The Solid Waste Authority of
Palm Beach County offers hazardous waste disposal for a fee to qualifying
small businesses. This program is one of less than a half dozen
in the state of Florida and is available only to Palm Beach County
businesses. This program is operated in accordance with State and Federal
regulations and does in turn have certain limitations on the types and
amounts of waste which can be accepted. Acceptance of hazardous waste, or
enrollment in the program is solely at the discretion of the Solid Waste
Authority.
Regulations concerning the
management of hazardous wastes are issued by and strictly enforced by the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These regulations apply to
hazardous wastes from "cradle to grave." In other words you are
responsible for the hazardous wastes you produce from the time they are
generated until the time they are properly and legally disposed. In addition,
various local agencies may have requirements on how and where your
hazardous materials are stored, used and disposed.
Who is the Program
For?
This program is aimed at
those companies which produce small or infrequent amounts of hazardous
wastes. You must be a Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity
Generator to utilize this program. In general, the hazardous waste
disposal industry is geared around the steady pickup and disposal of
drummed quantities of wastes from medium and large scale businesses.
Because much of the cost incurred can be for pickup and transportation,
small quantities are often viewed as less desirable. This
translates into small businesses paying higher fees, if they are able to
obtain service at all.
Why Use This
Program?
The advantage of this
program is that small quantities from different generators can be
combined for disposal and the costs distributed among the
contributors. Each business pays for only their share of the combined
drum. There are however exceptions for certain types of wastes that
cannot be combined and for other wastes, such as photographic and
medical wastes, that support specialized full service disposal companies
that pick up small quantities.
What Are the
Costs?
Small businesses and other
organizations that qualify as Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity
Generators (CESQG's) are eligible for the program. The
Authority has transportation and disposal contracts with several major
hazardous waste disposal firms. The disposal fees we charge are based on
our contract prices which may be higher or lower than could be obtained
by you.
What Are My
Responsibilities as a Generator?
Enrollment in this program
does not relieve the generator of any other regulatory responsibility.
You, the generator, will be required to certify that you meet the conditions of the
program as part of the registration. You are responsible for
complying with all applicable regulations governing storage, transport,
disposal, and reporting.
Are There Other Disposal
Options?
Information on commercial
firms that service Palm Beach County can be obtained by contacting Hazardous
Waste Services. A partial list of commercial contractors is
available below.
Commercial Contractor Listing
Am I a
CESQG?
The key to answering this
question is to determine which and how much of the wastes you produce are
considered hazardous. The federal regulations identifying hazardous wastes
and hazardous waste management requirements are found in 40 CFR 261. In
general, the more hazardous waste you produce (generate) the more you are
regulated. You must first look at all of the waste materials you dispose
of and make a determination using the federal criteria as to which are
regulated hazardous wastes. Based on that amount, generators will fall into
one of three categories - small quantity, large quantity, or
conditionally exempt. CESQG's have the most flexibility in their waste
disposal options however anyone handling or supplying chemicals or
hazardous substances must comply with other related safety oriented
regulations.
Definitions
Conditionally Exempt
Small Quantity Generator - Any entity, other than a household,
that generates less than 100 kg (220 lb., or approximately one-half drum)
of hazardous waste or one (1) kg (2.2 lb.) of acute hazardous waste per
calendar month, and never accumulates more than 1,000 kg (2,200 lb., or
four (4) drums) of hazardous waste.
Hazardous
Waste - Any discarded material, or material accumulated prior to
being discarded, which because of its hazardous characteristics
(ignitibility, corrosivity, reactivity, toxicity, or listing by EPA) as
defined in 40 CFR261 is regulated by the EPA.
Filling Out the
Forms
The required forms can be obtained
by contacting the Solid Waste Authority Household Hazardous Waste
Facility at 697-2700 or 930-2727 toll-free from south county or the
Glades.
Registration and
Certification of Status
This form details
information about the organization that generates the waste materials,
and certifies that the organization is a CESQG. It must be signed by an
authorized representative of the organization.
Material Inventory
Sheet
Use this form to list the
materials you wish to dispose of. Depending on the material, some items
may end up repackaged (lab packed) while others may be consolidated
(bulked). The container size is most important for lab pack items
whereas the total amount is most important for items to be bulked. This
information will be used to determine disposal costs. When possible
include Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).
Material Profile
Form
Use this form to describe
wastes which are process wastes, mixtures of materials, or drummed
quantities. Sufficient detail is required to determine and arrange proper
disposal. One form must be completed to characterize each unique material
or "waste stream". Whenever possible attach MSDS for the components of the
waste stream. A form for each waste stream is kept on file. A new form is
only needed if the waste stream changes.
Transportation and
Preparing for Delivery
Pickup by the Authority is
not available. Wastes must be delivered to the Authority by the CESQG in
sound containers that will not leak.
The container
must be labeled to identify
its contents and marked with any
required EPA and DOT information (contact Hazardous Waste Services for
assistance).
A shipping document
listing the types and quantities of hazardous waste being
transported must accompany the shipment.
Payment
Payment shall be made by
cash or in-state company check. Purchase orders cannot be accepted.
Alternately you may utilize an existing Solid Waste Authority account. A
signed, dated account authorization letter is required each time this
method of payment is used. A sample letter is included in this package. A
receipt will be tendered demonstrating proper disposal of the hazardous
waste.
