Bases for Waste Classification

Numerous formal waste classification systems, or, equivalently, boundaries between classes of waste and rules for using them, have been developed over the years (see Section 4 for an extensive discussion). The bases for the boundaries also are numerous, with the following being the most common  

Other factors that are sometimes taken into account in classifying hazardous waste include the quantity of the waste, containment (packaging) of the waste, potential for exposure to hazardous substances, control of potential releases, environmental and human health risks, economic factors, and sociopolitical aspects (IAEA, 1994). Most of these factors are, at best, indirectly related to risk e.g., a material that does not degrade rapidly does not necessarily pose a larger risk) and, at worst, are unrelated to risk e.g., waste from a particular source being treated as if it were hazardous irrespective of its constituents and their concentrations). 

Despite the challenges described above, NCRP believes that risk is the appropriate primary basis for a waste classification system, and risk will be used as the basis for the work described in this 

Report thus, the phrase risk-based waste classification system. The desirability of basing a waste classification system on risk has been recognized for many years (DOE, 1980). While risk will be defined more precisely in subsequent sections, the following general definition is useful at this point (Garrick and Kaplan, 1995)  

This means that development of a risk-based waste classification system must consider the events that could result in exposing biological organisms e.g., humans) to hazardous substances placed in a disposal facility, the probability that each event will occur, and the consequences of the event if it does occur. 

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