Report on Household Hazardous Waste Management and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: The Challenge of Household Hazardous Waste and Global Sustainability

In the United States, the annual generation of 1.6 million tons of household hazardous waste (HHW) presents a significant challenge to environmental stewardship and public health. HHW, which includes items such as batteries, paints, and various chemicals, requires specialized disposal to mitigate its harmful effects. The management of this waste stream is directly linked to the successful implementation of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as improper disposal can impede progress while responsible handling can accelerate it. This report analyzes HHW management practices in Athens County, Ohio, through the lens of the SDGs.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: Protecting communities and sanitation workers from exposure to toxic substances.
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: Preventing the contamination of ground and surface water sources.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: Implementing safe and sustainable municipal waste management systems.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: Ensuring the environmentally sound management of chemicals and wastes and reducing waste generation.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water: Safeguarding aquatic ecosystems from chemical pollution.

Analysis of Improper Waste Disposal and its Conflict with SDGs

Landfill Contamination and its Impact on SDG 6 and SDG 14

When HHW is discarded with regular garbage, it typically ends up in a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill. Although modern landfills, such as the Rumpke Athens-Hocking Reclamation Center, are engineered with protective liners and leachate collection systems, risks of environmental contamination persist. Leachate—water that has percolated through waste, absorbing toxins—can contain high concentrations of organic contaminants, heavy metals, and ammonia.

While the Rumpke facility tests its leachate for certain contaminants before it is sent to treatment facilities, expert analysis confirms that chemicals from HHW, including pesticides and pharmaceuticals, are often present. These substances can pass through conventional wastewater treatment plants and be discharged into rivers. This outcome directly undermines two critical goals:

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The discharge of untreated pollutants compromises the quality of surface water, threatening the safety of water resources for downstream communities and ecosystems.
• SDG 14 (Life Below Water): The U.S. EPA has noted that chemicals from improperly disposed waste, particularly pharmaceuticals, cause demonstrable harm to aquatic life, disrupting ecosystems.

Sewer System Disposal and its Threat to SDG 3 and SDG 6

The disposal of liquid HHW down drains and into the sewer system poses another significant threat. While the volume of water at a treatment plant may dilute these chemicals, facilities are not typically equipped to remove all hazardous compounds. According to operators at the City of Athens wastewater treatment plant, persistent detection of a hazardous substance would necessitate a difficult backtracking process to find the source. The potential for these chemicals to pass through the system and into public waterways creates a direct conflict with:

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Contaminated waterways can pose health risks to humans.
• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The integrity of the water sanitation cycle is compromised when hazardous materials are introduced into the system.

Advancing SDG 12 through Responsible HHW Management

The Role of Specialized Collection and Processing

In contrast to improper disposal, formal HHW collection programs exemplify the principles of sustainable waste management. The Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District partners with Environmental Enterprises, a specialized company, to manage HHW, providing a model for achieving SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). This approach ensures the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, as called for in SDG Target 12.4.

The process for responsible management includes the following steps:

1. Safe Collection: HHW is collected at designated community events, where it is handled and stored safely in appropriate containers.
2. Systematic Logging: Materials are logged and tracked via a manifest as they are loaded for transport.
3. Specialized Transport: The waste is transported to a dedicated facility in Cincinnati for processing.
4. Organized Sorting: Upon arrival, materials are sorted into categories such as paints, flammables, and corrosives to ensure proper handling.

Maximizing Reuse and Recycling to Reduce Waste

A primary benefit of this specialized process is the high rate of material recovery. An estimated 80-90% of the HHW collected by Environmental Enterprises is reused or recycled, a significant contribution to SDG Target 12.5, which aims to substantially reduce waste generation. This circular approach transforms waste into valuable resources.

• Fuel Blending: Flammable liquids are repurposed as fuel for energy-intensive industrial processes, such as in cement kilns.
• Material Recycling: Latex-based paint is remixed and combined by partner organizations for charitable use.
• Waste Reduction: A small portion of materials are made available for personal use by employees, preventing them from being discarded.

Only a minimal amount of HHW, such as asbestos and hardened paint, cannot be recycled and must be sent to a specialized landfill. This demonstrates a highly effective system for diverting the vast majority of hazardous materials from the conventional waste stream.

Conclusion and Community Action for Sustainable Development

The management of HHW is a critical issue that sits at the intersection of public health, environmental protection, and sustainable development. Proper collection and processing, as practiced by the Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District, actively support the achievement of SDGs 3, 6, 11, 12, and 14. Conversely, improper disposal undermines these global goals by polluting land and water.

Community participation in designated collection events is a vital and direct action that residents can take to support a safe, healthy, and sustainable community, in alignment with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). The upcoming collection event provides such an opportunity.

