Federal & military facilities

Common types of dangerous waste in federal and military facilities

• Aerosol cans
• Absorbent materials, such as kitty litter contaminated with dangerous waste
• Antifreeze
• Batteries, particularly lead-acid batteries
• Fluorescent bulbs and PCB-containing light ballasts
• Lead-containing materials (such as wheel weights, battery cable ends)
• Mercury auto switches (hood and trunk light switches, anti-lock brake sensors)
• Mercury light bulbs and lamps
• Metal cleaning and plating wastes (such as sludges, acid/alkaline solutions, or metal-bearing and cyanide bearing solutions)
• Paint (waste or expired, oil-based). Paint booth filters and masking tape
• Refrigerants (see Automotive recyclers)
• Sanding dust (can be toxic if it's from older vehicles. Test to determine waste codes)
• Scrap metal (catalytic converters, metal fuel filters, cuttings, lead parts, metal beams, wire pipes, tanks, filters for example. No waste code needed if managed as scrap metal)
• Soil (contaminated by heavy metals requires testing to determine waste codes)
• Solvents
  • 1,1,1-trichloroethane
  • Methylene chloride
  • Trichloroethylene
  • Waste methylene chloride paint thinner
  • Waste methylene chloride paint sludge stripped from parts equipment
  • Toluene
  • MEK
  • Sludge or “bottoms” from solvent stills that recycle gun cleaner or thinner
• Sump sludges (often toxic due to metal content and petroleum hydrocarbons. Test to determine waste codes)
• Used oil (metalworking oils, coolants, and debris)
• Used shop towels and other absorbent materials (kitty litter for oil, for example)
• Vehicle parts (see Automotive recyclers): air bags, batteries, brake fluid, fuel and fuel filters, windshield washer fluid, tires.