The United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) defines household hazardous waste as: The leftover content of
consumer products used in and around the home that contain hazardous
components, including certain paints, cleaners, stains and
varnishes, car batteries, motor oil, and pesticides.
Certain types
of household hazardous waste have the potential to cause physical
injury to sanitation workers, contaminate septic tanks or wastewater
treatment systems if poured down drains or toilets, and present
hazards to children and pets if left around the house. While
households do not have to separate household hazardous waste from
trash under federal law, some states and localities have special
disposal requirements for this waste.
This is why your community has
directed the Virginia Peninsulas Public Service Authority (VPPSA) to
provide household hazardous waste collection events. The costs for
these collection events are paid for by your community through its
annual budget. The events are limited to residential customers. The
program will allow for Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity
Generators, under very specific conditions.
If your
operations cause hazardous waste to be generated, you must determine
your generator status. The hazardous waste generator status of a
facility is determined based on the amount of hazardous waste
generated in any given month of the calendar year. Hazardous waste
generators are divided into three categories: conditionally exempt
small quantity generators, small quantity generators, and large
quantity generators.
-
Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity
Generators (CESQG): If you generate 220 pounds (100 kilograms)
or less of hazardous waste per month, you are considered
a CESQG.
-
Small Quantity Generator
(SQG): If you generate more than 220 pounds (100 kilograms) but
less than 2200 pounds (1000 kilograms) of hazardous waste per
month, you are considered an SQG for that year.
-
Large Quantity Generator
(LQG): If you generate 2200 pounds (1000 kilograms) or more of
hazardous waste per month of the calendar year, you are
considered an LQG for that year.
If you are a generator of
any hazardous waste and would like to find out what you need to know
to properly manage these wastes, the following site is very helpful:
http://www.ehso.com/hazwaste.php
VPPSA has a limited term
contract with Clean Harbors Environmental Services and through this
agreement is able to handle CESQG at collection events. They need to
contact VPPSA prior to the event and provide the name of the company
and a complete inventory of the materials and quantities for
disposal. VPPSA will contact its vendor with the provided
information and arrangements will be made. It is the responsibility
of the CESQG to pay for the disposal of the materials and a check
will be required before anything is unloaded.
There are instances where
direct contact with the vendor yields a more favorable outcome. The
vendor may be in the area providing services to another customer in
the area and can provide collection service direct at the business
address.
Although our contract is
very competitive, it is geared towards those materials found most
commonly in the home. For this reason we have provided a list of
other environmental services companies below.
Clean Harbors Environmental Services
(773) 646-6202
Everlights
(773) 734-9873
Heritage Environmental Services LLC
(630) 739-1151
Onyx Environmental Services
(618) 271-2804
R3 Environmental, Inc.
(847) 488-1492
Safety Kleen
(847) 468-6600
SET Environmental Inc.
(847) 537-9221
Waste Management
(800) 796-9696
