete reduces the mix workability. It is interesting to note that both compressive strength and flexural strength of concrete improves when 30% crushed foamed concrete waste is added as partial sand replacement.

  5. RH-TRU Waste Characterization by Acceptable Knowledge at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schulz, C.; Givens, C.; Bhatt, R.

    2003-02-24

    Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) is conducting an effort to characterize approximately 620 drums of remote-handled (RH-) transuranic (TRU) waste currently in its inventory that were generated at the Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E) Alpha Gamma Hot Cell Facility (AGHCF) between 1971 and 1995. The waste was generated at the AGHCF during the destructive examination of irradiated and unirradiated fuel pins, targets, and other materials from reactor programs at ANL-West (ANL-W) and other Department of Energy (DOE) reactors. In support of this effort, Shaw Environmental and Infrastructure (formerly IT Corporation) developed an acceptable knowledge (AK) collection and management programmore » based on existing contact-handled (CH)-TRU waste program requirements and proposed RH-TRU waste program requirements in effect in July 2001. Consistent with Attachments B-B6 of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Hazardous Waste Facility Permit (HWFP) and th e proposed Class 3 permit modification (Attachment R [RH-WAP] of this permit), the draft AK Summary Report prepared under the AK procedure describes the waste generating process and includes determinations in the following areas based on AK: physical form (currently identified at the Waste Matrix Code level); waste stream delineation; applicability of hazardous waste numbers for hazardous waste constituents; and prohibited items. In addition, the procedure requires and the draft summary report contains information supporting determinations in the areas of defense relationship and radiological characterization.« less

  6. Environmental and health impacts of household solid waste handling and disposal practices in third world cities: the case of the Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana.

    PubMed

    Boadi, Kwasi Owusu; Kuitunen, Markku

    2005-11-01

    Inadequate provision of solid waste management facilities in Third World cities results in indiscriminate disposal and unsanitary environments, which threatens the health of urban residents. The study reported here examined household-level waste management and disposal practices in the Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana. The residents of Accra currently generate large amounts of solid waste, beyond the management capabilities of the existing waste management system. Because the solid waste infrastructure is inadequate, over 80 percent of the population do not have home collection services. Only 13.5 percent of respondents are served with door-to-door collection of solid waste, while the rest dispose of their waste at communal collection points, in open spaces, and in waterways. The majority of households store their waste in open containers and plastic bags in the home. Waste storage in the home is associated with the presence of houseflies in the kitchen (r = .17, p < .0001). The presence of houseflies in the kitchen during cooking is correlated with the incidence of childhood diarrhea (r = .36, p < .0001). Inadequate solid waste facilities result in indiscriminate burning and burying of solid waste. There is an association between waste burning and the incidence of respiratory health symptoms among adults (r = .25, p < .0001) and children (r = .22, p < .05). Poor handling and disposal of waste are major causes of environmental pollution, which creates breeding grounds for pathogenic organisms, and the spread of infectious diseases. Improving access to solid waste collection facilities and services will help achieve sound environmental health in Accra.

  7. Mechanical and toxicological evaluation of concrete artifacts containing waste foundry sand.

    PubMed

    Mastella, Miguel Angelo; Gislon, Edivelton Soratto; Pelisser, Fernando; Ricken, Cláudio; da Silva, Luciano; Angioletto, Elídio; Montedo, Oscar Rubem Klegues

    2014-08-01

    The creation of metal parts via casting uses molds that are generally made from sand and phenolic resin. The waste generated after the casting process is called waste foundry sand (WFS). Depending on the mold composition and the casting process, WFS can contain substances that prevent its direct emission to the environment. In Brazil, this waste is classified according to the Standard ABNT NBR 10004:2004 as a waste Class II (Non-Inert). The recycling of this waste is limited because its characteristics change significantly after use. Although the use (or reuse) of this byproduct in civil construction is a technically feasible alternative, its effects must be evaluated, especially from mechanical and environmental points of view. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the effect of the use of WFS in the manufacture of cement artifacts, such as masonry blocks for walls, structural masonry blocks, and paving blocks. Blocks containing different concentrations of WFS (up to 75% by weight) were produced and evaluated using compressive strength tests (35 MPa at 28 days) and toxicity tests on Daphnia magna, Allium cepa (onion root), and Eisenia foetida (earthworm). The results showed that there was not a considerable reduction in the compressive strength, with values of 35 ± 2 MPa at 28 days. The toxicity study with the material obtained from leaching did not significantly interfere with the development of D. magna and E. foetida, but the growth of the A. cepa species was reduced. The study showed that the use of this waste in the production of concrete blocks is feasible from both mechanical and environmental points of view. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Rotary Kiln Gasification of Solid Waste for Base Camps

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-10-02

    cup after full day run 3.3 Feedstock Handling System Garbage bags containing waste feedstock are placed into feed bin FB-101. Ram feeder RF-102...Environmental Science and Technology using the Factory Talk SCADA software running on a laptop computer. A wireless Ethernet router that is located within the...pyrolysis oil produced required consistent draining from the system during operation and became a liquid waste disposal problem. A 5-hour test run could

  9. Corps of Engineers Land Treatment of Wastewater Research Program, An Annotated Bibliography.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-04-01

    engineering) Waste treatment Waste water 4 20. ABST14ACT (Eacabsue an reverse oh It necwwey mad tdertlfy by block number) *This bibliography contains...1982) Distribution of phosphorus in soils irri ated with municipal waste- water effluent: A 5-year study. Journal of Environmental Quality, vol. 11...vol. 44, p. 383-394. The removal of seeded coliphage f2 and indigenous enteroviruses from primary and secondary wastewaters applied by spray

  10. Environmental Factor(tm) system: RCRA hazardous waste handler information (on cd-rom). Database

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1996-04-01

    Environmental Factor(tm) RCRA Hazardous Waste Handler Information on CD-ROM unleashes the invaluable information found in two key EPA data sources on hazardous waste handlers and offers cradle-to-grave waste tracking. It`s easy to search and display: (1) Permit status, design capacity and compliance history for facilities found in the EPA Resource Conservation and Recovery Information System (RCRIS) program tracking database; (2) Detailed information on hazardous wastes generation, management and minimization by companies who are large quantity generators, and (3) Data on the waste management practices of treatment, storage and disposal (TSD) facilities from the EPA Biennial Reporting System which is collectedmore » every other year. Environmental Factor`s powerful database retrieval system lets you: (1) Search for RCRA facilities by permit type, SIC code, waste codes, corrective action or violation information, TSD status, generator and transporter status and more; (2) View compliance information - dates of evaluation, violation, enforcement and corrective action; (3) Lookup facilities by waste processing categories of marketing, transporting, processing and energy recovery; (4) Use owner/operator information and names, titles and telephone numbers of project managers for prospecting; and (5) Browse detailed data on TSD facility and large quantity generators` activities such as onsite waste treatment, disposal, or recycling, offsite waste received, and waste generation and management. The product contains databases, search and retrieval software on two CD-ROMs, an installation diskette and User`s Guide. Environmental Factor has online context-sensitive help from any screen and a printed User`s Guide describing installation and step-by-step procedures for searching, retrieving and exporting. Hotline support is also available for no additional charge.« less

  11. Environmental Factor{trademark} system: RCRA hazardous waste handler information

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1999-03-01

    Environmental Factor{trademark} RCRA Hazardous Waste Handler Information on CD-ROM unleashes the invaluable information found in two key EPA data sources on hazardous waste handlers and offers cradle-to-grave waste tracking. It`s easy to search and display: (1) Permit status, design capacity and compliance history for facilities found in the EPA Resource Conservation and Recovery Information System (RCRIS) program tracking database; (2) Detailed information on hazardous wastes generation, management and minimization by companies who are large quantity generators, and (3) Data on the waste management practices of treatment, storage and disposal (TSD) facilities from the EPA Biennial Reporting System which is collectedmore » every other year. Environmental Factor`s powerful database retrieval system lets you: (1) Search for RCRA facilities by permit type, SIC code, waste codes, corrective action or violation information, TSD status, generator and transporter status and more; (2) View compliance information -- dates of evaluation, violation, enforcement and corrective action; (3) Lookup facilities by waste processing categories of marketing, transporting, processing and energy recovery; (4) Use owner/operator information and names, titles and telephone numbers of project managers for prospecting; and (5) Browse detailed data on TSD facility and large quantity generators` activities such as onsite waste treatment, disposal, or recycling, offsite waste received, and waste generation and management. The product contains databases, search and retrieval software on two CD-ROMs, an installation diskette and User`s Guide. Environmental Factor has online context-sensitive help from any screen and a printed User`s Guide describing installation and step-by-step procedures for searching, retrieving and exporting. Hotline support is also available for no additional charge.« less

  12. A Proposal to Integrate the Management of Electronic Waste into the Curriculum of Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Jager, Thelma

    2015-01-01

    Today's children are growing up in an environmentally damaged and technology orientated world. The advent and advances of technology, has resulted in the production of millions of electronic devices, which eventually become waste when they reach their end-of-life. These devices contain toxic components that are not only polluting the environment…

  13. Iowa's Clean Solid Waste Environmental Education Project (SWEEP).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eells, Jean Crim; And Others

    The Iowa Clean SWEEP program is designed to provide educators, K-12, with a series of activities focusing upon critical concepts related to Iowa's solid waste problem. This activity packet contains 19 activities for grades K-6, and 25 activities for grades 7-12. Key concepts addressed throughout the activity packet include: (1) an overview, the…

  14. Solid waste containing persistent organic pollutants in Serbia: From precautionary measures to the final treatment (case study).

    PubMed

    Stevanovic-Carapina, Hristina; Milic, Jelena; Curcic, Marijana; Randjelovic, Jasminka; Krinulovic, Katarina; Jovovic, Aleksandar; Brnjas, Zvonko

    2016-07-01

    Sustainable solid waste management needs more dedicated attention in respect of environmental and human health protection. Solid waste containing persistent organic pollutants is of special concern, since persistent organic pollutants are persistent, toxic and of high risk to human health and the environment. The objective of this investigation was to identify critical points in the Serbian system of solid waste and persistent organic pollutants management, to assure the life cycle management of persistent organic pollutants and products containing these chemicals, including prevention and final destruction. Data were collected from the Serbian competent authorities, and led us to identify preventive actions for solid waste management that should reduce or minimise release of persistent organic pollutants into the environment, and to propose actions necessary for persistent organic pollutants solid waste. The adverse impact of persistent organic pollutants is multidimensional. Owing to the lack of treatment or disposal plants for hazardous waste in Serbia, the only option at the moment to manage persistent organic pollutants waste is to keep it in temporary storage and when conditions are created (primarily financial), such waste should be exported for destruction in hazardous waste incinerators. Meanwhile, it needs to be assured that any persistent organic pollutants management activity does not negatively impact recycling flows or disturb progress towards a more circular economy in Serbia. © The Author(s) 2016.

  15. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Moghissi, A.A.; Blauvelt, R.K.; Benda, G.A.

    This volume contains the peer-reviewed and edited versions of papers submitted for presentation a the Second International Mixed Waste Symposium. Following the tradition of the First International Mixed Waste Symposium, these proceedings were prepared in advance of the meeting for distribution to participants. The symposium was organized by the Mixed Waste Committee of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The topics discussed at the symposium include: stabilization technologies, alternative treatment technologies, regulatory issues, vitrification technologies, characterization of wastes, thermal technologies, laboratory and analytical issues, waste storage and disposal, organic treatment technologies, waste minimization, packaging and transportation, treatment of mercury contaminatedmore » wastes and bioprocessing, and environmental restoration. Individual abstracts are catalogued separately for the data base.« less

  16. On The Cusp of the New Spatial Challenges - The Thermal Waste Processing Plant as an Element of Urban Space

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wójtowicz-Wróbel, Agnieszka

    2017-10-01

    The goal of this paper is to answer the question about the current importance of structures associated with the thermal processing of waste within the space of Polish cities and what status can they have in the functional and spatial structure of Polish cities in the future. The construction of thermal waste processing plants in Poland is currently a new and important problem, with numerous structures of this type being built due to increasing care for the natural environment, with the introduction of legal regulations, as well as due to the possibility of obtaining large external funding for the purposes of undertaking pro-environmental spatial initiatives, etc. For this reason, the paper contains research on the increase in the number of thermal waste processing plants in Poland in recent years. The abovementioned data was compared with similar information from other European Union member states. In the group containing Polish thermal waste processing plants, research was performed regarding the stage of the construction of a plant (operating plant, plant under construction, design in a construction phase, etc.). The paper also contains a listing of the functions other than the basic form of use, which is the incineration of waste - similarly to numerous foreign examples - that the environmentally friendly waste incineration plants fulfil in Poland, dividing the additional forms of use into "hard" elements (at the design level, requiring the expansion of a building featuring new elements that are not directly associated with the basic purpose of waste processing) and soft (social, educational, promotional actions, as well as other endeavours that require human involvement, but that do not entail significant design work on the buildings itself, expanding its form of use, etc.) as well as mixed activity, which required design work, but on a relatively small scale. Research was also conducted regarding the placement of thermal waste processing plants within the spatial structures of cities (a city’s outer zone, central zone, etc.) and their placement in relation to the more important urban units, in addition to specifying what type of urban structure they are located in. On the basis of the research, we can observe that the construction of environmentally friendly thermal waste processing plants is a valid and new problem in Poland, and the potential that lies in the construction of a new environmentally friendly structure and the possibility of using it to improve the quality of an urban space is often left untapped, bringing the construction of such a structure down to nothing but its technological function. The research can serve as a comparative study for similar experiences in other countries, or for studies related to urban structures and their elements.

  17. CERT tribal internship program. Final intern report: David Conrad, 1993

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1998-09-01

    The intern`s report contains a Master`s thesis entitled, ``An implementation analysis of the US Department of Energy`s American Indian policy as part of its environmental restoration and waste management mission.`` This thesis examines the implementation of a working relationship between the Nez Perce Tribe and the US Department of Energy`s Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management at the Hanford reservation. It examines the relationship using a qualitative methodology and three generations of policy analysis literature to gain a clear understanding of the potential for successful implementation.

  18. SEM Model Medical Solid Waste Hospital Management In Medan City

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simarmata, Verawaty; Pandia, Setiaty; Mawengkang, Herman

    2018-01-01

    In daily activities, hospitals, as one of the important health care unit, generate both medical solid waste and non-medical solid waste. The occurrence of medical solid waste could be from the results of treatment activities, such as, in the treatment room for a hospital inpatient, general clinic, a dental clinic, a mother and child clinic, laboratories and pharmacies. Most of the medical solid waste contains infectious and hazardous materials. Therefore it should be managed properly, otherwise it could be a source of new infectious for the community around the hospital as well as for health workers themselves. Efforts surveillance of various environmental factors need to be applied in accordance with the principles of sanitation focuses on environmental cleanliness. One of the efforts that need to be done in improving the quality of the environment is to undertake waste management activities, because with proper waste management is the most important in order to achieve an optimal degree of human health. Health development in Indonesian aims to achieve a future in which the Indonesian people live in a healthy environment, its people behave clean and healthy, able to reach quality health services, fair and equitable, so as to have optimal health status, health development paradigm anchored to the healthy. The healthy condition of the individual and society can be influenced by the environment. Poor environmental quality is a cause of various health problems. Efforts surveillance of various environmental factors need to be applied in accordance with the principles of sanitation focuses on environmental cleanliness. This paper proposes a model for managing the medical solid waste in hospitals in Medan city, in order to create healthy environment around hospitals.

  19. Final environmental impact statement. Management of commercially generated radioactive waste. Volume 1 of 3

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1980-10-01

    This EIS analyzes the significant environmental impacts that could occur if various technologies for management and disposal of high-level and transuranic wastes from commercial nuclear power reactors were to be developed and implemented. This EIS will serve as the environmental input for the decision on which technology, or technologies, will be emphasized in further research and development activities in the commercial waste management program. The action proposed in this EIS is to (1) adopt a national strategy to develop mined geologic repositories for disposal of commercially generated high-level and transuranic radioactive waste (while continuing to examine subseabed and very deepmore » hole disposal as potential backup technologies) and (2) conduct a R and D program to develop such facilities and the necessary technology to ensure the safe long-term containment and isolation of these wastes. The Department has considered in this statement: development of conventionally mined deep geologic repositories for disposal of spent fuel from nuclear power reactors and/or radioactive fuel reprocessing wastes; balanced development of several alternative disposal methods; and no waste disposal action. This EIS reflects the public review of and comments offered on the draft statement. Included are descriptions of the characteristics of nuclear waste, the alternative disposal methods under consideration, and potential environmental impacts and costs of implementing these methods. Because of the programmatic nature of this document and the preliminary nature of certain design elements assumed in assessing the environmental consequences of the various alternatives, this study has been based on generic, rather than specific, systems. At such time as specific facilities are identified for particular sites, statements addressing site-specific aspects will be prepared for public review and comment.« less

  20. DOE regulation of mixed waste. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Energy Conservation and Power and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Transportation, and Tourism of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Ninety-Ninth Congress, Second Session on H. R. 2009 and H. R. 2593, April 10, 1986

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    Testimony by representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency, citizen environmental organizations, DOE, and universities on the Mixed Hazardous Waste Amendment Act of 1985 (H.R. 2009) and the Military Radioactive Emissions Control Act of 1985 (H.R. 2593) focused on safety aspects of mixed wastes at DOE facilities from the point of view of the general public and the implications for tourism and recreation in affected areas. H.R. 2593 calls for standards and continuous independent monitoring, while H.R. 2009 ensures that wastes the Solid Waste Management Act covers solid wastes containing radioactive material. The testimony covered definitions and interpretations by byproduct materialmore » and the problems associated with self-regulation. The testimony of the 10 witnesses follows the text of the two bills.« less

  1. Stable condition of dimethylmonothioarsinic acid (DMMTAV) and dimethyldithioarsinic acid ( DMDTAV) in landfill leachate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kwon, E.; Yoon, H. O.; Kim, J. A.; Lee, H.; Jung, S.; Kim, Y. T.

    2015-12-01

    When waste containing arsenic (As) are disposed of landfill, such facilities (i.e., landfill) can play an important role in disseminating As to the surrounding environment. These disposal of waste containing As might cause a serious environmental pollution due to potentially As remobilization in landfill. Especially, As species containing sulfur such as DMDTAv and DMMTAv found occasionally high concentration in landfill leachate. These As species (i.e., DMDTAv and DMMTAv) had the higher toxicity to human cells compared to other pentavalent As species. However, there was no chemical standard material of these As species (i.e., DMDTAv and DMMTAv) commercially. In this study, we synthesized DMDTAv and DMMTAv by simulating reaction with the sufficient sulfur condition from DMAv. DMMTAv was quite changeable to DMDTAv due to its short life time from our preliminary study. Thus, it is important to find the stable condition of synthesis process for DMDTAv and DMMTAv under suitable environmental condition. This study can be very significant in quantitative analysis area to detect the various As species in environmental media such as landfill.

  2. Methods of Responsibly Managing End-of-Life Foams and Plastics Containing Flame Retardants: Part I.

    PubMed

    Lucas, Donald; Petty, Sara M; Keen, Olya; Luedeka, Bob; Schlummer, Martin; Weber, Roland; Barlaz, Morton; Yazdani, Ramin; Riise, Brian; Rhodes, James; Nightingale, Dave; Diamond, Miriam L; Vijgen, John; Lindeman, Avery; Blum, Arlene; Koshland, Catherine P

    2018-06-01

    Flame retardants (FRs) are added to foams and plastics to comply with flammability standards and test requirements in products for household and industrial uses. When these regulations were implemented, potential health and environmental impacts of FR use were not fully recognized or understood. Extensive research in the past decades reveal that exposure to halogenated FRs, such as those used widely in furniture foam, is associated with and/or causally related to numerous health effects in animals and humans. While many of the toxic FRs have been eliminated and replaced by other FRs, existing products containing toxic or potentially toxic chemical FRs will remain in use for decades, and new products containing these and similar chemicals will permeate the environment. When such products reach the end of their useful life, proper disposal methods are needed to avoid health and ecological risks. To minimize continued human and environmental exposures to hazardous FR chemicals from discarded products, waste management technologies and processes must be improved. This review discusses a wide range of issues associated with all aspects of the use and responsible disposal of wastes containing FRs, and identifies basic and applied research needs in the areas of responsible collection, pretreatment, processing, and management of these wastes.

  3. Recommended HSE-7 documents hierarchy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Klein, R.B.; Jennrich, E.A.; Lund, D.M.

    1990-12-12

    This report recommends a hierarchy of waste management documents at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or Laboratory''). The hierarchy addresses documents that are required to plan, implement, and document waste management programs at Los Alamos. These documents will enable the waste management group and the six sections contained within that group to satisfy requirements that are imposed upon them by the US Department of Energy (DOE), DOE Albuquerque Operations, US Environmental Protection Agency, various State of New Mexico agencies, and Laboratory management.

  4. Recommended HSE-7 documents hierarchy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Klein, R.B.; Jennrich, E.A.; Lund, D.M.

    1990-12-12

    This report recommends a hierarchy of waste management documents at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or ``Laboratory``). The hierarchy addresses documents that are required to plan, implement, and document waste management programs at Los Alamos. These documents will enable the waste management group and the six sections contained within that group to satisfy requirements that are imposed upon them by the US Department of Energy (DOE), DOE Albuquerque Operations, US Environmental Protection Agency, various State of New Mexico agencies, and Laboratory management.

  5. ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF TECHNOLOGIES TO TREAT MERCURY AND DISPOSE IN A WASTE CONTAINMENT FACILITY

    EPA Science Inventory

    This report is intended to describe an economic and environmental analysis of a number of technologies for the treatment and disposal of elemental mercury. The analysis considers three treatment technologies that convert elemental mercury into a stable form of mercury. The techno...

  6. The World Around You. Environmental Education Packet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garden Club of America, New York, NY.

    The Garden Club of America has compiled this environmental education packet of informational materials to help teachers educate their students for survival. The "Study Guide" contains essays by ten authorities on topics of population, soil, air, water, power and energy, solid waste management, open space, public lands, oceans, and wildlife. Each…

  7. Recycling acetic acid from polarizing film of waste liquid crystal display panels by sub/supercritical water treatments.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ruixue; Chen, Ya; Xu, Zhenming

    2015-05-19

    Waste liquid crystal display (LCD) panels mainly contain inorganic materials (glass substrate) and organic materials (polarizing film and liquid crystal). The organic materials should be removed first since containing polarizing film and liquid crystal is to the disadvantage of the indium recycling process. In the present study, an efficient and environmentally friendly process to obtain acetic acid from waste LCD panels by sub/supercritical water treatments is investigated. Furthermore, a well-founded reaction mechanism is proposed. Several highlights of this study are summarized as follows: (i) 99.77% of organic matters are removed, which means the present technology is quite efficient to recycle the organic matters; (ii) a yield of 78.23% acetic acid, a quite important fossil energy based chemical product is obtained, which can reduce the consumption of fossil energy for producing acetic acid; (iii) supercritical water acts as an ideal solvent, a requisite reactant as well as an efficient acid-base catalyst, and this is quite significant in accordance with the "Principles of Green Chemistry". In a word, the organic matters of waste LCD panels are recycled without environmental pollution. Meanwhile, this study provides new opportunities for alternating fossil-based chemical products for sustainable development, converting "waste" into "fossil-based chemicals".

  8. E-waste hazard: The impending challenge.

    PubMed

    Pinto, Violet N

    2008-08-01

    Electronic waste or e-waste is one of the rapidly growing problems of the world. E-waste comprises of a multitude of components, some containing toxic substances that can have an adverse impact on human health and the environment if not handled properly. In India, e-waste management assumes greater significance not only due to the generation of its own e-waste but also because of the dumping of e-waste from developed countries. This is coupled with India's lack of appropriate infrastructure and procedures for its disposal and recycling. This review article provides a concise overview of India's current e-waste scenario, namely magnitude of the problem, environmental and health hazards, current disposal and recycling operations, existing legal framework, organizations working on this issue and recommendations for action.

  9. Low-level radioactive waste technology: a selected, annotated bibliography

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fore, C.S.; Vaughan, N.D.; Hyder, L.K.

    1980-10-01

    This annotated bibliography of 447 references contains scientific, technical, economic, and regulatory information relevant to low-level radioactive waste technology. The bibliography focuses on environmental transport, disposal site, and waste treatment studies. The publication covers both domestic and foreign literature for the period 1952 to 1979. Major chapters selected are Chemical and Physical Aspects; Container Design and Performance; Disposal Site; Environmental Transport; General Studies and Reviews; Geology, Hydrology and Site Resources; Regulatory and Economic Aspects; Transportation Technology; Waste Production; and Waste Treatment. Specialized data fields have been incorporated into the data file to improve the ease and accuracy of locating pertinentmore » references. Specific radionuclides for which data are presented are listed in the Measured Radionuclides field, and specific parameters which affect the migration of these radionuclides are presented in the Measured Parameters field. In addition, each document referenced in this bibliography has been assigned a relevance number to facilitate sorting the documents according to their pertinence to low-level radioactive waste technology. The documents are rated 1, 2, 3, or 4, with 1 indicating direct applicability to low-level radioactive waste technology and 4 indicating that a considerable amount of interpretation is required for the information presented to be applied. The references within each chapter are arranged alphabetically by leading author, corporate affiliation, or title of the document. Indexes are provide for (1) author(s), (2) keywords, (3) subject category, (4) title, (5) geographic location, (6) measured parameters, (7) measured radionuclides, and (8) publication description.« less

  10. Ozone Application for Tofu Waste Water Treatment and Its Utilisation for Growth Medium of Microalgae Spirulina sp

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hadiyanto, Hadiyanto

    2018-02-01

    Tofu industries produce waste water containing high organic contents and suspendid solid which is harmful if directly discharged to the environment. This waste can lead to disruption of water quality and lowering the environmental carrying capacity of waters around the tofu industries. Besides, the tofu waste water still contains high nitrogen contents which can be used for microalgae growth. This study was aimed to reduce the pollution load (chemical oxygen demand-COD) of tofue wastewater by using ozone treatments and to utilize nutrients in treated tofu waste water as medium growth of microalgae. The result showed that the reduction of COD by implementation of ozone treatment followed first order kinetic. Under variation of waste concentrations between 10-40%, the degradation rate constant was in the range of 0.00237-0.0149 min-1. The microalgae was able to grow in the tofue waste medium by the growth rate constants of 0.15-0.29 day-1. This study concluded that tofu waste was highly potent for microalgae growth.

  11. Iron-nickel alloys as canister material for radioactive waste disposal in underground repositories

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Apps, J. A.

    1982-09-01

    Canisters containing high-level radioactive waste must retain their integrity in an underground waste repository for at least one thousand years after burial (Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 1981). Since no direct means of verifying canister integrity is plausible over such a long period, indirect methods must be chosen. A persuasive approach is to examine the natural environment and find a suitable material which is thermodynamically compatible with the host rock under the environmental conditions with the host rock under the environmental conditions expected in a waste repository. Several candidates have been proposed, among them being iron-nickel alloys that are known to occur naturally in altered ultramafic rocks. The following review of stability relations among iron-nickel alloys below 3500 C is the initial phase of a more detailed evaluation of these alloys as suitable canister materials.

  12. License restrictions at Barnwell

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Autry, V.R.

    1991-12-31

    The State of South Carolina was delegated the authority by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to regulate the receipt, possession, use and disposal of radioactive material as an Agreement State. Since 1970, the state has been the principal regulatory authority for the Barnwell Low-Level Waste Disposal Facility operated by Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc. The radioactive material license issued authorizing the receipt and disposal of low-level waste contains numerous restrictions to ensure environmental protection and compliance with shallow land disposal performance criteria. Low-level waste has evolved from minimally contaminated items to complex waste streams containing high concentrations of radionuclides and processing chemicalsmore » which necessitated these restrictions. Additionally, some waste with their specific radionuclides and concentration levels, many classified as low-level radioactive waste, are not appropriate for shallow land disposal unless additional precautions are taken. This paper will represent a number of these restrictions, the rationale for them, and how they are being dealt with at the Barnwell disposal facility.« less

  13. Biotechnological potential of Bacillus salmalaya 139SI: a novel strain for remediating water polluted with crude oil waste.

    PubMed

    Ismail, Salmah; Dadrasnia, Arezoo

    2015-01-01

    Environmental contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons, mainly crude oil waste from refineries, is becoming prevalent worldwide. This study investigates the bioremediation of water contaminated with crude oil waste. Bacillus salamalaya 139SI, a bacterium isolated from a private farm soil in the Kuala Selangor in Malaysia, was found to be a potential degrader of crude oil waste. When a microbial population of 108 CFU ml-1 was used, the 139SI strain degraded 79% and 88% of the total petroleum hydrocarbons after 42 days of incubation in mineral salt media containing 2% and 1% of crude oil waste, respectively, under optimum conditions. In the uninoculated medium containing 1% crude oil waste, 6% was degraded. Relative to the control, the degradation was significantly greater when a bacteria count of 99 × 108 CFU ml-1 was added to the treatments polluted with 1% oil. Thus, this isolated strain is useful for enhancing the biotreatment of oil in wastewater.

  14. Biotechnological Potential of Bacillus salmalaya 139SI: A Novel Strain for Remediating Water Polluted with Crude Oil Waste

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Environmental contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons, mainly crude oil waste from refineries, is becoming prevalent worldwide. This study investigates the bioremediation of water contaminated with crude oil waste. Bacillus salamalaya 139SI, a bacterium isolated from a private farm soil in the Kuala Selangor in Malaysia, was found to be a potential degrader of crude oil waste. When a microbial population of 108 CFU ml-1 was used, the 139SI strain degraded 79% and 88% of the total petroleum hydrocarbons after 42 days of incubation in mineral salt media containing 2% and 1% of crude oil waste, respectively, under optimum conditions. In the uninoculated medium containing 1% crude oil waste, 6% was degraded. Relative to the control, the degradation was significantly greater when a bacteria count of 99 × 108 CFU ml-1 was added to the treatments polluted with 1% oil. Thus, this isolated strain is useful for enhancing the biotreatment of oil in wastewater. PMID:25875763

  15. Application of mixed based membrane technology from component materials bintaro, zeolite and bentonite to reduction of songket waste liquid cloth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dahlan, Muhammad Hatta; Saleh, Abdullah; Asip, Faisol; Makmun, Akbar; Defi

    2017-11-01

    Application of membrane technology based on clay mixture, Activated Carbon from Bintaro, Zeolite and Bentonit to process the waste water of Songket cloth is Palembang traditionally cloth. The applied research is into the superior field of industrial and household waste processing with membrane ceramic technology. The objective of this research is to design the liquid waste separation tool of jumputan cloth using better and simpler ceramic membrane so that it can help the artisans of Palembang songket or songket in processing the waste in accordance with the standard of environmental quality standard (BML) and Pergub Sumsel no. 16 in 2005. The specific target to be achieved can decrease the waste of cloth jumputan in accordance with applicable environmental quality standards the method used in achieving the objectives of this study using 2 processes namely the adsorption process using activated carbon and the separation process using a ceramic membrane based on the composition of the mixture. The activated carbon from bintaro seeds is expected to decrease the concentration of liquid waste of Songket cloth. Bintaro seeds are non-edible fruits where the composition contains organic ingredients that can absorb because contains dyes and filler metals. The process of membranization in the processing is expected to decrease the concentration of waste better and clear water that can be used as recycled water for household use. With the composition of a mixture of clay-based materials: zeolite, bentonit, activated carbon from bintaro seeds are expected Find the solution and get the novelty value in the form of patent in this research

  16. U.S. Department of Energy Nevada Operations Office Environmental Monitoring Program summary data report, second calendar quarter 1996

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Black, S.C.; Townsend, Y.E.

    1997-02-01

    The Nevada Test Site (NTS), located in southern Nevada, has been the primary location for testing of nuclear explosives in the continental US. Testing began in 1951 and continued until the moratorium in 1992. Waste storage and disposal facilities for defense radioactive and mixed waste are located in Areas 3 and 5. At the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS-5), low-level wastes (LLW) from US Department of Energy (DOE) affiliated onsite and offsite generators are disposed of using standard shallow land disposal techniques. Transuranic wastes are retrievably stored at the RWMS-5 in containers on a surface pad, pending shipmentmore » to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant facility in New Mexico. Nonradioactive hazardous wastes are accumulated at a special site before shipment to a licensed offsite disposal facility. Non-standard packages of LLW are buried in subsidence craters in the Area 3 RWMS. This report describes these activities on and around the NTS and includes a listing of the results obtained from environmental surveillance activities during the second calendar quarter of 1996.« less

  17. Benchmarking Anthropogenic Heavy Metals Emissions: Australian and Global Urban Environmental Health Risk Based Indicators of Sustainability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dejkovski, Nick

    2016-01-01

    In Australia, the impacts of urbanisation and human activity are evident in increased waste generation and the emissions of metals into the air, land or water. Metals that have accumulated in urban soils almost exclusively anthropogenically can persist for long periods in the environment. Anthropogenic waste emissions containing heavy metals are a…

  18. Data summary of municipal solid waste management alternatives. Volume 4, Appendix B: RDF technologies

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    1992-10-01

    This appendix contains background information, technical descriptions, economic data, mass and energy balances, and information on environmental releases for the refuse derived fuels (RDF) option in municipal solid waste management alternatives. Demonstration programs at St. Louis, Missouri; Franklin, Ohio; and Delaware are discussed. Information on pellet production and cofiring with coal is also presented.

  19. Draft environmental assessment: Lavender Canyon site, Utah. Nuclear Waste Policy Act (Section 112). [Contains glossary

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1984-12-01

    In February 1983, the US Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Lavender Canyon site in Utah, as one of nine potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. To determine their suitability, the Lavender Canyon site and the eight other potentially acceptable sites h

  20. Data package for the Low-Level Waste Disposal Development and Demonstration Program environmental impact statement: Volume 2, Appendices E-O

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ketelle, R.H.

    1988-09-01

    This volume contains 11 appendices to the main document in Volume 1. Topics in Volume 2 include hydrologic data for a proposed solid waste storage area, soil characterizations, well logs, surface water discharge data, water quality data, atmospheric precipitation and stream flow, a small mammal survey, and general ecological information. (TEM)

  1. What a Waste! A Teacher's Resource for Integrating the Solid Waste Crisis into the Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Horosko, Millie M., Ed.

    Although consumers are sensitive to purchasing products that are recyclable and biodegradable, which products are truly environmentally sound is not clear. This teacher guide contains activities to help educate students in grades 3-6 about choices they and their families make that may affect their future health and welfare. The lessons may be…

  2. Properties of palm oil fuel ash cement sand brick containing pulverized cockle shell as partial sand replacement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mat Aris, S.; Muthusamy, K.; Uzer, A.; Ahmad, S. Wan

    2018-04-01

    Environmental pollution caused by the disposal of solid wastes generated from both palm oil industry and cockle shell trade has motivated researches to explore the potential of these wastes. Integrating these wastes in production of construction material is one of the ways to reduce amount of waste thrown at dumping area. Thus, the present investigation investigates the performance of palm oil fuel ash (POFA) cement sand brick containing pulverized cockle shell as partial fine aggregate replacement. All mixes used contain 20% of POFA as partial cement replacement. Total of six mixes were prepared by adding a range of pulverized cockle shell that is 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% as partial sand replacement. The mixes were prepared in form of brick. All the water cured samples were tested for compressive strength and flexural strength until 28 days. Findings show that brick produced using 20% pulverized cockle shell exhibit the highest compressive strength and flexural strength also the lowest water absorption value.

  3. Associate Directorate Environmental Management Infrastructure Plan for Area G and Area L Domes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stevens, Patrice Ann; Baumer, Andrew Ronald

    Technical Area 54, at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is situated in the east-central portion of the Laboratory on the Mesita del Buey between Pajarito Canyon to the south and Cañada del Buey to the north. TA-54 includes four MDAs designated as G, H, J, and L; a waste characterization, container storage, and transfer facility; active TRU waste and MLLW waste storage and low-level waste (LLW) disposal operations at Area G; active hazardous and mixed low-level (MLLW) waste storage operations at Area L; and administrative and support areas. MDA J has previously under-gone closure. Area G is a waste managementmore » and disposal area, used for the disposal and storage of radioactive wastes since 1957. Since August 2015, Area G has been in warm standby and provides minimal operations to support safety, compliance, and nitrate salt remediation. Located within Area G, MDA G covers 63-acres. MDA G contains 334 active and inactive waste management units, which include 36 pits, 294 shafts, and 4 trenches. In 1971, Area G began use for the retrievable storage of TRU waste. There are two pits, four trenches and 60 shafts that contain retrievable TRU waste. Thirty-three of the shafts contain TRU waste that may present unique problems for retrieval. In 1986, segregation of MLLW was initiated at Area G for treatment and temporary storage or for off-site disposal. Area G is the only active LLW disposal facility at the Laboratory. Current operations at Area G include storage and characterization of TRU and mixed TRU waste destined for off-site disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico and the storage of MLLW destined for off-site treatment and/or disposal. Several above-ground container storage units (CSUs) are currently used for storage of containerized MLLW and/or mixed TRU wastes. These consist of asphalt pads and associated fabric domes or other structures. As defined by the Consent Order, MDA G contains 229 of the 334 subsurface waste management units at Area G. These MDA G disposal units include 32 pits, 193 shafts, and 4 trenches and contain LLW, MLLW and TRU waste. The remaining 105 solid waste management units (SWMUs) include RCRA-regulated landfill and storage units and DOE-regulated LLW disposal units. The TA-54 closure project must ensure that continuing waste operations at Area G and their transition to an interim or enduring facility are coordinated with closure activities.« less

  4. Greening MSW management systems by saving footprint: The contribution of the waste transportation.

    PubMed

    Peri, G; Ferrante, P; La Gennusa, M; Pianello, C; Rizzo, G

    2018-08-01

    Municipal solid waste (MSW) management constitutes a highly challenging issue to cope with in order of moving towards more sustainable urban policies. Despite new Standards call for recycling and reusing materials contained in the urban waste, several municipalities still use landfilling as a waste disposal method. Other than the environmental pressure exerted by these plants, waste transportation from the collection points to the landfill needs a specific attention to correctly assess the whole burden of the waste management systems. In this paper, the Ecological Footprint (EF) indicator is applied to the actual MSW of the city of Palermo (Sicily). Results show that the effects produced by the involved transportation vehicles are not negligible, compared to those generated by the other segments of the waste management system. This issue is further deepened by analysing the role of transportation in an upgraded waste management system that is represented by the newly designed waste management plan of Palermo. The computed saved ecological footprint is used here for suitably comparing the environmental performances of the MSW system in both scenarios. Finally, the suitability of the EF method to address not only complete waste management plans but also single segments of the waste management system, is also discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. The Western Environmental Technology Office (WETO), Butte, Montana. Technology summary

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1996-03-01

    The Western Environmental Technology Office (WETO) is a multi-purpose engineering test facility located in Butte, Montana, and is managed by MSE, Inc. WETO seeks to contribute to environmental research by emphasizing projects to develop heavy metals removal and recovery processes, thermal vitrification systems, and waste minimization/pollution prevention technologies. WETO`s environmental technology research and testing activities focus on the recovery of usable resources from waste. In one of WETO`s areas of focus, groundwater contamination, water from the Berkeley Pit, located near the WETO site, is being used in demonstrations directed toward the recovery of potable water and metal from the heavymore » metal-bearing water. The Berkeley Pit is part of an inactive copper mine near Butte that was once part of the nation`s largest open-pit mining operation. The Pit contains approximately 25 billion gallons of Berkeley Pit groundwater and surface water containing many dissolved minerals. As part of DOE/OST`s Resource Recovery Project (RRP), technologies are being demonstrated to not only clean the contaminated water but to recover metal values such as copper, zinc, and iron with an estimated gross value of more than $100 million. When recovered, the Berkeley Pit waters could benefit the entire Butte valley with new water resources for fisheries, irrigation, municipal, and industrial use. At WETO, the emphasis is on environmental technology development and commercialization activities, which will focus on mine cleanup, waste treatment, resource recovery, and water resource management.« less

  6. Environmental Issues in Further and Higher Education. Conference Proceedings (Bristol, England, United Kingdom).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khan, Shirley Ali; And Others

    1993-01-01

    A conference was held to improve the environmental awareness of colleges in such areas as energy conservation, waste management, transportation policy, and use of grounds. This document contains the presentations of speakers who attended the conference. Chapter 1, "Greening Further and Higher Education" (Shirley Ali Khan), discusses the…

  7. Environmental Support Specialist, Blocks VI & VII, 17-7. Military Curriculum Materials for Vocational and Technical Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohio State Univ., Columbus. National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

    This military-developed text contains the final section of a four-part course to train environmental support specialists. Covered in the individual course blocks are maintenance of water and waste processing system components (external corrosion control, cathodic protection, drive equipment, pipelines and valves, meters and recorders, chemical…

  8. Environmental Protection Begins with You: A Guide to Environmental Community Service

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Environmental Protection Agency, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This guide contains examples of volunteer projects related to solid waste management. Volunteering provides the opportunity to enjoy new experiences, meet new people, learn new skills, and put ideas and talents to work. The stories included in this guide are: (1) Raucous Revelry and Recycling: Penn State Beaver Stadium Post-Game Recycling…

  9. Environmental resource document for the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. Volume 2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Irving, J.S.

    This document contains information related to the environmental characterization of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). The INEL is a major US Department of Energy facility in southeastern Idaho dedicated to nuclear research, waste management, environmental restoration, and other activities related to the development of technology. Environmental information covered in this document includes land, air, water, and ecological resources; socioeconomic characteristics and land use; and cultural, aesthetic, and scenic resources.

  10. Heavy metal contamination of surface soil in electronic waste dismantling area: site investigation and source-apportionment analysis.

    PubMed

    Jinhui Li; Huabo Duan; Pixing Shi

    2011-07-01

    The dismantling and disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) in developing countries is causing increasing concern because of its impacts on the environment and risks to human health. Heavy-metal concentrations in the surface soils of Guiyu (Guangdong Province, China) were monitored to determine the status of heavy-metal contamination on e-waste dismantling area with a more than 20 years history. Two metalloids and nine metals were selected for investigation. This paper also attempts to compare the data among a variety of e-waste dismantling areas, after reviewing a number of heavy-metal contamination-related studies in such areas in China over the past decade. In addition, source apportionment of heavy metal in the surface soil of these areas has been analysed. Both the MSW open-burning sites probably contained invaluable e-waste and abandoned sites formerly involved in informal recycling activities are the new sources of soil-based environmental pollution in Guiyu. Although printed circuit board waste is thought to be the main source of heavy-metal emissions during e-waste processing, requirement is necessary to soundly manage the plastic separated from e-waste, which mostly contains heavy metals and other toxic substances.

  11. E-waste hazard: The impending challenge

    PubMed Central

    Pinto, Violet N.

    2008-01-01

    Electronic waste or e-waste is one of the rapidly growing problems of the world. E-waste comprises of a multitude of components, some containing toxic substances that can have an adverse impact on human health and the environment if not handled properly. In India, e-waste management assumes greater significance not only due to the generation of its own e-waste but also because of the dumping of e-waste from developed countries. This is coupled with India's lack of appropriate infrastructure and procedures for its disposal and recycling. This review article provides a concise overview of India's current e-waste scenario, namely magnitude of the problem, environmental and health hazards, current disposal and recycling operations, existing legal framework, organizations working on this issue and recommendations for action. PMID:20040981

  12. DOE`s radioactively - contaminated metal recycling: The policy and its implementation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Warren, S.; Rizkalla, E.

