upon biotic systems. Biosolids is a special case. It is not a controlled waste under the NEPM and consequently is not tracked in all jurisdictions. However, because of the potential for contaminants such as heavy metals and other organic pollutants to be present, above criteria set to protect environmental and human health values, biosolids have been included in annual hazardous waste reporting to the Basel Australia’s Convention as a precaution. Biosolids guidelines exist in all jurisdictions that allow appropriate Are biosolids beneficial uses of biosolids matched to their inherent hazard (with hazardous? respect to chemical contaminants such as heavy metals like cadmium, lead and mercury). While it is highly conservative to classify biosolids as hazardous waste, it is logical that those biosolids with concentrations of these pollutants above the highest classification levels outlined in biosolids guidelines may be deemed to be hazardous waste. A good analogy is that soils, if contaminated to the same extent, would be classified as contaminated soils (another controlled waste) in all jurisdictions in Australia. Many organic pollutants, inorganic pollutants Main likely chemical contaminants and heavy metals. Residues arising from industrial waste treatment/disposal operations Chemical/ physical treatment plants, incineration, landfill leachate, wastewater treatment plants, fossil fuel, electricity supply, collieries, Defence, coal seam gas extraction, aluminium smelting, petroleum refining. Biosolids Where does it Wastewater treatment plants. Main sources come from? Fly ash Incineration, meat processing, cement kilns, coal-fired power stations (despite the waste classification name), asphalt plants, iron and steel manufacturing and petroleum refining. Encapsulated, chemically-fixed, solidified or polymerised wastes Physical/ chemical treatment plants, petroleum refining, chemical manufacturing. Residues arising from industrial waste treatment/disposal How is it operations Main fates managed? Other chemical/ physical treatment to immobilise the hazard, then the stabilised material is usually disposed of in hazardous waste landfill.
upon biotic systems. Are biosolids hazardous? Biosolids is a special case. It is not a controlled waste under the NEPM and consequently is not tracked in all jurisdictions. However, because of the potential for contaminants such as heavy metals and other organic pollutants to be present, above criteria set to protect environmental and human health values, biosolids have been included in Australia’s annual hazardous waste reporting to the Basel Convention as a precaution. Biosolids guidelines exist in all jurisdictions that allow appropriate beneficial uses of biosolids matched to their inherent hazard (with respect to chemical contaminants such as heavy metals like cadmium, lead and mercury). While it is highly conservative to classify biosolids as hazardous waste, it is logical that those biosolids with concentrations of these pollutants above the highest classification levels outlined in biosolids guidelines may be deemed to be hazardous waste. A good analogy is that soils, if contaminated to the same extent, would be classified as contaminated soils (another controlled waste) in all jurisdictions in Australia. Main likely chemical contaminants Many organic pollutants, inorganic pollutants and heavy metals. Where does it come from? Main sources Residues arising from industrial waste treatment/disposal operations Chemical/ physical treatment plants, incineration, landfill leachate, wastewater treatment plants, fossil fuel, electricity supply, collieries, Defence, coal seam gas extraction, aluminium smelting, petroleum refining. Biosolids Wastewater treatment plants. Fly ash Incineration, meat processing, cement kilns, coal-fired power stations (despite the waste classification name), asphalt plants, iron and steel manufacturing and petroleum refining. Encapsulated, chemically-fixed, solidified or polymerised wastes Physical/ chemical treatment plants, petroleum refining, chemical manufacturing. How is it managed? Main fates Residues arising from industrial waste treatment/disposal operations Other chemical/ physical treatment to immobilise the hazard, then the stabilised material is usually disposed of in hazardous waste landfill.
waste-recycling-process-of-used-oil-drilling3.docx