Management of hazardous waste: a case study in India

A study of identification of hazardous waste generators, quantification and classification of hazardous wastes in accordance with Indian hazardous waste classification system in the five major industrial districts of Gujarat (covering 15 industrial estates) was carried for the purpose of hazardous waste management planning in the region. The contribution of hazardous waste generation by different sizes of generators is estimated. The total quantity of hazardous waste generated in these districts was about 0.44 million tonne per annum. On the basis of waste classification, it was found that waste category number 12 (sludge from effluent treatment plant) and waste category number 9 (waste from dye and dye intermediate units) were dominant among the other categories of wastes generation in each district. In order to reduce burden on land, the hazardous wastes suitable for recovery and recycling in the industrial regions have also been quantified at about 45% of the total quantity generated. Among this the maximum proportion of recyclable waste is from dye and dye intermediate units as sludge and residue which were being disposed off in low lying area in the country.

The study also provides information on the quantity of hazardous wastes which were suitable for secure landfill, with or without pre‐treatment, and for incineration. A plan for hazardous waste management for the region is proposed for implementation.     

Development of sustainable construction material using industrial and agricultural solid waste: A review of waste-create bricks

Accumulation of unmanaged industrial or agricultural solid waste especially in developing countries has resulted in an increased environmental concern. Recycling of such wastes as a sustainable construction material appears to be viable solution not only to pollution problem but also an economical option to design of green buildings. In view of utilization of industrial and agricultural waste material for developing sustainable construction material, the present paper reviews various waste materials in different compositions that were added to the raw material at different levels to develop waste-create bricks (WCB). Various physico-mechanical and thermal properties of the bricks incorporating different waste materials are reviewed and recommendations are suggested as the outcome of the study. The reviewed approach for the design and development of WCB using industrial solid waste is useful to provide a potential sustainable solution.     

Assessment of pollution from livestock and poultry breeding in China

Livestock and poultry husbandry is a major source of agricultural pollution in China. Thus far, national-scale approaches to estimating pollutant loads from livestock and poultry rearing remain limited. This impedes effective water quality assessment and relevant policy making. Applying unit load and export coefficient modelling, we estimated pollutant loads from livestock and poultry raising from 2000 to 2010. Results show that the total annual pollutant loads generated from the faeces and urine of livestock and poultry in 2010 had a chemical oxygen demand of 78.2?million metric tonnes; biochemical oxygen demand of 72.7?million tonnes; ammonia nitrogen of 7.4?million tonnes; total phosphorus of 6.0?million tonnes; and total nitrogen of 18.0?million tonnes. Livestock and poultry husbandry has been one of the main pollution sources in China. The significant contributors are pigs and cattle. In particular, pollution from livestock and poultry raising in China spatially overlaps with industrial and domestic pollution. South eastern regions face the difficult challenge of controlling and managing agricultural, industrial and domestic pollution.     

Environmental and health hazard ranking and assessment of plastic polymers based on chemical composition

Plastics constitute a large material group with a global annual production that has doubled in 15 years (245 million tonnes in 2008). Plastics are present everywhere in society and the environment, especially the marine environment, where large amounts of plastic waste accumulate. The knowledge of human and environmental hazards and risks from chemicals associated with the diversity of plastic products is very limited. Most chemicals used for producing plastic polymers are derived from non-renewable crude oil, and several are hazardous. These may be released during the production, use and disposal of the plastic product. In this study the environmental and health hazards of chemicals used in 55 thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers were identified and compiled. A hazard ranking model was developed for the hazard classes and categories in the EU classification and labelling (CLP) regulation which is based on the UN Globally Harmonized System. The polymers were ranked based on monomer hazard classifications, and initial assessments were made. The polymers that ranked as most hazardous are made of monomers classified as mutagenic and/or carcinogenic (category 1A or 1B). These belong to the polymer families of polyurethanes, polyacrylonitriles, polyvinyl chloride, epoxy resins, and styrenic copolymers. All have a large global annual production (1-37 million tonnes). A considerable number of polymers (31 out of 55) are made of monomers that belong to the two worst of the ranking model's five hazard levels, i.e. levels IV-V. The polymers that are made of level IV monomers and have a large global annual production (1-5 million tonnes) are phenol formaldehyde resins, unsaturated polyesters, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, and urea-formaldehyde resins. This study has identified hazardous substances used in polymer production for which the risks should be evaluated for decisions on the need for risk reduction measures, substitution, or even phase out.     

