Solid Waste: Stuff you shouldn’t just throw away

1. Solid Waste:Stuff you shouldn’t just throw away Charles Swanson US EPA Region 9 October 23, 2009

2. Federal and State regulations prohibit certain wastes from landfills • Household Hazardous Waste • Universal Waste • E-Waste • Used oil • Appliances • Tires

3. Where are these wastes encountered. • Household hazardous waste collection events • Community Drop offs and Transfer Stations

4. What is household hazardous waste? Leftover household products that contain ingredients that are: • corrosive • toxic • ignitable • or reactive

5. Avoid improper storage, stockpiling, and disposal. Why start a household hazardous waste collection program?

6. Requirements for the Handling of HHW • There is no federal prohibition of HHW in landfills. • California treats HHW as HW. • There is no federal requirement for a facility collecting HHW to have a RCRA Hazardous Waste ID • The facility must ensure that HHW is sent to an appropriate facility

7. Requirements for the Handling of HHW 4 basic options • Hire a contractor to run a on-time collection event • Participate in a nearby tribe, county or city event • Start a multi-community event • Start a permanent collection program

8. Universal Waste EPA's universal waste regulations streamline hazardous waste management standards for federally designated "universal wastes,“ States can modify the universal waste rule and add additional universal waste(s). Federal Universal Wastes • Batteries • Pesticides • Mercury-containing equipment and • Bulbs (lamps) http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/wastetypes/universal/

9. Universal Waste Universal waste must be managed in a way that prevents releases to the environment, Universal waste or a container in which the wastes are contained, must be labeled or marked clearly with any one of the following phrases: "Universal Waste --," or "Waste --," or "Used --;"

10. Flourescent Lamp Crushers • - conduct any bulb crushing activities in a well ventilated area • - provide appropriate respiratory protection, safety glasses, and protective clothing for personnel conducting this activity • - provide adequate training for personnel using the fluorescent bulb crushers • Operations. The facility should: • - record the dates and quantities of bulbs crushed • - replace all filters as recommended by the manufacturer (usually based on the number of bulbs crushed by the unit) • - perform a waste determination on the spent filters and lamps. Alternatively, the facility may find it easier to presume that the waste is a D009 hazardous waste (i.e., for mercury). If so, I recommend that they just place the spent filters in with the crushed bulbs. • Container (55-gallon drum) management - this is assuming that the waste is a RCRA regulated hazardous waste (D009). The facility should: • - label each container with the words hazardous waste and the date that the first bulb was added to the container • - ensure that the container is always closed (i.e., sealed) if the drum-top unit is removed from the container • - ship the full containers off-site in accordance with the RCRA requirements. The storage time limit for these containers depends on the facility's generator status. Specifically: • - a large quantity generator (generating greater than 1000 kg/month) is allowed to store hazardous wastes for up to 90 days • - a small quantity generator (generating between 100 - 1000 kg/month) is allowed to store hazardous wastes for up to 180 days • - a conditionally exempt small quantity generator (generating less than 100 kg/month) cannot have more than 1000 kg of hazardous wastes stored on-site. • - maintain copies of all hazardous waste manifests and land disposal restriction notification forms for at least three years. • Note, a facility's generator status is determined by the total amount of hazardous waste generated by the facility,

11. Used CRTs/TVs CRTs are composed largely of specialized glass, some of which contains lead to protect users from x-rays generated while the tube is in operation. A typical monitor or television may contain 15-90 pounds of glass with a lead content as high as 25 percent. Because of the lead content TVs and monitors could be regulated as hazardous waste. However, the EPA revised its hazardous waste management regulations to make it easier to recycle CRTs. The conditional exclusions from hazardous waste requirements apply if the TVs and monitors are handled properly.

12. Used CRTs/TVs EPAs CRT rule is designed to reduce the amount of lead in landfills and promote proper recycling of CRTs CRTs can be stored for up to one year Must be contained and labeled Sent for proper recycling

13. This document has general information on e-waste. http://www.p2pays.org/ref/02/01659.pdf This is a pamphlet for the general public on e-waste. http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/plugin/pdf/donate.pdf This is a guide on setting up a household hazardous waste program. There is some information on e-waste. http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/tribal/pdf/final-hhw-guide-oct-2007.pdf This is US EPA website on e-waste. There are links to lots of information. http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/index.htm Listing of e-cycling locations in Arizona. http://www.eiae.org/recycler/index.php?state=AZ