Environmental Science: Toward a Sustainable Future Richard T. Wright Hazardous Chemicals: Pollution and Prevention PPT by Clark E. Adams Chapter 19
Jan 12, 2016
Environmental Science: Toward a Sustainable Future Richard T. Wright
Hazardous Chemicals: Pollution and Prevention
PPT by Clark E. Adams
Chapter 19
Four Ways to Address Chemical Pollution
Safe disposal Pollution prevention Recycling Treatment
Hazardous Chemicals: Pollution and Prevention
Toxicology and chemical hazards A history of mismanagement Cleaning up the mess Managing current hazardous waste Broader issues
The Threshold Level
The Nature of Chemical Hazards: HAZMATs Chemicals That Present Hazard or Risk
Ignitability: catch fire readily; gasoline Reactivity: unstable and may explode or
create toxic fumes when mixed with water; explosives, concentrated sulfuric acid
Toxicity: injurious to health; pesticides, chlorine
Sources of Chemicals Entering the Environment: Total Product Life Cycle
Toxics Release Inventory
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) 1986 Industries must report locations and
quantities of toxic chemicals stored on site and releases of toxic chemicals.
Toxics Release Inventory
For 2001: 1,679 million pounds of toxic chemicals
released to the air 221 million pounds of toxic chemicals
released to the water 4,258 million pounds of toxic chemicals
released at land disposal sites Total environmental release = 6,158 million
pounds
Total Release Inventory
The Threat from Toxic Chemicals
Many are broken down by natural processes
Two types persist in the environment Heavy metals Synthetic organics
Heavy Metals
Lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, tin, chromium, zinc, copper
Used in metalworking, paint, and pesticides, among other products
Heavy Metals
Soluble in water and readily absorbed by body
Interfere with enzyme function Example: mental retardation from lead
poisoning
Organic Compounds
Chemical basis for plastics, synthetic fibers and rubber, solvents, and pesticides
Resistant to biodegradation Major health effects: carcinogenic and
mutagenic
Organic Compounds (see Table 19-1)
Halogenated hydrocarbons At least one of the hydrogen atoms is replaced
with a halogen atom Chlorine (most common) Bromine Fluorine Iodine
Halogenated Hydrocarbons
Involvement with Food Chains
Minamata disease Small fishing village in Japan Suffered from mercury poisoning Biomagnification
“Mad as a hatter” Hatmakers exposed to mercury suffered
from insanity
A History of Mismanagement
Methods of land disposal Scope of the management problem
Methods of Land Disposal
Deep-well injection Surface impoundments Landfills
Deep-well Injection
Surface Impoundments
Secure Landfills (see Fig. 19-9)
Properly lined Supplied with a system to remove
leachate Provided with monitoring wells Appropriately capped
Toxic Chemical Waste Problems
Cleaning up old wastes Managing new wastes Avoiding future wastes
Midnight Dumping and Orphan Sites
Hazardous wastes left on remote or unoccupied properties by unscrupulous haulers.
Companies stored wastes on their own properties and went out of business, abandoning the property and wastes.
Scope of the Mismanagement Problem
The Love Canal story (see Fig. 19-12) Hooker Chemical and Plastics Company
17,000 tons of hazardous wastes dumped in abandoned canal
Covered canal with clay cap and sold it to the Niagara Falls school board
People reported serious health problems: birth defects and miscarriages
$233 million spent on cleanup and lawsuits
Problems Concerning Toxic Chemicals
Cleaning up the messes already created Regulating and handling and disposal of
wastes currently being produced Protect public and environmental health
Reducing the quantity of hazardous waste produced
Cleaning Up the Mess
Ensuring safe drinking water Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974
Groundwater remediation Superfund for toxic sites
Groundwater Remediation
Superfund for Toxic Sites
Advanced cleanup technology Incineration to burn off contaminants in soil Cleaning soil with detergent Bioremediation Phytoremediation
Brownfields Costly and slow
Managing Current Hazardous Wastes
Clean Air and Water Acts Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA) 1976 Reduction of accidents and accidental
exposure
RCRA
All disposal facilities must have permit Pretreatment of toxic wastes “Cradle to grave” tracking of toxic wastes
Reduction of Accidents and Accidental Exposure
Leaking underground storage tanks (LUST)
Underground storage tank (UST) legislation
Department of Transportation Regulations (DOT Regs)
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
Reduction of Accidents and Accidental Exposure
Emergency Planning and Community Right- to-know Act (EPCRA); also known as Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)
Toxic Substances Control Act
Broader Issues
Environmental justice and hazardous wastes Emelle, Alabama Choctaw reservation in Philadelphia,
Mississippi 870,000 U.S. federally subsidized housing
units
Broader Issues
Pollution prevention for a sustainable society Better product or materials management Substitution of products for hazardous ones Cleaning up and recycling solvents and
lubricants Safe disposal
Major Hazardous Waste Laws
End of Chapter 19