Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals that have been utilized in various industries worldwide since the 1940s. These chemicals are used in products such as non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, and firefighting foams. However, PFAS are highly persistent in the environment and the human body, which has led to them being dubbed “forever chemicals...
Tornadoes can be devastating events for many people. Not only do they destroy property and ruin lives, but they also leave behind a lot of debris that needs to be cleaned up. Cleaning up after a tornado is not just about removing the physical objects left on the ground – it’s also about disposing of any hazardous materials. In this blog post, we will cover safety tips for cleaning up...
Pressure-treated wood has been a staple of construction and demolition since the 1950s. It is used for decking, fencing, framing…you name it. Pressure-treated wood can be recycled but only in certain circumstances. This blog post will talk about pressure-treated wood and whether or not it is recyclable.
Landfills are carefully engineered disposal facilities, designed to combat the problems you can expect if you just throw trash into a hole in the ground. So rather than dumps, which are just designated areas to leave garbage, landfills involve inbuilt solutions to leaching, leakage, off-gassing, and more.
A construction site can generate construction and demolition (C&D) waste at a rate of 20 to 30 tons per hour. C&D waste is usually generated when buildings are demolished, remodeled or constructed. C&D recyclers have come up with creative ways to collect this material for recycling which has led to the creation of more jobs in the industry and less C&D waste going into landfills.
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) is the main federal law that governs solid and hazardous waste disposal in the USA. It was passed in 1976, as pollution from improper disposal of hazardous waste and the lack of a federal framework to ensure safe disposal became increasingly problematic.
‘Hazardous waste’ calls to mind glowing tubs of nuclear or biological residues. But in fact, every household and most businesses will generate some hazardous waste. This could be used lightbulbs or old batteries, residues from auto engine maintenance — or large quantities of sludges left over from complex chemical manufacturing, and everything in between. It all needs to be disposed of...
Across the USA, there are thousands of contaminated sites where hazardous materials have been dumped in inadequate locations. The EPA is responsible for cleaning those sites up and making them usable again. When the EPA identifies a site that needs to be cleaned up, it’s referred to as a Superfund site.
Waste can be broken down into types, based on how the law sees it and how it needs to be processed. Longstanding U.S. laws like 40 CFR part 261.31 define certain types of waste as hazardous. Other regulations define where certain types of waste have to be sent for disposal. Making your way through this maze can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be.
Bonus: Receive a full-color report outlining waste volumes and handler data, only available from Wastebits!
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