Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Perpetual storage
if
Underground Waste Surface Salt
Arid region
Landfill
injection piles impoundments formations
unsaturated
zone
Source: "Management of Hazardous Industrial Wastes: Research and Development Neec!s"; National Materials Advisory Board, Commission on Engineering and
Technical Systems, National Research Council; National Academy Press: Washington, D.C., 1983
Environ. Sci. Technol., Vol. 17, No.7, 1983 283A
TABLE 2
An example of a hierarchical fee system for hazardous
wastes based on the amount generated and the disposal
method
Creation of new sites
Both OTA and NAS point out that
the RCRA and Superfund legislation
are intimately related. Because the
materials that are removed from Su-
perfund sites are usually disposed of in
landfills, and landfills have inherent
problems no matter how well they are
designed, we may be creating new
Superfund sites in the process of
cleaning up the old ones. Furthermore,
landfills that are now active and run
according to regulations could become
future Superfund sites because no
specific compounds are banned from
them, and nearly all landfills will leak
at some time in the future. OTA notes
proach," OTA writes, "would be to
reward those who minimize future
risks and costs to society through the
use of preferred aJternatives which
permanently reduce the risks involved
in hazardous waste management."
Table 2 shows an example of a pro-
posed hierarchical fee system.
If the use of landfills were cut back
by a large fraction, many new waste
treatment facilities would be required.
OTA suggests that a federal loan
program could be instituted to provide
low-interest loans to finance these fa-
cilities. OTA also recognizes that
particularly difficult wastes would
require R&D efforts to develop eco-
nomic alternatives to landfill disposal.
It advocates government support of
private R&D projects in this area.
Currently, EPA's R&D budget for
hazardous waste disposal methods al-
lots only 10% to the development of
alternatives to landfills. Tn addition,
the total proposed 1984 budget for the
development of all hazardous waste
disposal methods is 27% lower than the
total in the estimated 1983 budget.
85
42
21
21
11
o
Tax on
liquid waste
(S/ton)
11
5
o
42
21
11
Tax on
solid waste
(S/ton) Waste management category
Land disposal
Off-site:
Land disposal after treatment
Treatment
On-site:
Land disposal after treatment
Treatment
Recycling/reuse; used crankcase oil
Source: Minnesota Conference Report H.F. No. 1176, March 19, 1982.
under Superfund, there exist more
than 80 000 contaminated surface
impoundments (pits, ponds, and la-
goons) in the nation. The potential
threat of drinking water contamination
is posed by at least 90% of these, ac-
cording to an unpublished EPA report.
There are few regulations for the
control, monitoring, or cleanup of
these sites.
The OTA study recommends a
number of regulatory changes that
would close most of these loopholes. It
recommends that the total exemption
for hazardous wastes burned as fuel be
ended. It also suggests that regulatory
criteria should be established for haz-
ardous wastes that do not fit EPA's
current definition of toxic but are im-
plicated as hazardous by a substantial
body of scientific information (such as
those having significant levels of
dioxins or chlorinated organics). In
addition, it states that certain haz-
ardous wastes should be entirely
banned from landfills, surface im-
poundments, and deep wells. EPA
should be required to prepare a list of
such wastes, OTA reports. (On March
17, 1983, EPA proposed two new rules
that will close some of these loop-
holes.)
Other regulatory changes that
would discourage the use of landfills
are also suggested. At present, Su-
perfund is financed by a fee on chem-
ical feedstocks, a so-called front-end
fee. This fee provides industry with no
incentive to reduce the volume of waste
produced. OTA suggests that the Su-
perfund monies be collected from a
tail-end fee-a fee on the amount of
waste produced. This fee would not be
fixed for all wastes, but would vary
according to the disposal method. "The
underlying philosophy of this ap-
treatment system. OTA is especially
critical of two risk assessment models
developed by EPA to apply to the Su-
perfund law and RCRA. The as-
sumptions on which these models are
based are so simplistic, OTA claims,
"that their usefulness is questionable.
For example, both models incorporate
a concept that can result in unequal
protection of some segments of the
public," such as those who live in areas
with a low population density.
OTA and NAS agree that many
technically feasible methods of man-
aging wastes are not being employed
to their fullest potential. They recom-
mend that regional centralized facili-
ties for waste treatment be built. Such
facilities would separate the wastes
according to treatment class and
manage each in the most effective way.
