What is a waste?

"One man's trash is an other man's treasure." A quotation I often repeat when I come back from our town dump with some item someone else threw away. Next module we will have to get into the U.S. laws and regulation on this topic. When a large corporation is being sued by the Federal Government for improper waste disposal, the precise definition of "waste" becomes very important. And, since they are being sued according to a particular law, which section of which law likewise becomes very important. Next module we'll look at some of those laws. My philosophy in this course is to emphasize the science and engineering of these issues, not the laws and regulations On the other hand, if the laws requires definite actions, these must be undertaken regardless of the science.

For now, I want you to broaden your concept of "waste." For example, if Fort Smith Gold Mine has a box of the explosive TNT in its warehouse, it is dangerous, but not a "waste." There may be many health and safely concerns with the TNT, but they are not waste concerns. Then one day the foreman inspects the warehouse and notes that the TNT packaging is damaged and the material is past its recommend use date and should not be used in the mine operations. At the moment of the foreman's cognition, the box of TNT changed from a useful industrial product to a "waste." Nothing in the box changed, from what was there the moment before, but now the mine has a waste about which something must be done.