All waste is not created equally. Hazardous materials are those that are especially dangerous for the environment or health. Click for source!
Hazardous wastes include unused and leftover chemicals, as well as other substances in any form or state. They can be toxic, reactive and flammable. The majority are easily identifiable because they have warning labels or boxes.
How hazardous wastes harm health and the environment
It is important to dispose of hazardous waste professionally for several reasons.
The waste can be disposed of in the sewer system or on the surface, where it can contaminate land and water.
These objects can be dangerous and cause harm to unknowing people. An example of this is when someone steps on a broken mirror or light bulb.
Your area can become unsustainable. A build-up of hazardous chemicals in an area can make it unfit to plant or even live on. If children are exposed to high concentrations of toxic substances such as mercury or lead, they are at risk for long-term issues like neurological damage.
It is therefore important to avoid these wastes as much as you can. On the other hand, they end up being produced by humans simply because it is necessary.
Imagine living without mirrors and lights in your home. You can you self-care when sick?
Even though there are other ways to reduce the toxic wastes, such as living off-grid, people tend to create them anyway because it is more convenient.
The wastes are often the by-products from everyday activities. The cotton used by a nurse to draw blood as part of medical tests is now considered hazardous waste.