Thailand Detox

Ten Sources of Hazardous Waste You May Not Have Thought Of

Any kind of waste product that is dangerous to the environment or to people is classified as hazardous waste. Anything that can catch fire, that can corrode and that can react in a dangerous way is a hazardous material. In America, we create several hundred million tons of these dangerous waste products in just one year.

There are many different places that hazardous waste can come from. The following are ten of the most common:

1. Companies that make metal products - Anytime metal is being created in a factory setting, there is also the creation of hazardous waste. Common hazardous waste products created in these environments include solvents, pickling solutions, plating waste, dangerous chemicals, paint waste and toxic water sludge.
2. Hospitals and and doctor’s Offices - Medical facilities are the largest creators of hazardous biological waste and waste contaminated with infectious diseases. Things like needles used for shots, organs that have been removed and bandages covered in bodily fluids are the most common examples but not the only hazardous waste created in these facilities. Treating patients with radiological materials or diagnosing them with the same materials create radioactive waste. Medication that is simply thrown in the trash instead of being disposed of correctly is also a form of hazardous waste.
3. Fuel stations - Since leaded gas is no longer used, gas stations are not producing as much hazardous waste as they previously did. The way fuel is stored in tanks below the ground that can leak and allow fuel into the earth is one area where hazardous waste can come into play. Newer gas stations have to follow strict rules to avoid these problems but older gas stations might still be creating hazardous waste.
4. Dry cleaners - The chemicals used in the dry cleaning process can be very hazardous to people and the environment. Everything these chemicals touch like materials used in cleaning and equipment filters can be classified as hazardous waste.
5. Photo developing centers - The chemicals used to develop photographs are hazardous in some cases. The silver in these chemicals can damage plants and animals living in the water. Silver can also affect how water treatment plants work by damaging the biological elements used in the plants. The chemicals can corrode metals in some cases.
6. Farming - While organic farming is mostly done with no hazardous chemicals, most farms rely on chemicals to get the most growth out of their plants. Some of the chemicals prevent damage to the crops from diseases and insects. The waste water created during the fertilization process are also hazardous to the environment.
7. Construction - Many older buildings were painted with lead paint, which is a hazardous material. The lead is exposed to air and enters the environment during demolition in these homes. Other hazardous items in older buildings, especially commercial buildings, can include asbestos and light fixtures with mercury.
8. Auto repair facilities - When car repairs are being done, there are is hazardous waste. These hazardous materials can include oil, gasoline, antifreeze and paint.
9. Research facilities - Any laboratory, whether it is a professional laboratory or a high school chemistry laboratory, use chemicals that can be hazardous. Things used to disinfect the lab, solvents and chemicals used for experimentation are all things that can be hazardous.
10. Your own home - While it may sound absurd, your house probably has its own share of hazardous waste. Often the things we use to clean our home can be a fire risk, can cause corrosion or can be reactive. The liquids and other materials used in car maintenance can be hazardous waste a well because they may have things like lead or mercury in them. This is just a small list of the possible hazardous waste items in your home.

Hazardous waste comes from many sources, these are just a few. Really, you can’t get away from hazardous waste. The best thing we can all do is to try to use less of the hazardous materials and make sure we get rid of any hazardous waste we have in the proper way to protect humans and the environment.