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Characteristic Waste

  • Facility Support Services
  • Occupational Safety & Risk Management
  • Research Safety & Services

    • Is it Characteristic?

    Does the waste exhibit any of the following properties? If YES – it is hazardous waste.

    Is it Ignitable?

    • Liquids which have a flash point of less than 140°F (60.5°C)
    • Flammable solids
    • Flammable compressed gases
    • Oxidizers/Peroxides
    Is it Corrosive?

    • pH ≤ 2
      • Inorganic acids - digestion wastes, acid baths
      • Organic acids - HPLC liquids, (formic, glacial acetic, trifluoroacetic)
    • pH ≥ 12.5
      • Bases/Alkalines - base baths
      • hydroxides, lysis buffers
    Is it Reactive?

    • Compounds that are normally unstable and readily undergo violent change without detonation (diethyl zinc, organometallic substances)
    • Compounds that react violently with water to liberate flammable or corrosive gases (anhydrous metal salts, alkali metals, metal hydrides, silanes)
    • Cyanide and sulfides which can generate toxic gases, vapors, or fumes
    • Compounds capable of detonation or explosion, either when initiated or due to decomposition or reaction at STP
    Is it Toxic?
    Waste containing ppm (0.0001%) levels of any of the following:
    METALS
    PESTICIDES
    ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
    Arsenic Chlordane Benzene, Carbon Tetrachloride
    Barium Endrin Chloroform, Cresol (ortho, meta, para)
    Cadmium Heptachlor 1,4 dichlorobenxene, Chlorobenzene
    Chromium Lindane 1,1 dichloroethylene Pentachlorophenol
    Lead Methoxychlor 2,4 dinitrotoluene Pyridine
    Mercury Toxaphene Hexachlorobenzene Tetrachloroethylene
    Silver 2,4-D Hexachlorobutadiene Trichloroethylene
    Selenium 2,4,5-TP (Silvex) Hexachloroethane Vinyl Chloride
      2,4,6-Trichlorophenol Nitrobenzene  
      2,4,5-Trichlorophenol 1,2 dichloroethane  

    Solid materials such as gloves, paper, filters, or soil that become contaminated with any of the toxic constituents also should be identified and collected.

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    Gainesville, FL 32611
    (352) 392-3261

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