It isn’t something that anyone likes to do, but it happens. Many organizations, including medical centers, labs of every kind, schools, factories, and many others, need dangerous chemicals to perform their important tasks, learn more!
There are a number of regulations and systems in place that ensure safe disposal of chemicals. While they may vary from state to state, these systems are extremely helpful for keeping people healthy and safe even if they live near facilities that manage a variety of hazardous materials.
Some countries have less strict regulations on biohazardous material and chemical waste. These often developing countries face a variety of issues, from essentially undrinkable reservoirs up to an array of unusual medical conditions. Many countries have opportunistic companies that build their facilities to benefit from this lax approach and operate with minimal interference. These governments, who are often corrupt and in need of cash, happily accept payment from businesses that have no altruistic motives. The results can be devastating to the environment and people living there. This is a flawed system that is widely used with very little outside oversight.
In many of these countries, there are not only no safety measures in place but also a lack of experts who have the necessary training and reputation to safely and successfully dispose chemical waste. In the United States, and in many other countries, industries devoted to chemical waste and medical waste removal are highly funded and use advanced technology. The employees of the companies are paid well for their dangerous jobs, and they are extensively trained to make sure that nobody is injured during transport or disposal. It is almost impossible to create similar systems in countries that have less resources. Lack of infrastructure makes it difficult to transport questionable materials safely, and a lack in education can make finding employees hard. It is difficult to find qualified employees in countries where hazardous waste is being disposed of. There is also a lack of infrastructure.