Toxic Waste in the US

Waste that can harm humans or the environment is toxic. Toxic means harmful or poisonous. Toxic, or hazardous, waste is a by-product of manufacturing, accidents, farming, and everyday chemical product use by consumers. Exposure to toxic substances can cause physical and developmental issues such as: cancer, systemic illness, respiratory disease, including asthma, learning disabilities, as well as death. The financial and human cost of toxic waste exposure makes learning where the hazardous waste is located and how it is handled imperative to sustaining a healthy quality of life for your family.

Toxic Waste Information

Hazardous waste can be corrosive like white phosphorus from old TVs, ignitable like paint, reactive like bleach or toxic like pesticides. Exposure is either through inhalation, ingestion or by contact and absorption by the skin.

There are an estimated 36-50,000 toxic waste sites in the United States containing drums and vats of used oil, battery acid, PCBs, plastics, asbestos, pesticides, heavy metals, even radioactive waste. Sometimes the storage containers leak, contaminating soil, ground water, streams, lakes, and rivers. The air we breathe may be contaminated. Ridding hazardous waste responsibly has long been an issue of U.S. civil and government agencies.

• Toxic Waste Locator Does your community have a toxic waste site? What is the level of pollution? How are local companies handling their hazardous waste? Enter your zip code and get a "scorecard" back about your community.

• Environmental Exposure and Disease Illness caused by toxic and other hazardous waste exposure.

• Top Six Toxic Substances The Federal Register priority data needs lists from October 2009.

• History, Problems of Waste Policy Agenda reassessment, history of U.S. hazardous waste policy.

• Right To Know Network Get information on toxic releases and hazardous waste accidents.

Toxic Waste Disposal

Waste is disposed of in several ways: dumping in landfills, impounding the waste, treating the waste, or storing the liquid hazardous waste in injection wells. Waste sites near coastal areas pose special problems as leakage or runoff can kill wetlands and displace or kill indigent wildlife and fish.

The U.S. government has allocated $600 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to fund cleanup of 51 Superfund sites around the country. A Superfund site is a toxic waste site that is on the Federal Government's list for cleanup. There are 1305 sites on the list and about 11 million people, of which about a third are children, who live within a mile of one of those sites.

• Disposal Information Land disposal information, including restrictions, regulations, and resources.

• Superfund Sites Find Superfund sites or see a list of all the sites in the U.S.

• Superfund Map Maker Create a map of the Superfund National Priority List.

• The Superfund Fact Book Lists by state, construction data.

• Track the Money: Superfund Clean Up Who's paying for what and with who's money.

• Contaminated Site Cleanup Information The technologies, issues, strategies and initiatives regarding cleaning up contaminants that are hazardous to human health.

Preventing Toxic Waste

Recycling is a key way to reduce waste, including some hazardous waste like oil. But some wastes cannot be recycled, so preventing the waste from ending up in superfund sites reduces the hazard. An alternative is burning the waste instead of burying it, but this can release toxic fumes into the air. A newer, safer, "green" alternative is bioremediation, or using microbes, to naturally remove the hazardous material. But green means money and many businesses, especially smaller companies, do not have the means to "go green" and the toxins are simply moved from one state to another or to poorer countries where the immediate effects of the waste upon their environment and their health is not known.

Consumers can recycle and reuse common household items like cups instead of Styrofoam, which never breaks down. Instead of using chemicals to clean, use baking soda, vinegar, and an old toothbrush. Waste as a byproduct of production can't just be stopped, so businesses must continually find "greener" alternatives and work together for a healthier America.

• The Microbe Zoo Greener ways to get rid of waste, including bioremediation. Geared toward older children.

• Bioremediation The problems, challenges, and why it works.

• Citizen's Guide To bioremediation for the average consumer.

• Hazardous Home Products FEMA's list of household items considered hazardous.

• Priority List of Hazardous Substances The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act list of prioritizing significant hazardous threats to human health and well-being. Published every two years.

• Hazardous Waste Oversight The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation provides hazardous waste oversight and technical research.

• Hazardous Waste Regulations U.S. law and regulation regarding toxic waste disposal.

• Hazardous Waste Collection Manual and other information for setting up hazardous waste collection days in your community.

• Resource Locator State by state resource locator for air, land, and water issues, toxic and other hazardous wastes, health and community safety. Includes state regulations and Environmental Protection Agency state tools.