A waste is listed because it has been shown to be harmful to human health and the environment when not properly managed. The regulations list over 500 hazardous wastes. Listed wastes are comprised of several hundred hazardous or acutely toxic wastes cataloged in four separate lists: the F, K, P, and U lists.
These lists are organized into three categories:
- Source-specific wastes: This list includes certain waste from specific industries such as petroleum refining, pesticide manufacturing, or iron and steel.
- Non-specific source waste: This list identifies waste commonly generated by a wide variety of manufacturing and industrial processes.
- Commercial chemical products: This list includes specific commercial chemical products that are hazardous waste when discarded unused.
Even when managed properly, some listed wastes are so dangerous that they are called acutely hazardous wastes. Examples of acutely hazardous wastes include wastes generated from some pesticides that can be fatal to humans even in low doses. Some “P” listed and six "F” Listed (F020, F021, F022, F023, F026 and F027) hazardous wastes have been designated as "acutely toxic" hazardous wastes.
The lists are updated as necessary and are published in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, under 40 CFR 261.30 through 261.33. These definitions and lists are adopted by reference in Indiana's hazardous waste rules under the Indiana Administrative Code at 329 IAC 3.1-6-1.