Ignitable waste characteristically hazardous

The first step to be taken by a generator of waste is to determine whether that waste is hazardous. Waste may be hazardous by being listed in the regulations, or by meeting any of four characteristics ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and extraction procedure (EP) toxicity. 

A solid waste is considered hazardous if it is either a listed waste or a characteristic waste. Listed wastes include a list of specific processes that generate a waste and a list of discarded commercial chemical products. There are four hazardous waste characteristics ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and toxicity. The last refers to the leachability of a waste and the resultant toxicity in the groundwater using the analytical method referred to as toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP). A list of substances included under TCLP is shown in Table 1. 

The generator of a waste must determine if the waste is hazardous. To do this, the generator must determine if the waste is specifically listed as a hazardous waste (Article 9, CCR), and/or if it is a characteristic hazardous waste (ignitable, corrosive, toxic, reactive) (Article 11, CCR). Certain wastes are also classified as "extremely hazardous wastes." These are listed in Article 9, CCR and their characteristics are identified in Article 11, CCR. 

Waste that is hazardous because it exhibits the toxicity characteristic also must be treated to remove this characteristic prior to disposal. Techniques to remove the toxicity characteristic include, for example, destruction of organic compounds by incineration or incorporation of the waste in an immobilizing waste form (e.g., grout). However, in contrast to ignitable, corrosive, or reactive waste, a properly treated toxic waste may still be considered hazardous in some cases, even if it is not characteristically hazardous after treatment and does not contain any listed substances. For example, a waste that is toxic because it contains high levels of heavy metals could be treated to reduce the leachability of the metals to acceptable levels by incorporation in an appropriate waste form, but the treated waste may still be considered hazardous when the toxic substances of concern are not destroyed by treatment and the possibility exists that their leachability from the waste form could increase substantially after disposal. 

Of the various ways of designating a solid waste as hazardous described above, only the toxicity characteristic is based on a quantitative assessment of potential risks resulting from waste disposal. The specifications of ignitable, corrosive, and reactive waste are based on qualitative considerations of risk, in that the presence of materials with these characteristics in a disposal facility clearly constitutes a hazard that could compromise the ability of the facility to protect public health. The specifications of listed hazardous wastes are based on risk in the sense that the listed substances have been identified as potentially hazardous to human health. However, requirements for treatment and disposal of listed waste discussed in Section 4.2.2 do not distinguish between different wastes based on considerations of risk from disposal. 

There are two types of regulated hazardous waste characteristic wastes and listed wastes. A solid waste is classified as a characteristic hazardous waste if it exhibits any of the following ignitability, corrosivity, toxicity, or reactivity. A solid waste is a listed hazardous waste if it is specifically listed by the EPA or a state regulatory body based on certain criteria (40 CFR 261.11). 

Ignitability (waste code D001)-Based on the waste s low flash point or other physical characteristics, this material poses a fire hazard. 

Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), EPA was charged with identifying wastes which pose a hazard to human health and the environment when improperly managed. In fulfilling this mandate, EPA identified a number of characteristics which, if exhibited by a waste, would indicate that the waste is hazardous. These characteristics include ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and Extraction Procedure Toxicity. 

Determining Whether a Solid Waste is Hazardous for Subtitle C Purposes A person who handles a solid waste not within one of the regulatory exclusions must look to 261.30-33 and 261.20-24 to determine whether that waste is hazardous and hence subject to the full panoply of Subtitle C regulations. Sections 261.30-33 contain EPA s hazardous waste lists 261.21-24 identify four characteristics (ignitibility, corrosivity, reactivity, and Extraction Procedure toxicity) that make a waste hazardous regardless of whether it is included on a hazardous waste list. 

RCRA, 40CFR261.30 hazardous codes, A B C D E and F, which represent corrosive waste (A) toxicity characteristic waste (B) acute hazardous waste (C) ignitable waste (D) reactive waste (E) and toxic waste (F) respectively A B C D E F... 

The second mechanism by which wastes may be designated hazardous waste is by the federal RCRA hazardous waste characteristics. These characteristics include ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and toxicity (40 CFR 261.21-261.24), as foUows ... 

