Ignitable wastes may include solvents, paint wastes, and gasoline. This is called a corrosive waste. Corrosive wastes may include battery acid, caustic paint strippers, and some alkaline or lime-based floor cleaners. It is unstable and explodes or produces toxic fumes, gases, and vapors when mixed with water or under other conditions, such as heat or pressure. This is called a reactive waste.
Examples are certain cyanides or sulfide-bearing wastes.
It is harmful or fatal when ingested or absorbed, or it leaches toxic chemicals into the soil or groundwater when disposed of in the ground. This is known as toxic waste. Wastes with toxic characteristics may include gasolines, solvents, and paint solids. The test is based on the ability of a waste to leach specific metals and chemicals. If the leachate contains more than the regulatory level for a specific chemical, then the material is considered a hazardous waste.