Waste Characteristics

Section 2.4 of the HRS Rule, page 51589:

The waste characteristics factor category value is evaluated based on the characteristics of the "hazardous substance potentially posing the greatest hazard for the pathway" and the site hazardous waste quantity.
- The substance selected must be associated with a source with a non-zero containment factor value.
- The substance selected doesn't have to be present in each source or be the most prevalent at the site, and can be either associated with a source or in a release.
- Different substances may be identified in each pathway as the most hazardous substance for purposes of pathway scoring.
Different factors determine the identification and evaluation of the potentially most hazardous substance for a pathway.
- Ground Water Pathway: toxicity and ground water mobility
- Surface Water Pathway/Drinking Water Threat: toxicity and persistence
- Surface Water Pathway/Human Food Chain Threat: toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation potential
- Surface Water Pathway/Environmental Threat: ecosystem toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation potential
- Soil Exposure Pathway: toxicity
- Air Pathway: toxicity and air mobility
Special provisions apply to the evaluation of the toxicity and persistence of radioactive substances. HRS Rule, Section 7.2, page 51664 and 51665

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