Determination of Hazard of Chemical Wastes

Instructions for the determination of the hazard level of chemical wastes are listed below. 
Use the Hazard Determination form if uncertain whether concentrations or kinds of chemical are hazardous.

F-list solvents|Flammability|Corrosivity|Toxicity|Lethality|Waste disposal 

Listed Chemicals

F-list

Is any component of the waste included on the F list which follows? If yes, it is a hazardous waste. Record the corresponding F number.

F001 The following spent halogenated solvents used in degreasing

Carbon tetrachloride, Chlorinated fluorocarbons, Methylene chloride, Tetrachlorethylene, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, Trichloroethylene, or

All spend solvent mixtures/blends used in degreasing containing, before use, a total of ten percent or more by volume of one or more of the above halogenated solvents or those solvents listed in F002, F004, and F005; and still bottoms from the recovery of these spent solvents and spend solvent mixtures (T)

F002 The following spent halogenated solvents

Chlorobenzene, Methylene chloride, Orthodichlorobenzene, Tetrachloroethylene, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, Trichloroethylene, Trichlorofluoromethane, 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluroethane or

All spent solvent mixtures/blends containing before use, a total of ten percent or more by volume of one or more of the above halogenated solvents or those solvents listed in F001, F004 and F005; and the still bottoms from the recovery of these spent solvents and spent solvent mixtures:(T)

F003 The following spent nonhalogenated solvents

Acetone, Cylcohexanone, Ethyl acetate, Ethyl benzene, Ethyl ether, Methanol, Methyl isobutyl ketone, N-butyl alcohol, Xylene or

All spent solvent mixtures/blends containing, before use, only the above spent nonhalogenated solvents; and all spent solvent mixtures/blends, containing before use, one or more of the above nonhalogenated solvents and a total of ten percent or more by volume of one or more of those solvents listed in F001, F002, F004 and F005; and the still bottoms from the recovery of these spent solvents and spent solvent mixtures: (I)

F004 The following spent nonhalogenated solvents:

cresols, cresylic acid, nitrobenzene or

All spent solvent mixtures/blends containing , before use, a total of ten percent or more by volume of one or more of the above nonhalogenated solvents or those solvents listed in F001, F002, and F005; and the still bottoms from the recovery of these spent solvents and spent solvent mixtures: (T)

F005: The following nonhalogenated solvents:

Benzene, Carbon disulfide, 2-Ethoxyethanol, Isobutanol, Methyl ethyl ketone, 2-Nitropropane, Pyridine, Toluene or

All spent solvent mixtures containing before use a total of ten percent or more by volume of one or more of the above nonhalogenated solvents or those solvents listed in F001, F002 and F004; and the still bottoms from the recovery of these spent solvents and spent solvent mixtures (IT).

PCB-Containing Waste

Does the waste contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) at a concentration of 50 parts per million or greater and includes any of several compounds produced by replacing one or more hydrogen atom on the biphenyl molecule with chlorine? (PCBs do not include chlorinated biphenyl compounds that have functional groups attached other than chlorine.) If yes, it is a hazardous waste and its hazardous waste number is MN03.

Characteristics

Flammability or Combustibility

Liquid

Is the sample a liquid, other than an aqueous solution containing more than 24 percent alcohol by volume and has a flashpoint less than 60⁰ C?

Or would it be restricted by the St. Cloud Water Pollution Facilities guidelines: Any combustible, flammable or explosive solid, liquid or gas which by their nature or quantity will or are likely to cause either alone or by interactions with other substances a fire or explosion or be injurious to the treatment plant operation. Prohibited materials include gasoline, kerosene, naphtha, fuel oil, lubricating oil, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethers, alcohols, and ketones.

(A general guideline for selected alcohols and ketones is that solutions of 10% or less can safely go down the drain.)

If the answer to any of these questions is yes or if reasonable doubt remains, assign the hazardous waste number D001, Flammable or Combustible Solid (MN rules 77045.0131 Subp.2.b.)

Solid

Is the sample non-liquid and capable, under standard pressure and temperature, of causing fire through friction, absorption of moisture, or spontaneous chemical changes and, when ignited, burns so vigorously and persistently that it creates a hazard? Consult the MSDS. If the answer is yes or reasonable doubt remains, assign it the hazardous waste number D001, Flammable or Combustible Gas (MN Rules 7045.0131 Subp. 2.c.)

