hazardous waste

American  

[haz-er-duhs weyst] / ˈhæz ər dəs ˈweɪst /

noun

1. any industrial by-product or discarded commercial product that is potentially harmful to the environment or people and other living organisms because it is ignitable, corrosive, reactive, and/or toxic.

   You can’t throw these flammable old cans of paint thinner in with your regular trash—they need to be treated as hazardous waste.

   We are in compliance with all state regulations that pertain to the containment and disposal of hazardous wastes.

---

hazardous waste Scientific  

/ hăz′ər-dəs /

1. A used or discarded material that can damage the environment and be harmful to health. Hazardous wastes include heavy metals and toxic chemicals used in industrial products and processes as well as infectious medical wastes and radioactive materials such as spent nuclear fuel rods.

---

Etymology

Origin of hazardous waste

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

The Environment Agency, which is responsible for dealing with the largest and most hazardous waste dumps, said it dealt with 98 incidents last year.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Opponents have told the government it would be a breach of a 1998 convention signed by Australia to ship hazardous waste to a Pacific island country.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

Manufacturing batteries is “extremely energy intensive,” involves more dangerous chemicals and results in more hazardous waste.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

Superfund sites are locations polluted by hazardous waste that the Environmental Protection Agency has flagged for cleanup due to threats to human health or the environment.

From Science Daily • Dec. 30, 2025

You could even reclaim a hazardous waste dump.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan