UNIT 8 Flashcards
Hazardous Waste
Any material that can be harmful to human health or the environment if it is not properly disposed of
Hazardous Waste contains…
Carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic compounds
95%…
of the country’s hazardous waste is not regulated by law
Resources Conservation and Recovery Act 1976 (RCRA)
Prohibited open burning in dumps, EPA must identify hazardous wastes and set standards for their management by states, firms that produce more than 220 lbs/mo. Must have permit stating how wastes will be managed, cradle to grave tracking from production to disposal of hazardous waste
Superfund 1980
Law passes to clean up abandoned toxic waste dumps
CERCLA
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
Brownfields
Industrial and commercial sites that have been abandoned and in most cases abandoned (Empty factories, junkyards, old landfills)
Ways to apprach hazardous waste
Produce less of it, reuse or reycle it, convert it to less-hazardous materials, safely store what is left
Forms of hazardous waste stored
Burial on land or long-term storage, deep-well disposal, surface impoundments, secure hazardous waste landfills
Deep well injection
drilling a hole in the ground that’s below the water table to hold waste
Deep well injection advantages
safe is sites are chosen carefully, wastes can often be retrieved, low cost
Deep well injection disadvantages
leaks from corrosion of well casing, emits CO2 and other air pollutants, output approach that encourages waste production
Surface impoundment
a pond that has a sealed bottom which stores waste, creation of shallow pools that evaporate hazardous liquids
Surface impoundment advantages
low cost, wastes can often be retrieved, can store wastes indefinitely with secure double liners
Surface impoundment disadvantages
water pollution from leaking liners and overflows, air pollution from VOCs, output approach that encourages waste production
Bioremiditaion
the use of either naturally occurring or deliberately introduced microorganisms or other forms of life to consume and break down environmental pollutants, in order to clean up a polluted site.
Phytoremediation
A method employed to clean up a hazardous waste site that uses plants to absorb and accumulate toxic materials
Cyclodextrins
a type of sugar made from corn starch to remove toxic materials such as solvents, pesticides, and hydrocarbons from contaminated soil and groundwater
Solutions to hazardous waste
not produce waste in the first place
Basel Convention
an international treaty on the control of transboundary hazardous wastes and their disposa
Hazard
something can cause injury, disease, economic loss or environmental damage
Risk =
harm x exposure
Risk Management
using strategies to reduce the amount of risk (the degree of likelihood that a person will become ill upon exposure to a toxin or pathogen).
Types of Hazards
cultural, chemical, physical, biological
Cultural Hazard
drugs, drinking, unsafe sex, smoking, working conditions, and poverty
Chemical Hazard
harmful chemicals in our environment
Physical/Natural Disaster Hazard
radiation, fire, earthquakes
Biological Hazard
pathogens, pollen, animals, etc
Toxicology
study of poisonous substances and their effects upon body parts
Toxicity
a measure of how harmful a substance is
Dose
amount exposed to
Response
the resulting type and amount of damage to health
Acute effect
immediate reaction (dizziness, rash, etc)
Chronic effect
permanent damage (liver or kidney damage)
Bioaccumulation
increase in the concentration of a chemical in specific organs or tissues at a higher level than is normally expected
Biomagnification
accumulation of pollutants at successive levels of the food chain; toxins are magnified as they pass through the food chain (DDT, PCB’s); are stored in body fat and affect during gestation or egg laying and during nursing stages
Chemical Interaction
involves the production of chemical growth inhibitors or toxins released by an individual
Antagonistic interaction
reduce the harmful reponse
Antagonistic interaction
reduce the harmful reponse
Synergistic interaction
multiplies harmful effects
Poison
a substance that causes illness, injury or death if taken into the body or produced within the body; a chemical with an LD50 of 50 mg or less/kg of body weight
Super toxic poisons
nerve gases, dioxin, mushrooms, botulism
Extremely toxic poisons
potassium cyanide, heroin, nicotine, atropine
Very toxic poisons
mercury salts, morphine, codeine
Toxic poisons
lead salts, DDT, sodium hydroxide, fluoride, caffeine, sulfuric acid
Moderately toxic poisons
methyl alcohol, ether, kerosine, aspirin
Slightly toxic poisons
ethyl alcohol, lysol, soaps
Essentially non toxic poisons
water, glycerin, table salt
dose-response curve
Plot of data showing effects of various doses of a toxic agent on a group of test organisms.
