United States Solid Waste EPA530-K-95-001 Environmental Protection and Emergency Response April Agency 5305W 1EPA Understanding the Hazardous Waste Rules A Handbook for Small Businesses—1996 Update 2Recycled/Recyclable Printed with soy/canola ink on paper that contains at least 20% recycled fiber TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 2 DECIDING WHETHER HAZARDOUS WASTE REGULATIONS APPLY TO YOU 2 Defining Hazardous Waste 3 Identifying Your Waste 4 Finding Your Generator Category 6 REQUIREMENTS FOR CONDITIONALLY EXEMPT SMALL QUANTITY GENERATORS 7 REQUIREMENTS FOR SMALL QUANTITY GENERATORS 7 Obtaining an EPA Identification Number 10 Managing Hazardous Waste On Site 10 Accumulating Your Waste 12 Treating Your Waste to Meet the Land Disposal Restrictions 13 Preventing Accidents 13 Responding to Emergencies 15 Shipping Waste Off Site 15 Selecting a Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility 15 Labeling Waste Shipments 16 Preparing Hazardous Waste Manifests 17 Land Disposal Restrictions Reporting Requirements 17 Export Notification 18 SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS FOR LARGE QUANTITY GENERATORS 19 WHERE TO GET MORE HELP 19 Appendix A: State Hazardous Waste Management Agencies 24 Appendix B: EPA and Other Federal Resource Centers 25 Appendix C: EPA Regional Contacts INTRODUCTION oes your business generate Each category of generator must Dhazardous waste? Many small comply with the hazardous waste businesses do. If you need help rules specific to that category. This TIP understanding which federal haz- handbook is intended primarily for ardous waste management regulations businesses that generate a small ou can look up unfamiliar apply to your business, this handbook quantity of hazardous waste (SQGs Y words or phrases on a list of is for you. It has been prepared by the and CESQGs) to help them learn definitions found on the inside U.S. Environmental Protection about regulations that apply to back cover of this booklet. Agency (EPA) to help small business them. owners and operators understand how best to comply with federal hazardous This handbook only explains the fed- waste management regulations. This eral requirements for hazardous waste OR ORE handbook provides an overview of the management. Many states have their F M regulations to give you a basic under- own hazardous waste regulations INFORMATION standing of your responsibilities. It is based on the federal hazardous waste not a complete description of the regulations. In some of these states, If you have questions hazardous waste management require- the requirements are the same as the ments and should not be used as a federal standards and definitions. about any part of this substitute for the actual regulations. Other states, however, have devel- book, or the federal All of the federal hazardous waste oped more stringent requirements hazardous waste regulations are located in Title 40 of than the federal program. If this is the Code of Federal Regulations the case in your state, you must regulations, call the (CFR), Parts 260 to 299. comply with the state regulations. To RCRA Hotline at become familiar with your state’s EPA defines three categories of haz- requirements, consult your state 703 412-9810 or TDD ardous waste generators based upon hazardous waste agency listed on 703 412-3323 in the the quantity of hazardous waste they pages 19-23. generate per month: Washington, DC, area This handbook provides a general (1) Conditionally exempt small or at 800 424-9346 or overview of the hazardous waste quantity generators (CESQGs), generator regulations and should not TDD 800 533-7672 which generate less than 220 lbs be used as a substitute for the actual (100 kg) per month. from other locations. requirements. (2) Small quantity generators (SQGs), which generate between 220 lbs (100 kg) and 2,200 (1,000 kg) per month. (3) Large quantity generators (LQGs), which generate more than 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) per month. 1 DECIDING Defining Hazardous Waste WHETHER TIP HAZARDOUS waste is any solid, liquid, or WASTE A contained gaseous material that ne way to help determine if is discarded by being disposed of, Oyour waste exhibits a char- REGULATIONS burned or incinerated, or recycled. acteristic is to check the Material (There are some exceptions for Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that APPLY TO YOU recycled materials.) It can be the by- comes with all products contain- product of a manufacturing process or ing hazardous materials. In Federal hazardous waste simply a commercial product that you addition, your national trade asso- management regulations use in your business—such as a clean- ciation or its local chapter might ing fluid or battery acid—that is be able to help you. apply to most businesses being disposed of. Even