Hazardous Waste Disposal
Safely Removing Hazardous Waste in Houston, TX
Do you work within an industry that produces mass amounts of hazardous waste every day? Is your facility struggling to find a solution for removing harmful waste in a safe and secure manner? If so, Excel Industrial group is here to help with hazardous waste disposal in Houston, TX. For over 20 years, our waste management professionals have given industries the tools, equipment, knowledge, and capabilities to properly transport and dispose of harmful materials the right way. Our services ensure that you, your team, and the environment remain safe and healthy. Contact us to learn more today.
What Is Hazardous Waste?
Hazardous waste material is a type of waste that has a detrimental, unhealthy, or potentially dangerous impact on humans, animals, and the environment. Hazard waste materials can be produced by many sources, including but not limited to industrial facilities and factories, processing plants, and disposed liquids, sludges, and gases.
The EPA classifies hazardous materials based on a complex set of rules. The material must be solid waste to be considered dangerous, and it must be determined if the material is excluded from regulations. Experts deem a material hazardous when it possesses a unique set of characteristics.
The Types of Hazardous Waste
Hazard materials are classified under four distinct lists by the EPA. The lists are as follows:
- F-List Waste: The F-list typically consists of waste from materials used in general such as household cleaning chemicals, degreasing chemicals, and solvents.
- K-List Waste: K-listed waste consists of hazardous materials produced from particular industries like petroleum processed by oil companies or manufactured pesticides.
- P-List Waste: The P-list includes unused materials or partially used materials such as pesticides that are discarded before full or partial usage.
- U-List Waste: The U-list comprises unused or partially used materials as well, such as medications and pharmaceutical products that are improperly discarded.
The Characteristics of Hazardous Waste
Hazard materials are classified as so depending on a few key characteristics. The characteristics are specific and may not apply to descriptions on product labels or safety warnings. They can be applied to used and unused waste materials.
Here are the main characteristics of hazardous material.
- Flammability: Does the material pose a fire risk? Can it quickly catch on fire or burn?
- Corrosion: Does the material consist of metals that will degrade, disintegrate or rush over time?
- Reactive Properties: Does the material have the potential to react unhealthily or dangerously with other elements?
- Toxic Properties: Does the material have any harmful traits or qualities that pose a threat to living things or the environment? Toxicity is a particularly complex character because not all toxicity levels are included in this classification.
What is Cradle to the Grave Waste Management?
The presence and threat of hazardous materials became a widespread public concern in the middle of the 20th century. This period saw a rise in solid waste without the means to dispose of it properly, which drew a mass outcry from the general population.
Though the issue of hazardous materials continues today, waste management and removal have seen significant innovation and enhanced capabilities since the middle of the last century. These developments include the cradle to the grave management program. Cradle to the Grave is the removal, transportation, treatment, and disposal of industrial waste material from the time it’s generated.
How is Hazardous Waste Removed?
Before removal, a material must be determined to be a hazard according to the classifying characteristics. Assessment is completed through detailed documentation and following of rules and regulations.
After the material is deemed hazardous, a hazardous waste removal services company takes care of the rest. The waste removal service carefully takes away waste from the generator and transports it to a waste disposal center. The transporters are safe for use and regulated by the EPA.
Once the waste arrives at the waste center, it is housed in either a temporary or permanent storage facility. The storage space prevents waste materials from leaking and protects them from encountering other waste materials. People and the environment are protected through proper storage.
Waste can be recycled depending on its properties. Waste recycling can provide many advantages including a cut-down in producing more raw materials, which means less waste within the environment. If a waste material cannot be recycled, it is then treated in other ways in a Treatment Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF).
A quality TSDF adheres to strict regulations and standards that protect soil, water, air, and people from contamination.
Give Us a Call
Are you an industrial facility with harmful or damaging waste? Do you need to remove and process your waste safely and efficiently? If so, please feel free to fill out the contact form below or contact us today and speak with a member of our team. We’re a knowledgeable and dependable group that will complete your waste processing while following regulations from beginning to end.