1 / 27

Health Hazards and Waste Management

Health Hazards and Waste Management. Laura Chisholm, Jenna McInnis, Michelle Cleary, Connor McGuire, Ryan Taylor and Nick Salahor. Waste. anything discarded by an individual, household, or organization Controlled: waste generated from - households

skip
Télécharger la présentation

Health Hazards and Waste Management

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Health Hazards and Waste Management Laura Chisholm, Jenna McInnis, Michelle Cleary, Connor McGuire, Ryan Taylor and Nick Salahor

  2. Waste anything discarded by an individual, household, or organization Controlled: waste generated from - households - municipal solids - commercial/ industrialized organization - construction and demolition Uncontrolled: waste generated from - agriculture - mines - quarries - dredging operations - In 2002 Canadians produced 30.4 million tonnes of solid waste, that is approximately 971kg/ person

  3. The Waste Management Process Collection Processing Transport Disposal

  4. Major Methods of Waste Management Recycling Composting Sewage Treatment Incineration Landfill

  5. Examples of Poor Waste Management • Sydney Tar Ponds - Located in Sydney, Nova Scotia - There was run off from coke ovens at steel mill - Filled estuary with variety of coal based contaminants and sludge - Ponds are 77 acres - Ponds contain approximately 700 000 metric tonnes of contaminated sediment - Where the coke ovens were there is 560 000 tonnes of contaminated soil - An estimated 3.8 metric tonnes of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), which is known to cause cancer Clean up has begun, with funding from Canadian government

  6. Examples of Proper Waste Management Guysborough Waste Management Facility - 5 large double lined labeled containers - Reuse Centre -Pick up in areas across Cape Breton and Mainland Nova Scotia -operates in requirement of Department of Environment

  7. Hazardous Substances Associated With Waste Management • Waste management methods have been continuously monitored and thoroughly studied. • Whatever method is used, there is usually a large variety of different substances, but only a few are produced in large quantities.

  8. Categorization of Pollutants • Expert groups suggested that pollutants should be defined on the basis of: • Toxicity • Persistence & mobility • Bioaccumulation • Explosiveness

  9. Two Most Harmful Waste Management Methods • Landfills: produce metals, POH & PCB chemicals, pesticides, pathogens, dioxins, pharmaceuticals. • Incineration plants: produce gases, metals, organic compounds, pathogens. • Such methods also create dust, odors, litter, noise, heavy traffic, and they also attract flies and birds and other rodents.

  10. Waste Management and Health • Waste Management Procedures: • Research Group Subjects • Health of general population > Health of W.M workforce

  11. Hazardous Substances and Waste Management Substances: • Cadmium, arsenic, chromium, nickel, dioxins and PAH’s, dioxins, organochlorines, etc. Negative effects of exposure to these substances on humans include damage to: • the central nervous system, liver, kidneys, heart, lungs,skin, reproduction, etc

  12. Landfill Sites Definition: A method of waste disposal in which waste is buried between layers of dirt so as to fill-in or reclaim low-lying ground. Adverse Environmental Impacts: • Groundwater Contamination • Soil Contamination • Release of Greenhouse gases (methane)

  13. Love Canal • Love Canal in New York • Located near Niagra Falls, New York • 16 acre underground landfill • 25 to 30 years chemical companies dumped unknown chemicals of unknown amounts • Tests were down of water and soil near river as well as in basements of peoples homes, found large quantities of chemicals hazardous to peoples health • Clean up is being done

  14. Love Canal

  15. Actual Love Canal

  16. Birth Defects and Reproductive Disorders • Reproductive effects that are said to be associated with landfill sites: • Low birth weight • Fetal and infant mortality • Spontaneous abortion • Birth defects • If residence live within 3 kms of a landfill site their chances are said to be higher in obtaining one of these 4 abnormalities.

  17. Cancer • There has been several types of cancer that are said to be linked with landfill sites: • Stomach • Colon • Gastrointestinal • Increase frequency if people live in countries with hazardous waste sites.

  18. Studies of Self Reported Health Symptoms • Health issues which have been reported through interviews and questionnaires and are blamed on landfill sites and pollution: • Respiratory Symptoms • Irritation of skin, nose, eyes • Gastrointestinal problems • Fatigue • Headaches • Psychological problems • Allergies

  19. Incineration • Advantages: Protects water supply, reduces weight/volume of waste and produces energy. • Disadvantages: Odor nuisance, produces hazardous waste, emits heavy metals and combustion products. • Effects of individual pollutants • Studies on community residents • Studies on incineration workers.

  20. Individual Pollutants • Particles, gases/aerosols, metals and organic compounds. • Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a decrease in overall health near an incinerator. Results from mortality/morbidity are quite inconsistent, some controversy. • Asthmatics • Decrease in cardiovascular abilities, increase of cancers due to dioxin emissions.

  21. Health Effects in Communities • Assessed based on distance from site or areas of highest risk from emissions. • Little evidence for detrimental effects on reproduction or respiratory illness although there is controversy. • Studies have shown a high correlation between distance and mortality/incidence rates. • Conflicting evidence in this type of health effect assessment seems to be the norm, British study showing opposite to Italian study on cancer.

  22. Worker Populations • Workers may or may not be exposed to the same type of pollutants as the general population. • High rate of gastrointestinal and skin problems due to high level of contact with bio-aerosols and VOC’s. • Controversy as an Italian study showed a DECREASE in cancer rates around an incinerator. • Little data on the risk of worker populations although the US has recently developed a surveillance program for workers health.

  23. Additional Information • Incineration reduces the recycle/reduce/reuse mentality • Incineration forms hazardous white ash and releases particulates • Waste to Energy system (WtE) produces energy • Incineration reduces the weight of waste 80-85% compared to if you sent the waste to a landfill. • Is a high volume of less dangerous waste better then a smaller volume of toxic waste? That’s the big question.

  24. Validity of Studies • Lack of evidence as to precise substances under study. • Lack of good exposure, exposure misclassification • Lack of specificity in defining health outcomes. • Migration

  25. Biomarker technology • Biomarker: shows a specific physical trait or a measurable biologically produced change in the body connected with a disease or health condition. • Useful in measuring internal dose (exposure) • Measures biological response (internal) • Potential reduction in misclassification • Identification of lower levels of exposure and total burden • Mechanisms relating exposure and disease

  26. Alternative Technologies • Gasification • Pyrolysis • Biomechanical waste treatment

  27. Questions?

More Related