Hazardous Waste

Photograph of a hazardous waste drum storage area

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.

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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

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

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

Hazardous Waste Manifests

Related Links

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