Disposal/Recycling of Nanomaterials: Advancing the Eco-Responsible Design and Disposal of Engineered Nanomaterials An International Workshop March 9-10, 2009 Rice University, Houston, Texas Presented by: Golam Mustafa, Ph.D. US EPA Region 6 Dallas, Texas
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Disposal/Recycling of Nanomaterials: Advancing the Eco-Responsible Design and Disposal of Engineered Nanomaterials An International Workshop March 9-10,
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Disposal/Recycling of Nanomaterials:
Advancing the Eco-Responsible Design and Disposal of Engineered Nanomaterials
• Information Needed for Nanomaterials Disposal/Recycling
March 9-10, 2009 3
** How EPA currently deals with waste
• Generator/Hauler
• Transfer Station / Material Recovery Facility (MRF)
• Recycler / End User
• Permitted Solid Waste / Hazardous Waste / Other Special Waste Facilities
March 9-10, 2009 4
March 9-10, 2009 5
** One Possible Pathway for Hazardous Waste
March 9-10, 2009 6
Copper slag can be used for road base and sub-base construction
Finished roadCopper Slag at Chino Mine New Mexico and Miami Smelter in Arizona
** Ancillary Waste - Copper Slag
March 9-10, 2009 7
** Ancillary Wastes – Silver and Gold Slags
Silver Slag Gold Slag
March 9-10, 2009 8
Traditional Waste Cycle
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Current Waste Cycle
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What do we mean by Nanomaterials Waste Streams?
• Pure Nanomaterials Manufactured (e.g., Carbon Nanotubes).
• Nano By-products with organic or inorganic.
• Liquid Suspensions Containing Nanomaterials.
• Items Contaminated with Nanomaterials (e.g., Wipes/PPE).
• Solid matrixes with Nanomaterials.
March 9-10, 2009 11
** Nano Containing End-Products
Electronics
Food Baby Products
Batteries Appliances
Sun Screen
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4 Kinds of Regulations
• Pollution Prevention & Risk Mitigation
• Information Decimation
• Creating Waste while Protecting the Environment
• Direct Waste Management
March 9-10, 2009 13
X Regulations for Pollution Prevention and Risk Mitigation
• Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
• Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
• Pollution Prevention Control Act (PPCA)
March 9-10, 2009 14
X Regulations for Information Decimation
• Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)
(Does Nano declared as toxic?)
• Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
• Hazardous Materials Transport Act (HMTA, Administered by DOT)
March 9-10, 2009 15
X Regulations - Creating Waste while Protecting the Environment
• Clean Water Act (CWA)
• Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
• Clean Air Act (CAA)
March 9-10, 2009 16
X Direct Waste Management Regulations
• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act [RCRA Subtitles C (hazardous waste), D (non-hazardous waste) & I (underground storage tank)].
• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund Cleanup Program).
• Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfield Revitalization Act (2002).
March 9-10, 2009 17
X Non-regulatory Options for Nano
• Volunteer & Stewardship Programs
• Development of Guidelines
• Voluntary Standards
March 9-10, 2009 18
Possible Regulatory Options for Nano
• Environmental Monitoring
• Manufacturers or Importers Checklist (Material Safety Data Sheet, MSDS)
• Labeling
• Product take-back requirements
• New Regulations for Nanomaterials.
March 9-10, 2009 19
Information Needed for Nanomaterials disposal/recycling
• Intrinsic Toxicity (for example Arsenic or Cadmium)
• Recyclability Properties such as thermal, mechanical, chemical properties of nano composites.
• Fate & Transport of Nanomaterials in the environment upon disposal.
• Safety and Hazard Factors for Nanomaterials.
March 9-10, 2009 20
Specific Examples of Information Needed
• How to handle nanomaterials from incinerators, Scrubbers, and Bag Houses [Some nanomaterials may not be decomposed upon incineration or captured in scrubbers, permitting their release to the air].
• How to protect disposal/recycling workers [What information and training are needed to protect workers from exposure to nanomaterials during recycling or disposal operations?]
March 9-10, 2009 21
Specific Examples of Information Needed
• What needs to be done with miscellaneous products containing nanomaterials? (e.g., take back, disassemble and reuse).
• What needs to be done in design for disassembly, in particular, for separating out parts containing nanomaterials? (e.g., design reusable computer cover case).
• How much do we know about the Fate & Transport of Nanomaterials? (e.g., if the liners for landfills/underground storage tanks/impoundments are tested for Nanomaterials).
March 9-10, 2009 22
Final Thoughts!
• Nanomaterials are very special.
• Essentially, there are no specific regulatory control for Nanomaterials.
• There will be waste generated from nanotechnology.
• We need to be proactive about disposal and recycling of nanomaterials and products containing nanomaterials to make sure that we protect public health and the environment.
March 9-10, 2009 23
Acknowledgement
I like to acknowledge the following individuals who made this presentation possible by providing their ideas and inputs.