Hazardous Waste Management

Hazardous waste (HW) is defined as any substance, in solid, liquid or gaseous form, which has no use in future and which causes danger or is likely to cause danger to health and environment.

The hazardous waste requires to be disposed of in a secured manner in view of their characteristic properties. When HWs are not used efficiently by the waste generators, they cause severe pollution of land, surface, and ground water.

Components of Hazardous Waste Management

• Identification of hazardous waste generation by industries and other sources.

• Characterization of hazardous waste pertaining to physical, chemical, and general characteristics and properties pertaining to ignitability, corrosiveness, reactivity and toxicity.

• Quantification of hazardous waste in order to facilitate safe disposal.

• Identification of sites for disposal.

• Environmental impact assessment should be conducted and public acceptance should be accepted for the sites.

• Hazardous waste management rules are notified to ensure safe handling, generation, processing, treatment, package, storage, transportation, use reprocessing, collection, conversion, and offering for sale, destruction, and disposal of hazardous waste.

Proper treatment, storage prior to treatment or disposal of hazardous waste is the need of the hour. Governments should make provisions for and prepare guidelines for the industries and other hazardous waste generating sources for safe disposal or treatment of hazardous waste.