HWTR Home > Hazardous Waste Generator Fees

Hazardous Waste Generation Fee

State law requires all businesses that generate any amount of hazardous or dangerous waste to pay the Hazardous Waste Generation Fee (Generation Fee). The current $46 fee funds waste reduction activities like workshops, phone consultation services, literature on pollution prevention and technical assistances visits. Businesses will receive this billing during the first week of June.

Important: The Hazardous Waste Generation Fee that your company has received is not a new fee. For many years it has been called the Hazardous Waste “Education” Fee. The use of the name has created some confusion over the years. In an effort to resolve the confusion we are now calling the fee by its literal name, Hazardous Waste Generation Fee.

Notice: Payments must be postmarked by September 30, 2009.

Your business received this bill because of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code it was assigned. The NAICS code your business was assigned is associated with business activities known to produce dangerous waste.

 

Any Washington business must pay this fee if, based on last year's business activities, IF they:

• Generated dangerous waste and earned over $12,000 gross income according to their business and occupation (B & O) or Public Utilities tax return.

OR

• Had an active Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Site ID number and were required to report their dangerous waste activities last year.

One of these criteria must be met to be required to pay the $46 fee. This fee is based on the amount of dangerous waste produced the previous year, not on the way it was managed.

You can research your NAICS code using the US Census Bureau website at: http://www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/index.html

Please contact the Department of Revenue if you feel you business classification (NAICS Code) is incorrect at http://dor.wa.gov/content/contactus or 1-800-647-7706.

Be sure to review the Frequently Asked Questions and Answers, located in the left side of the page, to help you decide if you generate waste. If you do not generate any dangerous waste, you may submit a waiver request by using the link in the left side of the page or fill out the waiver/exemption form located on the back of your bill. You can mail the form to us using the return envelope provided with your bill.

Related Information

Here are some helpful links to information about the fee program and fee payer requirements.

Hazardous Waste Generation Fee Letter

WAC 173-305 Hazardous Waste Fee Regulation
This site provides the law and legislation for the HW Fee Program.
173-305-010 Purpose
173-305-015 Applicability
173-305-020 Definitions
173-305-050 General administrative provisions
173-305-110 Fees
173-305-120 Responsibilities of the Dept. of Ecology