    1997-02-01

    In 1994, the Department of Energy`s Office of Environmental Restoration initiated development of a recycling policy to minimize the amount of radioactively-contaminated metal being disposed of as waste. During the following two years, stakeholders (including DOE and contractor personnel, regulators, members of the public, and representatives of labor and industry) were invited to identify key issues of concern, and to provide input on the final policy. As a result of this process, a demonstration policy for recycling radioactively-contaminated carbon steel resulting from decommissioning activities within the Environmental Management program was signed on September 20, 1996. It specifically recognizes that themore » Office of Environmental Management has a tremendous opportunity to minimize the disposal of metals as waste by the use of disposal containers fabricated from contaminated steel. The policy further recognizes the program`s demand for disposal containers, and it`s role as the major generator of radioactively-contaminated steel.« less

  13. Recycled blocks with improved sound and fire insulation containing construction and demolition waste.

    PubMed

    Leiva, Carlos; Solís-Guzmán, Jaime; Marrero, Madelyn; García Arenas, Celia

    2013-03-01

    The environmental problem posed by construction and demolition waste (C&D waste) is derived not only from the high volume produced, but also from its treatment and disposal. Treatment plants receive C&D waste which is then transformed into a recycled mixed aggregate. The byproduct is mainly used for low-value-added applications such as land escape restoration, despite the high quality of the aggregate. In the present work, the chemical composition properties and grading curve properties of these aggregates are defined. Furthermore, the resulting recycled concrete with a high proportion of recycled composition, from 20% to 100% replacement of fine and coarse aggregate, is characterized physically and mechanically. An environmental study of the new construction material when all aggregates are substituted by C&D waste shows a low toxicity level, similar to that of other construction materials. The new material also has improved properties with respect to standard concrete such as high fire resistance, good heat insulation, and acoustic insulation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Potential of fecal waste for the production of biomethane, bioethanol and biodiesel.

    PubMed

    Gomaa, Mohamed A; Abed, Raeid M M

    2017-07-10

    Fecal waste is an environmental burden that requires proper disposal, which ultimately becomes also an economic burden. Because fecal waste is nutrient-rich and contains a diverse methanogenic community, it has been utilized to produce biomethane via anaerobic digestion. Carbohydrates and lipids in fecal waste could reach up to 50% of the dry weight, which also suggests a potential as a feedstock for bioethanol and biodiesel production. We measured biomethane production from fecal waste of cows, chickens, goats and humans and compared the microbial community composition before and after anaerobic digestion. We also compared the fecal waste for cellulase production, saccharification and fermentation to produce bioethanol and for lipid content and fatty acid profiles to produce biodiesel. All fecal waste produced biomethane, with the highest yield of 433.4±77.1ml CH 4 /g VS from cow fecal waste. Production of bioethanol was achieved from all samples, with chicken fecal waste yielding as high as 1.6±0.25g/l. Sludge samples exhibited the highest extractable portion of lipids (20.9±0.08wt%) and conversion to fatty acid methyl esters (11.94wt%). Utilization of fecal waste for the production of biofuels is environmentally and economically beneficial. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Eco-efficient waste glass recycling: Integrated waste management and green product development through LCA

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Blengini, Gian Andrea, E-mail: blengini@polito.it; CNR-IGAG, Institute of Environmental Geology and Geo-Engineering, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin; Busto, Mirko, E-mail: mirko.busto@polito.it

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A new eco-efficient recycling route for post-consumer waste glass was implemented. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Integrated waste management and industrial production are crucial to green products. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Most of the waste glass rejects are sent back to the glass industry. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Recovered co-products give more environmental gains than does avoided landfill. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Energy intensive recycling must be limited to waste that cannot be closed-loop recycled. - Abstract: As part of the EU Life + NOVEDI project, a new eco-efficient recycling route has been implemented to maximise resources and energy recovery from post-consumer waste glass, through integrated waste management and industrial production.more » Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used to identify engineering solutions to sustainability during the development of green building products. The new process and the related LCA are framed within a meaningful case of industrial symbiosis, where multiple waste streams are utilised in a multi-output industrial process. The input is a mix of rejected waste glass from conventional container glass recycling and waste special glass such as monitor glass, bulbs and glass fibres. The green building product is a recycled foam glass (RFG) to be used in high efficiency thermally insulating and lightweight concrete. The environmental gains have been contrasted against induced impacts and improvements have been proposed. Recovered co-products, such as glass fragments/powders, plastics and metals, correspond to environmental gains that are higher than those related to landfill avoidance, whereas the latter is cancelled due to increased transportation distances. In accordance to an eco-efficiency principle, it has been highlighted that recourse to highly energy intensive recycling should be limited to waste that cannot be closed-loop recycled.« less

  16. Technical and Regulatory Considerations in Using Freight Containers as Industrial Packages

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hawk, Mark B; Opperman, Erich; Natali, Ronald

    2008-01-01

    The US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Environmental Management (EM), is actively pursuing activities to reduce the radiological risk and clean up the environmental legacy of the nation's nuclear weapons programmes. The EM has made significant progress in recent years in the clean-up and closure of sites and is also focusing on longer term activities necessary for the completion of the clean-up programme. The packaging and transportation of contaminated demolition debris and low level waste materials in a safe and cost effective manner are essential in completing this mission. Toward this end, the US Department of Transportation's Final Rulemore » on Hazardous Materials Regulation issued on 26 January 2004, included a new provision authorising the use of freight containers (e.g. 20 and 40 ft ISO containers) as industrial packages type 2 or 3. This paper will discuss the technical and regulatory considerations in using these newly authorised and large packages for the packaging and transportation of low level waste materials.« less

  17. Microbiological degradation of pesticides in yard waste composting.

    PubMed

    Fogarty, A M; Tuovinen, O H

    1991-06-01

    Changes in public opinion and legislation have led to the general recognition that solid waste treatment practices must be changed. Solid-waste disposal by landfill is becoming increasingly expensive and regulated and no longer represents a long-term option in view of limited land space and environmental problems. Yard waste, a significant component of municipal solid waste, has previously not been separated from the municipal solid-waste stream. The treatment of municipal solid waste including yard waste must urgently be addressed because disposal via landfill will be prohibited by legislation. Separation of yard waste from municipal solid waste will be mandated in many localities, thus stressing the importance of scrutinizing current composting practices in treating grass clippings, leaves, and other yard residues. Yard waste poses a potential environmental health problem as a result of the widespread use of pesticides in lawn and tree care and the persistence of the residues of these chemicals in plant tissue. Yard waste containing pesticides may present a problem due to the recalcitrant and toxic nature of the pesticide molecules. Current composting processes are based on various modifications of either window systems or in-vessel systems. Both types of processes are ultimately dependent on microbial bioconversions of organic material to innocuous end products. The critical stage of the composting process is the thermophilic phase. The fate and mechanism of removal of pesticides in composting processes is largely unknown and in need of comprehensive analysis.

  18. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    Hazardous chemicals in the environment have received ever increasing attention in recent years. In response to ongoing problems with hazardous waste management, Congress enacted the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in 1976. In 1980, Congress adopted the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly called Superfund to provide for emergency spill response and to clean up closed or inactive hazardous waste sites. Scientists and engineers have begun to respond to the hazardous waste challenge with research and development on treatment of waste streams as well as cleanup of polluted areas. The magnitude of the problem is justmore » now beginning to be understood. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Priorities List as of September 13 1985, contained 318 proposed sites and 541 final sites (USEPA, 1985). Estimates of up to 30,000 sites containing hazardous wastes (1,200 to 2,000 of which present a serious threat to public health) have been made (Public Law 96-150). In addition to the large number of sites, the costs of cleanup using available technology are phenomenal. For example, a 10-acre toxic waste site in Ohio is to be cleaned up by removing chemicals from the site and treating the contaminated groundwater. The federal government has already spent more than $7 million to remove the most hazardous wastes and the groundwater decontamination alone is expected to take at least 10 years and cost $12 million. Another example of cleanup costs comes from the State of California Commission for Economic Development which predicts a bright economic future for the state except for the potential outlay of $40 billion for hazardous waste cleanup mandated by federal and state laws.« less

  19. The Cementitious Barriers Partnership Experimental Programs and Software Advancing DOE’s Waste Disposal/Tank Closure Efforts – 15436

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Burns, Heather; Flach, Greg; Smith, Frank

    2015-01-27

    The U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management (DOE-EM) Office of Tank Waste Management-sponsored Cementitious Barriers Partnership (CBP) is chartered with providing the technical basis for implementing cement-based waste forms and radioactive waste containment structures for long-term disposal. DOE needs in this area include the following to support progress in final treatment and disposal of legacy waste and closure of High-Level Waste (HLW) tanks in the DOE complex: long-term performance predictions, flow sheet development and flow sheet enhancements, and conceptual designs for new disposal facilities. The DOE-EM Cementitious Barriers Partnership is producing software and experimental programs resulting in new methods andmore » data needed for end-users involved with environmental cleanup and waste disposal. Both the modeling tools and the experimental data have already benefited the DOE sites in the areas of performance assessments by increasing confidence backed up with modeling support, leaching methods, and transport properties developed for actual DOE materials. In 2014, the CBP Partnership released the CBP Software Toolbox –“Version 2.0” which provides concrete degradation models for 1) sulfate attack, 2) carbonation, and 3) chloride initiated rebar corrosion, and includes constituent leaching. These models are applicable and can be used by both DOE and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for service life and long-term performance evaluations and predictions of nuclear and radioactive waste containment structures across the DOE complex, including future SRS Saltstone and HLW tank performance assessments and special analyses, Hanford site HLW tank closure projects and other projects in which cementitious barriers are required, the Advanced Simulation Capability for Environmental Management (ASCEM) project which requires source terms from cementitious containment structures as input to their flow simulations, regulatory reviews of DOE performance assessments, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission reviews of commercial nuclear power plant (NPP) structures which are part of the overall US Energy Security program to extend the service life of NPPs. In addition, the CBP experimental programs have had a significant impact on the DOE complex by providing specific data unique to DOE sodium salt wastes at Hanford and SRS which are not readily available in the literature. Two recent experimental programs on cementitious phase characterization and on technetium (Tc) mobility have provided significant conclusions as follows: recent mineralogy characterization discussed in this paper illustrates that sodium salt waste form matrices are somewhat similar to but not the same as those found in blended cement matrices which to date have been used in long-term thermodynamic modeling and contaminant sequestration as a first approximation. Utilizing the CBP generated data in long-term performance predictions provides for a more defensible technical basis in performance evaluations. In addition, recent experimental studies related to technetium mobility indicate that conventional leaching protocols may not be conservative for direct disposal of Tc-containing waste forms in vadose zone environments. These results have the potential to influence the current Hanford supplemental waste treatment flow sheet and disposal conceptual design.« less

  20. A primer for health care managers: data sanitization, equipment disposal, and electronic waste.

    PubMed

    Andersen, Cathy M

    2011-01-01

    In this article, security regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act concerning data sanitization and the disposal of media containing stored electronic protected health information are discussed, and methods for effective sanitization and media disposal are presented. When disposing of electronic media, electronic waste-or e-waste-is produced. Electronic waste can harm human health and the environment. Responsible equipment disposal methods can minimize the impact of e-waste. Examples of how health care organizations can meet the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations while also behaving responsibly toward the environment are provided. Examples include the environmental stewardship activities of reduce, reuse, reeducate, recover, and recycle.

  1. Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) annual progress report, 1992--1993. Appendices

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1993-02-15

    This report contains the following appendices: Appendix A - Requirements for Undergraduate Level; Appendix B - Requirements for Graduate Level; Appendix C - Graduate Degree In Environmental Engineeringat New Mexico State University; Appendix D - Non-degree Certificate program; Appendix E - Curriculum for Associate Degree Program in Radioactive & Hazardous Waste Materials; Appendix F - Curriculum for NCC Program in Earth & Environmental Sciences; Appendix G - Brochure of 1992 Teleconference Series; Appendix H - Sites for Hazardous/Radioactive Waste Management Series; Appendix I - WERC Interactive Television Courses; Appendix J - WERC Research Seminar Series Brochures; Appendix K - Summarymore » of Technology Development of the Third Year; Appendix L - List of Major Publications Resulting From WERC; Appendix M - Types of Equipment at WERC Laboratories; and Appendix N - WERC Newsletter Examples.« less

  2. Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) annual progress report, 1992--1993

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Eiceman, Gary A.; King, J. Phillip; Smith, Geoffrey B.

    1993-02-15

    This report contains the following appendices: Appendix A - Requirements for Undergraduate Level; Appendix B - Requirements for Graduate Level; Appendix C - Graduate Degree In Environmental Engineeringat New Mexico State University; Appendix D - Non-degree Certificate program; Appendix E - Curriculum for Associate Degree Program in Radioactive Hazardous Waste Materials; Appendix F - Curriculum for NCC Program in Earth Environmental Sciences; Appendix G - Brochure of 1992 Teleconference Series; Appendix H - Sites for Hazardous/Radioactive Waste Management Series; Appendix I - WERC Interactive Television Courses; Appendix J - WERC Research Seminar Series Brochures; Appendix K - Summary of Technologymore » Development of the Third Year; Appendix L - List of Major Publications Resulting From WERC; Appendix M - Types of Equipment at WERC Laboratories; and Appendix N - WERC Newsletter Examples.« less

  3. ReOpt[trademark] V2.0 user guide

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    White, M K; Bryant, J L

    1992-10-01

    Cleaning up the large number of contaminated waste sites at Department of Energy (DOE) facilities in the US presents a large and complex problem. Each waste site poses a singular set of circumstances (different contaminants, environmental concerns, and regulations) that affect selection of an appropriate response. Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) developed ReOpt to provide information about the remedial action technologies that are currently available. It is an easy-to-use personal computer program and database that contains data about these remedial technologies and auxiliary data about contaminants and regulations. ReOpt will enable engineers and planners involved in environmental restoration efforts to quicklymore » identify potentially applicable environmental restoration technologies and access corresponding information required to select cleanup activities for DOE sites.« less

  4. Utilization of flotation wastes of copper slag as raw material in cement production.

    PubMed

    Alp, I; Deveci, H; Süngün, H

    2008-11-30

    Copper slag wastes, even if treated via processes such as flotation for metal recovery, still contain heavy metals with hazardous properties posing environmental risks for disposal. This study reports the potential use of flotation waste of a copper slag (FWCS) as iron source in the production of Portland cement clinker. The FWCS appears a suitable raw material as iron source containing >59% Fe(2)O(3) mainly in the form of fayalite (Fe(2)SiO(4)) and magnetite (Fe(3)O(4)). The clinker products obtained using the FWCS from the industrial scale trial operations over a 4-month period were characterised for the conformity of its chemical composition and the physico-mechanical performance of the resultant cement products was evaluated. The data collected for the clinker products produced using an iron ore, which is currently used as the cement raw material were also included for comparison. The results have shown that the chemical compositions of all the clinker products including those of FWCS are typical of a Portland cement clinker. The mechanical performance of the standard mortars prepared from the FWCS clinkers were found to be similar to those from the iron ore clinkers with the desired specifications for the industrial cements e.g. CEM I type cements. Furthermore, the leachability tests (TCLP and SPLP) have revealed that the mortar samples obtained from the FWCS clinkers present no environmental problems while the FWCS could act as the potential source of heavy metal contamination. These findings suggest that flotation wastes of copper slag (FWCS) can be readily utilised as cement raw material due to its availability in large quantities at low cost with the further significant benefits for waste management/environmental practices of the FWCS and the reduced production and processing costs for cement raw materials.

  5. High-level waste borosilicate glass: A compendium of corrosion characteristics. Volume 3

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cunnane, J.C.; Bates, J.K.; Bradley, C.R.

    1994-03-01

    The objective of this document is to summarize scientific information pertinent to evaluating the extent to which high-level waste borosilicate glass corrosion and the associated radionuclide release processes are understood for the range of environmental conditions to which waste glass may be exposed in service. Alteration processes occurring within the bulk of the glass (e.g., devitrification and radiation-induced changes) are discussed insofar as they affect glass corrosion. Volume III contains a bibliography of glass corrosion studies, including studies that are not cited in Volumes I and II.

  6. Safe Management of Waste Generated during Shale Gas Operations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kukulska-Zając, Ewa; Król, Anna; Holewa-Rataj, Jadwiga

    2017-04-01

    Exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbon deposits, regardless of their type, are connected with the generation of waste, which may have various environmental effects. Such wastes may pose a serious risk to the surrounding environment and public health because they usually contain numerous potentially toxic chemicals. Waste associated with exploration and exploitation of unconventional hydrocarbon deposits is composed of a mixture of organic and inorganic materials, the qualitative and quantitative composition of which changes widely over time, depending on numerous factors. As a result the proper characteristic of this type of waste is very important. Information gained from detailed chemical analyses of drilling chemicals, drilling wastes, and flowback water can be used to manage shale gas-related wastes more appropriately, to develop treatment methods, to store the waste, and assess the potential environmental and health risk. The following paper will focus mainly on the results of research carried out on waste samples coming from the unconventional hydrogen exploration sites. Additionally, regulatory frameworks applicable to the management of wastes produced during this type of works will be discussed. The scope of research concerning physicochemical parameters for this type of wastes will also be presented. The presented results were obtained during M4ShaleGas project realization. The M4ShaleGas project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 640715.

  7. Apparatus for the processing of solid mixed waste containing radioactive and hazardous materials

    DOEpatents

    Gotovchikov, Vitaly T.; Ivanov, Alexander V.; Filippov, Eugene A.

    1999-03-16

    Apparatus for the continuous heating and melting of a solid mixed waste bearing radioactive and hazardous materials to form separate metallic, slag and gaseous phases for producing compact forms of the waste material to facilitate disposal includes a copper split water-cooled (cold) crucible as a reaction vessel for receiving the waste material. The waste material is heated by means of the combination oaf plasma torch directed into the open upper portion of the cold crucible and an electromagnetic flux produced by induction coils disposed about the crucible which is transparent to electromagnetic fields. A metallic phase of the waste material is formed in a lower portion of the crucible and is removed in the form of a compact ingot suitable for recycling and further processing. A glass-like, non-metallic slag phase containing radioactive elements is also formed in the crucible and flows out of the open upper portion of the crucible into a slag ingot mold for disposal. The decomposition products of the organic and toxic materials are incinerated and converted to environmentally safe gases in the melter.

  8. Processing of solid mixed waste containing radioactive and hazardous materials

    DOEpatents

    Gotovchikov, Vitaly T.; Ivanov, Alexander V.; Filippov, Eugene A.

    1998-05-12

    Apparatus for the continuous heating and melting of a solid mixed waste bearing radioactive and hazardous materials to form separate metallic, slag and gaseous phases for producing compact forms of the waste material to facilitate disposal includes a copper split water-cooled (cold) crucible as a reaction vessel for receiving the waste material. The waste material is heated by means of the combination of a plasma torch directed into the open upper portion of the cold crucible and an electromagnetic flux produced by induction coils disposed about the crucible which is transparent to electromagnetic fields. A metallic phase of the waste material is formed in a lower portion of the crucible and is removed in the form of a compact ingot suitable for recycling and further processing. A glass-like, non-metallic slag phase containing radioactive elements is also formed in the crucible and flows out of the open upper portion of the crucible into a slag ingot mold for disposal. The decomposition products of the organic and toxic materials are incinerated and converted to environmentally safe gases in the melter.

  9. Apparatus for the processing of solid mixed waste containing radioactive and hazardous materials

    DOEpatents

    Gotovchikov, V.T.; Ivanov, A.V.; Filippov, E.A.

    1999-03-16

    Apparatus for the continuous heating and melting of a solid mixed waste bearing radioactive and hazardous materials to form separate metallic, slag and gaseous phases for producing compact forms of the waste material to facilitate disposal includes a copper split water-cooled (cold) crucible as a reaction vessel for receiving the waste material. The waste material is heated by means of the combination of a plasma torch directed into the open upper portion of the cold crucible and an electromagnetic flux produced by induction coils disposed about the crucible which is transparent to electromagnetic fields. A metallic phase of the waste material is formed in a lower portion of the crucible and is removed in the form of a compact ingot suitable for recycling and further processing. A glass-like, non-metallic slag phase containing radioactive elements is also formed in the crucible and flows out of the open upper portion of the crucible into a slag ingot mold for disposal. The decomposition products of the organic and toxic materials are incinerated and converted to environmentally safe gases in the melter. 6 figs.

  10. Processing of solid mixed waste containing radioactive and hazardous materials

    DOEpatents

    Gotovchikov, V.T.; Ivanov, A.V.; Filippov, E.A.

    1998-05-12

    Apparatus for the continuous heating and melting of a solid mixed waste bearing radioactive and hazardous materials to form separate metallic, slag and gaseous phases for producing compact forms of the waste material to facilitate disposal includes a copper split water-cooled (cold) crucible as a reaction vessel for receiving the waste material. The waste material is heated by means of the combination of a plasma torch directed into the open upper portion of the cold crucible and an electromagnetic flux produced by induction coils disposed about the crucible which is transparent to electromagnetic fields. A metallic phase of the waste material is formed in a lower portion of the crucible and is removed in the form of a compact ingot suitable for recycling and further processing. A glass-like, non-metallic slag phase containing radioactive elements is also formed in the crucible and flows out of the open upper portion of the crucible into a slag ingot mold for disposal. The decomposition products of the organic and toxic materials are incinerated and converted to environmentally safe gases in the melter. 6 figs.

  11. North Base Industrial Area Development Plan Environmental Assessment

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-03-01

    100 to 29.1-570 (Department of Game and Inland Fisheries) State Tributyltin ( TBT ) Program. VAC 3.1-249.59 to 3.1-249.62 Stresses the conservation...be classified as hazardous because of its toxicity , reactivity, ignitibility, or corrosivity. In addition, certain types of waste are “listed” or...personal protective equipment, construction inspection, the disposal of lead-based paint-containing wastes, and lead toxicity investigations (Air

  12. The fate and management of high mercury-containing lamps from high technology industry.

    PubMed

    Chang, T C; You, S J; Yu, B S; Kong, H W

    2007-03-22

    This study investigated the fate and management of high mercury-contained lamps, such as cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs), ultraviolet lamps (UV lamps), and super high pressure mercury lamps (SHPs), from high technology industries in Taiwan, using material flow analysis (MFA) method. Several organizations, such as Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration, Taiwan External Trade Development Council, the light sources manufactories, mercury-containing lamps importer, high technology industrial user, and waste mercury-containing lamps treatment facilities were interviewed in this study. According to this survey, the total mercury contained in CCFLs, UV lamps, and SHPs produced in Taiwan or imported from other countries was 886kg in year 2004. Among the various lamps containing mercury, 57kg mercury was exported as primary CCFLs, 7kg mercury was wasted as defective CCFLs, and 820kg mercury was used in the high technology industries, including 463kg mercury contained in exported industrial products using CCFLs as components. On the contrary, only 59kg of mercury was exported, including 57kg in CCFLs and 2kg in UV lamps. It reveals that 364kg mercury was consumed in Taiwan during year 2004. In addition, 140kg of the 364kg mercury contained in lamps used by high technology industry was well treated through industrial waste treatment system. Among the waste mercury from high technology industry, 80kg (57%), 53kg (38%), and 7kg (5%) of mercury were through domestic treatment, offshore treatment, and emission in air, respectively. Unfortunately, 224kg waste mercury was not suitable treated, including 199kg mercury contained in CCFL, which is a component of monitor for personal computer and liquid crystal display television, and 25kg non-treated mercury. Thus, how to recover the mercury from the waste monitors is an important challenge of zero wastage policy in Taiwan.

  13. Characterization of Volume F Trash from the Three FY11 STS Missions: Trash Weights and Categorization and Microbial Characterization

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Strayer, Richard F.; Hummerick, Mary E.; Richards, Jeffrey T.; McCoy, LaShelle E.; Roberts, Michael S.; Wheller, Raymond M.

    2011-01-01

    The project reported here provides microbial characterization support to the Waste Management Systems (WMS) element of NASA's Life Support and Habitation Systems (LSHS) program. Conventional microbiological methods were used to detect and enumerate microorganisms in STS Volume F Compartment trash for three shuttle missions: STS 133, 134, and 135. This trash was usually made available within 2 days of landing at KSC. The Volume F bag was weighed, opened and the contents were cataloged and placed into categories: personal hygiene items - inclUding EVA maximum absorbent garments (MAGs) and Elbow packs (daily toilet wipes, etc), drink containers, food waste (and containers), office waste (paper), and packaging materials - plastic film and duct tape. The average wet trash generation rate for the three STS missions was 0.362 % 0.157 kgwet crew 1 d-1 . This was considerably lower and more variable than the average rate for 4 STS missions reported for FY10. Trash subtotals by category: personal hygiene wastes, 56%; drink items, 11 %; food wastes, 18%; office waste, 3%; and plastic film, 12%. These wastes have an abundance of easily biodegraded compounds that can support the growth of microorganisms. Microbial characterization of trash showed that large numbers of bacteria and fungi have taken advantage of this readily available nutrient source to proliferate. Exterior and interior surfaces of plastic film bags containing trash were sampled and counts of cultivatable microbes were generally low and mostly occurred on trash bundles within the exterior trash bags. Personal hygiene wastes, drink containers, and food wastes and packaging all contained high levels of, mostly, aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and lower levels of yeasts and molds. Isolates from plate count media were obtained and identified .and were mostly aerobic heterotrophs with some facultative anaerobes. These are usually considered common environmental isolates on Earth. However, several pathogens were also isolated: Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

  14. Conditions inside Water Pooled in a Failed Nuclear Waste Container and its Effect on Radionuclide Release

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamdan, L. K.; Walton, J. C.; Woocay, A.

    2009-12-01

    Nuclear power use is expected to expand in the future, as part of the global clean energy initiative, to meet the world’s surging energy demand, and attenuate greenhouse gas emissions, which are mainly caused by fossil fuels. As a result, it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of metric tons of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) will accumulate. SNF disposal has major environmental (radiation exposure) and security (nuclear proliferation) concerns. Storage in unsaturated zone geological repositories is a reasonable solution for dealing with SNF. One of the key factors that determine the performance of the geological repository is the release of radionuclides from the engineered barrier system. Over time, the nuclear waste containers are expected to fail gradually due to general and localized corrosions and eventually infiltrating water will have access to the nuclear waste. Once radionuclides are released, they will be transported by water, and make their way to the accessible environment. Physical and chemical disturbances in the environment over the container will lead to different corrosion rates, causing different times and locations of penetration. One possible scenario for waste packages failure is the bathtub model, where penetrations occur on the top of the waste package and water pools inside it. In this paper the bathtub-type failed waste container is considered. We shed some light on chemical and physical processes that take place in the pooled water inside a partially failed waste container (bathtub category), and the effects of these processes on radionuclide release. Our study considers two possibilities: temperature stratification of the pooled water versus mixing process. Our calculations show that temperature stratification of the pooled water is expected when the waste package is half (or less) filled with water. On the other hand, when the waste package is fully filled (or above half) there will be mixing in the upper part of water. The effect of these cases on oxygen availability and consequently spent fuel alteration and radionuclide release will be considered.

  15. Preliminary performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, December 1992. Volume 5, Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of gas and brine migration for undisturbed performance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1993-08-01

    Before disposing of transuranic radioactive waste in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the United States Department of Energy (DOE) must evaluate compliance with applicable long-term regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Sandia National Laboratories is conducting iterative performance assessments (PAs) of the WIPP for the DOE to provide interim guidance while preparing for a final compliance evaluation. This volume of the 1992 PA contains results of uncertainty and sensitivity analyses with respect to migration of gas and brine from the undisturbed repository. Additional information about the 1992 PA is provided in other volumes. Volume 1 containsmore » an overview of WIPP PA and results of a preliminary comparison with 40 CFR 191, Subpart B. Volume 2 describes the technical basis for the performance assessment, including descriptions of the linked computational models used in the Monte Carlo analyses. Volume 3 contains the reference data base and values for input parameters used in consequence and probability modeling. Volume 4 contains uncertainty and sensitivity analyses with respect to the EPA`s Environmental Standards for the Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes (40 CFR 191, Subpart B). Finally, guidance derived from the entire 1992 PA is presented in Volume 6. Results of the 1992 uncertainty and sensitivity analyses indicate that, conditional on the modeling assumptions and the assigned parameter-value distributions, the most important parameters for which uncertainty has the potential to affect gas and brine migration from the undisturbed repository are: initial liquid saturation in the waste, anhydrite permeability, biodegradation-reaction stoichiometry, gas-generation rates for both corrosion and biodegradation under inundated conditions, and the permeability of the long-term shaft seal.« less

  16. Environmental health literacy in support of social action: an environmental justice perspective.

    PubMed

    White, Brandi M; Hall, Eric S; Johnson, Cheryl

    2014-01-01

    Different demographic groups in the U.S. experience unequal exposures to environmental hazards, i.e., 56% of the population in neighborhoods containing commercial waste facilities are people of color, with the associated poverty rates in those communities being 50% higher than in neighborhoods without commercial waste facilities. Developing programs to educate communities about environmental hazards affecting their health and quality of life is an essential component for a community to understand their true risk. The study described in this article examined the risk of environmental hazards as perceived by public housing residents and assessed the residents' preference for educational programs on environmental hazards. Residents perceived their risk factors in a broad context and they included environmental health risks caused by pollutants along with physical safety concerns from crime and law enforcement interactions. The most trusted sources of information on environmental health include community organizations, trusted individuals in the community, and television programs. Recommendations for developing community-specific environmental health education programs include using sources of environmental health information that community members trust.

  17. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cummins, G.D.

    This request is submitted to seek interim approval to operate a Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 chemical waste landfill for the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) waste. Operation of a chemical waste landfill for disposal of PCB waste is subject to the TSCA regulations of 40 CFR 761. Interim approval is requested for a period not to exceed 5 years from the date of approval. This request covers only the disposal of small 10 quantities of solid PCB waste contained in decommissioned, defueled submarine reactor compartments (SRC). In addition, the request applies only to disposal 12 of thismore » waste in Trench 94 of the 218-E-12B Burial Ground (Trench 94) in the 13 200 East Area of the US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Hanford Facility. Disposal of this waste will be conducted in accordance with the Compliance 15 Agreement (Appendix H) between the DOE Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) and 16 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 10. During the 5-year interim approval period, the DOE-RL will submit an application seeking final 18 approval for operation of Trench 94 as a chemical waste landfill, including 19 any necessary waivers, and also will seek a final dangerous waste permit from 20 the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) for disposal of lead 21 shielding contained in the SRCS.« less

  18. Earth Patrol.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Menoche, Terri; And Others

    This guide contains a series of lessons for elementary school students covering environmental issues including waste reduction and recycling, decomposition and composting, landfills, natural resources, energy sources and conservation, and water quality. The lessons include an objective, background information, method, and activities for…

  19. Uranium oxide catalysts: environmental applications for treatment of chlorinated organic waste from nuclear industry.

    PubMed

    Lazareva, Svetlana; Ismagilov, Zinfer; Kuznetsov, Vadim; Shikina, Nadezhda; Kerzhentsev, Mikhail

    2018-02-05

    Huge amounts of nuclear waste, including depleted uranium, significantly contribute to the adverse environmental situation throughout the world. An approach to the effective use of uranium oxides in catalysts for the deep oxidation of chlorine-containing hydrocarbons is suggested. Investigation of the catalytic activity of the synthesized supported uranium oxide catalysts doped with Cr, Mn and Co transition metals in the chlorobenzene oxidation showed that these catalysts are comparable with conventional commercial ones. Physicochemical properties of the catalysts were studied by X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed reduction with hydrogen (H 2 -TPR), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The higher activity of Mn- and Co-containing uranium oxide catalysts in the H 2 -TPR and oxidation of chlorobenzene in comparison with non-uranium catalysts may be related to the formation of a new disperse phase represented by uranates. The study of chlorobenzene adsorption revealed that the surface oxygen is involved in the catalytic process.

  20. Increased Rate of Hospitalization for Diabetes and Residential Proximity of Hazardous Waste Sites

    PubMed Central

    Kouznetsova, Maria; Huang, Xiaoyu; Ma, Jing; Lessner, Lawrence; Carpenter, David O.

    2007-01-01

    Background Epidemiologic studies suggest that there may be an association between environmental exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and diabetes. Objective The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that residential proximity to POP-contaminated waste sites result in increased rates of hospitalization for diabetes. Methods We determined the number of hospitalized patients 25–74 years of age diagnosed with diabetes in New York State exclusive of New York City for the years 1993–2000. Descriptive statistics and negative binomial regression were used to compare diabetes hospitalization rates in individuals who resided in ZIP codes containing or abutting hazardous waste sites containing POPs (“POP” sites); ZIP codes containing hazardous waste sites but with wastes other than POPs (“other” sites); and ZIP codes without any identified hazardous waste sites (“clean” sites). Results Compared with the hospitalization rates for diabetes in clean sites, the rate ratios for diabetes discharges for people residing in POP sites and “other” sites, after adjustment for potential confounders were 1.23 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.15–1.32] and 1.25 (95% CI, 1.16–1.34), respectively. In a subset of POP sites along the Hudson River, where there is higher income, less smoking, better diet, and more exercise, the rate ratio was 1.36 (95% CI, 1.26–1.47) compared to clean sites. Conclusions After controlling for major confounders, we found a statistically significant increase in the rate of hospitalization for diabetes among the population residing in the ZIP codes containing toxic waste sites. PMID:17366823

  1. Understanding Mechanism of Photocatalytic Microbial Decontamination of Environmental Wastewater

    PubMed Central

    Regmi, Chhabilal; Joshi, Bhupendra; Ray, Schindra K.; Gyawali, Gobinda; Pandey, Ramesh P.

    2018-01-01

    Several photocatalytic nanoparticles are synthesized and studied for potential application for the degradation of organic and biological wastes. Although these materials degrade organic compounds by advance oxidation process, the exact mechanisms of microbial decontamination remains partially known. Understanding the real mechanisms of these materials for microbial cell death and growth inhibition helps to fabricate more efficient semiconductor photocatalyst for large-scale decontamination of environmental wastewater or industries and hospitals/biomedical labs generating highly pathogenic bacteria and toxic molecules containing liquid waste by designing a reactor. Recent studies on microbial decontamination by photocatalytic nanoparticles and their possible mechanisms of action is highlighted with examples in this mini review. PMID:29541632

  2. Life cycle modelling of environmental impacts of application of processed organic municipal solid waste on agricultural land (EASEWASTE).

    PubMed

    Hansen, Trine Lund; Bhander, Gurbakhash S; Christensen, Thomas Højlund; Bruun, Sander; Jensen, Lars Stoumann

    2006-04-01

    A model capable of quantifying the potential environmental impacts of agricultural application of composted or anaerobically digested source-separated organic municipal solid waste (MSW) is presented. In addition to the direct impacts, the model accounts for savings by avoiding the production and use of commercial fertilizers. The model is part of a larger model, Environmental Assessment of Solid Waste Systems and Technology (EASEWASTE), developed as a decision-support model, focusing on assessment of alternative waste management options. The environmental impacts of the land application of processed organic waste are quantified by emission coefficients referring to the composition of the processed waste and related to specific crop rotation as well as soil type. The model contains several default parameters based on literature data, field experiments and modelling by the agro-ecosystem model, Daisy. All data can be modified by the user allowing application of the model to other situations. A case study including four scenarios was performed to illustrate the use of the model. One tonne of nitrogen in composted and anaerobically digested MSW was applied as fertilizer to loamy and sandy soil at a plant farm in western Denmark. Application of the processed organic waste mainly affected the environmental impact categories global warming (0.4-0.7 PE), acidification (-0.06 (saving)-1.6 PE), nutrient enrichment (-1.0 (saving)-3.1 PE), and toxicity. The main contributors to these categories were nitrous oxide formation (global warming), ammonia volatilization (acidification and nutrient enrichment), nitrate losses (nutrient enrichment and groundwater contamination), and heavy metal input to soil (toxicity potentials). The local agricultural conditions as well as the composition of the processed MSW showed large influence on the environmental impacts. A range of benefits, mainly related to improved soil quality from long-term application of the processed organic waste, could not be generally quantified with respect to the chosen life cycle assessment impact categories and were therefore not included in the model. These effects should be considered in conjunction with the results of the life cycle assessment.

  3. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Synthesis by Spirulina sp. LEB 18 Using Biopolymer Extraction Waste.

    PubMed

    da Silva, Cleber Klasener; Costa, Jorge Alberto Vieira; de Morais, Michele Greque

    2018-01-20

    The reuse of waste as well as the production of biodegradable compounds has for years been the object of studies and of global interest as a way to reduce the environmental impact generated by unsustainable exploratory processes. The conversion of linear processes into cyclical processes has environmental and economic advantages, reducing waste deposition and reducing costs. The objective of this work was to use biopolymer extraction waste in the cultivation of Spirulina sp. LEB 18, for the cyclic process of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesis. Concentrations of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% (v/v) of biopolymer extraction waste were tested. For comparison, two assays were used without addition of waste, Zarrouk (SZ) and modified Zarrouk (ZM), with reduction of nitrogen. The assays were carried out in triplicate and evaluated for the production of microalgal biomass and PHB. The tests with addition of waste presented a biomass production statistically equal to ZM (0.79 g L -1 ) (p < 0.1). The production of PHB in the assay containing 25% of waste was higher when compared to the other cultivations, obtaining 10.6% (w/w) of biopolymer. From the results obtained, it is affirmed that the use of PHB extraction waste in the microalgal cultivation, aiming at the synthesis of biopolymers, can occur in a cyclic process, reducing process costs and the deposition of waste, thus favoring the preservation of the environment.

  4. Transboundary hazardous waste management. Part I: Waste management policy of importing countries.

    PubMed

    Fan, Kuo-Shuh; Chang, Tien Chin; Ni, Shih-Piao; Lee, Ching-Hwa

    2005-12-01

    Mixed metal-containing waste, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) containing capacitors, printed circuit boards, steel mill dust and metal sludge were among the most common wastes exported from Taiwan. Before the implementation of the self-monitoring model programme of the Basel Convention (secretariat of the Basel Convention 2001) in the Asia region, Taiwan conducted a comprehensive 4-year follow-up project involving government authorities and the waste disposal facilities of the importing countries. A total of five countries and nine plants were visited in 2001-2002. The following outcomes can be drawn from these investigations. The Chinese government adopts the strategies of 'on-site processing' and 'relative centralization' on the waste management by tightening permitting and increasing site inspection. A three-level reviewing system is adopted for the import application. The United States have not signed the Basel Convention yet; the procedures of hazardous waste import rely on bilateral agreements. Importers are not required to provide official notification from the waste exporting countries. The operation, administration, monitoring and licensing of waste treatment plants are governed by the state environmental bureau. Finland, France and Belgium are members of the European Union. The procedures and policies of waste import are similar. All of the documents associated with transboundary movement require the approval of each government involved. Practically, the notification forms and tracking forms effectively manage the waste movement.

  5. Eco-efficient waste glass recycling: Integrated waste management and green product development through LCA.

    PubMed

    Blengini, Gian Andrea; Busto, Mirko; Fantoni, Moris; Fino, Debora

    2012-05-01

    As part of the EU Life + NOVEDI project, a new eco-efficient recycling route has been implemented to maximise resources and energy recovery from post-consumer waste glass, through integrated waste management and industrial production. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used to identify engineering solutions to sustainability during the development of green building products. The new process and the related LCA are framed within a meaningful case of industrial symbiosis, where multiple waste streams are utilised in a multi-output industrial process. The input is a mix of rejected waste glass from conventional container glass recycling and waste special glass such as monitor glass, bulbs and glass fibres. The green building product is a recycled foam glass (RFG) to be used in high efficiency thermally insulating and lightweight concrete. The environmental gains have been contrasted against induced impacts and improvements have been proposed. Recovered co-products, such as glass fragments/powders, plastics and metals, correspond to environmental gains that are higher than those related to landfill avoidance, whereas the latter is cancelled due to increased transportation distances. In accordance to an eco-efficiency principle, it has been highlighted that recourse to highly energy intensive recycling should be limited to waste that cannot be closed-loop recycled. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. LISREL Model Medical Solid Infectious Waste Hazardous Hospital Management In Medan City

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simarmata, Verawaty; Siahaan, Ungkap; Pandia, Setiaty; Mawengkang, Herman

    2018-01-01

    Hazardous and toxic waste resulting from activities at most hospitals contain various elements of medical solid waste ranging from heavy metals that have the nature of accumulative toxic which are harmful to human health. Medical waste in the form of gas, liquid or solid generally include the category or the nature of the hazard and toxicity waste. The operational in activities of the hospital aims to improve the health and well-being, but it also produces waste as an environmental pollutant waters, soil and gas. From the description of the background of the above in mind that the management of solid waste pollution control medical hospital, is one of the fundamental problems in the city of Medan and application supervision is the main business licensing and control alternatives in accordance with applicable regulations.

  7. Environmental assessment in health care organizations.

    PubMed

    Romero, Isabel; Carnero, María Carmen

    2017-12-22

    The aim of this research is to design a multi-criteria model for environmental assessment of health care organizations. This is a model which guarantees the objectivity of the results obtained, is easy to apply, and incorporates a series of criteria, and their corresponding descriptors, relevant to the internal environmental auditing processes of the hospital. Furthermore, judgments were given by three experts from the areas of health, the environment, and multi-criteria decision techniques. From the values assigned, geometric means were calculated, giving weightings for the criteria of the model. This innovative model is intended for application within a continuous improvement process. A practical case from a Spanish hospital is included at the end. Information contained in the sustainability report provided the data needed to apply the model. The example contains all the criteria previously defined in the model. The results obtained show that the best-satisfied criteria are those related to energy consumption, generation of hazardous waste, legal matters, environmental sensitivity of staff, patients and others, and the environmental management of suppliers. On the other hand, those areas returning poor results are control of atmospheric emissions, increase in consumption of renewable energies, and the logistics of waste produced. It is recommended that steps be taken to correct these deficiencies, thus leading to an acceptable increase in the sustainability of the hospital.

  8. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in China: policies and recommendations for sound management of plastics from electronic wastes.

    PubMed

    Ni, Kun; Lu, Yonglong; Wang, Tieyu; Shi, Yajuan; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Xu, Li; Li, Qiushuang; Liu, Shijie

    2013-01-30

    Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), used as flame retardants (BFRs), are incorporated in plastics of most electronic equipment. Among BFR mixtures, deca-BDE is the most widely used commercial additive in the polymer industry and the use of deca-BDE is currently not subject to any restrictions in China. However, debate over environmental and health risks associated with deca-BDE still remains. Regulatory agencies in developed countries have adopted and/or established environmentally sound strategies for the management of potential threat posed by PBDEs to the environment and human health. No regulations or management policies for PBDEs currently exist in China at either central or provincial government levels. Large amounts of plastics containing PBDEs are still in use and must be disposed of after their lifetimes, creating outdoor reservoirs for the future dispersal of PBDEs into the environment. Concerted action is needed not only to regulate the production and use of PBDEs but also to find ways to effectively manage waste electrical and electronic products that contain PBDEs. This article is the first to investigate the policy issues and current problems related to the use of PBDEs in China. In addition, we estimate the mass flows of PBDEs contained in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in China. We suggest alternatives to PBDEs and sound management of plastics used in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that contain PBDEs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. No-reheat air-conditioning

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Obler, H. D.

