Waste Management Info » hazardous waste

Why We Should Start Waste Management

admin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:26:36 +0000

Waste management is something that every household, business, education and medical institutions should learn or implement. In the United States, a study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency estimated that an American would produce about .75 tons of waste every year. About 90 % or 325-375 million tons of toxic wastes are being dumped by industrialized countries every year. United Nations received reports of waste management problems from about 60 % of countries in the 1992 Earth Summit.

It is not about just the environment that we would have to worry about. Wastes not properly disposed can cause huge health risks to people or communities surrounding the area where the wastes were disposed. The United Nations Development Programme estimates that there are five million fatalities every year because of not properly disposing wastes.

Improper waste disposal could increase dangers of increasing vermin and pests. They could spread in the community, a common disease called dengue brought by mosquito bites is very dangerous disease often times associated with stagnant water and piles of garden wastes. People could also be vulnerable to leptospirosis or infection that you could get from vermin urine and feces. Litters like broken glasses or scrap of metals can also cause tetanus.

Another danger about improper waste management, would be hazardous materials and poison which could affect the environment and the community. Medical or health care wastes can have radioactive isotopes which could get into water and result into polluted bodies of water where your kids swim. Aside from health care wastes, human wastes can also be very dangerous when disposed improperly, especially if they come from people who are suffering from certain diseases. This could also contaminate sources of water.

Unkempt yards and streets could also give an impression about the people who live in the area. It could affect the economy of the community, it is unlikely that entrepreneurs would like to invest in a community that does not invite security and safety.

Most people think that waste management is all about spending sizeable amount. Actually, it does not have to be like that. Not managing and dumping wastes irresponsibly tends to be more costly. Think about the loss of income from not trying to save on equipment and appliances.

Disposing hazardous wastes is another major problem. Hazardous wastes are actually very much present in our household. According to U.S. EPA, there are about 1.8 million tons of household hazardous waste being disposed every year. And most homeowners are not even conscious that they are storing hazardous chemicals in their cupboards.

Waste management could actually be summed up in three simple words: reduce, reuse and recycle. In United Kingdom, the country’s recycling efforts was able to help reduce 10-15 million tonnes of CO2 emission every year. Homeowners and other institutions could start by segregating trash, monitoring quantities and kinds of wastes being disposed, and making sure that they are being transported out of your site properly.

Waste management training could be given to employees, workers and staff. Having a waste management plan and people committed in carrying it out, will make the plan successful.

Tags:1992 Earth Summit,Environmental protection agency,hazardous chemicals,hazardous waste,Health care,Kingdom,Litters,recycling,United States,waste disposal

What You Need To Know About Hazardous Waste Management

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:24:22 +0000

Hazardous. The word seems to conjure a threatening feeling and is sometimes automatically associated with death. Even when using hazardous to describe waste, it is done so not with relative ease. The picture of poisonous chemical-waste materials then comes to mind, whose warnings—often represented by the proverbial skull and bones—are even more threatening. But the truth is, these kinds are not the only hazardous waste people have to deal with. There are, in fact, safe materials (such as household products) that, after use, can qualify as hazardous waste. Hazardous waste is anything that has potentially dangerous ingredients and properties, and that which may put to great risk public health and the environment if an effective hazardous waste management system is not in place. With that description in mind, hazardous waste can be anything from the oil generated by factories and industries to the cleaning chemicals used at home and the pesticide used by gardeners. Generally, these are the products that are corrosive, flammable, radioactive, explosive, toxic, and reactive. As products, careful use is necessary, and as waste materials, proper storage and disposal is likewise important. Failure to establish hazardous waste management may result in health problems and, in some serious cases, death. Managing hazardous wastes Because of the associated risks, the government in general and households and companies in particular should institute appropriate hazardous waste management. And every effort should begin with distinguishing which products end up as hazardous waste. This is important to properly separate them from all the other waste materials and to have a secure place for storage. Hazardous waste is usually stored in containers—some use drums—and should be labeled. Pouring hazardous waste down the sink is not encouraged as doing so can contaminate the groundwater and may harm surface plants, animal life, and the water systems at large. Businesses, especially those that are big hazardous waste generators, hire agencies and individuals to help them manage, transport, and dispose of their hazardous waste. Households, on the other hand, normally rely on the services and facilities established by local governments. In some cities, for instance, collection programs are enacted where hazardous waste materials are picked up door-to-door. The core principle here is that every entity, whether a household or a company, is responsible for its own waste and is taking every measure to properly manage and keep it from harming the environment and many lives. Once collected and transported, hazardous waste materials would be then disposed of. One common method of disposing them is through incineration. Commonly done with medical waste, incineration involves burning the waste. Another method of hazardous waste disposal is waste injection, which means depositing the waste deep down the ground. The success of hazardous waste management lies in the enactment of legislations, which gave way to the creation of facilities and agencies that would ensure proper hazardous waste management is taking place. Assuming individual responsibility also plays a big role. Although compliance is a major factor, concern for lives and the environment usually encourages accountability.

