What’s in a name? Did you know that, according to the Department of Ecology, anything you “designate as†a dangerous waste is regulated as a dangerous waste? It has long been the practice of generators of solid waste to label certain wastes as “dangerous†(or “hazardousâ€) and to dispose of those wastes as such simply because it is cheaper and easier than making a proper “determination†of whether the solid waste is “listed†or exhibits a “characteristic†of a dangerous waste. But the applicable regulations regarding storage, transport and disposal are so convoluted that the actual on-site management often does not fully comply with the regulations. In that circumstance, the fact that the waste never met the definition of a dangerous waste is no defense to substantial penalties, according to Ecology. Besides that, a generator’s failure to make a dangerous waste “determination†can lead to penalties in itself even if the generator has labeled and managed a waste as “dangerous waste.†Don’t get caught in this dangerous trap. Know whether your waste meets the definition of a dangerous waste. Environmental Compliance can help with that.