    1980-01-01

    Air conditioning system, for environmentally controlled areas containing sensitive equipment, regulates temperature and humidity without wasteful and costly reheating. System blends outside air with return air as dictated by various sensors to ensure required humidity in cooled spaces (such as computer room).

  10. Recycling of non-metallic fractions from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): A review

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Ruixue; Xu, Zhenming, E-mail: zmxu@sjtu.edu.cn

    Highlights: • NMFs from WEEE were treated by incineration or land filling in the past. • Environmental risks such as heavy metals and BFRs will be the major problems during the NMFs recycling processes. • Methods and technologies of recycling the two types of NMFs from WEEE, plastics, glasses are reviewed. • More environmental impact assessment should be carried out to evaluate the environmental risks of the recycling products. - Abstract: The world’s waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) consumption has increased incredibly in recent decades, which have drawn much attention from the public. However, the major economic driving forcemore » for recycling of WEEE is the value of the metallic fractions (MFs). The non-metallic fractions (NMFs), which take up a large proportion of E-wastes, were treated by incineration or landfill in the past. NMFs from WEEE contain heavy metals, brominated flame retardant (BFRs) and other toxic and hazardous substances. Combustion as well as landfill may cause serious environmental problems. Therefore, research on resource reutilization and safe disposal of the NMFs from WEEE has a great significance from the viewpoint of environmental protection. Among the enormous variety of NMFs from WEEE, some of them are quite easy to recycle while others are difficult, such as plastics, glass and NMFs from waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs). In this paper, we mainly focus on the intractable NMFs from WEEE. Methods and technologies of recycling the two types of NMFs from WEEE, plastics, glass are reviewed in this paper. For WEEE plastics, the pyrolysis technology has the lowest energy consumption and the pyrolysis oil could be obtained, but the containing of BFRs makes the pyrolysis recycling process problematic. Supercritical fluids (SCF) and gasification technology have a potentially smaller environmental impact than pyrolysis process, but the energy consumption is higher. With regard to WEEE glass, lead removing is requisite before the reutilization of the cathode ray tube (CRT) funnel glass, and the recycling of liquid crystal display (LCD) glass is economically viable for the containing of precious metals (indium and tin). However, the environmental assessment of the recycling process is essential and important before the industrialized production stage. For example, noise and dust should be evaluated during the glass cutting process. This study could contribute significantly to understanding the recycling methods of NMFs from WEEE and serve as guidance for the future technology research and development.« less

  11. Characterization of brominated flame retardants in construction and demolition waste components: HBCD and PBDEs.

    PubMed

    Duan, Huabo; Yu, Danfeng; Zuo, Jian; Yang, Bo; Zhang, Yukui; Niu, Yongning

    2016-12-01

    The vast majority of construction material is inert and can be managed as nonhazardous. However, structures may have either been built with some environmentally unfriendly substances such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs), or have absorbed harmful elements such as heavy metals. This study focuses on end-of-life construction materials, i.e. construction and demolition (C&D) waste components. The aim was to characterize the concentration of extremely harmful substances, primarily BFRs, including hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and polybrominateddiphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Results revealed extremely high contents of HBCD and PBDEs in typical C&D waste components, particularly polyurethane foam materials. Policies should therefore be developed for the proper management of C&D waste, with priority for POP-containing debris. The first priority is to develop a classification system and procedures to separate out the harmful materials for more extensive processing. Additionally, identification and quantification of the environmental implications associated with dumping-dominated disposal of these wastes are required. Finally, more sustainable materials should be selected for use in the construction industry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. 2014 Annual Industrial Wastewater Reuse Report for the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Materials and Fuels Complex Industrial Waste Ditch and Industrial Waste Pond

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lewis, Mike

    This report describes conditions, as required by the state of Idaho Industrial Wastewater Reuse Permit (WRU-I-0160-01, formerly LA 000160 01), for the wastewater reuse site at the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Materials and Fuels Complex Industrial Waste Ditch and Industrial Waste Pond from November 1, 2013 through October 31, 2014. The report contains the following information; Facility and system description; Permit required effluent monitoring data and loading rates; Groundwater monitoring data; Status of special compliance conditions; Noncompliance issues; and Discussion of the facility’s environmental impacts During the 2014 reporting year, an estimated 10.11 million gallons of wastewater were discharged tomore » the Industrial Waste Ditch and Pond which is well below the permit limit of 17 million gallons per year. The concentrations of all permit-required analytes in the samples from the down gradient monitoring wells were below the applicable Idaho Department of Environmental Quality’s groundwater quality standard levels.« less

  13. 2013 Annual Industrial Wastewater Reuse Report for the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Materials and Fuels Complex Industrial Waste Ditch and Industrial Waste Pond

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mike Lewis

    This report describes conditions, as required by the state of Idaho Industrial Wastewater Reuse Permit (WRU-I-0160-01, formerly LA 000160 01), for the wastewater reuse site at the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Materials and Fuels Complex Industrial Waste Ditch and Industrial Waste Pond from November 1, 2012 through October 31, 2013. The report contains the following information: • Facility and system description • Permit required effluent monitoring data and loading rates • Groundwater monitoring data • Status of special compliance conditions • Discussion of the facility’s environmental impacts During the 2013 reporting year, an estimated 9.64 million gallons of wastewater weremore » discharged to the Industrial Waste Ditch and Pond which is well below the permit limit of 17 million gallons per year. The concentrations of all permit-required analytes in the samples from the down gradient monitoring wells were below the applicable Idaho Department of Environmental Quality’s groundwater quality standard levels.« less

  14. Electronic waste - an emerging threat to the environment of urban India.

    PubMed

    Needhidasan, Santhanam; Samuel, Melvin; Chidambaram, Ramalingam

    2014-01-20

    Electronic waste or e-waste is one of the emerging problems in developed and developing countries worldwide. It comprises of a multitude of components with valuable materials, some containing toxic substances, that can have an adverse impact on human health and the environment. Previous studies show that India has generated 0.4 million tons of e-waste in 2010 which may increase to 0.5 to 0.6 million tons by 2013-2014. Coupled with lack of appropriate infrastructural facilities and procedures for its disposal and recycling have posed significant importance for e-waste management in India. In general, e-waste is generated through recycling of e-waste and also from dumping of these wastes from other countries. More of these wastes are ending up in dumping yards and recycling centers, posing a new challenge to the environment and policy makers as well. In general electronic gadgets are meant to make our lives happier and simpler, but the toxicity it contains, their disposal and recycling becomes a health nightmare. Most of the users are unaware of the potential negative impact of rapidly increasing use of computers, monitors, and televisions. This review article provides a concise overview of India's current e-waste scenario, namely magnitude of the problem, environmental and health hazards, current disposal, recycling operations and mechanisms to improve the condition for better environment.

  15. Electronic waste – an emerging threat to the environment of urban India

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Electronic waste or e-waste is one of the emerging problems in developed and developing countries worldwide. It comprises of a multitude of components with valuable materials, some containing toxic substances, that can have an adverse impact on human health and the environment. Previous studies show that India has generated 0.4 million tons of e-waste in 2010 which may increase to 0.5 to 0.6 million tons by 2013–2014. Coupled with lack of appropriate infrastructural facilities and procedures for its disposal and recycling have posed significant importance for e-waste management in India. In general, e-waste is generated through recycling of e-waste and also from dumping of these wastes from other countries. More of these wastes are ending up in dumping yards and recycling centers, posing a new challenge to the environment and policy makers as well. In general electronic gadgets are meant to make our lives happier and simpler, but the toxicity it contains, their disposal and recycling becomes a health nightmare. Most of the users are unaware of the potential negative impact of rapidly increasing use of computers, monitors, and televisions. This review article provides a concise overview of India’s current e-waste scenario, namely magnitude of the problem, environmental and health hazards, current disposal, recycling operations and mechanisms to improve the condition for better environment. PMID:24444377

  16. Small hazardous waste generators in developing countries: use of stabilization/solidification process as an economic tool for metal wastewater treatment and appropriate sludge disposal.

    PubMed

    Silva, Marcos A R; Mater, Luciana; Souza-Sierra, Maria M; Corrêa, Albertina X R; Sperb, Rafael; Radetski, Claudemir M

    2007-08-25

    The aim of this study was to propose a profitable destination for an industrial sludge that can cover the wastewater treatment costs of small waste generators. Optimized stabilization/solidification technology was used to treat hazardous waste from an electroplating industry that is currently released untreated to the environment. The stabilized/solidified (S/S) waste product was used as a raw material to build concrete blocks, to be sold as pavement blocks or used in roadbeds and/or parking lots. The quality of the blocks containing a mixture of cement, lime, clay and waste was evaluated by means of leaching and solubility tests according to the current Brazilian waste regulations. Results showed very low metal leachability and solubility of the block constituents, indicating a low environmental impact. Concerning economic benefits from the S/S process and reuse of the resultant product, the cost of untreated heavy metal-containing sludge disposal to landfill is usually on the order of US$ 150-200 per tonne of waste, while 1tonne of concrete roadbed blocks (with 25% of S/S waste constitution) has a value of around US$ 100. The results of this work showed that the cement, clay and lime-based process of stabilization/solidification of hazardous waste sludge is sufficiently effective and economically viable to stimulate the treatment of wastewater from small industrial waste generators.

  17. Use of acceptable knowledge to demonstrate TRAMPAC compliance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Whitworth, J.; Becker, B.; Guerin, D.

    2004-01-01

    Recently, Los Alamos National Laboratory-Carlsbad Operations (LANL-CO) has supported the Central Characterization Project (CCP) managed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in the shipment of transuranic (TRU) waste from various small-quantity TRU waste generators to hub sites or other DOE sites in TRUPACT-II shipping containers. This support has involved using acceptable knowledge (AK) to demonstrate compliance with various requirements of Revision 19 of the TRUPACT-II Authorized Methods of Payload Compliance (TRAMPAC). LANL-CO has worked to facilitate TRUPACT-II shipments from the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) and Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute (LRRI) to Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E) and Losmore » Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), respectively. The latter two sites have TRU waste certification programs approved to ship waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) for disposal. In each case, AK was used to satisfy the necessary information to ship the waste to other DOE facilities. For the purposes of intersite shipment, AK provided data to WIPP Waste Information System (WWIS) transportation modules to ensure that required information was obtained prior to TRUPACT-II shipments. The WWIS modules were used for the intersite shipments, not to enter certification data into WWIS, but rather to take advantage of a validated system to ensure that the containers to be shipped were compliant with TRAMPAC requirements, particularly in the evaluation of quantitative criteria. LANL-CO also assisted with a TRAMPAC compliance demonstration for homogeneous waste containers shipped in TRUPACT-II containers from ANL-E to Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) for the purpose of core sampling. The basis for the TRAMPAC compliance determinations was AK regarding radiological composition, chemical composition, TRU waste container packaging, and absence of prohibited items. Also, even in the case where AK is not used to fully demonstrate TRAMPAC compliance, it may be used to identify problem areas for shippability of different waste streams. An example is the case of Pu-238-contaminated waste from the Savannah River Site that had a low probability of meeting decay heat limits and aspiration times due to several factors including large numbers of confinement layers. This paper will outline 17 TRAMPAC compliance criteria assessed and the types of information used to show compliance with all criteria other than dose rate and container weight, which are normally easily measured at load preparation.« less

  18. Application of fuel cell for pyrite and heavy metal containing mining waste

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keum, H.; Ju, W. J.; Jho, E. H.; Nam, K.

    2015-12-01

    Once pyrite and heavy metal containing mining waste reacts with water and air it produces acid mine drainage (AMD) and leads to the other environmental problems such as contamination of surrounding soils. Pyrite is the major source of AMD and it can be controlled using a biological-electrochemical dissolution method. By enhancing the dissolution of pyrite using fuel cell technology, not only mining waste be beneficially utilized but also be treated at the same time by. As pyrite-containing mining waste is oxidized in the anode of the fuel cell, electrons and protons are generated, and electrons moves through an external load to cathode reducing oxygen to water while protons migrate to cathode through a proton exchange membrane. Iron-oxidizing bacteria such as Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, which can utilize Fe as an electron donor promotes pyrite dissolution and hence enhances electrochemical dissolution of pyrite from mining waste. In this study mining waste from a zinc mine in Korea containing 17 wt% pyrite and 9% As was utilized as a fuel for the fuel cell inoculated with A. ferrooxidans. Electrochemically dissolved As content and chemically dissolved As content was compared. With the initial pH of 3.5 at 23℃, the dissolved As concentration increased (from 4.0 to 13 mg/L after 20 d) in the fuel cell, while it kept decreased in the chemical reactor (from 12 to 0.43 mg/L after 20 d). The fuel cell produced 0.09 V of open circuit voltage with the maximum power density of 0.84 mW/m2. Dissolution of As from mining waste was enhanced through electrochemical reaction. Application of fuel cell technology is a novel treatment method for pyrite and heavy metals containing mining waste, and this method is beneficial for mining environment as well as local community of mining areas.

  19. Recycling of non-metallic fractions from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): a review.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ruixue; Xu, Zhenming

    2014-08-01

    The world's waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) consumption has increased incredibly in recent decades, which have drawn much attention from the public. However, the major economic driving force for recycling of WEEE is the value of the metallic fractions (MFs). The non-metallic fractions (NMFs), which take up a large proportion of E-wastes, were treated by incineration or landfill in the past. NMFs from WEEE contain heavy metals, brominated flame retardant (BFRs) and other toxic and hazardous substances. Combustion as well as landfill may cause serious environmental problems. Therefore, research on resource reutilization and safe disposal of the NMFs from WEEE has a great significance from the viewpoint of environmental protection. Among the enormous variety of NMFs from WEEE, some of them are quite easy to recycle while others are difficult, such as plastics, glass and NMFs from waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs). In this paper, we mainly focus on the intractable NMFs from WEEE. Methods and technologies of recycling the two types of NMFs from WEEE, plastics, glass are reviewed in this paper. For WEEE plastics, the pyrolysis technology has the lowest energy consumption and the pyrolysis oil could be obtained, but the containing of BFRs makes the pyrolysis recycling process problematic. Supercritical fluids (SCF) and gasification technology have a potentially smaller environmental impact than pyrolysis process, but the energy consumption is higher. With regard to WEEE glass, lead removing is requisite before the reutilization of the cathode ray tube (CRT) funnel glass, and the recycling of liquid crystal display (LCD) glass is economically viable for the containing of precious metals (indium and tin). However, the environmental assessment of the recycling process is essential and important before the industrialized production stage. For example, noise and dust should be evaluated during the glass cutting process. This study could contribute significantly to understanding the recycling methods of NMFs from WEEE and serve as guidance for the future technology research and development. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Review of concrete biodeterioration in relation to nuclear waste.

    PubMed

    Turick, Charles E; Berry, Christopher J

    2016-01-01

    Storage of radioactive waste in concrete structures is a means of containing wastes and related radionuclides generated from nuclear operations in many countries. Previous efforts related to microbial impacts on concrete structures that are used to contain radioactive waste showed that microbial activity can play a significant role in the process of concrete degradation and ultimately structural deterioration. This literature review examines the research in this field and is focused on specific parameters that are applicable to modeling and prediction of the fate of concrete structures used to store or dispose of radioactive waste. Rates of concrete biodegradation vary with the environmental conditions, illustrating a need to understand the bioavailability of key compounds involved in microbial activity. Specific parameters require pH and osmotic pressure to be within a certain range to allow for microbial growth as well as the availability and abundance of energy sources such as components involved in sulfur, iron and nitrogen oxidation. Carbon flow and availability are also factors to consider in predicting concrete biodegradation. The microbial contribution to degradation of the concrete structures containing radioactive waste is a constant possibility. The rate and degree of concrete biodegradation is dependent on numerous physical, chemical and biological parameters. Parameters to focus on for modeling activities and possible options for mitigation that would minimize concrete biodegradation are discussed and include key conditions that drive microbial activity on concrete surfaces. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  1. Composition and Elution Behavior of Various Elements from Printed Circuit Boards, Cathode-ray Tube Glass, and Liquid-crystal Displays in Waste Consumer Electronics.

    PubMed

    Inaba, Kazuho; Murata, Tomoyoshi; Yamamura, Shigeki; Nagano, Masaaki; Iwasaki, Kazuhiro; Nakajima, Daisuke; Takigami, Hidetaka

    2018-01-01

    The contents and elution behavior of metals in consumer electronics parts were determined so as to understand their maximum environmental risk. Elements contained most in printed-circuit boards were Cu, Si, Br, Ca, Al, Sn, Pb, Sb, Ba, Fe, Ni, Ti, and Zn; in cathode-ray tube glass were Si, Pb, Ba, Sr, Zn, Zr, Ca, and Sb; in arsenic contained liquid-crystal displays were Si, Ca, Sr, Ba, As, and Fe; and in antimony contained liquid-crystal displays were Si, Ba, Ca, Sb, Sr, Fe, and Sn. The elements eluted most from printed-circuit boards were Zn, Pb, and Cu; from cathode-ray tube glass were Pb, Zn, B, Ba, and Si; and from liquid-crystal displays were B and Si, and the toxic As and Sb. The amount eluted was greatest at acidic pH. It was revealed that officially recommended 6-h-shaking with a pure water test was insufficient to understand the real environmental risk of waste electronics.

  2. Wealth generation through recycling of material for reuse

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chukwudum, Okechukw John; Patience I., E.

    2018-06-01

    Management of solid waste needs appropriate technology, which is economically affordable, socially accepted and environmentally friendly. The public needs to be sensitized on the potential wealth that their inorganic and organic wastes contain. The paper deals with the idea of recycling as a means of solid waste treatment and explores. In developing countries, where standards are often lower and raw materials very expensive, there is a wider scope for use of recycled material. The range of products varies from building materials to shoes, home to office equipment, sewage pipe to beauty aids. Recyclingand reuse issues overlap a range of disciplines.

  3. Recycling ferrous sulfate via super-oxidant synthesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kanari, N.; Evrard, O.; Neveux, N.; Ninane, L.

    2001-11-01

    Hydrated ferrous sulfate, a by-product of the titanium-dioxide and steel-surface-treatment industries, is usually disposed of as waste at a significant extra cost for these industries. Due to tight environmental regulations in the European countries, waste disposal of ferrous sulfate will not be an acceptable solution in the near future. Consequently, the waste will have to be treated. Recently, ferrous sulfate was successfully used to synthesize a novel superoxidant material (potassium ferrate) containing iron in hexavalent state (FeVI). With ferrates synthesis, innovative applications are possible in different industrial sectors, such as treatment of water and wastewater and effluent decontamination.

  4. Ongoing environmental monitoring and assessment of the long-term impacts of the February 2014 radiological release from the waste isolation pilot plant.

    PubMed

    Thakur, Punam; Runyon, Tim

    2018-04-09

    Three years ago, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) experienced its first minor accident involving a radiological release. Late in the evening on February 14, 2014, a waste container in the repository underwent a chemical reaction that caused the container to overheat and breach, releasing its contents into the underground. Following a lengthy recovery process, the facility recently resumed waste disposal operations. The accident released significant levels of radioactivity into the disposal room and adjacent exhaust drifts, and although no one was present in the underground at the time of the release, a total of 22 workers tested positive for very low level of radiation, presumably from some of the radioactive material that was released above ground through a small leak in the HEPA filtration system. The dominant radionuclides released were 241 Am and 239 + 240 Pu in a ratio that matched the content of the drum from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) that was eventually identified as the breached container. From the air particulate monitoring and plume modeling, it was concluded that the dose, at the nearest location accessible to the general public, from this radiation release event would have been less than 0.01 mSv (< 1 mrem/year). This level is well below the 0.1 mSv/year (10 mrem/year) regulatory limit for DOE facilities established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).While no long-term impacts to public health or the environment are expected as a result of the WIPP radiation release, the limited ventilation and residual contamination levels in the underground are still a concern and pose a major challenge for the full recovery of WIPP. This article provides an up-to-date overview of environmental monitoring results through the WIPP recovery and an estimate of the long-term impacts of the accident on the natural and human environment.

  5. Waste flow analysis and life cycle assessment of integrated waste management systems as planning tools: Application to optimise the system of the City of Bologna.

    PubMed

    Tunesi, Simonetta; Baroni, Sergio; Boarini, Sandro

    2016-09-01

    The results of this case study are used to argue that waste management planning should follow a detailed process, adequately confronting the complexity of the waste management problems and the specificity of each urban area and of regional/national situations. To support the development or completion of integrated waste management systems, this article proposes a planning method based on: (1) the detailed analysis of waste flows and (2) the application of a life cycle assessment to compare alternative scenarios and optimise solutions. The evolution of the City of Bologna waste management system is used to show how this approach can be applied to assess which elements improve environmental performance. The assessment of the contribution of each waste management phase in the Bologna integrated waste management system has proven that the changes applied from 2013 to 2017 result in a significant improvement of the environmental performance mainly as a consequence of the optimised integration between materials and energy recovery: Global Warming Potential at 100 years (GWP100) diminishes from 21,949 to -11,169 t CO2-eq y(-1) and abiotic resources depletion from -403 to -520 t antimony-eq. y(-1) This study analyses at great detail the collection phase. Outcomes provide specific operational recommendations to policy makers, showing the: (a) relevance of the choice of the materials forming the bags for 'door to door' collection (for non-recycled low-density polyethylene bags 22 kg CO2-eq (tonne of waste)(-1)); (b) relatively low environmental impacts associated with underground tanks (3.9 kg CO2-eq (tonne of waste)(-1)); (c) relatively low impact of big street containers with respect to plastic bags (2.6 kg CO2-eq. (tonne of waste)(-1)). © The Author(s) 2016.

  6. De-Inventory Plan for Transuranic Waste Stored at Area G

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hargis, Kenneth Marshall; Christensen, Davis V.; Shepard, Mark D.

    This report describes the strategy and detailed work plan developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to disposition transuranic (TRU) waste stored at its Area G radioactive waste storage site. The focus at this time is on disposition of 3,706 m 3 of TRU waste stored above grade by June 30, 2014, which is one of the commitments within the Framework Agreement: Realignment of Environmental Priorities between the Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the State of New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), Reference 1. A detailed project management schedule has been developed to manage this workmore » and better ensure that all required activities are aligned and integrated. The schedule was developed in conjunction with personnel from the NNSA Los Alamos Site Office (LASO), the DOE Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO), the Central Characterization Project (CCP), and Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS). A detailed project management schedule for the remainder of the above grade inventory and the below grade inventory will be developed and incorporated into the De-Inventory Plan by December 31, 2012. This schedule will also include all newly-generated TRU waste received at Area G in FYs 2012 and 2013, which must be removed by no later than December 31, 2014, under the Framework Agreement. The TRU waste stored above grade at Area G is considered to be one of the highest nuclear safety risks at LANL, and the Defense Nuclear Facility Safety Board has expressed concern for the radioactive material at risk (MAR) contained within the above grade TRU waste inventory and has formally requested that DOE reduce the MAR. A large wildfire called the Las Conchas Fire burned extensive areas west of LANL in late June and July 2011. Although there was minimal to no impact by the fire to LANL, the fire heightened public concern and news media attention on TRU waste storage at Area G. After the fire, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez also requested that LANL accelerate disposition of TRU waste stored above grade at Area G. The 3,706 m 3 volume of TRU waste stored above grade consists of 4,495 containers that include all above grade non-cemented waste as well as above grade cemented waste that was ready for characterization on October 1, 2011. This volume includes all newly-generated TRU waste currently stored at Area G as of October 1, 2011. This volume does not include the Bolas Grandes spheres, mixed low level waste (MLLW) containers, empty containers, cemented waste that requires remediation, projected newly generated TRU waste from FY 2012 and later, or TRU waste stored below grade. The 3,706 m 3 volume represents about 86 per cent of the total volume of TRU waste stored above grade on October 1, 2011. The De-Inventory Plan supports the DOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) goal to disposition 90% of the Legacy TRU waste within the DOE complex by the end of 2015 as stated in its Roadmap for EM’s Journey to Excellence (Reference 2). The plan also addresses precursor actions for disposition of TRU waste that are necessary for compliance with the Compliance Order on Consent issued by the NMED in 2005 (Reference 3).« less

  7. The Best-of-2-Worlds philosophy: developing local dismantling and global infrastructure network for sustainable e-waste treatment in emerging economies.

    PubMed

    Wang, Feng; Huisman, Jaco; Meskers, Christina E M; Schluep, Mathias; Stevels, Ab; Hagelüken, Christian

    2012-11-01

    E-waste is a complex waste category containing both hazardous and valuable substances. It demands for a cost-efficient treatment system which simultaneously liberates and refines target fractions in an environmentally sound way. In most developing countries there is a lack of systems covering all steps from disposal until final processing due to limited infrastructure and access to technologies and investment. This paper introduces the 'Best-of-2-Worlds' philosophy (Bo2W), which provides a network and pragmatic solution for e-waste treatment in emerging economies. It seeks technical and logistic integration of 'best' pre-processing in developing countries to manually dismantle e-waste and 'best' end-processing to treat hazardous and complex fractions in international state-of-the-art end-processing facilities. A series of dismantling trials was conducted on waste desktop computers, IT equipment, large and small household appliances, in order to compare the environmental and economic performances of the Bo2W philosophy with other conventional recycling scenarios. The assessment showed that the performance of the Bo2W scenario is more eco-efficient than mechanical separation scenarios and other local treatment solutions. For equipment containing substantial hazardous substances, it demands the assistance from domestic legislation for mandatory removal and safe handling of such fractions together with proper financing to cover the costs. Experience from Bo2W pilot projects in China and India highlighted key societal factors influencing successful implementation. These include market size, informal competitors, availability of national e-waste legislation, formal take-back systems, financing and trust between industrial players. The Bo2W philosophy can serve as a pragmatic and environmentally responsible transition before establishment of end-processing facilities in developing countries is made feasible. The executive models of Bo2W should be flexibly differentiated for various countries by adjusting to local conditions related to operational scale, level of centralized operations, dismantling depth, combination with mechanical processing and optimized logistics to international end-processors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. 40 CFR 247.5 - Specifications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Specifications. 247.5 Section 247.5 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES COMPREHENSIVE PROCUREMENT GUIDELINE FOR PRODUCTS CONTAINING RECOVERED MATERIALS General § 247.5 Specifications. (a) RCRA section 6002...

  9. 40 CFR 247.4 - Contracting officer requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Contracting officer requirements. 247.4 Section 247.4 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES COMPREHENSIVE PROCUREMENT GUIDELINE FOR PRODUCTS CONTAINING RECOVERED MATERIALS General § 247.4 Contracting...

  10. 40 CFR 247.6 - Affirmative procurement programs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Affirmative procurement programs. 247.6 Section 247.6 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES COMPREHENSIVE PROCUREMENT GUIDELINE FOR PRODUCTS CONTAINING RECOVERED MATERIALS General § 247.6 Affirmative...

  11. The advances of Chinese non-ferrous metal mineral industry and its environmental management

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Miao Zewei; Gao Lin; Zhou Xiaoyuan

    1998-12-31

    With the steady growth of Chinese economy, the nonferrous metal industry of China was also developed quickly. The gross output of ten main nonferrous metals 4.25 million tons in 1995 so that China ranks the fourth in the world. However, a series of environmental problems also occurred, which relate to characteristics of mineral resources, techniques for mining, dressing, smelting and processing, equipment and their management level. The major pollutants include sulphur dioxide, industrial powder-dust and smoke-dust, water containing heavy metal ions as well as solid wastes. Air, water body, soil, vegetation and people`s health were polluted and damaged to differentmore » extent due to the above pollutants. For the purpose of environmental management and pollution control, some measures must be taken: (1) to strengthen environmental planning, accelerate and perfect environmental laws and related regulations as well as spread the consciousness of environmental protection energetically; (2) to extend cleaner production and adopt advanced technologies so as to reduce environmental pollution; (3) to turn the concept of the end-of-pipe management to the whole-process control; (4) to recovery or reuse the wastes fully. In addition, general situation and policies on reclamation of mining land as well as theory, methods and techniques of restoration of waste land were also stated in the paper.« less

  12. Use of recycled plastics in concrete: A critical review.

    PubMed

    Gu, Lei; Ozbakkaloglu, Togay

    2016-05-01

    Plastics have become an essential part of our modern lifestyle, and the global plastic production has increased immensely during the past 50years. This has contributed greatly to the production of plastic-related waste. Reuse of waste and recycled plastic materials in concrete mix as an environmental friendly construction material has drawn attention of researchers in recent times, and a large number of studies reporting the behavior of concrete containing waste and recycled plastic materials have been published. This paper summarizes the current published literature until 2015, discussing the material properties and recycling methods of plastic and the influence of plastic materials on the properties of concrete. To provide a comprehensive review, a total of 84 studies were considered, and they were classified into sub categories based on whether they dealt with concrete containing plastic aggregates or plastic fibers. Furthermore, the morphology of concrete containing plastic materials is described in this paper to explain the influence of plastic aggregates and plastic fibers on the properties of concrete. The properties of concretes containing virgin plastic materials were also reviewed to establish their similarities and differences with concrete containing recycled plastics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Bioremediation and detoxification of industrial wastes by earthworms: Vermicompost as powerful crop nutrient in sustainable agriculture.

    PubMed

    Bhat, Sartaj Ahmad; Singh, Sharanpreet; Singh, Jaswinder; Kumar, Sunil; Bhawana; Vig, Adarsh Pal

    2018-03-01

    Vermicompost is the final product of the vermicomposting process involving the collective action of earthworms and microbes. During this process, the waste is converted into useful manure by reducing the harmful effects of waste. Toxicity of industrial wastes is evaluated by plant bioassays viz. Allium cepa and Vicia faba test. These bioassays are sensitive and cost-effective for the monitoring of environmental contamination. The valorization potential of earthworms and their ability to detoxify heavy metals in industrial wastes is because of their strong metabolic system and involvement of earthworm gut microbes and chloragocyte cells. Most of the studies reported that the vermicompost produced from organic wastes contains higher amounts of humic substances, which plays a major role in growth of plants. The present article discusses the detoxification of industrial wastes by earthworms and the role of final vermicompost in plant growth and development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Wide Area Recovery and Resiliency Program (WARRP) Knowledge Enhancement Events: Waste Management Workshop After Action Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-01

    approximately 2,300 curies of 137Cs (CsCl), and 1.5 tons of Ammonium nitrate / Fuel oil (ANFO). The explosive and the shielded CsCl sources are packaged into...previous findings. Experts also presented case studies on Hurricane Katrina, The British Petroleum (BP) Oil Spill, Fukushima Japan, Foot and Mouth...containers, conduct environmental monitoring. The waste streams were very organized into distinct categories. 1) oil , gasoline, pesticides, 2) batteries

  15. 2011 River Corridor Closure Contractor Revegetation and Mitigation Monitoring Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    West, W. J.; Lucas, J. G.; Gano, K. A.

    2011-11-14

    This report documents the status of revegetation projects and natural resources mitigation efforts conducted for remediated waste sites and other activities associated with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 cleanup of National Priorities List waste sites at Hanford. This report contains the vegetation monitoring data that was collected in the spring and summer of 2011 from the River Corridor Closure Contractor’s revegetation and mitigation areas on the Hanford Site.

  16. Data Quality Objectives for Tank Farms Waste Compatibility Program

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    BANNING, D.L.

    1999-07-02

    There are 177 waste storage tanks containing over 210,000 m{sup 3} (55 million gal) of mixed waste at the Hanford Site. The River Protection Project (RPP) has adopted the data quality objective (DQO) process used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (EPA 1994a) and implemented by RPP internal procedure (Banning 1999a) to identify the information and data needed to address safety issues. This DQO document is based on several documents that provide the technical basis for inputs and decision/action levels used to develop the decision rules that evaluate the transfer of wastes. A number of these documents are presentlymore » in the process of being revised. This document will need to be revised if there are changes to the technical criteria in these supporting documents. This DQO process supports various documents, such as sampling and analysis plans and double-shell tank (DST) waste analysis plans. This document identifies the type, quality, and quantity of data needed to determine whether transfer of supernatant can be performed safely. The requirements in this document are designed to prevent the mixing of incompatible waste as defined in Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-303-040. Waste transfers which meet the requirements contained in this document and the Double-Shell Tank Waste Analysis Plan (Mulkey 1998) are considered to be compatible, and prevent the mixing of incompatible waste.« less

  17. Tobacco Product Waste: An Environmental Approach to Reduce Tobacco Consumption.

    PubMed

    Novotny, Thomas E; Slaughter, Elli

    2014-01-01

    Cigarette butts and other tobacco product wastes (TPW) are the most common items picked up in urban and beach cleanups worldwide. TPW contains all the toxins, nicotine, and carcinogens found in tobacco products, along with the plastic nonbiodegradable filter attached to almost all cigarettes sold in the United States and in most countries worldwide. Toxicity studies suggest that compounds leached from cigarette butts in salt and fresh water are toxic to aquatic micro-organisms and test fish. Toxic chemicals have also been identified in roadside TPW. With as much as two-thirds of all smoked cigarettes (numbering in the trillions globally) being discarded into the environment each year, it is critical to consider the potential toxicity and remediation of these waste products. This article reviews reports on the toxicity of TPW and recommends several policy approaches to mitigation of this ubiquitous environmental blight.

  18. Innovative Soft-Sided Waste Packaging System Implementation at a Small Department of Energy Environmental Restoration/Waste Management (ER/WM) Site

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wolf, J.

    2002-02-28

    Weiss Associates (WA) performs a broad range of environmental restoration/waste management (ER/WM) activities for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) at the former Laboratory for Energy-Related Health Research (LEHR), University of California, Davis (UC Davis). Over the last three years, the LEHR ER/WM program transitioned from a baseline packaging system of steel, 2.7 cubic meter (3.5-cubic yard) B-25 boxes to a 7.0 cubic meter (9.1-cubic yard) soft-sided container (Lift Liner) system. The transition increased efficiencies in processing, packaging, and storage, and when combined with decreased procurement costs, achieved a $402,000 cost savings (Table I). Additional disposal costs between $128,600 andmore » $182,600 were avoided by minimizing void space. Future cost savings by the end of fiscal year 2003 are projected between $250,640 and $1,003,360.« less

  19. Decontamination systems information and research program. Quarterly report, April--June 1996

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    This report contains separate reports on the following subtasks: analysis of the Vortec cyclone melting system for remediation of PCB contaminated soils using CFD; drain enhanced soil flushing using prefabricated vertical drains; performance and characteristics evaluation of acrylates as grout barriers; development of standard test protocol barrier design models for desiccation barriers, and for in-situ formed barriers; in-situ bioremediation of chlorinated solvents at Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant; development of a decision support system and a prototype database for management of the EM50 technology development program; GIS-based infrastructure for site characterization and remediation; treatment of mixed wastes via fluidized bed steammore » reforming; use of centrifugal membrane technology to treat hazardous/radioactive waste; environmental pollution control devices based on novel forms of carbon; development of instrumental methods for analysis of nuclear wastes and environmental materials; production and testing of biosorbents and cleaning solutions for D and D; use of SpinTek centrifugal membrane and sorbents/cleaning solutions for D and D; West Virginia High Tech Consortium Foundation--Environmental support program; small business interaction opportunities; and approach for assessing potential voluntary environmental protection.« less

  20. Estimating maquiladora hazardous waste generation on the U.S./Mexico border

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bowen, Mace M.; Kontuly, Thomas; Hepner, George F.

    1995-03-01

    Maquiladoras, manufacturing plants that primarily assemble foreign components for reexport, are located in concentrations along the northern frontier of the US/Mexico border. These plants process a wide variety of materials using modern industrial technologies within the context of developing world institutions and infrastructure. Hazardous waste generation by maquiladoras represents a critical environmental management issue because of the spatial concentration of these plants in border municipalities where the infrastructure for waste management is nonexistent or poor. These border municipalities contain rapidly increasing populations, which further stress their waste handling infrastructure capacities while exposing their populations to greater contaminant risks. Limited empirical knowledge exists concerning hazardous waste types and generation rates from maquiladorsas. There is no standard reporting method for waste generation or methodology for estimating generation rates at this time. This paper presents a method that can be used for the rapid assessment of hazardous waste generation. A first approximation of hazardous waste generation is produced for maquiladoras in the three municipalities of Nogales, Sonora, Mexicali, Baja California, and Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, using the INVENT model developed by the World Bank. In addition, our intent is to evaluate the potential of the INVENT model for adaptation to the US/Mexico border industrial situation. The press of border industrial development, especially with the recent adoption of the NAFTA, make such assessments necessary as a basis for the environmental policy formulation and management needed in the immediate future.

  1. EPA Method 200.8: Determination of Trace Elements in Waters and Wastes by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    \\tEPA’s Selected Analytical Methods for Environmental Remediation and Recovery (SAM) lists this method for preparation and analysis of drinking water samples to detect and measure compounds containing arsenic, thallium and vanadium.

  2. 40 CFR 279.54 - Used oil management.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Used oil management. 279.54 Section 279.54 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED... the soil, groundwater, or surface water. (d) Secondary containment for existing aboveground tanks...

  3. Systematic characterization of generation and management of e-waste in China.

    PubMed

    Duan, Huabo; Hu, Jiukun; Tan, Quanyin; Liu, Lili; Wang, Yanjie; Li, Jinhui

    2016-01-01

    Over the last decade, there has been much effort to promote the management of e-waste in China. Policies have been affected to prohibit imports and to control pollution. Research has been conducted in laboratories and on large-scale industrial operations. A subsidy system to support sound e-waste recycling has been put in place. However, the handling of e-waste is still a concern in China and the issue remains unresolved. There has been relatively little work to follow up this issue or to interpret continuing problems from the perspective of sustainable development. This paper first provides a brief overview of conventional and emerging environmental pollution in Chinese "famous" e-waste dismantling areas, including Guiyu in Guangdong and Wenling in Zhejiang. Environmentalists have repeatedly proven that these areas are significantly polluted. Importing and backyard recycling are decreasing but are ongoing. Most importantly, no work is being done to treat or remediate the contaminated environmental media. The situation is exacerbated by the rising tide of e-waste generated by domestic update of various electronics. This study, therefore, employs a Sales Obsolescence Model approach to predict the generation of e-waste. When accounting for weight, approximately 8 million tons of e-waste will be generated domestically in 2015, of which around 50% is ferrous metals, followed by miscellaneous plastic (30%), copper metal and cables (8%), aluminum (5%), and others (7%). Of this, 3.6% will come from scrap PCBs and 0.2% from lead CRT glass. While more and more end-of-life electronics have been collected and treated by formal or licensed recyclers in China in terms of our analysis, many of them only have dismantling and separation activities. Hazardous e-wastes, including those from PCBs, CRT glass, and brominated flame retardant (BFR) plastics, have become problematic and probably flow to small or backyard recyclers without environmentally sound management. Traditional technologies are still being used to recover precious metals--such as cyanide method of gold hydrometallurgy--from e-waste. While recovery rates of precious metals from e-waste are above 50%, it has encountered some challenges from environmental considerations. Worse, many critical metals contained in e-waste are lost because the recovery rates are less than 1%. On the other hand, this implies that there is opportunity to develop the urban mine of the critical metals from e-waste.

  4. Enhanced methane yield by co-digestion of sewage sludge with micro-algae and catering waste leachate.

    PubMed

    2018-04-04

    The co-digestion of different wastes is a promising concept to improve methane generation during anaerobic process. However, the anaerobic co-digestion of catering waste leachate with algal biomass and sewage sludge has not been studied to date. This work investigated the methane generation by the anaerobic co-digestion of different mixtures of catering waste leachate, micro-algal biomass, and sewage sludge. Co-digestion of waste mixture containing equal ratios of three substrates had 39.31% higher methane yield than anaerobic digestion of raw sludge. This was possibly due to a proliferation of methanogens during the co-digestion period induced by multi-phase digestion of different wastes with different degrees of digestibility. Therefore, co-digestion of catering waste leachate, micro-algal biomass, and sewage sludge appears to be an efficient technology for energy conversion from waste resources. The scientific application of this co-digestion technology with these three substrates may play a role in solving important environmental issues of waste management.

  5. Decision Support System For Management Of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal At The Nevada Test Site

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shott, G.; Yucel, V.; Desotell, L.

    2006-07-01

    The long-term safety of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) low-level radioactive disposal facilities is assessed by conducting a performance assessment -- a systematic analysis that compares estimated risks to the public and the environment with performance objectives contained in DOE Manual 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual. Before site operations, facilities design features such as final inventory, waste form characteristics, and closure cover design may be uncertain. Site operators need a modeling tool that can be used throughout the operational life of the disposal site to guide decisions regarding the acceptance of problematic waste streams, new disposal cell design, environmental monitoringmore » program design, and final site closure. In response to these needs the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) has developed a decision support system for the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site in Frenchman Flat on the Nevada Test Site. The core of the system is a probabilistic inventory and performance assessment model implemented in the GoldSim{sup R} simulation platform. The modeling platform supports multiple graphic capabilities that allow clear documentation of the model data sources, conceptual model, mathematical implementation, and results. The combined models have the capability to estimate disposal site inventory, contaminant concentrations in environmental media, and radiological doses to members of the public engaged in various activities at multiple locations. The model allows rapid assessment and documentation of the consequences of waste management decisions using the most current site characterization information, radionuclide inventory, and conceptual model. The model is routinely used to provide annual updates of site performance, evaluate the consequences of disposal of new waste streams, develop waste concentration limits, optimize the design of new disposal cells, and assess the adequacy of environmental monitoring programs. (authors)« less

  6. Antimicrobial residues in animal waste and water resources proximal to large-scale swine and poultry feeding operations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Campagnolo, E.R.; Johnson, K.R.; Karpati, A.; Rubin, C.S.; Kolpin, D.W.; Meyer, M.T.; Esteban, J. Emilio; Currier, R.W.; Smith, K.; Thu, K.M.; McGeehin, M.

    2002-01-01

    Expansion and intensification of large-scale animal feeding operations (AFOs) in the United States has resulted in concern about environmental contamination and its potential public health impacts. The objective of this investigation was to obtain background data on a broad profile of antimicrobial residues in animal wastes and surface water and groundwater proximal to large-scale swine and poultry operations. The samples were measured for antimicrobial compounds using both radioimmunoassay and liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) techniques. Multiple classes of antimicrobial compounds (commonly at concentrations of >100 μg/l) were detected in swine waste storage lagoons. In addition, multiple classes of antimicrobial compounds were detected in surface and groundwater samples collected proximal to the swine and poultry farms. This information indicates that animal waste used as fertilizer for crops may serve as a source of antimicrobial residues for the environment. Further research is required to determine if the levels of antimicrobials detected in this study are of consequence to human and/or environmental ecosystems. A comparison of the radioimmunoassay and LC/ESI-MS analytical methods documented that radioimmunoassay techniques were only appropriate for measuring residues in animal waste samples likely to contain high levels of antimicrobials. More sensitive LC/ESI-MS techniques are required in environmental samples, where low levels of antimicrobial residues are more likely.

  7. Risk assessment and optimization (ALARA) analysis for the environmental remediation of Brookhaven National Laboratory`s hazardous waste management facility

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dionne, B.J.; Morris, S.C. III; Baum, J.W.