Tags:chemical-waste,groundwater,hazardous waste,Incineration,local governments,medical waste,public health,waste disposal,waste materials,water

Waste Management 101

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:09:24 +0000

Waste management is all about collecting, transporting, processing, recycling and disposing waste materials. Proper waste disposal is always needed to make sure that their harmful effects to the human population or environment are reduced. There are different kinds of waste management procedures when handling solid, liquid, gas and radioactive wastes. Aside from that, different fields like agriculture, mining, and healthcare have strict regulations to follow for waste disposal.

There are studies conducted showing that about 90 percent of wastes disposed every year mainly come from industrialized countries, which is about 325-375 million tons of toxic and hazardous waste. Countries are expressing their concern about the rising number of wastes being disposed every year. According to the United Nations, there are 60 percent of countries worldwide expressing their waste concern in the 1992 Earth Summit.

Improper waste disposal can cause big problems to human health. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) states that there are about five million fatalities every year because of diseases related to improper waste disposal. For example, stagnant water and pile of wastes in the backyard could actually be a source of dengue, tetanus or vermin related disease like leptospirosis.

Not all management practices are the same, industrial waste management would of course be different from household waste disposal. Urban and rural waste management are also different. Which why there are people who are primarily employed as waste specialists officers and whose job is to ensure that wastes are properly disposed.

Every county would also have their own waste disposal method. There are government agencies and local government units that provide waste collection services, they would often have partnerships with private waste management companies. For example, in Australia, every curb would have three collection bins like one for the recyclables, general and garden wastes. Households are encouraged to start composting to reduce wastes. This is the same waste collection done in Canada. In Taipei, households and industries are charged for the volume of their wsastes produced.

In waste management there is something known as the waste hierarchy or the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. This 3 Rs remains to be the basis of waste management programs, technologies and strategies being developed. Government programs implemented are based on these principles, for example in the United States there are states that would implement regulations of non-collection of yard wastes to encourage households to recycle.

Another program implemented by the government would be the extended product responsibility or the EPR. This is a strategy that would ensure that manufacturers would be responsible for their products after they were disposed by the consumers. The method used in Taiwan is also known as the Polluter Pays Principle. The polluter would pay for the impact of their waste on the environment.

Some industries find waste management and environmental responsibility good business opportunity for their own businesses. They report increased efficiency, energy reduction costs and even getting local and national government incentives since the government offers tax rebates for industries that would use “green” technology.

Tags:1992 Earth Summit,collection,hazardous waste,industrialized countries,polluter pays principle,recycling,United Nations Development (UNDP),United States,waste disposal,waste materials

Waste Management – A Quick Guide

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:57:35 +0000

In the past, when life and the environment were simpler, all of life’s processes were taken care of by nature itself, including the processing and elimination of natural wastes. When man and society evolved, life became more complicated.

People’s needs for survival became competitive. As population grew, needs became more heightened, and material resources for everything had to be increased. Waste became an important item to be solved.

Disposal methods

Waste management is the collection, transport, and processing of waste materials. Generally, this is to reduce the ill-effects on health, the environment or maybe simple aesthetics.

The ill-effects of random and indiscriminate waste disposal had impacted on people’s health and the environment. This led to other practices of disposal that includes recycling and the recovering of resources.

Landfill

In most countries, landfill is the most commonly-practiced of all the waste disposal systems. This is because it is the most inexpensive among all others. Properly managed and designed, the practice can be sanitary and safe.

Poorly managed landfills, however, produce adverse byproducts: leaching of toxic fluids into the ground, noxious odor caused by organic breakdown, destruction of surface vegetation, and the production of greenhouse gases.

Incineration

This waste disposal method involves the combustion of waste materials (sometimes called “thermal treatment”) producing heat, gas, steam and ashes. Usually, this is used to dispose of hazardous waste materials (like dangerous wastes from hospitals). What makes it questionable is the fact that it releases gas pollutants.

In some countries, the heat generated in incinerators is used as energy to generate in turn steam and electricity.

Recycling

Plastics, glass, PVC and those made of the same materials are collected and recycled into new products. In progressive countries like Australia, recycling is successfully implemented by the government and the cooperation of more than 90% of the population.

Composting

In composting, organic waste materials (food scraps, paper, and other bio-degradable materials) are decomposed in a controlled environment. Organic end-products are used as fertilizers, mulch soil, etc. Waste gas (methane) is captured to generate electricity.

Waste reduction

This campaign is being vigorously pushed in many industrialized countries. People are encouraged to reuse second-hand products, repair broken items, avoiding disposable products, and designing new products that can be refillable or reusable.

