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Hazardous Waste
This Web page contains a wealth of information on hazardous waste including:
- What is a Hazardous Waste?
- Specific Wastes and Industries
- Requirements for Hazardous Waste Generators and Transporters
- Requirements for Treatment, Storage, and Disposal
- RCRA State Authorization
- Additional Resources
What is a Hazardous Waste?
Hazardous waste is a waste with properties that make it dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment. The universe of hazardous wastes is large and diverse. Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, contained gases, or sludges. They can be the by-products of manufacturing processes or simply discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides.
In regulatory terms, a RCRA hazardous waste is a waste that appears on one of the four hazardous wastes lists (F-list, K-list, P-list, or U-list), or exhibits at least one of four characteristics—ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. Hazardous waste is regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C. For more information on the RCRA statute and links to the regulations, visit RCRA Laws and Regulations.
Listed Wastes
By definition, EPA determined that some specific wastes are hazardous. These wastes are incorporated into lists published by the Agency. These lists are organized into three categories:
- The F-list (non-specific source wastes).
This list identifies wastes from common manufacturing and industrial
processes, such as solvents that have been used in cleaning or degreasing
operations. Because the processes producing these wastes can occur in
different sectors of industry, the F-listed wastes are known as wastes
from non-specific sources. Wastes included on the F-list can be found
in the regulations at 40
CFR §261.31.
- The K-list (source-specific wastes). This
list includes certain wastes from specific industries, such as petroleum
refining or pesticide manufacturing. Certain sludges and wastewaters
from treatment and production processes in these industries are examples
of source-specific wastes. Wastes included on the K-list can be found
in the regulations at 40
CFR §261.32.
- The P-list and the U-list (discarded commercial chemical products). These lists include specific commercial chemical products in an unused form. Some pesticides and some pharmaceutical products become hazardous waste when discarded. Wastes included on the P- and U-lists can be found in the regulations at 40 CFR §261.33.
- Hazardous Waste Listings - A User-Friendly Reference Document, Draft, March 2008 (PDF) (118 pp, 612K)
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.
Waste that does not meet any of the listings explained above may still be considered a hazardous waste if exhibits one of the four characteristics defined in 40 CFR Part 261 Subpart C — ignitability (D001), corrosivity (D002), reactivity (D003), and toxicity (D004 - D043).
- Ignitability – Ignitable wastes can
create fires under certain conditions, are spontaneously combustible,
or have a flash point less than 60 °C (140 °F). Examples include
waste oils and used solvents. For more details, see 40
CFR §261.21.
Test methods that may be used to determine ignitability include the
Pensky-Martens
Closed-Cup Method for Determining Ignitability (Method 1010A) (PDF) (1 pg, 19K), the Setaflash
Closed-Cup Method for Determining Ignitability (Method 1020B) (PDF) (1 pg, 17K) , and the Ignitability
of Solids (Method 1030) (PDF) (13 pp, 116K).
- Corrosivity – Corrosive wastes
are acids or bases (pH less than or equal to 2, or greater than or equal
to 12.5) that are capable of corroding metal containers, such as storage
tanks, drums, and barrels. Battery acid is an example. For more details,
see 40
CFR §261.22 .
The test method that may be used to determine corrosivity is the Corrosivity
Towards Steel (Method 1110A) (PDF) (6 pp, 37K).
- Reactivity – Reactive wastes are unstable
under "normal" conditions. They can cause explosions, toxic
fumes, gases, or vapors when heated, compressed, or mixed with water.
Examples include lithium-sulfur batteries and explosives. For more details,
see 40
CFR §261.23 .
There are currently no test methods available.
- Toxicity – Toxic wastes are harmful or fatal when ingested or absorbed (e.g., containing mercury, lead, etc.). When toxic wastes are land disposed, contaminated liquid may leach from the waste and pollute ground water. Toxicity is defined through a laboratory procedure called the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) (Method 1311) (PDF) (35 pp, 288K). The TCLP helps identify wastes likely to leach concentrations of contaminants that may be harmful to human health or the environment. For more details, see 40 CFR §261.24.
For more information on the rules and regulations pertaining to hazardous waste management, visit:
- Hazardous
Waste Delisting
- Hazardous
Waste Identification
Note that some wastes that meet the RCRA definitions of solid and hazardous wastes are specifically excluded or exempted from the hazardous waste regulations (e.g., some oil and gas exploration and mining wastes and some hazardous wastes that can be recycled). For more information, see: RCRA Training Module - Solid and Hazardous Waste Exclusions (PDF) (29 pp, 87K).
