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What materials are considered hazardous and need special management?

  • Business Hazardous Wastes include corrosives, flammable liquids, poisons, fluorescent bulbs, rechargeable batteries, electronics, photo chemicals, etc.

  • For a complete guide to managing your small business hazardous waste, see this EPA guide:

  • This website focuses on the following universal wastes,* which contain substances that are hazardous to human or environmental health and should not be thrown into the trash:

 

 

 

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Why do I need to handle these items differently?

  • Valuable elements can be recovered and reused from electronics and other materials when properly recycled

  • Hazardous waste can leach harmful substances enter our environment when improperly disposed of The mercury from a single, broken, fluorescent light bulb can contaminate 7,000 gallons of water

  • State and federal hazardous waste regulations require businesses to properly manage these toxic materials as universal wastes*

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*External link. The Northern Virginia Regional Commission does not author third party sites and their reference is for educational purposes only.

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Northern Virginia Regional Commission

3040 Williams Drive, Suite 200
Fairfax, VA 22031
Monday to Friday: 8:30AM - 5:00PM

Main Telephone: 703-642-0700

This website is a project of the Northern Virginia Waste Management Board by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission

Special thanks to Nia Wright, GMU OSCAR Fellow, for 2024 updates, and Lisa Ellis, Virginia DEQ for technical review of content

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