Waste services
Toxic waste disposal
Waste failing the toxicity characteristic, and the forty codes it covers.
Toxic waste under RCRA is waste failing the toxicity characteristic, carrying codes D004 through D043. Each code corresponds to a specific contaminant with its own regulatory level measured by the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure.
Source: 40 CFR 261.24Leachability, not total concentration
The toxicity characteristic measures what leaches out under a standardized extraction, not how much of a contaminant a waste contains. A waste can hold a high total concentration and still pass if the matrix binds it, and a lower concentration waste can fail if it releases readily.
That is why process knowledge alone is often insufficient for toxicity determinations and why testing settles the question. It is also why stabilization works as a treatment: binding the contaminant reduces what leaches without removing anything.
Common toxicity codes in Southeast industry
- D008 lead, from blast media, paint removal and battery operations
- D007 chromium, from plating, tanning and pigment manufacturing
- D018 benzene, from refining, fuel handling and tank bottoms
- D006 cadmium, from plating and pigment production
- D040 trichloroethylene, from vapour degreasing and aerospace cleaning
- D009 mercury, from lamps, instruments and gas processing
Treatment depends on the contaminant
Metals are stabilized or recovered. Organics are incinerated or blended for fuel. Mercury above 260 mg/kg must be retorted. The code determines the route, which is why assigning it correctly is the first thing that happens rather than the last.
See the waste code indexCommon questions
How do I know if my waste is toxic under RCRA?
By TCLP testing, or by process knowledge where the inputs and process are documented well enough to support the conclusion. The determination duty is the generator's under 40 CFR 262.11.
Can toxic waste be treated to non-hazardous?
Characteristic waste that no longer exhibits the characteristic after legitimate treatment is no longer hazardous for that characteristic. Dilution does not count as treatment, and the land disposal restriction standard still has to be met.
How many toxicity codes are there?
Forty, running D004 through D043, each for a specific contaminant with its own regulatory level. We maintain a page for every one of them.
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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.