Restricted Waste versus Prohibited Waste

Two more designations can be used to describe wastes destined for land disposal - restricted and prohibited.

The term "restricted waste" refers to all wastes that are subject to the LDR program regulations.

The term "prohibited wastes" refers to a smaller subset of restricted wastes. These wastes may not be disposed of on land until they are treated using an EPA-defined treatment. Subpart C of 40 CFR Part 268 lists prohibitions for a variety of wastes, including the following:

• Soils with the toxicity characteristic for metals and which contain PCBs
• Inorganic chemical wastes
• Coke by-products, and chlorotoluene production wastes
• Wastes with ignitable and corrosive characteristics

Once a handler treats the prohibited waste according to the specific treatment standard prescribed for it, the handler may then properly dispose of the waste by land. Some wastes cannot be disposed of by land at all, however. Such wastes cannot meet any treatment standard, and are therefore not eligible for any variance, extension, or exemption.

To learn more about RCRA visit our RCRA Hazardous Waste Safety Online Training web page.