How do plants handle waste products, and what is a significant waste product generated during photosynthesis?

Plants handle waste products primarily through a process called transpiration, where water evaporates from stomata in leaves, carrying away dissolved minerals and waste. Additionally, plants may store some waste products in vacuoles or shed leaves or bark. A significant waste product generated during photosynthesis is oxygen. While oxygen is vital for many organisms, excess oxygen produced during photosynthesis is considered a byproduct. Interestingly, plants, being autotrophic, utilize the oxygen for their own metabolic processes, and any excess contributes to atmospheric oxygen levels, crucial for the respiration of heterotrophic organisms.