Hazardous Waste

IMPORTANT COVID-19 BULLETINS AND INFORMATION

DEEP's Waste Engineering & Enforcement Divsions ("WEED") has responded to a number of issues that have arisen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  For information on hazardous waste issues, see below and visit the DEEP's Materials Management COVID-19 web page.  For COVID-19 information on other DEEP programs, visit the Main DEEP COVID-19 web page.

HAZARDOUS WASTE GENERATORS:  Generators have contacted WEED asking what to do if it is impossible to comply with certain hazardous waste generator requirements due to the partial or complete shutdown of their facility during the COVID-19 pandemic.  WEED responded with an email providing guidance for hazardous waste generators that may not be able to comply with requirements such as generator accumulation time limits and weekly container storage area inspections.  Further guidance will likely be forthcoming on this topic.

HAZARDOUS WASTE TRANSFER FACILITIES:  A ten-day transfer facility in Connecticut inquired what to do if it is impossible for them to comply with their 10-day storage time limit due to delays in shipment caused the COVID-19 pandemic.  WEED sent an email providing guidance to this facility regarding this issue.

RECALLED HAND SANITIZER PRODUCTS:  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") has issued a recall of a large number of brands of hand sanitizer products for having unacceptably high levels of methanol (aka "methyl alcohol").  Connecticut residents that have these recalled hand sanitizers should not use them, and should dispose of them through their local household hazardous waste collection program.  Retailers or other non-residential businesses/organizations that have these hand sanitizers must dispose of them in accordance with the applicable hazardous waste requirements, or make arrangements with the distributors of the products to do so.

On this web page you can find detailed information and guidance concerning the requirements for the management of hazardous waste.  The term “Hazardous Waste” as used here means discarded chemicals and other wastes generated from commercial, industrial, and institutional activities.

Household Hazardous Waste

Information on Hazardous Wastes that are generated by residents in their homes.  Such wastes are not subject to the same rules as wastes generated by commercial, industrial, and institutional activities.

RCRA Help!

Are you new to Hazardous Waste requirements?  Do you find them overwhelming or don’t know where to begin?  Try this one-stop guide to get you on your way to compliance.

Hazardous Waste On-Line Training Course
An Internet-based training course that provides detailed instruction in hazardous waste requirements for large and small quantity generators of hazardous waste.

What is Hazardous Waste?
An overview of the kinds of wastes that are subject to hazardous waste requirements, and links for more specific information to help you determine which of the wastes you generate are hazardous.

Hazardous Waste Management Regulations

Download a copy of Connecticut’s Hazardous Waste Management Regulations, and the federal regulations that they incorporate.  Includes fact sheets and other documents concerning Connecticut’s Hazardous Waste Management Regulations.

Hazardous Waste Compliance Assistance

Information on DEEP’s Hazardous Waste Compliance Assistance (“COMPASS”) program.  This program includes a number of different outreach tools to assist hazardous waste handlers in Connecticut achieve compliance and minimize waste.

Hazardous Waste Inspection & Enforcement Process

Describes how DEEP performs hazardous waste inspections and enforces violations of hazardous waste requirements.  Includes numerous tips and advice to help hazardous waste handlers prepare for an inspection and ensure the best outcome (i.e., full compliance – no violations) and advice on how hazardous waste handlers should respond if violations are found during an inspection.

Information for Generators of Hazardous Waste

• Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators (CESQGs)  Information for CESQGs, including links to DEEP’s CESQG Handbook.
• Small Quantity Generators (SQGs)  Information for SQGs, including links to DEEP’s SQG Handbook.
• Large Quantity Generators (LQGs) Information for LQGs, including links to several fact sheets developed especially for LQGs, as well as numerous other helpful documents.

If you are looking for help to find out what kind of hazardous waste generator you are, see RCRA Help!, or DEEP’s Hazardous Waste Generator Category Fact Sheet.

Permitting Requirements

• Transporters   Information for persons that are involved in the transportation of hazardous and Non-RCRA-Hazardous Waste (also known as "Connecticut-Regulated Wastes").
• Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs)  Information for facilities that engage in activities such as treatment, disposal, storage of hazardous waste for longer than the timeframes allowed for generators, or storage of hazardous waste that has been received from off-site.
• CGS Section 22a-454 Waste Facilities  Information for facilities that engage in the business of treating, storing, or disposal of Non-RCRA-Hazardous Waste (also known as "Connecticut-Regulated Wastes).

Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup For information on cleanup of hazardous waste sites, see:

• Draft RCRA Closure Guidance For Generators Who Store Less Than 90 Days, Container Storage Areas and tank Systems  Explains the cleanup requirements that Small Quantity Generators and Large Quantity Generators are expected to follow whenever they cease using a hazardous waste storage area, or shut down their facility.
• Guidance For Implementing and Documenting Closure (Waste Removal And Decontamination) For Indoor RCRA Hazardous Waste Storage Areas  Provides guidance for Small Quantity Generators and Large Quantity Generators specifically on the closure of well-managed indoor hazardous waste container storage areas. This document is not intended to replace the previous-listed document, since not all generator storage area closures will meet the eligibility criteria identified in this document.
• Cleanup Requirements for Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs)  See section entitled “Cleanup of TSDFs.”
• DEEP Property Transfer Program  Describes cleanup requirements that apply to certain present or former hazardous waste handler sites when the properties are sold or otherwise transferred.
• Superfund Programs  Includes links for the State and Federal Superfund Programs.

Hazardous Waste Manifests

• Note:  At the end of June 2018, EPA will launch a new electronic manifest system (the "e-Manifest") that will largely replace the need for paper manifests.  For more information, see EPA's e-Manifest Fact Sheets web page and e-Manifest web page.
• Hazardous Waste Manifest Requirements Describes the requirements for the use of hazardous waste manifests – special shipping documents that must accompany regulated shipments of hazardous waste.
• Hazardous Waste Manifest Database  Information on how to get copies of hazardous waste manifest data from DEEP.

Related Links

• Non-RCRA-Hazardous Waste (Connecticut-Regulated Waste).
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)  Information about the proper management of materials and wastes that contain PCBs.
• Pesticides

Questions?  If you have questions about hazardous waste, call our toll-free COMPASS hotline at 1-888-424-4193, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (except state holidays), or send us an email.

Content Last Updated September 3, 2020