06/24/2014
The fluorescent lamps in offices and facilities across the US use mercury vapor for illumination. Under the US EPA’s RCRA regulations, wastes that contain elevated levels of leachable mercury compounds are hazardous waste. [40 CFR 261.24] When you discard the bulb from a tube or compact fluorescent lamp, you are discarding hazardous waste. Because nearly every office and business in the country generates this kind of waste...
04/29/2014
In 1976, Congress passed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), a law authorizing the US EPA to regulate the management of hazardous waste from the point of generation to disposal, or “cradle to grave.” Under RCRA, states can create and administer their own hazardous waste programs, provided the State program is no less protective than the Federal standard. ..
03/25/2014
To encourage recycling and keep more hazardous waste out of landfills and the ecosystem, the US EPA established the “reuse relief” in its hazardous waste regulations. The relief, found at 40 CFR 261.2(e), excludes certain materials from the definition of solid waste when they are reused in a beneficial way. In general, the exclusion applies when an otherwise hazardous waste is reused in one of three ways...
02/25/2014
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...
01/28/2014
12/31/2013
For the annual year-end edition, we’ve collected the most popular articles from 2013, covering the major happenings that may have affected your facility. From new rulemakings and requirements to tips on inspections and help planning for next year, these compliance articles stood above the rest...
12/30/2013
As the 2013 calendar year winds down, hazardous waste generators begin buttoning up their recordkeeping for the current year and planning for 2014. This process most likely includes confirming that all facility personnel completed their annual training, all manifests are accounted for, all waste and LDR determination records are in order, and their contingency plan is current. In addition to the usual year-end wrap-ups, this year...
11/26/2013
On July 31, 2013, at 78 FR 46448, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated a new final rule to relax hazardous waste management requirements for solvent-contaminated wipes (i.e., shop towels). Solvent-contaminated wipes that are laundered will be conditionally excluded from regulation as solid waste. Solvent-contaminated wipes that are discarded will be...
10/29/2013
As Halloween approaches, you are probably hearing a lot of scary stories. You may enjoy these tales of terror, but if you are not careful with how you manage your facilities, you may find yourself in a scary story of your own...
10/22/2013
Life Cycle Assessment is a critical tool for organizations seeking ways to reduce their environmental impact, manage waste more efficiently, and reduce compliance costs. Also called life cycle analysis or “cradle-to-grave” analysis, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is designed to gauge how a product will impact the environment throughout its life—from the initial sourcing of raw materials to eventual waste disposal...
This 10-step Hazmat Shipper Starter Guide is your quick reference to the basics of hazardous materials shipping. While it’s not designed to replace effective hazmat training, it will introduce new managers to the major considerations and details that impact hazmat shipping compliance.