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Management of radioactive waste: The issues for local authorities
WASTE MANAGEMENT, Vol. 13, pp. 103-105, 1993 Printed in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.
0956-053X/93 $6.00 + .00 Copyright © 1993 Pergamon Press Ltd.
B O O K RE VIE W S
highly recommended by this reviewer to all technical people working in this field.
Medical Waste Incineration and Pollution Prevention. Alex E. S. Green, editor. Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York, 1992; (pp. 208, ISBN 0-442-008198) $49.95 hardcover.
C. David Cooper University of Central Florida Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering P.O. Box 25000 Orlando, FL 32816-2450, U.S.A.
This new book, edited by a respected researcher in the field of combustion and waste incineration, presents in one volume a wealth of information about the important field of medical waste incineration. It reads very smoothly, indicating that a careful job of editing was done. In addition, Dr. Green (of the University of Florida, Gainesville) has authored or contributed to three of the chapters. All the various chapters work together well, reinforcing the main theme of the book, which is clean combustion, not only through advanced technology of air pollution control systems, but rather with an integrated approach of pollution prevention (precombustion), combustion, and postcombustion measures. The book makes a very good case for pollution prevention, and gives specific suggestions for (a) product substitution, (b) methods to avoid toxic-producing materials, and (c) source separation, all focused for the medical/hospital industry. In addition, it also gives good information on up-todate thinking about optimizing combustion controls adjusting such parameters as time, temperature, turbulence, oxygen, and mechanical combustor arrangements so as to reduce the rate and extent of formation of such pollutants as carbon monoxide, dioxins, and furans. Residue disposal is also addressed. The book starts out with a review of the toxic products of medical waste incineration, reporting experimental data as well as current theories of pollutant formation. Next, there is a chapter that reviews the characterization of medical waste, followed by a chapter (case study style) on medical waste management in New Zealand and Australia. One entire chapter is devoted to avoidance of metals in medical waste incinerators. Another entire chapter is devoted to polymer substitutes for polyvinylchloride. This reviewer found the chapter on air pollution control (APC) systems somewhat lacking in depth. There were no tables of data reporting control efficiencies for various pollutants for various APC systems, nor were there any tabulated summaries of state emission limits or stack gas exhaust standards. Both of these should have been included. Given that the focus of the book is on pollution prevention, though, this oversight can be forgiven. This book makes a good and timely contribution to the field of medical waste incineration, and is
Management of Radioactive Waste: The Issues for Local Authorities. Proceedings of the Conference Organized by the National Steering Committee, Nuclear Free Local Authorities, and held in Manchester, U.K., on 12 February 1991. Stewart Kemp, editor. Thomas Telford: London, 1991; (pp. 177, ISBN 07277-1644-1 ) £30.00/$65.00 hardcover.
