Haittaavia

Haittaavia is a Finnish word functioning as the present active participle of the verb haittaa, meaning “to cause harm.” As an adjective, haittaava describes something that causes damage, harm, or adverse effects. The form haittaavia is used when referring to multiple nouns or when the noun is in the partitive or plural form, for example haittaavia vaikutuksia (harmful effects) or haittaavia aineita (harmful substances). The root haitta means harm or detriment, and the participle suffix -va/-vä adds the meaning “causing” or “capable of causing.”

In usage, haittaavia describes a wide range of objects or processes, including chemical substances, physical processes, health risks, and environmental impacts. It is common in safety, health, and regulatory language to characterize substances or actions as haittaavia when they pose potential harm. The term is often found in phrases such as haittaavia vaikutuksia tai haittaavia aineita, illustrating its role in describing effects or agents that produce harm.

Translations to English typically render haittaava or haittaavia as harmful or injurious, depending on the context. While closely related terms include haitallinen (harmful) and vahingollinen (injurious), haittaava emphasizes the causative aspect of harm.

See also: haitta, haitallinen, vahingollinen, riskien arviointi, turvallisuus- ja ympäristöalainen terminologia.

Note: Haittaavia is a general, non-technical term used across Finnish texts. Specific regulatory definitions may use more precise classifications for particular substances or effects.