- Chemical name
- Acetone / propan-2-one
- CAS number
- 67-64-1
- Formula
- C3H6O
- Chemical family
- Ketone
Identifying acetone waste
Acetone is a volatile, flammable solvent used in products such as adhesives and nail-polish removers and in industrial processing. Propanone, dimethyl ketone and acetone can refer to the same substance. A product containing acetone may also contain water, other solvents, pigments or resins, so the chemical name does not describe the whole product.
A CAS number identifies the substance, not everything in a drum or bottle. Check the product label and supplier safety data sheet when distinguishing pure or graded acetone from a formulated mixture. An unlabelled liquid should not be identified from appearance or odour.
Unused stock and spent acetone
Unused stock of a known grade is different from acetone that has been used for cleaning or processing. Spent solvent may contain resin, hardener, oil, solids or other chemicals picked up during use. The original product safety data sheet still describes the starting material, but not contamination introduced by the process.
Liquid solvent, solvent-contaminated wipes and contaminated packaging are separate waste streams. Their form and contamination differ, so they cannot be assumed to have the same classification or receiving requirements simply because acetone is present.
When acetone can be considered for recovery
A segregated acetone waste stream can be considered for solvent recovery when its composition and contamination suit the receiving process. Acetone content alone is not enough to establish acceptance; the receiving facility must assess the actual waste against its acceptance criteria.
If recovery is not suitable, the waste needs an authorised treatment or disposal route. Drain discharge and uncontrolled evaporation are not suitable disposal routes for acetone waste. Deliberate mixing can also alter the hazard and classification of the waste.
Describing acetone waste
Useful information includes the product identity, concentration or grade, whether the material is unused or spent, and substances introduced during use. Quantity, physical form and container condition also affect classification, packaging, transport and facility acceptance.