For small and medium generators, who
may not be able to purchase the
equipment required for ideal waste
treatment, such facilities could provide
an economical and relatively safe
means of waste disposal. Examples of
successful centralized waste treatment
facilities in Europe, such as Kommu-
nekemi in Nyborg, Denmark, are
given. In Europe, landfills have been
almost entirely phased out as a method
of hazardous waste treatment.
Changes in regulations
The OTA report (see Table 1)
points out loopholes in current waste
regulations that leave certain hazard-
ous wastes entirely unregulated and
allow releases of hazardous waste to
the environment. RCRA does not
regulate small generators of hazardous
wastes-those that produce less than
1 metric ton/yo Some of the wastes
produced by small generators are
highly toxic and are placed in sanitary
landfills where no monitoring at all is
required to detect leaks into ground-
water. Wastes burned as fuel are also
unregulated. These are considered
recycled wastes and are not regulated
under RCRA. Some of them contain
highly' toxic materials that release
hazardous substances to the atmo-
sphere when burned. A third group of
unregulated wastes is one that is
omitted from EPA's definition. "A
number of industrial wastes containing
significant levels of dioxins, chlori-
nated organics or pesticides are not
now regulated as hazardous wastes
and cannot be shown to be toxic by
EPA's test for toxicity," the OTA
study says. It goes on to note that in
addition to the 15 000 uncontrolled
waste sites (Superfund sites) classified
under the Emergency and Remedial
Response Information System, created
284A Environ. Sci. Technol., Vol. 17, No.7, 1983
William T. Carnall, Editor
Argonne National Laboratory
Gregory R. Choppin, Editor
Florida State University
Reviews recent progress in plutonium
chemistry. Reports on fundamental re-
search as well as applied environmental
and process chemical research. Covers
physical-inorganic chemistry and
spectroscopy, solution chemistry and
behavior of plutonium in the aquatic en-
vironment, and separations chemistry.
Includes introductory chapter by Glenn
T. Seaborg, Nobel laureate and co-
discoverer of element 94 and numerous
radioactive isotopes.
,CONTENTS
PlutoniumChemistry: The Beginnings. Magnetic
Properties of Organometallic and Coordination
Compounds Reaction of Pu Metal with
Diiodoethane Bis(,u-hydroxo)tetraaqua-
diplutonium(JV) Sulfate Superconductivity and
Magnetism in Metallic Pu Systems Pu Halides
and Halogeno Complexes. Thermodynamics of
Pu-Noble Metal Compounds. Thermodynamic
Aspects of Pu-OSystem Hypostoichiometric Pu
Dioxide. x-Ray Photoemission Spectroscopy.
PuFs Gas Photophysics and Photochemistry
Measurement and Interpretation of Pu Spectra
Stability and Electronic Spectrumof CSPUF6 Pu
Solution Chemistry Pu(IV) Hydrous Polymer
Chemistry Pu Ions and Products of H20
Radiolysis. Stability Constants, Enthalpies, and
Entropies Photochemistry of Aqueous Pu Solu-
tions Behavior of Pu in Natural Waters. Aquatic
Chemistry of Pu Pu(IV) Ion in Carbonate-
Bicarbonate Solutions. Ground-Water Composi-
tion and Pu Transport Processes Overview of
Pu Process Chemistry. Pu Process Chemistry at
Rocky Flats Pyrochemical Processing of Pu
Pu Production and Purification at Los Alamos
Carbamoylmethylphosphoryl Derivatives Ap-
pendixes: Round Table Discussion; Pu Isotopes
Based on a symposium jointly sponsored
by the Divisions of Nuclear Chemistry and
and Analytical Chemistry of
the Amertcan Chemical Society
ACS Symposium Series No. 216
480 pages (1983) Clothbound
lC 83-6057 ISBN 0-8412-0772-0
US & Canada $51.95 Export $62.95
Order from:
American Chemical Society
Distribution Office Dept. 24
1155 Sixteenth St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
or CALL TOLL FREE 800-424-6747
and use your VISA or MasterCard.
that in 1985, (the year Superfund ex-
pires), more sites may need to be
cleaned up than are now listed under
Superfund as sites requiring attention. '
Also, the old Superfund sites may not
be adequately cleaned up even when
they are treated according to regula-
tions. Current laws for cleanup provide
no specific technical standard, such as
concentration limits, for the extent of
hazardous waste removal.
