Hazardous wastes

Scope

This section applies to any person offering or transporting hazardous waste.

Regulatory citations

• 40 CFR Part 262 — Standards applicable to generators of hazardous waste
• 49 CFR 171.3 — Hazardous waste

Key definitions

• Corrosivity: The quality used to define those wastes that could cause corrosion. Any waste material which, after prescribed testing, exhibits the characteristics of corrosivity, but is not listed as an identified waste, is assigned the EPA Hazardous Waste Number D002.
• Hazardous waste: Any material subject to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Hazardous Waste Manifest Requirements specified in 40 CFR Part 262.
• Ignitability: The characteristic used to define those wastes that could cause a fire. A liquid, solid, semi-solid, or contained gaseous material which has a primary hazard of fire ignition or flammability; or an oxidizer as defined in 49 CFR 173.127. Any waste material which, after prescribed testing, exhibits the characteristic of ignitability, but is not listed as an identified waste is assigned the EPA Hazardous Waste Number D001.
• Reactivity: The characteristic used to define a material which is normally unstable, or which reacts with water, heat sources, or other materials to generate toxic vapors or fumes; or is potentially explosive. Any waste material which, after prescribed testing, exhibits the characteristic of reactivity, but is not listed as an identified waste, is assigned the EPA Hazardous Waste Number D003.4.
• Toxicity: The quality used to define a material that has adverse effects on human health or environmental quality, such as poisons. Any waste material which, after prescribed testing, exhibits the characteristic of toxicity, is assigned the EPA Hazardous Waste Number, D004 - D043, which corresponds to the identified contaminant which makes it toxic. These identification numbers and contaminants are listed in 40 CFR 261.24.

Summary of requirements

EPA Hazardous Waste Numbers appear in lists such as the F-list (non-specific source wastes), K-list (source-specific wastes), and the P-list and U-list (discarded commercial chemical products). However, other wastes not listed by EPA may still exhibit one or more of the hazardous characteristics. If your waste is not an EPA-listed hazardous waste, it is important to sample and analyze the waste, or identify the waste based on process knowledge to determine if it exhibits a hazardous characteristic.

There are four characteristic classifications for all hazardous wastes and specific testing procedures are prescribed for determination of classification by the generator. The four characteristics are:

1. Ignitability
2. Corrosivity
3. Reactivity
4. Toxicity

It is the responsibility of the generator to identify the hazardous waste on a properly prepared waste manifest. Transporters are not permitted to accept a shipment of hazardous waste unless the manifest has been properly completed and signed by the generator.

Any carrier engaged in the transportation of any hazardous waste must obtain an EPA identification number.