Posted on 15th June 2022 by Hintons
Hazardous waste must be handled and disposed of safely to avoid causing harm to humans and the environment. There are many different types of hazardous waste, each posing their own dangers, so it’s important to be able to identify them and manage them accordingly.
In this article, we explore the different types of hazardous waste and how they can cause harm if not used safely.
What is hazardous waste?
Put simply, hazardous waste refers to waste products that can endanger human health and the environment. These products typically can’t be disposed of alongside general household waste. They must be disposed of in a specific way to avoid causing harm.
What are the types of hazardous waste?
Hazardous waste can be divided into the following categories:
Flammable
Flammable waste, such as gasoline, kerosene and brake fluid, includes types of waste that easily ignite. Put another way, these items can explode if they catch fire and should never be used near a naked flame.
Corrosive
Corrosive waste is acidic or alkaline waste that can dissolve materials it comes into contact with. Corrosive waste should be handled with gloves and other specialist equipment.
Explosive
Explosive waste can combust if it reaches a high enough temperature. Explosive waste should also never be used near a naked flame, and special precautions should be taken to keep it in a stable state.
Pressurised gas
Compressed gases can be toxic, flammable, oxidising, corrosive or inert. If they leak, they can displace the oxygen in the air, creating poisonous atmospheres. Compressed gases can also explode if exposed to a fire.
Oxidising
Oxidising chemicals pose a serious fire damage, because they can cause or enhance the combustion of other materials. Oxidising substances include ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and nitric acid.
How to dispose of hazardous waste
The following steps should be taken to dispose of hazardous waste:
- Classify your waste to check what type of hazard it is. Use this guide to help.
- Separate and store the waste to ensure that different types of hazardous waste don’t mix.
- Contact an authorised hazardous waste carrier to collect and dispose of the waste safely.
Hinton’s offers hazardous waste disposal throughout Croydon, Sutton & London. We provide customers with a safe, legal and dependable way to discard hazardous materials. We have over a decade of experience in waste management and strictly adhere to the Hazardous Waste Regulations. Our hazardous waste removal and disposal service covers various substances, including paints, oils, batteries, aerosols and more.
We highly recommend getting in contact to discuss what hazardous waste you need to dispose of. Contact us to find out more.