EnvironmentalHazards-courses.psu.edu.pptVIP

Environmental Hazards Natural phenomena Human Activities Controlling environmental hazards: goal of reducing risk to human life and health Is zero risk attainable? Five Major Areas of Environmental Concern Re. Health Waste management Air pollution Outdoor air Indoor air Water pollution Radiation Wastes and Environmental Hazards Four contributing factors Urbanization Industrialization Population growth Introduction of disposable products and containers Solid Waste and Its Management Solid waste as part of modern life Four major sources Agricultural Mining Industry 5% Municipalities/Domestic Sources 5% Solid Waste Management Aimed primarily at municipal and industrial wastes Formation of Environmental Protection Agengy (1970) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1975 (RCRA) Integrated waste management approach Approx. 80% of money spent on municipal waste management spend on collection process Disposal of Solid Wastes Sanitary Landfills Incineration Resource Recovery (Recycling) Source Reduction Waste Management in Pennsylvania (1996) Act 101 requires all counties to have detailed plans for managing their own wastes; currently, all have municipally ratified, state-approved plans At beginning of 1996, Pennsylvania had 51 permitted municipal waste landfills and 7 waste-to-energy facilities, with a combined capacity for 10-13 years Hazardous Waste Management Definition of hazardous waste Prior to RCRA, hazardous waste was generally disposed of in a dump or landfill, along with other solid wastes Four characteristics making a waste hazardous: Ignitability Corrosiveness Reactivity Toxicity Dual problems faced today: Appropriately disposing of new hazardous waste Correcting mishandling errors of the past Five Approaches to Hazardous Waste Management Secured Landfill Deep Well Injection Incineration Recycling Source Reduction Hazardous Waste Cleanup Federal government as primary participant 1980 -- Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act