Hazardous Waste

Introduction

• What is Waste
• What is a Hazardous
Waste?
• Waste Classification
Laws
 Waste
• Waste is any material, substance, or
byproduct that is discarded, unwanted, or
no longer useful after its primary purpose
has been served.
• It can come from households, industries,
agriculture, or other human activities.
 Kinds of Wastes
• Solid wastes (e.g., household garbage,
plastic, paper)
• Liquid Wastes (e.g., sewage, industrial
effluents)
• Hazardous waste (e.g., chemicals,
medical waste)
• Gaseous waste (carbon dioxide (CO2),
methane (CH4), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),
oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and carbon monoxide
(CO)
• Bio-degradable waste (e.g., food
scraps, garden waste)
• Non –Biodegradable Waste (plastics,
metals, glass, and electronic waste)
• E-waste (e.g., old electronics, batteries)
 Kinds of Wastes
• Radioactive wastes
• Industrial waste
• Hospital waste/Medical waste
• Municipal waste
• Agriculture
• Fisheries
 What is a Hazardous Waste ?

• Hazardous Waste” is a waste which could potentially

threaten human health or the environment.
Hazardous Waste is defined in Title 22 CCR section
66261.3. This includes waste which exhibit one of
four hazardous characteristics:
– Ignitability (flammability)
– Corrosive
– Reactivity (oxidizer)
– Toxicity (poison)
 Hazardous characteristics:
Ignitability
Ignitable wastes:
• can create fires under
certain conditions
• or are spontaneously
combustible
Examples:
• Waste oils
• Used solvents (like acetone,
toluene, benzene, hexane,
xylene)
• Cleaning materials
(detergents)
• Paint wastes
 Corrosivity
• A waste exhibits the characteristic of
Corrosively if it is:
• Corrosive wastes are acid or alkaline and can
readily corrode or dissolve flesh, metal or
other materials. They are also one of the
most common hazardous waste streams.
Wastes with a high or low pH can react
dangerously with other wastes or cause
toxic contaminants to migrate from certain
wastes.
• Examples of corrosive wastes Acids (
Hydrochloric acid, Sulfuric acid, Nitric acid
Chromic acid) Bases ( Sodium hydroxide (caustic
soda) Potassium hydroxide (caustic potash)
Ammonium hydroxide) and Other ( Waste
sulfuric acid from automotive batteries, Drain
cleaners, rust removers, oven cleaners, and
Battery acid )
 Toxicity
Toxic wastes are harmful or fatal when
ingested, inhaled or absorbed through
the skin
Examples:
• Heavy metals
• Detergents
• Batteries: Car, mobile phone, and regular
household batteries can contain toxic
materials.

• Motor Oil: Used motor oil is a hazardous

waste due to its chemical composition.
• Cleaning and Polishing Chemicals:
Many household cleaners and polishes contain
toxic chemicals.
 Reactivity
 A waste exhibits the characteristic of Reactivity (e.g. Oxidizer) if it is:
• Reactive wastes are unstable under ‘normal conditions’ (Normally unstable)
• Reacts violently with water/moisture
• Forms an explosive mixture with water
• Generates toxic gases when mixed with water
• Capable of detonation when subject to a strong initiating force
• Readily capable of detonation or explosive decomposition or reaction at a standard temperature and
pressure.
• Examples:
• Explosives and Munitions: Discarded explosives, munitions, and related materials are prime examples of
reactive waste.
• Cyanide Plating Wastes: These wastes can be reactive due to the presence of cyanide compounds.
• Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: These batteries can be reactive, especially when damaged or improperly
handled.
• Metallic Sodium and Potassium: These metals react
• violently with water and air, making them highly reactive.
• Waste Concentrated Bleaches: Concentrated bleach
• solutions can react violently with other chemicals or
• under certain conditions.
 Methods of waste classification:
by chemical, biological and physical
properties
• Inorganic wastes e.g. acids, alkalis, heavy metals,
cyanides, wastewaters from electroplating

• Organic wastes e.g. pesticides, halogenated and non-

halogenated solvents.

• Oily wastes e.g. lubricating oils, hydraulic fluids,

contaminated fuel oils .

