Many hazardous wastes, when mixed with other waste or materials at a hazardous waste facility, can produce effects which are harmful to human health and the environment, such as (1) heat or pressure, (2) fire or explosion, (3) violent reaction, (4) toxic dusts, mists, fumes, or gases, or (5) flammable fumes or gases.

Below are examples of potentially incompatible wastes, waste components, and materials, along with the harmful consequences which result from mixing materials in one group with materials in another group. The list is intended as a guide to owners or operators of treatment, storage, and disposal facilities, and to enforcement and permit granting officials, to indicate the need for special precautions when managing these potentially incompatible waste materials or components.

This list is not intended to be exhaustive. An owner or operator must, as the regulations require, adequately analyze his wastes so that he can avoid creating uncontrolled substances or reactions of the type listed below, whether they are listed below or not.

It is possible for potentially incompatible wastes to be mixed in a way that precludes a reaction (e.g., adding acid to water rather than water to acid) or that neutralizes them (e.g., a strong acid mixed with a strong base), or that controls substances produced (e.g., by generating flammable gases in a closed tank equipped so that ignition cannot occur, and burning the gases in an incinerator).

In the lists below, the mixing of a Group A material with a Group B material may have the potential consequence as noted.

Group 1-A

Acetylene sludge

Alkaline caustic liquids

Alkaline cleaner

Alkaline corrosive liquids

Alkaline corrosive battery fluid

Caustic wastewater

Lime sludge and other corrosive alkalies

Lime wastewater

Lime and water

Spent caustic

Group 1-B

Acid sludge

Acid and water

Battery acid

Chemical cleaners

Electrolyte, acid

Etching acid liquid or solvent

Pickling liquor and other corrosive acids

Spent acid

Spent mixed acid

Spent sulfuric acid

Potential consequences: Heat generation; violent reaction.

Group 2-A

Aluminum

Beryllium

Calcium

Lithium

Magnesium

Potassium

Sodium

Zinc powder

Other reactive metals and metal hydrides

Group 2-B

Any waste in Group 1-A or

1-B

Potential consequences: Fire or explosion; generation of flammable hydrogen gas.

Group 3-A

Alcohols

Water

Group 3-B

Any concentrated waste in Groups 1-A or 1-B

Calcium

Lithium

Metal hydrides

Potassium

SO2 Cl2, SOCl2, PCl3, CH3 SiCl3

Other water-reactive waste

Potential consequences: Fire, explosion, or heat generation; generation of flammable or toxic gases.

Group 4-A

Alcohols

Aldehydes

Halogenated hydrocarbons

Nitrated hydrocarbons

Unsaturated hydrocarbons

Other reactive organic compounds and solvents

Group 4-B

Concentrated Group 1-A or 1-B wastes

Group 2-A wastes

Potential consequences: Fire, explosion, or violent reaction.

Group 5-A

Spent cyanide and sulfide solutions

Group 5-B

Group 1-B wastes

Potential consequences: Generation of toxic hydrogen cyanide or hydrogen sulfide gas.

Group 6-A

Chlorates

Chlorine

Chlorites

Chromic acid

Hypochlorites

Nitrates

Nitric acid, fuming

Perchlorates

Permanganates

Peroxides

Other strong oxidizers

Group 6-B

Acetic acid and other organic acids

Concentrated mineral acids

Group 2-A wastes

Group 4-A wastes

Other flammable and combustible wastes

Potential consequences: Fire, explosion, or violent reaction.

Source: “Law, Regulations, and Guidelines for Handling of Hazardous Waste.” California Department of Health, February 1975.

[46 FR 2872, Jan. 12, 1981]