(Newswire.net — December 4, 2016) — Many people may be surprised to know that hazardous materials and hazardous wastes are not the same thing. Often, people conflate the two terms or use them interchangeably, but there are differences that are important, especially for environmental and legal standards.
This also means that, oftentimes, each needs to be stored differently. If you work for a company that produces and houses either or both hazardous materials and hazardous wastes, it’s very important to know the difference. Both hazardous materials and wastes are also heavily regulated by the government, so knowing the difference between them can also help to avoid fines and other penalties. Here is a quick guide to each one.
Hazardous Material
Hazardous material is defined by the Occupational Safety and health Administration (OSHA) as “any biological agent and other disease-causing agent which after release into the environment and upon exposure, ingestion, inhalation, or assimilation into any person…will or may reasonably be anticipated to cause death, disease, behavioral abnormalities, cancer, genetic mutation, physiological malfunctions…or physiological deformations in such persons or their offspring.”
What this means is that any substance that can cause harm to people can be considered a hazardous material. Harm can range from respiratory problems and mild discomfort to life-threatening diseases such as cancer. What you may notice is that this definition can be applied not only to industrial ingredients that can be found in factories, but to household products such as cleaners and polishers as well.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) takes the definition a step further and labels any substance that can cause harm to plants and wildlife a hazardous material. Naturally, this would include fertilizers and pesticides that can get into water supplies and be transferred to aquatic plants and animals as well as those living near the water sources.
In essence, hazardous materials are any raw material that can cause harm to living organism.
Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste, on the other hand, is a specific type of toxic material that is produced as a by-product of an industrial process. Substances that can be declared as hazardous waste have some specific characteristics.
First, they must have a flash point — that is, the lowest temperature at which a substance can ignite — of less than 140ºF/60C. This is because these temperatures are not reached under normal conditions. Secondly, they must have a pH of less than two or greater than or equal to 12.5. For reference, drinking water is between five and seven, stomach acid has a pH of 2 and bleach is around 12. Finally, the substance must be considered toxic, meaning that it is dangerous for living things to digest, inhale, inject or absorb.
Hazardous waste is heavily regulated by government agencies to ensure the safety of citizens as well as plant and animal life.
Storage of Hazardous Substances
The responsibility of hazmat storage can be a challenge for many companies, as there are tight regulations that they must adhere to in order to avoid accidents, penalties and fines. There are strict guidelines concerning hazardous material and waste storage set for by various governmental agencies.
In general, the storage of hazardous materials and wastes must address temperature regulation to avoid ignition of the substances, proper ventilation so any vapors are properly removed from the facility, segregation to prevent substances from reacting with one another and proper identification so all potential dangerous can be known quickly.
When storing hazardous substances, avoid overfilling containers so spills can be prevented. Also, never store substances over sinks or drains to prevent a spilled substances from getting into the water supply. Finally, all substances should be stored in approved containers that are specifically designed to do so.
Transporting Hazardous Substances
Only authorized and knowledgeable people should ever be responsible for transporting dangerous substances. This will prevent accidents due to ignorance and neglect.
All those responsible for transporting dangerous substances should always wear the proper protective gear in case of a spill. Depending on the substance, this can include safety goggles, gloves, masks and, in some cases, hazmat suits.
If a spill occurs at any time during transportation or storage, supervisors should be notified immediately. Never leave the spill unattended, as this could lead to unsuspecting people injuring themselves. To help with cleanup, learn the proper procedures to do so before you transport any hazardous materials or wastes so you know what to do in the event of an accident.
Knowing the difference between hazardous material and wastes can help prevent accidents.
Eric Foyle works in waste management and, it not being the type of topic many people are interested in discussing at the dinner table, he shares his knowledge in his writing.