Hazardous Waste

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Issue Summary

Many local governments must deal with hazardous wastes at two different levels: (1) as a hazardous generator and (2) as the responsible entity for protecting landfills and other municipal solid waste collection/disposal operations from hazardous waste disposal.

Hazardous waste is defined by federal (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act or RCRA) and state regulations. In general, hazardous waste is either a specifically listed material (e.g., spent cleaning solvent) or is hazardous due to its characteristics (i.e., ignitable, corrosive, reactive or toxic). Hazardous waste generated by local governments can include waste paint, spent solvents, pesticides, discarded cleaning products, excess/discarded/spilled chemicals, and many other substances. All hazardous wastes must be managed according to state and federal laws and the persons responsible for handling the wastes must be trained.

Landfills and other solid waste facilities operated by local governments are generally not designed for handling large volumes of hazards waste. To minimize the introduction of hazardous waste to these facilities, many communities have established household hazardous waste collections. This is typically accomplished by designating permanent collection/exchange areas at landfills or by establishing special collection days at a central location. These types of operations require permitting by Regional EPA or state environmental agencies.

Resources

U.S. EPA

Hazardous Waste. Learn more about hazardous waste and the regulations that govern it.

Household Hazardous Waste. The options of reduction, reuse, recycling, and disposal-listed in order of EPA's preferred waste management hierarchy-are all important tools to safely manage HHW.

States

Hazardous Waste State Locator. Use this locator to find hazardous waste and RCRA compliance resources on state websites. You will find general information, fact sheets, permit forms and guidance, contact information and other helpful resources and tools.

Publications

Hazardous Waste Publications. Useful publications for business, households and local governments.

GovLink.org. Useful hazardous waste publications for small businesses.

Databases and Tools

Conducting Compliance Audits for Facilities with PCBs, Asbestos, and Lead Paint. This audit protocol provides regulated entities with specific guidance to evaluate their self-compliance with federal environmental requirements. It is a tool that users can use to guide them as they conduct and document environmental audits. This audit protocol applies to facilities that are subject to the federal regulations governing the following types of activities: the use, disposal, cleanup and storage of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); the removal of asbestos from buildings and its ultimate disposal, and/or; notifications, training and work practice standards for lead-based paint.

Conducting Compliance Audits of Hazardous Waste Generators. This audit protocol provides regulated entities with specific guidance to evaluate their self-compliance with federal environmental requirements. It is a tool that users can use to guide them as they conduct and document environmental audits, which will inform them whether their facility is in compliance with federal regulations. This protocol is intended to help inform facilities that generate hazardous waste (A solid waste is a hazardous waste if it is a RCRA listed hazardous waste or if it exhibits any of the characteristics defined in RCRA).

Conducting Compliance Audits of Storage Tanks. This audit protocol provides regulated entities with specific guidance to self-evaluate their compliance with federal environmental requirements. It is a tool that users can use to guide them as they conduct and document environmental audits. This audit protocol applies to facilities that store and manage petroleum, hazardous substances, and hazardous waste in underground and/or aboveground storage tanks as regulated under RCRA.

Conducting Compliance Audits of Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Units. This audit protocol provides regulated entities with specific guidance to evaluate their self-compliance with federal environmental requirements. It is a tool that users can use to guide them as they conduct and document environmental audits. This protocol is intended to help inform facilities that store, treat, or dispose of hazardous waste (A solid waste is a hazardous waste if it is a RCRA listed hazardous waste or if it exhibits any of the characteristics defined in RCRA).

Conducting Compliance Audits Under the Community-Right-to-Know Act. This audit protocol provides regulated entities with specific guidance to self-evaluate their compliance with federal environmental requirements. It is a tool that users can use to guide them as they conduct and document environmental audits. This protocol addresses facilities that manufacture, process, store, or otherwise use extremely hazardous substances (applicable to those who must comply with EPCRA requirements: emergency planning, emergency release notification, community right-to-know reporting, and toxic chemical release reporting).

Conducting Superfund Compliance Audits. This audit protocol provides regulated entities with specific guidance to self-evaluate their compliance with federal environmental requirements. It is a tool that users can use to guide them as they conduct and document environmental audits. This protocol addresses facilities (as regulated under CERCLA) where hazardous substances were released or pose a substantial threat of release.

Superfund Site Mapping Tool. This tool allows users to produce detailed maps of local areas that contain superfund sites, including waterbodies, roads, schools, and other landmarks.

TRI Explorer. This tool provides users with access to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data. This data consists of information on toxic chemical releases and other waste management activities, as reported annually by covered industry groups and federal facilities regulated under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). Local governments can use this tool to generate reports and identify facilities and chemical release patterns in their communities.