Large quantity generators reported 34.9 million tons of hazardous waste in 2019, and estimates are that those numbers will continue to rise as nations and cities urbanize. Because of the increased production of hazardous waste, the EPA continues to update and revise regulations for hazardous waste removal. That means choosing the right hazardous waste removal
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Four Common EPA Violations Concerning Handling Waste Materials
Updated February 2022 Owners of businesses in nearly every industry need to stay up to date on EPA regulations and violations to avoid unwanted penalties and fines. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has regulations in place that affect local, state and federal governments and their respective agencies. In addition, the EPA has regulations
... Continue ReadingWhat Happens to a Business After a Destructive Event?
Disasters happen more often than you think. Fires, floods, hurricanes, and other destructive events can not only bring severe damage to a business’s building, but hazardous waste can arise from the aftermath. On June 14, 2021, a chemical plant in Rockton, Illinois suffered an explosion and fire. It destroyed the building and sending hazardous debris
... Continue ReadingWhen Excess Hazardous Waste Contributes to Large Volume Designations: Managing Episodic Events
Producers of hazardous waste are broken down into three categories of waste generator status. We broke down these categories and their stipulations to define what constitutes a small quantity vs large quantity generator in a recent article. While the different categories are clear, the higher hazardous waste producers have a much higher level of compliance
... Continue ReadingORM-D Classification for Consumer Commodities Expires on January 1, 2021
On January 19, 2011, PHMSA of the US Department of Transportation (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) concluded five years of effort and issued an ever-evolving standard on Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR) in accordance with the United Nations Recommendations. On January 7, 2013, the PHMSA extended this authorization for the use of ORM-D classifications on
... Continue Reading4 Characteristics of Hazardous Waste for Completing Your Waste Profile
The EPA requires all hazardous waste producers to fill out an important form called a Hazardous Waste Profile. Formally known as the Waste Characterization Profile, the Hazardous Waste Profile requires a list of all chemical properties associated with the waste produced. This form must be completed before waste is disposed of or transported. The Hazardous
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Hazardous Waste Generators regardless of generator status are breathing a sigh of relief that 2023 is not a reporting year for submitting the Biennial Hazardous Waste Report. However, it’s always an excellent time to check that you’re using the best reporting practices possible. Federal regulations require generators and transporters of hazardous waste and owners or
... Continue ReadingSmall Quantity vs Large Quantity: What are the designations?
When it comes to hazardous materials handling, the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) has outlined three types of generators. Hazardous waste generators produce waste in three categories that are determined by the amount of waste generated per calendar month. There are three categories of generators and three very frequently used acronyms: VSQG: Very small quantity
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines an episodic event as an activity that does not normally occur during a generator’s operations. The event causes a hazardous waste generator to exceed the upper limit of its normal generator category for that month. This often affects Small Quantity Generators (SQGs) or Very Small Quantity Generators (VSQGs) negatively,
... Continue Reading5 Best Practices for Handling Hazardous Materials Safely
Hazardous materials handling requires special care, not only to keep your employees safe but also to adhere to regulations that affect the handling of these materials. It’s always a great time to brush up on best practices for hazardous materials handling. We’ve put together a list of five necessary best practices for material handling. Understand
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