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My Watershed

How do I calculate my generator status?

Dangerous waste generators can calculate their generator status each month with the following information:

  • The dangerous waste codes identified during the Dangerous Waste designation process,
  • the QEL chart for each Dangerous Waste code, and
  • a list with the number of pounds that is generated or accumulated each month for each QEL.

You can also use the Dangerous Waste Generator Status Table to look up your status.

Important! if you generated 2.2 or more pounds of a waste with a WT01 waste code in any given month, you became a Large Quantity Generator (LQG) that month!

You were a Small Quantity Generator (SQG) if :

  • You generated less than 220 pounds a month of waste with a 220 pound QEL, or less than 2.2 pounds of a waste with a 2.2 pound QEL.
  • You remained an SQG as long as you accumulated less than 2,200 pounds of 220 pound QEL waste, or 2.2 pounds of 2.2 pound QEL waste.

You were a Medium Quantity Generator (MQG) if:

  • You generated 220 pounds or more, but less than 2,200 pounds a month of waste with a 220 pound QEL.
  • You remained an MQG as long as you accumulated less than 2,200 pounds of 220 pound QEL waste.

You were a Large Quantity Generator (LQG) if:

  • You generated more than 2,200 pounds a month of waste with a 220 pound QEL, or more than 2.2 pounds of a waste with a 2.2 pound QEL.
  • You remained an LQG as long as you accumulated 2,200 pounds or more of 220 pound QEL waste, or 2.2 pounds or more of 2.2 pound QEL waste.

Example 1: You generated 120 pounds of F001 waste and 200 pounds of F005 waste, each with a QEL of 220 pounds. Your total monthly generation was 320 pounds. 320 pounds exceeds the 220 pound QEL. That means that ALL dangerous wastes that you have on-site are now regulated as MQG waste.

Example 2: You generated 1 pound of F020 waste, with a QEL of 2.2 pounds, and 250 pounds of an F001 waste, with a QEL of 220 pounds. You did NOT exceed the QEL off the F020 waste, but you DID exceed the QEL for the F001 waste. Because you exceeded the QEL for one waste, ALL of your wastes are now regulated as MQG waste.

Example 3: At the beginning of the month, you generated and sent off-site for management 100 pounds of F001 waste, with a QEL of 220 pounds. Later that month, you generated and sent off-site another 150 pounds of the same waste. You generated a total of 250 pounds of F001 waste. That 250 pounds is more than the 220 pounds QEL.  As a result, you are a MQG for that month.

Example 4: You generate 150 pounds of F001 waste during the month. You already have 80 pounds of F001 waste accumulated at your site . The total amount of dangerous waste at your site is 230 pounds. As a result, you are an SQG for the month since your generation was less than 220 pounds and your accumulation was less than 2,200 pounds.

To file your Annual Report forms, use the generator status on the most dangerous waste you generated in any one month, or accumulated at any given time during the reporting year. If you were an MQG for 11 months, and an LQG for one month, you need to report as an LQG on the Annual Report forms.

Generator status may change from month to month due to changes or variations in the site businesses waste generation.