Segregation of Hazardous Waste

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Segregation of Hazardous Waste - Chemical

All hazardous materials should be stored and transported to prevent spills and uncontrolled reactions. Segregate chemicals by hazard class. Examples of proper segregation are:

Segregate acids from bases
Segregate oxidizers from organics
Segregate cyanides from acids.

Segregation of Incompatible Chemicals
Compatibility is important to consider in the handling, packed, storage, and disposal of chemical waste. Contact between incompatible substances can cause an adverse reaction. Examples of incompatible substances are as follows:

Chemical	Keep out of contact with:
Acetic Acid	Chromic acid, nitric acid, hydroxyl compounds, ethylene glycol, perchloric acid, peroxides and permanganates
Acetylene	Chlorine, bromine, copper, fluorine, silver and mercury
Alkaline metals (e.g., powdered aluminum, magnesium, sodium, potassium)	Carbon tetrachloride or other chlorinated hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide and water
Ammonia	Mercury, chlorine, calcium hypochlorite, iodine, bromine and hydrofluoric acid
Ammonium nitrate	Acids, metal powders, flammable liquids, chlorates, nitrites, sulfur, finely divided organic or combustible materials
Carbon, activated	Calcium hypochlorite
Copper	Acetylene and hydrogen peroxide
Chromic acid	Acetic acid, naphthalene, camphor, glycerin, turpentine, alcohol and flammable liquids
Chlorine	Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, methane, propane, hydrogen, sodium carbide, turpentine, benzene and finely divided metals
Cyanides	Acids - organic or inorganic
Hydrogen peroxide	Copper, chromium, iron, most metals, alcohols, acetone, organic materials, aniline, nitromethane, flammable liquids and combustible materials
Hydrogen sulfide	Fuming nitric acid and oxidizing gases
Hydrocarbons (butane, propane, benzene, gasoline, turpentine etc.)	Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, chromic acid and sodium peroxide
Iodine	Acetylene, ammonia and hydrogen
Nitric acid	Acetic acid, aniline, chromic acid, hydrocyanic acid, hydrogen sulfide, flammable liquids, flammable gases, copper, brass and any heavy metals
Perchloric acid	Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohol, paper, wood, ether, oils and grease
Phosphorous	Oxidizing agents, oxygen, strong bases
Potassium chlorate	Sulfuric and other acids
Potassium permanganate	Glycerin, ethylene glycol, benzaldehyde and sulfuric acid
Sodium	Carbon tetrachloride, carbon dioxide and water
Sodium nitrite	Ammonium nitrate and other ammonium salts
Sodium peroxide	Ethyl or methyl alcohol, glacial acetic acid, acetic anhydride, benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerin, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate and furfural
Sulfides, inorganic	Acids Sulfuric acid Potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate and potassium permanganate

Special Segregation of Incompatible Chemicals
Dangerously incompatible substances, even in small quantities, should not be stored next to each other on shelves or in such a position that accidental rupture of containers may allow mixing. For example:

Chemical	Keep out of contact with:
Chlorine	Acetylene
Chromic acid	Ethyl alcohol
Oxygen (compressed, liquefied)	Propane
Sodium	Chloroform and aqueous solutions
Nitrocellulose (wet, dry)	Phosphorous
Potassium permanganate	Sulfuric acid
Perchloric acid	Acetic acid
Sodium chlorate	Sulfur in bulk

Oxidizing agents are incompatible with reducing agents.

Oxidizing Agents	Reducing Agents
Chlorates	Ammonia
Chromates	Carbon
Dichromates	Metals
Chromium trioxide	Metal hydrides
Halogens	Nitrates
Halogenating agents	Organic Compounds
Hydrogen peroxide	Phosphorus
Nitric acid	Silicon
Nitrates	Sulfur