Hazardous Waste Receptacle

Waste receptacles are used to collect trash. However, the same receptacle cannot be used to collect every kind of trash. Based on the unique requirement of every kind of facility (schools, hospital, apartments) waste receptacles that is used must be effective. The kind of receptacles used for hazardous materials is of utmost importance and educated decisions must be taken by the facility that has to dispose hazardous wastes.

Although the dangers of disposing hazardous wastes improperly by pouring down the drain into the sewers or releasing it into the ocean is not immediately obvious, these wastes have the potential of contaminating septic tanks, water treatment plants and can also cause water based animals and fishes to die.

Let us first analyze what wastes are considered as hazardous:

• Biological Waste: This kind of waste include all sharp, contaminated objects like needles, scalpels syringes and expired medicines. Raw meat is also considered as biological wastes. These wastes are seen mainly in hospitals, clinics, restaurants, poultry farms and with the butchers.
• Chemical Waste: These wastes include ignitable, corrosive, reactive and toxic wastes. These wastes are seen in chemical labs, biomedical research labs and hospitals.
• Radioactive Wastes: This kind of waste includes all radioactive materials and the metal lead. These wastes are seen in chemical labs, biomedical research labs.

Hazardous Waste Receptacle

As a general rule, all hazardous receptacles should be designed in a way that the user will never have to touch the lid of the receptacle. The two options therefore available are that it should either be open or should have a pedal that opens and closes the lid when pressed with the foot. Open receptacles can be used in case of broken glass materials but care should be taken that these receptacles are emptied at regular intervals and are placed such that they do not topple over. Closed receptacles are recommended for biodegradable and chemical wastes, especially radioactive wastes. Medical waste receptacles should be emptied on a regular basis to ensure that the medicine does not fall in the wrong hands.

Further, it is recommended that for all biological hazardous wastes, the receptacle be lined with a waste bag that will help in safe disposal of the wastes. The disposable bag should have a 3 mil polyethylene construction and should also meet the dart impact resistance test of 165g.

Some of the standard features that all hazardous waste receptacles should have are:

• Heavy gauge metal should be used on the outer and inner sides of the receptacles to provide protection against burning, smoke and fumes.
• The receptacles should be sturdy and rust proof.
• The receptacles should have a vapor barrier that will prevent mildew and will also help in protecting the floors.

Hazardous Waste Management

Hazardous materials which threaten living things are used almost daily by many households and businesses. The wastes produced by these materials are equally harmful and are known as hazardous wastes and must be handled in special ways to prevent any harm to human health, wildlife and the environment.

Hazardous Waste Management programs are deployed by each state in the United States that helps the businesses and households identify and dispose the hazardous wastes. Further, they also help with the treatment of hazardous wastes. These wastes are treated to minimize their volume and make disposal easier or to make the waste less toxic else to enhance the recovery and reusability of the waste components in a solution of waste materials.

The different modes of treatment used are physical, chemical, biological or thermal and depends on the kind of the waste. Physical treatment is used to separate the solid matter from the liquids by using mechanical devices. Chemical treatments are used to neutralize, precipitate, oxidize or reduce the quantity of the chemical component with the help of acids and bases. Biological treatment comprises of biodegrading diluted organic wastes while thermal treatments are used to bring about vaporization, oxidation and other similar effects of solid and liquid components.

A number of new technologies are currently being tested and evaluated for managing, treating and finally destroying the hazardous wastes. Some of these technologies are low temperature oxidation (also known as critical water), chlorine removal, vitrification, extraction and concentration and biodegradation.

Hazardous wastes are so named as they can cause death of living organisms. We have a moral obligation as humans to ensure that if we are involved in a profession that produces hazardous wastes then we must make every effort to reduce the volume of the waste produced, store the waste effectively and finally use efficient methods to dispose the waste that is produced in a safe manner.