Oregon surveys its hazardous wastes - Environmental Science

Oregon surveys its hazardous wastes. Patrick Wicks, and Milan Synak. Environ. Sci. Technol. , 1974, 8 (13), pp 1080–1084. DOI: 10.1021/es60098a600...
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FEATURE

its hazardous wastes More than 2 million containers,of industrial and miscellaneous waste accumulate each year; their sources, quantities, and methods of disposal are identified

Patrick H. Wicks and Milan Synak Department of Environmental Quality, Portland, Ore. 97205 The need for improved hazardous waste disposal practices, adequate planning, and an enforcement program was recqgnized several years ago and resulted in passage of legislation, House Bill 1931, by the 1971 Oregon Legislature. Regulatory responsibility for hazardous waste disposal was assigned to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Major provisions of this law include the following: 0 Hazardous waste disposal sites must be licensed by the Department. 0 Disposal site property must be owned by the State. 0 Hazardous wastes cannot be disposed in or on land within the State except at a licensed site. 0 Pesticide and low-level radioactive wastes are designated as hazardous. 0 The Department can adopt regulations to classify other wastes as hazardous. In response to the requirements of the 1971 legislation, the Department of Environmental Quality established a hazardous waste management program. One of the first objectives of the program was to define the existing statewide hazardous waste situation with respect to sources, types, quantities, and current disposal methods. Surveys undertaken between April 1972 and March 1973 were directed toward gathering and evaluating information pertinent to this objective. The first of these surveys involved state and federal agencies and a major survey focused on industrial and commercial establishments considered potential sources of hazardous wastes. Several special-purpose surveys relative to waste automotive oils and pesticide containers were also undertaken. A description of each of the surveys and of the results obtained is presented below. Projections of hazardous waste volumes from all sources are presented in Table 1. Survey of agencies State Department of Agriculture. The Department regulates the use of pesticides in the State by registering all pesticides and licensing all pesticide applicators. Approximately 700 individuals are licensed as commercial applicators, and another 1200 employees of state, federal, and local agencies are licensed as applicators. Until passage of hazardous waste legislation in 1971, this agency also regulated disposal of waste pesticides and containers. 1080

Environmental Science & Technology

State Department of Forestry. The Department maintains a significant pesticide application program in its reforestation projects. These involve pesticide application at nurseries and control of deciduous tree species on state forest land to promote growth of conifers. Slightly more than 700 of the 5-, 30-, and 55-gal “empty” containers were stored at their facilities. State Highway Division. Between 18,000 and 20,000 miles of state highway shoulders are sprayed annually by the Highway Division. Guidelines for pesticide container disposal have not been established by the Division, and Division personnel indicated that containers were burned or disposed of with other refuse. State Fish Commission. The Commission uses a small volume of pesticide in its hatcheries, rearing ponds, laboratories, research, and fish-counting activities. The Commission does not provide guidelines for disposal of pesticide containers by its field operations. U.S. Forest Service. The Service has adopted pesticide container disposal procedures that consist of rinsing followed by crushing of containers and then burial at established landfills or on Forest Service property. No “empty” containers were stored by the Service at the time of the survey. In addition, each of the National Forests conducts a road oiling program for dust control. A survey of each of these roadailing programs was conducted, and this information is presented separately in the road oil survey section. Bureau of Land Management. The Bureau does not provide guidelines to its field operations for disposal of pesticide containers. The Bureau provides,information regarding storage of unusable or unwanted hazardous wastes in each of its 10 districts in Oregon. Bonneville Power Administration. The Administration (BPA) does not provide guidelines to its field operations for disposal of pesticide containers, but indicated that these containers are usually buried on rights-of-way. In addition, the BPA disposes of 150 gal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and 1000 gal of transformer oils annually; the PCB’s are landfilled and transformer oils are used for road oiling. Hazardous waste surveys The types of industries included in the survey were selected on the basis of the materials, chemicals, processes, or other factors which might result in the production of hazardous wastes. Before the survey began, the types of industries and the specific facilities to be visited were determined using the Directory of Oregon Manufacturers (State of Oregon, Economic Development Division, 1972). One hundred and ten facilities were visited or oth-