Waste hierarchy

This is the three Rs in waste management concept – reduce, reuse, recycle. Today, it still remains a potent cornerstone in waste minimization strategies. The simple concept is to maximize a product’s benefits and generate the most minimum of waste from it.

Awareness campaign

Seen from a global perspective, educational awareness campaigns in waste management are becoming crucial. Several schools and universities have adapted the Taillories Declaration into their curricula.

The Tailloires Declaration is about the speed of environmental degradation caused by pollution and depletion of natural resources. It details the perils as well as the means to combat this very imminent global danger.

Other waste management concepts

These include EPR or extended producer responsibility which means they are also responsible for their products not only during manufacture but also after use.

The PPP (Polluter Pays Principle) means the producer of a pollutant will have to pay. In waste management, this is the requirement of a waste generator for the proper disposal of waste.

As the world becomes more and more industrialized and consumption of resources increases, so will the production of waste increases. Waste management is a crucial concern for everyone.

Tags:greenhouse gases,hazardous waste,natural resources,polluter pays principle,pollution,recycling,waste disposal,waste materials

Tips For Household Waste Management

admin — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:36:37 +0000

The numbers are increasing. The United Nations Development Programme estimates that there are five million people who die each year because of diseases related to inappropriate waste disposal. It is the developed countries who are generating more wastes. About .75 tons of trash is being produced annually by an individual in the United States, that is according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency or US EPA. It can be reduced through waste management. Home waste management is not just about less trash, it is about protecting and saving the environment. You could start by monitoring what you actually throw and how much waste is hauled from your home. Monitoring what you dispose would help you deal with them using other methods. Waste management could be summed in three important words: reduce, reuse, recycle. • Reducing wastes. Buying food in packs will add to your waste, try buying food loose like vegetables and fruits. You could also get your home appliances regularly maintained or repaired. This would give your appliances longer life and avoid throwing away equipments. • Reusing items. Appliances or home equipment that are not being used can be donated to charity. You could also use a cotton bag for shopping, this would reduce paper or plastic bags that you will be taking home. There are different methods on how you can reuse or repurpose old items in the house. There are different websites that can give you different ideas. Also buy reusable items rather than disposable items. You could get water bottles or a coffee mug instead of frequently buying plastic water bottles or disposable coffee cups. • Recycling. You could start having a composting bed at home. This would be great for the environment and for your garden, too. Vermiculture or worm farming is also another way to recycle your waste and even earn extra income. Look for recycling centers near your home to bring items that you would like be recycled. Another source of household wastes is food waste. How do you reduce your food wastes? Then start by buying food that you would really consume and need. There are studies showing that about 74% of people will be making purchase decisions after entering the grocery store, which is why you need a shopping list. But before you start shopping, check your household supplies first and identify which food should be consumed immediately. Be a smart shopper, think about what will happen to the food, its containers and packages before you go ahead and buy. Food could be stored in the refrigerator for longer life and fruit and vegetable peelings could go to your compost bin. Another waste management concern is about hazardous materials found in our home. The United States government categorized about 500 hazardous wastes and how it should be disposed. These hazardous materials are very much present in our home like house cleaners, paint and pesticides. And hazardous wastes are not disposed just like any other trash. We could start using organic and chemical free cleaners. For paints, make sure that we are buying enough and not too much. For example, in Minnesota hazardous waste sites, in 1998, about 4 million pounds of excess paint was collected. You are not only saving the environment, you are also making your home safer for your children.

Tags:food waste,government,grocery store,hazardous waste,recycling,reuse,United States,United States Environmental Protection Agency,waste disposal,worm farming

The Do’s In Household Hazardous Waste Management

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:18:15 +0000

When you look under your kitchen sink, in your cupboard, or out in your garage, there are products that will end up as hazardous waste once you get rid of them. Some of them are hazardous in nature such as pesticide, cleaner, thinner, and paint. Others, however, take on a relatively safe form such as battery and fluorescent light. Household hazardous waste (HHW) is that which is corrosive, toxic, reactive, and flammable that if not disposed of properly can create havoc in human health and the environment in general.

Pour it down the drain, and you risk contaminating the groundwater. If you let it sit in the common trash can, you allow its ingredient particles to float in the air. You also put to risk the safety and health of sanitation workers who will deal with your HHW as soon as you dispose of it. Because of these risks, effective household hazardous waste management has been established.

Household hazardous waste management is nothing more than a set of practices in the proper handling of HHW. Done regularly, and you protect human health and promote the cleanliness and wellness of the environment. Here’s what you can do:

1. Use up the products. When you use them up, you don’t have anything to throw away. And that means you decrease the amount of HHW to dispose of in your own little way. Around the world, tons of HHW are produced each year. In the United States alone, an average household generates around 100 pounds of HHW, eventually contributing to the 1.6 million tons the country produces every year.

