USEPA’s Final Rule for its new solvent-contaminated wipe conditional exclusion was published in the  July 31, 2013 Federal Register and will go into effect six months from that date:  January 31, 2014 (read about the USEPA Conditional Exclusion for Solvent-Contaminated Wipes).  However, the new regulation will only be effective in states that lack an authorized hazardous waste program (Alaska, Iowa, Puerto Rico, and Indian Country).  It will not be effective in Wisconsin, which has an authorized hazardous waste program, until the WDNR is able to draft its own regulations.  Those regulations will be applicable only within Wisconsin, and may be more stringent than the USEPA’s but cannot be less so.  In the meantime, the regulated community in Wisconsin looking to learn how to manage its solvent-contaminated wipes should refer to WDNR policy on the subject found in this WDNR guidance document:  Handling Solvent-Laden Cleaning Towels, Wipes and Rags, Publication WA 1207, Rev. 2007 and summarized in this article. (more…)