What are methods for safe handling of hazardous waste and hazardous materials?

Answer 1

The proper method for handling hazardous waste or other hazardous materials depends entirely on what the material is and what kind of hazard it presents. There is no universal rule that is sufficient of itself.

In most cases disposal of hazardous materials will need to be taken care of by a licensed company as it usually needs to be tested to find out what exactly is being disposed of. A good example and one that usually isn't properly legislated is used oil. Most used oil contains metal particles as well as other fluids that are in your vehicle.

Methods for handling hazardous waste/ materials include:

• First In and First Out
• Inspect HM storage area weekly
• Label all containers
• Ensure compatible storage
• Check storage monthly

Methods for disposal of hazardous waste/ materials include:

• Incineration, i.e. complete burning of waste at temperature of about 1600 degrees Celsius.
• Landfill. This can creates problems such as soil pollution and ground water pollution through leaching. The thoughtful selection of landfill sites is very important, as the dumping of radioactive wastes at landfill sites can pose serious health problems. Therefore the landfill area should be away from populations.In areas where the terrain permits hazardous waste can be packed in titanium/metallic containers and stored in mountain caverns. This method is best suited for radioactive waste.