Rhode Island Characteristic Waste: What you need to know

Characteristic hazardous waste: Rhode Island Rules and Regulations (RI Rule) 12.030.003-2.2B and RI Rule 12.030.003-3

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Bureau of Environmental Protection Office of Waste Management

See ADDRESSES & CONTACTS for addresses and telephone numbers.

See national section for basic information and federal regulations.

• Rules. Rhode Island incorporates by reference the federal regulations for identifying characteristic hazardous waste, including the criteria for identifying hazardous waste by the characteristics of ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and toxicity. In addition, the state designates four wastes as state characteristic wastes and assigns them a state hazardous waste code that must be used whenever a hazardous waste code is required, such as on the hazardous waste manifest. The criteria for determining Rhode Island characteristic hazardous wastes include the quantity, concentration, or physical or chemical characteristics of the waste that may cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or serious illness, or that may pose a potential hazard to health or the environment. See the state section HAZWASTE DETERMINATION (CLASSIFICATION)for more information.

• Administration and enforcement. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) administers and enforces the rules for identifying characteristic waste in Rhode Island.