Hazardous Waste

Hazardous and toxic waste is dangerous and potentially harmful to the health of the environment. It can take the form of a liquid, solid, gas, or sludge. It often results from discarded commercial products such as cleaning fluids, pesticides, or the by-products of manufacturing processes.

Hazardous waste can be placed into three categories:

  • Source-specific waste: This includes waste from petroleum refining, wood preserving, secondary lead smelting, and sludge and production processes.
  • Generic waste: These stem from manufacturing and industrial processes, including used solvents, degreasing operations, leachate from landfills, and ink formulation waste.
  • Commercial chemical products: Includes pesticides, creosote, and other commercial chemicals.