UNIT I STUDY GUIDE
Introduction to Industrial and
Hazardous Waste Management
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit I
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
6. Assess the impact of industrial and hazardous waste on human populations.
6.1 Appraise laws to reduce impacts of environmental hazards on human populations.
6.2 Determine the impact of toxic substances on human populations.
Course/Unit
Learning Outcomes
6.1
6.2
Learning Activity
Unit Lesson
Article: “Realist Review of Policy Intervention Studies Aimed at Reducing
Exposures to Environmental Hazards in the United States”
Unit I Essay
Unit Lesson
Article: “Resetting the TSCA Inventory: Why This Is Important”
Unit I Essay
Required Unit Resources
In order to access the following resources, click the links below.
Apollonio, D. E., Wolfe, N., & Bero, L. A. (2016). Realist review of policy intervention studies aimed at
reducing exposures to environmental hazards in the United States. BMC Public Health, 16(1), 1–15.
Retrieved from
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc
t=true&db=asn&AN=117563620&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Bergeson, L. L. (2017). Resetting the TSCA inventory: Why this is important. Environmental Quality
Management, 27(1), 121–126. Retrieved from
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc
t=true&db=bsu&AN=127191157&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Unit Lesson
Introduction
Welcome! This graduate class serves to strengthen your knowledge of industrial and hazardous waste
management. If you are already working in the industrial and hazardous waste discipline, it serves to broaden
and deepen your knowledge base. If you are working in a related discipline, it exposes you to new material
that can help at your current job or provide you with knowledge to enable a transition into the industrial and
hazardous waste field.
Regarding the discipline of industrial and hazardous waste, the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is one of the main purveyors of information about the topic. It is by far the main governmental
agency providing guidance on industrial and hazardous waste. In the Guide for Industrial Waste
Management, the document describes facility siting, characterizing waste, working with the public, monitoring
chemicals, and considering property closures (EPA, 2016).
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It is important to recognize that not all industrial wastes are hazardous. If a waste
is xdetermined
to be
UNIT
STUDY GUIDE
hazardous, then a much larger set of rules must be followed. Solid and hazardous
Titlewastes were initially
defined by the passage of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), often pronounced as rickrah. This seminal U.S. law was passed in 1976. It defined hazardous waste as:
A solid waste is a hazardous waste if it is specifically listed as a known hazardous waste or meets the
characteristics of a hazardous waste. Listed wastes are wastes from common manufacturing and
industrial processes, specific industries and can be generated from discarded commercial products.
Characteristic wastes are wastes that exhibit any one or more of the following characteristic
properties: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity or toxicity. (EPA, 2015a, para. 1)
Impact of Industrial and Hazardous Waste on Human Populations
Industrial and hazardous waste has a large impact on human populations. Obvious impacts include those to
human health. Less obvious are impacts to the environment. When flora and fauna are affected by hazardous
waste, the impact is felt by humans.
There are laws to reduce impacts of environmental hazards on human populations. Though RCRA, as
mentioned above, is the main U.S. law most often associated with solid and hazardous waste, other federal
laws also apply to industrial and hazardous waste. The most common of these circumjacent laws are as
follows.
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) specifically regulates chemicals and maintains a database
of their toxicity. TSCA will be discussed in more detail later.
The Clean Water Act (CWA) regulates activities that impact surface waters of the United States. For
instance, if an industrial waste treatment facility discharges its treated effluent to a river or lake, then
CWA regulations must be followed, and permits must be obtained (EPA, 2013b).
MEE 5801, Industrial and Hazardous Waste Management
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UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
Smoke stacks from industrial businesses cause atmospheric air pollution.
(Esolex, n.d.)
The Clean Air Act (CAA) regulates atmospheric discharges such as industrial facilities that have
smoke stacks. One of the main items promulgated by the EPA under the CAA are the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)—often pronounced as nakz. The NAAQS is a list of air
quality concentrations that cannot be exceeded at monitoring locations. The chemicals include
nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, and lead. If a region of
the country has been recognized by the EPA as a nonattainment area, then the region does not meet
one or more of the criteria in the NAAQS. If a new industrial facility is planned within the region, then
its output of air pollution must result in lower concentrations of the chemicals that are in
nonattainment. How can a company possibly build under such strict conditions? The solution is that
other polluting facilities in the region can close or be modernized with the overall impact (including the
impact of the new facility), resulting in less air pollution than before (EPA, 2013a).
Drums of unknown wastes floating in a body of water is a form
of pollution
(Botas, n.d.)
