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Human waste (or human excreta) refers to the waste products of the human digestive system, menses, and human metabolism including urine and feces.As part of a sanitation system that is in place, human waste is collected, transported, treated and disposed of or reused by one method or another, depending on the type of toilet being used, ability by the users to pay for services and other factors.
The waste can contain chemicals, heavy metals, radiation, dangerous pathogens, or other toxins. Even households generate hazardous waste from items such as batteries, used computer equipment, and leftover paints or pesticides. [1] Toxic material can be either human-made and others are naturally occurring in the environment.
A key environmental concern involves polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which "accumulate on particles and sediments, shielding them from biodegradation," according to Green and Trett. [ 7 ] In one study, samples were collected from four sites (13 stations) in the Amazon where crude oil was the main pollutant.
This can include medical waste, samples of a microorganism, virus, or toxin (from a biological source) that can impact human health. Biological hazards can also include substances harmful to animals. Examples of biological hazards include bacteria, viruses, fungi, other microorganisms and their associated toxins.
Hazardous waste is waste that must be handled properly to avoid damaging human health or the environment. Waste can be hazardous because it is toxic, reacts violently with other chemicals, or is corrosive, among other traits. [1] As of 2022, humanity produces 300-500 million metric tons of hazardous waste annually. [2]
The EPA defines hazardous waste as "a waste with properties that make it dangerous or capable of having a harmful effect on human health or the environment." [13] Hazardous Waste falls under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Under the RCRA, the EPA has the authority to control hazardous waste during its entire lifecycle. [14]
A biological hazard, or biohazard, is a biological substance that poses a threat (or is a hazard) to the health of living organisms, primarily humans.This could include a sample of a microorganism, virus or toxin that can adversely affect human health.
The term environmental sanitation is used to cover the wider concept of controlling all the factors in the physical environment which may have deleterious impacts on human health and well-being. In developing countries, it normally includes drainage, solid waste management, and vector control, in addition to the activities covered by the ...