Special Waste
A Special Waste is any material that is not Municipal Solid Waste (normal garbage
or trash) and requires special handling due to its size, physical
characteristics, source, packaging, regulatory classification,
recordkeeping needs, or any other trait which may potentially impact
employees or facilities.
SWA Acceptance Criteria
Many Special Wastes, such as vegetation,
appliances, construction debris, tires, etc. have established
handling methods and are routinely accepted. Other materials,
such as contaminated soils or asbestos, are less clearly identified
and may require analytical data or special provisions to be
accepted. In the end, the final decision must be made in
consideration of both regulatory constraints and operational
impacts.
The SWA considers the
following issues in deciding whether or not to accept any Special
Waste:
- The regulatory status of the
waste and/or related regulatory requirements;
- The type of hazards presented
and the potential for worker exposure;
- The operational requirements to
safely manage the Special Waste in accordance with all
applicable laws and regulations;
- The desirability of disposing of
the material in the landfill versus encouraging other disposal
means.
The decision to accept a material
for disposal, and the cost of disposal, is influenced by several
additional factors, including the amount of time and the degree
of effort the Authority requires to manage the waste and the
potential for beneficial reuse within the SWA. The SWA may
consider the following:
- Physical form,
characteristics, and volume;
- The disposal facility used;
- The equipment necessary to
manage the waste;
- The potential impact on the
environment;
- The recordkeeping burden;
- The ability of the SWA to
use or process the waste;
- The frequency of generation;
- The availability of other
disposal facilities or options.
Contact
If you have any questions
regarding the SWA's Special Waste acceptance criteria or if
you have Special Waste to dispose of please contact the
SWA's Hazardous Waste Office directly at (561) 687-1100.