    1998-01-01

    The Department of Energy`s (DOE) Office of Environment, Safety, and Health (EH) sought examples of risk-based approaches to environmental restoration to include in their guidance for DOE nuclear facilities. Extensive measurements of radiological contamination in soil and ground water have been made at Brookhaven National Laboratory`s Hazardous Waste Management Facility (HWMF) as part of a Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) remediation process. This provided an ideal opportunity for a case study. This report provides a risk assessment and an {open_quotes}As Low as Reasonably Achievable{close_quotes} (ALARA) analysis for use at other DOE nuclear facilities as an example ofmore » a risk-based decision technique. This document contains the Appendices for the report.« less

  8. A road pavement full-scale test track containing stabilized bottom ashes.

    PubMed

    Toraldo, E; Saponaro, S

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports the results of a road pavement full-scale test track built by using stabilized bottom ash (SBA) from an Italian municipal solid waste incinerator as the aggregate in granular foundation, cement-bound mixes and asphalt concretes. The investigation focused on both the performance and the environmental compatibility of such mixes, especially with regard to the effects of mixing, laying and compaction. From the road construction point of view, the performance related to the effects of mixing, laying and compaction on constructability was assessed, as well as the volumetric and the mechanical properties. Environmental aspects were investigated by leaching tests. The results suggested that SBA meets the environmental Italian law for the reuse of non-hazardous waste and could be used as road material with the procedures, plants and equipment currently used for road construction.

  9. Food waste management using an electrostatic separator with corona discharge

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lai, Koonchun; Teh, Pehchiong; Lim, Sooking

    In Malaysia, municipal solid waste contains a high portion of organic matters, typically contributed by food waste. It is estimated that about 45% of the municipal waste are food waste, followed by the non-food waste such as plastics, metals, glass and others. Food waste, while being properly sorted and contamination free from non-food waste, can be reused (e.g. fertiliser) instead of being landfilled. Therefore, recycling of food waste is crucial not only from the view point of waste management, but also with respect to the reduction of resource losses and greenhouse gases emission. A new waste separation process involved foodmore » particles, non-food particles and electrostatic discharge was investigated in this study. The empirical results reveal that the corona electrostatic separation is an environmental-friendly way in recovering foods from municipal waste. The efficiency of the separator, under same operating conditions, varies with the particle size of the food and non-food particles. The highest efficiency of 82% is recorded for the particle sizes between 1.5 and 3.0 mm.« less

  10. Food waste management using an electrostatic separator with corona discharge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lai, Koonchun; Lim, Sooking; Teh, Pehchiong

    2015-05-01

    In Malaysia, municipal solid waste contains a high portion of organic matters, typically contributed by food waste. It is estimated that about 45% of the municipal waste are food waste, followed by the non-food waste such as plastics, metals, glass and others. Food waste, while being properly sorted and contamination free from non-food waste, can be reused (e.g. fertiliser) instead of being landfilled. Therefore, recycling of food waste is crucial not only from the view point of waste management, but also with respect to the reduction of resource losses and greenhouse gases emission. A new waste separation process involved food particles, non-food particles and electrostatic discharge was investigated in this study. The empirical results reveal that the corona electrostatic separation is an environmental-friendly way in recovering foods from municipal waste. The efficiency of the separator, under same operating conditions, varies with the particle size of the food and non-food particles. The highest efficiency of 82% is recorded for the particle sizes between 1.5 and 3.0 mm.

  11. Risk assessment and quality improvement of liquid waste management in Taiwan University chemical laboratories.

    PubMed

    Ho, Chao-Chung; Chen, Ming-Shu

    2018-01-01

    The policy of establishing new universities across Taiwan has led to an increase in the number of universities, and many schools have constructed new laboratories to meet students' academic needs. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of laboratory accidents from the liquid waste in universities. Therefore, how to build a safety system for laboratory liquid waste disposal has become an important issue in the environmental protection, safety, and hygiene of all universities. This study identifies the risk factors of liquid waste disposal and presents an agenda for practices to laboratory managers. An expert questionnaire is adopted to probe into the risk priority procedures of liquid waste disposal; then, the fuzzy theory-based FMEA method and the traditional FMEA method are employed to analyze and improve the procedures for liquid waste disposal. According to the research results, the fuzzy FMEA method is the most effective, and the top 10 potential disabling factors are prioritized for improvement according to the risk priority number (RNP), including "Unclear classification", "Gathering liquid waste without a funnel or a drain pan", "Lack of a clearance and transport contract", "Liquid waste spill during delivery", "Spill over", "Decentralized storage", "Calculating weight in the wrong way", "Compatibility between the container material and the liquid waste", "Lack of dumping and disposal tools", and "Lack of a clear labels for liquid waste containers". After tracking improvements, the overall improvement rate rose to 60.2%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Periodic processes in vapor phase biofiltration

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Moe, W.M.; Irvine, R.L.

    1998-07-01

    Most industrial processes and environmental remediation activities generate large volumes of air contaminated with low concentrations of volatile organic compounds. Carbon adsorption is the most widely used conventional treatment technology, but it has many drawbacks including secondary waste streams and excessive regeneration costs. Biofiltration, a microbial-based treatment technology, removes and biodegrades contaminants from a wide variety of waste streams without the disadvantages of carbon adsorption. In biofiltration, contaminated air flows through a packed bed containing microorganisms which convert contaminants primarily into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass. This paper describes how periodically operated, controlled unsteady state conditions were imposed on biofiltersmore » which used a new polyurethane foam medium that couples high porosity, suitable pore size, and low density with an ability to sorb water. The potential benefits associated with the controlled, unsteady-state operation of biofilters containing this new polyurethane foam medium are described herein. An example system treating a toluene contaminated waste gas is presented.« less

  13. The recycling of heavy-metalcontaining wastes: Mass balances and economical estimations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Antrekowitsch, J.; Steinlechner, S.

    2011-01-01

    As environmental legislation has become stricter in recent decades, efforts for treating residues have also increased. The existing pyrometallurgical reprocessing methods for metal-containing wastes recover mainly only one valuable metal or produce low-grade byproducts. The aim of developing an economic process has to be the simultaneous recovery of more than one valuable metal and increased product quality. In the case of zinccontaining residues the goal has to be a high-quality zinc product. Moreover, the target is a nearly zero waste process and, accordingly, small amounts of generated residues. In this paper four possible secondary raw materials are compared regarding their mass and energy balance for a treatment in a carbon-containing metal bath. Furthermore, an evaluation of the economy is given for a neutral leaching residue, Waelz kiln slag, dust from secondary copper industry as well as an electro arc furnace dust from carbon steel production.

  14. Utilization of household food waste for the production of ethanol at high dry material content.

    PubMed

    Matsakas, Leonidas; Kekos, Dimitris; Loizidou, Maria; Christakopoulos, Paul

    2014-01-08

    Environmental issues and shortage of fossil fuels have turned the public interest to the utilization of renewable, environmentally friendly fuels, such as ethanol. In order to minimize the competition between fuels and food production, researchers are focusing their efforts to the utilization of wastes and by-products as raw materials for the production of ethanol. household food wastes are being produced in great quantities in European Union and their handling can be a challenge. Moreover, their disposal can cause severe environmental issues (for example emission of greenhouse gasses). On the other hand, they contain significant amounts of sugars (both soluble and insoluble) and they can be used as raw material for the production of ethanol. Household food wastes were utilized as raw material for the production of ethanol at high dry material consistencies. A distinct liquefaction/saccharification step has been included to the process, which rapidly reduced the viscosity of the high solid content substrate, resulting in better mixing of the fermenting microorganism. This step had a positive effect in both ethanol production and productivity, leading to a significant increase in both values, which was up to 40.81% and 4.46 fold, respectively. Remaining solids (residue) after fermentation at 45% w/v dry material (which contained also the unhydrolyzed fraction of cellulose), were subjected to a hydrothermal pretreatment in order to be utilized as raw material for a subsequent ethanol fermentation. This led to an increase of 13.16% in the ethanol production levels achieving a final ethanol yield of 107.58 g/kg dry material. In conclusion, the ability of utilizing household food waste for the production of ethanol at elevated dry material content has been demonstrated. A separate liquefaction/saccharification process can increase both ethanol production and productivity. Finally, subsequent fermentation of the remaining solids could lead to an increase of the overall ethanol production yield.

  15. Utilization of household food waste for the production of ethanol at high dry material content

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Environmental issues and shortage of fossil fuels have turned the public interest to the utilization of renewable, environmentally friendly fuels, such as ethanol. In order to minimize the competition between fuels and food production, researchers are focusing their efforts to the utilization of wastes and by-products as raw materials for the production of ethanol. household food wastes are being produced in great quantities in European Union and their handling can be a challenge. Moreover, their disposal can cause severe environmental issues (for example emission of greenhouse gasses). On the other hand, they contain significant amounts of sugars (both soluble and insoluble) and they can be used as raw material for the production of ethanol. Results Household food wastes were utilized as raw material for the production of ethanol at high dry material consistencies. A distinct liquefaction/saccharification step has been included to the process, which rapidly reduced the viscosity of the high solid content substrate, resulting in better mixing of the fermenting microorganism. This step had a positive effect in both ethanol production and productivity, leading to a significant increase in both values, which was up to 40.81% and 4.46 fold, respectively. Remaining solids (residue) after fermentation at 45% w/v dry material (which contained also the unhydrolyzed fraction of cellulose), were subjected to a hydrothermal pretreatment in order to be utilized as raw material for a subsequent ethanol fermentation. This led to an increase of 13.16% in the ethanol production levels achieving a final ethanol yield of 107.58 g/kg dry material. Conclusions In conclusion, the ability of utilizing household food waste for the production of ethanol at elevated dry material content has been demonstrated. A separate liquefaction/saccharification process can increase both ethanol production and productivity. Finally, subsequent fermentation of the remaining solids could lead to an increase of the overall ethanol production yield. PMID:24401142

  16. Use of boron waste as an additive in red bricks

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Uslu, T.; Arol, A.I

    2004-07-01

    In boron mining and processing operations, large amounts of clay containing tailings have to be discarded. Being rich in boron, the tailings do not only cause economical loss but also pose serious environmental problems. Large areas have to be allocated for waste disposal. In order to alleviate this problem, the possibility of using clayey tailings from a borax concentrator in red brick manufacturing was investigated. Up to 30% by weight tailings addition was found to improve the brick quality.

  17. Glass Development for Treatment of LANL Evaporator Bottoms Waste

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    DE Smith; GF Piepel; GW Veazey

    1998-11-20

    Vitrification is an attractive treatment option for meeting the stabilization and final disposal requirements of many plutonium (Pu) bearing materials and wastes at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) TA-55 facility, Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS), Hanford, and other Department of Energy (DOE) sites. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared that vitrification is the "best demonstrated available technology" for high- level radioactive wastes (HLW) (Federal Register 1990) and has produced a handbook of vitriilcation technologies for treatment of hazardous and radioactive waste (US EPA, 1992). This technology has been demonstrated to convert Pu-containing materials (Kormanos, 1997) into durablemore » (Lutze, 1988) and accountable (Forsberg, 1995) waste. forms with reduced need for safeguarding (McCulhun, 1996). The composition of the Evaporator Bottoms Waste (EVB) at LANL, like that of many other I%-bearing materials, varies widely and is generally unpredictable. The goal of this study is to optimize the composition of glass for EVB waste at LANL, and present the basic techniques and tools for developing optimized glass compositions for other Pu-bearing materials in the complex. This report outlines an approach for glass formulation with fixed property restrictions, using glass property-composition databases. This approach is applicable to waste glass formulation for many variable waste streams and vitrification technologies.. Also reported are the preliminary property data for simulated evaporator bottom glasses, including glass viscosity and glass leach resistance using the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP).« less

  18. 40 CFR 60.2890 - How are these new source performance standards structured?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... standards structured? 60.2890 Section 60.2890 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... standards contain nine major components, as follows: (a) Preconstruction siting analysis. (b) Waste management plan. (c) Operator training and qualification. (d) Emission limitations and operating limits. (e...

  19. EVALUATION OF WILDER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY'S MATCON ™ COVER TECHNOLOGY - INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT

    EPA Science Inventory

    MatCon is a polymer modified asphalt material designed specifically for waste containment applications. The modifications to the material differentiate it from conventional paving asphalt by minimizing the damaging effects of environmental exposure that could detract from the de...

  20. Arizona's School Asbestos Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Charette, Mike L.

    1982-01-01

    The state of Arizona Department of Education operates a successful program to remove asbestos-containing building materials from schools, drawing from the expertise of the Department of Health Services, Bureau of Environmental Hygiene and Sanitation, Bureau of Waste Control, and eliciting cooperation of school officials. Includes an asbestos…

  1. 40 CFR 264.179 - Air emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Air emission standards. 264.179 Section 264.179 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... Use and Management of Containers § 264.179 Air emission standards. The owner or operator shall manage...

  2. 40 CFR 264.179 - Air emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Air emission standards. 264.179 Section 264.179 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... Use and Management of Containers § 264.179 Air emission standards. The owner or operator shall manage...

  3. 40 CFR 265.178 - Air emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Air emission standards. 265.178 Section 265.178 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Use and Management of Containers § 265.178 Air emission standards. The owner or...

  4. 40 CFR 265.178 - Air emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Air emission standards. 265.178 Section 265.178 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Use and Management of Containers § 265.178 Air emission standards. The owner or...

  5. Starch plastics packaging and agriculture applications

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The environmental impact of petroleum-based plastics is a growing concern throughout the world. Containers and packaging comprise the largest sector of municipal solid waste and are a major component of pollution on both land and sea. Although the benefits of plastics in many consumer and industrial...

  6. 40 CFR 265.178 - Air emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Air emission standards. 265.178 Section 265.178 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Use and Management of Containers § 265.178 Air emission standards. The owner or...

  7. 40 CFR 265.178 - Air emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Air emission standards. 265.178 Section 265.178 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Use and Management of Containers § 265.178 Air emission standards. The owner or...

  8. 40 CFR 264.179 - Air emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Air emission standards. 264.179 Section 264.179 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... Use and Management of Containers § 264.179 Air emission standards. The owner or operator shall manage...

  9. 40 CFR 264.179 - Air emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Air emission standards. 264.179 Section 264.179 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... Use and Management of Containers § 264.179 Air emission standards. The owner or operator shall manage...

  10. 40 CFR 247.14 - Park and recreation products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Park and recreation products. 247.14 Section 247.14 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES COMPREHENSIVE PROCUREMENT GUIDELINE FOR PRODUCTS CONTAINING RECOVERED MATERIALS Item Designations § 247.14 Park...

  11. 40 CFR 247.7 - Effective date.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Effective date. 247.7 Section 247.7 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES COMPREHENSIVE PROCUREMENT GUIDELINE FOR PRODUCTS CONTAINING RECOVERED MATERIALS General § 247.7 Effective date. Within one year after...

  12. COULOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF TOTAL SULFUR AND REDUCED INORGANIC SULFUR FRACTIONS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Evaluation of the solid-phase partitioning of sulfur is frequently an important analytical component of risk assessments at hazardous waste sites because minerals containing reduced-sulfur can significantly affect the transport and fate of organic and inorganic contaminants in na...

  13. 40 CFR 264.601 - Environmental performance standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... to migration of waste constituents in the ground water or subsurface environment, considering: (1... for migration through soil, liners, or other containing structures; (2) The hydrologic and geologic... users; (6) The patterns of land use in the -region; (7) The potential for deposition or migration of...

  14. Environmental Audit of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1992-02-01

    This document contains the findings identified during the Environmental Audit of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML), conducted from December 2 to 13, 1991. The Audit included the EML facility located in a fifth-floor General Services Administration (GSA) office building located in New York City, and a remote environmental monitoring station located in Chester, New Jersey. The scope of this Environmental Audit was comprehensive, covering all areas of environmental activities and waste management operations, with the exception of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which is the responsibility of the DOE Headquarters Office of NEPA Oversight. Compliance with applicable Federal, state,more » and local requirements; applicable DOE Orders; and internal facility requirements was addressed.« less

  15. Assessment of Trace Metals in Soil, Vegetation and Rodents in Relation to Metal Mining Activities in an Arid Environment.

    PubMed

    Méndez-Rodríguez, Lia C; Alvarez-Castañeda, Sergio Ticul

    2016-07-01

    Areas where abandoned metal-extraction mines are located contain large quantities of mineral wastes derived from environmentally unsafe mining practices. These wastes contain many pollutants, such as heavy metals, which could be released to the environment through weathering and leaching, hence becoming an important source of environmental metal pollution. This study evaluates differences in the levels of lead, iron, nickel, manganese, copper and cadmium in rodents sharing the same type of diet under different microhabitat use in arid areas with past mining activities. Samples of soil, roots, branches and seeds of Palo Adán (Fouquieria diguetii) and specimens of two rodent species (Chaetodipus arenarius and C. spinatus) were collected in areas with impact from past metal mining activities as well as from areas with no mining impact. Both rodent species mirrored nickel and iron levels in soil and seeds, as well as lead levels in soil; however, C. arenarius accumulated higher levels of manganese, copper and cadmium.

  16. Yttrium recovery from primary and secondary sources: A review of main hydrometallurgical processes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Innocenzi, Valentina, E-mail: valentina.innocenzi1@univaq.it; De Michelis, Ida; Kopacek, Bernd

    2014-07-15

    Highlights: • Review of the main hydrometallurgical processes to recover yttrium. • Recovery of yttrium from primary sources. • Recovery of yttrium from e-waste and other types of waste. - Abstract: Yttrium is important rare earths (REs) used in numerous fields, mainly in the phosphor powders for low-energy lighting. The uses of these elements, especially for high-tech products are increased in recent years and combined with the scarcity of the resources and the environmental impact of the technologies to extract them from ores make the recycling waste, that contain Y and other RE, a priority. The present review summarized themore » main hydrometallurgical technologies to extract Y from ores, contaminated solutions, WEEE and generic wastes. Before to discuss the works about the treatment of wastes, the processes to retrieval Y from ores are discussed, since the processes are similar and derived from those already developed for the extraction from primary sources. Particular attention was given to the recovery of Y from WEEE because the recycle of them is important not only for economical point of view, considering its value, but also for environmental impact that this could be generated if not properly disposal.« less

  17. Waste water purification using new porous ceramics prepared by recycling waste glass and bamboo charcoal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nishida, Tetsuaki; Morimoto, Akane; Yamamoto, Yoshito; Kubuki, Shiro

    2017-12-01

    New porous ceramics (PC) prepared by recycling waste glass bottle of soft drinks (80 mass%) and bamboo charcoal (20 mass%) without any binder was applied to the waste water purification under aeration at 25 °C. Artificial waste water (15 L) containing 10 mL of milk was examined by combining 15 mL of activated sludge and 750 g of PC. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) showed a marked decrease from 178 to 4.0 (±0.1) mg L-1 in 5 days and to 2.0 (±0.1) mg L-1 in 7 days, which was equal to the Environmental Standard for the river water (class A) in Japan. Similarly, chemical oxygen demand (COD) decreased from 158 to 3.6 (±0.1) mg L-1 in 5 days and to 2.2 (±0.1) mg L-1 in 9 days, which was less than the Environmental Standard for the Seawater (class B) in Japan: 3.0 mg L-1. These results prove the high water purification ability of the PC, which will be effectively utilized for the purification of drinking water, fish preserve water, fish farm water, etc.

  18. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hamilton, T.; Jones, H.; Wong, K.

    The Marshall Islands Environmental Characterization and Dose Assessment Program has recently implemented waste minimization measures to reduce low level radioactive (LLW) and low level mixed (LLWMIXED) waste streams at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Several thousand environmental samples are collected annually from former US nuclear test sites in the Marshall Islands, and returned to LLNL for processing and radiometric analysis. In the past, we analyzed coconut milk directly by gamma-spectrometry after adding formaldehyde (as preservative) and sealing the fluid in metal cans. This procedure was not only tedious and time consuming but generated storage and waste disposal problems. Wemore » have now reduced the number of coconut milk samples required for analysis from 1500 per year to approximately 250, and developed a new analytical procedure which essentially eliminates the associated mixed radioactive waste stream. Coconut milk samples are mixed with a few grams of ammonium-molydophosphate (AMP) which quantitatively scavenges the target radionuclide cesium 137 in an ion-exchange process. The AMP is then separated from the mixture and sealed in a plastic container. The bulk sample material can be disposed of as a non- radioactive non-hazardous waste, and the relatively small amount of AMP conveniently counted by gamma-spectrometry, packaged and stored for future use.« less

  19. Sustainable waste management through end-of-waste criteria development.

    PubMed

    Zorpas, Antonis A

    2016-04-01

    The Waste Framework Directive 2000/98 (WFD) contains specific requirements to define end-of-waste criteria (EWC). The main goal of EWC is to remove and eliminate the administrative loads of waste legislation for safe and high-quality waste materials, thereby facilitating and assisting recycling. The target is to produce effective with high quality of recyclables materials, promoting product standardization and quality and safety assurance, and improving harmonization and legal certainty in the recyclable material markets. At the same time, those objectives aim to develop a plan in order to improve the development and wider use of environmental technologies, which reduce pressure on environment and at the same time address the three dimensions of the Lisbon strategy: growth, jobs and environment. This paper presents the importance of EWC, and the approach of setting EWC as EWC affect several management systems as well as sustainable and clean technologies.

  20. Synthesizing alkali ferrates using a waste as a raw material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kanari, N.; Ostrosi, E.; Ninane, L.; Neveux, N.; Evrard, O.

    2005-08-01

    This study focused on the potential to transform a waste, hydrated iron sulfate, into a useful product. The waste was generated from titanium dioxide production and from the surface treatment of steel. Its disposal is restricted by environmental regulations, and consequently, it has to be recycled and/or treated. The described recycling was achieved through synthesis of potassium ferrate, which contains iron in a hexavalent state (FeVI). The synthesis process was achieved in a rotary reactor at room temperature using chlorine as an oxidant. The efficiency of potassium ferrate synthesis was about 60%. This paper presents details of the kinetics of the potassium ferrate synthesis.

  1. Agricultural utilization of biosolids: A review on potential effects on soil and plant grown.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Bhavisha; Sarkar, Abhijit; Singh, Pooja; Singh, Rajeev Pratap

    2017-06-01

    Environmental and economic implications linked with the proper ecofriendly disposal of modern day wastes, has made it essential to come up with alternative waste management practices that reduce the environmental pressures resulting from unwise disposal of such wastes. Urban wastes like biosolids are loaded with essential plant nutrients. In this view, agricultural use of biosolids would enable recycling of these nutrients and could be a sustainable approach towards management of this hugely generated waste. Therefore biosolids i.e. sewage sludge can serve as an important resource for agricultural utilization. Biosolids are characterized by the occurrence of beneficial plant nutrients (essential elements and micro and macronutrients) which can make help them to work as an effective soil amendment, thereby minimizing the reliance on chemical fertilizers. However, biosolids might contain toxic heavy metals that may limit its usage in the cropland. Heavy metals at higher concentration than the permissible limits may lead to food chain contamination and have fatal consequences. Biosolids amendment in soil can improve physical and nutrient property of soil depending on the quantity and portion of the mixture. Hence, biosolids can be a promising soil ameliorating supplement to increase plant productivity, reduce bioavailability of heavy metals and also lead to effective waste management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. E-waste: a global hazard.

    PubMed

    Perkins, Devin N; Brune Drisse, Marie-Noel; Nxele, Tapiwa; Sly, Peter D

    2014-01-01

    Waste from end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment, known as e-waste, is a rapidly growing global problem. E-waste contains valuable materials that have an economic value when recycled. Unfortunately, the majority of e-waste is recycled in the unregulated informal sector and results in significant risk for toxic exposures to the recyclers, who are frequently women and children. The aim of this study was to document the extent of the problems associated with inappropriate e-waste recycling practices. This was a narrative review that highlighted where e-waste is generated, where it is recycled, the range of adverse environmental exposures, the range of adverse health consequences, and the policy frameworks that are intended to protect vulnerable populations from inappropriate e-waste recycling practices. The amount of e-waste being generated is increasing rapidly and is compounded by both illegal exportation and inappropriate donation of electronic equipment, especially computers, from developed to developing countries. As little as 25% of e-waste is recycled in formal recycling centers with adequate worker protection. The health consequences of both direct exposures during recycling and indirect exposures through environmental contamination are potentially severe but poorly studied. Policy frameworks aimed at protecting vulnerable populations exist but are not effectively applied. E-waste recycling is necessary but it should be conducted in a safe and standardized manor. The acceptable risk thresholds for hazardous, secondary e-waste substances should not be different for developing and developed countries. However, the acceptable thresholds should be different for children and adults given the physical differences and pronounced vulnerabilities of children. Improving occupational conditions for all e-waste workers and striving for the eradication of child labor is non-negotiable. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Environmental exposure assessment framework for nanoparticles in solid waste.

    PubMed

    Boldrin, Alessio; Hansen, Steffen Foss; Baun, Anders; Hartmann, Nanna Isabella Bloch; Astrup, Thomas Fruergaard

    2014-01-01

    Information related to the potential environmental exposure of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in the solid waste management phase is extremely scarce. In this paper, we define nanowaste as separately collected or collectable waste materials which are or contain ENMs, and we present a five-step framework for the systematic assessment of ENM exposure during nanowaste management. The framework includes deriving EOL nanoproducts and evaluating the physicochemical properties of the nanostructure, matrix properties and nanowaste treatment processes as well as transformation processes and environment releases, eventually leading to a final assessment of potential ENM exposure. The proposed framework was applied to three selected nanoproducts: nanosilver polyester textile, nanoTiO 2 sunscreen lotion and carbon nanotube tennis racquets. We found that the potential global environmental exposure of ENMs associated with these three products was an estimated 0.5-143 Mg/year, which can also be characterised qualitatively as medium, medium, low, respectively. Specific challenges remain and should be subject to further research: (1) analytical techniques for the characterisation of nanowaste and its transformation during waste treatment processes, (2) mechanisms for the release of ENMs, (3) the quantification of nanowaste amounts at the regional scale, (4) a definition of acceptable limit values for exposure to ENMs from nanowaste and (5) the reporting of nanowaste generation data.

  4. Environmental exposure assessment framework for nanoparticles in solid waste

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boldrin, Alessio; Hansen, Steffen Foss; Baun, Anders; Hartmann, Nanna Isabella Bloch; Astrup, Thomas Fruergaard

    2014-06-01

    Information related to the potential environmental exposure of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in the solid waste management phase is extremely scarce. In this paper, we define nanowaste as separately collected or collectable waste materials which are or contain ENMs, and we present a five-step framework for the systematic assessment of ENM exposure during nanowaste management. The framework includes deriving EOL nanoproducts and evaluating the physicochemical properties of the nanostructure, matrix properties and nanowaste treatment processes as well as transformation processes and environment releases, eventually leading to a final assessment of potential ENM exposure. The proposed framework was applied to three selected nanoproducts: nanosilver polyester textile, nanoTiO2 sunscreen lotion and carbon nanotube tennis racquets. We found that the potential global environmental exposure of ENMs associated with these three products was an estimated 0.5-143 Mg/year, which can also be characterised qualitatively as medium, medium, low, respectively. Specific challenges remain and should be subject to further research: (1) analytical techniques for the characterisation of nanowaste and its transformation during waste treatment processes, (2) mechanisms for the release of ENMs, (3) the quantification of nanowaste amounts at the regional scale, (4) a definition of acceptable limit values for exposure to ENMs from nanowaste and (5) the reporting of nanowaste generation data.

  5. Life cycle assessment of electronic waste treatment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hong, Jinglan, E-mail: hongjing@sdu.edu.cn; Shandong University Climate Change and Health Center, Public Health School, Shandong University, Jinan 250012; Shi, Wenxiao

    Highlights: • Life cycle assessment of electronic waste recycling is quantified. • Key factors for reducing the overall environmental impact are indentified. • End-life disposal processes provide significant environmental benefits. • Efficiently reduce the improper disposal amount of e-waste is highly needed. • E-waste incineration can generate significant environmental burden. - Abstract: Life cycle assessment was conducted to estimate the environmental impact of electronic waste (e-waste) treatment. E-waste recycling with an end-life disposal scenario is environmentally beneficial because of the low environmental burden generated from human toxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity, and marine ecotoxicity categories. Landfill and incineration technologies havemore » a lower and higher environmental burden than the e-waste recycling with an end-life disposal scenario, respectively. The key factors in reducing the overall environmental impact of e-waste recycling are optimizing energy consumption efficiency, reducing wastewater and solid waste effluent, increasing proper e-waste treatment amount, avoiding e-waste disposal to landfill and incineration sites, and clearly defining the duties of all stakeholders (e.g., manufacturers, retailers, recycling companies, and consumers)« less

  6. Use of engineered nanomaterials in the construction industry with specific emphasis on paints and their flows in construction and demolition waste in Switzerland.

    PubMed

    Hincapié, Ingrid; Caballero-Guzman, Alejandro; Hiltbrunner, David; Nowack, Bernd

    2015-09-01

    One sector where the use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) is supposed to offer novel or improved functionalities is the construction industry. During the renovation or demolition of buildings, ENMs contained in former construction materials will enter recycling systems or become construction waste. Currently, information about ENM flows in these processes is insufficient. The potential for the release of ENMs from this waste into the environment is unknown, as are the environmental impacts. To evaluate whether there is currently any nano-relevant construction and demolition waste (C&DW) originating from buildings, we evaluated the sources and flows of ENMs in C&DW and identified their potential exposure pathways. A survey of business representatives of Swiss companies in this sector found that ENMs are mainly used in paints and cement. The most frequently used ENMs in the Swiss housing construction industry are nano-TiO2, nano-SiO2, nano-ZnO, and nano-Ag. Using a bottom-up, semi-quantitative approach, we estimated the flows of ENMs contained in paints along the product's life cycle from buildings to recycling and landfill. The flows of ENMs are determined by their associated flows of building materials. We estimated an annual amount of ENMs used in paints of 14t of TiO2, 12t of SiO2, 5t of ZnO, and 0.2t of Ag. The majority of ENMs contained in paints in Switzerland enter recycling systems (23t/y), a smaller amount is disposed directly in landfills (7t/y), and a tiny fraction of ENM waste is incinerated (0.01t/y). Our results allow a qualitative determination of the potential release of ENMs into technical or environmental compartments, with the highest potential release expected during recycling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Impact of informal electronic waste recycling on metal concentrations in soils and dusts.

    PubMed

    Ohajinwa, Chimere May; van Bodegom, Peter M; Vijver, Martina G; Peijnenburg, Willie J G M

    2018-07-01

    Electronic and electrical equipment contains over 1000 different substances, including metals. During informal e-waste recycling some of these substances such as metals, are released into the environment causing environmental pollution. This study assessed the impact of different informal e-waste recycling activities (burning, dismantling, and repairing) on metal concentrations in top soils and various dust. A comparative cross-sectional study design was adopted to assess metal concentrations in top soils and in various dust samples from multiple e-waste recycling sites. Metal concentrations at e-waste recycling sites were compared to the concentrations at control sites in three study locations in Nigeria (Lagos, Ibadan, and Aba). In the three study locations, mean metal concentrations at the e-waste recycling sites exceeded the concentrations at the control sites and the Nigerian standard guideline values by 100 s to 1000 s times. Burning sites showed the highest pollution level, followed by dismantling sites, then repair sites. Our findings show serious environmental and public health concerns. The metal concentrations were also higher than levels reported in other studies at the same locations in Nigeria, indicating that the situation is worsening. This study provides scientific evidence for an urgent need to develop effective strategies to strengthen enforcement of existing e-waste regulations in Nigeria. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Report on the remedial investigation of Bear Creek Valley at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Volume 3: Appendix D -- Nature and extent of contamination report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1996-09-01

    This Remedial Investigation (RI) Report characterizes the nature and extent of contamination, evaluates the fate and transport of contaminants, and assesses risk to human health and the environment resulting from waste disposal and other US Department of Energy (DOE) operations in Bear Creek Valley (BCV). BCV, which is located within the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) encompasses multiple waste units containing hazardous and radioactive wastes arising from operations at the adjacent Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant. The primary waste units discussed in this RI Report are the S-3 Site, Oil Landfarm (OLF), Boneyard/Burnyard (BYBY), Sanitary Landfill 1 (SL 1), and Bearmore » Creek Burial Grounds (BCBG). These waste units, plus the contaminated media resulting from environmental transport of the wastes from these units, are the subject of this RI. This BCV RI Report represents the first major step in the decision-making process for the BCV watershed. The RI results, in concert with the follow-on FS will form the basis for the Proposed Plan and Record of Decision for all BCV sites. This comprehensive decision document process will meet the objectives of the watershed approach for BCV. Appendix D describes the nature and extent of contamination in environmental media and wastes.« less

  9. Waste management technology development and demonstration programs at Brookhaven National Laboratory

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kalb, Paul D.; Colombo, Peter

    1991-01-01

    Two thermoplastic processes for improved treatment of radioactive, hazardous, and mixed wastes were developed from bench scale through technology demonstration: polyethylene encapsulation and modified sulfur cement encapsulation. The steps required to bring technologies from the research and development stage through full scale implementation are described. Both systems result in durable waste forms that meet current Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Environmental Protection Agency regulatory criteria and provide significant improvements over conventional solidification systems such as hydraulic cement. For example, the polyethylene process can encapsulate up to 70 wt pct. nitrate salt, compared with a maximum of about 20 wt pct. for the best hydraulic cement formulation. Modified sulfur cement waste forms containing as much as 43 wt pct. incinerator fly ash were formulated, whereas the maximum quantity of this waste in hydraulic cement is 16 wt pct.

  10. Treatment and resource recovery from inorganic fluoride-containing waste produced by the pesticide industry.

    PubMed

    Li, Yang; Zhang, Hua; Zhang, Zhiqi; Shao, Liming; He, Pinjing

    2015-05-01

    The rapid development of the fluorinated pesticide industry has produced a large amount of fluorine-containing hazardous waste, especially inorganic fluoride-containing waste (IFCW). A two-step process, including extraction and recovery, was developed to recover fluorine as synthetic cryolite from IFCW produced by the pesticide industry. The optimum conditions for extraction were found to be a temperature of 75°C, an initial pH (pHi) of 12, a 4-hr incubation time and a liquid-to-solid ratio of 40mL/g; these conditions resulted in a fluorine extraction ratio of 99.0%. The effects of pH and the F/Al molar ratio on fluorine recovery and the compositional, mineralogical and morphological characteristics of the cryolite products were investigated. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy of recovered precipitates showed changes in morphology with the F/Al molar ratio. Coupling Fourier transform and infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction indicated that the formation of AlF6(3-) was restricted as increasing pH. Both the amount of fluorine recovered and the quality of the cryolite were optimized at initial pH=3 and a F/Al molar ratio 5.75. This study proposed a reliable and environmentally friendly method for the treatment of fluoride-containing wastes, which could be suitable for industrial applications. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. 40 CFR 60.2035 - How are these new source performance standards structured?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... standards structured? 60.2035 Section 60.2035 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... source performance standards contain the eleven major components listed in paragraphs (a) through (k) of this section. (a) Preconstruction siting analysis. (b) Waste management plan. (c) Operator training and...

  12. Your Environment: A Guide for Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Florida State Dept. of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee.

    This environmental guide for students contains stories on air pollution, water pollution, wetlands, groundwater, solid and hazardous waste, and coastal areas. It includes a section on how students can help Florida's environment. A reference section with contact names and addresses for Florida's governmental and citizen organizations is also…

  13. 40 CFR 264.553 - Temporary Units (TU).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Temporary Units (TU). 264.553 Section 264.553 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED... Provisions for Cleanup § 264.553 Temporary Units (TU). (a) For temporary tanks and container storage areas...

  14. 40 CFR 264.553 - Temporary Units (TU).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Temporary Units (TU). 264.553 Section 264.553 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED... Provisions for Cleanup § 264.553 Temporary Units (TU). (a) For temporary tanks and container storage areas...

  15. 40 CFR 247.1 - Purpose and scope.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Purpose and scope. 247.1 Section 247.1 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES COMPREHENSIVE PROCUREMENT GUIDELINE FOR PRODUCTS CONTAINING RECOVERED MATERIALS General § 247.1 Purpose and scope. (a) The purpose of...

  16. Warehouse hazardous and toxic waste design in Karingau Balikpapan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pratama, Bayu Rendy; Kencanawati, Martheana

    2017-11-01

    PT. Balikpapan Environmental Services (PT. BES) is company that having core business in Hazardous and Toxic Waste Management Services which consisting storage and transporter at Balikpapan. This research starting with data collection such as type of waste, quantity of waste, dimension area of existing building, waste packaging (Drum, IBC tank, Wooden Box, & Bulk Bag). Processing data that will be done are redesign for warehouse dimension and layout of position waste, specify of capacity, specify of quantity, type and detector placement, specify of quantity, type and fire extinguishers position which refers to Bapedal Regulation No. 01 In 1995, SNI 03-3985-2000, Employee Minister Regulation RI No. Per-04/Men/1980. Based on research that already done, founded the design for warehouse dimension of waste is 23 m × 22 m × 5 m with waste layout position appropriate with type of waste. The necessary of quantity for detector on this waste warehouse design are 56 each. The type of fire extinguisher that appropriate with this design is dry powder which containing natrium carbonate, alkali salts, with having each weight of 12 Kg about 18 units.

  17. Home composting using different ratios of bulking agent to food waste.

    PubMed

    Guidoni, Lucas Lourenço Castiglioni; Marques, Roger Vasques; Moncks, Rodrigo Bilhalva; Botelho, Fabiana Torma; da Paz, Matheus Francisco; Corrêa, Luciara Bilhalva; Corrêa, Érico Kunde

    2018-02-01

    The negative environmental impacts associated with home composting may be due to the absence of a defined operation criteria for the degradation process. In addition to the potentially low environmental impact in terms of energy and water usage, which is minimal to the manufacture of the composting unit and avoiding the processing and transportation of waste or byproduct, composting at home can also promote a reduction in the emission of unpleasant gases. The proportion of the food waste and bulking agents in the composting mixture may be decisive to fulfill good practices of waste stabilization. The aim of this study was to investigate how different ratios of bulking agent and organic household waste can affect the progress and outcome of the composting process. Three treatments, varying in the ratio of rice husk: raw fruit and vegetable leftovers (70:30, 50:50, 30:70; v:v) were used in a home composting system on a pilot scale. Results show that the proportion of starting materials used in the composting mixture influenced the degradation of organic matter, nitrogen dynamics of the process and its toxicity on germinating plants. The proportions with greater amounts of food waste had higher concentrations of mineral matter, higher peak temperature, and a better initial carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, while the proportion containing 70% of bulking agent lacked odors and leachate generation and showed a low nitrogen loss. A higher proportion of food waste presented better conditions for microbiological development and less time to obtain characteristics of matured composts. A higher proportion of bulking agents resulted in favorable conditions for household handling and less potential for environmental impacts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Airborne bacteria and fungi associated with waste-handling work.

    PubMed

    Park, Donguk; Ryu, Seunghun; Kim, Shinbum; Byun, Hyaejeong; Yoon, Chungsik; Lee, Kyeongmin

    2013-01-01

    Municipal workers handling household waste are potentially exposed to a variety of toxic and pathogenic substances, in particular airborne bacteria, gram-negative bacteria (GNB), and fungi. However, relatively little is known about the conditions under which exposure is facilitated. This study assessed levels of airborne bacteria, GNB, and fungi, and examined these in relation to the type of waste-handling activity (collection, transfer, transport, and sorting at the waste preprocessing plant), as well as a variety of other environmental and occupational factors. Airborne microorganisms were sampled using an Andersen single-stage sampler equipped with agar plates containing the appropriate nutritional medium and then cultured to determine airborne levels. Samples were taken during collection, transfer, transport, and sorting of household waste. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify environmental and occupational factors that significantly affect airborne microorganism levels during waste-handling activities. The "type of waste-handling activity" was the only factor that significantly affected airborne levels of bacteria and GNB, accounting for 38% (P = 0.029) and 50% (P = 0.0002) of the variation observed in bacteria and GNB levels, respectively. In terms of fungi, the type of waste-handling activity (R2 = 0.76) and whether collection had also occurred on the day prior to sampling (P < 0.0001, R2 = 0.78) explained most of the observed variation. Given that the type of waste-handling activity was significantly correlated with levels of bacteria, GNB, and fungi, we suggest that various engineering, administrative, and regulatory measures should be considered to reduce the occupational exposure to airborne microorganisms in the waste-handling industry.

  19. Abatement of waste gases and water during the processes of semiconductor fabrication.

    PubMed

    Wen, Rui-mei; Liang, Jun-wu

    2002-10-01

    The purpose of this article is to examine the methods and equipment for abating waste gases and water produced during the manufacture of semiconductor materials and devices. Three separating methods and equipment are used to control three different groups of electronic wastes. The first group includes arsine and phosphine emitted during the processes of semiconductor materials manufacture. The abatement procedure for this group of pollutants consists of adding iodates, cupric and manganese salts to a multiple shower tower (MST) structure. The second group includes pollutants containing arsenic, phosphorus, HF, HCl, NO2, and SO3 emitted during the manufacture of semiconductor materials and devices. The abatement procedure involves mixing oxidants and bases in an oval column with a separator in the middle. The third group consists of the ions of As, P and heavy metals contained in the waste water. The abatement procedure includes adding CaCO3 and ferric salts in a flocculation-sedimentation compact device equipment. Test results showed that all waste gases and water after the abatement procedures presented in this article passed the discharge standards set by the State Environmental Protection Administration of China.

  20. Delisting petition for 300-M saltstone (treated F006 sludge) from the 300-M liquid effluent treatment facility

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1989-04-04

    This petition seeks exclusion for stabilized and solidified sludge material generated by treatment of wastewater from the 300-M aluminum forming and metal finishing processes. The waste contains both hazardous and radioactive components and is classified as a mixed waste. The objective of this petition is to demonstrate that the stabilized sludge material (saltstone), when properly disposed, will not exceed the health-based standards for the hazardous constituents. This petition contains sampling and analytical data which justify the request for exclusion. The results show that when the data are applied to the EPA Vertical and Horizontal Spread (VHS) Model, health-based standards formore » all hazardous waste constituents will not be exceeded during worst case operating and environmental conditions. Disposal of the stabilized sludge material in concrete vaults will meet the requirements pertaining to Waste Management Activities for Groundwater Protection at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, S.C. Documents set forth performance objectives and disposal options for low-level radioactive waste disposal. Concrete vaults specified for disposal of 300-M saltstone (treated F006 sludge) assure that these performance objectives will be met.« less

  1. Waste Technology Engineering Laboratory (324 building)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kammenzind, D.E.

