Zinc is one of the most common elements in the earth's crust. It's found in air, soil, and water, and is present in all foods. Pure zinc is a bluish-white shiny metal. Zinc has many commercial uses as coatings to prevent rust, in dry cell batteries, and mixed with other metals to make alloys like brass and bronze. A zinc and copper alloy is used to make pennies in the United States.
Zinc combines with other elements to form zinc compounds.
Common zinc compounds found at hazardous waste sites include zinc chloride, zinc oxide, zinc sulfate, and zinc sulfide. Zinc compounds are widely used in industry to make paint, rubber, dye, wood preservatives, and ointments. Some is released into the environment by natural processes, but most comes from activities of people like mining, steel production, coal burning, and burning of waste. It attaches to soil, sediments, and dust particles in the air. Rain and snow remove zinc dust particles from the air.