MEE 5801, Industrial and Hazardous Waste Management
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UNIT
STUDY GUIDE
Continuing with the discussion of relevant laws, the Safe Drinking Water
Actx (SDWA)
regulates
drinking-water sources. Drinking water sources are typically groundwater
Titleor surface water sources.
Regarding groundwater sources, the SDWA, through the EPA, requires water companies that utilize
groundwater to identify a groundwater protection area (GWPA). A GWPA is a protected surface
region to ensure that the groundwater aquifer is not contaminated. For instance, industrial activities
(including agriculture, mining, trains, or roads) are limited within the area. For surface water sources
such as lakes, there are limits and regular monitoring of the point sources (e.g., industrial discharge)
and nonpoint sources (e.g., diffuse agricultural runoff) of contamination that enters the lake (EPA,
2015b).
Though not the least or the last, the other main law impacting industrial and hazardous waste is the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). It is also
known as Superfund. This law specifically governs past practices of industrial wastes. It was passed
in 1980 with the realization that the 1976 RCRA only governs current practices. Back in 1980 (and
still today), there were many sites contaminated with hazardous wastes. Since the contamination
occurred prior to 1976, there were not strong laws regulating industrial and hazardous wastes. Thus,
CERCLA was passed and funded with hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up existing hazardous
waste sites. Over the years, CERCLA continues to be taxpayer funded, but it is supplemented by
industry taxes and by the principally responsible parties (PRP)—a CERCLA term. The primary parties
responsible for the waste sites are determined through lawsuits. As might be expected, many of the
polluting companies went out of business prior to being identified by the EPA as PRPs (EPA, 2015c).
Impact of Toxic Substances on Human Populations
The toxicity of a substance is one criterion used in the RCRA definition of a hazardous waste to determine
whether a solid waste is classified as hazardous. In addition to RCRA using toxicity in its classification, there
is another federal law dedicated to maintaining a list of toxic chemicals. It is the Toxic Substances Control Act
(TSCA), typically pronounced tos-kuh, which was passed in 1976. TSCA requires the EPA to keep an
inventory of toxic substances (EPA, 2013c). The inventory is updated to reflect new chemicals and to drop
chemicals that are no longer used. Bergeson (2017) explains that the TSCA chemical inventory is updated to
reflect that many of the approximately 85,000 chemicals in the inventory are no longer in commercial use. The
current list of chemicals can be found at the EPA website (2014).
Toxic substances can cause a
wide range of health effects on
humans. There can be sudden
effects or long-term, chronic
effects. Cancer would be a longterm effect that usually requires
years of exposure to appear.
There can be short- and longterm impacts to brain function,
skin lesions, nervous system
disorders, headaches, loss of
vision, coughing, asthma, fatigue,
heart disease, and many others.
In general, there can be impacts
to the respiratory system, renal
system, cardiovascular system,
reproductive system, nervous
system, immune system, skin, or
hepatic system (Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease
Registry, 2011). The hepatic
The Cancer Institute is an important research institute because cancer is
system is responsible for
a major health concern.
breaking down food.
(Igokapil, n.d.)
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Toxic substances injure the body by binding to enzymes. Enzymes are catalysts
for xreactions
within the body.
UNIT
STUDY GUIDE
If a toxic substance binds to an enzyme, the enzyme may not be able to perform
its intended function in the
Title
normal manner. A common toxic substance is carbon monoxide (CO), which results from incomplete
combustion of carbon-based fuels. CO binds to the enzyme hemoglobin, which decreases the body's ability to
move oxygen through the body. This can cause fainting and death if the person is not treated soon enough
(Chiras, 2016).
With industry comes industrial and hazardous waste. What are the best ways for a society to limit the
negative human health impacts of industrial activities? Apollonio, Wolfe, and Bero (2016) discuss the value of
regulatory bans on specific substances, the value of implementing educational programs, and the value of
monetary incentives for reducing particularly harmful practices. Each of the methods was evaluated based on
an analysis of human tissue samples; human chemical exposures; and samples of air, water, and soil. The
study found that outright bans of hazardous substances were most effective in improving human health and
environmental conditions. Educating people to change harmful behaviors was helpful during the education
period, but people often went back to their old ways after the education period ended. Economic interventions
where monetary incentives were provided to encourage people to switch to safer alternatives were of
marginal benefit.
The Apollonio et al. (2016) study provides a backdrop to this course. As you progress through the course,
think of the best way to minimize environmental and health impacts of industrial and hazardous waste. Not
only does the course show technological means for treating or reducing wastes and using alternative
processes, but the course also evaluates laws that are intended to encourage best practices.
