Correctly categorizing your laboratory waste is a critical first step in maintaining safe laboratory practices, not to mention being a basic requirement of the regulations. This step, called a waste determination, leads into labeling requirements and proper storage and disposal practices. It also has important ramifications for emergency response personnel who need to be aware of the properties of the wastes in a laboratory.

Waste determinations are needed for hazardous waste, mixed waste (mixture of a hazardous waste and a radioactive waste), and biological waste. Because this process is so critical and forms the basis for many other regulatory and safety requirements, we encourage you to learn more by exploring the rest of this section.