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54-560: The Meadowlands stretch mainly along the terminus of the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers as they flow into Newark Bay ; tributaries of the Hackensack include Mill Creek, Berrys Creek , and Overpeck Creek . The present Meadowlands consist of roughly 8,400 acres (34 km) of open, undeveloped space in addition to developed areas that had been part of the natural wetlands which were heavily developed by H. Bert Mack and M. Bolero in

108-504: A barrier has to be installed along the foundation of the landfill to contain the hazardous substances that may remain in the disposed waste. Some hazardous wastes can be recycled into new products. Examples may include lead–acid batteries or electronic circuit boards . When heavy metals in these types of ashes go through the proper treatment, they could bind to other pollutants and convert them into easier-to-dispose solids, or they could be used as pavement filling. Such treatments reduce

162-726: A company or at an industrial setting is not HHW. The following list includes categories often applied to HHW. It is important to note that many of these categories overlap and that many household wastes can fall into multiple categories: Historically, some hazardous wastes were disposed of in regular landfills . Hazardous wastes must often be stabilized and solidified in order to enter a landfill and must undergo different treatments in order to stabilize and dispose of them. Most flammable materials can be recycled into industrial fuel. Some materials with hazardous constituents can be recycled, such as lead acid batteries. Many landfills require countermeasures against groundwater contamination. For example,

216-493: A facility where hazardous waste is placed or on land and which is not a pile, a land treatment facility, a surface impoundment, an underground injection well , a salt dome formation, a salt bed formation, an underground mine, a cave, or a corrective action management unit (40 CFR 260.10)." Some hazardous waste types may be eliminated using pyrolysis in a high temperature not necessarily through electrical arc but starved of oxygen to avoid combustion. However, when electrical arc

270-537: A hazardous waste site, or more commonly, waste can be transported from a site to a permanent incineration facility. The ash and gases leftover from incineration can also be hazardous. Metals are not destroyed, and can either remain in the furnace or convert to gas and join the gas emissions. The ash needs to be stored in a hazardous waste landfill, although it takes less space than the original waste. Incineration releases gases such as carbon dioxide , nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and volatile organic compounds. Reactions in

324-787: A permit under the RCRA. Generators and transporters of hazardous waste must meet specific requirements for handling, managing, and tracking waste. Through the RCRA, Congress directed the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create regulations to manage hazardous waste. Under this mandate, the EPA has developed strict requirements for all aspects of hazardous waste management, including treating, storing, and disposing of hazardous waste. In addition to these federal requirements, states may develop more stringent requirements that are broader in scope than

378-415: Is waste that must be handled properly to avoid damaging human health or the environment. Waste can be hazardous because it is toxic , reacts violently with other chemicals, or is corrosive , among other traits. As of 2022, humanity produces 300-500 million metric tons of hazardous waste annually. Some common examples are electronics, batteries, and paints. An important aspect of managing hazardous waste

432-484: Is a river, approximately 45 miles (72 km) long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey , emptying into Newark Bay , a back chamber of New York Harbor . The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River , which it roughly parallels, separated from it by the New Jersey Palisades . It also flows through and drains

486-495: Is safe disposal. Hazardous waste can be stored in hazardous waste landfills, burned, or recycled into something new. Managing hazardous waste is important to achieve worldwide sustainability . Hazardous waste is regulated on national scale by national governments as well as on an international scale by the United Nations (UN) and international treaties. Universal wastes are a special category of hazardous wastes that (in

540-441: Is used to generate the required ultra heat (in excess of 3000 degree C temperature) all materials (waste) introduced into the process will melt into a molten slag and this technology is termed Plasma not pyrolysis. Plasma technology produces inert materials and when cooled solidifies into rock like material. These treatment methods are very expensive but may be preferable to high temperature incineration in some circumstances such as in

