Chapter 2.

1
Definition and classification

TRP Chapter 2.1 1

 General definition
A hazardous waste has the potential to
cause an unacceptable risk to:

– PUBLIC HEALTH

– THE ENVIRONMENT

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 Why definition is difficult

The hazard associated with a waste depends on:

COMPOSITION PHYSICAL FORM

HAZARDOUS WASTE

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
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 Examples of hazardous waste
definitions: Basel Convention

45 categories of wastes that are presumed to be

hazardous.
PLUS …...

These categories of waste need to exhibit one or

more hazardous characteristics:

flammable, oxidising, poisonous, infectious,

corrosive, ecotoxic

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 Examples of hazardous waste
definitions: UNEP

Wastes other than radioactive wastes which,

by reason of their chemical activity or toxic,
explosive, corrosive or other characteristics cause
danger or are likely to cause danger to health or the
environment

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 Examples of hazardous waste
definitions: USA
UNDER US EPA REGULATIONS:

1 The waste is listed in EPA regulations

2 The waste is tested and meets one of the four

characteristics established by EPA:
• Ignitable
• Corrosive
• Reactive
• Toxic

3 The waste is declared hazardous by the generator

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 Examples of hazardous waste
definitions: European Waste Catalogue

A core list of 850 types of waste

Of these, around 420 are classified as

hazardous wastes

These are divided into 19 main categories

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The objective of definitions

Why define wastes?

To decide whether or not that waste
should be controlled - this is
important for the generator as well as
the regulator
Why create a list?
•Clear and simple
•No need for testing

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Different methods of classification
Lists eg Basel Convention Annex I, Basel List A,
EU European Waste Catalogue, US EPA list
Origin eg processes, Basel Convention Annex II
Hazardous characteristics eg toxicity, reactivity,
Basel Convention Annex III
Chemical and physical properties eg inorganic,
organic, oily, sludges
• Need to match classification to objectives
• No method will suit all cases

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Methods of waste classification:
by origin

•Waste streams eg Basel Convention

•Miscellaneous or ubiquitous wastes eg

• contaminated soils
• dusts
• redundant pesticides from agriculture
• hospital wastes

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Example of waste classification
by origin: Basel
The Basel Convention’s List of
Hazardous Waste Categories (Y1-Y18)
identifies wastes from specific
processes
eg Y1 Clinical wastes
Y6 Wastes from the production and
use of organic solvents
Y18 Residues from industrial waste
disposal operations

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 Methods of waste classification:
by hazardous characteristics
Main characteristics:
•Toxic •Ignitable
•Corrosive •Reactive

UN Committee on the Transport of Dangerous Goods

by Road or Rail (ADR) lists waste characteristics.
These have been adopted by Basel Convention -
Annex III gives 13 characteristics, based on ADR
rules, including:
•Explosive
•Flammable
•Toxic and eco-toxic
Represented as codes H1-H13
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 Hazardous characteristics:
Toxicity
Toxic wastes are harmful or fatal when ingested,
inhaled or absorbed through the skin

Examples:
•Spent cyanide solutions
•Waste pesticides

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 Hazardous characteristics:
Corrosivity
Acids or alkalis that are capable of dissolving human
flesh and corroding metal such as storage tanks
and drums

Examples:
•acids from metals cleaning
processes eg ferric chloride
from printed circuit board
manufacture
•liquor from steel
manufacture

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 Hazardous characteristics:
Ignitability
Ignitable wastes:
• can create fires under certain conditions
• or are spontaneously combustible

Examples:
•Waste oils
•Used solvents
•Organic cleaning materials
•Paint wastes

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 Hazardous characteristics:
Reactivity
Reactive wastes are unstable under ‘normal conditions’
They can cause:
• explosions
• toxic fumes
• gases or vapours

Examples:
• Peroxide solutions
• Hypochlorite solutions or solids

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 Hazardous characteristics:
Eco-toxicity
Eco-toxic wastes are harmful or fatal to other
species or to the ecological integrity of their habitats

Examples:
• Heavy metals
• Detergents
• Oils
• Soluble salts

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Methods of waste classification:
by chemical, biological and
physical properties
• Inorganic wastes eg acids, alkalis, heavy metals,
cyanides, wastewaters from electroplating

• Organic wastes eg pesticides, halogenated and

non-halogenated solvents, PCBs

• Oily wastes eg lubricating oils, hydraulic fluids,

contaminted fuel oils

• Sludges eg from metal working, painting,

wastewater treatment
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 Relative composition of
hazardous waste types by region

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Source: INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION Global waste survey, final report 1995
 Exclusions from control systems
Some wastes may be excluded from the legal
definition of hazardous wastes, and thus not
subject to controls. These vary, but may include:
• Hazardous waste from households - outside the controls in
many countries
• Small quantity generators - often placed outside the system, at
least initially
• Aqueous effluents discharged to sewer or treated on-site -
controlled separately from hazardous wastes in most countries
• Sewage sludge - excluded in some countries
• Mining wastes - often excluded
• Agricultural waste - often excluded
• Nuclear waste - always excluded

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 Chapter 2.1 Summary
•This chapter sets out the need for definitions,
and why definition is difficult
•It provides examples of definitions: Basel
Convention, UNEP, USEPA, European Waste
Catalogue
•It gives the objective of definitions
•It describes classification methods: by origin,
by hazardous characteristics, by chemical,
biological and physical properties
•It covers exclusions from definitions

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