The universal waste regulations of the USEPA provide an option for generators of certain hazardous waste to manage them according to a lower regulatory standard:  The Universal Waste Regulations.  To take advantage of this “de-regulation” of a hazardous waste, generators need only comply with some basic regulations pertaining to its onsite management and off-site disposal.  You can learn more about the management of Universal Waste from my article:  The Universal Waste Option for the Management of Hazardous Waste.

The USEPA hazardous waste currently eligible for the Universal Waste option are:

• Lamps
• Batteries
• Mercury-Containing Devices
• Recalled or Canceled Pesticides

While states may differ in what they identify as a Universal Waste and in some of the on-site management requirements, they all agree that Universal Waste must be sent for disposal or recycling to a Universal Waste Destination Facility.  A business can not simply throw Universal Waste in the trash with its regular garbage.

Does this look like proper management of a Universal Waste?

**NOTE:  It may be possible for a Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator of hazardous waste or a homeowner to send its Universal Waste to a Municipal Solid Waste Landfill for disposal with its regular trash or garbage.  However, this is not recommended and some states out-right ban the landfill disposal of fluorescent lamps.

Whatever your hazardous waste generator status or your status as a handler of universal waste, you and your employees will benefit from some form of my training services.  Please contact me to discuss the best training option for you:

• Training Seminars
• Onsite Training
• Webinars
• Learning Management Systems