    The 324 Facility Standards/Requirements Identification Document (S/RID) is comprised of twenty functional areas. Two of the twenty functional areas (Decontamination and Decommissioning and Environmental Restoration) were determined as nonapplicable functional areas and one functional area (Research and Development and Experimental Activities) was determined applicable, however, requirements are found in other functional areas and will not be duplicated. Each functional area follows as a separate chapter, either containing the S/RID or a justification for nonapplicability. The twenty functional areas listed below follow as chapters: 1. Management Systems; 2. Quality Assurance; 3. Configuration Management; 4. Training and Qualification; 5. Emergency Management; 6.more » Safeguards and Security; 7. Engineering Program; 8. Construction; 9. Operations; 10. Maintenance; 11. Radiation Protection; 12. Fire Protection; 13. Packaging and Transportation; 14. Environmental Restoration; 15. Decontamination and Decommissioning; 16. Waste Management; 17. Research and Development and Experimental Activities; 18. Nuclear Safety; 19. Occupational Safety and Health; 20. Environmental Protection.« less

  2. The scourge of antibiotic resistance: the important role of the environment.

    PubMed

    Finley, Rita L; Collignon, Peter; Larsson, D G Joakim; McEwen, Scott A; Li, Xian-Zhi; Gaze, William H; Reid-Smith, Richard; Timinouni, Mohammed; Graham, David W; Topp, Edward

    2013-09-01

    Antibiotic resistance and associated genes are ubiquitous and ancient, with most genes that encode resistance in human pathogens having originated in bacteria from the natural environment (eg, β-lactamases and fluoroquinolones resistance genes, such as qnr). The rapid evolution and spread of "new" antibiotic resistance genes has been enhanced by modern human activity and its influence on the environmental resistome. This highlights the importance of including the role of the environmental vectors, such as bacterial genetic diversity within soil and water, in resistance risk management. We need to take more steps to decrease the spread of resistance genes in environmental bacteria into human pathogens, to decrease the spread of resistant bacteria to people and animals via foodstuffs, wastes and water, and to minimize the levels of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria introduced into the environment. Reducing this risk must include improved management of waste containing antibiotic residues and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms.

  3. Study of contaminant transport at an open-tipping waste disposal site.

    PubMed

    Ashraf, Muhammad Aqeel; Yusoff, Ismail; Yusof, Mohamad; Alias, Yatimah

    2013-07-01

    Field and laboratory studies were conducted to estimate concentration of potential contaminants from landfill in the underlying groundwater, leachate, and surface water. Samples collected in the vicinity of the landfill were analyzed for physiochemical parameters, organic contaminants, and toxic heavy metals. Water quality results obtained were compared from published data and reports. The results indicate serious groundwater and surface water contamination in and around the waste disposal site. Analysis of the organic samples revealed that the site contains polychlorinated biphenyls and other organo-chlorine chemicals, principally chloro-benzenes. Although the amount of PCB concentration discovered was not extreme, their presence indicates a potentially serious environmental threat. Elevated concentrations of lead, copper, nickel, manganese, cadmium, and cobalt at the downgradient indicate that the contamination plume migrated further from the site, and the distribution of metals and metals containing wastes in the site is nonhomogeneous. These results clearly indicate that materials are poorly contained and are at risk of entering the environment. Therefore, full characterization of the dump contents and the integrity of the site are necessary to evaluate the scope of the problem and to identify suitable remediation options.

  4. [Decreasing the Output of Biomedical Waste in the Intensive Care Unit].

    PubMed

    Shen, Ming-Yi; Chang, Chun-Chu; Li, Mung-Yeng; Lin, Jui-Hsiang

    2017-10-01

    Advancing healthcare technologies have increased the use of disposable supplies that are made with PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Furthermore, biomedical effluents are steadily increasing due to severe patient treatment requirements in intensive care units. If these biomedical wastes are not properly managed and disposed, they will cause great harm to the environment and to public health. The statistics from an intensive care unit at one medical center in northern Taiwan show that the per-person biomedical effluents produced in 2014 increased 8.51% over 2013 levels. The main reasons for this increase included the low accuracy of classification of the contents of biomedical effluent collection buckets and of personnel effluents in the intensive care unit and the generally poor selection and designation of appropriate containers. Improvement measures were implemented in order to decrease the per-day weight of biomedical effluents by 10% per person (-0.22 kg/person/day). The project team developed various strategies, including creating classification-related slogans and posting promotional posters, holding education and training using actual case studies, establishing an "environmental protection pioneer" team, and promoting the use of appropriate containers. The implementation of the project decreased the per-day weight of biomedical effluents by 13.2% per person. Implementation of the project effectively reduced the per-person daily output of biological wastes and improved the waste separation behavior of healthcare personnel in the unit, giving patients and their families a better healthcare environment and helping advance the cause of environmental protection worldwide.

  5. Engineering concepts for the placement of wastes on the abyssal seafloor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Valent, Philip J.; Palowitch, Andrew W.; Young, David K.

    1998-05-01

    The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), with industry and academic participation, has completed a study of the concept of isolating industrial wastes (i.e., sewage sludge, fly ash from municipal incinerators, and dredged material) on the abyssal seafloor. This paper presents results of the technical and economic assessment of this waste management concept. The results of the environmental impacts portion of the study are presented in a companion paper. The technical assessment began with identification of 128 patents addressing waste disposal in the ocean. From these 128 patents, five methods for transporting wastes through the water column and emplacing wastes within an easily monitored area on the abyssal seafloor were synthesized for technical assessment. In one method waste is lowered to the seafloor in a bucket of 190 m 3. In a second method waste is pumped down to the seafloor in pipes, 1.37 m in diameter and 6100 m in length. In a third method waste is free-fallen from the ocean surface in 380-m 3 geosynthetic fabric containers (GFCs). In the fourth and fifth methods, waste is carried to near the seafloor in GFCs transported in (a) a 20,000 metric ton displacement (loaded), unpowered, unmanned submersible glider, or (b) a 2085 metric ton displacement (loaded) disk-shaped transporter traversing to and from the seafloor much like an untethered elevator. In the last two methods the transporter releases the GFCs to free-fall the last few hundred meters to the seafloor. Two reliability analyses, a Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and a Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA), showed that the free-fall GFC method posed the least overall relative risk, provided that fabric container and transporter designs eliminate the potential for tearing of the containers on release from the surface transporter. Of the five methods, the three GFC methods were shown to offer cost-effective waste management options when compared with present-day waste management techniques in higher-priced areas, such as the New York-New Jersey area. In conclusion, the abyssal seafloor waste isolation concept is technically feasible and cost-effective for many waste sources.

  6. Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site environmental report, for calendar year 1995

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1 General Environmental Protection Program, requires DOE facilities, that conduct environmental protection programs, to annually prepare a Site Environmental Report (SER). The purpose of the SER is to provide an abstract of environmental assessments conducted in order to characterize site environmental management performance, to confirm compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and to highlight significant programs and efforts of environmental merit. The content of this SER is not restricted to a synopsis of the required data, in addition, information pertaining to new and continued monitoring and compliance activities during the 1995 calendar yearmore » are also included. Data contained in this report are derived from those monitoring programs directed by the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMP). The EMP provides inclusive guidelines implemented to detect potential impacts to the environment and to establish baseline measurements for future environmental evaluations. Surface water, groundwater. air, soil, and biotic matrices are monitored for an array of radiological and nonradiological factors. The baseline radiological surveillance program encompasses a broader geographic area that includes nearby ranches, villages, and cities. Most elements of nonradiological assessments are conducted within the geographic vicinity of the WIPP site.« less

  7. Targeted Health Assessment for Wastes Contained at the Niagara Falls Storage Site to Guide Planning for Remedial Action Alternatives - 13428

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Busse, John; Keil, Karen; Staten, Jane

    2013-07-01

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is evaluating potential remedial alternatives at the 191-acre Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) in Lewiston, New York, under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). The Manhattan Engineer District (MED) and Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) brought radioactive wastes to the site during the 1940's and 1950's, and the U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) consolidated these wastes into a 10-acre interim waste containment structure (IWCS) in the southwest portion of the site during the 1980's. The USACE is evaluating remedial alternatives for radioactive waste contained within the IWCS at the NFSS undermore » the Feasibility Study phase of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) process. A preliminary evaluation of the IWCS has been conducted to assess potential airborne releases associated with uncovered wastes, particularly during waste excavation, as well as direct exposures to uncovered wastes. Key technical issues for this assessment include: (1) limitations in waste characterization data; (2) representative receptors and exposure routes; (3) estimates of contaminant emissions at an early stage of the evaluation process; (4) consideration of candidate meteorological data and air dispersion modeling approaches; and (5) estimates of health effects from potential exposures to both radionuclides and chemicals that account for recent updates of exposure and toxicity factors. Results of this preliminary health risk assessment indicate if the wastes were uncovered and someone stayed at the IWCS for a number of days to weeks, substantial doses and serious health effects could be incurred. Current controls prevent such exposures, and the controls that would be applied to protect onsite workers during remedial action at the IWCS would also effectively protect the public nearby. This evaluation provides framing context for the upcoming development and detailed evaluation of remedial alternatives for the IWCS. (authors)« less

  8. Efficient use of shrimp waste: present and future trends.

    PubMed

    Kandra, Prameela; Challa, Murali Mohan; Jyothi, Hemalatha Kalangi Padma

    2012-01-01

    The production of shrimp waste from shrimp processing industries has undergone a dramatic increase in recent years. Continued production of this biomaterial without corresponding development of utilizing technology has resulted in waste collection, disposal, and pollution problems. Currently used chemical process releases toxic chemicals such as HCl, acetic acid, and NaOH into aquatic ecosystem as byproducts which will spoil the aquatic flora and fauna. Environmental protection regulations have become stricter. Now, there is a need to treat and utilize the waste in most efficient manner. The shrimp waste contains several bioactive compounds such as chitin, pigments, amino acids, and fatty acids. These bioactive compounds have a wide range of applications including medical, therapies, cosmetics, paper, pulp and textile industries, biotechnology, and food applications. This current review article present the utilization of shrimp waste as well as an alternative technology to replace hazardous chemical method that address the future trends in total utilization of shrimp waste for recovery of bioactive compounds.

  9. Analysis of post-mining excavations as places for municipal waste

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Górniak-Zimroz, Justyna

    2018-01-01

    Waste management planning is an interdisciplinary task covering a wide range of issues including costs, legal requirements, spatial planning, environmental protection, geography, demographics, and techniques used in collecting, transporting, processing and disposing of waste. Designing and analyzing this issue is difficult and requires the use of advanced analysis methods and tools available in GIS geographic information systems containing readily available graphical and descriptive databases, data analysis tools providing expert decision support while selecting the best-designed alternative, and simulation models that allow the user to simulate many variants of waste management together with graphical visualization of the results of performed analyzes. As part of the research study, there have been works undertaken concerning the use of multi-criteria data analysis in waste management in areas located in southwestern Poland. These works have proposed the inclusion in waste management of post-mining excavations as places for the final or temporary collection of waste assessed in terms of their suitability with the tools available in GIS systems.

  10. Possibility of using waste tire rubber and fly ash with Portland cement as construction materials.

    PubMed

    Yilmaz, Arin; Degirmenci, Nurhayat

    2009-05-01

    The growing amount of waste rubber produced from used tires has resulted in an environmental problem. Recycling waste tires has been widely studied for the last 20 years in applications such as asphalt pavement, waterproofing systems and membrane liners. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing fly ash and rubber waste with Portland cement as a composite material for masonry applications. Class C fly ash and waste automobile tires in three different sizes were used with Portland cement. Compressive and flexural strength, dry unit weight and water absorption tests were performed on the composite specimens containing waste tire rubber. The compressive strength decreased by increasing the rubber content while increased by increasing the fly ash content for all curing periods. This trend is slightly influenced by particle size. For flexural strength, the specimens with waste tire rubber showed higher values than the control mix probably due to the effect of rubber fibers. The dry unit weight of all specimens decreased with increasing rubber content, which can be explained by the low specific gravity of rubber particles. Water absorption decreased slightly with the increase in rubber particles size. These composite materials containing 10% Portland cement, 70% and 60% fly ash and 20% and 30% tire rubber particles have sufficient strength for masonry applications.

  11. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lee, S.Y.; Valenti, J.C.; Tabor, D.G.

    The use of waste wood as fuel for producing energy is a promising supplement to fossil fuels for many regions of the country. In addition to recovering energy and conserving landfill space, burning waste wood fuels also mitigates global warming created by fossil fuel combustion. However, the environmental consequences resulting from emissions generated by combustion of waste wood which contains paints, resins, or preservatives are not well understood. The combustion of waste wood treated with chemicals may produce potentially hazardous products of incomplete combustion (PIC) emissions such as dioxins. Characterization of PIC emissions from the combustion of waste wood previouslymore » treated with pentachlorophenol is reported in this study. Utility poles and crossbars are typically treated with a preservative such as pentachlorophenol in order to prolong their service life. They are disposed of by landfilling after being taken out of service. Burning such wood waste in boilers for steam generation becomes an increasingly attractive waste management alternative as it contains substantial energy value and reduces landfilling costs. Pilot-scale combustion tests were conducted under well controlled conditions in a 0.58 MW (2 million Btu/hr) combustor to compare PIC emissions from burning untreated wood and pentachlorophenol-treated wood. Sampling and analyses for a wide variety of PICs, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semivolatile organic compounds, and dioxins and furans, were performed to assess the effect of pentachlorophenol preservative present in wood on PIC emissions.« less

  12. Characterization of Emissions from Open Burning of Meals Ready-to-Eat and their Paperboard Packaging

    EPA Science Inventory

    Emissions from burning current and candidate Meals Ready-to-Eat (MRE) packaging and shipping containers were characterized in an effort to assuage concerns that combustive disposal of waste at forward operating bases could pose an environmental or inhalation threat. Four types of...

  13. In Vitro Assays for Assessment of Androgenic and Estrogenic Activity of Defined Mixtures and Complex Environmental Samples

    EPA Science Inventory

    Point sources of endocrine active compounds to aquatic environments such as waste water treatment plants, pulp and paper mills, and animal feeding operations invariably contain complex mixtures of chemicals. The current study investigates the use of targeted in vitro assays des...

  14. Environmental Technology Verification Report for Private Pallet Security Systems, LLC. MultiTrack™ Layered Tracking Systems

    EPA Science Inventory

    This test simulated shipments of hazardous waste contained in polyethylene (poly) drums, metal drums, and corrugated boxes through routine land transportation routes and across international ports of entry in the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez trade area. RFID tags were attached to four ...

  15. In vitro assays for assessment of androgenic and estrogenic activity in defined mixtures and complex environmental samples

    EPA Science Inventory

    Eflluents from sources such as waste water treatment plants and animal feeding operations invariably contain complex mixtures of chemicals. Recent research on effluent from cattle feeding operations in the US have linked morphological alterations in fish with in vitro androgenic ...

  16. Applied and environmental chemistry of animal manure: A review

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Animal manure consists of predominantly urine and feces, but also may contain bedding materials, dropped feed, scurf and other farming wastes. The estimated amount of manure produced in 12 major livestock producing countries is 9 x109 Mg of manure annually. Manures are rich in plant nutrients. Howev...

  17. Application of supercritical water to decompose brominated epoxy resin and environmental friendly recovery of metals from waste memory module.

    PubMed

    Li, Kuo; Xu, Zhenming

    2015-02-03

    Waste Memory Modules (WMMs), a particular kind of waste printed circuit board (WPCB), contain a high amount of brominated epoxy resin (BER), which may bring a series of environmental and health problems. On the other hand, metals like gold and copper are very valuable and are important to recover from WMMs. In the present study, an effective and environmental friendly method using supercritical water (SCW) to decompose BER and recover metals from WMMs was developed instead of hydrometallurgy or pyrometallurgy simultaneously. Experiments were conducted under external-catalyst-free conditions with temperatures ranging from 350 to 550 °C, pressures from 25 to 40 MPa, and reaction times from 120 to 360 min in a semibatch-type reactor. The results showed that BER could be quickly and efficiently decomposed under SCW condition, and the mechanism was possibly free radical reaction. After the SCW treatments, the glass fibers and metal foils in the solid residue could be easily liberated and recovered, respectively. The metal recovery rate reached 99.80%. The optimal parameters were determined as 495 °C, 33 MPa, and 305 min on the basis of response surface methodology (RSM). This study provides an efficient and environmental friendly approach for WMMs recycling compared with electrolysis, pyrometallurgy, and hydrometallurgy.

  18. Learning from agriculture: understanding low-dose antimicrobials as drivers of resistome expansion

    PubMed Central

    You, Yaqi; Silbergeld, Ellen K.

    2014-01-01

    Antimicrobial resistance is a growing public health challenge worldwide, with agricultural use of antimicrobials being one major contributor to the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Globally, most antimicrobials are used in industrial food animal production, a major context for microbiomes encountering low-doses or subtherapeutic-levels of antimicrobial agents from all mechanistic classes. This modern practice exerts broad eco-evolutionary effects on the gut microbiome of food animals, which is subsequently transferred to animal waste. This waste contains complex constituents that are challenging to treat, including AMR determinants and low-dose antimicrobials. Unconfined storage or land deposition of a large volume of animal waste causes its wide contact with the environment and drives the expansion of the environmental resistome through mobilome facilitated horizontal genet transfer. The expanded environmental resistome, which encompasses both natural constituents and anthropogenic inputs, can persist under multiple stressors from agriculture and may re-enter humans, thus posing a public health risk to humans. For these reasons, this review focuses on agricultural antimicrobial use as a laboratory for understanding low-dose antimicrobials as drivers of resistome expansion, briefly summarizes current knowledge on this topic, highlights the importance of research specifically on environmental microbial ecosystems considering AMR as environmental pollution, and calls attention to the needs for longitudinal studies at the systems level. PMID:24959164

  19. Learning from agriculture: understanding low-dose antimicrobials as drivers of resistome expansion.

    PubMed

    You, Yaqi; Silbergeld, Ellen K

    2014-01-01

    Antimicrobial resistance is a growing public health challenge worldwide, with agricultural use of antimicrobials being one major contributor to the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Globally, most antimicrobials are used in industrial food animal production, a major context for microbiomes encountering low-doses or subtherapeutic-levels of antimicrobial agents from all mechanistic classes. This modern practice exerts broad eco-evolutionary effects on the gut microbiome of food animals, which is subsequently transferred to animal waste. This waste contains complex constituents that are challenging to treat, including AMR determinants and low-dose antimicrobials. Unconfined storage or land deposition of a large volume of animal waste causes its wide contact with the environment and drives the expansion of the environmental resistome through mobilome facilitated horizontal genet transfer. The expanded environmental resistome, which encompasses both natural constituents and anthropogenic inputs, can persist under multiple stressors from agriculture and may re-enter humans, thus posing a public health risk to humans. For these reasons, this review focuses on agricultural antimicrobial use as a laboratory for understanding low-dose antimicrobials as drivers of resistome expansion, briefly summarizes current knowledge on this topic, highlights the importance of research specifically on environmental microbial ecosystems considering AMR as environmental pollution, and calls attention to the needs for longitudinal studies at the systems level.

  20. Superfund Public Information System (SPIS), January 1999

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1999-01-01

    The Superfund Public Information System (SPIS) on CD-ROM contains Superfund data for the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The Superfund data is a collection of three databases: Records of Decision (RODS); Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System (CERCLIS); and Archive (NFRAP). Descriptions of these databases and CD contents are listed below. Data content: The CD contains the complete text of the official ROD documents signed and issued by EPA from fiscal years 1982--1996; 147 RODs for fiscal year 1997; and seven RODs for fiscal year 1998. The CD also contains 89 Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD) documents, asmore » well as 48 ROD Amendments. CERCLIS and Archive (NFRAP) data is through January 19, 1999. RODS is the Records Of Decision System. RODS is used to track site clean-ups under the Superfund program to justify the type of treatment chosen at each site. RODS contains information on technology justification, site history, community participation, enforcement activities, site characteristics, scope and role of response action, and remedy. Explanation of Significant Differences (ESDs) are also available on the CD. CERCLIS is the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System. It is the official repository for all Superfund site and incident data. It contains comprehensive information on hazardous waste sites, site inspections, preliminary assessments, and remedial status. The system is sponsored by the EPA`s Office of Emergency and Remedial Response, Information Management Center. Archive (NFRAP) consists of hazardous waste sites that have no further remedial action planned; only basic identifying information is provided for archive sites. The sites found in the Archive database were originally in the CERCLIS database, but were removed beginning in the fall of 1995.« less

  1. 1989 Environmental monitoring report, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hwang, S.; Chavez, G.; Phelan, J.

    1990-05-01

    This 1989 report contains monitoring data from routine radiological and nonradiological environmental surveillance activities. Summaries of significant environmental compliance programs in progress such as National Environmental Policy Act documentation, environmental permits, environmental restoration, and various waste management programs for Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque (SNL, Albuquerque) are included. The maximum offsite dose impact was calculated to be 8.8 {times} 10{sup {minus}4} mrem. The total Albuquerque population received a collective dose of 0.097 person-rem during 1989 from SNL, Albuquerque, operations. As in the previous year, SNL, Albuquerque, operations in 1989 had no adverse impact on the general public or on themore » environment. 46 refs., 20 figs., 31 tabs.« less

  2. Analysis of Environmental Applicability of HDPE Geomembrane by Simulated Applicability Testing for Waste Containment Construction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jeon, Han-Yong

    2016-10-01

    Geosynthetic separation boxes made from recycled polymeric materials were designed to increase the waste landfill amount and develop the hydraulic performance in steep slope sides in the waste landfills. To evaluate the advantages of these geosynthetic separation boxes, index tests were conducted in order to compare the geonet composites and geosynthetic separation boxes. The tensile strength retention of the geosynthetic separation box plates exposed to UV light and leachate solutions was better than that of the geonet composites. The drainage performance of the geosynthetic separation boxes was compared with that of the geonet composites at a slope angle corresponding to a real waste landfill site. The drainage performance of the geosynthetic separation box plates was better than that of the geonet composites.

  3. Leaching characteristics, ecotoxicity, and risk assessment based management of mine wastes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, J.; Ju, W. J.; Jho, E. H.; Nam, K.; Hong, J. K.

    2016-12-01

    Mine wastes generated during mining activities in metal mines generally contain high concentrations of metals that may impose toxic effects to surrounding environment. Thus, it is necessary to properly assess the mining-impacted landscapes for management. The study investigated leaching characteristics, potential environmental effects, and human health risk of mine wastes from three different metal mines in South Korea (molybdenum mine, lead-zinc mine, and magnetite mine). The heavy metal concentrations in the leachates obtained by using the Korean Standard Test Method for Solid Wastes (STM), Toxicity Characteristics Leaching Procedure (TCLP), and Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP) met the Korea Waste Control Act and the USEPA region 3 regulatory levels accordingly, even though the mine wastes contained high concentrations of metals. Assuming that the leachates may get into nearby water sources, the leachate toxicity was tested using Daphnia Magna. The toxic unit (TU) values after 24 h and 48 h exposure of all the mine wastes tested met the Korea Allowable Effluent Water Quality Standards (TU<1). The column leaching test showed that the lead-zinc mine waste may have long-term toxic effects (TU>1 for the eluent at L/S of 30) implying that the long-term effect of mine wastes left in mining areas need to be assessed. Considering reuse of mine wastes as a way of managing mine wastes, the human health risk assessment of reusing the lead-zinc mine waste in industrial areas was carried out using the bioavailable fraction of the heavy metals contained in the mine wastes, which was determined by using the Solubility/Bioavailability Research Consortium method. There may be potential carcinogenic risk (9.7E-05) and non-carcinogenic risk (HI, Hazard Index of 1.0E+00) as CR≧1.0E-05 has carcinogenic risk and HI≧1.0E+00 has non-carcinogenic risk. Overall, this study shows that not only the concentration-based assessment but ecological toxic effect and human health risk based assessments can be utilized for mining-impacted landscapes management.

  4. Environmental impact of aquaculture and countermeasures to aquaculture pollution in China.

    PubMed

    Cao, Ling; Wang, Weimin; Yang, Yi; Yang, Chengtai; Yuan, Zonghui; Xiong, Shanbo; Diana, James

    2007-11-01

    Aquaculture activities are well known to be the major contributor to the increasing level of organic waste and toxic compound in the aquaculture industry. Along with the development of intensive aquaculture in China, concerns are evoked about the possible effects of ever-increasing aquaculture waste both on productivity inside the aquaculture system and on the ambient aquatic ecosystem. Therefore, it is apparent that appropriate waste treatment processes are needed for sustaining aquaculture development. This review aims at identifying the current status of aquaculture and aquaculture waste production in China. China is the world's largest fishery nation in terms of total seafood production volume, a position it has maintained continuously since 1990. Freshwater aquaculture is a major part of the Chinese fishery industry. Marine aquaculture in China consists of both land-based and offshore aquaculture, with the latter mostly operated in shallow seas, mud flats and protected bays. The environmental impacts of aquaculture are also striking. Case studies on pollution hot spots caused by aquaculture have been introduced. The quality and quantity of waste from aquaculture depends mainly on culture system characteristics and the choice of species, but also on feed quality and management. Wastewater without treatment, if continuously discharged into the aquatic environment, could result in remarkable elevation of the total organic matter contents and cause considerable economy lost. Waste treatments can be mainly classified into three categories: physical, chemical and biological methods. The environmental impacts of different aquaculture species are not the same. New waste treatments are introduced as references for the potential development of the waste treatment system in China. The most appropriate waste treatment system for each site should be selected according to the sites' conditions and financial status as well as by weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each system. Strategies and perspectives for sustainable aquaculture development are proposed, with the emphasis on environmental protection. Negative effects of waste from aquaculture to aquatic environment are increasingly recognized, though they were just a small proportion to land-based pollutants. Properly planned use of aquaculture waste alleviates water pollution problems and not only conserves valuable water resources but also takes advantage of the nutrients contained in effluent. It is highly demanding to develop sustainable aquaculture which keeps stocking density and pollution loadings under environmental capacity. The traditional procedures for aquaculture waste treatment, mainly based on physical and chemical means, should be overcome by more site-specific approaches, taking into account the characteristics and resistibility of the aquatic environment. Further research needs to improve or optimize the current methods of wastewater treatment and reuse. Proposed new treatment technology should evaluate their feasibility at a larger scale for practical application.

  5. RESULTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (EM) CORPORATE PROJECT TEAM DISPOSING WASTE & REDUCING RISK

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    SHRADER, T.A.; KNERR, R.

    2005-01-31

    In 2002, the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) released the Top-To-Bottom Review of cognizant clean-up activities around the DOE Complex. The review contained a number of recommendations for changing the way EM operates in order to reduce environmental risk by significantly accelerating clean-up at the DOE-EM sites. In order to develop and implement these recommendations, a number of corporate project teams were formed to identify, evaluate, and initiate implementation of alternatives for the different aspects of clean-up. In August 2002, a corporate team was formed to review all aspects of the management, treatment, and disposalmore » of low level radioactive waste (LLW), mixed low level radioactive waste (MLLW), transuranic waste (TRU), and hazardous waste (HW). Over the next 21 months, the Corporate Project Team: Disposing Waste, Reducing Risk, developed a number of alternatives for implementing the recommendations of the Top-To-Bottom Review based on information developed during numerous site visits and interviews with complex and industry personnel. With input from over a dozen EM sites at various stages of clean-up, the team identified the barriers to the treatment and disposal of low level waste, mixed low level waste, and transuranic waste. Once identified, preliminary design alternatives were developed and presented to the Acquisition Authority (for this project, the Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management) for review and approval. Once the preliminary design was approved, the team down selected to seven key alternatives which were subsequently fully developed in the Project Execution Plan. The seven most viable alternatives were: (1) creation of an Executive Waste Disposal Board; (2) projectizing the disposal of low level waste and mixed low level waste; (3) creation of a National Consolidation and Acceleration Facility for waste; (4) improvements to the Broad Spectrum contract; (5) improvements to the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) Incinerator contract and operations; (6) development of a policy for load management of waste shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP); and (7) development of a complex-wide fee incentive for transuranic waste disposal. The alternatives were further refined and a plan developed for institutionalizing the alternatives in various site contracts. In order to focus the team's efforts, all team activities were conducted per the principles of DOE Order 413.3, Program and Project Management for the Acquisition of Capital Assets. Although the Order was developed for construction projects, the principles were adapted for use on this ''soft'' project in which the deliverables were alternatives for the way work was performed. The results of the team's investigation and the steps taken during the project are presented along with lessons learned.« less

  6. [Correlation of Persistent Free Radicals, PCDD/Fs and Metals in Waste Incineration Fly Ash].

    PubMed

    Wang, Tian-jiao; Chen, Tong; Zhan, Ming-xiu; Guo, Ying; Li, Xiao-dong

    2016-03-15

    Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are relatively highly stable and found in the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). Recent studies have concentrated on model dioxin formation reactions and there are few studies on actual waste incineration fly ash. In order to study EPFRs and the correlation with dioxins and heavy metals in waste incineration fly ash, the spins of EPFRs, concentration of PCDD/Fs and metals in samples from 6 different waste incinerators were detected. The medical waste incineration fly ash from Tianjin, municipal solid waste incineration fly ash from Jiangxi Province, black carbon and slag from municipal solid waste incinerator in Lanxi, Zhejiang Province, all contained EPFRs. Above all the signal in Tianjin sample was the strongest. Hydroxyl radicals, carbon-center radicals and semiquinone radicals were detected. Compared with other samples, Jiangxi fly ash had the highest toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) of dioxins, up to 7.229 4 ng · g⁻¹. However, the dioxin concentration in the Tianjin sample containing the strongest EPFR signals was only 0.092 8 ng · g⁻¹. There was perhaps little direct numeric link between EPFRs and PCDD/Fs. But the spins of EPFRs in samples presented an increasing trend as the metal contents increased, especially with Al, Fe, Zn. The signal strength of radicals was purposed to be related to the metal contents. The concentration of Zn (0.813 7% ) in the Tianjin sample was the highest and this sample contained much more spins of oxygen-center radicals. We could presume the metal Zn had a greater effect on the formation of EPFRs, and was easier to induce the formation of radicals with a longer half-life period.

  7. Statistical Evaluation and Optimization of Factors Affecting the Leaching Performance of Copper Flotation Waste

    PubMed Central

    Çoruh, Semra; Elevli, Sermin; Geyikçi, Feza

    2012-01-01

    Copper flotation waste is an industrial by-product material produced from the process of manufacturing copper. The main concern with respect to landfilling of copper flotation waste is the release of elements (e.g., salts and heavy metals) when in contact with water, that is, leaching. Copper flotation waste generally contains a significant amount of Cu together with trace elements of other toxic metals, such as Zn, Co, and Pb. The release of heavy metals into the environment has resulted in a number of environmental problems. The aim of this study is to investigate the leaching characteristics of copper flotation waste by use of the Box-Behnken experimental design approach. In order to obtain the optimized condition of leachability, a second-order model was examined. The best leaching conditions achieved were as follows: pH = 9, stirring time = 5 min, and temperature = 41.5°C. PMID:22629194

  8. Statistical evaluation and optimization of factors affecting the leaching performance of copper flotation waste.

    PubMed

    Coruh, Semra; Elevli, Sermin; Geyikçi, Feza

    2012-01-01

    Copper flotation waste is an industrial by-product material produced from the process of manufacturing copper. The main concern with respect to landfilling of copper flotation waste is the release of elements (e.g., salts and heavy metals) when in contact with water, that is, leaching. Copper flotation waste generally contains a significant amount of Cu together with trace elements of other toxic metals, such as Zn, Co, and Pb. The release of heavy metals into the environment has resulted in a number of environmental problems. The aim of this study is to investigate the leaching characteristics of copper flotation waste by use of the Box-Behnken experimental design approach. In order to obtain the optimized condition of leachability, a second-order model was examined. The best leaching conditions achieved were as follows: pH = 9, stirring time = 5 min, and temperature = 41.5 °C.

  9. RCRA Facility Information

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This asset includes hazardous waste information, which is mostly contained in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information (RCRAInfo) System, a national program management and inventory system addressing hazardous waste handlers. In general, all entities that generate, transport, treat, store, and dispose of hazardous waste are required to provide information about their activities to state environmental agencies. These agencies pass on that information to regional and national EPA offices. This regulation is governed by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984. RCRAInfo Search can be used to determine identification and location data for specific hazardous waste handlers and to find a wide range of information on treatment, storage, and disposal facilities regarding permit/closure status, compliance with Federal and State regulations, and cleanup activities. Categories of information in this asset include:-- Handlers-- Permit Information-- GIS information on facility location-- Financial Assurance-- Corrective Action-- Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement (CM&E)

  10. Corrective action investigation plan: Cactus Spring Waste Trenches. Revision 2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    This Correction Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) contains environmental sample collection objectives and logic for the CAU No. 426, which includes the Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, CAS No. RG-08-001-RG-CS. The Cactus Spring Waste Trenches are located at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) which is part of the Nellis Air Force Range, approximately 255 kilometers (km) (140 miles [mi]) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, by air. The purpose of this investigation is to generate sufficient data to establish the types of waste buried in the trenches, identify the presence and nature of contamination, determine the vertical extent of contaminant migration below themore » Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, and determine the appropriate course of action for the site. The potential courses of action for the site are clean closure, closure in place (with or without remediation), or no further action.« less

  11. 2010 Annual Summary Report for the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Management Sites at the Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NSTec Environmental Management

    2011-03-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office performed an annual review of the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) Performance Assessments (PAs) and Composite Analyses (CAs) in fiscal year (FY) 2010. This annual summary report presents data and conclusions from the FY 2010 review, and determines the adequacy of the PAs and CAs. Operational factors (e.g., waste forms and containers, facility design, and waste receipts), closure plans, monitoring results, and research and development (R&D) activities were reviewed to determine the adequacy of the PAs. Likewise, the environmental restoration activities at themore » Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) (formerly the Nevada Test Site) relevant to the sources of residual radioactive material that are considered in the CAs, the land-use planning, and the results of the environmental monitoring and R&D activities were reviewed to determine the adequacy of the CAs.« less

  12. Removal or storage of environmental pollutants and alternative fuel sources with inorganic adsorbents via host–guest encapsulation

    DOE PAGES

    Cramer, Alisha J.; Cole, Jacqueline M.

    2017-05-08

    The ever-increasing demands of the modern world continue to place substantial strain on the environment. To help alleviate the damage done to the natural world, the encapsulation of small molecules or ions (guests) into porous inorganic structural frameworks (hosts) provides a potential remedy for some of the environmental concerns facing us today. These concerns include the removal of harmful pollutants from water or air, the safe entrapment of nuclear waste materials, or the purification and storage of small molecules that act as alternative fuel sources. For this study, we review the trends in using inorganic materials as hostmedia for themore » removal or storage of various wastes and alternative fuels. In conclusion, we cover the treatment of water contaminated with dyes or heavy metals, air pollution alleviation via CO 2, SO x, NO x, and volatile organic compound containment, nuclear waste immobilization, and storage for H 2 and methane as alternative fuels.« less

  13. Detecting Waste Tire Sites Using Satellite Imagery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quinlan, B.; Huybrechts, C.; Schmidt, C.; Skiles, J. W.

    2005-12-01

    Waste tire piles pose environmental threats in the form of toxic fires and potential insect habitat. Previous techniques used to locate tire piles have included California Highway Patrol aerial surveillance and location tips from stakeholders. The TIRe (Tire Identification from Reflectance) model was developed as part of a pilot-project funded by the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB), a division of the California Environmental Protection Agency, and executed at NASA Ames Research Center's DEVELOP Program during the summer of 2005. The goal of the pilot-project was to determine if high-resolution satellite imagery could be used to locate waste tire disposal sites. The TIRe model, built in Leica Geosystems' ERDAS Imagine Model Builder, was created to automate the process of isolating tires in satellite imagery in two land cover types found in California. The sole geospatial data input to the TIRe model was Space Imaging IKONOS imagery. Once the imagery was processed through the TIRe model, less than 1% of the original image remained, consisting only of dark pixels containing tires or spectrally similar features. The output, a binary image was overlain on top of the original image for visual interpretation. The TIRe model was successfully able to identify waste tire piles as small as 400 tires and will prove to be a valuable tool for the detection, monitoring and remediation of waste tire sites.

  14. Synthesis of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes from Plastic Waste Using a Stainless-Steel CVD Reactor as Catalyst.

    PubMed

    Tripathi, Pranav K; Durbach, Shane; Coville, Neil J

    2017-09-22

    The disposal of non-biodegradable plastic waste without further upgrading/downgrading is not environmentally acceptable and many methods to overcome the problem have been proposed. Herein we indicate a simple method to make high-value nanomaterials from plastic waste as a partial solution to the environmental problem. Laboratory-based waste centrifuge tubes made of polypropylene were chosen as a carbon source to show the process principle. In the process, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized from plastic waste in a two-stage stainless steel 316 (SS 316) metal tube that acted as both reactor vessel and catalyst. The steel reactor contains Fe (and Ni, and various alloys), which act as the catalyst for the carbon conversion process. The reaction and products were studied using electron probe microanalysis, thermogravimetric analysis, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Optimization studies to determine the effect of different parameters on the process showed that the highest yield and most graphitized MWCNTs were formed at 900 °C under the reaction conditions used (yield 42%; Raman I D / I G ratio = 0.48). The high quality and high yield of the MWCNTs that were produced in a flow reactor from plastic waste using a two stage SS 316 chemical vapor deposition (CVD) furnace did not require the use of an added catalyst.

  15. Synthesis of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes from Plastic Waste Using a Stainless-Steel CVD Reactor as Catalyst

    PubMed Central

    Durbach, Shane

    2017-01-01

    The disposal of non-biodegradable plastic waste without further upgrading/downgrading is not environmentally acceptable and many methods to overcome the problem have been proposed. Herein we indicate a simple method to make high-value nanomaterials from plastic waste as a partial solution to the environmental problem. Laboratory-based waste centrifuge tubes made of polypropylene were chosen as a carbon source to show the process principle. In the process, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized from plastic waste in a two-stage stainless steel 316 (SS 316) metal tube that acted as both reactor vessel and catalyst. The steel reactor contains Fe (and Ni, and various alloys), which act as the catalyst for the carbon conversion process. The reaction and products were studied using electron probe microanalysis, thermogravimetric analysis, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Optimization studies to determine the effect of different parameters on the process showed that the highest yield and most graphitized MWCNTs were formed at 900 °C under the reaction conditions used (yield 42%; Raman ID/IG ratio = 0.48). The high quality and high yield of the MWCNTs that were produced in a flow reactor from plastic waste using a two stage SS 316 chemical vapor deposition (CVD) furnace did not require the use of an added catalyst. PMID:28937596

  16. Economic and environmental benefits of landfill gas utilisation in Oman.

    PubMed

    Abushammala, Mohammed Fm; Qazi, Wajeeha A; Azam, Mohammed-Hasham; Mehmood, Umais A; Al-Mufragi, Ghithaa A; Alrawahi, Noor-Alhuda

    2016-08-01

    Municipal solid waste disposed in landfill sites decomposes under anaerobic conditions and produces so-called landfill-gas, which contains 30%-40% of carbon dioxide (CO2) and 50%-60% of methane (CH4). Methane has the potential of causing global warming 25 times more than CO2 Therefore, migration of landfill-gas from landfills to the surrounding environment can potentially affect human life and environment. Thus, this research aims to determine municipal solid waste generation in Oman over the years 1971-2030, to quantify annual CH4 emissions inventory that resulted from this waste over the same period of time, and to determine the economic and environmental benefits of capturing the CH4 gas for energy production. It is found that cumulative municipal solid waste landfilled in Oman reaches 3089 Giga gram (Gg) in the year 2030, of which approximately 85 Gg of CH4 emissions are produced in the year 2030. The study also found that capturing CH4 emissions between the years 2016 and 2030 could attract revenues of up to US$333 million and US$291 million from the carbon reduction and electricity generation, simultaneously. It is concluded that CH4 emissions from solid waste in Oman increases enormously with time, and capture of this gas for energy production could provide a sustainable waste management solution in Oman. © The Author(s) 2016.

  17. Pollution Impact and Alternative Treatment for Produced Water

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hedar, Yusran; Budiyono

    2018-02-01

    Oil and gas exploration and production are two of the activities that potentially cause pollution and environmental damage. The largest waste generated from this activity is produced water. Produced water contains hazardous pollutants of both organic and inorganic materials, so that the produced water of oil and gas production cannot be discharged directly to the environment. Uncontrolled discharge can lead to the environmental damage, killing the life of water and plants. The produced water needs to be handled and fulfill the quality standards before being discharged to the environment. Several studies to reduce the contaminants in the produced water were conducted by researchers. Among them were gravity based separation - flotation, separation technique based on filtration, and biological process treatment. Therefore, some of these methods can be used as an alternative waste handling of produced water.

  18. Urban Waste Recycling Behavior: Antecedents of Participation in a Selective Collection Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garcés, Conchita; Lafuente, Alberto; Pedraja, Marta; Rivera, Pilar

    2002-09-01

    The aim of this study is to analyze the antecedents of urban waste recycling behavior. To achieve this goal, a concrete urban waste management program was chosen. The study focuses on the Selective Collection Program (SCP) in Zaragoza, a medium-sized city in northeastern Spain. The research starts with a conceptual model in which the variables that potentially affect recycling behavior can be classified into two groups: incentives and barriers. Moreover, the sociodemographic characteristics of the individuals are included in our study. Given that the proposed model requires specification of latent variables or constructs, the analysis is based on the Structural Equation Models (SEM) methodology. The results revealed that environmental awareness, knowledge of the environmental impact of urban waste, and the positive perception of management by local government exercise a positive effect on individual recycling behavior, while perceived personal difficulties (space and time availability) and distance to and from the container have a negative effect. As regards sociodemographic variables, this study found that annual family income sustains a negative relationship with recycling behavior, while age maintains a positive one. The results obtained clearly show the important role that the public authorities play, especially municipal governments, in achieving the waste recycling objectives established in accordance with international legislation.

  19. A review of the Texas, USA San Jacinto Superfund site and the deposition of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in the San Jacinto River and Houston Ship Channel.

    PubMed

    Iyer, Rupa; Aggarwal, Juhi; Iken, Brian

    2016-12-01

    The San Jacinto River (SJR) waste pits that lie just under the 1-10 overpass in eastern Harris County east of Houston, Texas, USA, were created in the 1960s as dumping grounds for paper mill waste. The deposition of this waste led to accumulation of highly toxic polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCCDDs/PCDFs) over the course of several decades. After abandonment, the waste material eventually became submerged under the waters of the SJR, resulting in widespread environmental contamination that currently constitutes a significant health concern for eastern Harris County communities. The original waste pits were rediscovered in 2005, and the San Jacinto waste site is now a designated EPA superfund site. The objective of this review then is to discuss the history and current state of containment around the San Jacinto waste pits and analyze spatial and temporal trends in the PCDD/PCDF deposition through the SJR system from the data available. We will discuss the current exposure and health risks represented by the Superfund site and the SJR system itself, as well as the discovery of liver, kidney, brain (glioma), and retinoblastoma cancer clusters in eastern Harris County across multiple census tracts that border the Superfund site. We will also cover the two primary management options, containment versus removal of the waste from the Superfund and provide recommendations for increased monitoring of existing concentrations of polychlorinated waste in the SJR and its nearby associated communities.

