toxic waste

American  

[tok-sik weyst] / ˈtɒk sɪk ˈweɪst /

noun

1. any hazardous waste that, when consumed or otherwise absorbed into the body, is harmful or fatal to people or other living organisms.

   Toxic waste containing lead and mercury had leached into their drinking water, and the number of poisoned residents was staggering.

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toxic waste Cultural  

1. A general term used to refer to chemical compounds produced by industry which, if they are ingested or breathed in by humans, can cause physiological damage. The disposal of toxic wastes is a major environmental problem in the United States.

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Etymology

Origin of toxic waste

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

CATL’s neighbors-to-be are nervous about toxic waste, after revelations that Orban ignored reports of pollution from a Samsung SDI EV battery plant near Budapest.

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

How will the factories store and dispose of toxic waste?

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

Because the approach avoids heavy metals, harsh reaction conditions and lengthy synthesis pathways, it could also reduce toxic waste and energy consumption in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

But his history of public controversy stretches back to at least 1991, when a memo he wrote while serving as the World Bank’s chief economist appeared to justify sending toxic waste to poorer countries.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

My head is killing me, my throat is killing me, my stomach bubbles with toxic waste.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Related Words

• poison
• pollution