Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Toxic Waste


Toxic waste, or the pollution due to waste materials, is one of the leading environmental issues in the world today.  This waste is due to manufacturing, laboratories, industries, etc. These materials can be in liquid or solid form, contaminating lakes, rivers, and oceans.  Hazardous materials may include chemicals, metals, or toxins and can come from many household items.  This waste can harm any living creatures, possibly resulting in death.  
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has placed restrictions on the handling and disposing of hazardous wastes to ensure preservation of the environment. Many cities contain hazardous waste facilities to store and contain these waste products. Common disposal facilities are landfills or land treatment units. Violations of these containment resources can result in dumping toxic waste into areas where the waste is likely to migrate under the ground and can endanger living species.
A common place that is highly affected by toxic waste is waterways. Toxins migrate under the soil into stream runoffs or open waters, resulting in contaminated drinking water for many individuals. The individuals who drink it and the animals who live around or in it can acquire rare disease and even face death.

1 comment:

  1. Sarah discussed toxic waste, while I discussed air pollution. In regards to "place," Sarah chose a general place without any specific location. I chose a specific city, Los Angeles, to discuss my environmental issue. But although our reference to "place" are different, we essentially discussed the same things. We explained how the pollution got to the place, and then discussed how it is harmful to all life, including mankind.

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