Final answer:
The 'K list' is a category of hazardous waste from specific industries and is not a 'non-hazardous' waste; it is one of the four lists that designate materials as hazardous by the EPA, along with F, P, and U lists.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hazardous waste is a category of waste defined by characteristics that make it harmful to human health or the environment. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are several classes of hazardous wastes including listed and characteristic wastes. Listed wastes are those that appear on one of four lists outlined in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 261, which include the F, K, P, and U lists.
The K list specifically includes hazardous wastes from certain industries such as petroleum refining or pesticide manufacturing. Characteristic wastes, contrastingly, are identified based on their properties such as ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. There is also a category for Mixed Wastes, which contains both hazardous and radioactive components and is regulated under both the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Atomic Energy Act.
It is important to manage these wastes properly, following the hazardous waste management program the EPA has established. This program focuses on the recycling, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste to minimize its potential impact.