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What is a Hazardous Waste?

What is a Hazardous Waste? 

Hazardous wastes come in all shapes and forms. They may be liquids, solids, or sludges. They may be the by-products of manufacturing processes, or simply commercial products--such as household cleaning fluids or battery acid--that have been discarded. Whatever their form, however, proper management and disposal of hazardous wastes are essential to protect our country's valuable resources. 

The RCRA law provides a general definition of the term "hazardous waste". However, in order to regulate hazardous wastes, EPA first had to determine which specific wastes are hazardous. Since there are tens of thousands of wastes that can be hazardous for many different reasons, this was not a simple task. The definition of hazardous waste had important economic ramifications. Only wastes determined to be hazardous would be subject to RCRA's hazardous waste regulations. 

EPA spent many months interacting with industry and the public to develop a definition of "hazardous waste" for its regulations. As a result of this work, RCRA regulations identify hazardous wastes based on their characteristics and also provide a list of specific hazardous wastes.
 

Characteristic Wastes

A waste is hazardous if it exhibits one or more of the following characteristics:

• Ignitability D001 - Ignitable wastes can create fires under certain conditions. Examples include liquids, such as solvents that readily catch fire, and friction-sensitive substances.
   
• Corrosivity D002 - Corrosive wastes include those that are acidic and those that are capable of corroding metal (such as tanks, containers, drums, and barrels).
   
• Reactivity D003 - Reactive wastes are unstable under normal conditions. They can create explosions and/or toxic fumes, gases, and vapors when mixed with water.
   
• Toxicity D004 - D042 - Toxic wastes are harmful or fatal when ingested or absorbed. When toxic wastes are disposed of on land, contaminated liquid may drain (leach) from the waste and pollute ground water. Toxicity is identified through a laboratory procedure using the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) test.

EPA regulations require that all waste generators evaluate their wastes to determine if any of the four hazardous characteristics are exhibited. Wastes exhibiting these characteristics are subject to EPA's Subtitle C hazardous waste regulations.
 

Listed Wastes 

EPA has already determined that some specific wastes are hazardous. These wastes are now incorporated into lists published by EPA. The lists are organized into three categories:

• Source-Specific Wastes K001 - K148 - This list includes wastes from specific industries such as petroleum refining and wood preserving. Sludges and waste waters from treatment and production processes in these industries are examples of source-specific wastes.
   
• Non-Specific Source Wastes F001 - F039 - This list identifies wastes commonly produced by manufacturing and industrial processes. Examples from this list include spent halogenated solvents used in degreasing and wastewater treatment sludges from electroplating processes as well as dioxin wastes, most of which are "acutely hazardous" wastes due to the danger they present to human health and the environment.
   
• Commercial Chemical Products P list and U list - This list includes specific commercial chemical products such as creosote and some pesticides.

All "listed" wastes are presumed to be hazardous regardless of their concentrations and must be handled according to EPA's Subtitle C hazardous waste regulations. However, if a company can demonstrate that its specific waste is not hazardous, the waste may be "delisted" and is then no longer subject to Subtitle C requirements. A delisted waste is still covered by Subtitle D solid waste management requirements.
 

Expanding Definitions  

Determining which wastes are hazardous is a dynamic process, influenced by new concerns, research data, and test development. EPA is now adding certain types and classes of wastes to its hazardous waste lists, and is deciding whether to identify additional hazardous characteristics.   

Hazardous Waste: A General Definition by the RCRA Law   

It must be a "solid waste" that is defined in RCRA as "garbage, refuse, or sludge or any other waste material." According to RCRA, a solid waste can be a solid, a semi-solid, a liquid, or a contained gas. 

Because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics, it may cause, or significantly contribute to, an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible, or incapacitating reversible, illness; or pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health and the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of, or otherwise managed.

Not included in RCRA hazardous waste regulations are:

• Domestic sewage
   
• Irrigation waters or industrial discharges permitted under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
   
• Certain nuclear material as defined by the Atomic Energy Act
   
• Household wastes, including toxic and hazardous waste
   
• Certain mining wastes
   
• Agricultural wastes, excluding some pesticides
   
• Small quantity wastes---that is, wastes from businesses generating fewer than 220 pounds of hazardous waste per month