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Bush Wars Title: America Leaves Iraq A Toxic Legacy Of Dumped Hazardous Materials Oliver August, Baghdad American troops going home from Iraq after seven painful years are leaving behind a legacy that is literally toxic. An investigation by The Times in five Iraqi provinces has found that hazardous material from US bases is being dumped locally rather than sent back to America, in clear breach of Pentagon rules. North and west of Baghdad, engine oil is leaking from 55-gallon drums into dusty ground, open acid canisters sit within easy reach of children, and discarded batteries lie close to irrigated farmland. A 2009 Pentagon document shown to The Times by a private contractor working with US soldiers mentions “an estimated 11 million pounds [5,000 tonnes] of hazardous waste” produced by American troops. But even this figure appears to be only a partial estimate. BrigadierGeneral Kendall Cox, who is responsible for engineering and infrastructure in Iraq, told The Times yesterday that he was in the process of disposing of 14,500 tonnes of oil and soil contaminated with oil. “This has accumulated over seven years,” he said. Iraqis who have come into contact with some of the material suffer from rashes and blistering on their hands and feet. They also complain of gagging and coughing. Rats near sites where waste was dumped have died and lie next to soiled containers. Abu Saif, a Fallujah scrap dealer who handles US military surplus, lifted up his trouser legs and raised his hands to show blistered skin. “I got this when I worked on what was supposed to be American scrap metal,” he said. “I checked with a doctor and he said these are the effects of dangerous chemicals.” Private recycling companies located within American bases have allegedly mixed hazardous material with ordinary scrap and passed it on to local dealers. “By the time we see this stuff it is too late,” said Abu Saif. Several workers at his and other yards have been injured while handling supposed scrap metal. “When they poured out what’s in these jerry cans they started coughing,” another yard owner said. “Some got rashes and many quit work. So when I get this kind of material now I bury it somewhere far away.” Some of the dumped materials have labels identifying them as US military property or come with paperwork from the Department of Defence. The Times discovered a 2008 e-mail from Allied Chemical of Morristown, New Jersey, to Pentagon officials warning of hazardous effects. A printout was attached to a discarded canister of sulphuric acid, a highly corrosive liquid used in wastewater treatment. It said of the substance: “Causes severe burns to skin and lungs ... Get immediate medical attention ... Use gas mask.” As the majority of US troops depart from Iraq this year, hundreds of bases are being closed and all hazardous material is supposed to be either returned to the US by ship via the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr or recycled in specially built facilities in northern and western Iraq. Brigadier-General Stephen Lanza, the US military spokesman in Baghdad, said: “We take this issue very seriously and want to solve the problem. There is a variety of ways in which this [dumping] could have happened. We are now putting a system into place. There is a lot of catching up to do.” Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 37. engine oil is leaking from 55-gallon drums into dusty ground, Used engine oil is not a hazardous waste.
#3. To: no gnu taxes (#2) Used engine oil is not a hazardous waste. It sure is. It contains all kinds of heavy metals. I thought you said you were working some kind of environmental job.
#5. To: mininggold (#3) Except under special circumstances, used oil is not a RCRA hazardous waste.
#8. To: no gnu taxes (#5) (Edited) Except under special circumstances, used oil is not a RCRA hazardous waste. Yet everytime I have my crankcase oil drained I pay an EPA imposed fee for hazardous waste disposal. Thanks for the advice, next time I'm dumping it in the river.
#12. To: mininggold (#8) Yet everytime I have my crankcase oil drained I pay an EPA imposed fee for hazardous waste disposal. No, you dont. Used oil is not considered a hazardous waste (normally). It is required to be recycled or in some way, "managed" though.
#15. To: no gnu taxes (#12) EPA: Used motor oil is a hazardous waste.
#20. To: war (#15) You might want to read the actual Rule rather than find some informal discussion. Used oil is not a RCRA hazardous waste:
Used oil is not considered a hazardous waste. It has its own set of rules and regulations. You can view these regulations at the following Web site: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=07263626f2333d9ecc015d8f0caf28ce&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title40/40cfr279_main_02.tpl
#29. To: no gnu taxes (#20) Where in your unlink does it state that used motor oil is not hazardous waste?
#32. To: war (#29) What that is a Rule for management of used oil. It clearly states what has to occur for used oil to be a hazardous waste (such as mixing it with hazardous waste). Given that something has to happen for it to be a hazardous waste, it is clearly not hazardous waste otherwise. But if that logic is too hard for you to follow, I'll post the link to the site I quoted earlier: Is used oil a hazardous waste? Used oil is not considered a hazardous waste. It has its own set of rules and regulations. http://www.enr.state.nc.us/html/html/faq_details2.html
#34. To: no gnu taxes (#32) (Edited) That's a state website, boy. I posted a link to the EPA in which they proclaim used MOTOR oil as a hazardous waste.
#36. To: war (#34) That's a state website, boy. And the reg it cites is the Federal reg. If it were a Fedral hazardous waste, the States would have to regulate it as such.
#37. To: no gnu taxes (#36) What site does my link go to and what does it state about used MOTOR oil?
Replies to Comment # 37. http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=07263626f2333d9ecc015d8f0caf28ce&rgn=div8&view=text&node=40:26.0.1.1.9.1.47.1&idno=40 Definition of used oil is pretty broad: Used oil means any oil that has been refined from crude oil, or any synthetic oil, that has been used and as a result of such use is contaminated by physical or chemical impurities. In fact, the vast majority of used oil would be used motor oil.
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