A lot of national attention regarding environmental issues is spent on climate change, sustainability, and alternative energy. These are topics that demand attention from scientists, policymakers, and the community. There are everyday environmental incidents that don’t impact a wide population, but can be extremly impactful to a person, workplace, or neighborhood. When these smaller issues are overlooked for an extended time, we get incidents like the West Virginia water contamination or the Texas fertilizer plant explosion.

I’ve spent most of my career trying to keep work places healthy from exposure to hazardous materials, wastes, and toxins. Here are a few interesting photos of what it’s really like out there. All of these have been taken by me on job sites.

DDT found in a storage room. How old is this?

Rusted, bulging 55-gal drums.

Uh, what they thinking?

Used oil in a Pepsi bottle. Don’t put it back in the fridge.

Good or bad? A garbage can full of oil.