Proposed Nonhazardous-Industrial-Waste Classification Scheme

Abstract

The lack of federal guidelines covering disposal of nonhazardous industrial waste (NHIW) has resulted in highly variable and inconsistent state programs for regulating this largest portion of the nation's solid-waste stream. Most states do not have regulations specifically addressing NHIW; the result being a growing backlog of disposal requests that have to be considered on a case-by-case basis, wasting time and money. NHIW poses potential threats to human health and the environment if disposed of as a solid waste; NHIW unnecessarily disposed of as hazardous wastes requires excessive monetary resources. Because of the large quantity of NHIW currently being generated and improperly classified and disposed, this study was directed at developing a comprehensive and usable method for characterizing NHIW. The classification scheme described herein is designed to characterize NHIW based on