Toxic Industrial Waste
Toxic industrial waste is the hazardous by-product of industrial processes and is stored in disposal facilities across America under the supervision of the EPA. The hazardous agents in toxic industrial waste can cause a number of life-threatening conditions, and many sites throughout America pose danger to the surrounding communities.
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Toxic Waste Composition
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Industrial waste may be solid, liquid or sludge and can contain toxic chemicals including dioxins and benzene, heavy metals such as lead and arsenic, and radioisotopes used in manufacturing settings including cadmium-109 and iridium-192. Industrial waste toxins can cause cancer, central nervous system disorders and organ disease and failure.
Toxic Waste Disposal
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Disposal site engineers design toxic waste facilities to permanently contain the waste and ensure that toxins can't be released into the environment. Hazardous waste is usually stored deep underground in sealed containers and liquid waste can also be stored in underground injection wells.
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Toxic Waste Cleanup Progress
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As of November, 2010, there are 1280 sites on the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL), representing the nation's most hazardous waste concentrations. The federal government provides cleanup funding through the Superfund, but progress is slow due to budget cuts and an ever-increasing number of sites added annually to the NPL.
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References
- National Geographic: Environment: Toxic Waste
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Wastes - Hazardous Waste - Treatment & Disposal: Land Disposal
- "ABC World News": Toxic Danger: Hazardous Materials Dumped in the United States
- Consortium for Atlantic Regional Assessment: Land Use and Health Tutorial: Toxic Chemicals
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: National Priorities List (NPL)
- "NewsOK": Superfund Sites Grow as Money Dwindles
Resources
- Photo Credit chemical waste image by Antonio Oquias from Fotolia.com
