What is a Hazardous Material?

 

  1. A substance or material that poses an unreasonable risk to health, safety, or property when transported in commerce.

  2. The federal Department of Transportation sets national definitions of hazardous materials and assigns nine hazard classes.

  • Any hazardous material that has been used and becomes waste and is subject to the Hazardous Waste Manifest Requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency in the Code of Federal Regulations.

  • Hazardous wastes are wastes that have been classified as hazardous by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or State government.

  • Hazardous wastes are specifically listed or display certain characteristics which cause them to be hazardous.

 

What is a Hazardous Waste?

Hazardous Waste Specifically Listed

 

  • “Acute” hazardous waste. (“acute” means that small amounts may cause severe health effects) Examples would be warfarin, nicotine

  • Ignitable, corrosive, reactive or toxic

    Examples: Chemotherapy agents, Lindane, Selenium Sulfide

  • Waste from “specific processes” (none in Hospitals)

  • Waste from “general processes”

 

Characteristic waste

  • D     Ignitable, Corrosive, Toxic wastes

      (D001 – D043)

Examples: Anything containing more than 24% alcohol is considered ignitable (D001),  Barium (D005), Lead (D008),    Mercury (D009), Selenium (D010), Silver (D011)


Testing or a Formulary Review is required to determine if a waste is a characteristically hazardous waste.


Resources for identifying hazardous wastes

  • Code of Federal Regulations

  • Department of Transportation

  • Emergency Response Guidebook

  • Material Safety Data Sheet

  • Supplier of hazardous materials

  • Label

  • Formulary Review

Hazardous Waste Generator Status

  • Large Quantity Generator (LQG) > 2200 lbs per month or > 2.2 lbs of acute (P listed) hazardous waste

  • Small Quantity Generator (SQG) 220 lbs to 2200 lbs per month

  • Very Small Quantity Generator (VSQG) Less than 220 lbs per month

Hazardous Waste Reduced Requirements For:

  • Fluorescent lamps

  • Batteries

  • Electronic equipment

  • Used oil

  • Lead-acid batteries

  • Aerosols (soon)

Non-Hazardous Wastes

Don’t meet Hazardous standards but still need proper handling:

  • Industrial by-products

  • Dust collection

  • PPE

  • Soil Borings

  • Spills/Contaminated clean up materials

  • Oily materials, rags, wipes, absorbents

Infectious Waste

Waste that has the potential to transmit disease

  • Body fluids (blood and other types of fluids)

  • Laboratory waste (cultures and stocks)

  • Sharps

  • Pathology waste  

Pharmaceutical Waste

  • Expired drugs

  • Medications not used by or for patients

  • Chemotherapy drugs and delivery materials

Each must be evaluated to determine if they are hazardous and must be disposed of properly.

Narcotics must be disposed of per the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) rules.


Contact us for your hazardous waste disposal needs!