Environmental Services 101: What is a Hazardous Waste Profile? (First in a 2-Part Series)

A hazardous waste profile (to industry insiders, simply "profile") is a form that lists the chemical properties of wastes requiring disposal. This document is required by the EPA and must be submitted to the final Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) at which a generator's hazardous waste undergoes its final disposition. Accurate and complete knowledge of the constituents of one's hazardous waste is essential for preventing the TSDF from charging penalties for "off-specification" ("off-spec," in the vernacular) items or, worse yet, rejecting certain waste streams entirely. If the components of your chemical waste or processes change, it is necessary to update the profile and notify the TSDF. The following characteristics can be subject to variation: pH levels, viscosity, the level of certain chemicals via addition or elimination, percentage of water, applicable Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) codes, and noticeable odors. Depending on the TSDF, the profile approval process can take anywhere from 1-10 business days. In emergency situations, a rush request can be accommodated. ACTenviro has experts available to help at each step along the way. Above all, accurate profiling is critical to ensuring the safety of you, the generator, plus your environmental services provider, the transporter and the disposal facility. – Samantha Baron, Account Manager (Part two of this series will be published next week.)