• Sludge e.g. from metal working, painting, wastewater

treatment.
 Waste generators
• Industrial and commercial hazardous waste generators include a
large number of different types of facilities and businesses, ranging
from large manufacturing operations, universities, and hospitals to
small businesses and laboratories. These different types of facilities
generate different volumes of waste resulting from the processes
they use, and pose varying degrees of environmental risks. There
are three main categories of industrial hazardous waste generators,
although they are differently defined in different countries:
• Large quantity generators In the USA large quantity generators are
defined as those facilities that generate hazardous wastes in
quantities greater than 1000kg of hazardous waste per month or
greater than 1kg of acutely hazardous waste per month. In 1997,
there were approximately 20,000 large quantity generators in the
USA. Examples of large quantity generators include pharmaceutical,
oil and petrochemical companies and chemical manufacturers.
 Waste generators
• Medium quantity generators Medium quantity generators are
defined in the USA as those facilities generating between 100kg and
1000kg of hazardous waste per month and accumulating less than
6000kg of hazardous waste at any time. Examples of medium
quantity generators include laboratories, printers and dry cleaners.
Medium quantity generators were outside of the first control
system introduced in 1976, but were brought within the controls in
1986.
• Small quantity generators The same US regulations define small
quantity generators as those facilities generating waste below
100kg per month or less than 1kg of acutely hazardous waste per
month. In the USA these generators are categorised as conditionally
exempt small quantity generators. Examples of small quantity
generators include photographic laboratories and dental offices.
 Waste generating industries
Large quantity generators:
• > 1000kg /month
• eg pharmaceutical companies

Medium quantity generators:

• 100 - 1000kg/month
• eg laboratories, printers

Small quantity generators:

<100kg/month
• eg dental surgeries,
• photographic processors
 Waste Management Methods
• Waste management is the collection,
transport, processing, recycling or disposal,
and monitoring of waste materials

• The term usually relates to materials produced

by human activity, and is generally undertaken
to reduce their effect on health, the
environment
 Waste Management
• 4 R’s CONCEPT
• Four R’s (Refuse, Reuse, Recycle and Recover) to
be followed for waste management.
 Waste Management
• Reduce: Minimizing consumption and waste generation at the source
by choosing products with less packaging, opting for durable goods,
and making conscious purchasing decisions.
• Reuse: Giving items a second life by finding alternative uses for them
instead of discarding them, such as using containers for storage or
passing on books and magazines.
• Recycle: Processing used materials into new products, which
conserves resources and reduces landfill waste.
• Recover: Transforming waste materials into valuable resources, such
as using waste heat to generate electricity or turning organic waste
into compost.
 Control Measures
• The main purpose of solid waste management
is to minimize the adverse effects on the
environment. The steps involved are:
• Collection of solid wastes
• Disposal of solid wastes
• Utilization of wastes
 Disposal of Solid Waste
• Before the final disposal of the solid wastes, it is
processed to recover the usable resources and to
improve the efficiency of the solid waste disposal
system.
• The main processing technologies are:
• Dumping
• Compaction
• Combustion
• Manual separation
 Dumping of Waste
Two types of dumping
• Open dumping
Open dumping is the
disposal of solid waste at
any location other than a
facility permitted by the
DEQ . ( Department of
Environmental Quality)
 Oceanic Dumping
• Ocean dumping is the
dumping or placing of
materials in designated places
in the ocean, often on the
continental shelf.
• A wide range of materials is
involved, including garbage,
construction and demolition
debris, sewage sludge, dredge
material, and waste chemicals.
• In some cases, ocean dumping
is regulated and controlled,
while some dumping occurs
haphazardly by ships and
tankers at sea, or illegally
within coastal waters.
 Compaction
• Disposing of waste in a landfill involves
burying the waste, and this remains a
common practice in most countries.
• Landfills were often established in:
• Abandoned or unused quarries
• Mining voids
• Borrow pits
 Landfills

• Landfills provide long-term

storage for non-
biodegradable waste.
Ideally, landfills are carefully
situated to prevent
contamination from
entering surrounding soil
and water, and managed to
reduce odor and pests as
much as possible. Federal
regulations require careful
monitoring in and around
the site.
 Combustion
• Main three types of combustion:
• Incineration
• Gasification
• Pyrolysis
 Combustion