In 1980, the Manchester City Council expressed opposition to activities relating to the production and deployment of nuclear weapons. Some other local agencies in various parts of England, Scotland, and Wales followed suit. To coordinate activities on nuclear matters, the National Steering Committee (NSC) was established in 1981. Stewart Kemp is Principal Policy and Research Officer of the NSC. Management of Radioactive Waste is one of the specialist conferences organized by the NSC. The papers presented at that symposium have been compiled in the book bearing the same name. The ten authors whose papers appear in this offering have produced an interesting document that highlights the attitudes of the British public and some of their regulatory authorities with respect to the disposal of radioactive waste. While one might infer that physical details of waste treatment and storage are examined, there is relatively little material between the covers about the management of radioactive waste. Primarily, it is public perceptions and political issues that are discussed. In that respect, the book is not a primer for the lay person wishing to become informed about the subject, since the technical bases for radioactive waste management are not addressed in comprehensive form. Only the first paper speaks to the technical specifications for radioactive waste management policy. Indeed, a casual reader might infer that no one in authority has assessed the issue from the technical perspective, and that the public is now in the position of having to accept a solution of convenience rather than one of substance. 103
104
Notwithstanding this limitation, some observations as to the merits of this book are in order. First, the text is a compilation of papers given at a meeting of elected and appointed community officials in the United Kingdom. A cross section of opinion and position is provided, often with commentary on the political history of the activity. An example in this regard is the process in Dounreay, where the government wishes to establish a reprocessing plant. Local opposition has solidified around two issues: 1. The government has an agenda to which the local inhabitants are not privy. 2. The local environment, especially the environment with respect to tourism, will be changed. The Dounreay discussion provides a window on local attitudes for nuclear regulators and practitioners. The issue of acceptance is now irreversibly placed before the public and will not be removed. The authors have identified actual concerns of citizens and have given us a contemporary record of their leanings. Perhaps the counterpoint to the lack of technical continuity among the ten papers is the presence of detail in some of the discussions. The evolution of the complex at Sellafield is an example. Outside the United Kingdom, one hears of British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL), of Windscale, of reprocessing, and of disposal at sea. To the casual American, there is only slight encouragement to compare the activities carried out in another country with the practices in the United States. However, some attention is paid by the authors to the evolution of the nuclear interests in Sellafield and Dounreay. This is of some interest to the serious student of the political support of nuclear energy, and highlights the process by which a favorable climate may turn into one less sanguine. Management of Radioactive Waste is appropriate for the student of the interface between policy and technology. Some knowledge of the nuclear waste disposal issue is the responsibility of the reader. In particular, he or she should possess some familiarity with radiation dose rate standards as well as a qualitative understanding of the nuclear fuel cycle. The strength of this publication is the delineation of local public policy concerns and the cumulative effect of national government decisions upon public response and support. People involved in representing permanent technological waste management solutions to the public should pay careful attention to the opinions and convictions expressed by some of the authors.
Charles A. Sparrow
Mississippi State University Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Mississippi State, MS 39762, U.S.A.
BOOK REVIEWS A World of Waste: Dilemmas of Industrial Development, by K. A. Gourlay. ZED Books: London, 1992; (pp. 256, ISBN 0-86232-988-4, 0-86232-989-2) £32.95/$55.00 hardcover; £ 10.95/$17.50 softcover.
A World of Waste is an essay relating to the waste problems that have been created by the industrialization of the civilized world as we know it. The author, who is British, has organized an outstanding compilation of references which should be useful for research in this field. Oftentimes, however, the author digresses from reporting facts and enters a world of editorial comment. This would probably not be too upsetting, except that many of the comments are based on the author's assumption that the newspaper and periodical articles cited are based upon proven scientific facts rather than a reporter's interpretation of events. The editorial comments become bogged down with discussions that are only meaningful to someone interested in British politics. The author starts out with a litany of tales of illicit shipments of waste cargos from ports in developed countries to destinations in third world countries. The tales of"poison cargos" dashing from one country to another seeking a government that will allow off loading of tons of hazardous waste is enough to make one cringe. These pictures of pure terror are supported by newspaper accounts which were probably embellished by the journalists, or others, in order to make interesting newscopy. The book does, however, point out the problems industrial nations have when well meaning but nontechnically trained executives are allowed to play the role of entrepreneur in the waste management business. The result is abuse and total chaos. Once the author moves past the horror stories, a very well organized discussion of waste sources is presented. Here, both domestic and industrial wastes are considered. The author discusses wastes generated by chemical manufacturing operations as well as coal, agriculture, mining, and many other activities. This section should be read by anyone interested in where waste comes from and why we have waste problems in the world today. Unfortunately, the author refers to various unproven myths, such as global warming, to condemn virtually every manufacturing industry. Even cattle are accused of being major contributors of methane, a greenhouse gas, which, as the author points out, will lead to further global warming. At times the author tends to use a technically based vernacular with a British flavor. This sometimes makes difficult reading for an American reader. The author discusses both American and British environmental law and, in these discussions, the author is helpful by providing a section listing acronyms and abbreviations. In the end, the author does take a consolidated approach to the problem of energy generation, waste
0956-053X/93 $6.00 + .00 Copyright © 1993 Pergamon Press Ltd.
