Your business, regardless of how small or even if it’s located at home, has different regulations and requirements from households when it comes to hazardous waste. Outlined by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and enforced in Massachusetts by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), MA businesses have limited options when it comes to hazardous waste transportation and disposal. Today, we’re going over common types, transportation and disposal requirements, and how the MA VSQG Program can help.
Common Examples of Commercial Hazardous Waste
While you may already know the hazardous waste your company generates, for others, this can pile up until they find out about limited disposal options. Here are some of the top types:
- Electronic Products (eWaste): Computers, printers, batteries to specialized electronics, and the specialized electronics themselves.
- Paints, Stains & Solvents: Paint, stains, and inks used in products or services, but also paint from the maintenance of a brick-and-mortar location.
- Cleaning Chemicals: Commercial and industrial-grade cleaning products for location, machinery, and services.
- Automotive Waste: Contaminated and used automotive products from vehicle maintenance as a service or from a vehicle fleet.
- Laboratory Chemicals: Specialist, commercial, industrial, and controlled chemicals for your specific products and services.
To learn more about these common types of hazardous waste, see our blog, 5 Common Types of Small Business Hazardous Waste.
Small Business Hazardous Waste Disposal Requirements
Set out by the EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and enforced MassDEP and MassDOT (Massachusetts Department of Transportation), the rules and regulations surrounding hazardous waste generators fall into three camps: the generation and storage of hazardous waste on site, the transportation of hazardous waste to facilities, and the recycling/storage/disposal of hazardous waste in those facilities. The specific MassDEP Hazardous Waste Management rules and regulations that apply depend on the type and amount of hazardous waste generated.
The Massachusetts VSQG Program
Speaking of the amount of hazardous waste generated, it’s on small and at-home businesses that the costs of transporting and disposing of hazardous waste can become onerous. Thankfully, there is the MA’s Very Small Quality Generators (VSQG) program for qualifying businesses, which allows them to self-transport and dispose of hazardous waste. If you can meet the base requirements for this program (less than 220 pounds generated per month and less than 2,200 pounds stored on site), you will qualify. Learn more about the entire process in our blog, Small Business Hazardous Waste: MA’s VSQG Requirements, and get registered today!
At NEDT, we’re proud to offer our Small Business Quick Serv Program through our Collection Centers, allowing you to drop off VSQG-compliant hazardous waste at any of our locations. You will need to call NEDT at 1 (866) 769-1621 before delivering your materials, as important restrictions apply. Learn more about what we accept and where we are located. If you’re an SQG or LQG business, reach out to us on our commercial site for transportation and disposal quotes.
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