Industrial Waste — Definitions

There are three types of waste that fall into the category ' Industrial Waste'. These include:

Chemical Waste. Chemical waste is typically generated by factories, processing centers, warehouses, and plants. ...
Solid Waste. In industrial services, solid waste includes a variety of different materials, including paper, cardboard, plastics, packaging materials, wood, and scrap metal. ...
Toxic and Hazardous Waste.

Industrial wastes result from (or are incidental to) operations of industry, manufacturing, mining, or agriculture. Examples include wastes from manufacturing facilities, power generation plants, and research laboratories serving an industry. Nonindustrial wastes, by comparison, come from sources such as universities, hospitals, churches, dry cleaners, most service stations, and laboratories serving the public.

Industrial waste can also be toxic or hazardous waste. If not managed properly, this type of industrial waste can cause harm to humans, animals and the environment by contaminating fresh waterways with a flow-on effect to animals and food cultivation.

Toxic waste is generally a byproduct of other materials generated at factories, hospitals and manufacturing facilities. Requirements for handling and disposal differ by state.

Hazardous industrial waste is a stream regulated under RCRA Subtitle C. Hazardous Industrial Waste is defined as waste that is not regulated under RCRA Subtitle D (for non-hazardous solid waste), it includes sewage, radioactive waste, shredded circuit boards, and spent sulfuric acid, among many others.