Conclusion
This lesson has provided a look into the impact of industrial and hazardous waste on human populations. The
main law governing industrial and hazardous waste in the United States is the RCRA. This act aims to protect
the public and the environment from harm due to industrial waste. Many other laws also impact industrial and
hazardous waste. Of particular importance is the TSCA, which requires the EPA to keep a list of commercial
toxic substances. Due to the many chemicals being developed by industries, it is difficult to know if a human
symptom is due to exposure to a particular chemical. Commercial chemicals are generally developed to
improve the human condition, but they must be used and stored safely, and companies must be mindful of
waste generation.
References
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2011). Health effects of chemical exposure (ASTDR
Document No. CS214865-D). Retrieved from
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/emes/public/docs/Health%20Effects%20of%20Chemical%20Exposure%20
FS.pdf
Apollonio, D. E., Wolfe, N., & Bero, L. A. (2016). Realist review of policy intervention studies aimed at
reducing exposures to environmental hazards in the United States. BMC Public Health, 16(1), 1–15.
Retrieved from
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc
t=true&db=asn&AN=117563620&site=eds-live&scope=site
Bergeson, L. L. (2017). Resetting the TSCA inventory: Why this is important. Environmental Quality
Management, 27(1), 121–126. Retrieved from
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc
t=true&db=bsu&AN=127191157&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Botas, S. (n.d.). Pollution (ID 68812222) [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.dreamstime.com/stockphoto-pollution-tin-barrels-floating-oily-water-surface-image68812222
Chiras, D. D. (2016). Environmental science (10th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett.
MEE 5801, Industrial and Hazardous Waste Management
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Esolex. (n.d.). Atmospheric air pollution from industrial smoke now (ID 103449078)
Retrieved
UNIT [Photograph].
x STUDY GUIDE
from https://www.dreamstime.com/atmospheric-air-pollution-industrial-smoke-now-atmospheric-airTitle
pollution-industrial-smoke-now-pipes-steel-plant-thick-image103449078
Igokapil. (n.d.). Cancer institute label (ID 32876289) [Photograph]. Retrieved from
https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-images-cancer-institut-label-gown-chair-medical-staffinstitute-somewhere-as-symbol-hope-patient-which-images-image32876289
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2013a). Summary of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. §7401 et
seq. (1970). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-air-act
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2013b). Summary of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §1251
et seq. (1972). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2013c). Summary of the Toxic Substances Control Act.
Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-toxic-substances-control-act
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2014). TSCA chemical substance inventory. Retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/tsca-inventory
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2015a). Defining hazardous waste: Listed, characteristic
and mixed radiological wastes. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/hw/defining-hazardous-wastelisted-characteristic-and-mixed-radiological-wastes
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2015b). Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/sdwa
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2015c). Superfund: CERCLA overview. Retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-cercla-overview
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2016). Guide for industrial waste management. Retrieved
from https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-03/documents/industrial-waste-guide.pdf
Suggested Unit Resources
In order to access the following resources, click the links below.
This video segment from the program Regionalization/Solid Waste Management Success Stories gives good
insight on how per capita waste generation and population has increased over the past decades.
Wild Hare Productions (Producer). (1999). Per capita and industrial waste generation (Segment 8 of 15)
[Video file]. Retrieved from
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPl
aylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=11473&loid=59508
The transcript for this video can be found by clicking on “Transcript” in the gray bar to the right of the video in
the Films on Demand database.
To learn more about the toxic chemical substances inventory, please visit the following web page.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2014). TSCA chemical substance inventory. Retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/tsca-inventory
MEE 5801, Industrial and Hazardous Waste Management
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To learn more about the definition of a hazardous waste, please visit this web UNIT
page.x STUDY GUIDE
Title
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2014). Defining hazardous waste: Listed, characteristic and
mixed radiological wastes. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/hw/defining-hazardous-waste-listedcharacteristic-and-mixed-radiological-wastes
The following website links to the 478-page document Guide for Industrial Waste Management. It is helpful for
industry, government, and citizens who are interested in, or work with, industrial wastes.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2016). Guide for industrial waste management. Retrieved
from https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-03/documents/industrial-waste-guide.pdf
Learning Activities (Nongraded)
Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit
them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information.
This Unit I EPA Characteristics of Waste interactive activity relates to some of the terms mentioned in the unit
lesson and required readings. Complete the activity to reinforce your understanding of the terms for this unit.
(PDF of Unit I EPA activity)
MEE 5801, Industrial and Hazardous Waste Management
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