Mar 30 2010
Hazardous Waste Treatment
My question comes from #17 on the study guide about treatment methods for hazardous waste. This is what I understand so far: biological methods include bioremediation and phytoremediation, chemical methods include incineration, right? … I’m confused about physical methods of hazardous waste treatment methods (I’m guessing I completely missed this in the book, but I read over it several times). In the book I see where it says, “…where three-fourths of the waste is detoxified by physical, chemical, and biological methods” (pg392). Then it goes on to talk about these methods and then the storage of hazardous wastes; I feel like it never fully discusses each type of method available for treating hazardous waste. Does anyone know about the physical methods? Or can anyone point out where this might be in the book? Or correct me if I’m totally wrong, please! Thanks!!!
I was a bit confused by this as well, I thought the book was really clear on biological treatments but a bit blurry on the others.
I think you are right about the biological and chemical methods, but I was thinking that the physical methods were just burying it and/or breaking it apart. Confirmation would be great though.
Yes, Syd, I think we resolved this in class. You can biologically (bioremediation/phytoremediation) and chemically treat it (incineration), but physical means is storage (disposal). Sorry for any confusion.