594-790: The Dwars Kill , the Cherry Brook, and Pascack Brook . Van Buskirk Island , a man-made island and site of the New Milford Plant of the Hackensack Water Company , lies in this area. South of the reservoir, it flows through the Oradell Dam through River Edge , Hackensack , Teaneck , Bogota , and Ridgefield Park , once again approaching within 3 mi (5 km) of the Hudson, and separated from it by

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648-629: The New Jersey Meadowlands . The lower river, which is navigable as far as the city of Hackensack , is heavily industrialized and forms a commercial extension of Newark Bay. Once believed to be among the most polluted watercourses in the United States, it staged a modest revival by the late 2000s. The river is divided into the upper river, north of the Oradell Reservoir and Oradell Dam , and lower river, south of

702-561: The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority in 2015. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed designating the Lower Hackensack as a Superfund site, which would make it eligible for environmental remediation partially funded by original polluters. In September 2022, the Lower Hackensack was declared a federal Superfund site, triggering the process. Hazardous waste Hazardous waste

756-813: The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Hazardous wastes are defined under RCRA in 40 CFR 261 and divided into two major categories: characteristic and listed. The requirements of the RCRA apply to all the companies that generate hazardous waste and those that store or dispose of hazardous waste in the United States. Many types of businesses generate hazardous waste. Dry cleaners , automobile repair shops, hospitals, exterminators , and photo processing centers may all generate hazardous waste. Some hazardous waste generators are larger companies such as chemical manufacturers , electroplating companies, and oil refineries . A U.S. facility that treats, stores, or disposes of hazardous waste must obtain

810-710: The right to life . A 1995 petition by the Research Foundation for Science, Technology, and Natural Resource Policy spurred the Supreme Court to create the High Powered Committee (HPC) of Hazardous Waste, since data from pre-existing government boards was not usable. This committee found studies linking pollution and improper waste treatment with higher amounts of hexavalent chromium, lead, and other heavy metals. Industries and regulators were effectively ignoring these studies. In addition,

864-428: The 1960s. The area includes portions of Kearny , Jersey City , North Arlington , Secaucus , Lyndhurst , Rutherford , East Rutherford , Carlstadt , North Bergen , Moonachie , Ridgefield , South Hackensack , Teaneck , and Little Ferry . The area was forested with Atlantic white cedars before the early Dutch settlers (17th century) cleared the forests and used dikes to drain the land. The Dutch farmers used

918-598: The Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission in 1969 to attempt to address both economic and environmental issues concerning the wetland region. The commission was authorized to review and approve land development projects, manage landfill operations, and oversee environmental restoration and preservation projects. The commission oversaw the closure of most of the landfills in the Meadowlands district. The commission

972-439: The Hackensack meadowlands increased in the 19th century, including clearing forests; building roads, railroads and ditches; and filling wetlands. The Second Industrial Revolution led to construction of heavy manufacturing, storage tanks, and chemical processing plants in the area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The economic development and population increases in the watershed led to extensive water pollution in

1026-702: The Hazardous Waste Rules in 1989. With these rules, companies are only permitted by the state to produce hazardous waste if they are able to dispose of it safely. However, state governments did not make these rules effective. There was around a decade delay between when hazardous waste landfills were requested and when they were built. During this time, companies disposed hazardous waste in various "temporary" hazardous waste locations, such as along roads and in canal pits, with no immediate plan to move it to proper facilities. The Supreme Court stepped in to prevent damage from hazardous waste in order to protect

1080-498: The Hudson. Just across the New Jersey state line, in northern Bergen County , it is impounded to form the reservoir Lake Tappan near River Vale . South of Lake Tappan, it flows in a meandering course southward through the suburban communities of New Jersey. Near Oradell , it is impounded to form Oradell Reservoir , where it is surrounded primarily by Oradell, Haworth , and Emerson , and joined by several streams, including

1134-747: The Lenape prevented the early Dutch settlers of the New Netherland colony from expanding westward into the valley into late in the 17th century. The river furnished both the Native Americans and the European settlers with abundant runs of herring , shad and striped bass . At the outset of the colonial era the river's watershed was home to Lenape groups now known as the Rumachenanck (or Haverstraw) , Tappan , and Hackensack ,