• Some non-biodegradable waste like used rubber

tires and plastic can be burned at combustion
facilities.
• Most of these facilities use the heat generated by
incineration to make energy in the form of steam
or electricity, which reduces their demand for
other nonrenewable resources, including coal and
petroleum.
• In 2009, combustion facilities burned 3.1 million
tons of solid waste, mostly used tires. Combustion
of municipal waste also reduces the volume of
trash that ends up in landfills.
 Incineration
• Is a disposal method in
which solid organic
wastes are subjected to
combustion so as to
convert them into residue
and gaseous products.
• Energy recovery through
complete oxidation
• Also called "thermal
treatment".
 Incineration
• Process: Combustion of waste in the presence of oxygen (air) at
high temperatures to produce heat, ash, and flue gas.
• Goal: To reduce waste volume and weight, destroy pathogens, and
potentially recover heat for energy production.
• Products: Ash, flue gas (which needs to be treated to remove
pollutants), and potentially heat for electricity generation.
• Environmental Impacts: Can generate air pollutants like nitrogen
oxides, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter, and toxic ash
residue.
• Example: Burning municipal solid waste (MSW) in a waste-to-
energy plant.
 Gasification
• Partial oxidation process using air, pure
oxygen, oxygen enriched air, or steam
• Carbon converted into syngas
• More flexible than incineration
• More public
acceptance
 Gasification
• Process: Partial oxidation of waste at high temperatures with a
controlled amount of oxygen or steam to produce a fuel gas (syngas).
• Goal: To produce a clean, usable fuel gas (syngas) that can be used for
electricity generation, heating, or as a feedstock for other processes.
• Products: Syngas (a mixture of gases, primarily carbon monoxide and
hydrogen), and char or ash.
• Environmental Considerations: Can emit heavy metals and toxic
elements and requires careful management of the syngas and
char/ash.
• Example: Converting MSW to syngas for electricity generation.
 Pyrolysis
• Thermal degradation of carbonaceous
materials
• Lower temperature than
gasification
• Absence or limited
oxygen
 Pyrolysis
• Process: Thermal decomposition of waste in the absence of oxygen
(or a very limited amount) at high temperatures to produce char, gas,
and liquid (bio-oil).
• Goal: To convert waste into usable fuels or materials, or to reduce
waste volume.
• Products: Char (a solid, carbon-rich residue), gas (which can be used
as a fuel or feedstock), and liquid (bio-oil).
• Environmental Considerations: Can emit carbon monoxide, nitrogen
oxides, and sulfur dioxide, and may require careful handling of the
char and bio-oil.
• Example: Treating waste rubber/plastics, agricultural and forestry
waste, animal manure, and industrial sludge.
 Manual Separation
• Waste separation is the
process by which waste is
separated into different
elements
• Separation can be
classified as:
• Dry waste includes wood
and related products,
metals and glass
• Wet waste typically refers
to organic waste usually
generated by eating
 Nuclear Waste
Nuclear Waste: Nuclear waste, also known as radioactive waste,
is the byproduct of nuclear power generation, nuclear weapon
production, medical treatments, and certain industrial processes.
It contains radioactive materials that can be hazardous to
humans and the environment if not properly managed.
Types of Nuclear Waste:
Low-Level Waste (LLW) – Includes contaminated clothing, tools, and
medical equipment.
Intermediate-Level Waste (ILW) – Contains higher levels of
radioactivity and may require shielding.
High-Level Waste (HLW) – Mostly spent nuclear fuel from reactors,
highly radioactive and generates heat.
 Nuclear Waste Management
• Nuclear power carbon free energy source
• Currently limited by economics, safety, and
technology
• Clear limiting factor, lack of permanent disposal
• Growth of nuclear capacity will require
development of permanent disposal options
• Critical considerations
• Safety
• Security
 Health Risk
Somatic Effects:
• Acute radiation syndrome: A severe illness caused by high doses of radiation exposure.
• Radiation burns: Skin damage and other tissue damage caused by radiation exposure.
• Radiation-induced cancer: Cancer that develops as a result of radiation exposure.
• Other radiation-related effects: Cataracts, damage to internal organs, blood damage, and
cognitive decline.

Cancer, Genetic Effects, Birth Effects

Hereditary Genetic Damage: occurs when a parent passes a damaged gene to their
child, potentially increasing the risk of certain diseases like cancer.

