Waste and health risks

The treatment and disposal of waste can result in the release of certain pollutants into the natural environment, with a consequent impact on human health. Legislation in industrialized countries aims to minimize the health risks associated with household waste treatment and disposal facilities. Nevertheless, not all processes are equivalent in terms of discharge quality. The aim of this article is to review current knowledge of the origin and nature of the toxic risks associated with household waste and its treatment, based on available data.

For the purposes of this article, it is important to recall the principle laid down by Paracelsus in the 16th century in his formula "Sola dosis fecit venenum", which has since been widely adopted as the basis of modern toxicology in the following terms: "Everything is toxic, nothing is toxic; it's the dose that makes the toxic". The first part of this article will illustrate this formula by mentioning the other factors that can make a substance more or less toxic, and will provide a few general notions of toxicology. For more details on the effects and metabolism of these toxins, we invite the reader to consult some of the specialized works cited in the references.

The second part presents in detail the concentration levels and origins of the main metallic and organic pollutants in the various types of by-products from waste treatment (REFIOM, bottom ash, leachates, etc.) and studies their toxicity based on experimental data on animals or epidemiological studies in humans, under conditions of occupational or accidental exposure.