Part 200: Hazardous Waste Definitions

• 200.01 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Hazardous Waste Definitions
• 200.10 EPA Criteria for Defining Characteristic Hazardous Wastes
• Table 1 – Maximum Concentration of Contaminants for the Toxicity Characteristic
• 200.20 EPA Listed Hazardous Wastes

200.01 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Hazardous Waste Definitions

1. a. EPA regulations define two types of hazardous waste: characteristic and listed. A material is classified as a characteristic waste if: 1) it is a discarded solid, liquid or gaseous waste, and 2) meets one or more criteria of four characteristic hazardous waste categories: ignitable, corrosive, reactive and toxic.

2. b. EPA listed wastes fall into three different categories: non-specific source (e.g., spent solvents) which are denoted as "F" - listed waste; specific source (e.g., spent metal plating bath) which are denoted as "K" - listed waste; and discarded chemical products which are given the prefixes "U" and "P". The EPA provides extensive lists of hazardous materials listed as discarded chemical products, specific and non-specific hazardous waste. "Discarded" refers to chemicals no longer desired due to contamination, expiration, process change, spill, and so forth.
   
   Soil, concrete, and other materials contaminated with hazardous materials may also be considered a hazardous waste. Contact Environmental Health and Safety for consultation before disposing of contaminated materials.

200.10 EPA Criteria for Defining Characteristic Hazardous Wastes

1. Ignitable Waste (EPA Waste Code - D001) - Ignitable waste meets one or more of the following criteria:
1. Liquids with a flash point less than 60 C (140 F);
2. Spontaneously combustible solids;
3. Ignitable compressed gases;
4. Oxidizers.
2. Corrosive Waste (EPA Waste Code - D002) - Corrosive waste meets one or more of the following criteria:
   1. Aqueous solutions with a pH less than or equal to 2, or greater than or equal to 12.5; or
   2. A liquid that corrodes steel at a rate greater than 6.35 mm per year at 55 C.
3. Reactive Waste (EPA Waste Code - D003) - Reactive waste meets one or more of the following criteria:
   1. Normally unstable materials that will undergo violent change without detonation;
   2. Materials that react violently or form potentially explosive mixtures with water;
   3. Materials that generate toxic fumes when mixed with water;
   4. Cyanide or sulfide containing materials capable of emitting toxic gases at a pH between 2 and 12.5; or
   5. Explosives
4. Toxicity Characteristic - A waste meets the characteristic of toxicity if: 1) it is a material listed in Table 1; or 2) a liquid (solution or mixture) waste possessing a Table 1 material at a concentration equal to or greater than that material's regulatory level; or 3) a solid waste, which when subjected to the EPA toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), yields a leachate with a Table 1 material at a concentration equaling or exceeding the regulatory limit listed for that material. Refer to Table 1 below:

Table 1 – Maximum Concentration of Contaminants for the Toxicity Characteristic

Note: The above list of chemicals is subject to change without notice by the EPA. Contact EHS to make sure you have the most current information.

200.20 EPA Listed Hazardous Wastes

1. Non-Specific Source Hazardous Waste ("F"-Listed Wastes) - Non-specific source hazardous waste numbers are designated for generic waste streams such as spent solvents and unused chlorinated phenoxy pesticides.
   1. Spent Solvents from Degreasing Operations (F001) - Tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, methylene chloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, carbon tetrachloride, and chlorinated fluorocarbons.
   2. Spent Halogenated Solvents (F002) - Tetrachloroethylene, methylene chloride, trichloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, chlorobenzene, 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane, o-dichlorobenzene, trichlorofluoromethane, and 1,1,2-trichloroethane.
   3. Spent Non-Halogenated Solvents (F003) - Xylene, acetone, ethyl acetate, ethylbenzene, ethyl ether, methyl isobutyl ketone, n-butyl alcohol, cyclohexanone, and methanol.
   4. Spent Non-Halogenated Solvents (F004) - Cresol and cresylic acid, and nitrobenzene.
   5. Spent Non-Halogenated Solvents (F005) - Toluene, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), carbon disulfide, isobutanol, pyridine, benzene, 2-ethoxyethanol, and 2-nitropropane.
   6. Discarded Unused Formulations Containing Tri-, Tetra- and Penta- Chlorinated Phenols and Derivatives thereof (F027) - Examples include: Tri-, tetra- and pentachlorophenols, 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4,5-T), 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxypropionic acid (2,4,5-TP or Silvex), and all salts, esters and amide derivatives. Also includes dibenzofurans and dibenzodioxins or any unused formulations or materials containing the same. F027 wastes are considered acute hazardous waste, subject to the one (1) liter storage limit.
   
   NOTE: The above F-listed waste stream definitions are only an example of those most frequently generated by university generators. Contact EHS for more information pertaining to the other F-listed waste streams.
2. Specific Source Hazardous Wastes ("K" - Listed Wastes) - Specific source hazardous waste numbers are designated primarily for industrial waste streams and are rarely given to university generated waste streams.

3. Discarded Chemical Products ("P" and "U" - Listed Wastes) - "P" - or "U" - listed wastes refer to discarded commercial chemical products, off-specification species, container residuals and spill residues of these chemical products.
   1. Acute Hazardous Wastes ("P"-Listed Wastes): Chemicals considered as acute hazardous wastes are those listed with an alpha-numeric code starting with a "P" and are listed in APPENDIX A.
      1. Empty Containers - "Empty" containers that have contained acute hazardous ("P"-Listed) chemicals must be triple rinsed before being disposed as normal trash. The rinsates must be combined and submitted for disposal as a hazardous waste.
      2. Toxic Hazardous Wastes ("U"-Listed Wastes): These materials are given a "U" code and are listed in APPENDIX B.