Teratogenic Effects: the ability of certain substances or factors to cause developmental

defects or abnormalities in a developing fetus during pregnancy

Prenatal death: the death of a fetus or newborn that occurs around the time of delivery,
encompassing stillbirths and neonatal deaths within the first 7 days of life.
 Geological Repositories
• Isolate High-level nuclear waste
• Waste Package
• Engineered Seals
• Natural Bedrock
• Sites with appropriate Hydrological
and Geochemical environments
• Low solubility and mobility of radionuclides
• Finland’s Onkalo repository, proposed Yucca
Mountain in the U.S., north of Las Vegas
 Deep Boreholes
• Similar concept to basic geological repositories
• Kilometers deep rather than hundreds of meters
• Provide Further isolation from ground water
• More potential borehole locations around the
globe
• Can be created in many cases close to power
plants
• Not subject to tectonic, volcanic, and seismic
interference
 Disposal of Hospital Waste
• Disinfection – Autoclaving/ Microwaving, treatment, shredding
• Land Disposal
• Burial
• Encapsulation
• Incineration
• Thermal Inactivation
• Gas/Vapor Sterilization
• Chemical Disinfection
• Sterilization By Radiation
• Inertisation
• Managed Land-fill
• On-site disposal
 Utilization of Waste
• The solid wastes can be properly utilized to
gather the benefits such as:
• Conservation of natural resources
• Economic development
• Generate many useful products
• Employment opportunities
• Control of air pollution
 Recycling
• Recycling refers to the collection and reuse of
waste materials such as empty beverage
containers.
• The materials from which the items are made
can be reprocessed into new products.
• Material for recycling may be collected
separately from general waste using dedicated
bins and collection vehicles or sorted directly
from mixed waste streams.
 Recycling
• Separate glass, plastic and metal from other non-
biodegradable waste for recycling. Many urban
and suburban areas have curbside recycling
programs; if such a program is not available, take
recyclable materials to the nearest collection
facility for processing. Recycling saves space in
landfills and reduces the amount of virgin
materials that must be mined or manufactured to
make new products, saving energy and reducing
global climate change in the process.
 Recycling
• The most common
consumer products recycled
include:
• Aluminum such as beverage
cans
• Copper such as wire
• Steel food and aerosol cans
• Polyethylene and PET
bottles
• Glass bottles and jars
• Paperboard cartons
• Newspapers, magazines and
light paper
 Biological Processing
Waste materials that are organic in nature, such
as:
• plant material
• food scraps
• paper products
• Can be recycled using biological composting
and digestion processes to decompose the
organic matter.
• The resulting organic material is then recycled
as mulch or compost for agricultural or
landscaping
purposes.
 Waste Handling and Transport
• Waste collection methods vary widely among
different countries and regions.
• Domestic waste collection services are often
provided by local government authorities, or
by private companies in the industry.
Solid Waste Management in Pakistan
• Pakistan generates approximately 49.6 million tons of solid waste
annually, with an annual increase of over 2.4%. This growth is
attributed to rapid urbanization, population growth, and industrial
development.
• The daily per capita waste generation in Pakistan varies between
0.283 to 0.612 kilograms.
Waste Generation in Major Cities:
• Karachi: As Pakistan's largest city, Karachi produces over 16,500
tons of municipal waste daily.
• Lahore: The waste generation rate is approximately 0.54 kilograms
per person per day.
• Islamabad: The capital city generates around 600 to 700 tons of
solid waste daily.
 Solid Waste Management Policy
• The Government of Pakistan enacted the Pakistan
Environmental Protection Act (PEPA) in 1997
which is the most recent and updated legislation
on environment.
• It provides a framework for establishing
federal and provincial Environmental
Protection Agencies (EPAs).
 Environmental Impacts of Solid waste
• In 2023, waste-related methane emissions in Pakistan were
equivalent to almost 23 million metric tons of CO₂.
• These emissions contribute to climate change and underscore the
need for improved waste management practices.
Addressing these challenges presents opportunities for:
• Infrastructure Development: Investing in modern waste management
facilities and technologies.
• Public Awareness: Educating citizens on waste reduction, segregation,
and recycling practices.
• Policy Implementation: Enforcing regulations to promote sustainable
waste management and attract private sector participation.
 Conclusion
• Some conclusion on present status of solid
waste management in Pakistan as follows:
• There is a limited focus on control mechanisms
which is adversely affecting on safety, health and
the environment.
• Regulations are inadequately enforced and
SWM does not seem to be a priority.
• None of the cities has an integrated solid
waste management system
 Conclusion
• Collection rate 5 1-69 % of total waste generated.
• No disposal facilities
• Open burning of waste or open disposal is most
common practice.
 Recommendation
• The involvement of people and private sector
through NGOs could improve the efficiency of
SWM.
• Public awareness should be created especially at
primary school.
• Littering of SW should be prohibited in cities,
towns and urban areas.
• The collection bins must have a large enough
capacity to accommodate 20% more than the
expected waste generation in the area.