Acute toxicity test
show effects on test organism
Control group
not exposed
Test group
exposed
Hazardous chemicals cause harm by
being flammable or explosive, irritate skin or lungs, interfere with oxygen intake, induce allergic reactions
Mutagens
Cause mutations or changes in DNA molecules - chemical and radiation
Teratogens
Can cause birth defects while embryo is developing during pregnancy - especially the first three months
examples of teratogens
PCBs, Thalidomide, Steroids, Hormones, Heavy metals (Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, etc)
Carcinogens
Cancer causing agents
Metastasis
The spread of cancer cells beyond their original site
Immune System
Cells and tissues that protect the body against disease and harmful substances
Antibodies
attack alien invaders and mark them for attack from other immune cells
Cellular defense
kill invaders
Nervous System
brain, spinal cord, nerves
Endocrine System
Consists of glands that control many of the body’s activities by producing hormones; control sexual reproduction, growth, development, and behavior in humans
Hormones are…
produced by organs and tissues
Hormone blockers
prevent natural hormones such as androgens from attaching to their receptors
thyroid disrupters
affect growth, weight, brain development, etc.
Thyroid disrupter examples
dioxins, PCB’s, chemicals in plastics, pesticides, lead
Non-transmissible Disease
These types of disease cannot be passed from organism to organism (not caused by living organisms)
Non-transmissible Disease examples
Cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, bronchitis, emphysema, and malnutrition
Transmissible Disease
caused by living organisms - can be spread from person to person
Pathogens
organisms that cause disease
Vectors
insects and non human carriers
Increase spread of disease
migration, reducing biodiversity, climate change, natural disaster, etc.
Toxic waste
can injure or kill and must be disposed of without harming or polluting
Solid waste
cannot go down sewage system; must be disposed of
The US produces…
33% of the world’s waste
98.5% of solid waste in the US comes from…
mining, oil and natural gas production, agriculture, and industrial services
industrial waste
Waste from production of consumer goods, mining, agriculture and petroleum extraction and refining
Municipal Solid Waste
Waste produced by households and businesses (1.5% comes from homes and businesses)
Reuse
to use something again
Recycle
The process of making new products from materials that were used in another product.
Primary recycling
materials are recycled into new products of the same type
Secondary recycling
waste materials are converted into different products
open loop
waste materials are converted into different products
pay as you throw
A policy in some communities where residents are charged by the bag or by the pound to dispose of leaves and grass clippings in order to encourage recycling and composting
Petrochemicals
leading producers of hazardous waste
Incineration
the burning of solid waste
Incineration advantages
reduces waste volume by 90%, waste heat can be used.
Incineration disadvantages
high cost, air pollution, highly toxic ash, encourages waste production
Leachate
polluted liquid produced by water passing through buried wastes in a landfill
sanitary landfill
A place to deposit solid waste, where a layer of earth is bulldozed over garbage each day to reduce emissions of gases and odors from the decaying trash, to minimize fires, and to discourage vermin.
Carcinogen
A cancer-causing substance
Biomagnifies
accumulates and causes muscle weakness, vision loss, memory loss
Disruptors in Endocrine system have
similar shapes and bind to hormone receptors (mimics and block the hormone)
Chloroform
Source: chlorine-treated water in hot showers
Threat: cancer
Para-dichlorobenzene
Source: air fresheners, mothball crystals
Threat: cancer
Tetrachloroethylene
Source: dry-cleaning fluid, fumes on clothes
Threat: nerve disorders, damage to liver and kidneys, possible cancer
Formaldehyde
Source: furniture stuffing, paneling, particleboard, foam insulation
Threat: irritation of eyes, throat, skin, and lungs; nausea; dizziness
Styrene
Source: carpets, plastic products
Threat: kidney and liver damage
Benzo-a-pyrene
Source: tobacco smoke, woodstoves
Threat: lung cancer
Radon-222
Source: radioactive soil and rock surrounding foundation, water supply
Threat: lung cancer
Tobacco Smoke
Source: cigarettes
Threat: lung cancer, respiratory ailments, heart diseases
methylene chloride
Source: paint strippers and thinners
Threat: nerve disorders, diabetes
carbon monoxide
Source: faulty furnaces, unvented gas stoves, kerosene heaters, and wood stoves
Threats: headaches, drowsiness, irregular heartbeat, death
Asbestos
Source: pipe insultation, vinyl ceiling and floor tiles
Threat: lung disease and cancer
Particulates
Source: pollen, pet dander, dust mites, cooking smoke particles
Threat: irritated lungs, asthma attacks, itchy eyes, running nose, lung disease
nitrogen oxides
Source: unvented gas stoves and kerosene heaters, wood stoves
Threat: irritated lungs, cold, headache
Trichloroethane
Source: aerosol sprays
Threat: dizziness, irregular breathing
