Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Treatment Facilities for Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste presents shorter as well as long term risks to humans, animals, plants or the environment. It requires special handling for detoxification or safe disposal. It is not necessary that only industries produce wastes which are hazardous. There are other sources as well for example House hold  wastes as well for example automotive products, other garden products etc.

But when it comes to the treatment of hazardous waste, then it involves any thing that can be done to a hazardous waste prior to its disposal. Any method, technique or process designed to change the physical, chemical or biological character or composition of the hazardous waste, so to neutralize the waste or to make the waste less hazardous or to reduce the waste volume.

There are many treatments available which can be beneficial if used properly, as well as new treatments can be proposed, which can be used. But the thing is the diagnosis of a problem is necessary for the purpose of curing the ailment with the right medicine.

The available treatments are:

Recycling: Most of the time hazardous material or waste can be recycles into new products. For example electronic circuit boards where heavy metals can be recovered and used in new products.

Portland cement: it is a commonly used treatment and is based on solidification and stabilization. In it Cement is used because it can treat a range of hazardous wastes by improving physical characteristics and decreasing the range of toxicity.

Neutralization: Some HW (hazardous waste) can be processed so that the hazardous component of the waste can be eliminated.  And this process of eliminating the hazards is called neutralization. Neutralization makes non hazardous waste.

There are two ways of neutralizing;
  1. Corrosive acid when neutralized (remember this corrosive is one of the factors of hazardous wastes) with basic substance becomes no longer corrosive/ non hazardous.
  2. PH adjustment; pH is a very important factor in the creation of hazardous waste. So by adjusting this important factor the waste can be neutralized and becomes nonhazardous.
Incineration, destruction and waste-to-energy:
Incineration is a term used when HW (hazardous waste) is destroyed at a high temperature. Such incineration treatments not only reduce the amount of hazardous waste but also generate energy during their process which can affect the environment.

However some efficient incinerators can control the emission of energy, and thus considered beneficial option. There are different types of incinerators which vary depending on the characteristics of the waste.

Hazardous waste landfill:
Is basically a disposal facility or a part of facility where hazardous waste is placed or on land not piled but some sort off underground injection.

Pyrolysis:
This is an ultra high temperature electrical arc, and is preferable when high temperature incineration in some circumstances is required.

Some proposed treatment facilities:
Hazardous waste mapping system:

There should be a hazardous waste mapping system in particular location to monitor the treatment. So that the concept of go green can be measured through this system.

Sustainable environment:
Sustainability is basically the intelligent use of resources; natural and technological to meet the needs of today and in the future. Pollution and overuse of resources can affect every thing from health of children to availability of raw material. So by meeting environmental regulations and by taking extra steps to reduce wastes, prevent pollution and conserve resources a sustainable environment can be achieved.

Zero hazardous waste:
This can be produced by extracting all reusable material, to eliminate pollutants from the environment and avoid disposal costs and liability.

Although there are various treatments available for Hazardous Waste, which must be used, but there lies a responsibility on the waste producers and each individual who some how is related to this field that they should own the responsibility and must separate all waste at the source of generation.

As a result of this step the work load would reduce for the next layer who has to deal with it and it would be easier to tackle this matter. It is very necessary to understand that every individual has a role in building a sustainable future, this sustainability lies in the preservance of our resources not only for us but for the future generations as well.

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