HAZARDOUS WASTE GENERATION

Now review your waste inventory sheets to determine if you have any hazardous waste. If you do, select the Continue button to continue through hazardous waste. Otherwise, go directly to Waterway and wetland permits.

Review all of your wastes to determine if they are an "acute hazardous wastes" (see definition below) (refer to section NR 661 Subchapter D — Lists of Hazardous Wastes [exit DNR]. If they are acute, then check the Hazardous Waste box on your waste inventory sheets.

Acute hazardous waste

An acute hazardous waste is any hazardous waste with a Waste Code beginning with the letter "P," or any of the following "F" codes; F020, F021, F022, F023, F026, and F027 (section NR 661 Subchapter D, Wis. Adm. Code). These wastes are subject to stringent quantity standards for accumulation and generation.

There are certain requirements when a facility generates acute wastes. This is because small quantities of these wastes can be harmful.

Once you've determined whether or not you generate an acute hazardous waste and how much acute hazardous waste you generate, please select the appropriate button below. (If you don't generate acute hazardous wastes, click on the "Less than or equal to 2.2 lbs. per month" button below)

Review your inventory sheets to help you calculate your monthly hazardous waste generation rate. The reason you need to determine how much hazardous waste you generate is so you can find out which management requirements apply to you. If you are unsure how to determine your monthly hazardous waste quantity, please select "Help" below for step–by–step guidance. Once you've determined how much hazardous waste you generate monthly, please select the appropriate button below.

Help

Tip: Having good recordkeeping helps when determining how much waste you generate over time.

1) For every calendar month, total all characteristic and listed wastes that you:

• accumulate on–site prior to management;
• package and transport off–site;
• place directly in a regulated on–site treatment or disposal unit;
• generate as still bottoms or sludges and remove from product storage tanks (excluding on–site recycling still bottoms); and
• generate as still bottoms from on–site recycling units. Don't forget the "mixture" and "empty container" (see definitions below) rules.

The Mixture Rule

The Mixture Rule: If you mix 1000 gallons of a listed hazardous waste with 1000 gallons of nonhazardous waste you end up with 2000 gallons of listed hazardous waste and your disposal costs will increase. Note that the dilution of a characteristic hazardous waste to make it nonhazardous is considered treatment and is subject to regulatory requirements.

The Empty Container Rule

The Empty Container Rule: Residues of hazardous waste in empty containers that formerly contained hazardous waste are exempt from hazardous waste regulation and thus can be managed as a nonhazardous waste. A container is empty if all wastes have been removed by the methods commonly used to empty that type of container – e.g. pouring or pumping. The container must have: a) less than one inch of waste remaining, or b) 3% or less by weight of waste remaining if the container holds 110 gallons or less, or c. 0.3% or less by weight of waste remaining if the container holds more than 110 gallons. Containers that held acutely hazardous waste must be triple rinsed to be considered empty. Acutely hazardous wastes are defined as: any hazardous waste with a Waste Code beginning with the letter P, or any of the following F codes: F020, F021, F022, F023, F026, and F027. Rinsewater from the cleaning of empty containers is regulated as hazardous waste if it has any of the hazardous waste characteristics.

2) Convert all measurements to pounds. To make an accurate calculation, follow the steps outlined below:

Tip: About one–half a 55 gallon drum of liquid waste weighs 220 lbs. (pounds determined using the weight of water)

1. weigh an empty one gallon container;
2. fill the container with one gallon of the waste material;
3. weigh the filled container; and
4. subtract the weight of the container, and you'll know the weight of one gallon of the waste material.

This must be done for each type of hazardous waste. Ideally, you should have a laboratory determine the density (weight/volume) of your wastes.

3) Subtract all of the excluded wastes (in pounds).

4) Calculate the total waste generation for the month.

All Hazardous Wastes
– Excluded Wastes
_________________________
= Total Waste Generated

Tip: When selecting your generation rate below, choose the button that reflects the highest amount that you generate in any given month, unless that month reflects a one–time cleanup.

You may be able to reduce your wastes, cut costs, and limit your regulatory burden with pollution prevention. Would you like to review P2 ideas for very small quantity generators of hazardous waste? Select "Review P2 ideas for very small quantity generators" below to provide you with many pollution prevention options that may be applicable to your business.

If you don't want to review the P2 page, please select "Skip P2 ideas and continue" button below. This link will take you to the very small quantity generator requirements page.

You may be able to reduce your wastes, cut costs, and limit your regulatory burden with pollution prevention. Would you like to review P2 ideas for small quantity generators of hazardous waste? Select "Review P2 ideas for small quantity generators" below to provide you with many pollution prevention options that may be applicable to your business.

If you don't want to review the P2 page, please select "Skip P2 ideas and continue" button below. This link will take you to the small quantity generator requirements page.

You may be able to reduce your wastes, cut costs, and limit your regulatory burden with pollution prevention. Would you like to review P2 ideas for large quantity generators of hazardous waste? Select "Review P2 ideas for large quantity generators" below to provide you with many pollution prevention options that may be applicable to your business.

If you don't want to review the P2 page, please select "Skip P2 ideas and continue" button below. This link will take you to the large quantity generator requirements page.

