EPA Completes 920 Ton Hazardous Waste Hand Sanitizer Cleanup

At the request of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the US EPA completed the cleanup of 920 tons of hand sanitizer and related waste that had been stored in deteriorating containers in Romulus, New York, a small town nestled between the two largest Finger Lakes.

Storage situations like this one can become dangerous in a hurry, and according to officials, the building lacked fire suppression systems and utilities (e.g., running water and electricity).

What makes stockpiles of hand sanitizer so dangerous? And what are regulatory agencies doing to help facilities that produced large amounts of hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Why Is Hand Sanitizer Dangerous?

To understand the hazards posed by alcohol-based hand sanitizers, look no further than California DTSC’s explanation of why the Agency took regulatory action:

These stockpiles are a risk to public health and the environment because alcohol-based hand sanitizers contain a minimum concentration of 60 percent ethyl or isopropyl alcohol by volume and produce flammable vapors at room temperature (approximately 66 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit). The ignitable nature of hand sanitizer has resulted in at least ten fires in southern California that have injured first responders, caused water and air pollution, and cost millions of dollars in property damage.
"Industrial Ethyl Alcohol Exemption Summary." DTSC.CA.gov.

Regulatory Agencies Try to Help

As shown by the example above, US EPA is willing to clean up hand sanitizer stockpiles at the request of State environmental agencies. Just a few months ago, the Agency finished a similar cleanup in Niagara Falls.

Environmental agencies have tried to ease the regulatory burden on those who have stockpiles of ethyl alcohol left over from the ramped-up production of alcohol-based hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Federal Ethyl Alcohol Exemption

Under the US EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste regulations, industrial ethyl alcohol that is reclaimed is not subject to RCRA regulation when recycled, provided that the conditions at 40 CFR 261.6(a)(3)(i), if applicable, are satisfied.

Keep in mind that your state’s hazardous waste regulations may be more stringent than the Federal hazardous waste regulations. Be sure to check your state’s regulations before utilizing regulatory reliefs from the Federal rules. Lion Members can access summaries of all states’ hazardous waste regulations at Lion.com/Members.

California DTSC Ethyl Alcohol Exemption

California DTSC approved an emergency rule in October 2024 that exempts industrial ethyl alcohol from the hazardous waste regulations when it is reclaimed and meets the recycling legitimacy criteria in 40 CFR 260.43. Additional requirements apply to exports and imports. Export and import shipments of recyclable secondary material must comply with the regulations for transboundary movement of hazardous waste found in 22 CCR, Division 4.5, Article 8, Chapter 12.

Effective 11/17/2025, Cal DTSC finalized a permanent Industrial Ethyl Alcohol Exemption.

Get RCRA Training—When You Want, Where You Want

US EPA requires hazardous waste professionals to complete annual training on the RCRA requirements. Lion makes it easy to meet your RCRA training mandate in a variety of formats—nationwide public workshops, convenient online courses, live webinars, and on-site training.

Browse RCRA training options here to find the course that fits your needs, your schedule, and your learning style.

Tags: EPA, hand sanitizer, hazardous waste, RCRA, RCRA exemptions