Hazardous Waste

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Managing hazardous waste incorrectly puts people and the environment at risk, which is why every business must evaluate its waste streams and follow strict cradle‑to‑grave requirements under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). That includes determining your hazardous waste generator status, tracking waste accumulation, develop a contingency plan, train employees, and more.

J. J. Keller® SAFETY MANAGEMENT SUITE makes this easier by helping you organize waste information, stay aligned with EPA requirements, and maintain compliant processes across your facility — so you can manage hazardous waste confidently and avoid costly violations.

Stay On Top Of Hazardous Waste Requirements

  • Easily track accumulation and set reminders for movement and disposal

  • Easily track accumulation and set reminders for movement and disposal

    Monitor storage accumulation areas, trigger when waste must be moved and set disposal reminders no matter your waste generator status.

    TRACK WASTE
  • Develop written safety plans in record time

  • Develop written safety plans in record time

    Use our pre-written safety plan templates to quickly create plans for hazardous waste contingency and Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER).

    ACCESS PLANS
  • Access easy-to-understand compliance resources

  • Access easy-to-understand compliance resources

    Get plain language explanations, how-to guides, facts and training for hazardous waste so you can better understand your responsibilities and what you need to do to comply.

    GET COMPLIANCE GUIDANCE
  • Ask our experts your compliance questions

  • Ask our experts your compliance questions

    Get direct access to our trusted team of in-house experts — acknowledged leaders in the environmental health and safety (EHS) field with over 500 years of combined experience — who are standing by to help answer your toughest compliance questions.

    ASK YOUR QUESTION

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Frequently asked Hazardous Waste Questions

Facilities are classified based on how much hazardous waste they generate per month:

  • Very Small Quantity Generator (VSQG): ≤ 220 lbs. (100 kg.)
  • Small Quantity Generator (SQG): 220 – 2,200 lbs. (100–1,000 kg.)
  • Large Quantity Generator (LQG): > 2,200 lbs. (1,000 kg.)

Your category determines accumulation limits, training requirements, contingency planning, and reporting obligations.

SQGs and LQGs must obtain an EPA Identification Number before shipping hazardous waste off-site. Some states require VSQGs to obtain one as well, so it is important tot check with your state environmental agency. The identification is obtained by submitting EPA Form 8700-12.

Cradle-to-Grave management holds the generator of hazardous waste legally and financially responsible for their waste from the moment of creation, through transport and treatment, until final disposal. Responsibility does not end when the waste leaves your site.

If you mix a listed hazardous waste with non-hazardous waste, the entire mixture remains hazardous regardless of concentration. For characteristic wastes, the mixture is only hazardous if it still exhibits that characteristic (e.g., it's still flammable).

LDRs prohibit disposal of hazardous waste in landfills unless it meets specific treatment standards. Generators must provide an LDR notification to the TSDF certifying the waste's status before it can be landfilled.

Universal Waste is technically a category of hazardous waste that the EPA regulates under a streamlined set of rules (40 CFR Part 273). This was designed to encourage the recycling of common items that contain low levels of hazardous materials. Common examples include batteries, lamps, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment, and aerosol cans.

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