If your business has been identified as a generator of hazardous waste and/or universal waste,
you must follow federal and state hazardous waste laws. The intent of
these laws is to ensure that hazardous waste is properly managed to
protect public health and the environment.
The Department of Environmental Health and Quality
(DEHQ), Hazardous Materials Division (HMD) has been
certified by the California Environmental Agency (CalEPA) as
the local Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA), and
thus responsible for implementing these laws and regulations at the
local level.
| New
CERS Online Reporting Requirement |
Generators of hazardous waste are required to
report to their local regulator the hazardous waste they
produce using the California Environmental
Reporting System (CERS). This legal requirement
to report was effective on January 1, 2013. For more
information please visit our CERS
Information page.
| What
is Hazardous Waste? |
It is the generator’s responsibility
to determine whether or not a waste must be stored,
transported and disposed of as a hazardous waste
because of it's toxicity, reactivity, ignitability or
corrosivity. Often this determination can be made by
knowledge of the process and materials used to
generate the waste. However, questionable waste
streams may need to be chemically or physically
analyzed.
Learn more about Hazardous
Waste Determination
| How
Much Hazardous Waste Do You Generate? |
Different regulations apply to
hazardous waste generators depending on the
amount of hazardous waste produced each month.
Each generator class is subject to different
regulations for employee training, training
documentation and written contingency
plans.
Learn more about
hazardous waste generator
classes
| Do
I need an EPA ID Number? |
An EPA ID number is needed
if you generate any amount of hazardous
waste and for large quantity universal waste
handler's (handling 5,000 kg or more of
universal waste at one time).
Learn more about
obtaining an EPA ID number
| Hazardous
Waste Storage and Labeling
Requirements |
Learn more
about the minimum storage and
labeling requirements for
hazardous waste
generators
| Hazardous
Waste Training
Requirements |
A personnel
training program is required
of all hazardous waste
generators to ensure that
employees are able to respond
effectively to emergencies.
All employees working with and
around hazardous waste should
be trained in emergency
procedures, emergency
equipment, and emergency
systems.
Learn
more about training
requirements
| Emergency
Preparedness, Business
Plan and Contingency
Plan |
Every
hazardous waste
generator is required
to have an emergency
contingency plan
(business plan)
designed to minimize
hazards to human
health and the
environment from
fires, explosions, or
an unplanned release
of hazardous waste to
air, soil, or surface
water. The plan shall
be carried out
immediately whenever a
fire, explosion or
unplanned chemical
release occurs. All
business plan forms
are required to be
submitted through
CERS.
Learn
more about
emergency
preparedness,
required emergency
equipment, and
emergency
procedures.
| Proper
Disposal of
Hazardous
Waste |
Hazardous
wastes must be
disposed of
only at State
permitted
treatment,
storage or
disposal
facilities and
may not be
disposed of in
the regular
trash, onto
the surface of
the ground, or
into the storm
drain. In
addition, they
may not be
dumped into
the sewer
system (i.e.,
a floor drain,
sink, or
toilet) unless
you have an
industrial
waste
discharge
pretreatment
permit from
your local
sewer agency
for that
specific
waste, which
was properly
treated first
before
discharge.
Hazardous
wastes must be
transported
only by California
Registered
Hazardous
Waste
Transporters
to a
State-permitted
treatment,
storage, or
disposal
facility
(TSDF). These
transporters
are registered
by the
California
Department
of Toxic
Substances
Control and
California
Highway
Patrol.
Hazardous
waste must
be packaged
and labeled
for
transport in
accordance
with
applicable
Department
of
Transportation regulations.
Waste
Tracking
and
Manifest
Requirements
Hazardous
waste
transported
for disposal
or treatment
must be
accompanied
by a Uniform
Hazardous
Waste
Manifest
form. As a
generator of
hazardous
waste, you
are
responsible
and liable
for the
wastes you
generate.
Accurately
completing a
manifest
form ensures
that you
will receive
notice after
the wastes
have been
delivered to
the licensed
hazardous
waste
facility. It
also is
required to
meet your
responsibility
as a
hazardous
waste
generator
Household
Hazardous
Waste
Disposal
Program
for Small
Businesses
Businesses
that
generate
less than 27
gallons or
220 pounds
of hazardous
waste per
month or
less than
one quart or
2.2 pounds
of acutely
hazardous
waste
(referred to
as
Conditionally
Exempt Small
Quantity
Generators
or CESQGs)
may use the
County’s
Household
Hazardous
Waste
Disposal
Program for
small
businesses.
| Hazardous
Waste
Treatment |
If
you
wish
to
dispose
of or
treat
your
hazardous
waste
to
render
it
less
toxic
or
non-hazardous
at
your
waste
generator
location,
you
must
notify
the
department
under
the
tiered
permitting
program
60
days
before
treating
the
hazardous
waste
and
meet
the
eligibility
and
waste
handling
requirements.
Treatment
notification
must
be
done
using
CERS.
| Violations |
Hazardous
waste
regulations
are
intended
to
prevent
the
mismanagement
of
hazardous
waste
which
could
lead
to
conditions
that
may
cause
harm
to
humans
or
to
the
environment.
Since
hazardous
materials
can
cause
serious
or
fatal
injuries,
penalties
have
been
established
for
willful
or
negligent
violation
of
the
hazardous
waste
laws.
Violations
may
result
in
monetary
penalties
for
every
day
of
violation
and/or
up
to
three
years
in
a
State
prison
If
a
facility
disagrees
with
one
or
more
of
the
violations,
the
facility
can
dispute
the
violation(s)
by
contacting
HMD
within
30
days
of
issuance
of
the
violation.
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