Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs) ease the collection, transport, reception, storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous wastes in an environmentally friendly manner.
T stands for Treatment facilities, Treatment facilities use various processes (such as incineration or oxidation) to change the composition of hazardous wastes. A part of treatment operation enables the hazardous waste to be reclaimed and reused in some other processes, while other treatment operations dramatically reduce the amount of hazardous waste.
S stands for Storage facilities, Storage facilities temporarily hold hazardous wastes until they are treated or disposed of.
D stands for Disposal facilities, Disposal facilities permanently contain hazardous wastes. The most common type of disposal facility is a landfill or a junk pile, where hazardous wastes are disposed of in carefully constructed units designed to protect groundwater and surface-water resources.
The treatment, storage, and disposal facility (TSDF) brings the generator and transporter in the chain of waste management activities. The regulations pertaining to TSDFs are stricter as compared to which apply on generators or transporters.
The regulations include general facility standards as well as unit-specific design and operating criteria.
The general facility standards include good housekeeping provisions for any facility that handles hazardous waste.
The unit-specific technical requirements are designed to prevent the exposure of hazardous waste into the environment.
Why it is important to treat Hazardous Waste?
Hazardous Waste possesses poisonous characteristics that can harm the environment as well as living beings. That’s why it is important to treat hazardous waste before discharging it into the environment.
Hazardous Waste can be treated by chemical, biological, physical methods.