Table 1.
Typical Wastes Generated at Automotive Repair Shops
and Typical Category by Waste Management Method 1

Waste Stream	Typical Category If Not Mixed With Other Hazardous Waste	Typical Category If Recycled	If Disposed in Landfill and Not Mixed With a Hazardous Waste 2,3
Used Oil (and Shop Rags for Used Oil)	Used oil	Used oil	Hazardous waste
Used Oil Filters 4	Nonhazardous solid waste If No Free Flowing Used Oil	Used oil if not drained	Nonhazardous solid waste If No Free Flowing Used Oil
Oil Spill Absorbent Material	Used oil	Used oil	Depends on used oil characterization
Used Transmission Fluid	Used oil	Used oil	Hazardous waste
Used Brake Fluid	Used oil	Used oil	Hazardous waste
Used Antifreeze	Depends on characterization	Depends on characterization	Depends on characterization
Used Solvents	Hazardous waste	Hazardous waste	Hazardous waste
Used Citric Solvents 5	Nonhazardous solid waste	Nonhazardous solid waste	Nonhazardous solid waste
Used Cleaning Agents and Shop Rags for Parts Cleaning	Depends on characterization of cleaning agent	Depends on characterization of cleaning agent	Depends on characterization of cleaning agent
Shop Rags and Spill Material Used for Chemical Solvent and Gasoline	Hazardous waste	Hazardous waste	Hazardous waste
Spilled or Unused Fuels	Hazardous waste	Hazardous waste	Hazardous waste
Spilled or Unusable Paints and Thinners	Hazardous waste	Hazardous waste	Hazardous waste
Abrasive Grit Blast Media	Depends on material or paint being blasted (e.g., latex vs. lead paint)	Depends on material or paint being blasted	Depends on material or paint being blasted
Batteries (1) Lead acid, Ni/Cd, Ni/Fe (2) Alkaline	(1) If hazardous, universal waste (2) Typically a nonhazardous waste	(1) If hazardous, universal waste (2) Nonhazardous waste	(1) If hazardous, universal waste (2) Typically a nonhazardous waste
Used Tires	Nonhazardous solid waste	Nonhazardous solid waste	Nonhazardous solid waste

1. Disclaimer: This list is not an actual regulatory determination. It is a list that identifies specific materials at automotive facilities and how they could be classified. These restrictions on how the waste may be disposed of may change based on generator status (i.e., CESQG, SQG, or LQG).
2. Municipal landfills are not permitted to accept hazardous waste from SQGs or LQGs; however, they may accept waste from CESQGs.
3. If any solid waste is mixed with a hazardous waste, then the mixture becomes a hazardous waste.
4. Used fuel filters are regulated separately from used oil filters, and are additionally regulated depending on the type of fuel.
5. These solvents are general considered non-hazardous, but be aware of the contaminants left in the water-based cleaning solution. The solution could fail for lead and/or other solvents.

Click here to send questions or comments to CCAR®.