Toxic Waste

Contamination
By Erica Guo

What is the issue?

Hazardous wastes have properties that can
make them dangerous to human health or
the environment.
They include: organic compounds, toxic
heavy metals, and radioactive waste.
They include solids, liquids, and gaseous
compounds.
Where can they come from? They are leftover
from the manufacturing processes. They are
often discarded used materials, or
commercial products, such as cleaning fluids
(solvents) or pesticides.

Why is this an issue?

The name, toxic waste, itself, is enough to
raise alarm.
The waste can harm humans, animals, and
plants. These toxins are found in the
ground, stream runoff, groundwater that
supplies drinking water for humans and
animals alike, or in floodwaters, as after
Hurricane Katrina.
Toxins like mercury remain in the
environment and accumulate. They seep into
the food chain. Humans or animals often
absorb them when they eat fish.

Love Canal Crisis

Love Canal was an example of a national
disaster that resulted.
A small town in New York was built above a
hollow excavation.
A plastics corporation contaminated the
Love Canal.
Afterward, the area around the covered
landfill was developed extensively.
Many people got sick as a result.
Due to improper care, houses quite literally
sunk into the ground.

2006 Ivory Coast Toxic Waste Crisis

In 2006, Trafigura refined large amounts of coker naptha
(unrefined gasoline).
In the process, they had been producing more than 500m3 of
difficult-to-dispose toxic waste.
Trafigura contracted an unlicensed local company that
dispersed the waste across several public landfills in the Ivory
Coast city of Abidjan.
Fifteen people died. Over 100,000 more sought medical
treatment for respiratory difficulties, nausea, and more.
Trafigura was never held criminally liable

Solutions for Toxic Waste Contamination

Americas Position on this Issue

In America, the Federal Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) as well as state departments of environmental
protection handles this.
According to EPA, hazardous waste MUST be handled with
special precautions..
Waste must be disposed of in designated facilities, which
costs money.
EPA began regulating hazardous waste in 1976.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulates
wastes, and lists some but not all of the wastes that EPA
considers hazardous. It should be updated to include
more
Substances that are not on the list but are toxic are also
considered hazardous waste and subject to EPAs rules.
The Superfund Act contains rules about cleaning up
hazardous waste that was dumped illegally.

Sources
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/02/world/africa/02ivory.html?pagewan
ted=all&_r=0
http://www.damninteresting.com/the-tragedy-of-the-love-canal/
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming
/toxic-waste-overview/
http://mentalfloss.com/article/17815/americas-nastiest-toxic-waste-dum
ps-and-whether-or-not-you-live-near-one