8. Swan Hills Waste Treatment Plant

Question 1

Swan Hills TC

Answer 1

• now called treatment center
• opened in 1987
• 250km NW of Edmonton
• first fully integrated HW treatment facility in North America

Question 2

Treats:

Answer 2

>250,000 tonnes of hazardous waste
Treats all hazardous waste except:
	-radioactive
	-biohazardous
	-explosive

Question 3

Accepted waste streams

Answer 3

• liquids, solids, sludges

- not gases

Question 4

Primary components of Swan hills TC

Answer 4

• Incineration facility (2 high temp. rotary kilns)
• Physical/chemical processing and neutralization facility
• Stabilization plant
• DWI facility
• Landfill (class I industrial)

Question 5

2 main purposes of incineration

Answer 5

• volume reduction (approx. 90% reduction)
• Toxicity reduction (destroys molecular structure and thereby destroys the waste toxicity as toxicity is related to structure not elemental composition)

Question 6

Hydrocarbons and incineration

Answer 6

-produces CO2 and H2O

Question 7

Halogenated organics, N, S or P containing compounds and incineration:

Answer 7

• produce acid rain when water added
• alkaline scrubbers used to control halogenated, S and P containing
• Catalytic converter will convert N containing compounds to N2 and CO2

Question 8

Trichloroethylene and incineration

Answer 8

• produces very toxic gases

- dealt with by adding methane to the kilne –> H2O, CO2 and HCl

Question 9

Dioxins, Furans and particulate matter incineration

Answer 9

• very toxic to humans

- removed with fabric filters (baghouses)

Question 10

Stabilization

Answer 10

• flyash and bottom ash from incineration
• solids from phsyical and chemical treatment processes
• solid hazardous waste containing heavy metals or other toxic waste not suitable for other treatment methods

PURPOSE: immobilize heavy metals and other contaminants in a non-leachable concrete like substance

Question 11

SH Landfill Cells

Answer 11

• location chosen based on geology of area
• impermeable clays
• 11 landfill cells
• 9 full and capped
• each 96000 m^3 capacity

Question 12

Swanhills monitoring programs (7)

Answer 12

• leachate
• air
• groundwater
• soils
• surface water
• vegetation
• wildlife

Question 13

Cradle to grave tracking

Answer 13

• manifests
• certificate of destruction
  
  • issued to generator once waste destroyed