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1188-654: The Meadowlands district. As of 2016 over 3,900 acres of wetlands have been preserved by NJSEA and other property owners. The New Jersey Legislature established the Meadowlands Conservation Trust in 1999 to protect and manage land in the Meadowlands watershed. As of 2024 over 800 acres of land are protected through the trust using conservation easements and management by government agencies. 40°48′57″N 74°02′23″W  /  40.815888°N 74.039612°W  / 40.815888; -74.039612 Hackensack River The Hackensack River

1242-578: The Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne have suffered elevated levels of PCB [Polychlorinated Biphenyls] in their bloodstreams leading to higher rates of cancer. The UN has a mandate on hazardous substances and wastes with recommendations to countries for dealing with hazardous waste. 199 countries signed the 1992 Basel Convention , seeking to stop the flow of hazardous waste from developed countries to developing countries with less stringent environmental regulations. The international community has defined

1296-498: The P & U list were commercially used generated waste and shelf stable pesticides. Not only can mismanagement of hazardous wastes cause adverse direct health consequences through air pollution, mismanaged waste can also contaminate groundwater and soil. In an Austrian study, people who live near industrial sites are "more often unemployed, have lower education levels, and are twice as likely to be immigrants." This creates disproportionately larger issues for those who depend heavily on

1350-601: The U.S.) generally pose a lower threat relative to other hazardous wastes, are ubiquitous and produced in very large quantities by a large number of generators. Some of the most common "universal wastes" are: fluorescent light bulbs , some specialty batteries (e.g. lithium or lead containing batteries), cathode-ray tubes , and mercury-containing devices. Universal wastes are subject to somewhat less stringent regulatory requirements. Small quantity generators of universal wastes may be classified as "conditionally exempt small quantity generators" (CESQGs) which release them from some of

1404-519: The US, Hazardous wastes are regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) , Subtitle C. By definition, EPA determined that some specific wastes are hazardous. These wastes are incorporated into lists published by the Agency. These lists are organized into three categories: F-list (non-specific source wastes) found in the regulations at 40 CFR 261.31, K-list (source-specific wastes) found in

1458-429: The area was once inhabited with Mountain lions , Eastern elk , Eastern wolves , American marten , Fisher (animal) , & American black bears before being made extinct in the area due to hunting . Considered by residents of the area through the centuries as wastelands, the Meadowlands were systematically subject to various kinds of human intervention. The four major categories are: The Meadowlands Sports Complex ,

1512-466: The area, as well as from enforcement of Clean Water Act regulations and from the efforts of local conservancy groups. Urban runoff pollution, municipal sewage discharges from sanitary sewer overflows and combined sewer overflows, and runoff from hazardous waste sites continue to impair the river's water quality . In 2015 EPA awarded grants to conduct research on Meadowlands wetlands. The NJSEA owns or holds management rights to preserve wetlands in

1566-495: The destruction of concentrated organic waste types, including PCBs, pesticides and other persistent organic pollutants . Hazardous waste management and disposal comes with consequences if not done properly. If disposed of improperly, hazardous gaseous substances can be released into the air resulting in higher morbidity and mortality. These gaseous substances can include hydrogen chloride, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and some may also include heavy metals. With

1620-487: The drained tidal lands to create "meadows" of salt hay ; hence, the area was referred to by locals as the Meadows. In more recent times, the Meadowlands became known for being the site of large landfills and decades of environmental abuse. Before European settlement, the area consisted of several diverse ecosystems based on freshwater , brackish water , and saltwater environments. Large areas were covered by forests. And

1674-478: The environment. Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, contained gases, or sludges. They can be by-products of manufacturing processes or simply discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides. In regulatory terms, RCRA hazardous wastes are wastes that appear on one of the four hazardous wastes lists (F-list, K-list, P-list, or U-list), or exhibit at least one of the following four characteristics; ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. in

