HAZARDOUS WASTES AND THE ANTHROSPHERE

21.12 HAZARDOUS WASTES AND THE ANTHROSPHERE

As the part of the environment where humans process substances, the anthro- sphere is the source of most hazardous wastes. These materials may come from manufacturing, transportation activities, agriculture, and any one of a number of activities in the anthrosphere. Hazardous wastes may be in any physical form and may include liquids, such as spent halogenated solvents used in degreasing parts; semisolid sludges, such as those generated from the gravitation separation of oil- water-solids mixtures in petroleum refining; and solids, such as baghouse dusts from the production of pesticides.

Releases of hazardous wastes from the anthrosphere commonly occur through incidents such as spills of liquids, accidental discharge of gases or vapors, fires, and explosions. 7 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations designed to minimize such accidental releases from the anthrosphere and to deal with them when they occur are contained in 40 CFR 265.31 (Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 265.31). Under these regulations, hazardous-waste generators are required to have specified equipment, trained personnel, and procedures that protect human health in the event of a release, and that facilitate remediation if a release occurs. An effective means of communication for summoning help and giving emergency instruction must be available. Also required are firefighting capabilities including fire extinguishers and adequate water. To deal with spills, a facility is Releases of hazardous wastes from the anthrosphere commonly occur through incidents such as spills of liquids, accidental discharge of gases or vapors, fires, and explosions. 7 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations designed to minimize such accidental releases from the anthrosphere and to deal with them when they occur are contained in 40 CFR 265.31 (Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 265.31). Under these regulations, hazardous-waste generators are required to have specified equipment, trained personnel, and procedures that protect human health in the event of a release, and that facilitate remediation if a release occurs. An effective means of communication for summoning help and giving emergency instruction must be available. Also required are firefighting capabilities including fire extinguishers and adequate water. To deal with spills, a facility is

be used should be available as well. As noted above, hazardous wastes originate in the anthrosphere. However, to a large extent, they move, have effects, and end up in the anthrosphere as well. Large quantities of hazardous substances are moved by truck, rail, ship, and pipeline. Spills and releases from such movement, ranging from minor leaks from small containers to catastrophic releases of petroleum from wrecked tanker ships, are a common occurrence. Much effort in the area of environmental protection can be profitably devoted to minimizing and increasing the safety of the transport of hazardous substances through the anthrosphere.

In the United States, the transportation of hazardous substances is regulated through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). One of the ways in which this is done is through the manifest system of documentation designed to accomplish the following goals:

• Act as a tracking device to establish responsibility for the generation,

movement, treatment, and disposal of the waste. • By requiring the manifest to accompany the waste, such as during truck

transport, it provides information regarding appropriate actions to take during emergencies such as collisions, spills, fires, or explosions.

• Act as the basic documentation for recordkeeping and reporting. Many of the adverse effects of hazardous substances occur in the anthrosphere.

One of the main examples of such effects occurs as corrosion of materials that are strongly acidic or basic or that otherwise attack materials. Fire and explosion of hazardous materials can cause severe damage to anthrospheric infrastructure.

The fate of hazardous materials is often in the anthrosphere. One of the main examples of a material dispersed in the anthrosphere consists of lead-based anti- corrosive paints that are spread on steel structural members.