Special waste

Special waste is a category of Washington state-only dangerous waste that meets the following criteria:

  • Conditionally excluded state-only dangerous waste.
  • Solid only (not liquid, aqueous, or gaseous).
  • Must be fully designated before it can be identified as special waste.

Special wastes pose a relatively low hazard to human health and the environment. Generators can manage special wastes two different ways.

Examples of special waste

Here are some examples of possible special waste and their corresponding waste codes.

Waste code Special waste examples
WSC2
  • Spent polymerization catalysts.
  • Sodium hydroxide.
  • Aluminum hydroxide.
  • Batteries.
WT02
  • Contaminated absorbents and debris.
  • Evaporator condensate.
  • Pollution control filter cake.
  • Paint.
WP02
  • Resins.
  • Adhesives.
  • Dried paint.
  • Sealant.
  • Grease.
  • Tar.
  • Metal machining wastes.
  • Contaminated soil and absorbents.

How to manage special waste

Generators can manage special waste in one of two ways:

Conditional exclusion requirements

To take advantage of the conditional exclusion of special wastes, generators must do at least one of the following:

  • Dispose of their waste in hazardous or municipal solid waste landfills.
  • Recycle the waste on-site or off-site.
  • Treat the waste in a way that is consistent with our treatment by generator guidance.

Read the Focus on: Special Waste Exclusion for more information.