Hazardous MaterialsHAZMATs

• Chemicals That Present Hazard or Risk– Ignitability: catch fire readily; gasoline– Corrosivity: may corrode storage tanks (e.g. acids)– Reactivity: unstable and may explode or create toxic

fumes when mixed with water; explosives, concentrated sulfuric acid

– Toxicity: injurious to health; pesticides, chlorine

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:

– Inventory results from 1996:• 722,000 tons of toxic chemicals released to the air• 86,500 tons of toxic chemicals released to the water• 11,702,500 tons of hazardous wastes resulting from

production of goods • 1,066,000 tons of toxic chemicals released to the

environment• 1,600,000 tons of toxic chemicals from household hazardous

wastes

Product Life Cycle

Fate of Toxins

• 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 metal-working, paint, and pesticides, among other products

• Soluble in water and readily absorbed by body.

• Interfere with enzyme function.• Example: mental retardation from lead

poisoning.

Synthetic Organics• Chemical basis for plastics, synthetic fibers and

rubber, solvents, and pesticides.• Resistant to biodegradation.• Major health effects: carcinogenic and

mutagenic. • Halogenated hydrocarbons

Toxic Chemical Waste Problems

• Cleaning up old wastes

• Managing new wastes

• Avoiding future wastes

Deep-well Injection

Surface Impoundments

Landfills

How Super Is The Superfund?

• Advanced cleanup technology – Incineration to burn off

contaminants in soil– Cleaning soil with detergent– Bioremediation– Phytoremediation

• Brownfields• Costly and slow

Major Hazardous Waste Laws