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1728-399: The federal regulations. Furthermore, RCRA allows states to develop regulatory programs that are at least as stringent as RCRA, and after review by EPA, the states may take over responsibility for implementing the requirements under RCRA. Most states take advantage of this authority, implementing their own hazardous waste programs that are at least as stringent and, in some cases, stricter than

1782-410: The furnace can also form hydrochloric acid gas and sulfur dioxide . To avoid releasing hazardous gases and solid waste suspended in those gases, modern incinerators are designed with systems to capture these emissions. Hazardous waste may be sequestered in a hazardous waste landfill or permanent disposal facility. "In terms of hazardous waste, a landfill is defined as a disposal facility or part of

1836-516: The hardiest of species, such as the mummichog , able to survive in its waters. Chemical companies dumped large volumes of waste into Berry's Creek during the 20th century, resulting in the highest concentrations of methyl mercury of any fresh-water sediment in the world, as well as extensive residues of PCBs and other chemicals. Three sites along the creek are federally-designated Superfund sites and require major cleanup operations, which are ongoing as of 2022. The river recovered somewhat by

1890-410: The land for harvests and streams for drinking water; this includes Native American populations. Though all lower-class and/or social minorities are at a higher risk for being exposed to toxic exposure, Native Americans are at a multiplied risk due to the facts stated above (Brook, 1998). Improper disposal of hazardous waste has resulted in many extreme health complications within certain tribes. Members of

1944-447: The late 1980s indicated that the river continued to be impaired with low oxygen levels and nutrient pollution . In the 21st century many communities in the watershed continue to be drained by combined sewers , which discharge untreated sewage during large rainstorms. Development of new drinking water supplies also had major environmental impacts on the river. The construction of the Oradell Reservoir dam in 1921 essentially changed

1998-546: The late 2000s following the decline in manufacturing in the area, as well as from enforcement of Clean Water Act regulations and from the efforts of local conservancy groups. Recreational fishing has staged a modest comeback, although catch and release may be advisable, as there are continuing health advisories against the consumption of fish caught in the river. Urban runoff pollution, municipal sewage discharges from sanitary sewer overflows and combined sewer overflows, and runoff from hazardous waste sites continue to impair

2052-473: The latter exonym taken from an encampment near the confluence of the tributary Overpeck Creek . European settlement began in the mid 17th century as part of New Netherland when the region was called Achter Kol , meaning "rear pass" or "behind the ridge", to describe the valleys west of the Hudson Palisades which afforded passage to trapping grounds in the northern hinterlands. The river and

2106-420: The level of threat of harmful chemicals, like fly and bottom ash , while also recycling the safe product. Incinerators burn hazardous waste at high temperatures (1600°-2500°F, 870°-1400°C), greatly reducing its amount by decomposing it into ash and gases. Incineration works with many types of hazardous waste, including contaminated soil , sludge , liquids, and gases. An incinerator can be built directly at

2160-567: The lower river from a free-flowing stream into a brackish estuary , allowing the encroachment of marine species. Urbanization in the region intensified after World War II , with the expansion of roads and highways, including the New Jersey Turnpike (1952), as well as the Meadowlands Sports Complex (1970s). By the 1960s, much of the lower river was essentially a turbid hypoxic dead zone, with only

2214-479: The prospect of gaseous material being released into the atmosphere, several organizations (RCRA, TSCA, HSWA, CERCLA) developed an identification scale in which hazardous materials and wastes are categorized in order to be able to quickly identify and mitigate potential leaks. F-List materials were identified as non-specific industrial practices waste, K-List materials were wastes generated from specific industrial processes - pesticides, petroleum, explosive industries, and

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2268-482: The regulations at 40 CFR 261.32, and P-list and the U-list (discarded commercial chemical products) found in the regulations at 40 CFR 261.33. RCRA's record keeping system helps to track the life cycle of hazardous waste and reduces the amount of hazardous waste illegally disposed. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) was enacted in 1980. The primary contribution of CERCLA