Key to progress
No other issue affecting society has
resulted in as wide a gap between the
beliefs held by the public at large and
the beliefs of scientists who are experts
in the field. Progress in solving the
hazardous waste problem rests in part
on bridging this gap.
"Public attitudes toward hazardous
industrial wastes and their disposal,'"
NAS notes, "include a number of
misconceptions." ,There is a "general
belief that hazardous waste generation
can be eliminated,. that waste dis-
charges can be avoided, and that waste
disposal can be risk free. " The public
also seems to believe that all hazardous
waste disposal technologies present the
same risks.
On the other hand, some of the
public's concerns about siting haz-
ardous waste facilities are valid. Under
current law, the community where the
facility is located bears the risk and is
subject to potential damages from such
facilities, although society as a whole
, enjoys the benefits (the products) as-
sociated with hazardous waste gener...
ation. Another problem is that the
public does not trust the government to
write good regulations or to enforce
them strictly. This concern may be
partially valid because hazardous
waste regulations may be inadequate,
and enforcement during the past few
years may have been lax.
Progress in siting hazardous waste
facilities and in developing and using
new technologies will thus depend on'
several factors. One of them is public
education to further an understanding
of the technical issues involved. An..
other is creating and enforcing con-
sistent regulations to protect both
present and future generations.
- Bette Hileman
Additional reading
"Technologies and Management Strategies for
Hazardous Waste Contro}"; Congress of the
United States, Office of Technology Assess-
ment, Washington, D.C., 1983.
"Management of Hazardous Industrial Wastes:
Research and Development Needs"; National
Materials Advisory Board, Commission on
Engineering and Technical Systems, National
Research Council; National Academy Press:
Washington, D.C., 1983
Charles G. Gebelein, Editor
Youngstown State University
David J. Williams, Editor
Xerox Corporation
Rudolph Deanin, Editor
Lowell University
Focuses on the ways polymers can be
used to construct efficient anddur-
able solar energy systems. Points out
the advantages in cost, weight, and
variety of polymers and describes the
problems of photodegradation. Sec-
tions include general solar applica-
tions, polymer photodegradation in
solar applications, and photovoltaic
and related applications.
CONTENTS
Applications and Opportunities Economics of
Solar Heating Systems Film and Laminate
Technology for Colfectors Stability of Poly-
merip Materials in the Collector Environment
Reduction of Solar Light Transmittance in Collec-
tors Optical, Mechanical, and Environmental
Testing of Collector Films Protective Coat-
ings and Sealants Reactivity of Polymers with
Mirror Materials IR Reflection-Absorbance of
Films on Metallic Substrates Adhes',ves in
Reflector Modules of Troughs Solar Ponds and
Liner Requirements Flexible Membrane lin-
ings for Solar Ponds Plastic Pipes for Ground-
Coupled Heat Pumps Prediction or Photoox-
idation of Plastics Photodegradation and Sorp-
tion and Transport of Water UV Microscopy of
Morphology and Oxidation. Novel Diagnostic
Techniques for Detection of Photooxidation
Photodegradation of Poly(n-butyl Acrylate)
Stability of UV-Screening Transparent Acrylic
Copolymers Deformation and Low-Density
Polyethylene Films Luminescent Solar Con-
centrators Encapsulation Materials for
Photovoltaic Modules Encapsulant Material
Requirements Encapsulant Degradation
Vacuum Lamination of Photovoltaic Modules
Polyacrylonitrile as a Photovo/taic Material
Polymeric Phthalocyanines Photophysics of
Doped Poly(2-Vinylnaphthalene) Films.
Catalysis with Polymer Electrodes
Based on a symposium sponsored by
the Divisions ofOrganic Coatings and
Plastics Chemistry and Polymer
Chemistry of the American Chemical
Society
ACS Symposium Series No. 220
510 pages (1983) Clothbound
LC ISBN
US & Canada $51.95 Export $62.95
Order from:
American Chemical Society
Distribution Office Dept. 27
1155 Sixteenth St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
or CALL TOLL FREE 800...4246747
I and use your VISA or MasterCard.
Environ. Sci. Technol., Vol. 17, No.7, 1983 285A