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U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Solid Waste (5305W)530-K-01-005December 2001Managing Your Hazardous Waste: A Guide for Small BusinessesTable of ContentsIntroductionDeciding Whether Hazardous Waste Regulations Apply toYouDefining Hazardous WasteIdentifying Your WasteFinding Your Generator CategoryOverview of Requirements for Conditionally ExemptSmall Quantity GeneratorsObtaining an EPA Identification NumberManaging Hazardous Waste on SiteAccumulating Your WasteTreating Your Waste to Meet the Land Disposal RestrictionsPreventing AccidentsResponding to EmergenciesShipping Waste off SiteSelecting a Treatment, Storage, and Disposal FacilityLabeling Waste ShipmentsPreparing Hazardous Waste ManifestsLand Disposal Restrictions Reporting RequirementsExport NotificationClosureSummary of Requirements for Large Quantity GeneratorsWhere to Get More HelpEPA and Other Federal Resource CentersEPA Regional OfficesAcronyms and Definitions***************************************************************************************INTRODUCTIONDoes your business generate hazardous waste? Many small businesses do. Ifyou need help understanding which federal hazardous waste managementregulations apply to your business, this handbook is for you. It has beenprepared by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to helpsmall-business owners and operators understand how best to comply withfederal hazardous waste management regulations.This handbook provides an overview of the regulations to give you a basicunderstanding of your responsibilities. It should not be used as a substitute forthe actual requirements. All of the federal hazardous waste regulations arelocated in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 260 to 299(www.epa.gov/epacfr40).EPA defines three categories of hazardous waste generators based upon thequantity of hazardous waste they generate per month: (1) Conditionally exemptsmall quantity generators (CESQGs), which generate less than 220 lbs (100 kg)per month. (2) Small quantity generators (SQGs), which generate between 220lbs (100 kg) and 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) per month. (3) Large quantity generators(LQGs), which generate more than 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) per month.
 
Each category of generator must comply with the hazardous waste rules specificto that category. This handbook is intended primarily for businesses thatgenerate a small quantity of hazardous waste (SQGs and CESQGs) to helpthem learn about regulations that apply to them.This handbook explains only the federal requirements for hazardous wastemanagement. Many states have their own hazardous waste regulations basedon the federal hazardous waste regulations. In some of these states, therequirements are the same as the federal standards and definitions. Otherstates, however, have developed more stringent requirements than the federalprogram. If this is the case in your state, you must comply with the stateregulations. To become familiar with your state's requirements, consult yourstate hazardous waste agency.***********************************************************************************TIPYou can look up unfamiliar words, phrases, or acronyms in the list ofdefinitions found at the end of this publication.***********************************************************************************FOR MORE INFORMATIONDECIDING WHETHER HAZARDOUS WASTE REGULATIONS APPLY TO YOUFederal hazardous wastemanagement regulations apply to most businesses thatgenerate hazardous waste. To determine if these regulations apply to yourbusiness, you must first determine if you even generate hazardous waste.Defining Hazardous WasteA waste is any solid, liquid, or contained gaseous material that is discarded bybeing disposed of, burned or incinerated, or recycled. (There are someexceptions for recycled materials.) It can be the byproduct of a manufacturingprocess or simply a commercial product that you use in your business such asa cleaning fluid or battery acid and that is being disposed of. Even materialsthat are recyclable or can be reused in some way (such as burning solvents forfuel) might be considered waste. Hazardous waste can be one of two types:Listed waste. Your waste is considered hazardous if it appears on oneoffour lists published in the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR Part261).Currently, more than 500 wastes are listed. Wastes are listed ashazardous because they are known to be harmful to human health andthe environment when not managed properly. Even when managedproperly, some listed wastes are so dangerous that they are calledacutely hazardous wastes. Examples of acutely hazardous wastes includewastes generated from some pesticides and that can be fatal to humanseven in low doses.
 
Characteristic wastes. If your waste does not appear on one of thehazardous waste lists, it still might be considered hazardous if itdemonstrates one or more of the following characteristics:It catches fire under certain conditions. This is known as anignitablewaste. Examples are paints and certain degreasers and solvents.It corrodes metals or has a very high or low pH. This is known asacorrosive waste. Examples are rust removers, acid or alkalinecleaning fluids, and battery acid.It is unstable and explodes or produces toxic fumes, gases, andvapors when mixed with water or under other conditions such asheator pressure. This is known as a reactive waste. Examples arecertaincyanides or sulfide-bearing wastes.It is harmful or fatal when ingested or absorbed, or it leachestoxicchemicals into the soil or ground water when disposed of on land.This is known as a toxic waste. Examples are wastes that containhigh concentrations of heavy metals, such as cadmium, lead, ormercury.You can determine if your waste is toxic by having it tested using the ToxicityCharacteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP), or by simply knowing that your wasteis hazardous or that your processes generate hazardous waste. For moreinformation about the TCLP and other test methods, contactthe Methods Information Communication Exchange (MICE) at 703676-4690 or <www.epa.gov/sw-846>.*******************************************************************************************One way to help determine if your waste exhibits any of the characteristics listedis to check the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that comes with all productscontaining hazardous materials (www.msdsonline.com for information). Inaddition, your national trade association or its local chapter might be able tohelpyou.********************************************************************************************Identifying Your WasteTo help you identify some of the waste streams common to your business,consult the table on page 4 to find a list of typical hazardous wastes generated
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