Do you generate hazardous waste at your business? Are you sure?
Many small businesses manage and dispose of hazardous wastes every day but don’t even realize it.
Under certain circumstances, common materials, such as paints, cleaning chemicals, and solvents — used electronic equipment, aerosol cans and even fluorescent lamps — can be classified as hazardous wastes when generated by a business and not a residential homeowner.
If your business generates waste that could be considered hazardous, you must properly manage and dispose of them. Regulations often limit where and how you can store hazardous wastes on-site once they have been generated, and specify how to dispose of them.
If proper management and disposal rules are followed, then some commonly generated wastes, such as fluorescent lamps, used oil, oil filters, used antifreeze and automotive batteries can be exempted from the hazardous waste regulations.
Failure to follow the rules for managing, storing and disposing of hazardous wastes can result in costly fines and, in worst cases, even businesses being shut down.
The Business Environmental Program at the University of Nevada, Reno College of Business provides free and confidential assistance to businesses and government entities to help ensure that hazardous waste regulatory requirements are followed, and to look for opportunities to minimize hazardous waste production. The program seeks to help businesses reduce their liabilities, better protect the environment and save money.