The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and individual states require facilities to track the hazardous wastes they generate through a set of forms, reports and procedures.
The system tracks hazardous waste from the time it leaves the generator facility until it reaches the off-site waste management facility that will store, treat, or dispose of the hazardous waste. The system allows the generator to verify the proper delivery of its hazardous waste and that no waste has been lost or unaccounted for during the process.
The system's key component is the uniform hazardous waste manifest — a form prepared by all generators who transport or offer for transport hazardous waste for off-site treatment, recycling, storage, or disposal.
Each party that handles the waste signs the manifest and retains a copy. This ensures critical accountability in the transportation and disposal processes. Once the waste reaches its destination, the receiving facility returns a signed copy of the manifest to the generator, confirming it has received the waste.
Maintenance and engineering managers and their departments must maintain waste manifests to document compliance with federal disposal regulations.
Jeffery C. Camplin, CSP, CPEA, is president of Camplin Environmental Services Inc., a safety and environmental consulting firm.
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