Material Detail

This activity helps students understand what can be done to reduce the amount of solid and hazardous wastes that must be disposed of. They discover that hazardous waste is defined as any material that presents a threat or unreasonable risk of injury to people or the environment when it is produced, transported, used, or disposed of. They also discover that it is categorized into four groups based on its characteristics: corrosive, ignitable, reactive, and toxic. They also learn that by far the most hazardous waste is produced by industries and manufacturing but that we also produce some hazardous waste in our homes when we do not properly dispose of items like worn-out batteries, paint products, cleaning agents, used motor oil, pesticides, and fertilizers. Students review the characteristics of hazardous waste and develop an estimate of the amount of household hazardous waste in their community.

Disciplines:

• Education  / TeacherEd  / Teaching Methods  / Science