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MAINTENANCE HAZARDOUS WASTE MANUAL Chapter I Page 8 1.00 Purpose In order to protect public health and the environment and to conserve natural resources,the State Legislature finds that: A. Increasing quantities of hazardous wastes are being generated in the State, for which the generators of the hazardous waste must provide safe disposal. B. Long term threats to public health, air and water quality are posed by the landfill disposal of many types of untreated hazardous wastes, and by the inappropriate handling, storage, use and disposal of hazardous wastes. C. Extensive technology exists for the safe treatment, neutralization and destruction of many types of hazardous wastes prior to disposal. D. Numerous opportunities exist to reduce the amount of hazardous waste in the State, and to conserve resources through the application of existing source reduction and recycling technology. E. The people of the State face immense costs as a result of improper hazardous waste handling and disposal practices. 1.01 Caltrans Responsibility as a Hazardous Waste Generator Under the"cradle to grave" concept of hazardous waste, the generator of the waste is responsible for it forever—even if it is properly disposed of in a landfill. The only exceptions are if the material is recycled, incinerated, or re-used. The generator bears full responsibility for proper storage,transport, and disposal of hazardous wastes it creates. This is why it is essential to ensure the Caltrans waste is properly stored and disposed of and that every effort to recycle and re-use or incinerate as much waste as possible is made. Records and documentation are essential. Caltrans must use substitution,new products, new methods and alternative technologies to reduce the amount of hazardous waste it generates. 1.02 Definition of Hazardous Waste As defined in Articles 25141 and 25124 of the Health and Safety Code(H & SC), hazardous waste is material which because of its quantity, concentration,physical, chemical,or infectious character may either cause or significantly contribute to an increase in human mortality or serious irreversible or incapacitating illness. These substances pose a substantial present or future hazard to human health or the environment due their properties including but not limited to : carcinogenicity, acute toxicity, chronic toxicity,bio-accumulative properties or persistence in the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, disposed of, or otherwise managed. July 2018