B O O K RE VIE W S
highly recommended by this reviewer to all technical people working in this field.
Medical Waste Incineration and Pollution Prevention. Alex E. S. Green, editor. Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York, 1992; (pp. 208, ISBN 0-442-008198) $49.95 hardcover.
C. David Cooper University of Central Florida Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering P.O. Box 25000 Orlando, FL 32816-2450, U.S.A.
This new book, edited by a respected researcher in the field of combustion and waste incineration, presents in one volume a wealth of information about the important field of medical waste incineration. It reads very smoothly, indicating that a careful job of editing was done. In addition, Dr. Green (of the University of Florida, Gainesville) has authored or contributed to three of the chapters. All the various chapters work together well, reinforcing the main theme of the book, which is clean combustion, not only through advanced technology of air pollution control systems, but rather with an integrated approach of pollution prevention (precombustion), combustion, and postcombustion measures. The book makes a very good case for pollution prevention, and gives specific suggestions for (a) product substitution, (b) methods to avoid toxic-producing materials, and (c) source separation, all focused for the medical/hospital industry. In addition, it also gives good information on up-todate thinking about optimizing combustion controls adjusting such parameters as time, temperature, turbulence, oxygen, and mechanical combustor arrangements so as to reduce the rate and extent of formation of such pollutants as carbon monoxide, dioxins, and furans. Residue disposal is also addressed. The book starts out with a review of the toxic products of medical waste incineration, reporting experimental data as well as current theories of pollutant formation. Next, there is a chapter that reviews the characterization of medical waste, followed by a chapter (case study style) on medical waste management in New Zealand and Australia. One entire chapter is devoted to avoidance of metals in medical waste incinerators. Another entire chapter is devoted to polymer substitutes for polyvinylchloride. This reviewer found the chapter on air pollution control (APC) systems somewhat lacking in depth. There were no tables of data reporting control efficiencies for various pollutants for various APC systems, nor were there any tabulated summaries of state emission limits or stack gas exhaust standards. Both of these should have been included. Given that the focus of the book is on pollution prevention, though, this oversight can be forgiven. This book makes a good and timely contribution to the field of medical waste incineration, and is
Management of Radioactive Waste: The Issues for Local Authorities. Proceedings of the Conference Organized by the National Steering Committee, Nuclear Free Local Authorities, and held in Manchester, U.K., on 12 February 1991. Stewart Kemp, editor. Thomas Telford: London, 1991; (pp. 177, ISBN 07277-1644-1 ) £30.00/$65.00 hardcover.
In 1980, the Manchester City Council expressed opposition to activities relating to the production and deployment of nuclear weapons. Some other local agencies in various parts of England, Scotland, and Wales followed suit. To coordinate activities on nuclear matters, the National Steering Committee (NSC) was established in 1981. Stewart Kemp is Principal Policy and Research Officer of the NSC. Management of Radioactive Waste is one of the specialist conferences organized by the NSC. The papers presented at that symposium have been compiled in the book bearing the same name. The ten authors whose papers appear in this offering have produced an interesting document that highlights the attitudes of the British public and some of their regulatory authorities with respect to the disposal of radioactive waste. While one might infer that physical details of waste treatment and storage are examined, there is relatively little material between the covers about the management of radioactive waste. Primarily, it is public perceptions and political issues that are discussed. In that respect, the book is not a primer for the lay person wishing to become informed about the subject, since the technical bases for radioactive waste management are not addressed in comprehensive form. Only the first paper speaks to the technical specifications for radioactive waste management policy. Indeed, a casual reader might infer that no one in authority has assessed the issue from the technical perspective, and that the public is now in the position of having to accept a solution of convenience rather than one of substance. 103
104