erwise contacted to obtain information concerning hazardous waste :#ources, volumes, types, and present disposal methods. Automotive Battery Manufacture. Five automotive battery manufacturing plants were visited. In these plants, lead metal is used in fabricating battery plates, interconnection between battery cells and terminals. Lead oxide and sulfuric acid are also used in the manufacturing process. The wastes resulting from these operations consist of scraps of lead, lead oxide, and waste sulfuric acid. Lead wastes are' usually reused in the process. Any unusable lead oxide or lead recovered is returned to a lead oxide or lead supplier. Sulfuric acid wastes are neutralized before discharge with wastewater. Although regulatory controls have prompted some measure of lead recovery, the primary incentive for lead recycling would seem to be the high value of the lead itself. The volume of waste (lead and lead oxide) is unknown for each of the facilities visited. I t is estimated that 95% of this industrial category was included in the survey based upon the total employment of the manufacturers surveyed, and the total employment of all battery manufacturers in the State. Electric Utilities. The two major electric utilities serving Oregon were surveyed, and it was determined that these firms generate a substantial volume of waste oil from power transformers and a smaller volume of PCB fluid from capacitors. It is significant that one of the utilities surveyed re-refiines and reuses its transformer oil. Waste transformer oil from the other utility is either burned for fuel, or used for other useful purposes such as road oiling or wood treating. With regard to PCB, most of this waste is stored at utility facilities, but a small amount is returned to the original supplier in the Midwest where it is destroyed by incineration. It is estimated that 85% of this industry category was included in the survey, based on total electric energy consumption in the State, and combined electric #energy distribution by the two firms surveyed (State of Oregon, Public Utility Commissioner of Oregon, Oregon Utility Statistics, 1971). Total waste volume of these two firms is nearly 21,000 ft3/yr; the projected statewide total for all electric utilities is slightly more than 24,000 ft3/yr. Electronics Assembly. Three electronics assembly plants were vis8ited. The majority of wastes from these firms are solvents or oils-primarily volatile organic and chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents. One of the firms surveyed is disposing solvent through a waste oil road oiling firm, and the other firm's solvent is being reused by an automotive maintenance shop. A smaller volume of heavy metal wastes is generated and recycled. Based on employment of the firms surveyed and the total employment of this industry category, it is estimated that 15% of the total of this industry in the State was included in the survey. For the firms included in the survey, the waste volume totaled 1000 ft3/yr, and for all Oregon electronics assembly firms, the projected total annual waste volume was approximately 6700 ft3.

Ink and Paint Formulation. Three ink formulation plants and four paint formulation plants were visited. The wastes include sludges containing heavy metal pigments and other solids, usually in an insoluble form, and various solvents and oils. Solvent wastes from three firms are recycled (redistilled and reused) by other firms. The remaining solvent and oil wastes are either stored or landfilled. Heavy metal wastes (pigment sludges) are landfilled. An estimated 40% of all ink and paint formulation in the State was included in the survey, based upon employment of those surveyed and of the total industry. The firms surveyed generated wastes amounting to nearly 400 ft3/yr, and for the entire State it was projected that 1000 ft3 of such wastes are produced annually by ink and paint for m u latio n corn panies. Metal and Alloy Manufacture. Seven metal and alloy manufacturing facilities were visited. The products manufactured by these firms include ferrosilica, calcium carbide, zirconium, titanium, and lead alloys. With the exception of the lead and zirconium manufacturers, none of these industries produces significant hazardous wsstes. The lead and zirconium manufacturers did not provide the amount of potentially hazardous wastes generated and, therefore, the total volume of wastes for this industry category is unknown. Metal Fabrication and Machining. Nine metal fabrication and machining facilities were visited. These facilities manufacture such products as large aircraft parts, tin cans, bullets, small castings, tubing, fabricated steel equipment, and galvanized steel parts. The types of wastes generated include solvents, oils, heavy metals, and caustics. The disposal methods utilized for the heavy metal wastes include subsurface disposal, landfill, and some recycling. For the solvent/oil wastes, road oiling by other firms is used. Other wastes primarily containing caustics are disposed of out of the State by a disposal contractor. It was estimated that approximately 25% of the total industry was included in the survey. Nearly 24,000 ft3/yr of waste were produced by the firms surveyed and a total statewide waste volume of 95,600 ft3 annually was projected for all metal fabrication and machining industries. Metal Plating. Thirteen metal plating facilities were visited. These facilities included plating of electronic components, automotive parts, decorative hardware, and various industrial equipment parts. The most common wastes produced by this industry contain heavy metals such as copper, nickel, chromium, cadmium, and zinc. Some wastes also contain cyanide. In addition, some facilities produce a substantial amount of waste solvents or oils as a result of other manufacturing operations. In each of these plating facilities a substantial amount of wastewater is produced which contains soluble heavy metals. However, although wastewaters were not generally included in the survey, it was observed that in only three of the locations visited was the best available effluent treatment provided. The largest single quantity of waste observed, 40,500 ft3/yr, results from the best

