What is the most common form of hazardous waste treatment?

Incineration is indeed the most common form of hazardous waste treatment. This method involves the controlled burning of hazardous materials at high temperatures, which significantly reduces their volume and potential for harm. By incinerating hazardous waste, harmful substances can be destroyed, and the resulting ash can often be more easily managed compared to the original waste. It is particularly effective for treating liquid wastes, pharmaceuticals, and various chemical wastes that cannot be easily recycled or neutralized.

In contrast, disposal in landfills does not treat hazardous waste; it merely contains it, which can pose long-term risks of leaching and contamination. Neutralization is a specific treatment process used primarily for certain types of waste, such as acids and bases but is not as widely applicable for all hazardous materials. Recycling, while beneficial for many materials, is not a common treatment for hazardous waste due to the complexities and potential dangers associated with recovering and reusing these materials. Therefore, incineration stands out as the most prevalent method for safely treating hazardous waste.