Characteristic Waste in the United States

Characteristic Waste in Environmental Law

A waste that is designated hazardous because it exhibits one of four qualities: toxicity, ignitability, corrosivity, and reactivity. Hazardous wastes are regulated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which sets forth only general guidelines. It defines hazardous wastes as those that, when improperly managed, cause an increase in mortality, irreversible or incapacitating illnesses, or pose a substantial hazard to human health or the environment. Assigned the task of fleshing out the statute, the Environmental Protection Agency listed specific wastes as hazardous (listed wastes) and determined what characteristics of other wastes would make them hazardous. The criteria had to be quantifiable, so that people could determine when a waste became hazardous.

Wastes must be tested to determine whether they meet the criteria set out in the regulations for hazardous wastes. The characteristic wastes cause one or more problems unless they are handled carefully. Ignitable wastes can cause a fire or feed one; corrosive wastes can escape metal containers, corrode other containers and release other wastes, and cause damage to tissue; reactive wastes are unstable and react with other wastes; wastes that can leach toxic materials into the groundwater can impact large areas. As science is better able to test and quantify other aspects of wastes that fit Congress’s definition, new characteristics may be added.
Based on “Environment and the Law. A Dictionary”.