Question

Which method is commonly used for disposal of hazardous solid waste?

• A. Landfilling
• B. Incineration
• C. Composting
• D. Recycling

Hint:

Different disposal methods for hazardous waste prioritize reducing toxicity and volume, and preventing environmental release. Incineration is often chosen for its ability to destroy organic hazardous components. Other methods include chemical treatment, solidification, and highly secure landfilling for specific waste types.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understand Hazardous Solid Waste Disposal.
Hazardous solid waste is waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment. Due to its toxic, corrosive, flammable, reactive, or infectious properties, its disposal requires specialized methods to mitigate these risks.
Step 2: Evaluate each disposal method for hazardous waste.

• Landfilling: While some hazardous wastes are disposed of in highly engineered secure landfills, general landfilling (as typically done for municipal solid waste) is not a common or suitable method for most hazardous solid waste. Hazardous waste landfills are costly and require strict regulatory oversight to prevent environmental contamination (e.g., leachate pollution).
• Incineration: This method involves the controlled combustion of hazardous waste at high temperatures. Incineration can destroy or significantly reduce the volume and toxicity of many types of hazardous organic wastes by converting them into less hazardous substances, ash, and gases. It is a widely used method for medical waste, chemical waste, and certain industrial hazardous wastes. Modern incinerators are equipped with advanced pollution control systems to manage emissions.
• Composting: Composting is a biological decomposition process for organic materials. It is entirely unsuitable for hazardous solid waste as hazardous substances would not break down safely and would contaminate the compost, posing severe environmental and health risks.
• Recycling: Recycling aims to recover valuable materials from waste for reuse. While some specific types of hazardous waste can be recycled (e.g., lead-acid batteries, certain solvents), it is not a universally applicable or "commonly used" general disposal method for the broad category of hazardous solid waste. Many hazardous wastes are too complex, contaminated, or dangerous to be recycled.

Step 3: Select the most commonly used method.
Among the given options, Incineration is a very common and effective method for the treatment and disposal of a wide range of hazardous solid wastes, particularly those with organic components that can be destroyed by thermal degradation. It helps in reducing volume and toxicity significantly.
$$\boxed{\text{Incineration}}$$