TABLE 1

Projected statewide total hazardous waste volume Liquid, sludge, solid hazardous wastes ( f t a per year) Source

Heavy metals

Pesticides

Solvents/oiis

Industrial Automotive Pesticide use and formulation Radioactive materials usage Other

129,020

14,500 -

293,000 1,070,000

Total

-

129,020

Other chemicals

593,050

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

2,050

-

14,500

-

Radioactive

130

20

1,363,130

593,070

-

__ 2,050

Total

1,029,570 1,070,000

-

Number of containers per year

19,700

-

2,202,800

2,050

-

150

-

2,101,770

2,222,500

Volume 8, Number 1 3 , December 1974

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available treatment for removal of soluble heavy metals from wastewater. It seems that enforcement of federal water quality standards may substantially increase the volume of hazardous residues destined for land disposal. It is estimated that 90% of the plating industry was included in the survey based upon employment of the facilities surveyed and of the total industry. For the firms surveyed, waste volume totaled almost 44,000 ft3/yr and for the entire State, it was projected that metal plating industries generate 48,000 ft3 of wastes annually. Oil Terminals and Re-refining. Eleven of these facilities were included in the survey. Disposal methods used by terminals and packaging firms for waste oil included use as fuel, re-refining, and road oiling. The two lubricating oil re-refining firms utilized landfilling and road application for disposal of their wastes. Of all terminals and rerefining firms in the State, it is estimated that 90% of this industry has been included in the survey: 87,000 ft3 of waste are produced annually by the firms surveyed and it is projected that 96,800 ft3/yr are generated by all of Oregon oil terminals and re-refiners. Kraft Paper Manufacture. A visit was made to a disposal site for waste lime (lime grits or dregs) from a kraft mill recovery system. An area of dead trees adjacent to this disposal site was noted during the visit, but it could not then be determined whether the dead trees were the result of waste lime disposal. Because of such potential detrimental effects, all other kraft mills in the State were subsequently included in the survey. In most cases the waste material is landfilled either on the company’s property or at private or municipal landfills. In several cases the waste lime is utilized as a soil modifier on agricultural land. Slightly more than 360,000 ft3 of this waste material are produced annually by kraft mills. Pesticide Formulation and Manufacture. ‘Six pesticide formulation and manufacturing facilities were visited. Of these, five were formulating plants and the sixth was a manufacturing facility. Formulating plant personnel indicated that no pesticide wastes were produced other than “empty” containers. The manufacturing facility surveyed generates 14,500 ft3/yr of pesticide residue from 2,4-D and MCPA manufacture. For the purpose of projecting a statewide total waste volume, 100% of this industry category is included in the survey, since there is only one pesticide manufacturer in the State, and formulators indicated no waste production. Plywood Manufacture. Four plywood and particle board plants were visited but no, hazardous wastes were noted at any of these facilities. The major potential problem in this industry involves wastes resulting from the use of phenolic and urea formaldehyde resins. Of the facilities visited, waste resins were either reused or were treated through biological effluent treatment systems. Publishing and Printing. Three publishing and printing firms were visited. The types of waste produced by these firms are solvents, oils, and heavy metals. In general, all publishing and printing firms use solvents or oils to clean equipment. Heavy metal alloys of lead and zinc are frequently used in manufacturing printing plates. Waste solvents and oils are either recycled, used for road oiling, or are landfilled. The liquid wastes containing zinc from printing plate etchings are disposed in municipal sewers. The solid wastes resulting from the fabrication of large 1082

