How hazardous wastes affect human health

Hazardous wastes have the potential to affect human health in a variety of ways, ranging from rashes and headaches which may not have long term consequences, to irreversible alterations of various organ systems and increased susceptibility to infection and serious diseases like cancer. Our challenge at present is to understand more completely how these substances exert their biological effects, to find ways to reduce human exposure, to clean up existing hazardous waste sites, and to prevent further contamination of the environment and additional threats to human health.