**3. Characteristics of hazardous waste**

#### **3.1 Ignitability**

A waste is considered to be an ignitable hazardous waste if its flash point is less than 60**°**C, readily catches fire and burns vigorously as a hazard; or is an ignitable compressed gas or an oxidizer. Ex: Naphtha, lacquer thinner, epoxy resins, adhesives, and oil based paints etc.

## **3.2 Corrosivity**

Any type of liquid waste whose pH is less than or equal to 2 or greater than or equal to 12.5 is considered to be corrosive hazardous waste. Sodium hydroxide (High pH) and hydrochloric acid (Low pH) is often used in many industries to clean or degrease metal parts. Prior to painting disposed solvents without any treatment contributes to corrosive hazardous waste.

#### **3.3 Reactivity**

A material is considered as reactive hazardous waste, if it is unstable, reacts violently with water, and generates toxic gases when exposed to water or corrosive materials, or explodes when exposed to heat or a flame.

Examples of reactive wastes would be waste gunpowder, sodium metal or wastes containing cyanides or sulphides.

#### **3.4 Toxicity**

Toxicity of a hazardous waste can be determined by taking a representative sample of the material and subjected to a test conducted in a certified laboratory and toxic characteristics can be determined.

### **4. Categories of hazardous wastes**

#### **4.1 Radioactive substance**

Radioactive waste is the type of hazardous waste that contains radioactive material. Radioactive waste is a by-product of various nuclear technology processes, industries based on nuclear medicine, nuclear research, nuclear power, manufacturing, construction, coal and rare-earth mining and nuclear weapons reprocessing. Any substances capable of emitting ionizing radiation are said to be radioactive and are hazardous because prolonged exposure often results in damage to living organisms. Radioactive substances attract special concern because they persist for a long period and disposal depends upon half-life period of the radioactive substance.

**171**

waste management was shown in **Figure 2**.

*Hazardous Waste Management*

to 23,420,000 years for U236.

**4.3 Bio-medical wastes**

**4.4 Flammable wastes**

**4.5 Explosives**

**5.1 Principles**

**4.2 Chemicals**

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94080*

For example, uranium compounds have half-lives that range from 72 years for U232

The hazardous chemical wastes can be categorized into five group's namely synthetic organics, inorganic metals, salts, acids and bases, and flammables and explosives. Some of the chemicals are hazardous because they threaten human lives.

The main sources of hazardous biological wastes are from hospitals and biological research facilities. The biological waste has the capability of infecting other living organisms and has the ability to produce toxins. Biomedical waste mainly includes malignant tissues discarded during surgical procedures and contaminated materials,

The hazardous waste category also includes flammable wastes. This grouping is necessary because of risk involved in storage, collection and disposal of flammable wastes. The flammable wastes may be of solid, liquid or gaseous form. Examples of flammable waste include organic solvents, oils, plasticizers and organic sludge's.

Explosive hazardous wastes are mainly ordnance (artillery) materials. Explosives also involve high potential for hazard in case of storage, collection and

Hazardous waste management is the general term associated with procedures and policies of hazardous waste management that it does not cause any potential threat to man and the environment. Traditionally, hazardous wastes are disposed by dumping in open space and burning. Open dumping results in soil and water pollution and open burning and incineration contribute to air pollution in the form of particulates, nitrogen oxides, noxious odors, and other constituents. After solid waste residues disposed leads to water pollution. Municipal incineration with sophisticated energy recovery systems were popular in large European and American cities at the turn of the century, but became extinct due to high operating costs. In recent years, for hazardous solid waste management incineration has become less popular because of risk associated with increased air pollution control requirements. Because of rapid industrialization the concern of hazardous waste management is increasing [7]. The waste generated from various industrial and domestic activities can result in severe health hazards and also leads to negative impact on the environment. The following procedure illustrates the standard waste management strategy in a developed society. Various steps involved in hazardous

disposal. These types of wastes may exist in solid, liquid or gaseous form.

**5. Principles and methods of hazardous waste management**

such as hypodermic needles, bandages and outdated drugs.

For example, uranium compounds have half-lives that range from 72 years for U232 to 23,420,000 years for U236.