固体废弃物在软土加固中的应用现状

人口增长、迅速城镇化、工业化和经济发展导致在全球范围内以惊人的速度产生大量固体废弃物(以下简称固废),所以最大限度地利用固废生产绿色建材是当今材料业的一个研究热门。水泥作为一种最常见的软土固化剂,大量的生产造成了一定的环境破坏和资源消耗,而一些固废经过粉化之后,存在较好的水化活性,具有一定的胶凝性能,故利用这些固废替代水泥用于制作软土固化剂存在可能性。目前关于固废在软土固化剂上的研究较少,因此,利用固废研制一种软土固化剂,用来替代水泥,不仅能够节约资源,而且能够有效的保护环境。     

Use of Cement Kilns in Managing Solid and Hazardous Wastes: Implementation in Australia

The use of cement kilns for managing solid and hazardous wastes is facilitated by the high temperature, long gas retention periods, natural alkaline environment, minimum amount of waste produced and high thermal capacity. The main benefits include energy recovery, conservation of fossil fuels, reduction in cement production costs and the use of already existing facilities.
The test burns conducted in cement kilns worldwide have demonstrated very high destruction efficiencies for most stable organic compounds, with toxic contaminants barely above the background levels.
There are several cement plants in the US and Europe presently using solid and hazardous wastes as supplementary fuel. The application of this technology in Australia has been ignored in the past. An international conference (Kilnburn'92) on the role of cement kilns in waste management was held recently in Australia and has enhanced the implementation of this technology in Australia.     

Bioreactivity of leachate from municipal solid waste landfills - assessment of toxicity

With the UK producing 400 million tonnes of waste each year, the problem of waste disposal is recognised as one of the most serious environmental problems facing the nation. Of this, over 35 million tonnes is municipal waste, largely derived from households, but also includes some commercial and industrial waste. There are strong national and international concerns about the possible adverse health effects of living in the vicinity of municipal waste landfills. An understanding of the ranges of toxicity of landfill emissions is crucial to determine the degree of concern we should have about the potential effects they could have upon nearby populations and the surrounding environment. Leachates from three different types of landfills have been collected and screened for their potential to induce toxicity. Bioreactivity was measured by a plasmid DNA scission assay (PSA), and 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescin fluorescence (DCFH). The results indicate that leachates cause damage to plasmid DNA in a dose-dependent manner and that toxicity varies between different types of landfills as well as within individual waste sites. Overall, the data implies that the complex chemistry involved in leachate formation has yet to be delineated in terms of the toxicological response.     

Land Disposal Practices in Europe and North America

This paper compares the land-based disposal of municipal and hazardous waste in Europe and North America, and the various disposal options are examined for each type of waste. It is concluded that landfill is still the most widely practised disposal method for most wastes in both continents. Other methods include composting, land farming, trenching/spraying, and deep underground disposal. More stringent controls on waste disposal are being introduced and a trend to seek greater uniformity of practice and standards is developing. However, local conditions, such as the nature of the wastes and the availability and nature of disposal sites, continue to work against this trend. There is no single method which is suitable for all wastes and for all conditions. The best environmental option for waste management will vary from place to place and waste to waste, therefore an imposed uniformity of practice is not in the best environmental interest.     

危险废物固化体存储设施的抗震性能分析

危险废物由于自身的危害性,对存储设施有着严苛的要求.为了研究危险废物固化体存储设施的抗震性能,本文利用ABAQUS软件建立危险废物固化体存储设施有限元模型,并分析其在地震作用下的结构强度.模型分为单管模型和整体模型,单管模型由单个存储管和多个危险废物固化体组成,整体模型由48根存储管、支撑架、立柱和脚柱组成.对于单管模...     

胶凝材料复合早强剂开发及混合料浆配比优化

利用矿山周边矿渣、磷石膏、废石等固废开发早强胶凝材料用于矿山充填，可降低采矿成本，且实现固废资源化利用。首先基于试验材料物化分析，对胶凝材料复合早强剂进行开发；然后通过正交试验对多固废混合充填料浆进行试配，利用遗传规划获得最优配比。结果表明，复合早强剂可有效提高充填体早期强度，最优配比为芒硝1%～2%、NaOH 1%～1.5%、NaCl 1.5%；充填料浆最优配比为废砂比1:9、胶砂比1:5，料浆浓度80%；此时3d强度为2.04MPa,7d强度为4.19MPa，坍落度为28.6cm，分层度为0.75cm，强度和管输特性满足要求且成本最低。     

