Introduction:

Is your hazardous waste disposal vendor putting your company at risk by failing to understand and advise you on EPA and TCEQ hazardous waste generator compliance regulations?

We were recently contacted by 2 Texas companies who got into trouble with TCEQ and EPA for hazardous waste violations that were actually caused by their hazardous waste disposal company.

These cases inspired me to write this blog post which is designed to explain how this can happen, what simple step you can take to evaluate your current hazardous waste disposal company in Texas so as to reduce your risk, and most importantly provide a summary of common EPA and TCEQ hazardous waste generator regulations which many manufacturers aren’t aware of.

The Problem & How You Can Reduce Your Risk

Many Texas manufacturers, especially small ones, make the mistake of believing that as long as they’re properly disposing of their hazardous waste, they’re also meeting all EPA and TCEQ industrial and hazardous waste compliance regulations.  Unfortunately that’s not true.  Not even close.

To compound the problem, the majority of hazardous waste disposal companies and treatment facilities in Texas only offer disposal services, with zero compliance oversight or advice for their customers.  This is due to the fact that they often have little or no knowledge of the long list of hazardous waste regulations that apply to their customers (ie: industrial & hazardous waste generators).

To be fair, they have no obligation to understand these regulations or advise their customers, but unfortunately this knowledge gap can lead to major problems when, for example, the disposal vendor inadvertently creates manifesting or classification errors, or fails to recognize violations, which can then result in environmental violations, citations and stiff fines for their waste generator customers.  These violations can involve a wide range of issues including labeling, storage, manifesting, training, containers, etc.

Never forget that EPA RCRA laws mandate “cradle to grave” responsibility for generators of hazardous waste.  In other words, the company who creates the waste must understand and manage hazardous waste regulations, and cannot blame anyone else if or when they fail to do so.

Hello, my name is Russell Carr, and I’ve been in the hazardous waste disposal and management industry for over 20 years now.  I started my career working for a hazardous waste disposal company, who did a great job of training me on how to classify and characterize industrial and hazardous wastes, but little did I know at that time, that there were a long list of other hazardous waste regulations that our customers had to meet and manage.  My employer never bothered to mention this, nor did they offer training on these regulations so I was totally unaware, just as most, if not all other waste disposal companies are today.

Which leads us to our first objective, which is to strongly recommend that you contact your hazardous waste treatment company/vendor and ask them 2 simple questions:

  1. Does their staff understand industrial and hazardous waste generator rules and regulations?
  2. Do they provide oversight and consultation on how to manage this long list of regulations?

If the answer to either, or both questions, is “no,” we strongly recommend that you keep searching for a hazardous waste disposal company who can offer both: hazardous waste disposal services combined with compliance oversight and consultation services.

Common Hazardous Waste Generator Rules & Regulations

Below is a brief summary of the most common EPA and TCEQ industrial and hazardous waste regulations which apply to Texas manufacturers.

Industrial and Hazardous Waste Characterization and Waste Determination Documentation

In Texas, industrial waste generators must identify, characterize and create and document waste determinations for each waste stream that they generate.  This includes everything from plant trash to recycled items, as well as all industrial and hazardous wastes, including “universal wastes.”

Waste determinations require extensive information including:

  • Generator RN, CN and SWR ID #’s
  • State waste code
  • Classification: Class 1, 2, 3 or Hazardous
  • Description of process generating the waste
  • Process knowledge & analytical data
  • EPA Hazardous Waste Codes (if applicable): Characteristic or Listed

This is a very common violation since the majority of Texas manufacturers are totally unaware of this requirement.  We have heard from several companies over the years who were cited over this issue.

Determine Your Waste Generator Status

After completing your waste determinations, the next step in the process is to determine your company’s waste generator status.  This is a key requirement, because your generator status will determine which additional industrial waste regulations apply, or don’t apply, to your company.

Your status is generally dependent on the monthly quantity of industrial hazardous waste that your company generates each calendar month (companies who generate acute hazardous waste or large quantities of Class 1 waste should conduct additional evaluations).

In summary, companies who generate less than 220 combined pounds per month (equivalent to approximately ½ a 55 gallon drum) of a hazardous waste is a CESQ or “Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator”.  This is the lowest generator status, and results in the least  additional waste compliance requirements.

