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How Should Toxic Waste Be Transported?

Due to the growing toxicological strain on the environment, waste regulation and recycling have taken center stage. Some wastes can be easily recycled while others have to be disposed of safely because they might cause serious harm or endangerment to human lives as well as livestock. Such waste products are categorized as toxic wastes.

  1. What is Toxic Waste

    • Any waste material deemed hazardous to human or other life forms is called toxic waste. Prime among this waste category is nuclear waste from nuclear power plants. Other sources of toxic waste are chemical waste, such as dioxins and vinyl chloride, which are byproducts of industries. Medical waste includes used chemicals and syringes. Agricultural wastes such as spent pesticides and fertilizers are also categorized as toxic waste. Some household items such as paints, used light bulbs and varnish also come under the "toxic waste" label. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assigns these definitions.

    Toxic Wastes and Regulations

    • The production, packaging, transportation and disposal of hazardous waste have to comply with safety standards and regulations as set by the EPA and the U.S. Department of Transport. For example, the waste producer needs a consignment note and permission he can use a carrier for transport. The EPA, in accordance with the Hazardous Material Transportation Act, grants such permissions. The consignment note holds the necessary details about the nature and quantity of waste, the address of the generator and the registered filling site, among other things that will eventually help in tracking the waste in case of any mishap.

    Container Regulations

    • Container material should not react with the waste in any way so as to produce secondary waste or gaseous components. Labeling of the containers is an important aspect of identification. Typically, the label must contain the words "Hazardous waste" or "Toxic waste" written in a clear manner. Additionally, Research and Special Programs Administration of the Department of Transportation requires an identification label for each container that outlines one of the nine categories of hazardous waste contained in it. These waste categories are explosives, blasting agent, gases, flammable liquid, flammable solid, organic peroxide, irritating material, radioactive material and poison.

    Types of Toxic Waste Transport

    • Toxic waste transport can be either on-site and off-site. On-site transport deals with the regular transportation of the waste from the generator to the on-site storage unit. Off-site transport, on the other hand, deals with non-frequent conveyance of heavy loads of hazardous waste to a far-off filling site. Each type of transport requires different documentation procedures, but the on-site transport is governed by regulations of higher stringency in accordance with the federal law. That is because the frequency of the on-loading and off-loading of the containers will pose a high probability of leaks, spills and even dangers of personnel contracting diseases due to overexposure.

    Post-Process Suggestions

    • Once the transportation of the waste to the disposal site is complete, you need to contact the transport agency's office for a confirmation. The Department of Transportation recommends that transporters keep the documents--hazardous waste manifests transport or shipping papers--for a period of at least three years from the time of disposal. By doing so, you will be safeguarded from any further legal tangles because regulations vary from state to state.

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