WHAT IS HAZARDOUS WASTE, AND WHY IS IT BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH? In the U.S., hazardous waste is defined as any discarded solid or liquid that is highly corrosive, toxic, reactive enough to release toxic fumes, or easily ignited. It can include solvents, pesticides, and spilled chemicals -- including acids, ammonia, chlorine bleach and other industrial cleaning agents. One of the most dangerous compounds is called hexavalent chromium, which is used to coat metal parts and as a pigment.
Health risks associated with hazardous waste include:
- developing skin and blood infections;
- eye and respiratory infections from exposure to hazardous dust;
- intestinal infections transmitted by fleas feeding on the waste.
ABOUT ELECTROPLATING: At its simplest, electroplating is the process of using an electrical current to help deposit metal onto a surface, typically another metal. Copper plating can be achieved by this process. Take the material that is to be coated. Place it in an acid solution and then place a piece of copper in the solution. Connect a battery to the copper and the material. Then, the copper will dissolve into the solution and bond to the new material, coating it with copper.
The Materials Research Society and the American Physical Society contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.