Use of waste marble aggregates in concrete

Today we are faced with an important consumption and a growing need for aggregates because of the growth in industrial production, this situation has led to a fast decrease of available resources. On the other hand, a high volume of marble production has generated a considerable amount of waste materials; almost 70% of this mineral gets wasted in the mining, processing and polishing stages which have a serious impact on the environment. The processing waste is dumped and threatening the aquifer. Therefore, it has become necessary to reuse these wastes particularly in the manufacture of concrete products for construction purposes. The main goal of this study is to demonstrate the possibility of using marble wastes as a substitute rather than natural aggregates in concrete production. The paper presents the study methodology, the characterization of waste marble aggregates and various practical formulations of concrete. This experimental investigation was carried out on three series of concrete mixtures: sand substitution mixture, gravel substitution mixture and a mixture of both aggregates (sand and gravel). The concrete formulations were produced with a constant water/cement ratio. The results obtained show that the mechanical properties of concrete specimens produced using the marble wastes were found to conform with the concrete production standards and the substitution of natural aggregates by waste marble aggregates up to 75% of any formulation is beneficial for the concrete resistance.     

Inventory of aquatic contaminant flux arising from historical metal mining in England and Wales

The impact of discharges from abandoned metal and ironstone mines has been a much studied form of aquatic pollution in recent decades. Few attempts however, have been made to accurately determine the overall contaminant mass flux arising from abandoned mine sites at scales above catchment level. Such assessments are critical to determine the significance of former mining to national, regional and ultimately global trace metal flux. This paper presents the most comprehensive national survey to date across England and Wales of the total pollution burden discharged at source from abandoned non-coal mine sites. 338 discharges have been identified (from 4923 known abandoned metal mines) and while concurrent flow and contaminant concentration records are only available for around 30% of these, significant quantities of metals (and As) have been quantified to be discharged. A minimum of 193 tonnes of Zn, 18.5 tonnes of Pb, 0.64 tonnes Cd, 19.1 tonnes of Cu, 551 tonnes Fe, 72 tonnes Mn and 5.1 tonnes As are released in water discharges from abandoned non-coal mines to the surface water environment of England and Wales each year. Precautionary extrapolation of mass fluxes based on the frequency distribution of measured concentration and flow data, for discharges with absent data, suggests that the actual total mass flux for these contaminants could be up to 41% higher. The mass flux of Pb released from mines exceeds that of all currently permitted discharges (e.g. active industrial sites and wastewater treatment works) to surface waters across England and Wales, while those of As, Cd and Zn are of a similar magnitude. These data put into context the enduring legacy of historic mining on the water environment, highlighting its significance relative to more highly regulated polluting sites. Comparison of the figures with estimates of global trace metal flux suggests that the national total identified here is significant on a global scale.     

Environmental experts in the motor industry

Hazardous wastes are posing the greatest threat to the environment than ever before. Indiscriminate transfer of technology from the Developed Nations for the production of highly hazardous chemicals can lead to a frequent contamination of the environment with the hazardous wastes. The situation appears to be very serious in many of the Third World Nations, where basic problems of water supply and sanitation still need a solution. Contamination of the ground and surface waters with hazardous materials is likely to increase in the developing countries, owing to lack of suitable monitoring techniques. Location of the industries producing hazardous chemicals in the crowded cities has to be prevented to obviate recurrence of serious catastrophes in future. The situation appears to be equally alarming in the developed countries, where ground and surface waters are at a greater risk of contamination with the hazardous wastes. Co disposal of solid chemical wastes with the municipal solid wastes will result in a greater contamination of the ground and surface waters, with longer lasting environmental effects. Hazardous gaseous spills can have serious environmental effects, particularly if the spills contain radioactive contaminants. The intensity of a hazardous gaseous spill can be greatly enhanced under abnormal meteorological conditions.     

Ash disposal – mine fires – environment: an Indian dilemma

 The paper discusses the problems of ash disposal from coal combustion in two large coal-mining regions in India. Compared with the United States, India produces some three times the amount of coal ash per million metric tonnes of domestically produced coal, 95% of which is sluiced into gigantic slurry ponds located near urban areas and occupying vast amounts of premium land. The Jharia Coalfield produces some 30 million tonnes/year of ash and contains the world's largest complex of underground coal-mine fires, occupying an aggregate surface area of about 10 km² above which the land surface is extremely degraded. Similarly, the Singrauli Coalfield suffers from the environmental effects of open-cast mining, spoil heaps and an enormous coal combustion ash disposal problem. Ash haulback is proposed as an efficient, cost-effective way of removing significant quantities of ash from the surface/pond disposal and placing it in open-cast and underground mines. In addition to contributing to the control of mine fires and subsidence, it is suggested that this would have numerous beneficial effects in terms of the reclamation of poor-quality/degraded land for sustainable, productive use and the reduction of harmful emissions and substances in populated areas. Received: 26 October 1999 · Accepted: 27 April 2000     

