DEFINITION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE
Hazardous waste is a discarded substance that because of its quantity, concentration, physical,
chemical or infectious characteristics may cause or contribute to a serious illness or pose a
substantial or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated,
stored, transported or disposed of (Naval School, 1997). Hazardous waste can take the form
of a solid, liquid or compressed gas. In the aircraft industry, waste can originate from the
service or repair of aircraft components to temporary storage of outdated products that have
not been used or new products purchased in excess.