Wastes defined as hazardous under RCRA include characteristic and listed wastes. An RCRA-defined hazardous waste is a waste that appears on one of four lists (F list, K list, U list, or P list) or exhibits at least one of four characteristics (ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity). Criteria for identifying characteristic hazardous wastes are included in Title 40, CFR part 261, subpart C. Listed wastes from industrial sources are itemized in 40 CFR part 261, subpart D. Other regulations that are relevant to the technology include the requirement to characterize the waste for a hazardous waste generator (40 CFR part 262.11), the requirement to determine if the hazardous waste is restricted from land disposal [40 CFR 268.7(a)], requirements for on-site storage of waste for up to 90 days [40 CFR 262.34(a)], or 40 CFR 264.553 for storage of waste in a temporary unit for up to 1 year prior to disposal. 

Hazardous wastes are either listed wastes (40 CFR 261.30-.33) or characteristic wastes (40 CFR 261.21-.24). The U.S. EPA defines four characteristics for hazardous waste ignitability (40 CFR 260.21) corrosivity (40 CFR 260.22) reactivity (40 CFR 260.23) and toxicity (40 CFR 260.24). Any waste that exhibits one or more of these characteristics is classified as hazardous under RCRA. The ignitability definition includes a liquid that has a flash point less than 60 C (140 F) the EPA included ignitability to identify wastes that could cause fires during transport, storage, or disposal (e.g., used solvents). All of the solvents in Table 14.10.5 have flashpoints less than 60 C, so all could be a RCRA ignitability waste. 

If a waste cannot be found on one of the RCRA lists, this does not mean it is not hazardous. Unlisted waste must still be tested to determine if it has certain properties or characteristics that render it hazardous. A waste is hazardous if it has one or more of the following properties ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. 

A waste is a solid or liquid material that is no longer used. The EPA defines waste as hazardous if it has certain properties that could pose dangers to human health and the environment after it is discarded. The EPA considers a waste to be hazardous if it possesses certain characteristics (e.g., ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity) or if it is on a list of specific wastes determined by the EPA to be hazardous. RCRA regulations, found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 40, Part 261, present the listed hazardous wastes, describe hazardous waste characteristics, and specify test methods for determining whether waste is hazardous. Complete lists of wastes identified by the EPA as hazardous can also be obtained from the EPA s RCRA/Super-fund Hotline at (800) 424-9346 or from the EPA regional offices. 

Beyond solid wastes, a chemical substance may be labeled as a "hazardous waste" under RCRA if it is listed as a hazardous waste by EPA or if it is determined to be a characteristic "hazardous waste" that exhibits high ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. Once a material is labeled as a hazardous waste, the material is tracked and permitted at all stages of the manufacturing, use, and disposal process. Generators of hazardous wastes are required to keep detailed records from cradle to grave of the substance to ensure unintended releases and environmental contamination do not... 

If, after mixing a non-exempt characteristic hazardous waste with an exempt waste, the resulting mixture exhibits any of the same hazardous characteristics as the hazardous waste (ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity), then the mixture is a non-exempt hazardous waste. 

Hazardous Wastes The U.S. EPA has defined hazardous waste in RCRA regulations, CFR Parts 260 and 261. A waste may be hazardous if it exhibits one or more of the following characteristics (1) ignitability, (2) corrosivity, (3) reactivity, and (4) toxicity. A detailed definition of these terms was first published in the Federal Register on May 19, 1980, pages 33, 121-122. A waste may be hazardous if listed in Appendix Wll. 

Soil Cleanup, or remediation, of hazardous waste sites will often produce contaminated soil. Contaminated soil must be handled as hazardous waste if it contains a listed hazardous waste or if it exhibits a characteristic of hazardous waste. As with hazardous waste, land disposal of hazardous soil is prohibited until the soil has been treated to meet LDR standards. These contaminated soils, due to either their large volume or unique properties, are not always amenable to the waste codespecific treatment standards. Because of this, U.S. EPA promulgated alternative soil treatment standards in 268.49 in May 1998. The alternative soil treatment standards mandate reduction of hazardous constituents in the soil by 90% or 10 times UTS, whichever is higher. Removal of the characteristic is also required if the soil is ignitable, corrosive, or reactive. 

Petrochemical recovered oil. Organic chemical manufacturing facilities sometimes recover oil from their organic chemical industry operations. U.S. EPA excluded petrochemical recovered oil from the definition of solid waste when the facility inserts the material into the petroleum-refining process of an associated or adjacent petroleum refinery. Only petrochemical recovered oil that is hazardous because it exhibits the characteristic of ignitability or exhibits the toxicity characteristic for benzene (or both) is eligible for the exclusion. 

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