Environmental Science & Technology

printing plates or rollers are recovered and recycled. It is estimated that 20% of the publishing and printing industry was included in the survey, based upon employment of the total industry and the employment of the facilities surveyed. Approximately 6600 ft3/yr of wastes are generated annually by the firms surveyed. For Oregon publishing and printing firms, it is projected that waste volume totals 33,200 ft3/yr. Resin Manufacture. Six resin manufacturing facilities were visited. Phenol and formaldehyde are utilized at these facilities to manufacture phenol formaldehyde and urea formaldehyde resins. The only significant hazardous waste noted at these facilities is the residue or sludge recovered in the effluent treatment system that must be removed periodically from effluent settling ponds. This waste contains phenol that can leach from the sludge, if not properly dried before disposal. Two of the facilities visited did not produce this waste sludge. In one case, this was a result of reuse of all wastewaters in the manufacturing process, but in the other case, the reason was undetermined. Based on the employment of the total industry and that of the firms surveyed, it is estimated that 95% of the total industry was included in the survey. Wastes produced by firms surveyed totaled 22,800 ft3/yr and the projected statewise total for all resin manufacturers is 24,000 ft3/yr. Wood Preserving. Wood preserving (other than fireproofing) involves the incorporation of chemicals into the wood which will retard or prevent attack and degradation by fungi or other pests. Six wood preserving firms were visited during the survey. The prevalent hazardous wastes produced are the preservative chemical containers, all of which are disposed by landfilling except for a small volume retained in storage. All but one of the firms provided facilities to evaporate process wastewater and recover toxic chemicals from this source. It was observed in one facility that 800 ft3/yr of other hazardous waste was landfilled. Other than pesticide formulation and manufacture, this is the only industry which generates a significant volume of waste toxic chemical containers. On the basis of employment of the total industry and the firms surveyed, it is estimated that 80% of this industry category has been included in the survey. Total wastes for firms surveyed are 800 ft3 plus 15,800 “empty” containers per year. For all wood preserving firms in the State, waste volumes are projected to be 1000 ft3/yr and 19,700 containers per year. Miscellaneous Industrial and Commercial Facilities. Visits were made to an additional 21 facilities not included in the above categories. The types of facilities surveyed in this category were magnet manufacture, glue manufacture, fiberglass fabrication, household chemical manufacture, automotive maintenance, industrial chemical supply, industrial chemical manufacture, asphalt pipe manufacture, railroad tank car maintenance, drug manufacture, photographic film processing, industrial gases manufacture, garment manufacture, leather tanning, food products, electrical power transformer manufacture, and maintenance and drum reconditioning. For the purpose of projecting total statewide wastes, it was assumed that 75% of these industries had be en^ included. For this industry category, nearly 193,000 ft3/yr of wastes are produced annually; statewide projectedtotal is 257,000 ft3/yr.

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Waste automotive oil survey The purpose of this survey was to determine the VOI,m_

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rent disposal methods practiced in Oregon. Service stations represent major collection points for waste automotive oils which are both a valuable, diminishing resource and a hazardous waste if not properly disposed. It has been estimated that 55-65% of all automotive oils are collected at service stations (State of Wisconsin, Departli Disposal in Wisconment of Natural Resources. Drain 0N sin, 1973). A total of 241 sewice stations, representing 12% of the 1991 stations in 74 selected cities was Surveyed. These afi mlln+iec renmcen+ cities, located in each of Oregon's L1 Ill...III, .lr 48% or 1,022,079 of the State's 2,183,270 residents according to 1971 population estimates. In the survey, service station manaaers.were asked to identifv the oarties that routinely collect their waste oil. Where specific firms or agencies were identified, those organizations were contacted and surveyed regarding the final disposition of the waste oil. Where waste oil was not routinely collected by such organizations, -service station managers were asked to identify the methods used for waste oil disposal. Twenty-me private firms and city and county agencies were also contacted. These organizations, which had been identified by service station managers as collectors of waste oil, were asked to specify the ultimate disposition for the service station waste oil they had collected, the quantity of waste oil collected annually, the area served, the number of service stations sewed, and to identify other sources of waste oil. if any.

