How does RCRA define hazardous waste?
Hazardous waste under RCRA is defined as a solid waste, or combination of solid wastes, with special characteristics. The specific characteristics to which the statute refers are • quantity; • concentration; • physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics. These characteristics are important because they show that the waste is hazardous and may cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or serious illness, or pose a substantial hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of, or otherwise managed.
