ABA Family Legal Guide

Home Ownership

Property Insurance and Other Protections

Environmental Issues

What is considered toxic waste?

Toxic waste is usually associated with chemical companies or nuclear reactors. But a residential property also can harbor toxic wastes that are potentially dangerous to the homeowner and neighbors. For example, many family farms have a ravine or a back lot that's long been a handy place to dump old tires and empty pesticide containers. Or a private home may have a leaky heating-oil tank buried under the backyard, either one still in use or an abandoned one that was never emptied when the heating system was converted to natural gas or electric heat. Oil, pesticides, or other toxic substances from these sources can seep fumes into a neighbor's basement, contaminate nearby wells, or migrate through the water table until there's an oil slick on the nearest creek.