Hazardous Materials and Waste Management
Proper management of hazardous materials is essential in order to comply with environmental regulations and to safeguard the health of employees and the surrounding community. Reducing the quantity and variety of hazardous materials used at a facility can reduce environmental and safety risks, the facility's regulatory reporting burden, and associated costs.
Effective waste management safeguards public health and protects the environment by controlling waste from generation through disposal. Hazardous waste management is closely regulated by the EPA under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). In addition, federal, state, and local regulations require waste tracking systems, appropriate waste treatment and disposal, and management programs that reduce waste through industrial process changes. Integrated solid waste management incorporates life-cycle analysis, source reduction, recycling, incineration, and landfilling, together with ongoing monitoring and evaluation, to ensure that the system meets current and future regulations and is operating efficiently.
Universal wastes are types of industrial solid waste that would be considered hazardous except that the EPA has reclassified them to encourage recycling. In order to remain outside hazardous waste regulations, universal wastes must be handled appropriately. UTRS recognizes universal waste opportunities and recommends proper handling procedures to ensure that they meet the universal waste exemption.
UTRS is experienced in determining the health, safety, and environmental effects of hazardous wastes, conducting hazardous waste characterizations, and developing waste treatment alternatives. We combine in-depth knowledge of regulatory requirements with superior technical and scientific expertise to address client needs in these areas.
UTRS offers hazardous material and waste management services, including:
- Reviewing existing processes, procedures, and technical documents to identify environmentally preferable alternatives that will reduce the facility's regulatory burden while maintaining high quality assurance standards
- Specifying inventory management procedures to reduce both the quantity and the variety of hazardous materials required on-hand, as well as to minimize the generation of hazardous waste due to shelf-life expiration
- Evaluating existing procedures to ensure compliance with hazardous materials storage, labeling, and hazard communication regulations
- Developing authorized/required use lists
- Assessing hazardous materials stored onsite and comparing with required use lists so that hazardous materials that are not actually required by facility operations do not proliferate
- Recommending nonhazardous or less hazardous material substitutions
- Recommending pollution prevention equipment and best management practices to reduce or replace the use of hazardous materials
- Developing both one-time and annual submissions required under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (e.g., Tier II Reports, Toxic Release Inventories)
- Developing emergency plans for the accidental release of hazardous materials
- Performing facility waste assessments
- Conducting sampling
- Identifying/classifying waste properly
- Evaluating waste reduction technology
- Assessing disposal options, including reuse and recycling
- Assessing management practices
- Establishing tracking systems
- Specifying treatment technology
- Analyzing collection systems
- Developing and implementing waste minimization and material recovery programs
- Designing transfer stations
- Identifying energy recovery opportunities.