Page 30 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

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Part I

Historical and Regulatory

Development

The term solid waste is a rather generic one, used to describe those materials that are of little or no
value to humans; in the same vein, disposal may be preferred rather than use. Solid wastes have
been categorized by citizens and governments alike as municipal solid waste, domestic waste, and
household waste. As we shall see, however, the regulatory definition of solid waste is a highly inclu-
sive one, incorporating hazardous wastes, nonhazardous industrial wastes, sewage sludges from
wastewater treatment plants, along with garbage, rubbish, and trash. However, not all of the above
wastes are necessarily managed in the same manner or disposed in the same facility. The definition
only serves as a starting point for more detailed management decisions.
Until recently, waste was given a low priority in the conference rooms of municipal, state, and
federal offices responsible for public health and safety. Waste management has now become a press-
ing concern for industrial societies because they produce large volumes of waste as a result of eco-
nomic growth and lifestyle choices. There have been concomitant concerns regarding the inherent
hazards of many such materials, as well as the cost of their overall management and disposal.
Over the past decade and a half, significant legislation has been enacted for the purpose of pro-
tecting humans and the local environment from the effects of improper waste management and dis-
posal. Additionally, a wide range of economic incentives (e.g., grants and tax breaks) have been
made available to municipalities, corporations, and universities to support waste reduction, recy-
cling, and other applications of an integrated waste management program. Some have proven highly
successful.
Part 1 provides the reader with a framework within which to establish a context for the man-
agement of many types of wastes. Following the Introduction is a history of waste management and
then a discussion of regulatory development in waste management.