Environmentally hazardous
Encyclopedia
Environmentally hazardous is a chemical hazard, where significant damage to the environment is caused by a chemical substance. It is defined in the Globally Harmonized System
and in the European Union
chemical regulations. The label is particularly applicable towards substances with aquatic toxicity. An example is zinc oxide
, a common paint pigment, which is extremely toxic to aquatic life.
Toxicity or other hazards do not imply an environmental hazard, because elimination by sunlight (photolysis), water (hydrolysis) or organisms (biological elimination) neutralizes many reactive or poisonous substances. Persistence towards these elimination mechanisms combined with toxicity gives the substance the ability to do damage in the long term. Also, the lack of immediate human toxicity does not mean the substance is environmentally nonhazardous. For example tanker truck-sized spills of substances such as milk
can cause a lot of damage in the local aquatic ecosystems.
Globally Harmonized System
The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals or GHS is an internationally agreed upon system, created by the United Nations. It is designed to replace the various classification and labeling standards used in different countries by using consistent criteria for...
and in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
chemical regulations. The label is particularly applicable towards substances with aquatic toxicity. An example is zinc oxide
Zinc oxide
Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound with the formula ZnO. It is a white powder that is insoluble in water. The powder is widely used as an additive into numerous materials and products including plastics, ceramics, glass, cement, rubber , lubricants, paints, ointments, adhesives, sealants,...
, a common paint pigment, which is extremely toxic to aquatic life.
Toxicity or other hazards do not imply an environmental hazard, because elimination by sunlight (photolysis), water (hydrolysis) or organisms (biological elimination) neutralizes many reactive or poisonous substances. Persistence towards these elimination mechanisms combined with toxicity gives the substance the ability to do damage in the long term. Also, the lack of immediate human toxicity does not mean the substance is environmentally nonhazardous. For example tanker truck-sized spills of substances such as milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
can cause a lot of damage in the local aquatic ecosystems.