Notwithstanding this limitation, some observations as to the merits of this book are in order. First, the text is a compilation of papers given at a meeting of elected and appointed community officials in the United Kingdom. A cross section of opinion and position is provided, often with commentary on the political history of the activity. An example in this regard is the process in Dounreay, where the government wishes to establish a reprocessing plant. Local opposition has solidified around two issues: 1. The government has an agenda to which the local inhabitants are not privy. 2. The local environment, especially the environment with respect to tourism, will be changed. The Dounreay discussion provides a window on local attitudes for nuclear regulators and practitioners. The issue of acceptance is now irreversibly placed before the public and will not be removed. The authors have identified actual concerns of citizens and have given us a contemporary record of their leanings. Perhaps the counterpoint to the lack of technical continuity among the ten papers is the presence of detail in some of the discussions. The evolution of the complex at Sellafield is an example. Outside the United Kingdom, one hears of British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL), of Windscale, of reprocessing, and of disposal at sea. To the casual American, there is only slight encouragement to compare the activities carried out in another country with the practices in the United States. However, some attention is paid by the authors to the evolution of the nuclear interests in Sellafield and Dounreay. This is of some interest to the serious student of the political support of nuclear energy, and highlights the process by which a favorable climate may turn into one less sanguine. Management of Radioactive Waste is appropriate for the student of the interface between policy and technology. Some knowledge of the nuclear waste disposal issue is the responsibility of the reader. In particular, he or she should possess some familiarity with radiation dose rate standards as well as a qualitative understanding of the nuclear fuel cycle. The strength of this publication is the delineation of local public policy concerns and the cumulative effect of national government decisions upon public response and support. People involved in representing permanent technological waste management solutions to the public should pay careful attention to the opinions and convictions expressed by some of the authors.
Charles A. Sparrow
Mississippi State University Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Mississippi State, MS 39762, U.S.A.
BOOK REVIEWS A World of Waste: Dilemmas of Industrial Development, by K. A. Gourlay. ZED Books: London, 1992; (pp. 256, ISBN 0-86232-988-4, 0-86232-989-2) £32.95/$55.00 hardcover; £ 10.95/$17.50 softcover.
A World of Waste is an essay relating to the waste problems that have been created by the industrialization of the civilized world as we know it. The author, who is British, has organized an outstanding compilation of references which should be useful for research in this field. Oftentimes, however, the author digresses from reporting facts and enters a world of editorial comment. This would probably not be too upsetting, except that many of the comments are based on the author's assumption that the newspaper and periodical articles cited are based upon proven scientific facts rather than a reporter's interpretation of events. The editorial comments become bogged down with discussions that are only meaningful to someone interested in British politics. The author starts out with a litany of tales of illicit shipments of waste cargos from ports in developed countries to destinations in third world countries. The tales of"poison cargos" dashing from one country to another seeking a government that will allow off loading of tons of hazardous waste is enough to make one cringe. These pictures of pure terror are supported by newspaper accounts which were probably embellished by the journalists, or others, in order to make interesting newscopy. The book does, however, point out the problems industrial nations have when well meaning but nontechnically trained executives are allowed to play the role of entrepreneur in the waste management business. The result is abuse and total chaos. Once the author moves past the horror stories, a very well organized discussion of waste sources is presented. Here, both domestic and industrial wastes are considered. The author discusses wastes generated by chemical manufacturing operations as well as coal, agriculture, mining, and many other activities. This section should be read by anyone interested in where waste comes from and why we have waste problems in the world today. Unfortunately, the author refers to various unproven myths, such as global warming, to condemn virtually every manufacturing industry. Even cattle are accused of being major contributors of methane, a greenhouse gas, which, as the author points out, will lead to further global warming. At times the author tends to use a technically based vernacular with a British flavor. This sometimes makes difficult reading for an American reader. The author discusses both American and British environmental law and, in these discussions, the author is helpful by providing a section listing acronyms and abbreviations. In the end, the author does take a consolidated approach to the problem of energy generation, waste