How must hazardous waste be handled?
Hazardous waste must be handled in ways that prevent them from reaching dangerous concentration in the environment. They need to be kept out of the soil, ground water, surface water and air. Exposure to them can cause adverse health effects. In Florida, because of our shallow aquifers, even small amounts of hazardous waste can seep into the groundwater and contaminate our drinking water supply. To show how serious Florida regards the improper disposal of hazardous waste to the ground, state statutes allow assessment of penalties ranging up to $50,000 per day per violation. The best way to manage hazardous waste is first to reduce the amount of waste we produce, recycling the waste when possible, or by treating them to make them nonhazardous. Burying them in specially designed landfills is least desirable.
