The Arsenic RuleThe Arsenic Rule

Waste Disposal OptionsWaste Disposal Options

Impacts on Disposal Impacts on Disposal AlternativesAlternatives

Concentration of contaminants in the Concentration of contaminants in the waste stream waste stream Non-Hazardous WasteNon-Hazardous Waste Hazardous WasteHazardous Waste Mixed WasteMixed Waste

Federal, State, & Local RegulationsFederal, State, & Local Regulations Disposal facility policies Disposal facility policies

Type of residualsType of residuals LiquidLiquid SolidSolid

Waste Streams: Waste Streams: Solid/LiquidSolid/Liquid

Liquid Residual Liquid Residual StreamStream BrineBrine Backwash WaterBackwash Water Rinse WaterRinse Water Acid Neutralization Acid Neutralization

Water Water ConcentrateConcentrate

SolidsSolids Spent ResinsSpent Resins Spent Filter MediaSpent Filter Media Spent MembranesSpent Membranes SludgesSludges

Anion Exchange Anion Exchange

Consider disposal of regenerate, backwash, and

spent resins

Waste IdentificationWaste Identification

Solid or Liquid? Solid or Liquid? Paint Filter Liquids Test (EPA SW 846 Method Paint Filter Liquids Test (EPA SW 846 Method

9095)9095) Hazardous or Non-Hazardous?Hazardous or Non-Hazardous?

Knowledge of the waste generation processKnowledge of the waste generation process Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP)

or Waste Extraction Test (WET) in Californiaor Waste Extraction Test (WET) in California Exemption for Small Quantity GeneratorsExemption for Small Quantity Generators

Mixed Waste?Mixed Waste? Hazardous waste and > 0.05% uranium or thorium Hazardous waste and > 0.05% uranium or thorium

by weight (totaling <15 lbs.)by weight (totaling <15 lbs.)

RCRA Regulatory TestsRCRA Regulatory Tests

Paint Filter Liquids TestPaint Filter Liquids Test TCLPTCLP

Arsenic is one of the eight metals Arsenic is one of the eight metals regulated under RCRA regulated under RCRA

Arsenic > 5.0 mg/L = HazardousArsenic > 5.0 mg/L = Hazardous

Paint Filter Liquids TestPaint Filter Liquids Test Determines if “free” Determines if “free”

liquids are present in a liquids are present in a wastewaste

Wastes containing free Wastes containing free liquids banned from liquids banned from disposal in municipal disposal in municipal solid waste landfills solid waste landfills and hazardous waste and hazardous waste landfillslandfills

Liquid wastes must be Liquid wastes must be treated or disposed in treated or disposed in an alternative manneran alternative manner

Toxicity Characteristic Toxicity Characteristic Leaching ProcedureLeaching Procedure

Predicts if hazardous Predicts if hazardous components of a components of a waste are likely to waste are likely to leach outleach out

Regulatory levels Regulatory levels established forestablished for

8 metals 8 metals 32 organics32 organics

Exceeding Exceeding regulatory levels regulatory levels result in designation result in designation as hazardousas hazardous

Waste Type: Mixed WasteWaste Type: Mixed Waste

Contains both hazardous waste and Contains both hazardous waste and source. . . or byproduct material source. . . or byproduct material subject to the Atomic Energy Actsubject to the Atomic Energy Act

Also regulated by RCRAAlso regulated by RCRA

>0.05% >0.05% U/TH by U/TH by weight weight

(totaling (totaling <<15 15

lbs.)lbs.)

+ Hazardous Waste =

Mixed waste Mixed waste Subject to Subject to

license from license from NRC or NRC or

Agreement Agreement State State

DisposalDisposalLiquid ResidualsLiquid Residuals

Brine, Backwash Water, Rinse Water, Acid Neutraliztion Water, Brine, Backwash Water, Rinse Water, Acid Neutraliztion Water, ConcentrateConcentrate

Disposal OptionDisposal Option Waste Waste TypeType

ApplicablApplicable e

AuthorityAuthority

Key ConsiderationsKey Considerations

Discharge Discharge directly to directly to

surface waterssurface waters

Non-Non-hazardouhazardou

ss

CWACWA NPDES PermitNPDES PermitAppropriate Appropriate

receiving bodyreceiving body

Discharge to a Discharge to a Publicly Owned Publicly Owned

Treatment Works Treatment Works (POTW)(POTW)

Non-Non-hazardouhazardou

ss

CWACWA Meet TBLLs, POTW Meet TBLLs, POTW and state and state

requirementsrequirements

Injection to a Injection to a Class 1 UIC WellClass 1 UIC Well

HazardouHazardous, Non-s, Non-

hazardouhazardous, & s, &

Mixed Mixed

SDWA/SDWA/UIC UIC

Regs.Regs.

Expensive, complex, Expensive, complex, and few wellsand few wells

Permit requiredPermit required

Injection to a Injection to a Class V UIC WellClass V UIC Well

Non-Non-hazardouhazardou

ss

SDWA/SDWA/UIC UIC

Regs.Regs.

Injection prohibited Injection prohibited if it will endanger an if it will endanger an underground source underground source

of drinking waterof drinking water

DisposalDisposal

Solid ResidualsSolid ResidualsSpent Resins, Spent Filter Media, Spent Membranes, SludgeSpent Resins, Spent Filter Media, Spent Membranes, Sludge

Disposal Disposal OptionOption

Waste TypeWaste Type Applicable Applicable AuthorityAuthority

Key Key ConsiderationsConsiderations

Municipal or Municipal or industrial industrial

solid waste solid waste landfilllandfill

Non-Non-hazardoushazardous

RCRA RCRA Subtitle DSubtitle D

No free liquidsNo free liquidsAt discretion of At discretion of

landfill ownerlandfill owner

Hazardous Hazardous waste landfillwaste landfill

Hazardous & Hazardous & Non-Non-

hazardoushazardous

RCRA RCRA Subtitle CSubtitle C

No free liquidsNo free liquidsCan accept Can accept

hazardous waste hazardous waste from all generator from all generator

classesclasses

Low-level Low-level Radioactive Radioactive

Waste LandfillWaste Landfill

TENORM TENORM and possibly and possibly Mixed WasteMixed Waste

AEA or AEA or Agreement Agreement

StateState

Limited number Limited number of landfills in the of landfills in the

nationnation

Intermediate ProcessingIntermediate Processing

Intermediate processing

methods each creating its own residual stream

Evaporation pondsEvaporation pondsSettling basinsSettling basinsSludge drying bedsSludge drying bedsMechanical dewateringMechanical dewatering