Disposal of hazardous wastes in Canada's Northwest Territories

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering
• Main Authors: Heeney, P. L., Heinke, G. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1992
• Subjects: General Environmental Science; Civil and Structural Engineering; Arctic; Northwest Territories; Canada; Subarctic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/l92-091; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/l92-091

In the past decade, many jurisdictions have attempted to estimate the quantities and types of hazardous wastes generated within their boundaries. Similar studies done in the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.), Canada, are out-of-date, incomplete, or specific to only one type of wastes or geographic location. In 1990, an industry, business, and community survey was conducted to determine the types and quantities of hazardous wastes generated in the N.W.T. and the currently used disposal methods for these wastes. It revealed that 2500 tonnes of hazardous wastes were generated each year, including waste oil and petroleum products, fuel tank sludges, acid batteries, spent solvents, antifreeze, and waste paint.In many regions, disposal of these wastes may be routine, but waste disposal in arctic and subarctic regions presents unique difficulties. Severe climate, expense of transportation, isolation, and small quantities of wastes generated can make standard solutions expensive, difficult, or impossible to apply. Unique solutions are needed for northern waste disposal. The aim of this paper is to give an overview of low-cost, on-site or local hazardous waste disposal options that can be applied in the N.W.T. and also in other arctic, remote, or less-developed regions. Key words: hazardous wastes, Northwest Territories, cold climate regions, waste disposal.