If your company generates between 220 – 2,200 combined pounds per month of Hazardous waste, then your business is an SQG or “Small Quantity Generator.”

And finally, if your company generates more than 2,200 combined lbs. per month of Hazardous waste, then you are considered a LQG or “Large Quantity Generators.”

As you might have guessed, SQGs and LQGs must manage more regulations than CESQ’s.

Summary of Waste Generator Regulations Triggered Based on Generator Status

CESQs Must:

  • Create and document waste determinations
  • Manifest all waste shipments
  • Track quantity of hazardous wastes generated each month
  • Maintain files and records of all manifests
  • Evaluate and utilize approved US Department of Transportation (USDOT) waste containers for storage and transportation
  • Properly label and store waste containers
  • Utilize permitted and approved industrial and hazardous waste transporters and treatment facilities.
  • Provide DOT Hazardous Materials training if the company ships any quantity of hazardous waste.

SQGs Must:

  • Create and document waste determinations
  • Register with EPA & TCEQ as a SQG & obtain EPA and State Waste generator ID #’s
  • Create & maintain an “NOR” or Notice of Registration using TCEQ’s STEERS system.
  • Manifest all waste shipments
  • Track quantity of hazardous wastes generated each month
  • Maintain files and records of all manifests
  • Evaluate and utilize approved US Department of Transportation (USDOT) waste containers for storage and transportation
  • Properly label and store waste containers
  • Utilize permitted and approved industrial and hazardous waste transporters and treatment facilities.
  • Provide DOT Hazardous Materials training if the company ships any quantity of hazardous waste.
  • NOT store or accumulate > 6,000 kg of waste on site
  • Ship waste a minimum of every 180 days
  • Provide EPA/RCRA waste generator training to employees (Initial and recurring training required)
  • Develop & maintain a Pollution Prevention plan, Aka: P2 Plan
  • Must submit an Annual Waste Summary each year.
  • Must develop a written emergency contingency plan.

LQGs Must:

  • Create & document waste determinations
  • Register with EPA & TCEQ as a SQG & obtain EPA and State Waste generator ID #’s
  • Create & maintain an “NOR” or Notice of Registration using TCEQ’s STEERS system.
  • Manifest all waste shipments
  • Track quantity of hazardous wastes generated each month
  • Maintain files and records of all manifests
  • Evaluate and utilize approved US Department of Transportation (USDOT) waste containers for storage and transportation
  • Properly label and store waste containers
  • Utilize permitted and approved industrial and hazardous waste transporters and treatment facilities.
  • Provide DOT Hazardous Materials training if the company ships any quantity of hazardous waste.
  • NOT store or accumulate > 6,000 kg of waste on site
  • Ship waste a minimum of every 180 days
  • Provide EPA/RCRA waste generator training to employees (Initial and recurring training required)
  • Develop & maintain a Pollution Prevention plan, Aka: P2 Plan
  • Must submit an Annual Waste Summary each year.
  • Must ship waste off site at least every 90 days
  • Must maintain job descriptions for employees who are required to help manage hazardous waste operations.
  • Must develop a written emergency contingency plan.

Other Considerations:

  • As you can see, the more hazardous waste a company generates, and the higher the generator status, the greater the number of regulations that must be implemented and managed. This regulatory burden can be extremely challenging, especially for small manufacturers.  This is a strong incentive to eliminate or minimize hazardous wastes wherever possible.
  • “Cradle To Grave” waste generator responsibilities: Per EPA and regardless of generator status, waste generators have ultimate responsibility for properly managing all applicable RCRA regulations as described above.  This includes any errors, omissions and accidents caused by 3rd parties, including contracted waste transporters and hazardous waste disposal vendors. Waste generators who fail to manage these requirements can face major fines and penalties.
  • This blog post is only intended to provide basic hazardous waste regulatory compliance information & guidelines.  More information should and can be found on EPA’s and TCEQ’s websites.

Berg Environmental Services is celebrating 18 years in business helping Texas companies manage hazardous waste regulatory compliance.  We provide hazardous waste disposal services combined with regulatory oversight and compliance assistance.  Our clients save money, maintain compliance and reduce their risk.

Call 512-457-0374 Or Click Below To Schedule Your Free, No Obligation Strategy Call

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