• Event: Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day
• Date: Saturday, July 19
• Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Location: Hocking County Fairgrounds

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on household hazardous waste management touches upon several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary connections are to goals concerning health, water quality, sustainable communities, responsible consumption, and life below water. The analysis below details the specific SDGs relevant to the article’s content.

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • The article explicitly states that household hazardous waste can have “harmful effects on public health.” It discusses the risks associated with chemicals from waste contaminating water sources, which directly relates to ensuring healthy lives.

2. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • A major theme is the threat of “leachate” from landfills contaminating water. The article describes leachate as water that has passed through a landfill, picking up “high concentrations of organic contaminants, heavy metals, toxic materials, ammonia and inorganic materials.” It details how this leachate can contaminate groundwater and be discharged into surface waters like rivers and streams, directly impacting water quality.

3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • The article focuses on waste management within a specific community, Athens County. It discusses the operations of the “Rumpke Athens-Hocking Reclamation Center,” which processes “750 to 800 tons of garbage a day,” and the role of the “Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District.” This is directly related to managing municipal waste to create safer and more sustainable communities.

4. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • This is a central SDG in the article. It begins by quantifying waste generation (“Americans collectively generate 1.6 million tons of household hazardous waste”). It then explores the entire lifecycle of this waste, from improper disposal in landfills to “environmentally sound management” through collection, recycling, and reuse by companies like Environmental Enterprises.

5. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • The article connects land-based pollution to aquatic ecosystems. An EPA representative is quoted stating that studies have shown the “harm misplaced pharmaceuticals have on aquatic life” when chemicals pass through treatment plants and are “discharged into surface water.” This directly addresses the impact of land-based pollution on life below water.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 3.9: Substantially reduce deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and pollution

   • The article’s focus on the “harmful effects on public health” from improperly disposed hazardous waste, and the potential for chemicals to contaminate water sources, directly aligns with this target of reducing illness from chemical pollution and contamination.

2. Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals

   • The article extensively discusses how improper disposal of hazardous waste leads to landfill leachate containing “heavy metals, toxic materials, [and] ammonia.” It explains how this polluted water can enter groundwater and surface water systems, making the reduction of this chemical release a core issue.

3. Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to municipal and other waste management

   • The entire article is an examination of municipal waste management in Athens County. It details the challenges of handling household hazardous waste within the larger municipal solid waste stream and highlights community-based solutions like “annual collection days,” which are efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the city’s waste.

4. Target 12.4: Achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes

   • This target is addressed by contrasting improper disposal (in landfills and sewers) with proper management. The work of Environmental Enterprises, which collects, sorts, and processes hazardous waste to “minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment,” is a direct example of achieving this target.

5. Target 12.5: Substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

   • The article highlights efforts to reduce the amount of hazardous waste ending up in landfills. It mentions that Environmental Enterprises ensures “80–90% of the household hazardous waste” it collects is “reused or recycled.” Examples include reusing flammable liquids for fuel in cement kilns and remixing latex paint for charitable use.

6. Target 14.1: Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities

   • The article explains the pathway for land-based pollution to reach aquatic environments. It notes that chemicals in leachate can “pass through the wastewater treatment unit and get discharged into surface water, like a river stream.” The mention of harm to “aquatic life” from these chemicals directly connects the local waste issue to the broader problem of water pollution from land-based sources.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress.

1. Indicators of Water Quality and Pollution (Targets 3.9, 6.3, 14.1)

   • Leachate and Water Testing Parameters: The article explicitly states that Rumpke’s leachate test measures “ammonia, total suspended solids (TTS), total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and metals.” The City of Athens wastewater plant conducts “daily tests for acidity, monthly tests for nitrogen, [and] quarterly tests for lead.” These tests serve as direct indicators of water pollution levels.
   • Presence of Specific Contaminants: The article notes that “pesticides and old pharmaceuticals are in landfill leachate,” implying that their presence or absence in discharged water is a key indicator of pollution.

2. Indicators of Waste Management and Reduction (Targets 11.6, 12.4, 12.5)

   • Amount of Waste Generated/Processed: The article provides figures such as “1.6 million tons of household hazardous waste” generated annually in the U.S. and “750 to 800 tons of garbage a day” processed at the local landfill. Tracking these numbers over time would indicate progress in waste reduction.
   • Recycling and Reuse Rate: A specific indicator is the claim that “80–90% of the household hazardous waste Environmental Enterprises collects is reused or recycled.” This percentage is a direct measure of progress toward Target 12.5.
   • Implementation of Waste Management Programs: The existence and frequency of programs like the “annual collection days” and the availability of “designated drop-off locations” are qualitative indicators of a community’s commitment to sound waste management.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: athensindependent.com