WhatareHazardousWastes?

Whyaretheysoharmfultohumans andtheenvironment?

This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation ("NSF") under Grant No. 0607010. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Ourwastescanbeharmfulfortwo reasons:
Thereissimplytoo muchofit. Itisharmfulbecause certainchemicals containedinthewaste canharmlivingthings eveninverysmalldoses

WhatisHazardousWaste?
AccordingtotheUSEPA: HazardouswasteisawastewithproperFes thatmakeitdangerousorpotenFallyharmfulto humanhealthortheenvironment. Hazardouswastescanbeliquids,solids, containedgases,orsludges. Theycanbethebyproductsofmanufacturing processesorsimplydiscardedcommercial products,likecleaninguidsorpesFcides.

WhatisaHazardousWaste?
TheEPAhas4criteriathatclassifywaste asHazardous:

>Flammable >Corrosive >ReacFve >Toxic

ExamplesofHazardousWaste
Organic Compounds HouseholdWastes HeavyMetals

SyntheFcOrganicCompounds
NonbiodegradableSyntheFcorganic compoundsandpetroleumderived compoundsresistdecomposiFonbybacteria, fungusandinsects ManysyntheFccompoundsaretoxicbecause theycanbeabsorbedbytheskinandactas mutagens,carcinogens,teratogensand endocrinedisrupters

OrganicCompounds:
Examples:
PlasFcs RubberTires WoodPreservaFves PesFcides Solvents

HouseholdWastes
Householdhazardouswastesresultfrom materialscommonlyusedinandaroundthe homethatcontainoneormoreoftheEPA hazardouswastematerialcriteria USciFesgenerate1.6milliontonsof householdhazardouswasteannually

HouseholdWastes
Examples:
Cleaningproducts
Ovencleaners,toiletcleaners, bleach,andammonia Paintthinners,stains,wood preservaFves PesFcidesandrodenFcides BaXeries,glues

Paintbasedproducts

Gardeningandpestcontrol products GeneralProducts

AutomoFveproducts EWaste

Gasoline,motoroil,solvents,brake uid,anFfreeze Cellphones,personalcomputers,i pods,laptops

HeavyMetals
Heavymetalsoccurnaturallyintheenvironmentas consFtuentsoftheearth'scrust. AnthropogenicacFviFes(mining,agriculturalacFviFes, wastedisposals,fuelcombusFons)canrearrangemetal distribuFonpaXernsresulFnginsitespecicelevated concentraFons. Becausetheyarechemicallysimilartobenecialmetals suchascalcium,zincandiron,heavymetalsreplacethem inmanyimportantproteinsinthebodycausingawide rangeofproblems.

HeavyMetals
HeavyMetalsareusedwidelyinelectronicsandthe fabricaFonofmetals Examples:
Lead Mercury Chromium Copper Tin

HazardousWaste
Manymaterialscanbeconsideredhazardous dependingonthecriteriaitmeets Anythingcanbetoxicdependingonhow muchispresentandinwhatconcentraFon Evensubstancesnecessaryforlifelike,oxygen orwatercanbetoxicifthereistoomuchofit