Final answer:
An employer must not sell or dispose of hazardous waste unless it is unused and in the form of a commercial chemical product. Hazardous waste is regulated to protect public health and the environment, and employers have responsibilities under OSHA and EPA guidelines to handle such wastes properly.
Step-by-step explanation:
An employer must not sell or dispose of hazardous waste unless it meets certain criteria. According to regulations, hazardous waste should only be sold or disposed of if it meets the following conditions: the chemical in the waste must be unused and it must be in the form of a commercial chemical product.
Hazardous waste is a broad term describing waste materials that pose potential threats to public health or the environment. This can include wastes with properties like ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. Managing hazardous waste from its point of origin to its ultimate disposal, often referred to as the 'cradle to grave' approach, is regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), ensuring safe transport, treatment, storage, and disposal.
Employers are tasked with various responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to safeguard workers, including properly informing and training workers on handling chemical hazards. Moreover, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established guidelines to encourage hazardous waste recycling in an environmentally-safe manner.