All hazardous waste shall be managed in accordance with federal, state and local regulations.

 

Hazardous Material Disposal

Hazardous waste is waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful to our health or the environment.  Under the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), waste can be a listed hazardous waste, or characteristically hazardous.  Listed hazardous wastes, by definition, have been determined by USEPA as being hazardous. 

Waste that has not been specifically listed can still be characteristically hazardous if it exhibits any one of the following characteristics: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity or toxicity.

Ignitability

• Flammable Liquids – Flashpoint <140oF (e.g., alcohols, benzene, toluene, xylene, acetonitrile)

• Oxidizers (e.g., nitrates, perchlorates, bromates, permanganates, peroxides, iodates)

• Organic Peroxides (e.g., benzoyl peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide)

Corrosivity

Aqueous liquids with a pH < 2 or > 12.5 or other liquids capable of corroding steel at a rate of > 6.35 mm (0.250 inches) per year at a test temperature of 55oC.

• Inorganic Acids (e.g., hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, perchloric acid, phosphoric acid)

• Organic Acids – (e.g., formic acid, lactic acid)

• Bases – (e.g., hydroxide solutions, amines)

Reactivity

Materials which can react violently or create toxic fumes:

 

• Sulfides and cyanides;

• Peroxide formers (e.g., ethers, potassium amide, sodium amide, vinyl acetate, tetrahydrofuran);

• Water Reactive Materials (e.g., sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium carbide);

• Multinitrated Compounds  (e.g., picric acid, nitrosoguanidine, trinitroaniline);

• Perchlorate crystal formers (e.g., perchloric acids); and

• Compounds that May Undergo Vigorous Polymerization (e.g., acrylic acid, vinyl acetate, methyl acrylate).

Toxicity

A waste which, when using the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), leaches any number of metallic, organic, or pesticide constituents in concentrations greater than specified in the regulation.  Examples for these constituents include arsenic, barium, cadmium, chloroform, chromium, m-cresol, mercury, selenium and silver.