A "noxious substance" refers to any material or chemical compound that is harmful, dangerous, or injurious to living organisms, the environment, or property. It typically describes a substance that has the potential to cause significant damage, ill-health, toxicity, or adverse effects if exposed to or comes into contact with humans, animals, plants, or any other types of organisms.
These substances can occur naturally or be artificially created and can exist in various forms, including gases, liquids, or solids. Common examples of noxious substances include toxic chemicals, pollutants, corrosive agents, irritants, and pollutants such as pesticides, heavy metals, radioactive materials, and certain industrial waste products.
Noxious substances usually possess a wide range of harmful properties, such as being carcinogenic, allergenic, mutagenic, or neurotoxic. Exposure to such substances may cause immediate or long-term detrimental effects, including respiratory problems, organ damage, allergic reactions, reproductive issues, or even death, depending on the specific substance and its concentration.
Due to their potential harm, noxious substances are heavily regulated and their usage, handling, transport, storage, and disposal are subject to strict legal controls and safety protocols to minimize the risk of accidents, contamination, or harm to humans and the environment.