As a large quantity generator, the best way to manage your waste is not to produce it in the first place. There are a wide range of source reduction options from no–cost changes that you can make (e.g., checking for leaks, tightening valves) to modifications that will pay for themselves in a few years (e.g., process modifications).

Source reduction

Source reduction is the reduction or elimination of waste at the source, usually within a process. Source reduction measures include process modification, feed-stock substitutions, improvements in feed-stock purity, housekeeping and management practices, increases in the efficiency of machinery and recycling within a process. Source reduction implies any action that reduces the amount of waste exiting a process.

Waste minimization

Waste minimization means the reduction, to the extent feasible, of hazardous waste that is generated and subsequently treated, stored or disposed of. It includes any source reduction or recycling activity undertaken by a generator that results in:

1. the reduction of total volume or quantity of hazardous waste;
2. the reduction of toxicity of hazardous waste; or
3. both, as long as the reduction is consistent with the goal of minimizing present and future threats to human health and the environment.

Links

• Business Material Exchange of Wisconsin [exit DNR]

As a large quantity generator, there are several procedures and requirements your business needs to be aware of. Review the following table to determine which requirements apply. In addition we suggest that you review the Common Violations (WA–850) [PDF] fact sheet.

As a very small quantity generator, the best way to manage your waste is not to produce it in the first place. There are a wide range of source reduction options from no–cost changes that you can make (e.g., checking for leaks, tightening valves) to modifications that will pay for themselves in a few years (e.g., process modifications).

Source reduction

Source reduction is the reduction or elimination of waste at the source, usually within a process. Source reduction measures include process modification, feed-stock substitutions, improvements in feed-stock purity, housekeeping and management practices, increases in the efficiency of machinery, and recycling within a process. Source reduction implies any action that reduces the amount of waste exiting a process.

Waste minimization

Waste minimization means the reduction, to the extent feasible, of hazardous waste that is generated and subsequently treated, stored or disposed of. It includes any source reduction or recycling activity undertaken by a generator that results in:

1. the reduction of total volume or quantity of hazardous waste;
2. the reduction of toxicity of hazardous waste; or
3. both, as long as the reduction is consistent with the goal of minimizing present and future threats to human health and the environment.

Links

• Business Material Exchange of Wisconsin [exit DNR]

As a very small quantity generator, there are several procedures, requirements and best management practices or BMPs your business needs to be aware of. Review the following table to determine which requirements apply. In addition we suggest that you review the Common Violations (WA–850) [PDF] fact sheet.

As a small quantity generator, the best way to manage your waste is not to produce it in the first place. There are a wide range of source reduction options from no–cost changes that you can make (e.g., checking for leaks, tightening valves) to modifications that will pay for themselves in a few years (e.g., process modifications).

Source reduction

Source reduction is the reduction or elimination of waste at the source, usually within a process. Source reduction measures include process modification, feed-stock substitutions, improvements in feed-stock purity, housekeeping and management practices, increases in the efficiency of machinery, and recycling within a process. Source reduction implies any action that reduces the amount of waste exiting a process.

Pollution prevention and waste minimization

Waste minimization means the reduction, to the extent feasible, of hazardous waste that is generated and subsequently treated, stored, or disposed of. It includes any source reduction or recycling activity undertaken by a generator that results in:

1. the reduction of total volume or quantity of hazardous waste;
2. the reduction of toxicity of hazardous waste; or
3. both, as long as the reduction is consistent with the goal of minimizing present and future threats to human health and the environment.

Links

• Business Material Exchange of Wisconsin [exit DNR]

As a Small Quantity Generator, there are several procedures and requirements your business needs to be aware of. Review the following table to determine which requirements apply. In addition we suggest that you review the Common Violations (WA–850) [PDF] fact sheet.

Your small business may want to consider establishing a "satellite accumulation site" (see definition below).

Satellite accumulation site

A satellite accumulation site allows a generator to slowly accumulate a hazardous waste stream at the generation point.

Satellite accumulation allows you to accumulate small amounts (not more than 55 gallons per satellite site) of hazardous waste in the production area of your business. The main reasons for satellite accumulation are:

1. so you can conveniently accumulate waste in the area it is generated; and
2. so you can accumulate waste over a longer period of time without having to ship within the accumulation period (90 or 180 days) and avoid shipping a partial drum of waste.

Once the container is full (55 gallons), you need to put the date on the barrel and then move it into the accumulation area. This gives you an advantage by allowing you to accumulate full containers. The 90 or 180 day accumulation period starts when the container is full.

You should be very prepared for an inspection, however here are some more tools that you can use to make sure you know what an inspector would look for.

The following forms would be used by department staff when conducting an inspection of your facility. Use them when conducting a self-audit of your workplace.

• Very Small Quantity Generator Inspection Forms [PDF]
• Small Quantity Generator Inspection Forms [PDF]
• Large Quantity Generator Inspection Forms [PDF]

In addition, the following brochure will assist you when touring your business.

• Avoiding Common Hazardous Waste Violations (WA–850) [PDF]

Continue on to Waterway and wetland permits.