Kansas Characteristic Waste: What you need to know

Characteristic waste: Kansas Administrative Regulations (KAR) 28-31-261 and KAR 28-31-261a

Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Bureau of Waste Management

See ADDRESSES & CONTACTS for addresses and telephone numbers.

See national section for basic information and federal regulations.

• Rules. Kansas regulations for identifying characteristic hazardous waste are the same as the federal regulations, including the criteria for identifying hazardous waste by the characteristics of ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and toxicity. Analytical testing should be done by a laboratory certified by KDHE. The federal characteristic waste requirements are described in the national section CHARACTERISTIC WASTE.

Wastes may be classified as hazardous because of their characteristics or if they have been placed on hazardous waste lists by EPA. See the state sections HAZWASTE DETERMINATION (CLASSIFICATION) and LISTED WASTES for additional guidance.

Although Kansas has received EPA authorization to administer the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) rules, KDHE does not have authority to delist RCRA wastes under federal rules 40 CFR 260.22. EPA Region 7 is responsible for administering and enforcing the rules for hazardous waste delisting petitions in Kansas. See the national section DELISTING PETITIONS for more information.

• Administration and enforcement. KDHE administers and enforces the state's rules for testing and identifying characteristic hazardous waste in Kansas.

For a copy of the KDHE guidance document "Characteristic and Listed Hazardous Wastes," click here.