15 Examples of Hazardous Waste

She is understood by dangerous residues all solid, liquid, gaseous substances that, being the product of some transformation process, production or human consumption, contain elements of danger to life, both of the human being and of the the rest species.

These wastes may or may not be recyclable, but they have one or more of the following properties considered harmful to human and human health. ecosystems:

Types of hazardous waste

There is usually a whole legislation to control and tackle in time the harmful effect of hazardous waste in the world, promoting the recycling and reuse of some and a responsible disposition of others.

Yet tons of this kind of materials are currently discharged into the soils, oceans and air every day, coming from the various industries and human economic activities. Based on said provenance, it is possible to classify them into:

Examples of hazardous waste

1. Batteries and batteries. These devices provide a small charge of electricity through chemical reactions inside, supported by a set of acids and
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   metals heavy (especially mercury and cadmium). Once they are exhausted, their disposal represents an environmental inconvenience, since sooner or later their packaging oxidizes and the acid is released into the environment.
2. Urban wastewater. The set of liquid and semi-solid waste from the sewage systems of cities contains not only decomposing organic matter that can be a source of diseases for man and for the animals, but also highly reactive burnt oils, chemical residues from detergents and other polluting substances.
3. Nuclear plant disposal. Plutonium and other long half-life radioactive materials are by-products of controlled nuclear reactions that take place in nuclear power plants. This material is highly carcinogenic and mutagenic, which is why it is placed in lead containers, the only material capable of containing radiation. The problem is that these containers, being made of lead, oxidize relatively quickly.
4. Biological waste. Contaminated medical supplies, such as gowns, syringes, and other tools, are often a source of virulent infections that require careful and special treatment. Much of this material is recycled after receiving radiation doses that completely sterilize it, in nuclear reactors, but much else must be discarded.
5. Industrial wastewater. Many heavy industries work with large amounts of water for cooling and other physico-chemical reactions. productive, but that at the end of their cycle they discharge waters loaded with heavy metals and toxic elements, which re-enter the river or the sea It must be given in a controlled way, since they are loaded with sulfates or nitrates and salts that unbalance the pH and chemical balance of the environment.
6. Iron filings. Product of the metallurgical industry, they are often discarded relying on their rapid process of oxidation. The problem is that, being a highly reactive metal, iron forms you go out and acids with ease, contributing to deeper and more unpredictable chemical reactions.
7. Paint and solvent residues. Many inexpensive locations use highly flammable solvents in their painting and repainting work. The incorrect disposal of these substances can lead to fires or, in particularly cases dramatic, to their accumulation and subsequent explosion, since they usually consist of hydrocarbons volatile.
8. Oil and related. The heavy hydrocarbons from which we extract energy, plastic materials, polymers and thousands of other applications can become a hazardous waste in the event of an oil spill or pipeline rupture. Oil tar is dense and insoluble in water, and covers everything in its path, preventing the respiration of the plants and the mobility of animals. Great ecological tragedies are due to the poor handling of these elements.
9. Used fuel oils. The oils and fats Automotive, kitchen, and other mechanical applications possess flammable and reactive capabilities that make them hazardous and polluting substances. Fortunately, they are perfectly recyclable in processes for obtaining biomass.
10. Strong bases. Caustic bases used in the paper industry, for example, are powerful desiccants and oxidants that, released into the environment, chemically react exothermically (like potassium or sodium: they emit hot) and are capable of igniting and corroding organic matter, in addition to altering the pH of the ecosystem in a very radical way.
11. Mining waste. Above all, illegal mining - such as garimpeiros in the Amazon - uses substances in the detection of gold that are then given to rivers, such as mercury. Many human populations have been poisoned by the presence of this and other metals in river and lake waters, or by ingesting previously contaminated fish.
12. Agricultural residuals. More than biodegradable waste, such as plant waste, compost or other biodegradable elements, we are referring here to pesticides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers rich in nitrogen and sulfur. All these substances are washed by the rain and carried to rivers and lakes, where they modify the chemical balance of the waters or infect the bodies of edible animal species.
13. Industrial toxic gases. Many industrial activities generate huge amounts of toxic gases, linked to lethal elements such as arsenic, chlorine or cyanide, and are released into the atmosphere, where some contribute with the destruction of the ozone layer, and others pollute the clouds, thus generating acid rain or toxic rain by returning to rush.
14. Suffocating gases On the other hand, many industries use or by-produce gases that are not properly toxic or lethal (such as inert gases), but that in Uncontrolled amounts can displace oxygen from the air and suffocate nearby animal life, requiring careful handling and specials.
15. Glass and other crystals. Glass is a widely used and quite safe material, it is true, but when disposed of improperly, it can serve as a lens to focus sunlight and thus start a fire. Many forest hectares are consumed per year by this type of unpredictable but avoidable incidents.