Hazardous Waste Sites Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Hazardous Waste Sites?
Hazardous waste sites are locations where hazardous waste is disposed of, stored, or treated. Hazardous waste sites pose serious threats to human health and the environment. These wastes can contain toxins such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and other harmful substances that can contaminate soil, water and air if not managed properly. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates hazardous waste sites under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The EPA has established a system for identifying and classifying hazardous wastes based on their characteristics and potential to cause harm. This classification system helps determine how a hazardous waste site should be managed in order to protect people and the environment from any potential risks posed by the wastes contained at the site. The EPA also sets standards for how hazardous waste must be handled during transport, storage, treatment or disposal. The agency also inspects these operations regularly to make sure they are following regulations in order to ensure safety of both people and the environment. When it comes to cleaning up contaminated sites, there are several different approaches that can be taken depending on what type of contamination is present at a particular site. Some of these methods include excavation and removal of contaminated materials; encapsulation or containment; chemical stabilization; bioremediation; landfilling; incineration; recycling or reuse; natural attenuation through biodegradation or dilution into clean surfaces waters; monitored natural attenuation combined with engineering controls such as impermeable barriers between contaminated materials and sources of drinking water supplies etc. It is important that all activities associated with managing hazardous waste sites adhere strictly to regulatory standards in order to ensure safe disposal practices which minimize risks posed by contamination from these sites.