F-Listed Wastes

F-listed wastes come from a variety of non-specific sources, such as from common manufacturing and industrial sources. F-listed wastes are divided into seven categories based upon the source where the waste was generated. The categories are as follows:

• Spent solvent wastes
• Electroplating and other metal finishing wastes
• Dioxin-bearing wastes (dioxin is an acutely toxic chemical)
• Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons production (chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene [TCE], are a major contaminant of groundwater)
• Wood-preservative wastes
• Petroleum refinery wastewater treatment sludges (sludge is a mud-like mixture of liquids and solid particles)
• Multisource leachate (leachate is water that has moved through a solid and picked up the solid's constituents)

To determine whether a material is considered an F-listed waste, certain information regarding the generation process is needed, even if that material is listed. For instance, certain solvents on the F list are only considered F-listed waste if they meet all of the following criteria:

• Contain specific constituents
• Are used for their solvent properties
• Are considered "spent" (that is, not fit for use without being reprocessed)

Examples of F-listed wastes include the following:

• Spent stripping and cleaning bath solutions from electroplating operations where cyanides are used in the process
• Spent cyanide solutions from salt bath pot cleaning from metal heat treating operations
• Residues resulting from the incineration or thermal treatment of soil contaminated with EPA Hazardous Waste numbers F020, F021, F022, F023, F026, and F027

The F list may be found in the RCRA regulations at 40 CFR 261.31.

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