Proper storage of chemical waste

Under the Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap.354) - Waste Disposal Regulations, Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department has defined chemical waste as any substance or thing being scrap material, effluent, or an unwanted substance or by-product arising from the application of or in the course of any process or trade activity, and which is or contains any substance or chemical specified in the prescribed schedule if such substance or chemical occurs in such form (http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/guide_ref/files/guide_e.pdf), quantity or concentration so as to cause pollution, constitute a danger to health or risk of pollution to the environment.

Chemical waste should be properly and temporarily stored by the waste producer before the waste is transferred by the waste collector to a licensed treatment provider. There are certain criteria should be applied to the containers for temporary chemical waste storage, including its material, condition, etc. Such containers should be placed in a suitable area located close to the waste generation source for temporary storage and the containers should be either drums or jerricans type. The size of the containers should be determined according to the quantity and frequency of chemical waste to be stored. Common types of materials to be used for the containers include plastics and steel.

The storage area should be enclosed on at least three sides by partition, wall or fence with a height of not less than two metres or the total height of containers in stack, whichever is less. Such enclosures should be built with concrete, brick of steel with fixed erection to the areas. In addition, appropriate labeling should also be applied for accurate indication to ensure proper and safe handling, storage and transport of the waste.

Source: Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department















For specific details regarding Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department's guideline of chemical waste storage, please visit: http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/guide_ref/guide_cwc.html

妥善儲存化學廢物

根據“廢物處置條例”（第354章） - “廢物處置條例”，香港環境保護署界定化學廢物為應用於或進行任何工序或活動期間所產生的廢料、廢水或無用的殘餘物質或副產品，而此等物品中，含有規例附表內開列的物質或化學物品 (http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/tc_chi/environmentinhk/waste/guide_ref/guide_cwc_sub1.html)，而其形態、份量及濃度又足以危害人體健康或污染自然環境。

在化學廢物轉移交至合資格的廢物處理處之前，廢物產生者必須暫時及妥善存放廢物。而暫時存放化學廢物的容器，則有一定的規格標準，包括物料、尺寸等。化學廢物容器應置於一個合適的地方，用於臨時儲放，容器大多是鼓或罐型。容器的大小應根據廢物的數量和頻率而定。常見的容器材質類型包括塑膠和鋼。

容器的存儲地方應至少有三面圍以牆壁、間隔或圍欄，其高度不低於兩米或相等於堆叠起的容器總高度，以較低者為準。圍壁可以混凝土、磚、鋼等物料建造。另外，適當的標籤也可以確保廢物能被妥善安全地處理、貯存和運送。

資料來源：香港環境保護署

有關存放化學廢物的具體細節，請參閱香港環境保護署的指引：
http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/tc_chi/environmentinhk/waste/guide_ref/guide_cwc.html

Impacts of oil to us

Lubricants are used in many types of machinery during the day-to-day operation in various industrial and commercial activities. Used oil is, simply put, any oil that has been refined from crude oil and such use leads physical and/ or chemical contamination. During normal use, Impurities including dirt, metal particles, water, as well as other chemicals may be blended in with the oil, causing diminishing performance. These lubricating oils are classified as a type of chemical waste because it has been proven to have severe adverse impacts on the environment if dispose of improperly.

Chemistry of oil

Petroleum and its related products are made up with hydrocarbons, which are by its name, compounds containing both carbon and hydrogen. The simplest molecule of hydrocarbon is methane, the main component of natural gas. With the extension of additional carbon and hydrogen atoms, longer chains will be formed. In the case of lubricating oils, each molecule contains from 20 to 70 carbon atoms. These molecules are found to be particularly stable and will never be diminished. That is to say, replacing depleted additives within the oil is the key and crucial step to refine the used oil.

Impacts to environment and human health

Numerous toxic substances are found in spent oil, these toxins are uneasy to be degraded once enter the environment. For instance, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in used motor oil have been proven to be a carcinogen. Tiny metal scrapings from the engine compartment such as lead, arsenic, and zinc will also blended into the oils during operations. In addition, exposure to heat during engine combustion will also alter the chemical structures of the oil. Leakages, spillages, or improper handling of lubricating oils will enter the local water bodies unavoidably, through manmade drains or channels to streams, rivers, lakes, underground water tables and even reaching the ocean. At the end of the day, poisoning our drinking water sources and marine animals that we may consume ourselves.