Một chất thải nguy hại là chất thải rắn hơn có thể (1) gây ra hoặc góp phần đáng kể đến sự gia tăng trong bệnh nghiêm trọng không thể đảo ngược hoặc mất khả năng hồi phục, hoặc (2) đặt ra một mối đe dọa đáng kể hoặc những nguy hiểm tiềm năng đối với sức khỏe con người hoặc môi trường khi không đúng cách xử lý, lưu trữ, vận chuyển, xử lý, hoặc quản lý. Chất thải nguy hại được quản lý theo hai loại: (1) chất thải vật liệu hiện đang được tạo ra và chịu. | HAZARDOUS WASTES A hazardous waste is a solid waste than may 1 cause or significantly contribute to an increase in serious irreversible or incapacitating reversible illness or 2 pose a substantial threat or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated stored transported or disposed of or otherwise managed. Hazardous wastes are managed under two categories 1 waste material currently being generated and subject to control by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act RCRA and 2 wastes that have accumulated at inactive or abandoned sites or wastes resulting from spills that require emergency response. Both are addressed by the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act CERCLA commonly known as Superfund. The RCRA identifies hazardous wastes based upon lists of specific wastes and four characteristics. All waste generators are required to determine if any of these four characteristics are exhibited by their wastes. SOLID WASTES Hazardous wastes are managed as part of solid wastes therefore a discussion of the legal definition of solid waste is necessary. The word solid in this case is misleading because solid wastes can include liquids and contained gases. Thus the important term is waste which is any material that is discarded for example discarded military munitions are considered solid wastes. Recycling has become a major factor in waste management and the manner in which a waste is recycled determines whether it is to be treated as a solid waste. Material in a waste stream that is recycled by introducing it directly as an ingredient in a production process is not a solid waste nor is it a solid waste if it is used as a substitute for a commercial product. On the other hand waste disposed of by burning as a fuel or in fuels is a solid waste as is material containing dioxin. If wastes are stored for recycling but are not 75 recycled in a calendar year they are solid wastes. Certain specific types of wastes such
