The terms listed below are commonly used in connection with the accumulation, handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous wastes.
Portions of the legal definitions, as shown in Washington Administrative Code 173-303, which are relevant to WSU Tri-Cities are in quotes. Where additional interpretation or description is provided, outside of the legal definition, this information appears in italics.
Acute(ly) hazardous waste: “…discarded chemical products (listed in WAC 173-303-9903) that are identified with a dangerous waste number beginning with a “P”…” any unused chemical products that have been assigned a P code. P codes are often listed as synonyms on the SDS. Only one quart of acutely hazardous wastes may be accumulated in a Satellite Accumulation Area.
Constituent: “a chemically distinct component of a dangerous waste stream or mixture.”
Container: “any portable devise in which a material is stored, transported, treated, disposed of, or otherwise handled.”
Dangerous waste: “solid wastes designated in WAC 173-303-070 through 173-303-100 as dangerous, or extremely hazardous or mixed waste.” Includes solids, liquids, and gases that are either specifically listed or exhibit a federally-defined characteristic or state-defined criteria. The terms ‘Dangerous Waste’ and ‘Hazardous Waste’ are synonymous. Refer to the Waste Identification website for additional information.
Discharge:: “the accidental or intentional release of hazardous substances, dangerous waste, or dangerous waste constituents such that the substance, waste, or waste constituent may enter or be emitted into the environment.”
Disposal: “the discharging, discarding, or abandoning of dangerous wastes or the treatment, decontamination, or recycling of such wastes once they have been discarded or abandoned. This includes the discharge of any dangerous waste into or on any land, air, or water.”
Environment: “any air, land, water, or ground water”
Generator: “any person, by site, whose act or process produces dangerous waste or whose act first causes a dangerous waste to become subject to regulation”
Release: “any intentional or unintentional spilling, leaking, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, pumping, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing of dangerous wastes, or dangerous constituents into the environmental and includes the abandonment or discarding of barrels, containers, and other receptacles containing dangerous wastes or dangerous constituents”
Responsible Individual: The individual in charge of the laboratory or workplace where waste or surplus chemicals are generated is responsible for determining whether chemicals are regulated dangerous wastes or not. This individual may be a principal investigator, research leader, instructor, shop supervisor, or unit administrator.
Satellite Accumulation Area (SAA): “a location at or near any point of generation where hazardous waste is initially accumulated in containers (during routine operations) prior to consolidation at a designated ninety-day accumulation area or storage area. The area must be under the control of the operator of the process generating the waste or secured at all times to prevent improper additions of wastes into the satellite containers.” SAAs should be as near as possible to where the wastes are produced. A maximum of 55 gallons of waste, or one quart of acutely hazardous waste, may be accumulated at one time.
Storage: “the holding of dangerous waste for a temporary period. ‘Accumulation of dangerous waste, by the generator on the site of generation, is not storage as long as the generator complies with the applicable requirements of WAC 173-303-200 and -201.”