Abandoned Materials. Materials that are being either:
·Disposed of, or
·Burned or incinerated.
Acutely Hazardous Waste. A waste that presents a substantial hazard even when properly managed, such as waste that is fatal to humans in low doses, wastes with specific toxicity levels, and explosives. These include:
·Any waste in 40 CFR 261.31 through 261.33(c) with a hazard code of H;
·Hazardous wastes from non-specific sources that are listed in 40 CFR 261.31 as F-listed wastes: F020, F021, F022, F023, F026, and F027 (see 561 FW 6.8D); and
·Commercial chemical products, manufacturing chemical intermediates, and off-specification commercial chemical products listed in 40 CFR 261.33 as P- and U-listed wastes.
Discharge or Hazardous Waste Discharge. The accidental or intentional spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, or dumping of hazardous waste into or on any land or water.
Disposal. The discharge, deposit, injection, dumping, spilling, leaking, or placing of a hazardous waste into or on land or water so that the waste or its constituents may enter the environment or be emitted into the air or discharged into any waters, including groundwater.
Disposal Facility. A facility where hazardous waste is intentionally placed and will remain after closure.
Episodic Event. An activity (planned or unplanned) that does not normally occur during a generator's operations and that causes that generator to exceed the threshold for its normal generator category for that month. The generator may only use this provision once every calendar year, unless there is a second event for which the generator receives approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to manage as an additional episodic event.
·Planned episodic events include tank cleanouts, short-term demolition projects, short-term construction projects, short-term site remediation, equipment maintenance during plant shutdowns, and removal of excess chemical inventories.
·Unplanned episodic events include production process upsets, product recalls, accidental spills, or “acts of nature,” such as a tornado, hurricane, or flood.
EPA Hazardous Waste Number. The number EPA assigns to each hazardous waste in 40 CFR 261, Subpart D, and to each characteristic waste in 40 CFR 261, Subpart C.
EPA Identification Number. The number EPA assigns to each generator; transporter; and treatment, storage, and disposal facility.
Facility. All contiguous land and structures, other appurtenances, and improvements on the land, used for treating, storing, or disposing of hazardous waste. A facility may consist of several treatment, storage, or disposal operational units (e.g., one or more landfills, surface impoundments) or combinations of them.
Federally Authorized State. A state that EPA has given primary responsibility for implementing the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste program. Federally authorized states have adopted and apply RCRA hazardous waste rules that are at least as stringent as the EPA rules.
Generator. Any person or site whose processes and actions create hazardous waste listed in 40 CFR 261. Generators are divided into three categories based on the quantity of waste they produce in a month, and each category must comply with the applicable set of requirements. The three categories are:
·Large Quantity Generators (LQGs),
·Small Quantity Generators (SQGs), and
·Very Small Quantity Generators (VSQGs).
Hazardous Waste. A solid waste with a chemical composition or other properties that are dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment. Hazardous wastes are determined by being on one of EPA’s four lists (F, K, P, or U) or meeting one of four characteristics (ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity).
Hazardous Waste Contingency Plan. A document required for LQGs and SQGs that establishes an organized, planned, and coordinated course of action to follow in case of a fire, explosion, or release of hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents that could threaten human health or the environment. See Exhibit 2 for a template.
Land Disposal Restrictions (LDRs). Concentration levels or methods of treatment for hazardous constituents that must be met before land disposal. LDRs ensure wastes are properly treated prior to disposal.
Release. Any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing into the environment.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Federal Act that gives EPA the authority to regulate hazardous waste from cradle to grave. Enacted in 1976, RCRA was established to protect human health and the environment from the improper handling of solid waste and to encourage resource conservation.
Safety Data Sheet. Provides information about health risks, safety precautions, first aid procedures, disposal requirements, and other data on various chemical products.
Secondary Containment. Any of several devices, such as liners and catch basins, that contain releases of hazardous materials stored in tanks, drums, or other containers, or transported through piping.
Solid Waste. “Solid” is somewhat of a misnomer as the regulations define solid wastes as solid, liquid, semi-solid, or containerized gaseous materials. It is a solid waste if it is:
·Discarded or has served its intended purpose;
·Abandoned;
·Being recycled by being placed on the ground (and that is not the normal use), burned for energy recovery, reclaimed, or accumulated for more than 1 year; or
·Inherently waste-like (e.g., dioxin wastes).
Treatment. Any method, technique, or process, including neutralization, designed to change the physical, chemical, or biological character or composition of a hazardous waste to:
·Neutralize it,
·Recover energy or material resources from it, or
·Render it non-hazardous or less hazardous; safer to transport, store, or dispose of; or amenable for recovery, amenable for storage, or reduced in volume.
Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF). A licensed facility where hazardous waste is stored, treated, or disposed.
Universal Waste. Hazardous wastes that have simplified management standards that ensure safe handling, recycling, or disposal. Universal wastes include batteries, some pesticides, thermostats, certain lamps, and certain aerosol cans. See 40 CFR 273.
Used Oil. Any oil that has been refined from crude oil or any synthetic oil that has been used, and as a result of such use is contaminated by physical or chemical impurities (see 561 FW 6.17).