materials that that generate hazardous are recyclable or can be reused in waste. To determine if some way (such as burning used oil for fuel) may be considered waste. g It corrodes metals or has a very these regulations apply to high or low pH. This is known as your business, you must Hazardous waste can be one of two a corrosive waste. Examples are first determine if you even types: rust removers, acid or alkaline cleaning fluids, generate hazardous waste. n Listed waste. Your waste is considered and battery acid. hazardous if it appears on one of four lists published in the Code of Federal g It is unstable and explodes or Regulations (40 CFR Part 261). produces toxic fumes, gases, and Currently, more than 400 wastes are vapors when mixed with water or listed. Wastes are listed as hazardous under other conditions such as because they are known to be harmful heat or pressure. This is known as to human health and the environment a reactive waste. Examples are when not managed properly. certain cyanides or sulfide-bearing wastes. Even when managed properly, some listed wastes are so dangerous that g It is harmful or fatal when ingest- they are called acutely hazardous ed or absorbed, or it leaches toxic wastes. Examples of acutely hazardous chemicals into the soil or ground wastes include wastes generated from water when disposed of on land. nu Determine if you some pesticides that can be fatal to This is known as a toxic waste. generate hazardous humans even in low doses. Examples are wastes that con- tain high concentrations of waste in the first place. n Characteristic wastes. If your heavy metals, such as waste does not appear on one of nu Measure the amount of cadmium, lead, or mercury. hazardous waste that the hazardous waste lists, it still might be considered hazardous if it you produce per You can determine if your waste is demonstrates one or more of the toxic by having it tested using the month. following characteristics: Toxicity Characteristic Leaching u n Determine your g It catches fire under certain con- Procedure (TCLP), or by simply generator category to ditions. This is known as an knowing that your waste is hazardous learn the management ignitable waste. Examples are or that your processes generate haz- requirements that apply paints and certain degreasers ardous waste. to you. and solvents. 2 Identifying Your Waste with these waste streams to determine if your waste is haz- ardous. Commercial chemical products that are discarded o help you identify some of the waste streams com- might also become hazardous waste. For a complete listing T mon to your business, consult the table below to find of hazardous waste codes, consult with 40 CFR Part 261. a list of typical hazardous wastes generated by small busi- nesses. Use the insert in the middle of this handbook for a If your waste is hazardous, you will need to manage it more detailed listing of the EPA waste codes associated according to appropriate federal regulations. TYPICAL HAZARDOUS WASTE GENERATED BY SMALL BUSINESSES TYPE OF BUSINESS HOW GENERATED TYPES OF WASTES WASTE CODES TYPICAL Drycleaning and Commercial drycleaning processes Still residues from solvent distilla- D001, D039, Laundry Plants tion, spent filter cartridges, cooked F002 powder residue Furniture/Wood Wood cleaning and wax removal, refinish- Ignitable wastes, toxic wastes, Manufacturing and ing/stripping, staining, painting, finishing, solvent wastes, paint wastes D001, F001-F005 Refinishing brush cleaning and spray brush cleaning Construction Paint preparation and painting, carpentry Ignitable wastes, toxic wastes, D001, D002, and floor work, other specialty contracting solvent wastes, paint wastes, used F001-F005 activities, heavy construction, wrecking and oil, acids/bases demolition, vehicle and equipment mainte- nance for construction activities Laboratories Diagnostic and other laboratory testing Spent solvents, unused reagents, D001, D002, reaction products, testing samples, D003, F001- contaminated materials F005, U211 Vehicle Maintenance Degreasing, rust removal, paint preparation, Acids/bases, solvents, ignitable D001, D002, spray booth, spray guns, brush cleaning, wastes, toxic wastes, paint wastes, D006, D008, paint removal, tank cleanout, installing lead- batteries F001-F005 acid batteries Printing and Allied Plate preparation, stencil preparation for screen Acids/bases, heavy metal wastes, D002, D006, Industries printing, photoprocessing, printing, cleanup solvents, toxic wastes, ink D008, F001-F005 Equipment Repair Degreasing, equipment cleaning, rust Acids/bases, toxic wastes, ignitable D001, D002, removal, paint preparation, painting, paint wastes, paint wastes, solvents D006, D008, removal, spray booth, spray guns, and brush F001-F005 cleaning. Pesticide End- Pesticide application and cleanup Used/unused pesticides, solvent