固体废弃物在建筑工业中的资源化利用

固体废弃物的增加已经成为环境污染和阻碍城市可持续发展的主要因素,本文在研究文献的基础上,探讨了煤矸石、建筑废弃物、农作物秸秆在建筑材料中的资源化利用。指出了这些固体废弃物处理过程中主要存在的问题、对人类生态环境带来的危害,并展望了其应用前景。     

工业固体废弃物在建筑材料领域的应用

综述了工业固体废物在水泥、墙体材料、陶瓷材料及轻骨料生产中的利用现状,总结出在建筑材料领域工业固体废弃物资源化利用的主要出路。     

New construction material from concrete production and demolition wastes and lime production waste

New construction materials were developed and patented in Brazil, based on concrete production and demolition wastes mixed with lime production waste. The main objective of this research is to utilize these two types of industrial wastes on as large a scale as possible as a new raw materials for the production of concrete. The lime waste is characterized by a high content of SiO₂, Al₂O₃, CaCO₃ and other elements. After 90 days of aging in open air, the water absorption value of the sample mixtures was 12% and the uniaxial compression strength reached up to 33 MPa, with an average of 29 MPa. XRD and SEM analyses of the compositions reveal various reasons for the material’s increased strength, including transformation of the initial mineral mixture (lime and Portlandite) into calcium, magnesium and amorphous ferrous and crystalline carbonates (Calcite, Dolomite and Ancerite), and chemical interactions of the concrete waste with the lime component, which led to the growth of new amorphous and crystalline calcium hydrosilicates such as Tobermorite, Afwillite and the CSH mineral group. Although this research does not include an economic feasibility study, the zero cost of these novel raw materials for concrete is self-explanatory. However, the main advantage expected from these materials is the environmental conservation they afford, represented by the use of concrete production and demolition wastes and lime production waste.     

矿渣复合胶凝材料的强度及其水化机理研究

本课题研究的主要目的是摸索出一种矿渣水化的新方法,以便解决目前矿渣利用中存在的部分问题。通过化学分析、无侧限抗压强度、SEM电镜分析等试验,研究了矿渣复合胶凝材料的水化反应机理。结果表明,以NaCl作为激发剂的矿渣复合胶凝材料各组成成分存在最佳配比。该材料主要由工业固体废弃物组成,具有良好的力学性能,早期强度高,强度值能够达到32.5R水泥的要求。     

Use of animal proteins as foaming agent in cementitious concrete composites manufactured with recycled PET aggregates

Manufacturing of lightweight building materials is identified as an alternative procedure for valorising reused materials. With intent to valorise two wastes of food industry at the same time, this paper describes an innovative use of animal protein as foaming agent while consumed plastic bottle wastes are introduced as light aggregates.Relative changes in properties of concrete composites due to introducing proteins are experimentally investigated here.The results presented show that the two wastes clearly improve the flowability of the mortar. Both mechanical properties and bulk density of the composites are affected too, but thermal conductivity is improved. In this way, the obtained composites would appear to be low-cost materials which would contribute to resolving some of the solid waste problems in addition to conserving energy.     

Underground disposal of hazardous waste in Israel – Design principles and conceptual approach

The careless or unprofessional handling of hazardous wastes in many places around the world led to severe damage of nature, concurrent with considerable long-term health risks to human beings. This motivated several countries to develop new secure and sustainable waste management strategies in order to enhance the future quality of nature and life. The process of world globalization and the coalescence of its markets increased the importance of formulation and implementation of accepted environmental standards. The rising environmental and ecological awareness in Israel puts the contemporary and common waste handling practices under close scrutiny. An intensive exchange of experiences with other countries is called for, so that the responsible authorities can formulate improved and sustainable waste management strategies, which are specifically tailored to the particular environmental, demographic, economic and political conditions of Israel.The German environmental protection and waste legislation demands an underground disposal of highly contaminated wastes, in order to guarantee that harmful substances are excluded durably from the biosphere. In view of its size and the political situation in Israel, this way of waste disposal seems to be an appropriate waste management strategy aimed at minimising the environmental risks, and the harmful effect of hostile actions against deposits of hazardous wastes. The German waste management policies and practices, which are based on many years of experience, are reviewed first as a guideline for safe long-term underground disposal of hazardous wastes in Israel. Using these guidelines, potentially suitable locations in Israel are selected with special reference to their geohydrological, geological and geomechanical conditions, and then they were evaluated using environmental criteria derived from German standards of waste disposal. The results of this preliminary environmental evaluation, and some relevant geomechanical designs, are presented and discussed. Finally, economic aspects, and further steps, which are needed to safeguard future implementation of the underground disposal system, are considered.