Waste codes
D003: reactivity waste
The RCRA characteristic code for reactivity. What the test is, what carries it, and how it is treated.
D003 is the RCRA waste code for reactive waste. It covers waste that is normally unstable, reacts violently with water, generates toxic gases when mixed with water, contains cyanide or sulfide that releases toxic gas, or is capable of detonation.
Source: 40 CFR 261.23How D003 is determined
Any one of these makes the waste D003. The generator carries the duty to determine under 40 CFR 262.11.
- Normally unstable and readily undergoes violent change without detonating
- Reacts violently with water, or forms potentially explosive mixtures with water
- Generates toxic gases, vapors or fumes when mixed with water
- Cyanide or sulfide bearing waste that releases toxic gas between pH 2 and 12.5
- Capable of detonation or explosive reaction under heat or confinement
- A forbidden explosive under 49 CFR 173.54, or a Division 1.1, 1.2 or 1.3 explosive
Process knowledge can substitute for testing where the inputs and process are documented, but the basis has to be recorded and retained.
Common D003 streams
The streams that most often carry this code:
Spent cyanide plating and stripping baths
Sulfide bearing process residues
Water reactive metals such as sodium, potassium and lithium
Peroxide forming ethers past their shelf life
Off spec propellants and pyrotechnics
Unstabilized monomers
How D003 waste is treated
Handled case by case. Reactive waste is assessed before it is accepted, because the safe treatment route depends on the specific hazard. Cyanide and sulfide streams go to alkaline chlorination or permitted treatment; water reactives are quenched under controlled conditions; explosives require dedicated handling.
See hazardous waste disposalCommon questions
Is all reactivity waste automatically hazardous?
Only if it meets the definition at 40 CFR 261.23. The characteristic is a specific test with a specific threshold, not a general description. A stream that sounds reactiv can still pass.
Can D003 waste be mixed with non-hazardous waste?
Deliberate dilution to escape a characteristic is prohibited under 40 CFR 268.3. If a characteristic waste is mixed with solid waste and the mixture still exhibits the characteristic, the whole mixture is hazardous.
What documentation travels with D003 waste?
A Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest, a land disposal restriction notification, DOT shipping papers, and a certificate of destruction or treatment from the receiving facility.
Related services
Not sure how this applies to your stream?
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This page summarizes federal requirements and is not legal advice. State programs can be more stringent than the federal baseline. Verify against current federal and state regulations before acting. Last reviewed September 2026.