Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste must be stored and disposed of properly, to prevent contaminating the environment. Photo courtesy of CK-12. 


Hazardous wastes must be stored, used and disposed of properly. Some wastes are extremely corrosive and can eat through steel drums over time, so long-term storage options are needed for safety.


Hazardous wastes are any materials that are dangerous to human health or degrades the environment. Hazardous wastes include substances that are:

1. Toxic: causes serious harm or death, or is poisonous.

2. Chemically active: causes dangerous or unwanted chemical reactions, such as explosions.

3. Corrosive: destroys other things by chemical reactions.

4. Flammable: easily catches fire and may send dangerous smoke into the air.


There are many hazardous waste sources, including some household items that if used or stored improperly can become hazardous. These include automotive products such as gasoline, batteries and motor oil, paints and medical waste. 


Source: Hazardous Waste. Retrieved from http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Earth-Science-Concepts-For-High-School/r16/section/13.7/#x-ck12-dGFibGU6aGF6YXJkb3VzX3dhc3Rl on December 27, 2013 

Last modified: Tuesday, 17 January 2017, 7:08 PM