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What is the Quantity Exclusion Limit (QEL) of a waste?

The QELs of the all the wastes you generate determine your generator status – whether you are a Small Quantity Generator (SQG), Medium Quantity Generator (MQG), or Large Quantity Generator (LQG).

The designated wastes at a site are excluded from the full dangerous waste regulations if the quantity generated each month falls below a certain quantity.

The quantity limit for most dangerous wastes is 220 pounds total for all the regulated wastes on the site from one month's generation added together. The wastes may be DW or EHW.

Some dangerous wastes are regulated at 2.2 pounds per batch or per month because even small amounts of these wastes are more dangerous. These wastes may be either DW or EHW. To find out whether the waste amounts you generate are fully regulated;

1. Identify which QEL applies to each waste stream by using the waste codes from designation (see the following QEL list).
2. Add all the wastes you generated with a QEL of 2.2 pounds.
3. Add up the all the amounts of waste you generated  with a QEL of 220 pounds.

If the total amount is more than the QEL, then you have generated regulated quantities of dangerous waste and are considered either a MQG or a LQG, depending on the volume of waste generated. Refer to How to Calculate Your Generator Status, page 9, for help using the QELs to find your generator status.

SQGs are generators who never generate more than the QEL for their wastes. They are regulated by a set of reduced dangerous waste regulations.

 

Wastes That Are Always EHW
QEL is 2.2 pounds	QEL is 220 pounds
WT01 state criteria	WP01 and WP03 state criteria

 

Wastes That Are Always DW
QEL is 2.2 pounds	QEL is 220 pounds
* F020-F023, F026, F027 listed sources	* 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)	F number characteristic (except for F020-F023, F026, F027)
	* F020-F023, F026 and F027 number residues, soil or spill clean-up
	K number listed sources
	D001-D043 number characteristics
	W001 state listed source, WSC2 state characteristic, WT02 and WP02 state criteria

* Federal Acute Hazardous Wastes