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statewide was road oiling by public agencies or commercial firms. Forty-four of 18% of the 241 service stations surveyed disposed of their waste oil for such purposes. cieventeen of the 241 stations surveyed, about 7%, repor ted that their waste oil was being collected for utllizationI as fuel, the fourth most common means of disposal. C:ollection of waste oil by unknown firms was the fifth mn st.. common means of disposal statewide. Eleven of the 241 statlonssurveyed, or about 5%. could not identify the firms which routinely collect their waste oil. nor could they state the purpose for which the waste oil was collected. Inasmuch as no money was exchanged, it can be . . aSSumed that these firms were not collecting oil for rerefining. I t is more likely that these firms are primarily commercial road oilers. Fortunate!iy, open dumping or open burning of waste oil was the le: 1st common means of disposal among those service stai:ions contacted. Only nine stations, or about 4% of the 2'41 surveyed indicated that their waste oil was disposed by either open dumping or open burning. As noted above, 55 to 65% of waste automotive oils is ..+^*i^^"A " . . +*^ ~ Gi ^ i ^ ^ ~ I)c~ *^ ~ generated Ly ^^...i^^ Drlvlrr otaLIYIIo 45% is produced by other sources. These include individuals, who change their own oil, and automotive maintenance shops and dealers. It would be reasonable to expect that much o f this oil is dumped on private property in small amount: i so that acute. environmental. e f i e c k would not be likely , but this practice is wasteful. Thirty-two peroent of all service stations Surveyed renorted collectinn I3f oil for re-refining. Re-refining is most prevalent in the populous areas of the State, the same areas where the most stations are located. For example, in the northwestern and west-central regions of the State, re-refining is utilized by 66% and 59%, respectively. of the stations surveyed. I n other areas of the State, re-refining is either not used at all or to only a minor extent. Rather than using the 32% figure, it would be more accurate to calculate the fraction of waste oil which is re-refined on the basis of the fraction of waste oil re-refined for each geographical area, weighted with the number of service stations in cities surveyed in each area. By this method, it is estimated that 44% of all waste oil from service stations is re-refined. The two lubricating oil re-refiners have indicated a combined refining volume of 2.15 million gal per year and, therefore, the total waste oil volume from service stations would be approximately 4.9 million gal per year. These 4.9 million gal represent an estimated 55-65% of waste automotive oils from all sources. Conseauentlv, the total waste automotive oil volume is Estimated to be approximately 8 million gal annually or 1.O 7 million ft3/yr.

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businesses for various useful purposes other than re-refining, commercial road oiling, or combustion for heat. A total of 84, or about 35% of the 241 stations surveyed, indicated that their waste oil was disposed of in this manner. In 19 of the 74 cities surveyed statewide, collection of waste oil by private individuals was the only means of disposal available other than open dumping or open burning. An additional seven cities were served Only by private road oiling firms which operated on an irregular schedule or had gone out of business entirely. The uses for waste oil collected by private individuals and small businesses varied. The most common use was for dust control on private roads; other reported uses included weed and brush control, insect control, protection of fence posts, and lubrication of industrial machinery. Collection for re-refining was the second most common means of waste oil disposition. Thirty-two percent, or 76 of the 241 stations surveyed, indicated that their waste oil was collected for this purpose. The only two oil re-refiners in the State are located in Portland, near the northwest corner of the State, and this service is limited

