9 - Solid Waste Treatment and Disposal

Abstract

This chapter highlights the various categories of wastes, the strategic and technical considerations for disposing of nonhazardous industrial wastes, and the major types of disposal facilities currently in use. Among the most desirable methods of waste reduction is the production of a salable substance or material, either by modification of the waste itself or by combining it with another waste material. Wastes can generally be categorized as hazardous waste (that meets the explicit criteria for a hazardous waste as defined by federal and state regulations) and nonhazardous solid waste. The distinctions among each of the waste categories (hazardous, industrial, and solid waste) are not always clear, and the onus is on the individual industry to make the correct determination. This chapter discusses the mechanisms by which individual solidification and stabilization (S/S) technologies accomplish stabilization of the target substances in solid waste streams. Modern landfills with sophisticated features are highly secure facilities to prevent pollution of groundwater or soil. There are various types of incinerators, and different conventions are used to classify them. The chapter discusses the various classifications of solid-waste incinerators along with their advantages and disadvantages.