2. Share the leftover products with someone you think might need them. Or find charities or groups that accept donations. You can also swap the excess products or sell them if you want.

3. Never mix HHW with another HHW. Some of these products may react, explode, or ignite if mixed. Store them in their original containers, with the labels still attached, and place in areas where children can’t reach them.

4. Find out if your community has HHW collection programs. Every year, many communities run a collection program where HHW are picked up from households. Collection days are set early on, and some cities provide kits where bags, labels, and instructions are included.

5. Hand your HHW to local business collection groups if your community doesn’t host a collection program. For instance, you can give your discarded batteries to battery collection agencies for recycling. Some battery retailers, in fact, participate in battery recycling programs and accept used batteries. The same is true with fluorescent light retailers.

6. Check your medicine cabinet and see if there are old, used, and expired medications. Although some medications are not necessarily hazardous, careful disposal is necessary since they may have health-threatening ingredients and properties. For pills, you can crush and mix them with coffee grounds or kitty litter and thrown them in the trash can. Liquid medications, on the other hand, should be absorbed by rags or paper towels before throwing in the trash can. Sharps and needles should be disposed of as regular HHW. Some cities accept expired medications during their HHW collection, so this service should be taken advantage of.

Household hazardous waste management is largely directed toward disposing of HHW, but the part of it that deals with waste reduction should not be ignored. To reduce the amount of HHW produced every year, it would help to use products with organic or non-toxic materials. Look for these products the next time you head to the supermarket.

Tags:disposal,fluorescent light,hazardous waste,HHW,human health,non-toxic,recycling,trash can,United States,waste reduction

Medical Or Hospital Waste Management

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:07:54 +0000

Health care wastes are among the most important waste management programs that state or city government should pay attention to. Health care wastes or HCW are objects both sharp and non-sharp, body parts, chemicals, drugs, medical devices and radioactive materials that health care institution dispose. In the United States about 7000 tons of waste everyday or 2 million tons annually is collected from hospitals and health clinics.

Hospital wastes are mainly solid wastes. There are bio-hazardous materials, flammable and toxic materials. There are also radioactive or isotopes which very dangerous to handle. Medical wastes would also include batteries, fluorescent lamps, e-wastes like computers, and corrosive dangerous items like those drugs used in anaesthesiology.

Hospital or health care wastes are divided into categories. This would help in properly using waste disposal methods based on the nature of the waste materials. There is the general trash which refers to recyclable materials. Regulated medical wastes are also referred to as infectious waste since they are capable of causing infectious disease. While hazardous wastes may pose serious problems to human health and environment. There are specific disposal regulations that each category should follow, specially hazardous waste.

Any health care institution generates this kind of medicate waste. Other institutions that produce medical wastes are laboratories, blood banks, morgues and funeral parlors, medical schools and even research institutions. It is important for each of this institution to have and implement a waste management plan.

The World Health Organization (WHO) provides programme activities that would help hospital and health care institutions develop programs and technical materials for assessing their wastes, creating action plans, and developing management guidelines for medical institutions.

Hospitals should have waste management teams that would enhance or develop waste management plan. Most of the times, the waste management team is comprised of the hospital staff, like the head of hospital and the hospital departments, pharmacists, infection control officer, and hospital manager or administrator. Normally, there would be a waste management officer that would oversee the implementation of the plan on daily operation.

When making a waste management plan (WMP), the waste management should be prepared to address different issues like the existing waste disposal practices and the quantity of waste being disposed. The WMP should be able to come up with different plans and strategies that could minimize waste through recycling and reusing. It should also cover training health care professionals, staff about waste disposal.

Forming a waste management team and drafting a waste management plan is not the last step. The waste management plan should go through evaluation and maybe some changes depending on the result of the evaluation. Updating the system may be needed especially when the institution is undergoing some major changes or renovation in their system. There are also national government agencies requiring hospitals and medical institution to submit records of their waste management and disposal methods.

Health care institutions are not only responsible in making people in communities get the proper health care. They are also responsible for ensuring that the community is safe from materials that would be detrimental to the health of the people. Having a waste management plan would surely help in ensuring that health care institutions would make the community safe.

Tags:devices,fluorescent lamps,hazardous waste,HCW,Health care,infectious disease,recycling,United States,waste disposal,waste materials

Waste Management Info » hazardous waste

Why We Should Start Waste Management

Related posts

What You Need To Know About Hazardous Waste Management

Related posts

Waste Management 101

Related posts

Waste Management – A Quick Guide

Related posts

Tips For Household Waste Management

Related posts

The Do’s In Household Hazardous Waste Management

Related posts

Medical Or Hospital Waste Management

Related posts