09/24/2018

Beyond the "Grave": Getting LDRs Right

The RCRA hazardous waste rules regulate hazardous wastes from “cradle-to-grave.” But as generators, our responsibilities for compliance actually go beyond the grave. When you send waste off for disposal, it pays to know for sure that you’ve given your treatment, storage, and disposal facility (TSDF) the information they will need to properly lay your waste to rest.  

08/23/2016

Choosing the Right LDR Paperwork for Your Hazardous Wastes

If your site generates hazardous wastes, you will likely deal with Land Disposal Restrictions (LDRs) at some point. In a nutshell, hazardous waste may not be placed in a landfill or surface impoundment until it has been treated to make it safer for the environment. Because these hazardous wastes will sit in landfills for long periods of time, it's critical that the hazardous constituents in the waste are at a safe level before disposal...

05/24/2016

RCRA Hazardous Waste ID in 3 Steps: Trichloroethylene

In order to dispose of any RCRA hazardous waste, generators must assign the proper “waste codes.” RCRA wastes codes are alphanumeric indicators that provide specific information about how a waste should be treated to make it safe for disposal. Assigning waste codes is a complex—and absolutely crucial—part of managing hazardous waste... 

08/25/2015

Demystify the Land Disposal Restrictions

The intent of the US EPA's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste regulations is to create safe standards for US facilities to generate, manage, store, transport, treat, and dispose of hazardous wastes.

04/28/2015

Treatment Standards for Hazardous Waste Debris

In the RCRA "cradle-to-grave" management system for hazardous waste, the "grave" refers to one of three options: useful recycling, diversion to wastewater treatment discharge, or permanent disposal in a landfill or via incinerator. To dispose of hazardous waste in a landfill, generators must first ensure the waste is treated to reduce the concentration and mobility of hazardous constituents. The rules for treating hazardous waste to acceptable levels before disposal are known as land disposal restrictions (LDRs) and can be found at 40 CFR Part 268... 

09/23/2014

Using Lab Packs for Chemical Shipments

Laboratories, universities, medical facilities, and warehouses use and generate many different chemical substances. Sometimes these chemicals go unused—they may be out of date, off-specification, or simply no longer needed. To protect employees from potential hazards...

08/26/2014

LDR Paperwork for RCRA “Prohibited Wastes”

02/25/2014

Management Strategies for Using RCRA Exclusions

At first glance, managing hazardous waste in a way that relieves the generator from some RCRA regulations may seem very appealing. In some cases though, these management strategies may not provide as much relief as initially believed and may make subsequent management decisions even more difficult. One scenario that raises this challenge is the EPA’s exclusion for certain de-characterized hazardous wastes...

09/24/2013

Understanding Derived-from Rule Exclusions

Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), solid waste generated from the treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste remains hazardous waste unless excluded elsewhere in the regulations. This is known as the “derived-from” rule and is designed to ensure that wastes that are treated, but which may still pose a threat to human health or the environment, do not fall through the cracks of RCRA regulation...

07/24/2013

Identifying Underlying Hazardous Constituents (UHCs)

One of the most confusing aspects of the land disposal restrictions is the determination of underlying hazardous constituents (UHCs). UHCs are trace amounts of hazardous chemicals (listed in 40 CFR 268.48) found in some hazardous wastes that do not in and of themselves cause the waste to be hazardous, but must be treated before the waste is deposited in a landfill. Due to a convoluted legal history, pre-disposal treatment for UHCs is...