15: Waste and Hazardous Material Management

'Waste’ refers to a product or material that is no longer needed or valued by the user and needs to be discarded.
Whereas ‘hazardous waste’ refers to waste that imposes any potential threat to the environment and public health.

Industrial waste and hazardous materials are quite diverse, comprising properties and compositions that vary significantly among various industries.
India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. While rapid industrialization plays a crucial role in the country’s growing economy, it also imposes a severe threat, i.e., an increase in hazardous waste volume. According to statistics, India generated a total of 7.17 million tons of hazardous waste in the year 2016-17. Out of the total hazardous waste, 3.68 million tons (49.46%) was recycled. The problem is that if not disposed of carefully, this hazardous waste can cause severe damage to the environment. Handling hazardous and industrial waste is quite complex and requires in-depth knowledge across various legal and technical areas. In fact, the complexity might differ within single facilities too. Thus, proper management of hazardous waste and materials requires an in-depth understanding of the regulations controlling the management of these materials and waste streams. Moreover, an understanding of the treatment, post-treatment, and waste minimization technologies is also crucial for managing hazardous waste.

Importance of material management

As complex as it may seem, waste and hazardous material management is crucial for various industrial sectors such as printing, construction, research, textile, pesticides, and other process industries. Efficient waste management of industrial and hazardous waste benefits the company in many ways. Some of these are mentioned below:

1.Staying compliant

Several regulations and laws are in place to monitor and control hazardous and industrial waste. These may vary according to the industries, but companies are required to meet these standards and guidelines. Through an efficient waste and hazardous material management system, companies can stay compliant and steer clear of any legalities involved. Companies might have to pay hefty fines and penalties if not in compliance with hazardous waste management rules.

2.Better workplace safety

Another aspect where businesses can benefit from establishing an efficient waste and hazardous material management plan is workplace safety. Employers are responsible for maintaining a safe and secure workplace environment, whether it's an office, warehouse, or storage facility. Thus, proper handling of hazardous materials through a streamlined process ensures the safety of the employees working with hazardous materials. For instance, proper handling of hazardous waste materials includes the usage of necessary protective gear like goggles, gloves, and bodysuits.

3.Environmental protection

Businesses owe a responsibility towards protecting the environment, as companies strive towards sustainability reporting. Improper handling of industrial and hazardous waste can contaminate natural resources like air, water, and soil. Businesses can evade such environmental consequences by implementing efficient collection, transportation, and disposal techniques of industrial and hazardous waste. The contaminated natural resources might lead to problems like nerve damage, cancer, and even birth defects among individuals.

4.Creating Brand Value

An efficient hazardous waste management plan enables a better brand reputation in the eyes of consumers, employees, and the general public. It showcases the brands' dedication towards sustainability and environmental responsibility, as they tend to hold immense value lately. An efficient waste management plan can be a crucial marketing tool for companies trying to break into the industry and stand out from the crowd.

Industry Best practices

Reducing the hazardous and industrial waste:
Increasing waste in general is a huge concern for mankind. The high quantum of industrial waste leads to more environmental problems and costs incurred for the handling and disposal of this waste. Thus, businesses must focus on reducing industrial waste generation in the first place. Businesses can achieve this goal through various practices and measures mentioned below:

Inventory management: One of the best ways to reduce hazardous and toxic waste is through an efficient inventory management system. Expired, unwanted corrosive chemicals must be disposed of since they become more lethal over time. Similarly, an updated chemical inventory prevents the repurchase of existing chemicals.
Proper segregation: It's crucial to segregate hazardous waste because the disposal process becomes difficult otherwise. The segregation process must be carried out safely and efficiently, avoiding any mixing up of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Further categorization of hazardous waste must be done and segregation must be done accordingly.

Recycling/ Reuse: Hazardous and chemical waste recycling is a complex yet crucial process in reducing the volume of waste. If not carried out properly, hazardous waste recycling can impose a severe threat. Thus, its subject to rigorous regulations and guidelines. Businesses can either use hazardous waste for energy recovery or as an ingredient in the production processes. For instance, used chemicals from one industrial process can become resources for other processes through industrial symbiosis. The reuse of ferric chloride (a by-product of steel pickling in hydrochloric acid) for the water treatment process is a classic example of the same.

Efficient Disposal methods:
Businesses must follow efficient and safe disposal practices when disposing of hazardous waste. That can be achieved via working closely with the TSDFs (Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities). The TSDFs have a stringent plan of action for efficient waste management. Moreover, the regulations for the TSDFs differ from that of waste generators and transporters and are often stringent. They are responsible for handling the hazardous waste until its disposed of finally.

• Treatment: It refers to the process of converting the biological, physical and chemical composition of hazardous waste to neutralise it.
• Storage: Its the process of holding the hazardous waste safely for a temporary period until its treated, disposed of, or stored elsewhere.
• Disposal: Its the final stage for hazardous waste management in the TSDFs where it is discharged, dumped or injected into the land or water under controlled conditions.

Case Study:

‘Value from Hazardous Waste’ initiative: Tata Motors’ successful efforts in reducing the volume of hazardous waste and reducing costs along the way

Tata Motors Limited, one of the pioneers in the automotive industry, has found innovative ways to handle the hazardous waste generated from its production processes, thereby reducing the costs incurred. Tata Motors’ waste management initiative focused on the Waste Management Hierarchy which is a mandate of the national regulations. The Waste Hierarchy is as follows:

1. Reduce
2. Reuse
3. Recycle
4. Resource Recovery
5. Landfill/ Disposal

The company has made changes in the following areas for efficient waste management:

(i)Supply chain
(ii)Scrap conversion
(iii)Manufacturing processes

Tata Motors has converted the paint sludge into secondary paints for in-house use or in their supply chain for frames and castings. That way, the company has reduced the burden on landfills and incineration by reducing waste generation in the first place.
Similarly, the automobile giant has also made some process changes, like recovering and reusing sealants instead of wiping the excess. They have also focussed on reducing tank draining and scheduling color-wise painting operations which resulted in less frequent set-up changes.

The ‘Value from Hazardous Waste’ initiative has resulted in savings of INR 20.20 Crore in FY’20 and avoided the disposal of 1976 MT of hazardous waste in FY20.