Toxic waste is waste material, often in chemical form, that can cause death or injury to living creatures. It usually is the product of industry or commerce, but comes also from residential use, agriculture, the military, medical facilities, radioactive sources, and light industry, such as dry cleaning establishments. As with many pollution problems, toxic waste began to be a significant issue during the industrial revolution. The term is often used interchangeably with “hazardous waste”, or discarded material that can pose a long-term risk to health or environment. Toxins can be released into air, water, or land.
Toxic waste has been implicated in causing cancer, as when a cluster of the rare blood cancer Polycythemia vera was found around a toxic site in northeast Pennsylvania in 2008.
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