Hazardous Waste Disposal in Orange County Cannot be Taken for Granted

Aside from health concerns that may arise, serious environmental repercussions may also come about if the chemicals and other forms of toxic waste are not disposed of accordingly. Chemicals like mercury and lead from batteries can contaminate and destroy lakes, which will ultimately have an effect on people.

With tools like the CalEnviroScreen, things can still be changed for the better. Meanwhile, municipalities, companies, and industries should work together alongside waste disposal companies, like Green Clean Water & Waste Services, that conduct proper discarding of toxic waste. Additionally, all stakeholders should partner with a company that practices safety measures like traffic control along San Diego streets, when conducting their services.

Though pollution and other forms of environmental challenges continue to rise, there is still time to control them and turn things around for the next generations to come.

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Proper Hazardous Waste Disposal in San Diego Makes Communities Safer

Residents, community leaders, and business owners must realize that effective waste disposal starts at the quality and manner of their collection. Hiring a professional company yields several benefits. Companies like Green Clean Water & Waste Management, for example, have all the necessary tools and equipment to ensure all wastewater and toxic sludge are completely collected.

Moreover, they can also attend to San Diego stormwater requirements, from collection to transportation to disposal. When choosing companies, it is advisable to go for those that practice green solutions.

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What Happens to Hazardous Waste After Disposal?

A lot of things happen after you drop off that can of latex paint or any hazardous refuse at the local waste facility for disposal. Ever wondered what happens to them? Here are some hazardous rubbish and a brief description of what they go through after being thrown away.

Fluorescent lamps

All types of these lamps are sealed inside cardboard boxes, and are transferred to specialized facilities. Upon arrival, the waste lamps are shredded in a forced air system which separates mercury, glass, and aluminum. Afterwards, the materials are collected and sold to be reused.

Latex paint

Every can and pail is inspected to see if the paint is still usable. Reusable paints are hand sorted by color; those of the same color are pumped into a tank, mixed by a high-speed mixer. The substance is tested for qualities like viscosity, color, and other characteristics. Paint quality is adjusted as necessary according to standards, then packaged again.

Motor oil

Used oil is processed to remove dirt, chemicals, water, and other contaminants to be refined into new motor oil. Packs of oil filters are dumped into a large bin with a powerful auger, driving the filters into a conveyor belt. They are then carried up into a crushing unit, which takes 4-6 filters at a time and creates a steel “brick”. The brick is pushed through a chute and into a bin, where the oil is drained from filters and pumped into storage tanks.

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How You Can Get Rid of Hazardous Wastes at Home

From cleaning chemicals to plant growers, there are so many potentially hazardous chemicals that the typical homeowner uses on a regular basis. When left alone, these substances could pose a threat not only to the environment but to the home’s occupants themselves. As a precaution, here are some tips on the proper disposal of these materials:

Collection

Check if your community has a hazardous household waste collection program. There are generally two options that your locality might be using: permanent collection or exchange where the collectors make the rounds all year, and special collection days (in which case you should know on what days the waste will be gathered).

Storage

When storing them, make sure to keep them as far away from food containers as possible (even the gas vapors of some chemicals are already enough to contaminate your food). Never remove any of the original labels, especially for cleaning compounds. At the same time, don’t forget to label any container that you might mistake for something harmless.

Disposal

Don’t even think of dumping hazardous chemicals on your drains. Some compounds will have an adverse effect on your home’s plumbing, contaminate septic tanks or even injure sanitation workers. Always consult with a government or private business environment protection agency about proper disposal of such wastes.

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Waste Not: On Disposing Hazardous Material

Many synthetic substances were formulated in order to serve useful roles, such as lubrication and fuel. However, these same substances also happen to be pollutants, and are extremely dangerous to the environment, animals, and people. Materials such as propane, gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, fertilizer, mercury, household cleaning agents, and even certain types of paint are considered hazardous, and need to be disposed of properly to prevent toxic contaminations.

Due to the danger it poses, hazardous waste cannot be dumped into a landfill. Certain chemical waste also cannot be disposed of through incineration, since these materials could give off poisonous fumes upon burning. Most importantly, toxic waste should not be left to stand under the rain, since rainwater can mix with the materials and create a highly noxious storm water runoff.

Fortunately, there are ways to safely dispose of hazardous waste. Toxic waste that is safe to burn can be burnt securely inside a controlled environment while the more dangerous materials can be buried inside secure containers. Perhaps one of the most effective and sustainable methods of disposing these substances is to dilute the materials by adding other chemicals or biological agents into them, turning the resulting mixture into a harmless substance.

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Cigarettes Butts: A Very Dangerous Type of Waste

Universally considered as hazardous to personal health, cigarettes may have even more harmful effects than what is commonly known. According to a study by researchers from the San Diego State University, cigarettes don’t only pollute the air; the continued littering of discarded cigarette butts and filters, packaging, as well as used matches, also impacts the environment.

Smokers might assume that cigarette butts are not harmful to the environment as they seem to easily decompose and eventually turn into mulch. This often leads to the complete disregard for the proper disposal of cigarette butts, as it often finds its way discarded on the road side, on sidewalks, and even flushed down the toilet.

What many don’t realize is that filters don’t decompose easily. The paper will eventually be dissolved and the filter will simply turn into individual fibers that are non-biodegradable and must be collected. Used butts also contain the exact same toxins, nicotine, and carcinogens found in cigarettes and cigars. These can easily contaminate the environment, finding its way to water sources.

When conducting waste water management services, professionals often find used cigarette butts as one of the most common items in septic tanks, sewers, storm drains, and other waste water containers. While professionals in hazardous waste disposal have the means to address the cigarette butts and other related waste products from a physical standpoint, the harmful chemicals that may have already been absorbed by the environment may present a bigger problem later on.

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