Beyond Waste home > Why Beyond Waste? > Myth 2.Existing regulations provide adequate protection from toxic chemicals

Myth 2: Existing regulations provide adequate protection from toxic chemicals

The regulatory system does reasonably well managing certain toxic wastes from industrial facilities through the enforcement of state and federal hazardous waste laws. Still, many toxic chemicals are released into the environment through:

• Permitted discharges
• Exclusions to regulations
• Non-point sources
• Hazardous waste management related problems

The total amount of toxins entering the environment through these channels is significant, and those that are not regulated or tracked by the government far outweigh permitted sources. The cumulative effects of these hazardous wastes contribute to an increasing toxic burden in our environment and our bodies.

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