IMPACT OF HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON SOIL AND WATER POLLUTION

Hazardous waste produced by industrial, medical, and chemical operations significantly jeopardises environmental sustainability, especially concerning soil and water resources. Poorly managed hazardous waste, such storing it wrong, throwing it away without care, or not treating it properly, is a big cause of soil and water pollution. The current study investigates the effects of hazardous waste management procedures on soil and water pollution, particularly in industrial areas. The project seeks to examine the impact of various phases of hazardous waste management—generation, collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal—on the quality of soil and both surface and groundwater resources. The study employs a descriptive and analytical research design utilising both primary and secondary data. Primary data were gathered via field observations and structured questionnaires distributed to industrial workers and environmental officials, whilst secondary data were sourced from government reports, environmental agencies, and published research publications. We looked at soil and water samples from some industrial locations to see how polluted they were, looking for things like heavy metals and chemical contaminants. We employed common environmental indicators like pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and heavy metal concentration to measure contamination levels.The results show that bad management of hazardous waste is strongly linked to higher levels of pollution in soil and water. Improper disposal and leaks from waste storage facilities were found to be important causes of pollution, which harmed the quality of the soil and the water supply. The study shows that firms that follow rules and use scientific ways to handle waste have less pollution. The study stresses the importance of stringent enforcement of environmental laws, the use of environmentally friendly waste management technology, and regular monitoring to lower environmental risks. The study enhances environmental management literature by offering pragmatic insights for the advancement of hazardous waste management methods to safeguard soil and water resources. Keywords: Environmental Protection, Sustainable Waste Management, Industrial Waste, Soil Pollution, Water Pollution, and Hazardous Waste Management