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Reducing Small-Volume Hazardous Materials and Wastes

Today’s Reality

The existing regulatory system for moderate-risk wastes focuses on waste management. The state’s Dangerous Waste Regulations (Chapter 173-303 WAC,) exclude MRW, either conditionally or categorically. The regulations give little attention to hazardous products and substances themselves, unless very large quantities are used.

Household hazardous waste (HHW) is any waste created by discarding a “hazardous household substance.” As state statute defines hazardous household substances, they are interchangeable with the term “products” as used in this initiative. The table below lists the broad categories of hazardous household substances, or products.

Hazardous Household Substance Types*

Type	Example
Repair and Remodeling	Adhesives, oil-based paint, thinner, epoxy, stripper
Cleaning Agents	Oven, deck, and toilet cleaners, degreasers
Pesticides	Wood preservatives, mole killer, herbicides, pesticides
Auto, Boat, and Equipment Maintenance	Batteries, paint, gasoline, oil, antifreeze, solvents
Hobby and Recreation	Photo and pool chemicals, glaze, paint, white gas
Miscellaneous	Ammunitions, fireworks, asbestos

*Local jurisdictions may include additional hazardous substances based on local hazardous waste planning processes.

The remainder of the moderate-risk waste stream comes from non-household generators of small quantities of hazardous waste. These businesses and other non-household sources are commonly referred to as conditionally exempt small quantity generators (CESQGs). Ecology has estimated there are about 65,000 CESQGs in Washington. Each of these businesses generates no more than 220 pounds per month or per batch of hazardous waste. CESQG wastes include many of the same substances as HHW, but also may include commercial-type wastes, such as copier and photo processing wastes; high-strength cleaning chemicals; and strong oxidizers, acids, and bases.

Ecology estimates that the current MRW collection system is managing only a small portion of HHW and CESQG wastes. In 2007, the system collected 32.2 million pounds of MRW (HHW and CESQG, combined). Of that, 24.6 million pounds were HHW. Ecology estimates this represents only 13 percent of the 186 million pounds of all HHW generated in 2007. The remaining 87 percent may have entered landfills, solid waste combustors, sanitary sewers, stormwater systems, or been dumped on the ground.

The CESQG waste stream is not as well quantified as HHW, but experts estimate the amount of CESQG waste generated in 2007 was probably at least equal to the amount of HHW generated. If it was equal to the HHW waste stream (186 million pounds), then the 7.6 million pounds of CESQG waste collected in 2007 represented only four percent of the total CESQG waste generated. The destination of the remaining 96 percent of the CESQG waste generated is unknown, though some goes to privately operated transfer, storage, and disposal facilities.

There is an obvious need for a better waste management system that captures more MRW. The existing collection system cannot possibly manage all MRW with the current level of resources. Local and state resources already find it challenging to fund the current level of HHW services. For the CESQG waste stream, most programs provide services for a fee and so some additional capacity might be available to serve this client base by the generation of fee-based revenues.

Although MRW collection is inadequate compared to the quantities and risks of MRW, it does divert hazardous substances from the municipal waste streams and provide numerous benefits. MRW collection:

• Provides an opportunity for waste reduction education.
• Allows for the recovery of hazardous substances as resources.
• Reduces the toxicity of solid waste landfills and wastewater systems.
• Helps the public avoid improper disposal practices.
• Protects waste-processing equipment and handlers from exposure to hazardous materials.

All of this reduces the human and environmental health risks associated with MRW.

Goals: What Washington will look like in 30 years (by 2035)

Thirty-year goals for the Small-Volume Hazardous Materials Initiative:

Safe products and services.

Minimizing chemical hazards associated with the life cycles of products and services has eliminated most threats to human health and the environment. Less toxic products and services are available to meet consumer demand, and highly hazardous products are generally unavailable.

Sustainable materials management.

Human health and the environment are well protected. Reuse and recycling are optimized for any remaining hazardous materials still in use. Producers, retailers, government, consumers, the solid waste industry, and other sectors have collaboratively developed a system for managing hazardous materials safely and responsibly.

Economic vitality.

Washington’s economic sectors thrive in the domestic and global marketplace as hazardous materials are systematically eliminated from products and services. New programs and technologies are developed to manage the remaining hazardous materials more effectively and efficiently. There is increased consumer confidence, decreased risks and liabilities, and reduced costs for managing MRW.

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