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:
- As fully regulated dangerous waste, or
- Follow the conditional exclusion of special wastes (WAC 173-303-073).
Examples of special waste
Here are some examples of possible special waste and their corresponding waste codes.
| Waste code | Special waste examples |
|---|---|
| WSC2 |
|
| WT02 |
|
| WP02 |
|
How to manage special waste
Generators can manage special waste in one of two ways:
- As fully regulated dangerous waste, or
- Follow the conditional exclusion of special wastes (WAC 173-303-073).
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.
How to report special waste
All generators must report special waste on their Dangerous Waste Report.
Related links
Contact information
Need help?
Contact a dangerous waste inspector in your region.