Hazardous waste

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Hazardous waste is waste that must be handled properly to avoid damaging human health or the environment. Waste can be hazardous because it is toxic, reacts violently with other chemicals, or is corrosive, among other traits.^[1] As of 2022, humanity produces 300-500 metric tons of hazardous waste annually.^[2] Some common examples are electronics, batteries, and paints. An important aspect of managing hazardous waste is safe disposal. Hazardous waste can be stored in hazardous waste landfills, burned, or recycled into something new. Managing hazardous waste is important to achieve worldwide sustainability.^[3] Hazardous waste is regulated on national scale by national governments as well as on an international scale by the United Nations (UN) and international treaties.