Hazardous Waste Management for Businesses: A Guide to Smarter Solutions
U.S. businesses generated about 34.9 million tons of hazardous waste in 2019 alone, according to the EPA. Safe and responsible hazardous waste management is required by law, and is an important part of every business waste management plan.
From barrels of toxic chemicals produced by manufacturers to batteries and electronic waste found in every home and business, the range of what is considered hazardous waste is growing as new technology, materials and products enter the market. For example, vape pens and other disposable e-cigarettes, lithium-ion batteries commonly used in e-bikes and scooters and hand sanitizers are among the newer types of hazardous waste that pose new challenges for businesses. (Read our guide to the top 3 types of emerging hazardous waste that businesses must plan for.)
Businesses must manage all hazardous waste responsibly to ensure that they don’t poison people and the planet. While fines for non- compliance can be hefty, the damage to your business reputation can be more costly and long-lasting. Finding the right hazardous waste management plan will not only ensure you maintain compliance and safety, but it can also make disposal less costly and more efficient.
Finding Smarter Hazardous Waste Solutions
What is your current hazardous waste management plan?
Does your business rely on large hazardous waste disposal companies that treat all materials they receive as hazardous waste even when they can be handled more sustainably? This blanket approach inflates costs and limits opportunities to divert waste responsibly.
To help businesses reduce hazardous waste and costs, Great Forest works with chemists, manufacturers and other waste experts in ourhazardous waste partner network to find customized smart waste solutions. This has lead to some innovative approaches for responsibly managing hazardous waste that often lower costs.
“It is all in the mindset,” says David Troust, Chief Development Officer for Great Forest.
“We approach every waste material we encounter, even those labeled hazardous and hard-to-recycle, with a determination to find an alternative, more sustainable diversion path, rather than just disposing of them as waste. Often we find ways to bring at least parts of what was once deemed hazardous back into the market. It can involve a lot of detective work, but the results are worth it. We’re proving that we can recycle and reuse a lot more of the materialsthat would normally be discarded.”
Here are some insights to help you understand the process ofsustainably managing hazardous waste and your options for disposing hazardous waste in a safe, compliant and cost-effective way.
What is Hazardous Waste?
Hazardous waste includes a wide range of materials that pose risks to human health and the environment. The EPA’s process for identifying hazardous waste can be complex, but in general, hazardous waste has characteristics like ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity or toxicity. The EPA outlines eight categories of hazardous waste:
Academic Laboratory Waste
Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs)
Household Hazardous Waste
Mixed Radiological Waste
Pharmaceutical Hazardous Waste
Solvent-Contaminated Wipes
Universal Waste
Used Oil
Universal Waste Explained: The Most Common Type of Hazardous Waste
One of the most common types of hazardous waste you will encounter in your business is Universal waste. This refers to hazardous waste that is commonly generated by individuals and businesses. While they require special handling, they benefit from streamlined regulations under the EPA, which lists five categories of universal waste:
Batteries
Pesticides
Mercury-Containing Equipment
Lamps
Aerosol Cans
An Overview: The Process of Managing Hazardous Waste for Businesses
Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, hazardous waste must be managed safely from “cradle to grave.”
This starts at the source where the hazardous waste is generated. From there, hazardous waste is then transported for treatment, recycling or disposal.
Waste generators are responsible for determining if the material they are discarding is considered hazardous waste. If your waste is deemed hazardous, you are responsible for its safe handling, transportation, and disposal, and you will need to have documentation and record keeping to match.
How to Dispose of Hazardous Waste Responsibly and Cost-Effectively
1) Identify hazardous waste in your waste stream
Consult the EPA framework and check your state’s guidelines for businesses. Common examples of hazardous waste produced by most businesses can include these materials destined for disposal:
2) Understand this important distinction: Hazardous waste vs. hazardous materials
Correct classification is important. Hazardous waste and hazardous materials are regulated under different frameworks, which can significantly affect costs for packaging, shipping, and processing.
In general, hazardous materials become hazardous waste once they are discarded, abandoned, or destined for disposal. By identifying materials that can be safely recovered, reused, or recycled, businesses can reduce the volume sent for end-of-life hazardous waste disposal, lowering costs while remaining fully compliant.
Learn more about hazardous waste vs. hazardous materials, and read our case study to see how Great Forest helped one global company reduce their hazardous waste disposal costs by 25% through safe, compliant material recovery.
3) Determine your waste generator category
The amount of hazardous waste you produce per month determines your generator category. Whether you are a very small, small or large generator will affect the rules you need to follow.
4) Document your hazardous waste
To maintain regulatory compliance and ensure that hazardous waste is processed according to safety guidelines, documentation is required to track the process. If you are required to submit a hazardous waste manifest, it can often be completed online using the e-Manifest system. (Note that the e-manifest program is fairly new, and not all disposal facilities are registered for the program.) While requirements may vary by state, hazardous waste manifests usually must list:
Generator Information, including the generator’s EPA ID number, name, address, and contact information.
Transporter Information to identify all transporters involved in moving the waste.
Designated Facility Information about where the waste will be treated, recycled or disposed of.
Waste Description, including container information and type, quantity, and weight/volume of waste.
Special Handling Instructions
Certification from the generator to certify that the waste is properly described, packaged, and in proper condition for transport.
Emergency Contact
5) Confirm the hazardous waste rules in your jurisdiction to ensure compliance
6) Ensure proper storage, labeling and handling of hazardous waste
Label your hazardous waste with content information and dates, and make sure they are encased in appropriate containers to prevent spills. Train your employees on proper procedures for handling hazardous waste, and have a plan in place with regular inspections. Over time, hazardous materials may degrade further and need to be managed as hazardous waste.
7) Work with waste experts
Waste experts can help your business review your hazardous waste management strategy to uncover more sustainable solutions and reduce costs. Great Forest, for example, develops customized programs that prioritize alternatives to disposal. Working with our hazardous waste partner network, Great Forest utilizes specialized vendors who can recover valuable components from certain hazardous waste streams, for instance, by extracting alcohol from hand sanitizers for use as industrial solvents.
Why Responsible Hazardous Waste Disposal Matters
By managing hazardous waste correctly, your businesses can maintain compliance, potentially reduce waste costs, ensure safe practices and be a sustainability leader, protecting your brand’s reputation.
How much hazardous waste does your business produce? Are you overpaying for hazardous waste disposal and lower diversion rates?
