Waste Minimization & Management

Introduction

Answers to questions like these can be difficult.  The regulations which govern what you can and cannot do with the waste you generate, particularly those wastes that are considered hazardous, are complex and often confusing.  Properly managing your wastes can be a frustrating, and at times a daunting task.  Not doing so can result in unnecessary costs and exposure to regulatory violations and fines.

The hazardous waste regulations established under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) require that you determine whether your waste is hazardous or not.  You must also determine the amount of hazardous waste that you generate each month, as this determines your “generator status”.  Your status defines the specific regulatory requirements applicable to your operation.  These requirements may include such items as the length of time you can keep your waste before disposing of it, maintaining your waste containers, emergency procedures and planning, and personnel training.  Also, your generator status can change depending on how much you generate in any given month.

Your state may have hazardous waste regulations more stringent than the Federal regulations.  States also have regulations governing the management of wastes generated from commercial or industrial activities, even if the wastes are not hazardous.

Finally, minimizing your waste generation is, in certain situations, mandated by regulation, but it also makes good economic sense.  Identifying viable opportunities for waste reduction requires an understanding of both the process that generates the waste, and the applicable regulatory framework.

How Hygieneering Can Help

Hygieneering provides a complete set of services designed to assist our clients in reducing waste generation and properly managing wastes that are generated in a compliant and cost-effective fashion.  These services include:

Hygieneering can also develop a comprehensive hazardous waste management program specific to your Facility. Designed to assist you in properly managing the waste generated at your facility, it will incorporate many of the specific service items listed above.  To accomplish this, we typically will conduct an initial waste assessment of your operations.  This assessment will identify the processes that generate wastes, the types and quantities of wastes that are typically generated, and current waste management practices.  Using this information, we will then outline the specific regulatory requirements applicable to your operations, and provide recommendations for addressing any areas of non-compliance.  We will then design a management program specific to your business.  The program will include protocols for minimizing waste generation and ensuring on-going compliance. 

Benefits of a Waste Management Program

Contact us for more information.