Sec. 26.13.05.24. Examples of Potentially Incompatible Waste

A. Many hazardous wastes, when mixed with other waste or materials at a hazardous waste facility, can produce effects which are harmful to human health and environment, such as:

(1) Heat or pressure;

(2) Fire or explosion;

(3) Violent reaction;

(4) Toxic dusts, mists, fumes, or gases; or

(5) Flammable fumes or gases.

B. Below are examples of potentially incompatible wastes, waste components, and materials, along with the harmful consequences which result from mixing materials in one group with materials in another group. The list is intended as a guide to owners or operators of treatment, storage, and disposal facilities, and to enforcement and permit granting officials, to indicate the need for special precautions when managing these potentially incompatible waste materials or components.

C. This list is not intended to be exhaustive. An owner or operator must, as the regulations require, adequately analyze his wastes so that he can avoid creating uncontrolled substances or reactions of the type listed below, whether they are listed below or not.

D. It is possible for potentially incompatible wastes to be mixed in a way that precludes a reaction (e.g., adding acid to water rather than water to acid) or that neutralizes them (e.g., a strong acid mixed with a strong base), or that controls substances produced (e.g., by generating flammable gases in a closed tank equipped so that ignition cannot occur, and burning the gases in an incinerator).

E. In the lists below, the mixing of a Group A material with a Group B material may have the potential consequence as noted:

Group 1-A	Group 1-B
Acetylene sludge	Acid sludge
Alkaline caustic liquids	Acid and water
Alkaline cleaner	Battery acid
Alkaline corrosive liquids	Chemical cleaners
Alkaline corrosive battery fluid	Electrolyte, acid
Caustic wastewater	Etching acid liquid or solvent
Lime sludge and other corrosive alkalines	Pickling liquor and other corrosive acids
Lime wastewater	Spent acid
Lime and water	Spent mixed acid
Spent caustic	Spent sulfuric acid

Potential consequences: Heat generation; violent reaction.

Group 2-A	Group 2-B
Aluminum	Any waste in Group 1-A or 1-B
Beryllium
Calcium
Lithium
Magnesium
Potassium
Sodium
Zinc powder
Other reactive metals and metal hydrides

Potential consequences: Fire or explosion; generation of flammable hydrogen gas.

Group 3-A	Group 3-B
Alcohols	Any concentrated waste in Groups 1-A or 1-B
Water	Calcium
	Lithium
	Metal hydrides
	Potassium
	SO2Cl2, SOCl2, PCl3, CH3SiCl3
	Other water-reactive waste

Potential consequences: Fire, explosion, or heat generation; generation of flammable or toxic gases.

Group 4-A	Group 4-B
Alcohols	Concentrated Group 1-A or 1-B wastes
Aldehydes
Halogenated hydrocarbons	Group 2-A wastes
Nitrated hydrocarbons
Unsaturated hydrocarbons
Other reactive organic compounds and solvents

Potential consequences: Fire, explosion, or violent reaction.

Group 5-A	Group 5-B
Spent cyanide and sulfide solutions	Group 1-B wastes

Potential consequences: Generation of toxic hydrogen cyanide or hydrogen sulfide gas.

Group 6-A	Group 6-B
Chlorates	Acetic acid and other organic acids
Chlorine
Chlorites	Concentrated mineral acids
Chromic acid	Group 2-A wastes
Hypochlorites	Group 4-A wastes
Nitrates	Other flammable and combustible wastes
Nitric acid, fuming
Perchlorates
Permanganates
Peroxides
Other strong oxidizers

Potential consequences: Fire, explosion, or violent reaction.

Source: "Law, Regulations, and Guidelines for Handling of Hazardous Waste", California Department of Health, February 1975.