HAZARDOUS RESIDUES

The industrialization process at world level has produced an alarming increase in the hazardous residues overall volumes. Furthermore, their toxicity complexity and chemical heterogeneity, as well as the high c osts of treatment and final disposal have generated a negative impact on the environment and human health. It is necessary to define these r esidues in order to determine their toxicity, reactivity, corrosivenes s and inflammability so that a proper evaluation can be made of their effects on life in general, which in turn will permit the devising of better methods of handling, storing, treating and disposing of the dan gerous residues. Several techniques exist for treating hazardous resid ues to reduce or eliminate the risks to health and minimize the effect s on the environment deterioration usually associated with the generat ion of noxious (harmful) substances. These techniques depend on the ph ysical nature and state of the substances: liquid, solid semisolid ol gaseous. In many countries unproductive or abandoned land nr eas are u sed to dump such residues. In common practice only a limited number of techniques ave used, of which the land-fill is the most common. In Ve nezuela an interinstitutional commission is presently working on the c reation of a Center for the Treatment and final Disposal of Hazardous Residues. Which in turn is generating a National Plan for Handling Ind ustrial Residues. At this date due consideration is being given to the final sites for the construction of the safety land-fills and to the determination of the necessary related administrative processes.