Wastes endure

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · Environment; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00139157.1977.9928623· OSTI ID:5188294

Crossland, J

Of an estimated 110 million tons of waste produced each year by industry alone, 10 million tons are nonradioactive hazardous wastes. The wastes include a wide variety of chemicals which may be toxic, flammable or explosive. The wastes may be a public health hazard, or they may be persistent in the environment and a threat to plant and animal life. One of the most serious results of improper land disposal of toxic wastes has been the contamination of groundwater, sometimes leading to contamination of well water. Air pollution can occur near open dumps and sanitary landfills. Some hazardous chemicals may evaporate or volatilize causing air contamination, for example, vinyl chloride monomer, a chemical which causes angiosarcoma is volatile and has been detected in the air over landfill sites where it has been dumped. By April 1978, the EPA is to devise standards or regulatory procedures for the safe handling of wastes. The standards will cover those who generate and transport wastes as well as those who run disposal facilities. The advantages and problems of recycling are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 5188294
• Journal Information: Environment; (United States), Journal Name: Environment; (United States) Vol. 19:5; ISSN ENVTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
GROUND WATER
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MONOMERS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RECYCLING
SANITARY LANDFILLS
STANDARDS
TOXIC MATERIALS
VINYL MONOMERS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
WELLS