Identification of Hazardous Waste
Characteristic Hazardous Waste
A material is also considered a hazardous waste if it meets certain characteristics. The characteristics include the following:
- Ignitability
- A liquid that has a flash point of less than 140°F.
- A solid that is capable of causing fire through friction or absorption of moisture, or can undergo spontaneous chemical change that can result in vigorous and persistent burning.
- A substance that is an ignitable compressed gas or oxidizer.
- Corrosivity
- An aqueous solution that has a pH less than or equal to 2.0 or greater than or equal to 12.5.
- Reactivity
- A material that is normally unstable or undergoes violent chemical change without detonating.
- A material that can react violently with water to form potentially explosive mixtures or can generate dangerous or possibly lethal gases (cyanide or sulfide bearing).
- A material capable of detonation or explosive reaction.
- Toxicity (Please see the next page for defining criteria of a toxic waste.)
Two methods can be used to determine if the waste exhibits hazardous "characteristics". These include (1) testing or (2) applying "generator knowledge". Testing must be done following strict regulatory protocols established by the GA EPD or EPA. Generator knowledge involves applying an understanding of the hazardous nature or characteristics of the waste based on the materials or processes used to generate the waste.