Detonation Ground Soils, & Explosive-Contaminated Metal Have No Reactivity Characteristics Under RCRA Hazardous Waste Regulations

摘要

Explosive reactivity tests conducted on soils prove that the soils are unreactive even with up to 20 % explosives added, and do not exhibit the 'reactivity characteristic' as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for regulated hazardous wastes. Behaviour of various types of soil is discussed. The official EPA approved method for determining explosive reactivity is described, of more than twenty methods commonly used to measure explosive sensitivity. It is also important to know whether metal pieces, such as downloaded projectile casings, shrapnel, and equipment have acquired the 'reactivity characteristic' from small amounts of contaminating explosives attached to them. Metal pieces coated with up to 2.2 grams of high explosive per pound of metal tested unreactive. Downloaded casings, shrapnel, and soil from detonation grounds, which have slight explosive contamination, and which are set to be discarded are thus not to be classed as hazardous waste by virtue of explosive reactivity under EPA regulations.