Non-household lead-bearing waste

Businesses, government agencies and schools may generate lead-bearing wastes from their daily operations or during remodeling and renovation.

Non-household generators of lead-bearing waste must make a hazardous waste determination prior to disposal.
Lead-bearing waste must be managed as either a solid waste or a hazardous waste depending upon the results of Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) tests for lead.
- Wastes with 5.0 parts per million (ppm) or greater lead content by TCLP exhibit the toxicity characteristic for lead and must be managed as hazardous waste.
- Wastes with less than 5.0 ppm lead content by TCLP can be disposed of as regular solid waste.
If the waste consists of demolition debris, the appropriate way to collect samples for analysis is by coring a representative portion of the material to be disposed of (i.e., core through the wall, including both paint and wood).
- Because of the relatively small amount of lead present in the paint film on a wall, these wastes may not fail the TCLP test and can likely be disposed of as solid waste.
- If the material to be disposed of includes lead-based paint chips, sludge or blasting wastes, they will often fail the TCLP test because these wastes can concentrate lead.
- Wastes that fail the TCLP test must be disposed of at a hazardous waste disposal facility.
Other lead-bearing wastes such as batteries and electronics should be recycled or must be disposed of as hazardous waste.

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