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Department of Toxic Substances Control Department of Toxic Substances Control
 

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Hazardous Waste

A hazardous waste is a waste with a chemical composition or other properties that make it capable of causing illness, death, or some other harm to humans and other life forms when mismanaged or released into the environment. 
 
PLEASE NOTE

This new page is part of our Hazardous Waste Management Program web page update process and is under construction. The links to the left will take you to the main Hazardous Waste page, as well as the general category pages, and the Related Links are those links related to the content on the page. If you are looking for the original "Managing Hazardous Waste" web page, please click here. This page will be updated frequently over the coming year, and when complete, the original page will no longer be available. 

DEFINING HAZARDOUS WASTE

A waste is a hazardous waste if it is a listed waste, characteristic waste, used oil and mixed wastes. Specific procedures determine how waste is identified, classified, listed, and delisted.

TYPES OF HAZARDOUS WASTE

Hazardous waste is divided into different types (e.g., universal waste) or categories, including RCRA hazardous waste and non-RCRA hazardous waste. Properly categorizing a hazardous waste is necessary for land disposal restrictions, treatment standards and fees, amongst other things.

GENERATORS

Hazardous waste generators are divided into two categories (Small Quantity Generators and Large quantity Generators) based on the amount of waste they produce each month. Different regulations apply to each generator category.

TRANSPORTERS

Hazardous waste transporters move waste from one site to another by highway, rail, water, or air. Federal and State regulations govern hazardous waste transportation, including the Manifest System. 

FACILITIES (TSDFs)

Requirements for TSD facilities govern the treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste, including land disposal, the permitting process and requirements for TSD facilities. 

HAZARDOUS WASTE RECYCLING

DTSC implements hazardous waste recycling laws and developed the hazardous waste recycling regulations to promote the reuse and reclamation of useful materials in a manner that is safe and protective of human health and the environment. Hazardous waste laws define recycling differently.