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Road oil survey Waste lubricating oils are commonly used for road oiling by local government agencies and commercial firms. To determine the volume of waste oil and other oils used by other agencies, a survey of the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management was made. The Bureau's staff indicated-that the only significant road oiling program, which that agency conducts, is on their land in western Oregon. Approximately 5000 tons (1,200,000 gal) per year of Arcadia (commercial dust oil) and asphalt emulsions are used in this program, and no waste oils have been used in the previous five years. A more detailed survey was conducted of the U.S. Forest Service road oiling program by contacting each of the national forests in the State, and requesting information regarding the type, volume, and the months when road oiling is conducted. A total of nearly 3.5 million gal of dust oil are used annually by the U S . Forest Service in Oregon. Of the total volume, waste oil used by the Willamette National Forest comprised 770,000 gal of the total and the balance was commercial oils. Four of the other national forests have used waste oil in the past, but no longer do because of excessive runoff (in municipal watershed areas), quality problems, price, or lack of a firm supply. The total volume of oil used for road oiling by the U S . Foresi Service amounts to 3.5 million gal annually. PI res11ciae r;onrainer volume wrvey. I nrougn consuircition with the State Department of Agriculture, the 48 major firms that market pesticides in Oregon were selected. It is assumed' that sales of these firms represent 90% or more of all pesticides sold within the State. These firms were requested to indicate annual pesticide sales in Oregon by container type. To encourage response from these companies, specific information submitted by individual companies is held in confidence. All types of pesticides, including those used in the home and garden, for agriculture, by governmental agencies, by commercial applicators, and all other uses, were considered in this survey. Approximately 2.2 million pesticide containers are sold annually in Oregon, and it is expected that the same number of containers are disposed annually within Oregon. Several of the firms responding to the survey indicated that the container sales figures provided were not entirely accurate because of difficulty in separating Oregon market data from their regional market. I n addition, eight of the companies contacted did not provide the requested information. Nonetheless, it is expected that the figures are representative of pesticide container disposal volume, and should be acurate within f15%. Pesticide Container Disposal Practices Survey. One hundred and one of the total 220 commercial pesticide application firms in Oregon were sent questionnaires to determine methods used for container disposal; 54 of them responded. Based on questionnaire response, 87% of all containers are disposed by landfilling or burial (63% in landfills and 24% buried on firms' property). Nine percent of all containers are returned to clients, but ultimate disposal method for these are unknown. Survey results also indicate that return to clients is more common for the larger containers. Containers which are sold or given away for scrap, trash containers, or similar uses comprise 3% of all containers. The least common disposal means indicated is burning, which amounts to 1 % of all containers. In comparison with other types of hazardous wastes, the volume of low-level radioactive waste is small. Approximately 2050 ft3/yr of low-level radioactive solid wastes are presently generated by all sources in the State (State of Oregon, Oregon State University, Environ1084

Environmental Science 8 Technology

mental Health Sciences Center, Disposal of Environmentally Hazardous Wastes, 1973).These wastes result from the use of radioactive materials at industrial facilities, in research activities, medical facilities, educational laboratories, and from operation of small research nuclear reactors. These wastes are disposed by land burial at a commercial radioactive waste disoosal site near RichI I

i n e total projecrea iiquia, swage, ana soua waste from all sources is approximately 2.1 million ft3/yr (Table 1). Of the types of wastes, solvents and oils represent the largest .volume, nearly 1.4 million ft3/yr. Other chemical wastes comprise about 590,000 ft3/yr of the total, and heavy metal wastes total nearly 130,000ft3/yr. Pesticide wastes represent 15,000 ft3/yr and radioactive wastes comprise the smallest portion of the total, slightly in excess of 2000 ft3/yr. I n addition, a total of 2.2 million hazardous chemical containers are generated each year, of which pesticide containers comprise 99% of this total, and the remaining 1% is produced by industrial sources. With respect to the accuracy of these statewide hazardous waste estimates, several factors should be reiterated. The volume of certain wastes could not be determined during the survey; and such unknown waste volumes were assigned a zero value. Accordingly, such wastes are not included in the volume estimates or in the total projections. I t is also possible that all hazardous waste producers or sources were not included in the surveys. Due to these two factors, the total waste volume projections are likely to be somewhat less than the actual total waste volume, but should be accurate within 2030%. In view of these projections and the disposal practices presently in use, it is apparent that substantial quantities of hazardous wastes are currently disposed by environmentally im'proper or potentially unacceptable methods. In most cases where hazardous waste problems were observed, improper waste disposal seemed to be attributable to lack of awareness or availability of suitable disposal or treatment methods. Few instances of unacceptable disposal appeared to be the result of negligence. Likewise, disposal practices were observed that appear to be satisfactory. Due to limitations in the scope of this study, the quantities and types of hazardous wastes originating from homes, small businesses, medical facilities, or other smaller sources were not determined. The results of these survevs clearlv indicate the need for statewide hazarijous wastes management, including specific regulatio ns, proper enforcement, and facilities for collection, tre'atment, and disposal. Paitrick H. Wicks is a registered profe:psional engineer with the Sfate of Or'egon Department of Environmental Quality. He was formerly employed .. ^. .. ... . me bneii uii LO. in Laiirornia, N e?w York, and Texas.

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MiIan Synak is a public health engi-&., n, nllll ,,,= Pt^*^ ^ I ,-,--"-" v,ryy,8 Yrnerr ,.,it* partment of Environmental Quality, Hazardous Waste Section, Solid Waste Management Division. He was formerly employed as a research and development engineer and as an environmental engineer. He has published several articles on environmental niatters. Coordinated by I.RE