Gas

Is the sample or flammable or ignitable compressed gas? Consult the MSDS. If the answer is yes or reasonable doubt remains, assign it the hazardous number D001.

Oxidizers

Is the sample an oxidizer or does it exhibit any behavior characteristic of an oxidizer (i.e. readily supplies oxygen in the absence of air thereby causing or enhancing combustion of other materials.) Common oxidative materials include, but are not limited to bromates, chlorates, chromates, dichromates, iodates, organic and inorganic nitrates, nitric acid, oxides, ozone, perborates, perbromates, perchlorates, periodates, permanganates, organic and inorganic peroxides, perrhenates, persenlenates, and persulfates. Bromine, chlorine, fluorine, and iodine react similarly to oxygen under some conditions and therefore, are also oxidative materials. If the answer is yes or reasonable doubt remains, assign it hazardous number D001

Corrosivity (MN Rules 7045.0131 Subp. 4)

Is the sample an aqueous solution with a pH 2 or less or 12 or greater? 'pH indicator paper is appropriate unless it is a colored solution. The pH of colored solutions must be measured using a pH meter. Record the measured pH value. If the answer is yes, assign it hazardous number D002.

Reactivity (MN Rules 7045.0131, Subp. 5).

Does the sample meet any of these conditions?

It is normally unstable and readily undergoes violent change without detonating.

It reacts violently with water.

It forms potentially explosive mixtures with water.

When mixed with water, it generates toxic gases, vapors, or fumes in a quantity sufficient to present a danger to human health or the environment.

It is a cyanide or sulfide bearing waste which, when exposed to pH conditions between 2.0 and 12.5 can generate toxic gases, vapors or fumes in a quantity sufficient to present a danger to human health or the environment.

It is capable of detonation or explosive reaction if it is subjected to a strong initiating source or if heated under confinement.

It is readily capable of detonation or explosive decomposition or reaction at standard temperature and pressure.

It is an explosive as designated by DOT standards. Consult the MSDS.

If the answer is yes or if reasonable doubt remains, assign it hazardous number D003.

Toxicity (MN Rules 7045.0131 Subp. 7.)

Does the sample contain any of the following hazardous contaminants? If yes, record the concentration (mg/L) in the sample and compare it to the maximum allowable concentration in table 1. If the maximum allowable concentration is exceeded, it is hazardous waste. Assign it the appropriate hazardous waste number.

Table 1 Maximum Allowable Concentrations of Contaminants and Corresponding Hazardous Waste Numbers. Hazardous waste numbers listed as *** are limits set by the City of St. Cloud Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW).

Lethality (MN Rules 7045.0131 Subp. 6.

Using the MSDS or other references (NIOSH’s RTECS), record the oral rat LD50, dermal rabbit LD50 and/or the inhalation rat LC50 data for each component in the sample. LD50 is the single dose of a substance expected to kill fifty percent of a test animal group. LC50 is the concentration of a substance in air that will kill fifty percent of a test animal group with a single exposure.

Calculate the LD50 or LC50 for each component in the mixture using the following derivation of Finney’s formula. Show all calculations on the worksheet.

Assign to the sample hazardous waste number MN01 if any of the following criteria are met. Generally, the smaller the LD value, the more lethal the compound is.

Oral rat LD50 < 500 mg/kg
Dermal rabbit LD50 < 1000 mg/kg
Inhalation rat LD50 < 1000 ppm of material per million parts of air, if the material or component can be inhaled as a gas or vapor.
Inhalation rat LD50 < 2000 ppm of material per cubic meter of air, if the material or component can be inhaled as a dust or mist.

Waste Treatment and Disposal

Select the appropriate disposal method for this sample and record the disposal method to be used. Hazardous wastes must disposed by an approved disposal program such as the U of M Chemical Safety Day Program and be fully documented. Non-hazardous wastes can be landfilled or sewered. In some cases, it is environmentally and financially beneficial to treat the waste to minimize the hazard before disposal. One example is neutralizing an acidic solution.