It is important to have a plan for waste management. Hazardous waste must be handled with care and can’t just go in the trash.

The first thing you should do is assess the material’s characteristics to see if there are any dangers.

These four traits should be considered when identifying this waste type: check this out!

Ignitability-something flammable

Corrosivity-something that can rust or decompose

Reactivity of something explosive

Toxic substances

Ignitability

The three main types of ignited forms include:

The liquids have a flashpoint of 60 degrees Celsius. This is the lowest temperature that fumes will ignite above the waste. Some examples include gasoline, acetone, alcohol and other liquids with a flash point of 60 degrees Celsius.

Solids that spontaneously burn.

Oxidizers & compressed gases

Corrosivity

Containers can be contaminated by corrosive materials such as hydrochloric and nitric acids, which are corrosive. You can test the acidity of the liquid by checking its pH. If it is greater or less than 2 or lower than 12.5, then you know that the substance has corrosive properties. Examples of everyday corrosives are battery acid, rust removers and other liquids.

Reactivity

Due to their instability, these wastes may be dangerous. All types of reactive material can be identified by a number of situations and conditions.

The material is volatile and undergoes violent transformations without exploding.

When combined with water, a material can produce an explosive mix or violent reaction

Material that when combined with water can release toxic gases into the atmosphere.

Toxicity

Toxic materials can cause long-term damage to the environment and human health. Acute toxic effects are harmful to an organism after only a brief or one-time exposure. The most common types of toxic substances in the environment are pesticides (including herbicides), heavy metals such as lead, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide.