Risk - The probability that something undesirable will happen from deliberate or accidental exposure to a hazard. Rural Area - A geographical area in the United States with a population of less than 2,500 people. The number of people used in this definition may vary in different countries. Sludge may be contaminated with hazardous materials. Solid Waste - Any garbage, refuse, sludge, or other discarded material.
Solid waste can be either hazardous or nonhazardous.
The term includes a variety of facilities such as landfill, landfarms, surface impoundments, incinerators, waste piles, and construction and demolition debris. Industrial waste sites are operated by companies and used to dispose of waste generated by the company itself. Some sites accept both household and industrial waste. The particulate matter and vapors captured and released to the atmosphere through a stack, chimney, or flue. This federal law provides the mechanism and funding for the cleanup of uncontrolled and abandoned hazardous waste sites.