hazardous materials

[/ˈhæzərdəs məˈtɪriəlz/]
nounpl: hazardous materials
materiais perigosos
1. Substances or materials that pose a risk to human health, safety, or the environment due to their chemical, biological, radiological, or physical properties
The factory must properly label all hazardous materials in the workplace.
A fábrica deve rotular adequadamente todos os materiais perigosos no local de trabalho.
2. Substances regulated by government agencies that require special handling, storage, transport, and disposal procedures
Workers handling hazardous materials must wear protective equipment.
Trabalhadores que manipulam materiais perigosos devem usar equipamento de proteção.
3. In transportation, goods classified as dangerous under international regulations
The truck was carrying hazardous materials and required special permits.
O caminhão estava transportando materiais perigosos e exigia autorizações especiais.
In both the United States and Brazil, hazardous materials handling is strictly regulated by government agencies (EPA in the US, IBAMA and ANTT in Brazil). Workplace safety training for hazardous materials is mandatory in many industries. The term 'HAZMAT' is commonly used as shorthand in North America, while Brazilian Portuguese typically uses the full term 'materiais perigosos' in official contexts. Environmental awareness regarding proper disposal of hazardous materials has increased significantly in both countries due to ecological concerns.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
dangerous goodstoxic substanceshazardous substancesharmful materialsdangerous materials
Antonyms / Antônimos
safe materialsnon-hazardous materialsharmless substances

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
materiais perigosos
Standard term used in official documents and regulations
General Brazilian Portuguese
substâncias perigosas
Alternative term, often used interchangeably
São Paulo
materiais perigosos
Commonly used in industrial and regulatory contexts
Portugal
materiais perigosos
Standard European Portuguese term, same as Brazilian

Related Words

MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)chemical safetypersonal protective equipment (PPE)environmental contaminationoccupational safetyhazmat (hazardous materials technician)

Related Idioms & Phrases

handle with care
play with fire
ticking time bomb
chemical cocktail
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