Understanding The Problem Of Universal Waste Maimi Dade Florida Faces

By Kimberly Fisher


People seem to be more aware than they used to be of the impact all kinds of trash has on the environment. Many individuals recycle everything they can and try to be good citizens of the planet. The Environmental Protection Agency deals with the issues that threaten our ability to inhabit the earth. Things like clean air and water and the materials that impact them are their top priority. In order to appreciate the problem of universal waste Maimi Dade and other metropolitan areas around the country face, you must first understand what it is.

These universal materials are considered hazardous, but unlike wastes created by oil refineries, auto shops, exterminators, and dry cleaners, they are common items found in households throughout the country. They are defined in four categories which are pesticides, batteries, equipment containing mercury, such as thermometers, and mercury lamps. Fluorescent lamps fall into the last category. None of them biodegradable, and all of them should be handled with care.

The four categories mentioned are further divided into small and large handlers, transporters, and destination facilities. Small handlers face only minimum requirements. The larger handlers, such as governments, schools, commercial businesses, and hazardous product manufacturers have to follow more stringent rules. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, RCRA, governs the transportation, handling, and disposal of all these materials.

Different states have added materials to their hazardous list. Colorado and California have aerosol cans listed. New Hampshire and Louisiana list antifreeze as hazardous. Pharmaceuticals is on the list in Florida.

Moving these materials can be tricky, and the federal government has detailed guidelines that must be followed to the letter. These rules and regulations change periodically, so the professionals who transport hazardous wastes must keep up with the most current information. Roadway, rail, and air travel are all considered transportation. Even the local trucks that retrieve recycled trash from private homes, and go directly from their routes to a local center, fall under these rules. When individuals go to the post office, or some other carrier, they will be asked whether or not the packages they want to mail contain certain items.

Consistent recycling by the public is one of the best ways to dispose of trash. Local, state, and federal entities, involved with environmental concerns, encourage everyone to consider this option. It reduces the amount of trash a landfill has to absorb, and it creates a reclaimed product market. Dangerous materials are still dangerous after recycling however.

These materials cannot just be taken to the local landfill and dropped off either. The land disposal restrictions program governs how these items must be handled when they are deposited on or in the ground. The EPA wants to ensure that drinking water is not compromised and toxic materials do not pose a threat to the general population.

It is important that everyone does his or her part in minimizing the potential dangers associated with hazardous wastes. We only have one earth, and it has to last in order for the human race to survive.




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