Marine shale and the Hazwaste recycling debate

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Hazmat World; (United States)

OSTI ID:5504189

Bishop, J

This paper reports that Marine Shale Processors, Inc. (St. Rose, La.), and the Hazardous Waste Treatment Council (Washington, D.C.), an industry trade association, are at the focus of a controversy whose resolution has significant implications for the respective definitions, concepts and legal statuses of hazardous-waste incineration and recycling. Marine Shale Processors (MSP) claims it recycles hazardous wastes from a variety of government and commercial sources by blending it and treating it thermally in a large rotary kiln to produce non-hazardous aggregate material, which is sold for construction, road-building or other purposes. The Hazardous Waste Treatment Council (HWTC) and others allege that, under the provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), MSP is operating an unpermitted hazardous-waste incinerator. According to HWTC officials, MSP's identification as a recycler is inappropriate and has allowed the company unfairly to avoid permitting costs and formal compliance with RCRA standards and regulations. Recently, the Louisiana legislature passed laws declaring that hazardous-waste recyclers in the state must meet the same standards as permitted hazardous-waste incinerators. At press time, a hearing before the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to determine MSP's status as a recycler under the new laws was set for Sept. 29. Since all parties in the debate over Marine Shale's industry role appear to agree that the controversy is central to the emerging issue of establishing clear distinctions between recycling and hazardous-waste destruction, this article describes the arguments on both sides as these stood in mid-September.

• OSTI ID: 5504189
• Journal Information: Hazmat World; (United States), Journal Name: Hazmat World; (United States) Vol. 1:3; ISSN HMWOE; ISSN 0898-5685
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320305* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Industrial Waste Management
AIR QUALITY
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COMPLIANCE
ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INCINERATORS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
LAWS
MATERIALS
OXIDATION
POLLUTION LAWS
RECYCLING
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
SAFETY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
US RESOURCE RECOVERY ACTS
WASTES