Actually, an American household, on average, contains 3 to 10 gallons of substances that are considered to be hazardous. If not stored and disposed of correctly, these chemicals can poison our bodies, drinking water, and air. Dangers Disposing of hazardous waste improperly can cause a myriad of problems. Explosions have occurred in sewers and garbage trucks because of improperly disposed wastes. Also, corrosive wastes can slowly eat away at something until it breaks and causes unknown harm.
Poisonous wastes can cause cancer, birth defects, and even worse medical conditions.
The largest problem with hazardous materials is that many people just pour them down the drain at home, without thought or concern for others. Unfortunately, Wastewater treatment plants, including ours, are simply not designed or able to handle many of these hazardous wastes. Putting these wastes into landfills has not become a viable solution either. Unless the landfill has been specially designed to handle such materials, then groundwater, surface water, and air can all be polluted. In the following list, there are many items and ways to dispose of them.