The Effects on Living Creatures From Hazardous Waste

Hazardous wastes are an unpleasant fact in today's industrialized society, but understanding the risk posed to the environment and its creatures can help shape how those wastes are managed. There are many effects on living creatures from hazardous waste, including a few common ones. Any waste that is classified as hazardous has a documented and demonstrated history of causing harm if not disposed of properly.

Reproductive

• Problems with reproductive abilities are a common side effect of hazardous waste, whether on humans or animals. An example of this is the pesticide DDT, which was banned from use in the United States in 1972. DDT flowed in farm runoff into larger bodies of water, where it accumulated in the bodies of fish. Bald eagles and other birds of prey ate the fish and accumulated the toxin within their own bodies, leading to the laying of eggs with fragile shells that could not support life. The chemicals in biodegrading plastics, such as bisphenol A (BPA) and PS oligomer, leach into water supplies and disrupt the function of hormones in animals.

Neurological

• Neurological damage occurs with exposure to heavy metals such as lead and mercury. Both compounds bioaccumulate, meaning they build up in animals along the food chain until those animals at the top of the food chain have consumed toxic quantities. Lead and mercury are responsible for brain damage, memory loss and problems with nerve sensitivity and function. Cyanide, a gas byproduct in the production of pesticides and other chemicals, causes severe nerve damage and can kill in large enough quantities. According to Union Carbide, the 1984 cyanide leak from their pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, killed 3,800 people and injured thousands more.

Cancer

• Cancer is a common side effect of hazardous wastes, including heavy metals and chemical byproducts. Arsenic, hexavalent chromium (the toxin made famous in the movie "Erin Brokovich") and cadmium are commonly found waste materials that accumulate in the body over time with ever more damaging effects. The result from long-term exposure over months and years is cancer and death.

Skin Problems

• Severe skin reactions and burns can occur from either contact with or the consumption of hazardous waste. Many household cleaners and solvents have corrosive properties that can damage the skin, such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, oxalic acid and sodium hydroxide (lye). These chemicals are found in heavy-duty cleaners and stain removers. Mercury and arsenic, through their negative effect on the nervous system, create skin problems from the inside out.

Respiratory Issues

• Many hazardous chemicals cause respiratory problems ranging from bothersome to severe. According to an article in the magazine Scientific American, glyphosate, a chemical found in some of the most popular nonspecific herbicides, has been shown to cause lung damage as well as other issues such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in humans and genetic defects in aquatic animals.