2322-426: The regulatory requirements for the handling and storage hazardous wastes. Universal wastes must still be disposed of properly. Household Hazardous Waste (HHW), also referred to as domestic hazardous waste or home generated special materials, is a waste that is generated from residential households. HHW only applies to waste coming from the use of materials that are labeled for and sold for "home use". Waste generated by

2376-661: The reservoir and dam. The Hackensack River rises in southeastern New York, in Rockland County , in the Sweet Swamp, located in the hamlet of New City just west of the Hudson River and half a mile south of High Tor State Park . It flows briefly southeast, into the Lake DeForest reservoir, separated from the Hudson by less than 3 mi (5 km). South of the dam, it then flows south, diverging from

2430-642: The responsible management of hazardous waste and chemicals as an important part of sustainable development by including it in Sustainable Development Goal 12 . Target 12.4 of this goal is to "achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle". One of the indicators for this target is: "hazardous waste generated per capita; and proportion of hazardous waste treated, by type of treatment". Hazardous wastes are wastes with properties that make them dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or

2484-475: The ridge of the Palisades. At Little Ferry , it is joined by the broad Overpeck Creek , then flows southward, widening in a broad meandering tidal estuary through the Meadowlands, forming extensive side streams and wetlands . South of North Bergen , it forms the boundary between Bergen County to the west and Hudson County to the east. Opposite Secaucus it is joined by Berry's Creek , then flows past

2538-491: The river's water quality . The future of the wetlands around the lower river has been an ongoing controversy between development and preservation groups in recent decades. The Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission, later called the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission , was established by the state in 1968 to manage development and habitat preservation. The commission was merged into

2592-413: The river, both from municipal sewage and industrial wastewater . In the 20th century untreated sewage discharges from the various towns and cities began to contribute significant amount of pollutants to the river. The first sewage plant with secondary treatment technology did not open until the 1950s, and more treatment capacity was added in the region in the following decades. Water quality studies in

2646-669: The site of multiple stadia and a racetrack, was built in the Meadowlands beginning in the 1960s. The race track was the first venue in the complex to open, on September 1, 1976. The location of the New Jersey Meadowlands near the center of the New York metropolitan area and its outgrowth into New Jersey makes conservation of the vast wetland a difficult proposition. In spite of this, the New Jersey Legislature , promoted by Richard W. DeKorte , created

2700-676: The state was also not acting in accordance with the Basel Convention , an international treaty on the transport of hazardous waste. The Supreme Court modified the Hazardous Waste Rules and began the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee to follow up on its decisions. With this committee, the Court has been able to force companies polluting hazardous wastes to close. In the United States, the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste are regulated under

2754-555: The surrounding Meadowlands presented a formidable difficulty in transportation and communication. The wetlands helped allow the escape of the Continental Army under George Washington in 1776 after several defeats at the hands of the British army on the east side of the Hudson. It later served as a protective barrier that allowed Washington's army to encamp in the nearby hills near Morristown . Human alterations to land in

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2808-654: The western edge of Jersey City , which overlooks the river's valley from the ridge of the Palisades, before forming Newark Bay at its confluence with the Passaic River between Jersey City and Kearny . As it flows through the Meadowlands it is traversed by numerous rail and road bridges . The name of the Hackensack River comes from the Lenape word Achinigeu-hach , or Ackingsah-sack , meaning flat confluence of streams or stony ground. Conflicts with

2862-510: Was subsequently renamed the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, and merged with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) in 2015. The Hackensack Riverkeeper, a conservation organization established in 1997, conducts public education, advocacy, river cleanups and conservation projects. Water quality in the Hackensack River improved somewhat by the late 2000s following the decline in manufacturing in

2916-663: Was to create a " Superfund " and provide for the clean-up and remediation of closed and abandoned hazardous waste sites. CERCLA addresses historic releases of hazardous materials, but does not specifically manage hazardous wastes. In 1984, a deadly methyl isocyanate gas leak known as the Bhopal disaster raised environmental awareness in India. In response, the Indian government produced the Environmental Act in 1986, followed by

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