Hazardous waste is a waste with properties that make it dangerous or capable of having a harmful effect on human health or the environment.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) manages the criteria for determining whether or not a waste is hazardous. The material will either be listed as hazardous with the EPA or exhibit hazardous characteristics like Ignitability, Corrosiveness, Reactivity, or Toxicity.
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) includes things like paint, gasoline, yard chemicals, and oils. You will find these items under the kitchen sink or stored in the garage. It is illegal to dispose of some of these items in the trash, pour them down the sink or dump them into storm drains.
One of the easiest ways to determine whether or not a material is hazardous is to read the label or Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). If a material is a mixture of different products then review the MSDS’s for all of the products. Get more information at Osha.gov.