  20. Life cycle assessment of electronic waste treatment.

    PubMed

    Hong, Jinglan; Shi, Wenxiao; Wang, Yutao; Chen, Wei; Li, Xiangzhi

    2015-04-01

    Life cycle assessment was conducted to estimate the environmental impact of electronic waste (e-waste) treatment. E-waste recycling with an end-life disposal scenario is environmentally beneficial because of the low environmental burden generated from human toxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity, and marine ecotoxicity categories. Landfill and incineration technologies have a lower and higher environmental burden than the e-waste recycling with an end-life disposal scenario, respectively. The key factors in reducing the overall environmental impact of e-waste recycling are optimizing energy consumption efficiency, reducing wastewater and solid waste effluent, increasing proper e-waste treatment amount, avoiding e-waste disposal to landfill and incineration sites, and clearly defining the duties of all stakeholders (e.g., manufacturers, retailers, recycling companies, and consumers). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Municipal solid waste generation in growing urban areas in Africa: current practices and relation to socioeconomic factors in Jimma, Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Getahun, T; Mengistie, E; Haddis, A; Wasie, F; Alemayehu, E; Dadi, D; Van Gerven, T; Van der Bruggen, B

    2012-10-01

    As one of cities in the developing countries, a rapid population growth and industrial activities pose many environmental challenges for Jimma city, Ethiopia. One aspect of urban growth posing a threat on sustainable development is poor solid waste management, which results in environmental pollution. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quantity, composition, sources of waste generated, their current disposal practices, and to recommend appropriate management technologies. The total waste generated daily in Jimma city was ca. 88,000 kg, and the average per capita generation rate was 0.55 ± 0.17 kg/capita/day. Eighty-seven percent of the waste was produced by households and 13% by institutions, and a negligible fraction (0.1%) was generated by street sweepings. During the rainy season, 40% more waste was generated than in the dry season because of the increased availability of agricultural food product. Further analysis showed that biodegradable organic waste constitutes 54% by weight with an average moisture content of 60% that falls within the required limits for composting. The nonbiodegradable components constitute 46% of which 30% of it was nonrecyclable material. Only 25% of the community uses municipal containers for disposal at the selected landfill site. Fifty-one percent of the households disposed their waste in individually chosen spots, whereas 22% burned their waste. Finally 2% of households use private waste collectors. The socioeconomic analysis showed that higher family income and educational status is associated more with private or municipal waste collection and less with the application of backyard or open dumping. These insights into generated waste and management practice in Jimma city allow making suggestions for improved collection, treatment, and disposal methods. A primary conclusion is that the biodegradable waste is a major fraction having suitable properties for recycling. As such an economic benefit can be obtained from this waste while avoiding the need for disposal.

  2. Beyond the material grave: Life Cycle Impact Assessment of leaching from secondary materials in road and earth constructions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schwab, Oliver; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Geography and Geoecology, Adenauerring 20, 76131 Karlsruhe; Bayer, Peter, E-mail: bayer@erdw.ethz.ch

    Highlights: • We model environmental impacts of leaching from secondary construction material. • Industrial wastes in construction contain up to 45,000 t heavy metals per year (D). • In a scenario, 150 t are leached to the environment within 100 years after construction. • All heavy metals but As, Sb and Mo are adsorbed by 20 cm subsoil in this scenario. • Environmental impacts depend on material, pollutant, construction type, and geography. - Abstract: In industrialized countries, large amounts of mineral wastes are produced. They are re-used in various ways, particularly in road and earth constructions, substituting primary resources suchmore » as gravel. However, they may also contain pollutants, such as heavy metals, which may be leached to the groundwater. The toxic impacts of these emissions are so far often neglected within Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of products or waste treatment services and thus, potentially large environmental impacts are currently missed. This study aims at closing this gap by assessing the ecotoxic impacts of heavy metal leaching from industrial mineral wastes in road and earth constructions. The flows of metals such as Sb, As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, V and Zn originating from three typical constructions to the environment are quantified, their fate in the environment is assessed and potential ecotoxic effects evaluated. For our reference country, Germany, the industrial wastes that are applied as Granular Secondary Construction Material (GSCM) carry more than 45,000 t of diverse heavy metals per year. Depending on the material quality and construction type applied, up to 150 t of heavy metals may leach to the environment within the first 100 years after construction. Heavy metal retardation in subsoil can potentially reduce the fate to groundwater by up to 100%. One major challenge of integrating leaching from constructions into macro-scale LCA frameworks is the high variability in micro-scale technical and geographical factors, such as material qualities, construction types and soil types. In our work, we consider a broad range of parameter values in the modeling of leaching and fate. This allows distinguishing between the impacts of various road constructions, as well as sites with different soil properties. The findings of this study promote the quantitative consideration of environmental impacts of long-term leaching in Life Cycle Assessment, complementing site-specific risk assessment, for the design of waste management strategies, particularly in the construction sector.« less

  3. Novel Acid Catalysts from Waste-Tire-Derived Carbon: Application in Waste-to-Biofuel Conversion

    DOE PAGES

    Hood, Zachary D.; Adhikari, Shiba P.; Li, Yunchao; ...

    2017-06-21

    Many inexpensive biofuel feedstocks, including those containing free fatty acids (FFAs) in high concentrations, are typically disposed of as waste due to our inability to efficiently convert them into usable biofuels. Here we demonstrate that carbon derived from waste tires could be functionalized with sulfonic acid (-SO 3H) to effectively catalyze the esterification of oleic acid or a mixture of fatty acids to usable biofuels. Waste tires were converted to hard carbon, then functionalized with catalytically active -SO 3H groups on the surface through an environmentally benign process that involved the sequential treatment with L-cysteine, dithiothreitol, and H 2O 2.more » In conclusion, when benchmarked against the same waste-tire derived carbon material treated with concentrated sulfuric acid at 150 °C, similar catalytic activity was observed. Both catalysts could also effectively convert oleic acid or a mixture of fatty acids and soybean oil to usable biofuels at 65 °C and 1 atm without leaching of the catalytic sites.« less

  4. [Environmental and occupational problems in the utilization of industrial and home waste].

    PubMed

    Rusakov, N V; Rakhmanin, Iu A

    2002-01-01

    One of the acute hygienic problems of today is handling industrial and consumer wastes stored in Russia in the amount of 30 milliard tons; 30 million of solid garbage and 120 million tons of industrial wastes being formed. There are 4 garbage-handling and 10 garbage disposal plants built in the country. A third of them don't operate now. An absence of the initial selection in garbage collection causes the situation when only 3% of solid garbage is being processed. There is no state unified wastes recycling and utilizing system, no training of personnel to work out special technologies and do this work. Special attention should be given to medical wastes dangerous for the epidemiological situation, since they contain pathogenic microorganisms and helminth eggs; they may as well be contaminated by toxic and radioactive chemicals. A complex solution of the problems of industrial and consumer wastes handling is of vital importance for human health protection and protection of environment.

  5. New approach of depollution of solid chromium leather waste by the use of organic chelates: economical and environmental impacts.

    PubMed

    Malek, Ammar; Hachemi, Messaoud; Didier, Villemin

    2009-10-15

    Herein, we describe an original novel method which allows the decontamination of the chromium-containing leather wastes to simplify the recovery of its considerable protein fractions. Organic salts and acids such as potassium oxalate, potassium tartrate, acetic and citric acids were tested for their efficiency to separate the chromium from the leather waste. Our investigation is based on the research of the total reversibility of the tanning process, in order to decontaminate the waste without its previous degradation or digestion. The effect of several influential parameters on the treatment process was also studied. Therefore, the action of chemical agents used in decontamination process seems very interesting. The optimal yield of chromium extraction about 95% is obtained. The aim of the present study is to define a preliminary processing of solid leather waste with two main impacts: Removing with reusing chromium in the tanning process with simple, ecological and economic treatment process and potential valorization of the organic matrix of waste decontaminated.

  6. Special Analysis: 2017-001 Disposal of Drums Containing Enriched Uranium in Pit 38 at Technical Area 54, Area G

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Birdsell, Kay Hanson; Stauffer, Philip H.; French, Sean B.

    Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) generates radioactive waste as a result of various activities. Operational waste is generated from a wide variety of research and development activities including nuclear weapons development, energy production, and medical research. Environmental restoration (ER), and decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) waste is generated as contaminated sites and facilities at LANL undergo cleanup or remediation. The majority of this waste is low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and is disposed of at the Technical Area 54 (TA-54), Area G disposal facility. This special analysis, SA 2017-001, evaluates the potential impacts of disposing of this waste in Pit 38 atmore » Area G based on the assumptions that form the basis of the Area G PA/CA. Section 2 describes the methods used to conduct the analysis; the results of the evaluation are provided in Section 3; and conclusions and recommendations are provided in Section 4.« less

  7. Evaluation of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Activated Sludge for Biodegradation of Propylene Glycol as an Aircraft Deicing Fluid

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-01

    Propylene Glycol Deicer Biodegredation Kinetics: Complete-Mix Stirred Tank Reactors , Filter, and Fluidized Bed . Journal of Environmental...scale sequencing batch reactor containing municipal waste water treatment facility activated sludge (AS) performing simultaneous organic carbon...Sequencing Batch Reactor Operation ..................................................................... 13 PG extraction from AS

  8. 40 CFR 267.170 - Does this subpart apply to me?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Does this subpart apply to me? 267.170 Section 267.170 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... PERMIT Use and Management of Containers § 267.170 Does this subpart apply to me? This subpart applies to...

  9. 40 CFR 267.170 - Does this subpart apply to me?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Does this subpart apply to me? 267.170 Section 267.170 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... PERMIT Use and Management of Containers § 267.170 Does this subpart apply to me? This subpart applies to...

  10. 40 CFR 267.170 - Does this subpart apply to me?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Does this subpart apply to me? 267.170 Section 267.170 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... PERMIT Use and Management of Containers § 267.170 Does this subpart apply to me? This subpart applies to...

  11. 40 CFR 267.170 - Does this subpart apply to me?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Does this subpart apply to me? 267.170 Section 267.170 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... PERMIT Use and Management of Containers § 267.170 Does this subpart apply to me? This subpart applies to...

  12. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    This report was prepared to provide information concerning past solid and hazardous waste management practices for all leased land at the US DOE Hanford Reservation. This report contains sections including land description; land usage; ground water, air and soil monitoring data; and land uses after 1963. Numerous appendices are included which provide documentation of lease agreements and amendments, environmental assessments, and site surveys.

  13. Environmental Science: 49 Science Fair Projects. Science Fair Projects Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bonnet, Robert L.; Keen, G. Daniel

    This book contains 49 science fair projects designed for 6th to 9th grade students. Projects are organized by the topics of soil, ecology (projects in habitat and life cycles), pests and controls (projects in weeds and insects), recycling (projects in resources and conservation), waste products (projects in decomposition), microscopic organisms,…

  14. Washing of waste prior to landfilling.

    PubMed

    Cossu, Raffaello; Lai, Tiziana

    2012-05-01

    The main impact produced by landfills is represented by the release of leachate emissions. Waste washing treatment has been investigated to evaluate its efficiency in reducing the waste leaching fraction prior to landfilling. The results of laboratory-scale washing tests applied to several significant residues from integrated management of solid waste are presented in this study, specifically: non-recyclable plastics from source separation, mechanical-biological treated municipal solid waste and a special waste, automotive shredded residues. Results obtained demonstrate that washing treatment contributes towards combating the environmental impacts of raw wastes. Accordingly, a leachate production model was applied, leading to the consideration that the concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), parameters of fundamental importance in the characterization of landfill leachate, from a landfill containing washed wastes, are comparable to those that would only be reached between 90 and 220years later in the presence of raw wastes. The findings obtained demonstrated that washing of waste may represent an effective means of reducing the leachable fraction resulting in a consequent decrease in landfill emissions. Further studies on pilot scale are needed to assess the potential for full-scale application of this treatment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Treatment of waste printed wire boards in electronic waste for safe disposal.

    PubMed

    Niu, Xiaojun; Li, Yadong

    2007-07-16

    The printed wire boards (PWBs) in electronic waste (E-waste) have been found to contain large amounts of toxic substances. Studies have concluded that the waste PWBs are hazardous wastes because they fails the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) test with high level of lead (Pb) leaching out. In this study, two treatment methods - high-pressure compaction and cement solidification - were explored for rendering the PWBs into non-hazardous forms so that they may be safely disposed or used. The high-pressure compaction method could turn the PWBs into high-density compacts with significant volume reduction, but the impact resistance of the compacts was too low to keep them intact in the environment for a long run. In contrast, the cement solidification could turn the PWBs into strong monoliths with high impact resistance and relatively high compressive strength. The leaching of the toxic heavy metal Pb from the solidified samples was evaluated by both a dynamic leaching test and the TCLP test. The dynamic leaching results revealed that Pb could be effectively confined in the solidified products under very harsh environmental conditions. The TCLP test results showed that the leaching level of Pb was far below the regulatory level of 5mg/L, suggesting that the solidified PWBs are no longer hazardous. It was concluded that the cement solidification is an effective way to render the waste PWBs into environmentally benign forms so that they can be disposed of as ordinary solid wastes or beneficially used in the place of concrete in some applications.

  16. Stabilization of NaCl-containing cuttings wastes in cement concrete by in situ formed mineral phases.

    PubMed

    Filippov, Lev; Thomas, Fabien; Filippova, Inna; Yvon, Jacques; Morillon-Jeanmaire, Anne

    2009-11-15

    Disposal of NaCl-containing cuttings is a major environmental concern due to the high solubility of chlorides. The present work aims at reducing the solubility of chloride by encapsulation in low permeability matrix as well as lowering its solubility by trapping into low-solubility phases. Both the studied materials were cuttings from an oil-based mud in oil drillings containing about 50% of halite, and cuttings in water-based mud from gas drilling containing 90% of halite. A reduction in the amount of dissolved salt from 41 to 19% according to normalized leaching tests was obtained by addition of potassium ortho-phosphate in the mortar formula of oil-based cuttings, while the aluminium dihydrogeno-phosphate is even more efficient for the stabilization of water-based cuttings with a NaCl content of 90%. Addition of ortho-phosphate leads to form a continuous and weakly soluble network in the cement matrix, which reduces the release of salt. The formed mineralogical phases were apatite and hydrocalumite. These phases encapsulate the salt grains within a network, thus lowering its interaction with water or/and trap chloride into low-solubility phases. The tested approaches allow to develop a confinement process of NaCl-containing waste of various compositions that can be applied to wastes, whatever the salt content and the nature of the drilling fluids (water or oil).

  17. Concentrations, profiles, and estimated human exposures for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans from electronic waste recycling facilities and a chemical industrial complex in Eastern China.

    PubMed

    Ma, Jing; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Cheng, Jinping; Horii, Yuichi; Wu, Qian; Wang, Wenhua

    2008-11-15

    Environmental pollution arising from electronic waste (e-waste) disposal and recycling has received considerable attention in recent years. Treatment, at low temperatures, of e-wastes that contain polyvinylchloride and related polymers can release polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). Although several studies have reported trace metals and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) released from e-waste recycling operations, environmental contamination and human exposure to PCDD/Fs from e-waste recycling operations are less well understood. In this study, electronic shredder waste and dust from e-waste facilities, and leaves and surface soil collected in the vicinity of a large scale e-waste recycling facility in Taizhou, Eastern China, were analyzed for total PCDD/ Fs including 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners. We also determined PCDD/Fs in surface agricultural soils from several provinces in China for comparison with soils from e-waste facilities. Concentrations of total PCDD/Fs were high in all of the matrices analyzed and ranged from 30.9 to 11400 pg/g for shredder waste, 3460 to 9820 pg/g dry weight for leaves, 2560 to 148000 pg/g dry weight for workshop-floor dust, and 854 to 10200 pg/g dry weight for soils. We also analyzed surface soils from a chemical industrial complex (a coke-oven plant, a coal-fired power plant, and a chlor-alkali plant) in Shanghai. Concentrations of total PCDD/Fs in surface soil (44.5-531 pg/g dry wt) from the chemical industrial complex were lower than the concentrations found in soils from e-waste recycling plants, but higher than the concentrations found in agricultural soils. Agricultural soils from six cities in China contained low levels (3.44-33.8 pg/g dry wt) of total PCDD/Fs. Profiles of dioxin toxic equivalents (TEQs) of 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs in soils from e-waste facilities in Taizhou differed from the profiles found in agricultural soils. The estimated daily intakes of TEQs of PCDD/ Fs via soil/dust ingestion and dermal exposure (2.3 and 0.363 pg TEQ/kg bw/day for children and adults, respectively) were 2 orders of magnitude higher in people at e-waste recycling facilities than in people at the chemical industrial site (0.021 and 0.0053 pg TEQ/kg bw/day for children and adults, respectively), implying greater health risk for humans from dioxin exposures at e-waste recycling facilities. The calculated TEQ exposures for e-waste workers from dust and soil ingestion alone were 2-3 orders of magnitude greater than the exposures from soils in reference locations.

  18. Hanford facility dangerous waste permit application, general information portion

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hays, C.B.

    1998-05-19

    The Hanford Facility Dangerous Waste Permit Application is considered to be a single application organized into a General Information Portion (document number DOE/RL-91-28) and a Unit-Specific Portion. Both the General Information and Unit-Specific portions of the Hanford Facility Dangerous Waste Permit Application address the content of the Part B permit application guidance prepared by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology 1996) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (40 Code of Federal Regulations 270), with additional information needed by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments and revisions of Washington Administrative Code 173-303. Documentation contained in the General Information Portion ismore » broader in nature and could be used by multiple treatment, storage, and/or disposal units (e.g., the glossary provided in this report).« less

  19. Evaluating and planning the radioactive waste options for dismantling the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rule, K.; Scott, J.; Larson, S.

    1995-12-31

    The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) is a one-of-a kind tritium fusion research reactor, and is planned to be decommissioned within the next several years. This is the largest fusion reactor in the world and as a result of deuterium-tritum reactions is tritium contaminated and activated from 14 Mev neutrons. This presents many unusual challenges when dismantling, packaging and disposing its components and ancillary systems. Special containers are being designed to accommodate the vacuum vessel, neutral beams, and tritium delivery and processing systems. A team of experienced professionals performed a detailed field study to evaluate the requirements and appropriate methodsmore » for packaging the radioactive materials. This team focused on several current and innovative methods for waste minimization that provides the oppurtunmost cost effective manner to package and dispose of the waste. This study also produces a functional time-phased schedule which conjoins the waste volume, weight, costs and container requirements with the detailed project activity schedule for the entire project scope. This study and project will be the first demonstration of the decommissioning of a tritium fusion test reactor. The radioactive waste disposal aspects of this project are instrumental in demonstrating the viability of a fusion power reactor with regard to its environmental impact and ultimate success.« less

  20. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cochran, John Russell

    The Al Tuwaitha nuclear complex near Baghdad contains a number of facilities from Saddam Hussan's nuclear weapons program. Past military operations, lack of upkeep and looting have created an enormous radioactive waste problem at the Al Tuwaitha complex, which contains various, uncharacterized radioactive wastes, yellow cake, sealed radioactive sources, and contaminated metals that must be constantly guarded. Iraq has never had a radioactive waste disposal facility and the lack of a disposal facility means that ever increasing quantities of radioactive material must be held in guarded storage. The Iraq Nuclear Facility Dismantlement and Disposal Program (the NDs Program) has beenmore » initiated by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to assist the Government of Iraq (GOI) in eliminating the threats from poorly controlled radioactive materials, while building human capacities so that the GOI can manage other environmental cleanups in their country. The DOS is funding the IAEA to provide technical assistance via Technical Cooperation projects. Program coordination will be provided by the DOS, consistent with GOI policies, and Sandia National Laboratories will be responsible for coordination of participants and waste management support. Texas Tech University will continue to provide in-country assistance, including radioactive waste characterization and the stand-up of the Iraq Nuclear Services Company. The GOI owns the problems in Iraq and will be responsible for implementation of the NDs Program.« less

  1. 1991 Environmental monitoring report Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Culp, T.; Cox, W.; Hwang, S.

    1992-11-01

    This 1991 report contains monitoring data from routine radiological and nonradiological environmental surveillance activities. Summaries of significant environmental compliance programs in progress such as National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation, environmental permits, environmental restoration (ER), and various waste management programs for Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque (SNL, Albuquerque) are included. The maximum offsite dose impact was calculated to be 1.3 {times} 10{sup {minus}3} mrem. The total population within a 50-mile radius of SNL, Albuquerque, received a collective dose of 0.53 person-rem during 1991 from SNL, Albuquerque, operations. As in the previous year, the 1991 operations at SNL, Albuquerque, had nomore » discernible impact on the general public or on the environment.« less

  2. Assessment of plastic waste generation and its potential recycling of household solid waste in Can Tho City, Vietnam.

    PubMed

    Thanh, Nguyen Phuc; Matsui, Yasuhiro; Fujiwara, Takeshi

    2011-04-01

    Plastic solid waste has become a serious problem when considering the disposal alternatives following the sequential hierarchy of sound solid waste management. This study was undertaken to assess the quantity and composition of household solid waste, especially plastic waste to identify opportunities for waste recycling. A 1-month survey of 130 households was carried out in Can Tho City, the capital city of the Mekong Delta region in southern Vietnam. Household solid waste was collected from each household and classified into ten physical categories; especially plastic waste was sorted into 22 subcategories. The average household solid waste generation rate was 281.27 g/cap/day. The compostable and recyclable shares respectively accounted for high percentage as 80.74% and 11%. Regarding plastic waste, the average plastic waste generation rate was 17.24 g/cap/day; plastic packaging and plastic containers dominated with the high percentage, 95.64% of plastic waste. Plastic shopping bags were especially identified as the major component, accounting for 45.72% of total plastic waste. Relevant factors such as household income and household size were found to have an existing correlation to plastic waste generation in detailed composition. The household habits and behaviors of plastic waste discharge and the aspects of environmental impacts and resource consumption for plastic waste disposal alternatives were also evaluated.

  3. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cochran, J.R.; Danneels, J.; Kenagy, W.D.

    The Al Tuwaitha nuclear complex near Baghdad contains a significant number of nuclear facilities from Saddam Hussein's dictatorship. Because of past military operations, lack of upkeep and looting there is now an enormous radioactive waste problem at Al Tuwaitha. Al Tuwaitha contains uncharacterised radioactive wastes, yellow cake, sealed radioactive sources, and contaminated metals. The current security situation in Iraq hampers all aspects of radioactive waste management. Further, Iraq has never had a radioactive waste disposal facility, which means that ever increasing quantities of radioactive waste and material must be held in guarded storage. The Iraq Nuclear Facility Dismantlement and Disposalmore » Program (the NDs Program) has been initiated by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to assist the Government of Iraq (GOI) in eliminating the threats from poorly controlled radioactive materials, while building human capacities so that the GOI can manage other environmental cleanups in their country. The DOS has funded the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to provide technical assistance to the GOI via a Technical Cooperation Project. Program coordination will be provided by the DOS, consistent with U.S. and GOI policies, and Sandia National Laboratories will be responsible for coordination of participants and for providing waste management support. Texas Tech University will continue to provide in-country assistance, including radioactive waste characterization and the stand-up of the Iraq Nuclear Services Company. The GOI owns the problems in Iraq and will be responsible for the vast majority of the implementation of the NDs Program. (authors)« less

  4. Treatments of asbestos containing wastes.

    PubMed

    Spasiano, D; Pirozzi, F

    2017-12-15

    Since the second half of the twentieth century, many studies have indicated inhalation of asbestos fibers as the main cause of deadly diseases including fibrosis and cancer. Consequently, since the beginning of the 80s, many countries started banning production and use of asbestos containing products (ACP), although still present in private and public buildings. Due to some extraordinary catastrophic events and/or the aging of these products, people's health and environmental risk associated with the inhalation of asbestos fibers keeps being high even in those countries where it was banned. For these reasons, many communities are developing plans for an environmental and sanitary safe asbestos removal and management. Asbestos containing wastes (ACW) are usually disposed in controlled landfills, but this practice does not definitively eliminate the problems related with asbestos fiber release and conflicts with the ideas of sustainable land use, recycling, and closing material cycles. Consequently, many scientific papers and patents proposed physical, chemical, and biological treatments aimed to the detoxification of ACW (or the reduction of their health effects) and looking for the adoption of technologies, which allow the reuse of the end-products. By including recent relevant bibliography, this report summarizes the status of the most important and innovative treatments of ACW, providing main operating parameters, advantages, and disadvantages. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Diffusion and Leaching Behavior of Radionuclides in Category 3 Waste Encasement Concrete and Soil Fill Material – Summary Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mattigod, Shas V.; Wellman, Dawn M.; Bovaird, Chase C.

    2011-08-31

    One of the methods being considered for safely disposing of Category 3 low-level radioactive wastes is to encase the waste in concrete. Such concrete encasement would contain and isolate the waste packages from the hydrologic environment and would act as an intrusion barrier. The current plan for waste isolation consists of stacking low-level waste packages on a trench floor, surrounding the stacks with reinforced steel, and encasing these packages in concrete. These concrete-encased waste stacks are expected to vary in size with maximum dimensions of 6.4 m long, 2.7 m wide, and 4 m high. The waste stacks are expectedmore » to have a surrounding minimum thickness of 15 cm of concrete encasement. These concrete-encased waste packages are expected to withstand environmental exposure (solar radiation, temperature variations, and precipitation) until an interim soil cover or permanent closure cover is installed, and to remain largely intact thereafter. Any failure of concrete encasement may result in water intrusion and consequent mobilization of radionuclides from the waste packages. The mobilized radionuclides may escape from the encased concrete by mass flow and/or diffusion and move into the surrounding subsurface environment. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the performance of the concrete encasement structure and the ability of the surrounding soil to retard radionuclide migration. The retardation factors for radionuclides contained in the waste packages can be determined from measurements of diffusion coefficients for these contaminants through concrete and fill material. Some of the mobilization scenarios include (1) potential leaching of waste form before permanent closure cover is installed; (2) after the cover installation, long-term diffusion of radionuclides from concrete waste form into surrounding fill material; (3) diffusion of radionuclides from contaminated soils into adjoining concrete encasement and clean fill material. Additionally, the rate of diffusion of radionuclides may be affected by the formation of structural cracks in concrete, the carbonation of the buried waste form, and any potential effect of metallic iron (in the form of rebars) on the mobility of radionuclides. The radionuclides iodine-129 ({sup 129}I), technetium-99 ({sup 99}Tc), and uranium-238 ({sup 238}U) are identified as long-term dose contributors in Category 3 waste (Mann et al. 2001; Wood et al. 1995). Because of their anionic nature in aqueous solutions, {sup 129}I, {sup 99}Tc, and carbonate-complexed {sup 238}U may readily leach into the subsurface environment (Serne et al. 1989, 1992a, b, 1993, and 1995). The leachability and/or diffusion of radionuclide species must be measured to assess the long-term performance of waste grouts when contacted with vadose-zone pore water or groundwater. Although significant research has been conducted on the design and performance of cementitious waste forms, the current protocol conducted to assess radionuclide stability within these waste forms has been limited to the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure, Method 1311 Federal Registry (EPA 1992) and ANSI/ANS-16.1 leach test (ANSI 1986). These tests evaluate the performance under water-saturated conditions and do not evaluate the performance of cementitious waste forms within the context of waste repositories which are located within water-deficient vadose zones. Moreover, these tests assess only the diffusion of radionuclides from concrete waste forms and neglect evaluating the mechanisms of retention, stability of the waste form, and formation of secondary phases during weathering, which may serve as long-term secondary hosts for immobilization of radionuclides. The results of recent investigations conducted under arid and semi-arid conditions (Al-Khayat et al. 2002; Garrabrants et al. 2002; Garrabrants and Kosson 2003; Garrabrants et al. 2004; Gervais et al. 2004; Sanchez et al. 2002; Sanchez et al. 2003) provide valuable information suggesting structural and chemical changes to concrete waste forms which may affect contaminant containment and waste form performance. However, continued research is necessitated by the need to understand: the mechanism of contaminant release; the significance of contaminant release pathways; how waste form performance is affected by the full range of environmental conditions within the disposal facility; the process of waste form aging under conditions that are representative of processes occurring in response to changing environmental conditions within the disposal facility; the effect of waste form aging on chemical, physical, and radiological properties, and the associated impact on contaminant release. Recent reviews conducted by the National Academies of Science recognized the efficacy of cementitious materials for waste isolation, but further noted the significant shortcomings in our current understanding and testing protocol for evaluating the performance of various formulations.« less

  6. Renewable energy recovery through selected industrial wastes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Pengchong

    Typically, industrial waste treatment costs a large amount of capital, and creates environmental concerns as well. A sound alternative for treating these industrial wastes is anaerobic digestion. This technique reduces environmental pollution, and recovers renewable energy from the organic fraction of those selected industrial wastes, mostly in the form of biogas (methane). By applying anaerobic technique, selected industrial wastes could be converted from cash negative materials into economic energy feed stocks. In this study, three kinds of industrial wastes (paper mill wastes, brown grease, and corn-ethanol thin stillage) were selected, their performance in the anaerobic digestion system was studied and their applicability was investigated as well. A pilot-scale system, including anaerobic section (homogenization, pre-digestion, and anaerobic digestion) and aerobic section (activated sludge) was applied to the selected waste streams. The investigation of selected waste streams was in a gradually progressive order. For paper mill effluents, since those effluents contain a large amount of recalcitrant or toxic compounds, the anaerobic-aerobic system was used to check its treatability, including organic removal efficiency, substrate utilization rate, and methane yield. The results showed the selected effluents were anaerobically treatable. For brown grease, as it is already well known as a treatable substrate, a high rate anaerobic digester were applied to check the economic effect of this substrate, including methane yield and substrate utilization rate. These data from pilot-scale experiment have the potential to be applied to full-scale plant. For thin stillage, anaerobic digestion system has been incorporated to the traditional ethanol making process as a gate-to-gate process. The performance of anaerobic digester was applied to the gate-to-gate life-cycle analysis to estimate the energy saving and industrial cost saving in a typical ethanol plant.

  7. Environmental assessment of the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center Facility

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1995-10-01

    This Environmental Assessment has been prepared to determine if the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center (the Center), or its alternatives would have significant environmental impacts that must be analyzed in an Environmental Impact Statement. DOE`s proposed action is to continue funding the Center. While DOE is not funding construction of the planned Center facility, operation of that facility is dependent upon continued funding. To implement the proposed action, the Center would initially construct a facility of approximately 2,300 square meters (25,000 square feet). The Phase 1 laboratory facilities and parking lot will occupy approximately 1.2 hectares (3 acres) ofmore » approximately 8.9 hectares (22 acres) of land which were donated to New Mexico State University (NMSU) for this purpose. The facility would contain laboratories to analyze chemical and radioactive materials typical of potential contaminants that could occur in the environment in the vicinity of the DOE Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site or other locations. The facility also would have bioassay facilities to measure radionuclide levels in the general population and in employees of the WIPP. Operation of the Center would meet the DOE requirement for independent monitoring and assessment of environmental impacts associated with the planned disposal of transuranic waste at the WIPP.« less

  8. Biochemical process of low level radioactive liquid simulation waste containing detergent

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kundari, Noor Anis; Putra, Sugili; Mukaromah, Umi

    2015-12-01

    Research of biochemical process of low level radioactive liquid waste containing detergent has been done. Thse organic liquid wastes are generated in nuclear facilities such as from laundry. The wastes that are cotegorized as hazard and poison materials are also radioactive. It must be treated properly by detoxification of the hazard and decontamination of the radionuclides to ensure that the disposal of the waste meets the requirement of standard quality of water. This research was intended to determine decontamination factor and separation efficiensies, its kinetics law, and to produce a supernatant that ensured the environmental quality standard. The radioactive element in the waste was thorium with activity of 5.10-5 Ci/m3. The radioactive liquid waste which were generated in simulation plant contains detergents that was further processed by aerobic biochemical process using SGB 103 bacteria in a batch reactor equipped with aerators. Two different concentration of samples were processed and analyzed for 212 hours and 183 hours respectively at a room temperature. The product of this process is a liquid phase called as supernatant and solid phase material called sludge. The chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), suspended solid (SS), and its alpha activity were analyzed. The results show that the decontamination factor and the separation efficiency of the lower concentration samples are higher compared to the samples with high concentration. Regarding the decontamination factor, the result for 212 hours processing of waste with detergent concentration of 1.496 g/L was 3.496 times, whereas at the detergent concentration of 0.748 g/L was 15.305 times for 183 hours processing. In case of the separation efficiency, the results for both samples were 71.396% and 93.465% respectively. The Bacterial growth kinetics equation follow Monod's model and the decreasing of COD and BOD were first order with the rate constant of 0.01 hour-1.

  9. Measurements of Mercury Released from Solidified/Stabilized Waste Forms

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mattus, C.H.

    2001-04-19

    This report covers work performed during FY 1999-2000 in support of treatment demonstrations conducted for the Mercury Working Group of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Mixed Waste Focus Area. In order to comply with the requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), DOE must use one of these procedures for wastes containing mercury at levels above 260 ppm: a retorting/roasting treatment or an incineration treatment (if the wastes also contain organics). The recovered radioactively contaminated mercury must then be treated by an amalgamation process prior to disposal. The DOEmore » Mixed Waste Focus Area and Mercury Working Group are working with the EPA to determine if some alternative processes could treat these types of waste directly, thereby avoiding for DOE the costly recovery step. They sponsored a demonstration in which commercial vendors applied their technologies for the treatment of two contaminated waste soils from Brookhaven National Laboratory. Each soil was contaminated with {approx}4500 ppm mercury; however, one soil had as a major radioelement americium-241, while the other contained mostly europium-152. The project described in this report addressed the need for data on the mercury vapor released by the solidified/stabilized mixed low-level mercury wastes generated during these demonstrations as well as the comparison between the untreated and treated soils. A related work began in FY 1998, with the measurement of the mercury released by amalgamated mercury, and the results were reported in ORNL/TM-13728. Four treatments were performed on these soils. The baseline was obtained by thermal treatment performed by SepraDyne Corp., and three forms of solidification/stabilization were employed: one using sulfur polymer cement (Brookhaven National Laboratory), one using portland cement [Allied Technology Group (ATG)], and a third using proprietary additives (Nuclear Fuel Services).« less

  10. Biochemical process of low level radioactive liquid simulation waste containing detergent

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kundari, Noor Anis, E-mail: nooranis@batan.go.id; Putra, Sugili; Mukaromah, Umi

    Research of biochemical process of low level radioactive liquid waste containing detergent has been done. Thse organic liquid wastes are generated in nuclear facilities such as from laundry. The wastes that are cotegorized as hazard and poison materials are also radioactive. It must be treated properly by detoxification of the hazard and decontamination of the radionuclides to ensure that the disposal of the waste meets the requirement of standard quality of water. This research was intended to determine decontamination factor and separation efficiensies, its kinetics law, and to produce a supernatant that ensured the environmental quality standard. The radioactive elementmore » in the waste was thorium with activity of 5.10{sup −5} Ci/m{sup 3}. The radioactive liquid waste which were generated in simulation plant contains detergents that was further processed by aerobic biochemical process using SGB 103 bacteria in a batch reactor equipped with aerators. Two different concentration of samples were processed and analyzed for 212 hours and 183 hours respectively at a room temperature. The product of this process is a liquid phase called as supernatant and solid phase material called sludge. The chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), suspended solid (SS), and its alpha activity were analyzed. The results show that the decontamination factor and the separation efficiency of the lower concentration samples are higher compared to the samples with high concentration. Regarding the decontamination factor, the result for 212 hours processing of waste with detergent concentration of 1.496 g/L was 3.496 times, whereas at the detergent concentration of 0.748 g/L was 15.305 times for 183 hours processing. In case of the separation efficiency, the results for both samples were 71.396% and 93.465% respectively. The Bacterial growth kinetics equation follow Monod’s model and the decreasing of COD and BOD were first order with the rate constant of 0.01 hour{sup −1}.« less

  11. Environmental protection problems in the vicinity of the Zelazny most flotation wastes depository in Poland.

    PubMed

    Lasocki, Stanislaw; Antoniuk, Janusz; Moscicki, Jerzy

    2003-08-01

    The Zelazny Most depository of wastes from copper-ore processing, located in southwest Poland, is the largest mineral wastes repository in Europe. Moreover, it is located in a seismically active area. The seismicity is induced and is connected with mining works in the nearby underground copper mines. Any release of the contents of the repository to the environment could have devastating and even catastrophic consequences. For this reason, geophysical methods are used for continuous monitoring the state of the repository containment dams. The article presents examples of the application of geoelectric methods for detecting sites of leakage of contaminated water and a sketch of the seismic hazard analysis, which was used to predict future seismic vibrations of the repository dams.

  12. Macro and micro geo-spatial environment consideration for landfill site selection in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

    PubMed

    Al-Ruzouq, Rami; Shanableh, Abdallah; Omar, Maher; Al-Khayyat, Ghadeer

    2018-02-17

    Waste management involves various procedures and resources for proper handling of waste materials in compliance with health codes and environmental regulations. Landfills are one of the oldest, most convenient, and cheapest methods to deposit waste. However, landfill utilization involves social, environmental, geotechnical, cost, and restrictive regulation considerations. For instance, landfills are considered a source of hazardous air pollutants that can cause health and environmental problems related to landfill gas and non-methanic organic compounds. The increasing number of sensors and availability of remotely sensed images along with rapid development of spatial technology are helping with effective landfill site selection. The present study used fuzzy membership and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) in a geo-spatial environment for landfill site selection in the city of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Macro- and micro-level factors were considered; the macro-level contained social and economic factors, while the micro-level accounted for geo-environmental factors. The weighted spatial layers were combined to generate landfill suitability and overall suitability index maps. Sensitivity analysis was then carried out to rectify initial theoretical weights. The results showed that 30.25% of the study area had a high suitability index for landfill sites in the Sharjah, and the most suitable site was selected based on weighted factors. The developed fuzzy-AHP methodology can be applied in neighboring regions with similar geo-natural conditions.

  13. Leaching characteristics of copper flotation waste before and after vitrification.

    PubMed

    Coruh, Semra; Ergun, Osman Nuri

    2006-12-01

    Copper flotation waste from copper production using a pyrometallurgical process contains toxic metals such as Cu, Zn, Co and Pb. Because of the presence of trace amounts of these highly toxic metals, copper flotation waste contributes to environmental pollution. In this study, the leaching characteristics of copper flotation waste from the Black Sea Copper Works in Samsun, Turkey have been investigated before and after vitrification. Samples obtained from the factory were subjected to toxicity tests such as the extraction procedure toxicity test (EP Tox), the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and the "method A" extraction procedure of the American Society of Testing and Materials. The leaching tests showed that the content of some elements in the waste before vitrification exceed the regulatory limits and cannot be disposed of in the present form. Therefore, a stabilization or inertization treatment is necessary prior to disposal. Vitrification was found to stabilize heavy metals in the copper flotation waste successfully and leaching of these metals was largely reduced. Therefore, vitrification can be an acceptable method for disposal of copper flotation waste.

  14. State-of-the-art of recycling e-wastes by vacuum metallurgy separation.

    PubMed

    Zhan, Lu; Xu, Zhenming

    2014-12-16

    In recent era, more and more electric and electronic equipment wastes (e-wastes) are generated that contain both toxic and valuable materials in them. Most studies focus on the extraction of valuable metals like Au, Ag from e-wastes. However, the recycling of metals such as Pb, Cd, Zn, and organics has not attracted enough attentions. Vacuum metallurgy separation (VMS) processes can reduce pollution significantly using vacuum technique. It can effectively recycle heavy metals and organics from e-wastes in an environmentally friendly way, which is beneficial for both preventing the heavy metal contaminations and the sustainable development of resources. VMS can be classified into several methods, such as vacuum evaporation, vacuum carbon reduction and vacuum pyrolysis. This paper respectively reviews the state-of-art of these methods applied to recycling heavy metals and organics from several kinds of e-wastes. The method principle, equipment used, separating process, optimized operating parameters and recycling mechanism of each case are illustrated in details. The perspectives on the further development of e-wastes recycling by VMS are also presented.

  15. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    Exxon Company U.S.A. may be the first company ever exempted from federal restrictions that prohibit companies from disposing of untreated hazardous waste on land. EPA recently proposed to grant a [open quotes]no-migration variance[close quotes] to Exxon at the New South Land Treatment Unit of the company's Billings, Mont., refinery. Exxon seeks to continue disposing of hazardous wastes, including solids, emulsions, and wastes that contain benzene, from its refinery operations on land. Citizens and environmental groups are concerned about land farming, the method by which Exxon proposes to dispose of the waste. Land farming involves tilling waste into the upper 300more » mm (12 in.) of soil. Microbes in the soil break down the organic wastes, while inorganic wastes such as heavy metals are immobilized by way of adsorption. Exxon has installed berms and dikes around the farm to prevent runoff from reaching surface water. EPA and its state counterpart say that Exxon has shown, to a reasonable degree of certainty, that the hazardous constituents will not migrate. Groundwater analysis so far has shown no migration.« less

  16. Challenges to achievement of metal sustainability in our high-tech society

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Izatt, Reed M.; Izatt, Steven R.; Bruening, Ronald L.

    Achievement of sustainability in metal life cycles from mining of virgin ore to consumer and industrial devices to end-of-life products requires greatly increased recycling and improved processing of metals. Electronic and other high-tech products containing precious, toxic, and specialty metals usually have short lifetimes and low recycling rates. Products containing these metals generally are incinerated, discarded as waste in landfills, or dismantled in informal recycling using crude and environmentally irresponsible procedures. Low metal recycling rates coupled with increasing demand for products containing them necessitate increased mining with attendant environmental, health, energy, water, and carbon-footprint consequences. In this tutorial review, challengesmore » to achieving metal sustainability in present high-tech society are presented; health, environmental, and economic incentives for various stakeholders to improve metal sustainability are discussed; a case for technical improvements in separations technology, especially employing molecular recognition, is given; and global consequences of continuing on the present path are examined.« less

  17. Emissions from small-scale burns of simulated deployed U.S. military waste.

    PubMed

    Woodall, Brian D; Yamamoto, Dirk P; Gullett, Brian K; Touati, Abderrahmane

    2012-10-16

    U.S. military forces have historically relied on open burning as an expedient method of volume reduction and treatment of solid waste during the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. This study is the first effort to characterize a broad range of pollutants and their emission factors during the burning of military waste and the effects that recycling efforts, namely removing plastics, might have on emissions. Piles of simulated military waste were constructed, burned, and emissions sampled at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Open Burn Testing Facility (OBTF), Research Triangle Park, NC. Three tests contained polyethylene terephthalate (PET #1 or PET) plastic water bottles and four did not. Emission factors for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM(10), PM(2.5)), polychlorinated and polybrominated dioxins/furans (PCDD/F and PBDD/F), and criteria pollutants were determined and are contained within. The average PCDD/F emission factors were 270 ng-toxic equivalency (TEQ) per kg carbon burned (ng-TEQ/kg Cb), ranging from 35 to 780 ng-TEQ/kg Cb. Limited testing suggests that targeted removal of plastic water bottles has no apparent effect on reducing pollutants and may even promote increased emissions.

  18. Environmental management aspects for TBT antifouling wastes from the shipyards.

    PubMed

    Kotrikla, Anna

    2009-02-01

    Tributyltin (TBT)-based antifouling paints have been successfully used for over 40 years to protect a ship's hull from biofouling. However, due to its high toxicity to marine organisms, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), in 1990, adopted a resolution recommending governments to adopt measures to eliminate antifouling paints containing TBT. High concentrations of TBT are detected in the vicinity of ports and shipyards. TBT is also usually detected in the sediment, in which it accumulates. This study reviews recent literature for the best management practices (BMPs) in order to minimize the environmental effects of TBT. The paper focuses on the evaluation of the available techniques for the removal of TBT from shipyard wastes and from the sediment. The most effective treatment methods are highlighted. BMPs include recycling of abrasive materials, use of cleaner abrasive materials, reuse of spent abrasive materials, substitution of hydroblasting by vacuum blasting or containment or ultra-high-pressure water blasting and confinement of pollution by enclosure and containment systems. The treatment of the TBT wastes by conventional biological wastewater treatment processes is probably not suitable, because the concentrations of TBT found in shipyards' wastewaters are toxic to microorganisms. Advanced technologies such as activated carbon adsorption and dissolved air flotation, in combination with filtration and coagulation-clarification, photodegradation and electrochemical treatment, are required to remove TBT. However, advanced methods should be further optimized to meet the regulatory limit of 200 ng/L. To date, only one published work examines the efficiency of incineration for the treatment of solid sandblast wastes. Regarding the treatment of sediment, land deposition of the less polluted fraction of sediment is a feasible option. Such treatment must take into account the risk of contamination of groundwater and the surroundings, and it requires extended areas of land. Other treatment methods, such as thermal and electrochemical treatment, are promising options but due to the large amounts of dredged material, they have high capital and operational costs.

