waste services

waste services > operations

The facility will receive non-hazardous industrial process wastes, contaminated soils, off-spec pharmaceuticals and other non-hazardous wastes.

RCRA Hazardous wastes are not knowingly accepted at the facility. Ensuring that hazardous waste is not accepted at the facility is the primary purpose of the Waste Acceptance Plan (WAP). Prior to contracting for receipt of wastes, prospective customers must submit a complete Waste Profile, an MSDS or Analytical for pre-approval testing. EMCO reviews the information provided on this form to assess the accuracy of the information and the potential for the waste to be hazardous.

The procedures for waste acceptance are specified in the facility's WAP. The WAP is the facility's first step in screening unacceptable wastes and ensuring that waste delivered to the facility is that describe by the customer. The WAP determines the minimum fingerprint analysis to be used to confirm that a waste received at the facility is, in fact the waste that EMCO had contracted to accept.

Incoming trucks hauling containerized waste are backed into the facility's unloading dock area. Manifest and Bill of Loading forms are checked prior to unloading the containers.

The trucks are not permitted to unload waste at the facility unless they are carrying the proper waste manifest or bill of lading forms. The manifest and bill of lading forms are inspected by a warehouse person immediately upon arrival of the truck and before unloading occurs. The manifest and bill of lading are required to contain the acceptance approval number pre-assigned by EMCO.

If the manifest and bill of lading contain the necessary information, the containers are unloaded from the truck and temporarily staged in the container sampling area. Each container is sampled and tested to determine if the contents of the container match the customer's waste characterization. Sampling and analysis of inbound waste is performed before the containers are taken from the container sampling area to the storage areas. The following analysis or "fingerprinting" is performed: pH, Flashpoint, Compatibility, Physical Appearance (measured by visual inspection of color, consistency, and odor), Reactivity.

In the event a RCRA hazardous waste is delivered to the facility, EMCO uses the 10-day storage provision contained within (s.) NR 620.14(3), Wisconsin Administrative Code to allow for transport of the material back to the customer or to a licensed hazardous waste storage or disposal site.

After the testing confirms the conformity of the waste material, a container storage compatibility analysis is conducted. The analysis is performed utilizing Test Method A of ASTM Method D 5058-90. The chemist monitors the mixture for reactions during the addition of each sample. The waste is considered to have failed the compatibility test if any reaction or temperature rise is observed.

Once the container storage compatibility analysis has been completed, the containers are transported by forklift to the storage area. Within the storage area a forklift, drum dolly, or similar vehicle may move the containers. The storage location of all containers are logged in and recorded so that each container may be easily located when necessary.

Containers are arranged with aisles no less than 3 feet wide and that no single container shall be located more than 12 feet from an aisle. A sprinkler system for the entire facility is rated under NFPA 13 regulations.

A Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) monitor issues a warning if a combustible concentration is detected in the air of the sampling and storage areas. There are two readouts for the LEL monitor. One is located in the sampling area. The other LEL monitor is located in the office of the Operations Manager, Steve Nugent.

The waste stored at the facility is shipped to solid waste co-generation facilities via truck. The solid waste is shipped in the original container unless the container requires overpacking for safe transport.

Waste consolidation is performed by shredding the waste at American Ref-Fuel using EMCO's Drum Processing System

Copies of the Facility's Waste Acceptance Plan (WAP) are available upon request.

A record is maintained of all incoming and outgoing waste shipments. Information relating to the origin, description, receipt, storage, consolidation and shipment of waste is entered into a relational database (Microsoft Access). The database enables the Facility to track waste as well as generate useful reports for customers (e.g., shipments by plant during a particular quarter). These reports are also available to customers via electronic mail.