Liquid waste management refers to the procedures and practices that are used to manage polluted liquids so that they are not discharged into waterways or the drainage system potentially causing harm to people and/or the environment; it encompasses the creation, collection and disposal of these liquids.
The disposal of waste liquids is regulated by local and national laws to ensure that it is done correctly for the following reasons:
• Environmental – waste liquids can cause significant damage to the environment, particularly its aquatic ecosystems, and can also seep into the soil and destroy natural habitats.
• Human Health – some waste fluids can have severe impacts on human health both when people come into direct contact with them and when they contaminate surface and groundwater catchments that end up in water that is consumed. It can cause gastrointestinal illnesses or other poisoning depending on the pollutants in the liquid waste.