  19. Modeling the fate and end-of-life phase of engineered nanomaterials in the Japanese construction sector.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Shinya; Part, Florian; Matsufuji, Yasushi; Huber-Humer, Marion

    2018-02-01

    To date construction materials that contain engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are available at the markets, but at the same time very little is known about their environmental fate. Therefore, this study aimed at modeling the potential fate of ENMs by using the example of the Japanese construction sector and by conducting a dynamic material flow analysis. Expert interviews and national reports revealed that about 3920-4660 tons of ENMs are annually used for construction materials in Japan. Nanoscale TiO 2 , SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 and carbon black have already been applied for decades to wall paints, road markings or concrete. The dynamic material flow model indicates that in 2016 about 95% of ENMs, which have been used since their year of market penetration, remained in buildings, whereas only 5% ended up in the Japanese waste management system or were diffusely released into the environment. Considering the current Japanese waste management system, ENMs were predicted to end up in recycled materials (40-47%) or in landfills (36-41%). It was estimated that only a small proportion was used in agriculture (5-7%, as ENM-containing sewage sludges) or was diffusely released into soils, surface waters or the atmosphere (5-19%). The results indicate that ENM release predominantly depend on their specific applications and characteristics. The model also highlights the importance of adequate collection and treatment of ENM-containing wastes. In future, similar dynamic flow models for other countries should consider, inasmuch as available, historical data on ENM production (e.g. like declaration reports that are annually published by relevant public authorities or associations), as such input data is very important regarding data reliability in order to decrease uncertainties and to continuously improve model accuracy. In addition, more environmental monitoring studies that aim at the quantification of ENM release and inadvertent transfer, particularly triggered by waste treatment processes, would be needed in order to validate such models. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Analytical method of waste allocation in waste management systems: Concept, method and case study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bergeron, Francis C., E-mail: francis.b.c@videotron.ca

    Waste is not a rejected item to dispose anymore but increasingly a secondary resource to exploit, influencing waste allocation among treatment operations in a waste management (WM) system. The aim of this methodological paper is to present a new method for the assessment of the WM system, the “analytical method of the waste allocation process” (AMWAP), based on the concept of the “waste allocation process” defined as the aggregation of all processes of apportioning waste among alternative waste treatment operations inside or outside the spatial borders of a WM system. AMWAP contains a conceptual framework and an analytical approach. Themore » conceptual framework includes, firstly, a descriptive model that focuses on the description and classification of the WM system. It includes, secondly, an explanatory model that serves to explain and to predict the operation of the WM system. The analytical approach consists of a step-by-step analysis for the empirical implementation of the conceptual framework. With its multiple purposes, AMWAP provides an innovative and objective modular method to analyse a WM system which may be integrated in the framework of impact assessment methods and environmental systems analysis tools. Its originality comes from the interdisciplinary analysis of the WAP and to develop the conceptual framework. AMWAP is applied in the framework of an illustrative case study on the household WM system of Geneva (Switzerland). It demonstrates that this method provides an in-depth and contextual knowledge of WM. - Highlights: • The study presents a new analytical method based on the waste allocation process. • The method provides an in-depth and contextual knowledge of the waste management system. • The paper provides a reproducible procedure for professionals, experts and academics. • It may be integrated into impact assessment or environmental system analysis tools. • An illustrative case study is provided based on household waste management in Geneva.« less

  1. Improving waste segregation while reducing costs in a tertiary-care hospital in a lower-middle-income country in Central America.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Kyle M; González, Miriam L; Dueñas, Lourdes; Gamero, Mario; Relyea, George; Luque, Laura E; Caniza, Miguela A

    2013-07-01

    Healthcare waste (HCW) management and segregation are essential to ensure safety, environmental protection and cost control. Poor HCW management increase risks and costs for healthcare institutions. On-going surveillance and training are important to maintain good HCW practices. Our objectives were to evaluate and improve HCW practices at Hospital Bloom, San Salvador, El Salvador. We studied HCW disposal practices by observing waste containers, re-segregating waste placed in biohazardous waste bags, and administering a seven-itemsknowledge survey before and after training in waste management at Hospital Bloom. The training was based on national and international standards. We followed total biohazardous waste production before and after the training. The hospital staff was knowledgeable about waste segregation practices, but had poor compliance with national policies. Re-segregating waste in biohazardous waste bags showed that 61% of this waste was common waste, suggesting that the staff was possibly unaware of the cost of mis-segregating healthcare waste. After staff training in HCW management, the correct responses increased by 44% and biohazardous waste disposal at the hospital reduced by 48%. Better segregation of biohazardous waste and important savings can be obtained by HCW management education of hospital staff. Hospitals can benefit from maximising the use of available resources by sustaining best practices of HCW, especially those in hospitals in lower-middle-income countries.

  2. Environmental performance of household waste management in Europe - An example of 7 countries.

    PubMed

    Andreasi Bassi, Susanna; Christensen, Thomas H; Damgaard, Anders

    2017-11-01

    An attributional life cycle assessment (LCA) of the management of 1ton of household waste was conducted in accordance with ISO 14044:2006 and the ILCD Handbook for seven European countries, namely Germany, Denmark, France, UK, Italy, Poland and Greece, representing different household waste compositions, waste management practices, technologies, and energy systems. National data were collected from a range of sources regarding household waste composition, household sorting efficiency, collection, waste treatments, recycling, electricity and heat composition, and technological efficiencies. The objective was to quantify the environmental performance in the different countries, in order to analyze the sources of the main environmental impacts and national differences which affect the results. In most of the seven countries, household waste management provides environmental benefits when considering the benefits of recycling of materials and recovering and utilization of energy. Environmental benefits come from paper recycling and, to a lesser extent, the recycling of metals and glass. Waste-to-energy plants can lead to an environmental load (as in France) or a saving (Germany and Denmark), depending mainly on the composition of the energy being substituted. Sensitivity analysis and a data quality assessment identified a range of critical parameters, suggesting from where better data should be obtained. The study concluded that household waste management is environmentally the best in European countries with a minimum reliance on landfilling, also induced by the implementation of the Waste Hierarchy, though environmental performance does not correlate clearly with the rate of material recycling. From an environmental point of view, this calls for a change in the waste management paradigm, with less focus on where the waste is routed and more of a focus on the quality and utilization of recovered materials and energy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Biodegradable containers from green waste materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sartore, Luciana; Schettini, Evelia; Pandini, Stefano; Bignotti, Fabio; Vox, Giuliano; D'Amore, Alberto

    2016-05-01

    Novel biodegradable polymeric materials based on protein hydrolysate (PH), derived from waste products of the leather industry, and poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEG) or epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) were obtained and their physico-chemical properties and mechanical behaviour were evaluated. Different processing conditions and the introduction of fillers of natural origin, as saw dust and wood flour, were used to tailor the mechanical properties and the environmental durability of the product. The biodegradable products, which are almost completely manufactured from renewable-based raw materials, look promising for several applications, particularly in agriculture for the additional fertilizing action of PH or in packaging.

  4. Feasibility study for an innovative industrial red mud utilisation method.

    PubMed

    Kounalakis, Petros; Aravossis, Konstantinos; Karayianni, ChS

    2016-02-01

    Red mud is a high volume industrial waste, and its management poses a unique challenge. For the utilisation of red mud, an economical, energy saving, environmental friendly and widely applicable method has been found. The proposed novel method is purely chemical, and achieves the recovery of all the oxides contained in red mud totally and transforms them into high value added products. The present work shows that an investment in an industrial plant, treating red mud and turning a toxic industrial waste in commercial products, is safe and viable. © The Author(s) 2015.

  5. Accelerator-driven Transmutation of Waste

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Venneri, Francesco

    1998-04-01

    Nuclear waste from commercial power plants contains large quantities of plutonium, other fissionable actinides, and long-lived fission products that are potential proliferation concerns and create challenges for the long-term storage. Different strategies for dealing with nuclear waste are being followed by various countries because of their geologic situations and their views on nuclear energy, reprocessing and non-proliferation. The current United States policy is to store unprocessed spent reactor fuel in a geologic repository. Other countries are opting for treatment of nuclear waste, including partial utilization of the fissile material contained in the spent fuel, prior to geologic storage. Long-term uncertainties are hampering the acceptability and eventual licensing of a geologic repository for nuclear spent fuel in the US, and driving up its cost. The greatest concerns are with the potential for radiation release and exposure from the spent fuel for tens of thousands of years and the possible diversion and use of the actinides contained in the waste for weapons construction. Taking advantage of the recent breakthroughs in accelerator technology and of the natural flexibility of subcritical systems, the Accelerator-driven Transmutation of Waste (ATW) concept offers the United States and other countries the possibility to greatly reduce plutonium, higher actinides and environmentally hazardous fission products from the waste stream destined for permanent storage. ATW does not eliminate the need for, but instead enhances the viability of permanent waste repositories. Far from being limited to waste destruction, the ATW concept also brings to the table new technologies that could be relevant for next-generation power producing reactors. In the ATW concept, spent fuel would be shipped to the ATW site where the plutonium, transuranics and selected long-lived fission products would be destroyed by fission or transmutation in their first and only pass through the facility, using an accelerator-driven subcritical burner cooled by liquid lead/bismuth and limited pyrochemical treatment of the spent fuel and residual waste. This approach contrasts with the present-day practices of aqueous reprocessing (Europe and Japan), in which high purity plutonium is produced and used in the fabrication of fresh mixed oxide fuel (MOX) that is shipped off-site for use in light water reactors.

  6. Summary of Uranium Solubility Studies in Concrete Waste Forms and Vadose Zone Environments

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Golovich, Elizabeth C.; Wellman, Dawn M.; Serne, R. Jeffrey

    2011-09-30

    One of the methods being considered for safely disposing of Category 3 low-level radioactive wastes is to encase the waste in concrete. Concrete encasement would contain and isolate the waste packages from the hydrologic environment and act as an intrusion barrier. The current plan for waste isolation consists of stacking low-level waste packages on a trench floor, surrounding the stacks with reinforced steel, and encasing these packages in concrete. These concrete-encased waste stacks are expected to vary in size with maximum dimensions of 6.4 m long, 2.7 m wide, and 4 m high. The waste stacks are expected to havemore » a surrounding minimum thickness of 15 cm of concrete encasement. These concrete-encased waste packages are expected to withstand environmental exposure (solar radiation, temperature variations, and precipitation) until an interim soil cover or permanent closure cover is installed and to remain largely intact thereafter. Any failure of concrete encasement may result in water intrusion and consequent mobilization of radionuclides from the waste packages. This report presents the results of investigations elucidating the uranium mineral phases controlling the long-term fate of uranium within concrete waste forms and the solubility of these phases in concrete pore waters and alkaline, circum-neutral vadose zone environments.« less

  7. ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF TECHNOLOGIES TO TREAT MERCURY AND DISPOSE IN A WASTE CONTAINMENT FACILITY

    EPA Science Inventory

    The use of mercury in products and processes is decreasing. It is likely that in the future, the supply of mercury will far exceed the demand for mercury. In addition, the Department of Defense (DOD) has stockpiled more than 4,800 tons of mercury that are no longer needed, and th...

  8. Oscar's Options: A Supplementary Environmental Education Curriculum. Books 1 and 2 (Combined).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bell, Carole O.; Schwartz, Martha M.

    This two-volume supplementary curriculum is designed for teachers of children grades 4-8. There are eight units overall: (1) national resources; (2) litter; (3) household hazardous wastes; (4) landfills; (5) recycling; (6) incineration; (7) compost; and (8) source reduction. Each unit contains a list of objectives for students, a suggested time…

  9. Managing hazards in place: The risks of residual risks.

    PubMed

    Silbergeld, Ellen K

    2017-10-01

    Managing hazards in place (MHP) is a policy instrument in environmental health that allows less than complete removal, abatement, or remediation of environmental hazards. The practice of minimizing exposure to hazards rather than removing them is widely recognized as part of the toolbox of environmental protection for human and ecosystem health. The concept of managing hazards in place is embedded in several environmental statutes and regulations in the US notably the waste management regulations, as well as in the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act. While this commentary focuses largely on applications of MHP in the US, this policy is also utilized by agencies in many other countries for managing hazardous waste sites, lead in housing and drinking water systems, and environmental contamination of rivers and estuaries. The rationale for this concept is not difficult to understand: MHP policies can reduce the costs of meeting environmental goals; it can provide opportunities for access to resources that have been contaminated by past actions such as waste disposal, and it can enhance land and property values as well as tax revenues all of which are important to home owners and communities. The concerns related to this concept are also not difficult to understand: an incompletely abated or contained hazard may present future exposure risks to humans and environmental biota. Further, the compromise implicit in MHP is the assurance of indefinite oversight and monitoring to detect any releases. To that extent, MHP involves both sociology as well as toxicology and the exposure sciences. Because of the prevalence of managing hazards in place, this commentary suggests that evaluation of its performance is needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Environmental management of industrial hazardous wastes in India.

    PubMed

    Dutta, Shantanu K; Upadhyay, V P; Sridharan, U

    2006-04-01

    Hazardous wastes are considered highly toxic and therefore disposal of such wastes needs proper attention so as to reduce possible environmental hazards. Industrial growth has resulted in generation of huge volume of hazardous wastes in the country. In addition to this, hazardous wastes sometimes get imported mainly from the western countries for re-processing or recycling. Inventorisation of hazardous wastes generating units in the country is not yet completed. Scientific disposal of hazardous wastes has become a major environmental issue in India. Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 have been framed by the Central Government and amended in 2000 and 2003 to deal with the hazardous wastes related environmental problems that may arise in the near future. This paper gives details about the hazardous wastes management in India. Health effects of the selected hazardous substances are also discussed in the paper.

  11. 1992 Environmental monitoring report, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Culp, T.; Cox, W.; Hwang, H.

    1993-09-01

    This 1992 report contains monitoring data from routine radiological and nonradiological environmental surveillance activities. summaries of significant environmental compliance programs in progress, such as National Environmental Policy Act documentation, environmental permits, envirorunental restoration, and various waste management programs for Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are included. The maximum offsite dose impact was calculated to be 0.0034 millirem. The total population within a 50-mile radius of Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico received an estimated collective dose of 0.019 person-rem during 1992 from the laboratories` operations. As in the previous year, the 1992 operations at Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico had nomore » discernible impact on the general public or on the environment.« less

  12. Environemental Planning Quarterly

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anderson, Mary P.

    The Environmental Planning Quarterly is a publication of the Environmental Planning Division of the American Planning Association (APA). Its current editor is G. William Page (Department of Urban Planning, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee). A recent issue included a feature article on forest management in the state of Washington and several lengthy and informative news items about activities of the Environmental Protection Agency related to groundwater contamination and hazardous waste. Other news items contained information on air pollution and acid rain as well as on surface water pollution. Subscriptions can be obtained by writing to the Environmental Planning Division. American Planning Association, Lock Box 97774, Chicago, IL 60690. Annual fees are as follows: $ 15 (APA member), $25 (affiliate), $5 (student), $30 (subscribing).

  13. THE INTEGRATION OF THE 241-Z BUILDING DECONTAMINATION & DECOMMISSIONING (D&D) UNDER COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE COMPENSATION & LIABILITY ACT (CERCLA) WITH RESOURCE CONSERVATION & RECOVERY ACT (RCRA) CLOSURE AT THE PLUTONIUM FINISHING PLANT (PFP)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    HOPKINS, A.M.

    2007-02-20

    The 241-Z treatment and storage tanks, a hazardous waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal (TSD) unit permitted pursuant to the ''Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976'' (RCRA) and Washington State ''Hazardous Waste Management Act, RCW 70.105'', have been deactivated and are being actively decommissioned. The 241-Z TSD unit managed non-listed radioactive contaminated waste water, containing trace RCRA characteristic constituents. The 241-Z TSD unit consists of below grade tanks (D-4, D-5, D-7, D-8, and an overflow tank) located in a concrete containment vault, sample glovebox GB-2-241-ZA, and associated ancillary piping and equipment. The tank system is located beneath the 241-Z building.more » The 241-Z building is not a portion of the TSD unit. The sample glovebox is housed in the above-grade building. Waste managed at the TSD unit was received via underground mining from Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) sources. Tank D-6, located in the D-6 vault cell, is a past-practice tank that was taken out of service in 1972 and has never operated as a portion of the RCRA TSD unit. CERCLA actions address Tank D-6, its containment vault cell, and soil beneath the cell that was potentially contaminated during past-practice operations and any other potential past-practice contamination identified during 241-Z closure, while outside the scope of the ''Hanford Facility Dangerous Waste Closure Plant, 241-Z Treatment and Storage Tanks''.« less

  14. Converting lignocellulosic solid waste into ethanol for the State of Washington: an investigation of treatment technologies and environmental impacts.

    PubMed

    Schmitt, Elliott; Bura, Renata; Gustafson, Rick; Cooper, Joyce; Vajzovic, Azra

    2012-01-01

    There is little research literature on the conversion of lignocellulosic rich waste streams to ethanol, and even fewer have investigated both the technical aspects and environmental impacts together. This study assessed technical and environmental challenges of converting three lignocellulosic waste streams to ethanol: municipal solid waste (MSW), low grade mixed waste paper (MWP), and organic yard waste (YW). Experimental results showed high conversion yields for all three streams using suitable conversion methods. Environmental impacts are highly dependent on conversion technology, and process conditions used. Life cycle assessment results showed that both chemicals production and waste collection are important factors to be included within a waste-to-ethanol study. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) environmental checklist forms for 304 Concretion Facility Closure Plan. Revision 2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    The 300 Area of the Hanford Site contains reactor fuel manufacturing facilities and several research and development laboratories. Recyclable scrap uranium with zircaloy-2 and copper silicon alloy, uranium-titanium alloy, beryllium/zircaloy-2 alloy, and zircaloy-2 chips and fines were secured in concrete billets (7.5-gallon containers) in the 304 Facility, located in the 300 Area. The beryllium/zircaloy-2 alloy and zircaloy-2 chips and fines are designated as mixed waste with the characteristic of ignitability. The concretion process reduced the ignitability of the fines and chips for safe storage and shipment. This process has been discontinued and the 304 Facility is now undergoing closure asmore » defined in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 and the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Dangerous Waste Regulations, WAC 173-303-040. This closure plan presents a description of the 304 Facility, the history of materials and waste managed, and the procedures that will be followed to close the 304 Facility. The 304 Facility is located within the 300-FF-3 (source) and 300-FF-5 (groundwater) operable units, as designated in the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement) (Ecology et al. 1992). Contamination in the operable units 300-FF-3 and 300-FF-5 is scheduled to be addressed through the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 remedial action process. Therefore, all soil remedial action at the 304 Facility will be conducted as part of the CERCLA remedial action of operable units 300-FF-3 and 300-FF-5.« less

  16. A Report to Congress on Long-Term Stewardship. Volume II, Site Summaries

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None, None

    2001-01-01

    During World War II and the Cold War, the Federal government developed and operated a vast network of industrial facilities for the research, production, and testing of nuclear weapons, as well as for other scientific and engineering research. These processes left a legacy of radioactive and chemical waste, environmental contamination, and hazardous facilities and materials at well over a 100 sites in 30 States and one U.S. Territory. Hundreds of thousand of acres of residually contaminated soils, contaminated groundwater, surface water and sediment contamination, and contaminated buildings are present at many sites across the country. These sites range in sizemore » from less than one acre, containing only a single facility, to large sites spanning over 100,000 acres with huge uranium enrichment plants and plutonium processing canyons. Since 1989, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) program has made significant progress in addressing this environmental legacy. Millions of cubic meters of waste have been removed, stabilized, or disposed of, resulting in significant risk and cost reduction. In addition, DOE began disposing of transuranic (i.e., plutonium-contaminated) waste in the nation’s first deep geologic repository – the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. DOE is now carrying out its long-term stewardship obligations at dozens of sites, including smaller sites where DOE has completed cleanup work for the entire site and many larger sites where DOE has remediated portions of the site.« less

  17. Response of soil microorganisms to radioactive oil waste: results from a leaching experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Galitskaya, P.; Biktasheva, L.; Saveliev, A.; Ratering, S.; Schnell, S.; Selivanovskaya, S.

    2015-01-01

    Oil wastes produced in large amounts in the processes of oil extraction, refining, and transportation are of great environmental concern because of their mutagenicity, toxicity, high fire hazardousness, and other properties. About 40% of these wastes contain radionuclides; however, the effects of oil products and radionuclides on soil microorganisms are frequently studied separately. The toxicity and effects on various microbial parameters of raw waste (H) containing 575 g of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) kg-1 waste, 4.4 kBq kg-1 of 226Ra, 2.8 kBq kg-1 of 232Th, and 1.3 kBq kg-1 of 40K and its treated variant (R) (1.6 g kg-1 of TPH, 7.9 kBq kg-1 of 226Ra, 3.9 kBq kg-1 of 232Th, and 183 kBq kg-1 of 40K) were estimated in a leaching column experiment to separate the effects of hydrocarbons from those of radioactive elements. The disposal of H waste samples on the soil surface led to an increase of the TPH content in soil: it became 3.5, 2.8, and 2.2 times higher in the upper (0-20 cm), middle (20-40 cm), and lower (40-60 cm) layers respectively. Activity concentrations of 226Ra and 232Th increased in soil sampled from both H- and R-columns in comparison to their concentrations in control soil. The activity concentrations of these two elements in samples taken from the upper and middle layers were much higher for the R-column compared to the H-column, despite the fact that the amount of waste added to the columns was equalized with respect to the activity concentrations of radionuclides. The H waste containing both TPH and radionuclides affected the functioning of the soil microbial community, and the effect was more pronounced in the upper layer of the column. Metabolic quotient and cellulase activity were the most sensitive microbial parameters as their levels were changed 5-1.4 times in comparison to control ones. Changes of soil functional characteristics caused by the treated waste containing mainly radionuclides were not observed. PCR-SSCP (polymerase chain reaction - single strand conformation polymorphism) analysis followed by MDS (metric multidimensional scaling) and clustering analysis revealed that the shifts in microbial community structure were affected by both hydrocarbons and radioactivity.

  18. Comparative analysis of the street generation of inorganic urban solid waste (IUSW) in two neighborhoods of Mexico City.

    PubMed

    Muñoz-Cadena, C E; Arenas-Huertero, F J; Ramón-Gallegos, E

    2009-03-01

    Inorganic urban solid waste (IUSW) is a serious problem in developing countries, and IUSW in the street that does not have adequate final disposal is responsible for serious environmental effects. The aim of this work was to determine the dynamics of the generation of IUSW in the streets of two neighborhoods of different socioeconomic strata in Mexico City during 5 weeks in 2006. The amount of IUSW was recorded every day from 9:00 to 12:00 h, separated, classified, and registered. It was found that plastic (50%) and paper (44.5%) wastes were found most frequently, whereas, textiles (0.4%) and glass (0.5%) wastes were present less frequently in all samples. The IUSWs without commercial brands were more abundant. Branded plastic wrappers of PepsiCo and Bimbo, as well as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers of Coca Cola, registered the highest values, while Gatorade, Barrilitos, and Peñafiel registered the lowest. The neighborhood with a higher income and more vegetation on sidewalks or in jardinières, which are used to hide solid waste, had more IUSW than the neighborhood with lower income, where IUSW was thrown out directly into the street. The knowledge of the real generation and composition of IUSW will contribute to the prevention of its negative environmental and social impacts, as well as guarantee the efficiency of its sustainable management.

  19. Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of waste rocks from a gold mine in northeastern Thailand: application for environmental impact protection.

    PubMed

    Assawincharoenkij, Thitiphan; Hauzenberger, Christoph; Ettinger, Karl; Sutthirat, Chakkaphan

    2018-02-01

    Waste rocks from gold mining in northeastern Thailand are classified as sandstone, siltstone, gossan, skarn, skarn-sulfide, massive sulfide, diorite, and limestone/marble. Among these rocks, skarn-sulfide and massive sulfide rocks have the potential to generate acid mine drainage (AMD) because they contain significant amounts of sulfide minerals, i.e., pyrrhotite, pyrite, arsenopyrite, and chalcopyrite. Moreover, both sulfide rocks present high contents of As and Cu, which are caused by the occurrence of arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite, respectively. Another main concern is gossan contents, which are composed of goethite, hydrous ferric oxide (HFO), quartz, gypsum, and oxidized pyroxene. X-ray maps using electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) indicate distribution of some toxic elements in Fe-oxyhydroxide minerals in the gossan waste rock. Arsenic (up to 1.37 wt.%) and copper (up to 0.60 wt.%) are found in goethite, HFO, and along the oxidized rim of pyroxene. Therefore, the gossan rock appears to be a source of As, Cu, and Mn. As a result, massive sulfide, skarn-sulfide, and gossan have the potential to cause environmental impacts, particularly AMD and toxic element contamination. Consequently, the massive sulfide and skarn-sulfide waste rocks should be protected from oxygen and water to avoid an oxidizing environment, whereas the gossan waste rocks should be protected from the formation of AMD to prevent heavy metal contamination.

  20. CERCLIS Non-NPL Removal Sites in US EPA Region 3

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This data layer contains point locations of waste sites throughout EPA Region 3 that have come under the jurisdiction of CERCLA. Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA, also known as Superfund) in response to a growing national concern about the release of hazardous substances from abandoned waste sites. Under CERCLA, Congress gave the federal government broad authority to regulate hazardous substances, to respond to hazardous substance emergencies, and to develop long-term solutions for the Nation's most serious hazardous waste problems. The 1980 law requires the parties responsible for the contamination to conduct or pay for the cleanup. If the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) efforts to take an enforcement action for the cleanup are not successful, the federal government can clean up a site using the CERCLA Trust Fund. If the Superfund program conducts the cleanup, the government can take court action against responsible parties to recover up to three times the cleanup costs. These sites do not meet the requirements for the National Priority List, but are still part of the CERCLA list. The National Priority List is intended primarily to guide the EPA in determining which sites warrant further investigation. Some of these waste sites are also known as removal sites, where waste and/or soils are transported away from the site. This point location data was extracted by US EPA Region 3 pe

  1. Monitoring technologies for ocean disposal of radioactive waste

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Triplett, M. B.; Solomon, K. A.; Bishop, C. B.; Tyce, R. C.

    1982-01-01

    The feasibility of using carefully selected subseabed locations to permanently isolate high level radioactive wastes at ocean depths greater than 4000 meters is discussed. Disposal at several candidate subseabed areas is being studied because of the long term geologic stability of the sediments, remoteness from human activity, and lack of useful natural resources. While the deep sea environment is remote, it also poses some significant challenges for the technology required to survey and monitor these sites, to identify and pinpoint container leakage should it occur, and to provide the environmental information and data base essential to determining the probable impacts of any such occurrence. Objectives and technical approaches to aid in the selective development of advanced technologies for the future monitoring of nuclear low level and high level waste disposal in the deep seabed are presented. Detailed recommendations for measurement and sampling technology development needed for deep seabed nuclear waste monitoring are also presented.

  2. Development of an atmospheric monitoring plan for space station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Casserly, Dennis M.

    1989-01-01

    An environmental health monitoring plan for Space Station will ensure crew health during prolonged habitation. The Space Station, Freedom, will operate for extended periods, 90+ days, without resupply. A regenerative, closed loop life support system will be utilized in order to minimize resupply logistics and costs. Overboard disposal of wastes and venting of gases to space will be minimal. All waste material will be treated and recycled. The concentrated wastes will be stabilized and stored for ground disposal. The expected useful life of the station (decades) and the diversity of materials brought aboard for experimental or manufacturing purposes, increases the likelihood of cabin contamination. Processes by which cabin contamination can occur include: biological waste production, material off-gassing, process leakage, accidental containment breach, and accumulation due to poor removal efficiencies of the purification units. An industrial hygiene approach was taken to rationalize monitoring needs and to identify the substances likely to be present, the amount, and their hazard.

  3. Managing the nation`s nuclear waste. Site descriptions: Cypress Creek, Davis Canyon, Deaf Smith, Hanford Reference, Lavender Canyon, Richton Dome, Swisher, Vacherie Dome, and Yucca Mountain

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1985-12-31

    In 1982, the Congress enacted the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (Public Law 97-425), which established a comprehensive national program directed toward siting, constructing, and operating geologic repositories for the permanent disposal of high-level radioactive waste. In February 1983, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) identified the nine referenced repository locations as potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository. These sites have been evaluated in accordance with the DOE`s General Guidelines for the Recommendation of Sites for Nuclear Waste Repositories. The DOE findings and determinations are based on the evaluations contained in the draft Environmental Assessments (EA). A finalmore » EA will be prepared after considering the comments received on the draft EA. The purpose of this document is to provide the public with specific site information on each potential repository location.« less

  4. Critical evaluation of municipal solid waste composting and potential compost markets.

    PubMed

    Farrell, M; Jones, D L

    2009-10-01

    Mechanical biological treatment (MBT) of mixed waste streams is becoming increasingly popular as a method for treating municipal solid waste (MSW). Whilst this process can separate many recyclates from mixed waste, the resultant organic residue can contain high levels of heavy metals and physical and biological contaminants. This review assesses the potential end uses and sustainable markets for this organic residue. Critical evaluation reveals that the best option for using this organic resource is in land remediation and restoration schemes. For example, application of MSW-derived composts at acidic heavy metal contaminated sites has ameliorated soil pollution with minimal risk. We conclude that although MSW-derived composts are of low value, they still represent a valuable resource particularly for use in post-industrial environments. A holistic view should be taken when regulating the use of such composts, taking into account the specific situation of application and the environmental pitfalls of alternative disposal routes.

  5. Technology Catalogue. First edition

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1994-02-01

    The Department of Energy`s Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) is responsible for remediating its contaminated sites and managing its waste inventory in a safe and efficient manner. EM`s Office of Technology Development (OTD) supports applied research and demonstration efforts to develop and transfer innovative, cost-effective technologies to its site clean-up and waste management programs within EM`s Office of Environmental Restoration and Office of Waste Management. The purpose of the Technology Catalogue is to provide performance data on OTD-developed technologies to scientists and engineers assessing and recommending technical solutions within the Department`s clean-up and waste management programs, asmore » well as to industry, other federal and state agencies, and the academic community. OTD`s applied research and demonstration activities are conducted in programs referred to as Integrated Demonstrations (IDs) and Integrated Programs (IPs). The IDs test and evaluate.systems, consisting of coupled technologies, at specific sites to address generic problems, such as the sensing, treatment, and disposal of buried waste containers. The IPs support applied research activities in specific applications areas, such as in situ remediation, efficient separations processes, and site characterization. The Technology Catalogue is a means for communicating the status. of the development of these innovative technologies. The FY93 Technology Catalogue features technologies successfully demonstrated in the field through IDs and sufficiently mature to be used in the near-term. Technologies from the following IDs are featured in the FY93 Technology Catalogue: Buried Waste ID (Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho); Mixed Waste Landfill ID (Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico); Underground Storage Tank ID (Hanford, Washington); Volatile organic compound (VOC) Arid ID (Richland, Washington); and VOC Non-Arid ID (Savannah River Site, South Carolina).« less

  6. Environmental analysis burial of offsite low-level waste at SRP

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Poe, W. L.; Moyer, R. A.

    1980-12-01

    The environmental effects of receipt and burial of low level naval waste are assessed. This low level waste was sent to the NRC-licensed burial ground operated by Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc., at Barnwell, South Carolina. The DOE announced that DOE-generated low level waste would no longer be buried at commercial waste burial sites. The SRP was selected to receive the Naval waste described in this analysis. Receipt and burial of these wastes will have a negligible effect on SRP's environment and increase only sightly the environmental effects of the SRP operations discussed in the EIS on SRP waste management operations. The environmental effects of burial of this waste at Chem-Nuclear Burial Ground or at the SRP Burial Ground are described in this environmental analysis to permit assessment of incremental effects caused by the decision to bury this Naval waste in the SRP Burial Ground rather than in the Barnwell Burial Ground. The radiological effects from burial of this waste in either the SRP or Chem-Nuclear Burial Ground are very small when compared to those from natural background radiation or to the annual population dose commitment from operation of SRP. The environmental effects of burial at SRP to dose commitments normally received by the population surrounding SRP are compared.

  7. A review on management of spent lithium ion batteries and strategy for resource recycling of all components from them.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Wenxuan; Xu, Chengjian; He, Wenzhi; Li, Guangming; Huang, Juwen

    2018-02-01

    The wide use of lithium ion batteries (LIBs) has brought great numbers of discarded LIBs, which has become a common problem facing the world. In view of the deleterious effects of spent LIBs on the environment and the contained valuable materials that can be reused, much effort in many countries has been made to manage waste LIBs, and many technologies have been developed to recycle waste LIBs and eliminate environmental risks. As a review article, this paper introduces the situation of waste LIB management in some developed countries and in China, and reviews separation technologies of electrode components and refining technologies of LiCoO 2 and graphite. Based on the analysis of these recycling technologies and the structure and components characteristics of the whole LIB, this paper presents a recycling strategy for all components from obsolete LIBs, including discharge, dismantling, and classification, separation of electrode components and refining of LiCoO 2 /graphite. This paper is intended to provide a valuable reference for the management, scientific research, and industrial implementation on spent LIBs recycling, to recycle all valuable components and reduce the environmental pollution, so as to realize the win-win situation of economic and environmental benefits.

  8. 2011 Annual Industrial Wastewater Reuse Report for the Idaho National Laboratory Site's Materials and Fuels Complex Industrial Waste Ditch and Industrial Waste Pond

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    David Frederick

    2012-02-01

    This report describes conditions, as required by the state of Idaho Industrial Wastewater Reuse Permit (LA-000160-01), for the wastewater reuse site at the Idaho National Laboratory Site's Materials and Fuels Complex Industrial Waste Ditch and Industrial Waste Pond from November 1, 2010 through October 31, 2011. The report contains the following information: (1) Facility and system description; (2) Permit required effluent monitoring data and loading rates; (3) Groundwater monitoring data; (4) Status of special compliance conditions; and (5) Discussion of the facility's environmental impacts. During the 2011 reporting year, an estimated 6.99 million gallons of wastewater were discharged to themore » Industrial Waste Ditch and Pond which is well below the permit limit of 13 million gallons per year. Using the dissolved iron data, the concentrations of all permit-required analytes in the samples from the down gradient monitoring wells were below the Ground Water Quality Rule Primary and Secondary Constituent Standards.« less

  9. 2010 Annual Industrial Wastewater Reuse Report for the Idaho National Laboratory Site's Materials and Fuels Complex Industrial Waste Ditch and Industrial Waste Pond

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    David B. Frederick

    2011-02-01

    This report describes conditions, as required by the state of Idaho Industrial Wastewater Reuse Permit (#LA 000160 01), for the wastewater reuse site at the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Materials and Fuels Complex Industrial Waste Ditch and Industrial Waste Pond from May 1, 2010 through October 31, 2010. The report contains the following information: • Facility and system description • Permit required effluent monitoring data and loading rates • Groundwater monitoring data • Status of special compliance conditions • Discussion of the facility’s environmental impacts During the 2010 partial reporting year, an estimated 3.646 million gallons of wastewater were dischargedmore » to the Industrial Waste Ditch and Pond which is well below the permit limit of 13 million gallons per year. The concentrations of all permit-required analytes in the samples from the down gradient monitoring wells were below the Ground Water Quality Rule Primary and Secondary Constituent Standards.« less

  10. Treatment of electronic waste to recover metal values using thermal plasma coupled with acid leaching--a response surface modeling approach.

    PubMed

    Rath, Swagat S; Nayak, Pradeep; Mukherjee, P S; Roy Chaudhury, G; Mishra, B K

    2012-03-01

    The global crisis of the hazardous electronic waste (E-waste) is on the rise due to increasing usage and disposal of electronic devices. A process was developed to treat E-waste in an environmentally benign process. The process consisted of thermal plasma treatment followed by recovery of metal values through mineral acid leaching. In the thermal process, the E-waste was melted to recover the metal values as a metallic mixture. The metallic mixture was subjected to acid leaching in presence of depolarizer. The leached liquor mainly contained copper as the other elements like Al and Fe were mostly in alloy form as per the XRD and phase diagram studies. Response surface model was used to optimize the conditions for leaching. More than 90% leaching efficiency at room temperature was observed for Cu, Ni and Co with HCl as the solvent, whereas Fe and Al showed less than 40% efficiency. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Industrial waste materials and by-products as thermal energy storage (TES) materials: A review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gutierrez, Andrea; Miró, Laia; Gil, Antoni; Rodríguez-Aseguinolaza, Javier; Barreneche, Camila; Calvet, Nicolas; Py, Xavier; Fernández, A. Inés; Grágeda, Mario; Ushak, Svetlana; Cabeza, Luisa F.

    2016-05-01

    A wide variety of potential materials for thermal energy storage (TES) have been identify depending on the implemented TES method, Sensible, latent or thermochemical. In order to improve the efficiency of TES systems more alternatives are continuously being sought. In this regard, this paper presents the review of low cost heat storage materials focused mainly in two objectives: on the one hand, the implementation of improved heat storage devices based on new appropriate materials and, on the other hand, the valorisation of waste industrial materials will have strong environmental, economic and societal benefits such as reducing the landfilled waste amounts, reducing the greenhouse emissions and others. Different industrial and municipal waste materials and by products have been considered as potential TES materials and have been characterized as such. Asbestos containing wastes, fly ashes, by-products from the salt industry and from the metal industry, wastes from recycling steel process and from copper refining process and dross from the aluminium industry, and municipal wastes (glass and nylon) have been considered. This work shows a great revalorization of wastes and by-product opportunity as TES materials, although more studies are needed to achieve industrial deployment of the idea.

  12. Data Quality Objectives for Regulatory Requirements for Dangerous Waste Sampling and Analysis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    MULKEY, C.H.

    1999-07-02

    This document describes sampling and analytical requirements needed to meet state and federal regulations for dangerous waste (DW). The River Protection Project (RPP) is assigned to the task of storage and interim treatment of hazardous waste. Any final treatment or disposal operations, as well as requirements under the land disposal restrictions (LDRs), fall in the jurisdiction of another Hanford organization and are not part of this scope. The requirements for this Data Quality Objective (DQO) Process were developed using the RPP Data Quality Objective Procedure (Banning 1996), which is based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Guidance for themore » Data Quality Objectives Process (EPA 1994). Hereafter, this document is referred to as the DW DQO. Federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to waste contain requirements that are dependent upon the composition of the waste stream. These regulatory drivers require that pertinent information be obtained. For many requirements, documented process knowledge of a waste composition can be used instead of analytical data to characterize or designate a waste. When process knowledge alone is used to characterize a waste, it is a best management practice to validate the information with analytical measurements.« less

  13. Logistical management and private sector involvement in reducing the cost of municipal solid waste collection service in the Tubas area of the West Bank.

    PubMed

    El-Hamouz, Amer M

    2008-01-01

    This paper addresses the problems of the municipal solid waste (MSW) collection system in the Tubas district of Palestine. More specifically, it addresses the often-voiced concerns pertaining to low efficiency as well as environmental problems. This was carried out through a systematic methodological approach. The paper illustrates how a private company applied a logistical management strategy, by rescheduling the MSW collection system, reallocating street solid waste containers and minimizing vehicle routing. The way in which the MSW collection timetable was rescheduled decreased the operating expenses and thus reduced MSW collection costs. All data needed to reschedule the collection timetable and optimize vehicle routing were based on actual field measurements. The new MSW collection timetable introduced by a private company was monitored for a period of a month. The new system resulted in an improvement in the MSW collection system by reducing the collection cost to a level that is socially acceptable (US dollars 3.75/family/month), as well as economically and environmentally sound.

  14. Re-thinking incentives and penalties: economic aspects of waste management in Italy.

    PubMed

    Cossu, R; Masi, S

    2013-11-01

    This paper focuses on the dynamics the formation of operational costs of waste management in Italy and the effect of economic measures. Currently incentives and penalties have been internalized by the system no differently from other cost items and revenues. This has greatly influenced the system directing it towards solutions that are often distant from the real environmental objectives. Based on an analysis of disaggregated costs of collection treatment and recovery, we provide the basic elements to compose a picture of economic management in various technical-organizational scenarios. In the light of the considerations contained in the paper it is proposed, e.g. for controlled landfills, that the ecotax, currently based on weight, could be replaced by one based on the volume consumption. Likewise, for tax reduction on disposal system, instead a pre-treatment might ask an environmental balance of the overall system. The article presents a reflection on the last hidden costs associated with the consumption of goods and packaging, and how to reduce waste production is the necessary path to be followed in ecological and economic perspectives. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Determining heavy metals in spent compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and their waste management challenges: Some strategies for improving current conditions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Taghipour, Hassan, E-mail: hteir@yahoo.com; Amjad, Zahra; Jafarabadi, Mohamad Asghari

    2014-07-15

    Highlights: • Heavy metals in spent compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) determined. • Current waste management condition of CFLs in Iran assessed. • Currently, waste of CFLs is disposed by municipal waste stream in waste landfills. • We propose extended producer responsibility (EPR) for CFLs waste management. - Abstract: From environmental viewpoint, the most important advantage of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) is reduction of green house gas emissions. But their significant disadvantage is disposal of spent lamps because of containing a few milligrams of toxic metals, especially mercury and lead. For a successful implementation of any waste management plan, availability ofmore » sufficient and accurate information on quantities and compositions of the generated waste and current management conditions is a fundamental prerequisite. In this study, CFLs were selected among 20 different brands in Iran. Content of heavy metals including mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and chromium was determined by inductive coupled plasma (ICP). Two cities, Tehran and Tabriz, were selected for assessing the current waste management condition of CFLs. The study found that waste generation amount of CFLs in the country was about 159.80, 183.82 and 153.75 million per year in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. Waste generation rate of CFLs in Iran was determined to be 2.05 per person in 2012. The average amount of mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and chromium was 0.417, 2.33, 0.064, 0.056 and 0.012 mg per lamp, respectively. Currently, waste of CFLs is disposed by municipal waste stream in waste landfills. For improving the current conditions, we propose by considering the successful experience of extended producer responsibility (EPR) in other electronic waste management. The EPR program with advanced recycling fee (ARF) is implemented for collecting and then recycling CFLs. For encouraging consumers to take the spent CFLs back at the end of the products’ useful life, a proportion of ARF (for example, 50%) can be refunded. On the other hand, the government and Environmental Protection Agency should support and encourage recycling companies of CFLs both technically and financially in the first place.« less

  16. Development of Modern Performance Assessment Tools and Capabilities for Underground Disposal of Transuranic Waste at WIPP

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zeitler, T.; Kirchner, T. B.; Hammond, G. E.; Park, H.

