EPA Hazardous Waste Codes

Solvents, spent solvents, solvent mixtures, or solvent still bottoms are often hazardous. The following are some commonly used hazardous solvents (also see ignitable wastes for other hazardous solvents, and 40 CFR 261.31 for most listed hazardous waste solvents):

Acids, bases, or mixtures having a pH less than or equal to 2 or greater than or equal to 12.5 are considered corrosive (for a complete description of corrosive wastes, see 40 CFR 261.22). All corrosive materials and solutions have the waste code D002. The following are some of the more commonly used corrosives:

• Acetic Acid
• Ammonium Hydroxide Oleum
• Chromic Acid
• Hydrobromic Acid
• Hydrochloric Acid
• Hydrofluoric Acid
• Nitric Acid
• Perchloric Acid
• Phosphoric Acid
• Potassium Hydroxide
• Sodium Hydroxide
• Sulfuric Acid

Cooked powder residue (perchloroethylene plants only), still residues, and spent cartridge filters containing perchloroethylene or valclene are hazardous and have the waste code F002. Still residues containing petroleum solvents with a flashpoint less than 1407F are considered hazardous and have the waste code D001.

Heavy metals and other inorganic waste materials are considered hazardous if the extract from a representative sample of the waste has any of the specific constituents concentrations as shown in 40 CFR 262.24, Table 1. Materials may include dusts, solutions, wastewater treatment sludges, paint wastes, and waste inks. The following are common heavy metals/inorganics:

This category includes solvent washes and sludges, caustic washes and sludges, and water washes and sludges from cleaning tubs and equipment used in the formulation of ink from pigments, driers, soaps, and stabilizers containing chromium and lead. All ink sludges have the waste code K086.

Ignitable wastes are any liquids that have a flashpoint less than 1407F; any non-liquids that are capable of causing a fire through friction, absorption of moisture, or spontaneous chemical change that creates a hazard when ignited; or any ignitable compressed gas as described in 49 CFR 173.300 (for a complete description of ignitable wastes, see 40 CFR 261.21). Examples are spent solvents, solvent still bottoms, epoxy resins and adhesives, and waste inks containing flammable solvents. Unless otherwise specified, all ignitable wastes have the waste code D001.

Used lead-acid batteries should be reported on the notification form only if they are not recycled. Used lead-acid batteries that are recycled do not need to be counted in determining the quantity of waste that you generate per month. Special requirements do apply if you recycle your batteries on your own premises (see 40 CFR Part 266).

The pesticides listed below are hazardous. Wastes marked with an asterisk (*) have been designated acutely hazardous. For a more complete listing, see 40 CFR 261.32 for specific listed pesticides, and other wastes, wastewaters, sludges, and byproducts from pesticide formulators.

Reactive wastes include materials or mixtures that are unstable, react violently with or form explosive mixtures with water, generate toxic gases or vapors when mixed with water (or when exposed to pH conditions between 2 and 12.5 in the case of cyanide or sulfide bearing wastes), or are capable of detonation or explosive reaction when heated or subject to shock (for a complete description of reactive wastes, see 40 CFR 2612.23). Unless otherwise specified, all reactive wastes have the waste code D003. The following materials are commonly considered to be reactive:

• Acetyl Chloride
• Cyanides
• Organic Peroxides
• Permanganates
• Chromic Acid
• Hypochlorites
• Perchlorates
• Sulfides

Spent plating wastes contain cleaning solutions and plating solutions with caustics, solvents, heavy metals, and cyanides. Cyanide wastes may also be generated from heat treatment operations, pigment production, and manufacturing of anticaking agents. Plating wastes generally have the waste codes F006-F009. Cyanide heat treating wastes generally have the waste codes F010-F012 (see 40 CFR 261.31 for a more complete description of plating wastes).

Wastewaters, process residuals, and spent formulations from wood preserving processes that contain chlorophenolic or creosote formulations, or certain inorganic preservatives are considered hazardous and have the waste codes F032, F034, and F035, respectively. Wood preserving solutions that are recycled are not subject to hazardous waste regulations. Bottom sediment sludges from the treatment of wastewater processes that use creosote and pentachlorophenol have the waste code K001. In addition, unless otherwise indicated, specific wood preserving compounds are: