Waste Handling and Recycling
Waste management is a critical part of protecting our community. Nearly every activity we do generates some kind of waste. Improper waste management can create environmental problems, health problems and even economic concerns from an eyesore to releases of toxins to our drinking water. Louisiana spends about 40 million dollars a year on litter cleanup and the federal government spends billions of dollars cleaning up hazardous waste dumping sites or Superfund Sites. Lessoning these environmental, health and economic damages through prevention is why regulations were put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), passed in 1976, created the framework for waste management programs. Materials regulated by RCRA are known as “solid wastes.” A “solid waste” means any garbage or refuse, sludge or other discarded material. There are two types of solid waste: hazardous or nonhazardous. Non-hazardous waste is all waste that is not considered to be a hazardous waste. A hazardous waste is a waste that is potentially dangerous to your health or the environment. Examples of hazardous wastes are paints, pesticides, fuels, solvents, acids, etc. There are four types of hazardous waste: listed, characteristic, universal and mixed. To learn more about wastes review the bullets below and check out the brochures on waste located in the Informational Brochure section.
To encourage proper waste management, the Lafayette Airport offers recycling services in the airport terminal. Items such as paper, plastics and aluminum can be placed in the recycling bins located throughout the terminal building. Please note that liquids, food items, styrofoam and glass should not be placed in the recycling bins.