{"id":483,"date":"2012-09-25T05:54:11","date_gmt":"2012-09-25T09:54:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.ehscsi.com\/?p=483"},"modified":"2017-12-10T23:20:56","modified_gmt":"2017-12-11T04:20:56","slug":"universal-waste-requirements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ehscsi.com\/blog\/2012\/09\/25\/universal-waste-requirements\/","title":{"rendered":"Universal Waste Requirements"},"content":{"rendered":"

Universal waste is a special category of hazardous waste<\/a> that includes batteries, \"universal<\/a>pesticides, mercury-containing equipment and lamps. \u00a0For the most part, these wastes\u00a0are self-explanatory but often confusion arises from mercury-containing equipment which includes a\u00a0device or part of a device (including thermostats, but excluding batteries and lamps) that contains elemental mercury integral to its function. \u00a0Some items that are typically included in this category are relays, switches (i.e. automobile switches),\u00a0<\/span>barometers, manometers, temperature and pressure\u00a0gauges, and thermometers. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Similar to hazardous waste, companies that generate universal waste are classified by how much waste is generated. \u00a0The two categories are:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Large Quantity Handler of Universal Waste (LQH)\u00a0<\/em>accumulates 5,000 kilograms or more total of all universal waste\u00a0 at any time.<\/li>\n
  2. Small Quantity Handler of Universal Waste (SQH)\u00a0<\/em>accumulates less than 5,000 kilograms of all universal waste at any time.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Unlike hazardous waste generator status<\/a> which is calculated monthly, universal waste handler status is determined for the total calendar year–if at any time during the year the generator accumulates more than 5,000 kg it qualifies for LQH status.\u00a0 SQHs are not required to notify the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of their generator status, however LQHs are. \u00a0 This is typically done by using the state’s hazardous waste generator status form (if the company also generates hazardous waste) or by submitting a notification to Regional Administrator. \u00a0Not certain which EPA Region your state is in, check this resource<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    One of my favorite things about universal waste is that the accumulation time is one year. \u00a0A company must demonstrate compliance with this requirement by labeling the waste with the date it was generated, in addition to the other labeling requirements.\u00a0 Each universal waste must also be labeled \u201cuniversal waste\u2014name of waste (i.e. batteries, pesticides, lamp, mercury-containing equipment)” alternatively, the word “universal” can be replaced with “used” or eliminated all together.<\/p>\n

    As with hazardous waste, EPA requires training for both categories of universal waste handlers; \u00a0however there is no requirement for timeframe of initial training or recurrent training.\u00a0 The training must include proper waste handling and emergency procedures appropriate to the type(s) of universal waste handled at the facility. \u00a0I like to include a review of the universal waste procedures with the annual RCRA or other recurrent compliance training for my clients.<\/p>\n

    Keep in mind that the requirements discussed above address those of the EPA; be certain to consult your state environmental regulations to ensure that additional requirements do not exist. \u00a0A resource to do so is EPA’s State Specific Universal Waste Regulations website<\/a>. \u00a0In Florida, for example, universal waste includes pharmaceutical waste and both California and Colorado include aerosol cans in this classification.<\/p>\n

    Following are some additional resources for universal waste:
    \n    EPA Universal Waste Homepage<\/a>
    \n    Introduction to Universal Waste
    \n<\/a>    EPA’s Mercury Management Website
    \n<\/a>If you require additional information, you can\u00a0    contact our office<\/a> to schedule a free consultation.<\/p>\n

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    Universal waste is a special category of hazardous waste that includes batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment and lamps. \u00a0For the most part, these wastes\u00a0are self-explanatory but often confusion arises from mercury-containing equipment which includes a\u00a0device or part of a device (including thermostats, but excluding batteries and lamps) that contains elemental mercury integral to its function. \u00a0Some…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,55],"tags":[127,65,63,128,56,126],"class_list":["post-483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ehs-compliance","category-hazardous-waste","tag-compliance","tag-ehs-consultant-in-south-florida","tag-ehs-compliance-2","tag-environmental-management","tag-hazardous-waste-2","tag-universal-waste"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ehscsi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ehscsi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ehscsi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ehscsi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ehscsi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=483"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.ehscsi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":728,"href":"https:\/\/www.ehscsi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483\/revisions\/728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ehscsi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ehscsi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ehscsi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}