Expert: Nick Sparks Date: 3/17/2006 Subject: Hazardus waste
Question Hi Nick,
I am presently involved with a research project involving the future of hazardous waste management in the EU.
I would be interested to hear your views on the subject looking from the practicle side of life. Also if you have any leads i may be able to follow i would appreciate your input.
Many thanks,
Andy.
Answer Hi Andy,
Thanks for writing. I will share some thoughts that may or may not be helpful.
Much of my personal experience is based on years and years of examining trash -- the stuff people actually throw out, how they throw it out, and under what circumstances. Yes, it is filthy work! Yes, I love it!
Here are some observations I have about household hazardous waste (HHW) based on my experience:
1. People tend to throw out HHW when they are moving.
2. About one third of people try to hide their HHW in a dumpster, under other stuff.
3. Even smart people have trouble knowing what is hazardous, both actually and relatively.
4. Most people think the big problem is paint cans.
5. HHW poses a significant threat to the health and safety of recycling plant workers.
6. HHW collections programs and laws barely touch the problem.
Here are some areas I think need more focus:
1. The items in the trash of most threat to recycling plant workers are fluorescant lamps, pesticides, and volatiles such as solvents.
2. It seems to make sense to focus regulatory energy on mercury- containing items and the items listed in #1 above.
3. William Rathje's research, via the "Garbage Project," suggests that paint is fairly benign, and in modern landfills tends to get sprayed about on the trash and stay put. Paint is annoying for recycling plant workers, however. When a vehicle runs over a gallon of pink paint and everyone is sprayed, it is not a happy time. (See Rathje's excellent book "Rubbish")
4. Laws regulating the handling of HHW have an unintended negative effect in that they prevent rubbish carting companies (particularly dumpster and skip rentals) from providing a special box within the dumpster for HHW. Were such companies authorized to collect, package and ship such material it would be possible to route them away from the sorting floor and dump.
5. Laws that make it more difficult to "do the right thing" with a waste usually backfire. (See Rathje on how HHW turns up in the trash in greater volume AFTER a local collection day event.)
5. I would like to see a code, much like that on plastic containers, that would help consumers classify HHW by type and danger, including toxicity and flammability. This might have a socially desireable impact on purchasing decisions.
Keep in mind I am based in the USA and my observations are solely based on that.
