Hazardous Versus Non-Hazardous Waste

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), American businesses and industries produce 7.6 billion tons of solid waste each year. A portion of that refuse is harmful to human health and the environment and requires extra measures for disposal. Understanding the difference between hazardous and non-hazardous waste is essential because protecting the health of our communities and their residents relies on the proper disposal of both.

In its simplest terms, waste is anything no longer useful or desirable. Not every form of industrial waste is potentially unsafe, and it can be challenging to identify the differences. As far as determining what wastes are hazardous versus non-hazardous, consider these examples and review our waste identification guide:

• Water used during fabrication: Industrial processes rely on significant amounts of water, creating a need for manufacturing waste disposal. While the water itself is safe, it may be toxic if it came into contact with solvents or other chemicals during a manufacturing process.
• Packaging and paper: Generally speaking, these items are non-hazardous and may become part of a recycling program.
• Lab chemicals: Pharmaceutical and other bioscience wastes are frequently deemed unsafe and require special procedures for proper disposal, such as lab packing.
• Insecticides and pesticides: These substances typically fall under the definition of hazardous wastes.

What Makes Waste Hazardous?

In the simplest terms, waste is hazardous if it can cause significant harm to the environment or human health.

When classifying hazardous and non-hazardous waste, it's also helpful to know the industries where toxicity poses the most challenges. Some fields with more potential for generating risky waste include:

• The automotive industry: Paints, solvents and greases require special material handling. The Chem Klean team has extensive experience with the safe disposal of automotive industrial waste.
• The aviation industry: At Chem Klean, we're familiar with the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Transportation regulations applying to your facility and its industrial waste. Our specialists will work with you to design an aviation industrial waste disposal strategy.
• The dry-cleaning industry: The processing used in effective dry cleaning produces hazardous chemical waste, and our specialists offer cost-efficient solutions for their disposal.

What Is Non-Hazardous Waste?

Non-hazardous waste is industrial waste that can't go into a waterway or garbage container. The primary difference between hazardous and non-hazardous waste is that the latter isn't considered dangerous. For example, construction debris and routine commercial trash aren't typically toxic. The EPA designates both as non-hazardous waste, and the Chem Klean team can consult with you for an affordable disposal solution.

How to Dispose of Non-Hazardous Waste

Although regulations for non-hazardous waste are less strict and not as carefully monitored as with hazardous waste, non-hazardous waste is still subject to certain guidelines across each state and local government. One common disposal approach for non-hazardous materials is the following hierarchy:

• Reuse: Companies or facilities should strive to reuse as many non-toxic items as possible through repurposing them or investing in sustainable packaging and production methods.
• Recycle: Many non-hazardous materials, like paper and plastic-based items, can be safely recycled by an approved facility.
• Recovery: Recovering non-hazardous waste materials looks different across numerous industries but could mean recovering metal components from electronics to reuse or recycle before sending the rest of the machine off for disposal.
• Treatment: Non-toxic waste treatment focuses on making the waste, whether solid or liquid, safe to reenter environments, communities or facilities. Treatment methods vary, depending on the waste type.
• Disposal: Items that cannot be reused, recycled, recovered or treated must be safely disposed of at material-approved facilities.

Are There Different Types of Waste?

According to the EPA, hazardous waste comes in two varieties — listed and characteristic.

Under the guidelines, there are several classifications of listed waste — certain substances the EPA identifies as hazardous without additional testing required. Characteristic wastes are those meeting certain criteria pertaining to their composition.

Three other descriptions apply to the identification standards, including:

• Derived-from: This rule says substances that are listed or characterized wastes in another form are still subject to disposal regulations, with very few exceptions. For example, after a listed solid waste is burned, the ash remains hazardous and requires special care.
• Mixtures: The guideline applies to combined wastes and generally designates those blends as unsafe for traditional disposal.
• Delisted: Businesses and industries can appeal to the EPA to remove a substance from qualification. Under the delisting process, a company must prove the regulations don't apply to their waste material. Delisting can be lengthy and costly.

At Chem Klean, we have the knowledge, tools and resources to help you safely dispose of all types of industrial waste. Our family-owned business proudly employs skilled technicians with experience in regulatory compliance.