Does your business or organization generate hazardous waste? A hazardous waste is a solid, liquid or gaseous material with certain properties that could pose dangers to human health or the environment. This checklist will help you determine if your business produces hazardous wastes.
Answer the following questions yes or no:
1. One or more of my wastes is on Washington's discarded chemical products or dangerous waste sources 'lists'. See chapter 173-303-9903 and -9904 of the Dangerous Waste Regulations available online.
2. One or more of my wastes is ignitable (flash point of 140°F or less. Example: acetone)
3. I have a corrosive waste (pH less than 2 or greater than 12.5. Example: sodium hydroxide)
4. I have a waste that is reactive (could explode, generate harmful vapors, or is an oxidizer. Example: cyanides)
5. One of my wastes is hazardous under the toxicity characteristic. See designating dangerous waste from the Department of Ecology website.
6. One of my waste mixtures is a criteria waste because it is toxic or persistent (see WAC 173-303-100. Examples: trichloroethylene (TCE), coal tar)
If you said yes to any of the above categories, you are a generator of hazardous waste. You must now determine whether you are a 'fully regulated generator' or 'small quantity generator' by completing the next few steps in this section.
1. I have identified those hazardous wastes which are designated as an Extremely Hazardous Waste (EHW) and those which are Dangerous Waste (DW).
2. I have identified the Quantity Exclusion Limit (QEL) for each of my hazardous wastes as either 2.2 pounds or 220 pounds. The QEL is the amount used to determine if you are a small quantity generator or a fully regulated generator. On a monthly basis, you may generate waste up to the QEL before becoming a regulated generator.
3. I routinely or occasionally generate (per month) or accumulate on-site (at any one time) hazardous waste in excess of its QEL or the accumulation limit. Remember: add up the amounts of all wastes with the same QEL to see if the total exceeds that QEL or the accumulation limit. Typically, if you generate more than 220 pounds per month (or about half of a 55-gallon drum), you are a fully regulated generator and should comply with all sections listed under Disposal Procedures for the Small Quantity Generator.
4. I always generate (per month) hazardous wastes below the QEL. I always accumulate on-site (at any one time) less than 2.2 pounds of a waste with a 2.2 pound QEL and less than 2200 pounds of waste with a 220 pound QEL. Typically, if you generate less than 220 pounds per month (or about half a 55-gallon drum), you are a small quantity generator.
