Accessibility statement

Hazardous Waste Threshold Levels

  • Some hazardous chemicals have threshold levels, below which they can be classified as non-hazardous
  • To determine whether waste is hazardous the chemical composition of the waste and the hazardous properties of the chemicals must be identified. It must be determined if the concentration of these chemicals are sufficient to render the waste hazardous.
  • Threshold values are given as percentage of weight for weight i.e. the percent by weight of the hazardous component in the total weight of the waste item.
  • LABORATORY CONSUMABLES CONTAMINATED WITH RESIDUAL CHEMICALS ΈE.G. MICRO TUBES CAN BE DISPOSED OF IN THE ‘NON-HAZARDOUS BLACK BAG WASTE ROUTE’ PROVIDED THE WEIGHT OF THE HAZARDOUS COMPONENTS IN THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE WASTE ITEM IS BELOW THE FOLLOWING RELEVANT THRESHOLD LEVELS:

Hazard Category & Hazard Statement Codes

Relevant Hazard Statement Code(s)

Non-Hazardous Concentration Limit

Flammable

 

H224, H225, H226, H242, H250, H260, H261) (A: flash point < 21°C; B: flash point >=21°C or =<55°C)

Flammables do not have a threshold level (i.e. automatically classified as hazardous) unless: the waste has been modified to the extent that it is not flammable

Irritant: skin irritation and eye damage / corrosive

H314, H315, H318, H319

<1%

Specific target organ toxicity (STOT) / Aspiration toxicity

H370, H372

 

H371, H304, H373

 

H335

<1%

 

<10%

 

<20%

Acute toxicity

Very Toxic (H300, H310, H330, H301, H311, H331)

 

Toxic (H302, H312, H332)

<0.1%

 

 

<1%

Carcinogens

H350

 

H351

<0.1%

 

<1%

Toxic for reproduction

H360

 

H361

<0.3%

 

<3%

Mutagenic

H340, H341

<0.1%

 

Sensitising

H317, H334

 

<10%

Ecotoxic

H400, H410

 

H411, H412, H413, H420

<0.1%

 

<1%