What is a common characteristic of hazardous wastes?

The characteristic that hazardous wastes can be ignitable, corrosive, or reactive is vital for understanding what defines hazardous materials. These properties indicate that such wastes can pose significant risks to human health and the environment.

Ignitable wastes can easily catch fire and sustain combustion, posing fire hazards during storage or disposal. Corrosive wastes can chemically wear away or corrode materials, including human tissue and containment structures. Reactive wastes can undergo violent chemical reactions, leading to explosions, toxic fumes, or other dangerous outcomes when they come into contact with water or other substances. Identifying these characteristics is essential for proper handling, storage, and disposal to ensure safety and compliance with environmental regulations.

Understanding these properties helps professionals in environmental health and safety to assess risk, implement appropriate management practices, and develop effective waste disposal strategies.