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A dangerous waste generator is "any person, by site, whose act or process produces dangerous waste or whose act first causes a dangerous waste to become subject to regulation". Dangerous Waste Regulations, WAC 173-303-040 Exit Ecology.
Generators have a generator status based on the amount of dangerous waste generated each month. Annual reporting, waste shipment manifesting, and management requirements are different for each generator status.
Large Quantity Generator (LQG)
Medium Quantity Generator (MQG)
Small Quantity Generator (SQG)
If a contractor generates hazardous waste at a job site, that waste is counted toward the job site's generator status. The owner/operator of that site is responsible for hazardous waste management under the site owner's RCRA site identification number.
Large Quantity Generators (LQGs)
LQGs have the most stringent requirements.
Medium Quantity Generators (MQGs)
MQGs have some reporting and manifesting requirements similar to LQGs.Small Quantity Generators (SQGs)
See What is a Small Quanity Generator? Your Regulatory Status Under the Dangerous Waste Regs, Ecology Publication No. 96-404.A list of Moderate Risk Waste Coordinators, Ecology Publication No. 00-07-013 is on the Department of Ecology's Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Publications website.
Generator Status Can Change Every Month
Dangerous Waste Generators can calculate their generator status for the month with the following information:
Generator status may change from month to month due to changes or variations in the site businesses waste generation.
A RCRA Site Identification Number (ID#) is required for;
sites that generate regulated amounts of dangerous waste,
transporters of regulated quantities of dangerous waste, and
facilities that transfer, store, treat, recycle, or dispose of dangerous waste.
Annual Dangerous Waste Reports on dangerous waste generation and management activities are required for sites with a current RCRA Site ID#.
Pollution Prevention Plans are required from
businesses that generate more than 2,640 pounds of hazardous waste a year, or
businesses required to report their toxic chemical releases under the 1986 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Title III, Section 313.
An annual Hazardous Waste Education Fee of $35 is required from all dangerous waste generators.
Facilities submitting Pollution Prevention Plans pay an additional variable amount Planning Fee.
See Pollution Prevention Plans and Fees for more information.
The Quantity Exclusion Limit (QEL) of a waste is the quantity, by weight, at which the waste becomes regulated per WAC 173-303-070 Exit Ecology. Each dangerous waste code or number has one of the two different QELs:
Find the QEL for each dangerous waste code on the following table:
Dangerous Waste Numbers with Their Quantity Exclusion Limits |
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Extremely Hazardous Waste (EHW) |
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| The QEL is 2.2 pounds | The QEL is 220 pounds |
| WT01 state criteria | WP01, WP03 state criteria |
| WL01 may be used on manifests and in the Annual Dangerous Waste report for labpacks containing wastes designated as EHW. | |
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Dangerous Waste (DW) |
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| The QEL is 2.2 pounds | The QEL is 220 pounds |
| *F020-F023, F026, F027 listed pesticide and wood treating wastes | *P number listed discarded chemical product residues, soil or spill clean-up |
| *P number listed discarded chemical products | U number listed discarded chemical products |
| *P number chemical containers or inner liners unless empty and triple rinsed per WAC 173-303-160(2) Exit Ecology | F number characteristic (except for F020-F023, F026, F027) |
| *F020-F023, F026 and F027 number pesticide residues, soil or spill clean-up | |
| K number listed waste sources | |
| D001-D043 number characteristic wastes | |
| WPCB state listed PCBs, WSC2 state corrosive wastes, WT02 and WP02 state toxic or persistent wastes | |
| WL02 may be used on manifests and in the Annual Dangerous Waste report for labpacks containing wastes designated as DW. | |
* Dangerous Waste that is also classified as EPA Acute Hazardous Wastes
Calculate the site's generator status each month with
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Dangerous Waste Generator Status Table |
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| If the QEL is 2.2 pounds and the waste is EHW: | If the QEL is 2.2 pounds and the waste is acute DW: | If the QEL is 220 pounds and the waste is EHW or DW: | |
| SQGs generate: | Less than 2.2 pounds | Less than 2.2 pounds | Less than 220 pounds |
| SQGs accumulate or store: | No more than 2.2 pounds | No more than 220 pounds | No more than 2,200 pounds, same limit as MQGs |
| MQGs generate; | There is no MQG status for 2.2 pound wastes, go straight to LQG status | More than 220 pounds but less than 2,200 pounds | |
| MQGs accumulate or store: | No more than 2,200 pounds, same limit as SQGs | ||
| LQGs generate: | 2.2 pounds or more | 2.2 pounds or more | 2,200 pounds or more |
| LQGs accumulate or store: | More than 2.2 pounds | More than 220 pounds | More than 2,200 pounds |