TOXIC WASTE

The industrial revolution, while making our lives easier and providing us modern day conveniences, is also a provider of pollutants such as toxic waste. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, toxic waste is not the green glowing sludge that gives you super powers. Toxic waste is simply trash or waste material that can cause harm or even death to humans and other living animals. It is legally classified as toxic waste if it contains one or more of 39 carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic compounds at levels that exceed established limits (including many solvents, pesticides, and paint strippers), catches fire easily (such as gasoline, paints, and solvents), is reactive or unstable enough to explode or release toxic fumes (including acids, bases, ammonia, and chlorine bleach); and/or is capable of corroding metal containers such as tanks, drums, and barrels (such as industrial cleaning agents and oven and drain cleaners) (learner.org)

Toxic waste, however, can not be completely blamed on industry. There are chemical wastes in your home that are classified as "toxic waste". Cleaning products, cosmetics, and chemicals found in fertilizers and pesticides all can be forms of waste that cause harmful effects to our earth and the things living on it. It is up to us to discard these items in a proper manner. Here is a link on how to safely recycle your toxic waste and related products: http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/recycling/industrial.htm


You must be asking yourself, "How can I reduce my trash impact on our beautiful earth?". Here is a simple list that should be followed by everyone.


1. Reduce waste and pollution.
2. Reuse as many things as possible.
3. Recycle and compost as much waste as possible.
4. Chemically or biologically treat or incinerate waste that can't be reduced, reused, recycled, or composted.
5. After the first four goals have been met, bury what is left in state-of-the-art landfills or above-ground vaults.