[RCRA waste code finder](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes)

# D003 RCRA waste code Unstable waste that explodes, reacts with water or gives off toxic gas.

> D003 RCRA waste code. Reactive waste is a characteristic hazardous waste. It is unstable, such as cyanide or sulfide wastes, or reacts violently with water.
> Web page: https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?code=d003

- Free, no account
- Based on 40 CFR 261.23
- Nothing is stored

## Is D003 hazardous waste?

**Yes.** D003 is hazardous waste when a representative sample meets any 1 of the 8 federal reactivity criteria. No single test covers reactivity, so the determination has to address how the waste behaves and which criterion fits.

D003 is a nonacute characteristic. On a required [hazardous waste manifest](https://complyonsite.com/tools/hazardous-waste-manifest), put D003 in Item 13. See [VSQG exemptions and empty-container rules](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?list=routes).

## What does D003 cover?

D003 covers waste that is normally unstable and changes violently, reacts violently with water, forms potentially explosive mixtures with water, or releases dangerous toxic gas with water. It also covers cyanide- or sulfide-bearing waste that releases dangerous toxic gas between pH 2 and 12.5, waste that can detonate when initiated or heated under confinement, waste that detonates readily at standard conditions, and specified forbidden or Division 1.1–1.3 explosives.

- **Hazard**: R, reactive
- **Rule**: [40 CFR 261.23](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-I/part-261/section-261.23)

## Is reactive waste D003 or D001?

| Code | When it fits |
| --- | --- |
| D003 | A representative sample meets any 1 of the 8 federal reactivity criteria. |
| [D001](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?code=d001) | The waste is ignitable but meets none of the D003 reactivity criteria. |
| No D003 code | None of the 8 criteria is met. Check all other characteristics and listings. |

Match the evidence to a specific regulatory behavior, because no single measurement clears every route. Reaction with water, toxic gas, instability and detonation are separate grounds, and a waste can carry more than 1 code.

## Which wastes take D003?

| Waste | When it’s D003 |
| --- | --- |
| Water-reactive waste | It reacts violently with water, forms an explosive mixture with water or releases dangerous toxic gas when mixed with water. |
| Cyanide-bearing waste | It can give off dangerous toxic gas at pH between 2 and 12.5. |
| Sulfide-bearing waste | It can give off dangerous toxic gas at pH between 2 and 12.5. |
| Explosive or detonable waste | It can detonate or react explosively under the conditions in 40 CFR 261.23. |
| [Contaminated soil](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?waste=contaminated-soil) | The excavated material is reactive under the federal test. |
| [Aerosol cans](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?waste=aerosol-cans) | The contents make the discarded can reactive. |
| [Waste batteries](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?waste=batteries) | Battery behavior meets 1 of the 8 D003 criteria, including reaction with water. |
| [Lithium batteries](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?waste=lithium-batteries) | Lithium battery behavior meets 1 of the 8 D003 criteria, including reaction with water. |

## Which codes sit beside D003?

| Code | What it is |
| --- | --- |
| [D002](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?code=d002) | Corrosive waste |
| [D004](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?code=d004) | Arsenic |
| [D005](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?code=d005) | Barium |
| [D006](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?code=d006) | Cadmium |
| [D007](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?code=d007) | Chromium |
| [D008](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?code=d008) | Lead |
| [D009](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?code=d009) | Mercury |
| [D010](https://complyonsite.com/tools/rcra-waste-codes?code=d010) | Selenium |

### Sources

- [40 CFR 261.23 — Characteristic of reactivity](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-I/part-261/section-261.23)
- [40 CFR 262.11 — Hazardous waste determination and recordkeeping](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-I/part-262/section-262.11)
- [40 CFR 262.14 — Conditions for exemption for a very small quantity generator](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-I/part-262/section-262.14)
- [40 CFR 261.7 — Residues of hazardous waste in empty containers](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-I/part-261/section-261.7)
- [40 CFR 260.10 — Definitions](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-I/part-260/section-260.10)
- [40 CFR 262.20 — General requirements](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-I/part-262/section-262.20)
- [Hazardous Waste Manifest Instructions](https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-04/documents/manifest_instructions_web.pdf)