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Glossary of summaries

Hazardous waste

Hazardous waste is waste withone or more of the hazardous properties listed in Annex III of the EU’s Waste Framework Directive, Directive 2008/98/EC on waste. These hazardous properties are:

  • Explosive — waste which can, by chemical reaction, produce gas at such a temperature, pressure and speed as to cause damage to the surroundings. This includes pyrotechnic waste, explosive organic peroxide waste and explosive self-reactive waste;
  • Oxidising — waste which may, generally by providing oxygen, cause or contribute to the combustion of other materials;
  • Flammable;
  • Irritant — skin irritation and eye damage — waste which on contact can cause skin irritation or damage to the eye;
  • Specific target organ toxicity (STOT)/Aspiration toxicity — waste which can cause specific target organ toxicity either from a single or repeated exposure, or which cause acute toxic effects following inhalation;
  • Acute toxicity — waste which can cause acute toxic effects if swallowed, on skin contact or inhalation;
  • Carcinogenic — waste which induces cancer or increases its incidence;
  • Corrosive — waste which on contact can cause skin corrosion;
  • Infectious — waste containing viable micro-organisms or their toxins which are known or reliably believed to cause disease in humans or other living organisms;
  • Toxic for reproduction — waste which has adverse effects on sexual function and fertility in adults and developmental toxicity in their offspring;
  • Mutagenic — waste which may cause a mutation — a permanent change in the amount or structure of the genetic material in a cell;
  • Release of an acute toxic gas — waste which releases acute toxic gases in contact with water or an acid;
  • Sensitising — waste which contains one or more substances known to cause sensitising effects to the skin or the respiratory organs;
  • Ecotoxic — waste which presents or may present immediate or delayed risks for one or more sectors of the environment;
  • Waste which could have a hazardous property listed above not directly displayed by the original waste.

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