- Hazardous
Waste Recycling
- Imports/Exports
(International Waste Activities)
- Land
Disposal Restrictions
- Test
Methods
- Waste Minimization and Pollution Prevention
Specific Wastes and Industries
This section provides links to information and regulations specific to certain hazardous wastes and industries:- Chlorinated
Aliphatics Production Waste
- Mercury
Waste
- Military
Munitions
- Paint
Manufacturing Waste
- Phenol
(Toxicological Review)
- Radioactive
Mixed Waste
- See also Storage, Treatment, Transportation, and Disposal of Mixed Waste for related rulemaking notices/information
For more information on specific wastes and industries, see Hazardous Waste Identification - Specific Waste Determinations/Exclusions.
Requirements for Hazardous Waste Generators and Transporters
Generators of and transporters of hazardous waste must meet specific requirements for handling, managing, and tracking waste:For related information, see the RCRA Training Module - RCRA Enforcement and Compliance (PDF) (16 pp, 44K).
Requirements for Treatment, Storage, and Disposal
Through RCRA, Congress directed EPA to create regulations to manage hazardous waste from "the cradle to the grave." Under this mandate, EPA developed strict requirements for all aspects of hazardous waste management including the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. In addition to these federal requirements, states may develop more stringent requirements or requirements that are broader in scope than the federal regulations. For more information, see: RCRA Training Module - Introduction to Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities (PDF) (20 pp, 94K).
For specific information on facility requirements, recordkeeping and reporting, hazardous waste storage units, and siting, see Treatment, Storage and Disposal of Hazardous Waste.
RCRA State Authorization
Through the State Authorization rulemaking process, EPA delegates the primary responsibility of implementing the RCRA hazardous waste program to individual states in lieu of EPA. The State Authorization Tracking System (StATS) provides the authorization status for all states.
For more information, see the RCRA Training Module - Introduction to State Programs (PDF) (15 pp, 50K).
Additional Resources
Managing
Hazardous Waste in Your Community
This series of fact sheets provides an overview of EPA's hazardous waste
management program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
RCRA: Reducing
Risk from Waste
This document provides an overview of the RCRA solid and hazardous waste
regulations. It provides the history of RCRA, the role of EPA and the
states, and hazardous waste definitions and management requirements, including
the roles of generators, transporters, and treatment, storage, and disposal
facilities. The document also presents information on hazardous waste
minimization, and covers municipal and industrial solid waste as well.
RCRA
Orientation Manual
This multi-chapter document provides introductory information on the solid
and hazardous waste management programs under RCRA. Designed for EPA and
state staff, members of the regulated community, and the general public
who wish to better understand RCRA, this document constitutes a review
of the RCRA program and is not intended as a substitute for the RCRA stature
or its implementing regulations.
RCRA Training
Modules
The RCRA Call Center training modules provide an overview of specific
regulatory topics including air emissions standards, hazardous waste recycling,
exclusions, financial assurance, hazardous waste storage units, and many
others. These modules are useful resources for people wishing to gain
a general understanding of RCRA, however, they are not comprehensive sources
of regulatory information.
RCRA
Frequent Questions Database
This database enables users to search frequently asked questions, or submit
their own question or comment, on a variety of RCRA issues and topics.
RCRA Online
This database indexes thousands of letters, memoranda, publications, questions,
and answers issued by EPA's Office of Solid Waste (OSW). These documents
represent past EPA Headquarters interpretations of the RCRA regulations
governing the management of solid, hazardous, and medical waste.
RCRA
In Focus Series
This series of publications provides an overview of the RCRA regulations
affecting specific industry sectors including dry cleaning, photo processing,
printing, and others. RCRA In Focus presents the lifecycle of a typical
waste for each industry and focuses on recycling and pollution prevention
options. Each issue contains a table of RCRA requirements for small businesses
and answers frequently asked questions.
Hazardous
Waste Data
This Web page provides links to RCRAInfo and several other EPA data tracking
systems for hazardous waste generation, storage, treatment, and disposal
information. Also included are links to the National Biennial RCRA Hazardous
Waste Documents and Data.
