There are nine different classes of hazardous materials, and each one is different enough that you can’t apply the same storage and disposal techniques across the board.
Before you can dispose of any hazardous material, you will need to know what you are dealing with first. There are nine different classes of hazardous materials, and each one is different enough that you can’t apply the same storage and disposal techniques across the board.
Explosives
Categorized under class 1, explosives are some of the most dangerous substances you will ever handle. These materials will produce heat, light, sound, smoke, and gas that can be harmful to anyone too close when the explosion occurs. Not all explosions involve intense heat and rapidly-spreading flames; sometimes the pressure can launch debris and superheated gas long distances that can affect nearby buildings and bystanders even if there is no actual fire.
Compressed Gases
Categorized under class 2, compressed gases are a pretty common form of hazardous material. Hazardous gas waste is classified by whether it is flammable, non-flammable, or poisonous. Not only can gases become fuel for a catastrophic fire if they are released before they can be properly contained, but they also pose a choking and suffocating risk as well.
Oxidizers
Categorized under class 5, oxidizers produce oxygen. However, oxygen is one of the main components of a fire, so any oxidizers exposed to an open flame are extremely dangerous.
Corrosives
Categorized under class 8, corrosive substances can eat through or melt their containers or other materials that they are exposed to. Acids and bases with a pH level lower than 2 or higher than 12.5 are considered to be corrosive.
Various
Class 9 deals with miscellaneous dangerous goods. These are types of hazardous waste that defy easy classification and don’t fit neatly into one category alone. These substances pose a risk to your workers, to your building, and to your equipment. They can also harm the environment in some way. Any substances that need to be kept hot while in transport also count as class 9 hazardous material. Anything magnetized, containing microorganisms, and dangerous substances that can’t be transported on an airplane all fall into this category as well.
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