    2014-12-01

    The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) has been developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the geologic (deep underground) disposal of transuranic (TRU) waste. Containment of TRU waste at the WIPP is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DOE demonstrates compliance with the containment requirements by means of performance assessment (PA) calculations. WIPP PA calculations estimate the probability and consequence of potential radionuclide releases from the repository to the accessible environment for a regulatory period of 10,000 years after facility closure. The long-term performance of the repository is assessed using a suite of sophisticated computational codes. In a broad modernization effort, the DOE has overseen the transfer of these codes to modern hardware and software platforms. Additionally, there is a current effort to establish new performance assessment capabilities through the further development of the PFLOTRAN software, a state-of-the-art massively parallel subsurface flow and reactive transport code. Improvements to the current computational environment will result in greater detail in the final models due to the parallelization afforded by the modern code. Parallelization will allow for relatively faster calculations, as well as a move from a two-dimensional calculation grid to a three-dimensional grid. The result of the modernization effort will be a state-of-the-art subsurface flow and transport capability that will serve WIPP PA into the future. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. This research is funded by WIPP programs administered by the Office of Environmental Management (EM) of the U.S Department of Energy.

  17. Supplemental Immobilization of Hanford Low-Activity Waste: Cast Stone Screening Tests

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Westsik, Joseph H.; Piepel, Gregory F.; Lindberg, Michael J.

    2013-09-30

    More than 56 million gallons of radioactive and hazardous waste are stored in 177 underground storage tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. The Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) is being constructed to treat the wastes and immobilize them in a glass waste form. The WTP includes a pretreatment facility to separate the wastes into a small volume of high-level waste (HLW) containing most of the radioactivity and a larger volume of low-activity waste (LAW) containing most of the nonradioactive chemicals. The HLW will be converted to glass in themore » HLW vitrification facility for ultimate disposal at an offsite federal repository. At least a portion (~35%) of the LAW will be converted to glass in the LAW vitrification facility and will be disposed of onsite at the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). The pretreatment and HLW vitrification facilities will have the capacity to treat and immobilize the wastes destined for each facility. However, a second LAW immobilization facility will be needed for the expected volume of LAW requiring immobilization. A cementitious waste form known as Cast Stone is being considered to provide the required additional LAW immobilization capacity. The Cast Stone waste form must be acceptable for disposal in the IDF. The Cast Stone waste form and immobilization process must be tested to demonstrate that the final Cast Stone waste form can comply with the waste acceptance criteria for the disposal facility and that the immobilization processes can be controlled to consistently provide an acceptable waste form product. Further, the waste form must be tested to provide the technical basis for understanding the long-term performance of the waste form in the disposal environment. These waste form performance data are needed to support risk assessment and performance assessment (PA) analyses of the long-term environmental impact of the waste disposal in the IDF. The PA is needed to satisfy both Washington State IDF Permit and DOE Order requirements. Cast Stone has been selected for solidification of radioactive wastes including WTP aqueous secondary wastes treated at the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) at Hanford. A similar waste form called Saltstone is used at the Savannah River Site (SRS) to solidify its LAW tank wastes.« less

  18. Cementitious Barriers Partnership - FY2015 End-Year Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Burns, H. H.; Flach, G. P.; Langton, C. A.

    2015-09-17

    The DOE-EM Office of Tank Waste Management Cementitious Barriers Partnership (CBP) is chartered with providing the technical basis for implementing cement-based waste forms and radioactive waste containment structures for long-term disposal. Therefore, the CBP ultimate purpose is to support progress in final treatment and disposal of legacy waste and closure of High-Level Waste (HLW) tanks in the DOE complex. This status report highlights the CBP 2015 Software and Experimental Program efforts and accomplishments that support DOE needs in environmental cleanup and waste disposal. DOE needs in this area include: Long-term performance predictions to provide credibility (i.e., a defensible technical basis)more » for regulator and DOE review and approvals, Facility flow sheet development/enhancements, and Conceptual designs for new disposal facilities. In 2015, the CBP developed a beta release of the CBP Software Toolbox – “Version 3.0”, which includes new STADIUM carbonation and damage models, a new SRNL module for estimating hydraulic properties and flow in fractured and intact cementitious materials, and a new LeachXS/ORCHESTRA (LXO) oxidation module. In addition, the STADIUM sulfate attack and chloride models have been improved as well as the LXO modules for sulfate attack, carbonation, constituent leaching, and percolation with radial diffusion (for leaching and transport in cracked cementitious materials). These STADIUM and LXO models are applicable to and can be used by both DOE and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) end-users for service life prediction and long-term leaching evaluations of radioactive waste containment structures across the DOE complex.« less

  19. Characterization of the solid low level mixed waste inventory for the solid waste thermal treatment activity - III

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Place, B.G., Westinghouse Hanford

    1996-09-24

    The existing thermally treatable, radioactive mixed waste inventory is characterized to support implementation of the commercial, 1214 thermal treatment contract. The existing thermally treatable waste inventory has been identified using a decision matrix developed by Josephson et al. (1996). Similar to earlier waste characterization reports (Place 1993 and 1994), hazardous materials, radionuclides, physical properties, and waste container data are statistically analyzed. In addition, the waste inventory data is analyzed to correlate waste constituent data that are important to the implementation of the commercial thermal treatment contract for obtaining permits and for process design. The specific waste parameters, which were analyzed,more » include the following: ``dose equivalent`` curie content, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) content, identification of containers with PA-related mobile radionuclides (14C, 12 79Se, 99Tc, and U isotopes), tritium content, debris and non-debris content, container free liquid content, fissile isotope content, identification of dangerous waste codes, asbestos containers, high mercury containers, beryllium dust containers, lead containers, overall waste quantities, analysis of container types, and an estimate of the waste compositional split based on the thermal treatment contractor`s proposed process. A qualitative description of the thermally treatable mixed waste inventory is also provided.« less

  20. Production of brown and black pigments by using flotation waste from copper slag.

    PubMed

    Ozel, Emel; Turan, Servet; Coruh, Semra; Ergun, Osman Nuri

    2006-04-01

    One of the major problems in copper-producing countries is the treatment of the large amount of copper slag or copper flotation waste generated from copper slag which contains significant amounts of heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Pb and Co. Dumping or disposal of such large quantities of flotation waste from copper slag causes environmental and space problems. In this study, the treatment of flotation waste from copper slag by a thermal method and its use as an iron source in the production of inorganic brown and black pigments that are used in the ceramic industry were investigated. The pigments were produced by calcining different amounts of flotation waste and chromite, Cr2O3, ZnO and CoO mixtures. The pigments obtained were added to transparent ceramic glazes and porcelainized tile bodies. Their colours were defined by L*a*b* measurements with a spectrophotometer. The results showed that flotation waste from copper slag could be used as an iron source to produce brown and black pigments in both ceramic body and glazes.

  1. Effective Recovery of Vanadium from Oil Refinery Waste into Vanadium-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks.

    PubMed

    Zhan, Guowu; Ng, Wei Cheng; Lin, Wenlin Yvonne; Koh, Shin Nuo; Wang, Chi-Hwa

    2018-03-06

    Carbon black waste, an oil refinery waste, contains a high concentration of vanadium(V) leftover from the processing of crude oil. For the sake of environmental sustainability, it is therefore of interest to recover the vanadium as useful products instead of disposing of it. In this work, V was recovered in the form of vanadium-based metal-organic frameworks (V-MOFs) via a novel pathway by using the leaching solution of carbon black waste instead of commercially available vanadium chemicals. Two different types of V-MOFs with high levels of crystallinity and phase purity were fabricated in very high yields (>98%) based on a coordination modulation method. The V-MOFs exhibited well-defined and controlled shapes such as nanofibers (length: > 10 μm) and nanorods (length: ∼270 nm). Furthermore, the V-MOFs showed high catalytic activities for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde, indicating the strong potential of the waste-derived V-MOFs in catalysis applications. Overall, our work offers a green synthesis pathway for the preparation of V-MOFs by using heavy metals of industrial waste as the metal source.

  2. En masse pyrolysis of flexible printed circuit board wastes quantitatively yielding environmental resources.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jang Won; Lee, Albert S; Yu, Seunggun; Han, Jeong Whan

    2018-01-15

    This paper reports the recycling of flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) waste through carbonization of polyimide by dual pyrolysis processes. The organic matter was recovered as pyrolyzed oil at low temperatures, while valuable metals and polyimide-derived carbon were effectively recovered through secondary high temperature pyrolysis. The major component of organics extracted from FPCB waste comprised of epoxy resins were identified as pyrolysis oils containing bisphenol-A. The valuable metals (Cu, Ni, Ag, Sn, Au, Pd) in waste FPCB were recovered as granular shape and quantitatively analyzed via ICP-OES. In attempt to produce carbonaceous material with increased degree of graphitization at low heat-treatment conditions, the catalytic effect of transition metals within FPCB waste was investigated for the efficient carbonization of polyimide films. The morphology of the carbon powder was observed by scanning electron microscopy and graphitic carbonization was investigated with X-ray analysis. The protocols outlined in this study may allow for propitious opportunities to salvage both organic and inorganic materials from FPCB waste products for a sustainable future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. High-level waste borosilicate glass: A compendium of corrosion characteristics. Volume 2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cunnane, J.C.; Bates, J.K.; Bradley, C.R.

    The objective of this document is to summarize scientific information pertinent to evaluating the extent to which high-level waste borosilicate glass corrosion and the associated radionuclide release processes are understood for the range of environmental conditions to which waste glass may be exposed in service. Alteration processes occurring within the bulk of the glass (e.g., devitrification and radiation-induced changes) are discussed insofar as they affect glass corrosion.This document is organized into three volumes. Volumes I and II represent a tiered set of information intended for somewhat different audiences. Volume I is intended to provide an overview of waste glass corrosion,more » and Volume 11 is intended to provide additional experimental details on experimental factors that influence waste glass corrosion. Volume III contains a bibliography of glass corrosion studies, including studies that are not cited in Volumes I and II. Volume I is intended for managers, decision makers, and modelers, the combined set of Volumes I, II, and III is intended for scientists and engineers working in the field of high-level waste.« less

  4. Performance evaluation model of a pilot food waste collection system in Suzhou City, China.

    PubMed

    Wen, Zongguo; Wang, Yuanjia; De Clercq, Djavan

    2015-05-01

    This paper analyses the food waste collection and transportation (C&T) system in a pilot project in Suzhou by using a novel performance evaluation method. The method employed to conduct this analysis involves a unified performance evaluation index containing qualitative and quantitative indicators applied to data from Suzhou City. Two major inefficiencies were identified: a) low system efficiency due to insufficient processing capacity of commercial food waste facilities; and b) low waste resource utilization due to low efficiency of manual sorting. The performance evaluation indicated that the pilot project collection system's strong points included strong economics, low environmental impact and low social impact. This study also shows that Suzhou's integrated system has developed a comprehensive body of laws and clarified regulatory responsibilities for each of the various government departments to solve the problems of commercial food waste management. Based on Suzhou's experience, perspectives and lessons can be drawn for other cities and areas where food waste management systems are in the planning stage, or are encountering operational problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. The efficacy of subsurface flow reed bed treatment in the removal of Campylobacter spp., faecal coliforms and Escherichia coli from poultry litter.

    PubMed

    Duggan, J; Bates, M P; Phillips, C A

    2001-06-01

    The use of poultry waste as a fertiliser on arable land is an accepted method of waste treatment. However, run-off from such practices may result in contamination of the watercourse by human pathogens. In this study the effectiveness of using constructed wetlands as an alternative treatment for poultry manure waste was evaluated. Enumeration of Campylobacter spp., Escherichia coli, total coliforms and total aerobes were carried out on influent and effluent samples from reed beds loaded with poultry waste. For both sequential loading and continuous loading there was a statistically significant mean log reduction of 3.56 and 4.25 for E. coli, 3.2 and 3.88 for coliforms, 3.85 and 4.2 for total aerobic counts and 3.13 and 2.96 for Campylobacter spp., respectively. This method, which has been previously recognised as cost-effective and environmentally acceptable, provides an efficient method for reducing numbers of these bacteria in poultry waste and therefore an effective alternative treatment for such waste or waters containing run off from land previously spread with poultry manure.

  6. Designing and examining e-waste recycling process: methodology and case studies.

    PubMed

    Li, Jinhui; He, Xin; Zeng, Xianlai

    2017-03-01

    Increasing concerns on resource depletion and environmental pollution have largely obliged electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) should be tackled in an environmentally sound manner. Recycling process development is regarded as the most effective and fundamental to solve the e-waste problem. Based on global achievements related to e-waste recycling in the past 15 years, we first propose a theory to design an e-waste recycling process, including measuring e-waste recyclability and selection of recycling process. And we summarize the indicators and tools in terms of resource dimension, environmental dimension, and economic dimension, to examine the e-waste recycling process. Using the sophisticated experience and adequate information of e-waste management, spent lithium-ion batteries and waste printed circuit boards are chosen as case studies to implement and verify the proposed method. All the potential theory and obtained results in this work can contribute to future e-waste management toward best available techniques and best environmental practices.

  7. Soil risk assessment of As and Zn contamination in a coal mining region using geostatistics [corrected].

    PubMed

    Komnitsas, Kostas; Modis, Kostas

    2006-12-01

    The present paper aims to map As and Zn contamination and assess the risk for agricultural soils in a wider disposal site containing wastes derived from coal beneficiation. Geochemical data related to environmental studies show that the waste characteristics favor solubilisation and mobilization of inorganic contaminants and in some cases the generation of acidic leachates. 135 soil samples were collected from a 34 km(2) area and analysed by using geostatistics under the maximum entropy principle in order to produce risk assessment maps and estimate the probability of soil contamination. In addition, the present paper discusses the main issues related to risk assessment in wider mining and waste disposal sites in order to assist decision makers in selecting feasible rehabilitation schemes.

  8. Buying time: Franchising hazardous and nuclear waste cleanup

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hale, D.R.

    This paper describes a private franchise approach to long-term custodial care, monitoring and eventual cleanup of hazardous and nuclear waste sites. The franchise concept could be applied to Superfund sites, decommissioning commercial reactors and safeguarding their wastes and to Department of Energy sites. Privatization would reduce costs by enforcing efficient operations and capital investments during the containment period, by providing incentives for successful innovation and by sustaining containment until the cleanup`s net benefits exceed its costs. The franchise system would also permit local governments and citizens to demand and pay for more risk reduction than provided by the federal government.more » In principle, they would have the option of taking over site management. The major political drawback of the idea is that it requires society to be explicit about what it is willing to pay for now to protect current and future generations. Hazardous waste sites are enduring legacies of energy development. Abandoned mines, closed refineries, underground storage tanks and nuclear facilities have often become threats to human health and water quality. The policy of the United States government is that such sites should quickly be made nonpolluting and safe for unrestricted use. That is, the policy of the United States is prompt cleanup. Orphaned commercial hazardous waste sites are addressed by the US Environmental Protection Agency`s Superfund program. 17 refs., 2 tabs.« less

  9. Increased BLSS closure using mineralized human waste in plant cultivation on a neutral substrate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ushakova, S.; Tikhomirov, A.; Shikhov, V.; Kudenko, Yu.; Anischenko, O.; Gros, J.-B.; Lasseur, Ch.

    2009-10-01

    The purpose of this work was to study the full-scale potential use of human mineralized waste (feces and urine) as a source of mineral elements for plant cultivation in a biological life support system (BLSS). Plants that are potential candidates for a photosynthesizing link were grown on a neutral solution containing human mineralized waste. Spring wheat Triticum aestivum L., peas Pisum sativum L. Ambrosia cultivar and leaf lettuce Lactuca sativa L., Vitaminny variety, were used. The plants were grown hydroponically on expanded clay aggregates in a vegetation chamber in constant environmental conditions. During plant growth, a determined amount of human mineralized waste was added daily to the nutrient solution. The nutrient solution remained unchanged throughout the vegetation period. Estimated plant requirements for macro-elements were based on a total biological productivity of 0.04 kg day -1 m -2. As the plant requirements for potassium exceeded the potassium content of human waste, a water extract of wheat straw containing the required amount of potassium was added to the nutrient solution. The Knop's solution was used in the control experiments. The experimental and control plants showed no significant differences in state or productivity of their photosynthetic apparatus. A small decrease in total productivity of the experimental plants was observed, which might result in some reduction of О 2 production in a BLSS.

  10. Environmental impact assessment of solid waste management in Beijing City, China

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhao Yan; Key Laboratory for Solid Waste Management and Environment Safety, Ministry of Education of China, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing; Christensen, Thomas H.

    2011-04-15

    The environmental impacts of municipal solid waste management in Beijing City were evaluated using a life-cycle-based model, EASEWASTE, to take into account waste generation, collection, transportation, treatment/disposal technologies, and savings obtained by energy and material recovery. The current system, mainly involving the use of landfills, has manifested significant adverse environmental impacts caused by methane emissions from landfills and many other emissions from transfer stations. A short-term future scenario, where some of the landfills (which soon will reach their capacity because of rising amount of waste in Beijing City) are substituted by incinerators with energy recovery, would not result in significantmore » environmental improvement. This is primarily because of the low calorific value of mixed waste, and it is likely that the incinerators would require significant amounts of auxiliary fuels to support combustion of wet waste. As for the long-term future scenario, efficient source separation of food waste could result in significant environmental improvements, primarily because of increase in calorific value of remaining waste incinerated with energy recovery. Sensitivity analysis emphasized the importance of efficient source separation of food waste, as well as the electricity recovery in incinerators, in order to obtain an environmentally friendly waste management system in Beijing City.« less

  11. Occurrences and inventories of heavy metals and brominated flame retardants in wastes from printed circuit board production.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xiaoyu; Guo, Jie; Zhang, Wei; Zhou, Peng; Deng, Jingjing; Lin, Kuangfei

    2014-09-01

    Pollutants including heavy metals and brominated flame retardant were detected in 10 types of production wastes from a typical printed circuit board manufacturing plant, and their inventories were estimated. Rinsing water from etching process had the highest concentrations of copper (665.51 mg/L), lead (1.02 mg/L), nickel (3.60 mg/L), chromium (0.97 mg/L), and tin (1.79 mg/L). Powdered solid waste (SW) from the cut lamination process contained the highest tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) levels (49.86 mg/kg). Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were absent in this plant, in agreement with the international regulations of PBDE phase out. The pollutant inventories in the wastes exhibited in the order of copper > > zinc > tin ≈ nickel > lead > chromium > > TBBPA. The potential environmental impact of pollutants in SW during production and disposal were further investigated. A high partitioning of pollutant concentration between the total suspended particle and SW (-0.10 < log K TS < 2.12) was observed for most pollutants, indicating the emission pathway from SW to the airborne atmosphere in the workshop. Although SW met the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, drilling powder with the smallest particle diameter still showed high leachabilities of lead and tin which may lead to a negative environmental impact during disposal.

  12. Assessing quantities and disposal routes for household hazardous products in the United Kingdom.

    PubMed

    Slack, Rebecca J; Zerva, Panagoula; Gronow, Jan R; Voulvoulis, Nikolaos

    2005-03-15

    The disposal of household products containing hazardous substances (household hazardous wastes; HHW) is of concern due to possible health and environmental effects as a consequence of environmental pollution. The potential risks of disposal are proportional to the amounts of products used and waste generated, but much of the data relating to quantities are old, inconsistent, or nonexistent. Hence, full-scale risk assessment is not yet feasible. This pilot study was aimed at an initial assessment of the amounts of hazardous products used or stored within the household and potential disposal routes. Representatives of 400 households from southeast England were interviewed about socio-demographic factors, perception of the risks associated with the use and disposal of hazardous waste generated in households, quantities of particular products currently in use or stored within the household, and times and methods of disposal of such products. The estimates of quantities obtained were compared with sales figures and waste estimates to improve understanding of product flow through to the HHW stream. The disposal routes investigated demonstrated that most householders claim to use the entire product priorto disposal in the general refuse bin. The relationship with socio-demographic factors demonstrated a difference between neighborhood size and length of residence in a household with regard to product quantities possessed and the disposal habits adopted.

  13. Swedish recovered wood waste: linking regulation and contamination.

    PubMed

    Krook, J; Mårtensson, A; Eklund, M; Libiseller, C

    2008-01-01

    In Sweden, large amounts of wood waste are generated annually from construction and demolition activities, but also from other discarded products such as packaging and furniture. A large share of this waste is today recovered and used for heat production. However, previous research has found that recovered wood waste (RWW) contains hazardous substances, which has significant implications for the environmental performance of recycling. Improved sorting is often suggested as a proper strategy to decrease such implications. In this study, we aim to analyse the impacts of waste regulation on the contamination of RWW. The occurrence of industrial preservative-treated wood, which contains several hazardous substances, was used as an indicator for contamination. First the management of RWW during 1995-2004 was studied through interviews with involved actors. We then determined the occurrence of industrial preservative-treated wood in RWW for that time period for each supplier (actor). From the results, it can be concluded that a substantially less contaminated RWW today relies on extensive source separation. The good news is that some actors, despite several obstacles for such upstream efforts, have already today proved capable of achieving relatively efficient separation. In most cases, however, the existing waste regulation has not succeeded in establishing strong enough incentives for less contaminated waste in general, nor for extensive source separation in particular. One important factor for this outcome is that the current market forces encourage involved actors to practice weak quality requirements and to rely on end-of-pipe solutions, rather than put pressure for improvements on upstream actors. Another important reason is that there is a lack of communication and oversight of existing waste regulations. Without such steering mechanisms, the inherent pressure from regulations becomes neutralized.

  14. Combined DC resistivity and induced polarization (DC-IP) for mapping the internal composition of a mine waste rock pile in Nova Scotia, Canada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Power, Christopher; Tsourlos, Panagiotis; Ramasamy, Murugan; Nivorlis, Aristeidis; Mkandawire, Martin

    2018-03-01

    Mine waste rock piles (WRPs) can contain sulfidic minerals whose interaction with oxygen and water can generate acid mine drainage (AMD). Thus, WRPs can be a long-term source of environmental pollution. Since the generation of AMD and its release into the environment is dependent on the net volume and bulk composition of waste rock, effective characterization of WRPs is necessary for successful remedial design and monitoring. In this study, a combined DC resistivity and induced polarization (DC-IP) approach was employed to characterize an AMD-generating WRP in the Sydney Coalfield, Nova Scotia, Canada. Two-dimensional (2D) DC-IP imaging with 6 survey lines was performed to capture the full WRP landform. 2D DC results indicated a highly heterogeneous and moderately conductive waste rock underlain by a resistive bedrock containing numerous fractures. 2D IP (chargeability) results identified several highly-chargeable regions within the waste, with normalized chargeability delineating regions specific to waste mineralogy only. Three-dimensional (3D) DC-IP imaging, using 17 parallel lines on the plateau of the pile, was then used to focus on the composition of the waste rock. The full 3D inverted DC-IP distributions were used to identify coincident and continuous zones (isosurfaces) of low resistivity (<30 Ω-m) and high normalized chargeability (>0.4 mS/m) that were inferred as generated AMD (leachate) and stored AMD (sulfides), respectively. Integrated geological, hydrogeological and geochemical data increased confidence in the geoelectrical interpretations. Knowledge on the location of potentially more reactive waste material is extremely valuable for improved long-term AMD monitoring at the WRP.

  15. 10 CFR 51.52 - Environmental effects of transportation of fuel and waste-Table S-4.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... thermal power level not exceeding 3,800 megawatts; (2) The reactor fuel is in the form of sintered uranium... Nuclear Power Plants,” WASH-1238, December 1972, and Supp. 1 NUREG-75/038 April 1975. Both documents are...-water-cooled nuclear power reactor, and submitted after February 4, 1975, shall contain a statement...

  16. 10 CFR 51.52 - Environmental effects of transportation of fuel and waste-Table S-4.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... thermal power level not exceeding 3,800 megawatts; (2) The reactor fuel is in the form of sintered uranium... Nuclear Power Plants,” WASH-1238, December 1972, and Supp. 1 NUREG-75/038 April 1975. Both documents are...-water-cooled nuclear power reactor, and submitted after February 4, 1975, shall contain a statement...

  17. 10 CFR 51.52 - Environmental effects of transportation of fuel and waste-Table S-4.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... thermal power level not exceeding 3,800 megawatts; (2) The reactor fuel is in the form of sintered uranium... Nuclear Power Plants,” WASH-1238, December 1972, and Supp. 1 NUREG-75/038 April 1975. Both documents are...-water-cooled nuclear power reactor, and submitted after February 4, 1975, shall contain a statement...

  18. 10 CFR 51.52 - Environmental effects of transportation of fuel and waste-Table S-4.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... thermal power level not exceeding 3,800 megawatts; (2) The reactor fuel is in the form of sintered uranium... Nuclear Power Plants,” WASH-1238, December 1972, and Supp. 1 NUREG-75/038 April 1975. Both documents are...-water-cooled nuclear power reactor, and submitted after February 4, 1975, shall contain a statement...

  19. Waste paper for recycling: Overview and identification of potentially critical substances.

    PubMed

    Pivnenko, Kostyantyn; Eriksson, Eva; Astrup, Thomas F

    2015-11-01

    Paper product manufacturing involves a variety of chemicals used either directly in paper and pulp production or in the conversion processes (i.e. printing, gluing) that follow. Due to economic and environmental initiatives, paper recycling rates continue to rise. In Europe, recycling has increased by nearly 20% within the last decade or so, reaching a level of almost 72% in 2012. With increasing recycling rates, lower quality paper fractions may be included. This may potentially lead to accumulation or un-intended spreading of chemical substances contained in paper, e.g. by introducing chemicals contained in waste paper into the recycling loop. This study provides an overview of chemicals potentially present in paper and applies a sequential hazard screening procedure based on the intrinsic hazard, physical-chemical and biodegradability characteristics of the substances. Based on the results, 51 substances were identified as potentially critical (selected mineral oils, phthalates, phenols, parabens, as well as other groups of chemicals) in relation to paper recycling. It is recommended that these substances receive more attention in waste paper. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Determining heavy metals in spent compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and their waste management challenges: some strategies for improving current conditions.

    PubMed

    Taghipour, Hassan; Amjad, Zahra; Jafarabadi, Mohamad Asghari; Gholampour, Akbar; Norouz, Prviz

    2014-07-01

    From environmental viewpoint, the most important advantage of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) is reduction of green house gas emissions. But their significant disadvantage is disposal of spent lamps because of containing a few milligrams of toxic metals, especially mercury and lead. For a successful implementation of any waste management plan, availability of sufficient and accurate information on quantities and compositions of the generated waste and current management conditions is a fundamental prerequisite. In this study, CFLs were selected among 20 different brands in Iran. Content of heavy metals including mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and chromium was determined by inductive coupled plasma (ICP). Two cities, Tehran and Tabriz, were selected for assessing the current waste management condition of CFLs. The study found that waste generation amount of CFLs in the country was about 159.80, 183.82 and 153.75 million per year in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. Waste generation rate of CFLs in Iran was determined to be 2.05 per person in 2012. The average amount of mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and chromium was 0.417, 2.33, 0.064, 0.056 and 0.012 mg per lamp, respectively. Currently, waste of CFLs is disposed by municipal waste stream in waste landfills. For improving the current conditions, we propose by considering the successful experience of extended producer responsibility (EPR) in other electronic waste management. The EPR program with advanced recycling fee (ARF) is implemented for collecting and then recycling CFLs. For encouraging consumers to take the spent CFLs back at the end of the products' useful life, a proportion of ARF (for example, 50%) can be refunded. On the other hand, the government and Environmental Protection Agency should support and encourage recycling companies of CFLs both technically and financially in the first place. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. 40 CFR 761.207 - The manifest-general requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ...) (2) For each PCB Article Container or PCB Container, the unique identifying number, type of PCB waste... PCB Article not in a PCB Container or PCB Article Container, the serial number if available, or other... only containing PCB waste. However, some States track PCB wastes as State-regulated hazardous wastes...

  2. 40 CFR 761.207 - The manifest-general requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...) (2) For each PCB Article Container or PCB Container, the unique identifying number, type of PCB waste... PCB Article not in a PCB Container or PCB Article Container, the serial number if available, or other... only containing PCB waste. However, some States track PCB wastes as State-regulated hazardous wastes...

  3. National profile on commercially generated low-level radioactive mixed waste

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Klein, J.A.; Mrochek, J.E.; Jolley, R.L.

    1992-12-01

    This report details the findings and conclusions drawn from a survey undertaken as part of a joint US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and US Environmental Protection Agency-sponsored project entitled ``National Profile on Commercially Generated Low-Level Radioactive Mixed Waste.`` The overall objective of the work was to compile a national profile on the volumes, characteristics, and treatability of commercially generated low-level mixed waste for 1990 by five major facility categories-academic, industrial, medical, and NRC-/Agreement State-licensed goverment facilities and nuclear utilities. Included in this report are descriptions of the methodology used to collect and collate the data, the procedures used to estimate themore » mixed waste generation rate for commercial facilities in the United States in 1990, and the identification of available treatment technologies to meet applicable EPA treatment standards (40 CFR Part 268) and, if possible, to render the hazardous component of specific mixed waste streams nonhazardous. The report also contains information on existing and potential commercial waste treatment facilities that may provide treatment for specific waste streams identified in the national survey. The report does not include any aspect of the Department of Energy`s (DOES) management of mixed waste and generally does not address wastes from remedial action activities.« less

  4. The Minamata Convention on Mercury: attempting to address the global controversy of dental amalgam use and mercury waste disposal.

    PubMed

    Mackey, Tim K; Contreras, John T; Liang, Bryan A

    2014-02-15

    In October 2013, a new international binding treaty instrument called the Minamata Convention on Mercury opened for signature in Minamata City, Japan, the site of arguably the worst public health and environmental disaster involving mercury contamination. The treaty aims to curb the significant health and environmental impacts of mercury pollution and includes provisions addressing the mining, export and import, storage, and waste management of products containing mercury. Importantly, a provision heavily negotiated in the treaty addresses the use of dental fillings using mercury amalgam, an issue that has been subject to decades of global controversy. Though use of dental amalgam is widespread and has benefits, concerns have been raised regarding the potential for human health risk and environmental damage from emissions and improper waste management. While the Minamata Convention attempts to address these issues by calling for a voluntary phase-down of dental amalgam use and commitment to other measures, it falls short by failing to require binding and measurable targets to achieve these goals. In response, the international community should begin exploring ways to strengthen the implementation of the dental amalgam treaty provisions by establishing binding phase-down targets and milestones as well as exploring financing mechanisms to support treaty measures. Through strengthening of the Convention, stakeholders can ensure equitable access to global oral health treatment while also promoting responsible environmental stewardship. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Health and Environmental Hazards of Electronic Waste in India.

    PubMed

    Borthakur, Anwesha

    2016-04-01

    Technological waste in the form of electronic waste (e-waste) is a threat to all countries. E-waste impacts health and the environment by entering the food chain in the form of chemical toxicants and exposing the population to deleterious chemicals, mainly in the form of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and persistent organic pollutants. This special report tries to trace the environmental and health implications of e-waste in India. The author concludes that detrimental health and environmental consequences are associated with e-waste and the challenge lies in producing affordable electronics with minimum chemical toxicants.

  6. Alkali-activated complex binders from class C fly ash and Ca-containing admixtures.

    PubMed

    Guo, Xiaolu; Shi, Huisheng; Chen, Liming; Dick, Warren A

    2010-01-15

    Processes that maximize utilization of industrial solid wastes are greatly needed. Sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate solution were used to create alkali-activated complex binders (AACBs) from class C fly ash (CFA) and other Ca-containing admixtures including Portland cement (PC), flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGDG), and water treatment residual (WTR). Specimens made only from CFA (CFA100), or the same fly ash mixed with 40 wt% PC (CFA60-PC40), with 10 wt% FGDG (CFA90-FGDG10), or with 10 wt% WTR (CFA90-WTR10) had better mechanical performance compared to binders using other mix ratios. The maximum compressive strength of specimens reached 80.0 MPa. Geopolymeric gel, sodium polysilicate zeolite, and hydrated products coexist when AACB reactions occur. Ca from CFA, PC, and WTR precipitated as Ca(OH)(2), bonded in geopolymers to obtain charge balance, or reacted with dissolved silicate and aluminate species to form calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel. However, Ca from FGDG probably reacted with dissolved silicate and aluminate species to form ettringite. Utilization of CFA and Ca-containing admixtures in AACB is feasible. These binders may be widely utilized in various applications such as in building materials and for solidification/stabilization of other wastes, thus making the wastes more environmentally benign.

  7. Comparisons of four categories of waste recycling in China's paper industry based on physical input-output life-cycle assessment model.

    PubMed

    Liang, Sai; Zhang, Tianzhu; Xu, Yijian

    2012-03-01

    Waste recycling for paper production is an important component of waste management. This study constructs a physical input-output life-cycle assessment (PIO-LCA) model. The PIO-LCA model is used to investigate environmental impacts of four categories of waste recycling in China's paper industry: crop straws, bagasse, textile wastes and scrap paper. Crop straw recycling and wood utilization for paper production have small total intensity of environmental impacts. Moreover, environmental impacts reduction of crop straw recycling and wood utilization benefits the most from technology development. Thus, using crop straws and wood (including wood wastes) for paper production should be promoted. Technology development has small effects on environmental impacts reduction of bagasse recycling, textile waste recycling and scrap paper recycling. In addition, bagasse recycling and textile waste recycling have big total intensity of environmental impacts. Thus, the development of bagasse recycling and textile waste recycling should be properly limited. Other pathways for reusing bagasse and textile wastes should be explored and evaluated. Moreover, imports of scrap paper should be encouraged to reduce large indirect impacts of scrap paper recycling on domestic environment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Hardened, environmentally disposable composite granules of coal cleaning refuse, coal combustion waste, and other wastes, and method preparing the same

    DOEpatents

    Burnet, George; Gokhale, Ashok J.

    1990-07-10

    A hardened, environmentally inert and disposable composite granule of coal cleaning refuse and coal combustion waste, and method for producing the same, wherein the coal combustion waste is first granulated. The coal cleaning refuse is pulverized into fine particles and is then bound, as an outer layer, to the granulated coal combustion waste granules. This combination is then combusted and sintered. After cooling, the combination results in hardened, environmentally inert and disposable composite granules having cores of coal combustion waste, and outer shells of coal cleaning refuse. The composite particles are durable and extremely resistant to environmental and chemical forces.

  9. Hardened, environmentally disposable composite granules of coal cleaning refuse, coal combustion waste, and other wastes, and method preparing the same

    DOEpatents

    Burnet, G.; Gokhale, A.J.

    1990-07-10

    A hardened, environmentally inert and disposable composite granule of coal cleaning refuse and coal combustion waste and method for producing the same are disclosed, wherein the coal combustion waste is first granulated. The coal cleaning refuse is pulverized into fine particles and is then bound, as an outer layer, to the granulated coal combustion waste granules. This combination is then combusted and sintered. After cooling, the combination results in hardened, environmentally inert and disposable composite granules having cores of coal combustion waste, and outer shells of coal cleaning refuse. The composite particles are durable and extremely resistant to environmental and chemical forces. 3 figs.

  10. 322-R2U2 Engineering Assessment - August 2015

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Abri, M.; Griffin, D.

    This Engineering Assessment and Certification of Integrity of retention tank system 322-R2 has been prepared for tank systems that store and neutralizes hazardous waste and have secondary containment. The regulations require that this assessment be completed periodically and certified by an independent, qualified, California-registered professional engineer. Abri Environmental Engineering performed an inspection of the 322-R2 Tank system at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, CA. Mr. William W. Moore, P.E., conducted this inspection on March 16, 2015. Mr. Moore is a California Registered Civil Engineer, with extensive experience in civil engineering, and hazardous waste management.

  11. Response of soil microorganisms to radioactive oil waste: results from a leaching experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Galitskaya, P.; Biktasheva, L.; Saveliev, A.; Ratering, S.; Schnell, S.; Selivanovskaya, S.

    2015-06-01

    Oil wastes produced in large amounts in the processes of oil extraction, refining, and transportation are of great environmental concern because of their mutagenicity, toxicity, high fire hazardousness, and hydrophobicity. About 40% of these wastes contain radionuclides; however, the effects of oil products and radionuclides on soil microorganisms are frequently studied separately. The effects on various microbial parameters of raw waste containing 575 g of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) kg-1 waste, 4.4 of 226Ra, 2.8 of 232Th, and 1.3 kBq kg-1 of 40K and its treated variant (1.6 g kg-1 of TPH, 7.9 of 226Ra, 3.9 of 232Th, and 183 kBq kg-1 of 40K) were examined in a leaching column experiment to separate the effects of hydrocarbons from those of radioactive elements. The raw waste sample (H) was collected from tanks during cleaning and maintenance, and a treated waste sample (R) was obtained from equipment for oil waste treatment. Thermal steam treatment is used in the production yard to reduce the oil content. The disposal of H waste samples on the soil surface led to an increase in the TPH content in soil: it became 3.5, 2.8, and 2.2 times higher in the upper (0-20 cm), middle (20-40 cm), and lower (40-60cm) layers, respectively. Activity concentrations of 226Ra and 232Th increased in soil sampled from both H- and R- columns in comparison to their concentrations in control soil. The activity concentrations of these two elements in samples taken from the upper and middle layers were much higher for the R-column compared to the H-column, despite the fact that the amount of waste added to the columns was equalized with respect to the activity concentrations of radionuclides. The H waste containing both TPH and radionuclides affected the functioning of the soil microbial community, and the effect was more pronounced in the upper layer of the column. Metabolic quotient and cellulase activity were the most sensitive microbial parameters as their levels were changed 5-1.4 times in comparison to control ones. Changes in soil functional characteristics caused by the treated waste containing mainly radionuclides were not observed. PCR-SSCP (polymerase chain reaction - single strand conformation polymorphism) analysis followed by MDS (metric multidimensional scaling) and clustering analysis revealed that the shifts in microbial community structure were affected by both hydrocarbons and radioactivity. Thus, molecular methods permitted to reveal the effects on soil microbial community not only from hydrocarbons, which significantly altered functional characteristics of soil microbiome, but also from radioactive elements.

  12. Geochemistry and mineralogy of arsenic in mine wastes and stream sediments in a historic metal mining area in the UK.

    PubMed

    Rieuwerts, J S; Mighanetara, K; Braungardt, C B; Rollinson, G K; Pirrie, D; Azizi, F

    2014-02-15

    Mining generates large amounts of waste which may contain potentially toxic elements (PTE), which, if released into the wider environment, can cause air, water and soil pollution long after mining operations have ceased. The fate and toxicological impact of PTEs are determined by their partitioning and speciation and in this study, the concentrations and mineralogy of arsenic in mine wastes and stream sediments in a former metal mining area of the UK are investigated. Pseudo-total (aqua-regia extractable) arsenic concentrations in all samples from the mining area exceeded background and guideline values by 1-5 orders of magnitude, with a maximum concentration in mine wastes of 1.8×10(5)mgkg(-1) As and concentrations in stream sediments of up to 2.5×10(4)mgkg(-1) As, raising concerns over potential environmental impacts. Mineralogical analysis of the wastes and sediments was undertaken by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and automated SEM-EDS based quantitative evaluation (QEMSCAN®). The main arsenic mineral in the mine waste was scorodite and this was significantly correlated with pseudo-total As concentrations and significantly inversely correlated with potentially mobile arsenic, as estimated from the sum of exchangeable, reducible and oxidisable arsenic fractions obtained from a sequential extraction procedure; these findings correspond with the low solubility of scorodite in acidic mine wastes. The work presented shows that the study area remains grossly polluted by historical mining and processing and illustrates the value of combining mineralogical data with acid and sequential extractions to increase our understanding of potential environmental threats. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Environmental assessment of garden waste management in the Municipality of Aarhus, Denmark

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Boldrin, Alessio, E-mail: aleb@env.dtu.dk; Andersen, Jacob K.; Christensen, Thomas H.

    2011-07-15

    An environmental assessment of six scenarios for handling of garden waste in the Municipality of Aarhus (Denmark) was performed from a life cycle perspective by means of the LCA-model EASEWASTE. In the first (baseline) scenario, the current garden waste management system based on windrow composting was assessed, while in the other five scenarios alternative solutions including incineration and home composting of fractions of the garden waste were evaluated. The environmental profile (normalised to Person Equivalent, PE) of the current garden waste management in Aarhus is in the order of -6 to 8 mPE Mg{sup -1} ww for the non-toxic categoriesmore » and up to 100 mPE Mg{sup -1} ww for the toxic categories. The potential impacts on non-toxic categories are much smaller than what is found for other fractions of municipal solid waste. Incineration (up to 35% of the garden waste) and home composting (up to 18% of the garden waste) seem from an environmental point of view suitable for diverting waste away from the composting facility in order to increase its capacity. In particular the incineration of woody parts of the garden waste improved the environmental profile of the garden waste management significantly.« less

  14. Environmental assessment of garden waste management in the Municipality of Aarhus, Denmark.

    PubMed

    Boldrin, Alessio; Andersen, Jacob K; Christensen, Thomas H

    2011-07-01

    An environmental assessment of six scenarios for handling of garden waste in the Municipality of Aarhus (Denmark) was performed from a life cycle perspective by means of the LCA-model EASEWASTE. In the first (baseline) scenario, the current garden waste management system based on windrow composting was assessed, while in the other five scenarios alternative solutions including incineration and home composting of fractions of the garden waste were evaluated. The environmental profile (normalised to Person Equivalent, PE) of the current garden waste management in Aarhus is in the order of -6 to 8 mPE Mg(-1) ww for the non-toxic categories and up to 100 mPE Mg(-1) ww for the toxic categories. The potential impacts on non-toxic categories are much smaller than what is found for other fractions of municipal solid waste. Incineration (up to 35% of the garden waste) and home composting (up to 18% of the garden waste) seem from an environmental point of view suitable for diverting waste away from the composting facility in order to increase its capacity. In particular the incineration of woody parts of the garden waste improved the environmental profile of the garden waste management significantly. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. 1990 Environmental Monitoring Report, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hwang, S.; Yeager, G.; Wolff, T.

    1991-05-01

    This 1990 report contains monitoring data from routine radiological and nonradiological environmental surveillance activities. Summaries of significant environmental compliance programs in progress such as National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation, environmental permits, environmental restoration, and various waste management programs for Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque (SNL, Albuquerque) are included. The maximum offsite dose impact was calculated to be 2.0 {times} 10{sup {minus}3} mrem. The total 50-mile population received a collective dose of 0.82 person-rem during 1990 from SNL, Albuquerque, operations. As in the previous year, the 1990 SNL operations had no adverse impact on the general public or on themore » environment. This report is prepared for the US Department of Energy in compliance with DOE Order 5400.1. 97 refs., 30 figs., 137 tabs.« less

  16. 10 CFR 51.62 - Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste....62 Environmental report—land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61. (a) Each applicant for issuance of a license for land disposal of radioactive waste pursuant to part 61 of this...

  17. 10 CFR 51.62 - Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste....62 Environmental report—land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61. (a) Each applicant for issuance of a license for land disposal of radioactive waste pursuant to part 61 of this...

  18. 10 CFR 51.62 - Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste....62 Environmental report—land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61. (a) Each applicant for issuance of a license for land disposal of radioactive waste pursuant to part 61 of this...

  19. 10 CFR 51.62 - Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste....62 Environmental report—land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61. (a) Each applicant for issuance of a license for land disposal of radioactive waste pursuant to part 61 of this...

  20. 10 CFR 51.62 - Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste....62 Environmental report—land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61. (a) Each applicant for issuance of a license for land disposal of radioactive waste pursuant to part 61 of this...

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