Waste
Small businesses generate different types of industrial waste and must comply with state and federal requirements to ensure proper management of the waste. The generation, storage, disposal, treatment, and transportation of wastes often come with a multitude of environmental regulatory requirements.
Municipal, residual, and hazardous waste streams are types of waste that small businesses must contend with on a daily basis.
Hazardous Waste
A waste is hazardous if it could pose a danger to human health and the environment after being discarded, if it is listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or if it has certain characteristics such as ignitability, toxicity, corrosivity or reactivity.
In Pennsylvania, most of the state hazardous waste regulations have been adopted directly from the federal hazardous waste regulations & requirements.
The following resources are intended for Pennsylvania small businesses to better understand and manage any hazardous wastes that may be generated at your facility or operation.
Residual Waste
In Pennsylvania, residual waste is industrial, mining and agricultural waste that is not considered to be hazardous or municipal waste. Examples of residual waste include contaminated soil, rubber, glass, industrial equipment, electronics, filters, detergents and cleaners, excess grindings and shavings, etc.
The following resources are designed to answer some common questions about residual wastes in Pennsylvania.
Municipal Waste
Municipal waste is garbage, refuse, industrial lunchroom or office waste and other material resulting from operation of residential, municipal, commercial or institutional establishments and from community activities that is not residual or hazardous waste.
Universal Waste
Universal wastes are specific types of hazardous wastes that do not have to meet all of the hazardous waste regulations.
Examples include some batteries, pesticides, lamps, thermostats and other mercury devices.
- Pennsylvania DEP Universal Waste Information
- U.S. EPA Universal Waste Information
- Fluorescent Lamp Recyclers