It is frustrating and time-consuming when you have to prepare your hazardous waste materials for shipping. To make it less confusing and to limit loading times at the dock there are ways you can keep track of your chemical waste inventory to make the process run much smoother. Using the right chemical waste inventory system will significantly impact your overall business.
Our inventory template allows clients to create a list of their chemical waste inventory. This list will then provide the information needed by EMS LLC to give them a quote for lab-pack services. This list or template will also allow clients to keep a running list of the chemical waste inventory as it is generated. Using our template will make it significantly efficient should your facility receive a surprise visit from the EPA. Contact one of our specialists at EMS LLC if your facility would like an Excel copy of the template.
Understanding Which Chemical Waste Requirements Apply to Your Business
The information given here is a basic understanding of what your business’s responsibilities are when managing and generating hazardous waste. Actual requirements can be located in Title 40 of the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) in parts 260 through 299.
To begin, determine which category your business falls under as a hazardous waste generator. The category in which your business falls is determined by the amount of hazardous waste you generate each month.
– VSQGs (Very Small QuantityGenerators) This classification is for facilities that generate less than 220 pounds a month (100 kilograms.)
– SQGs ( Small Quantity Generators) This classification is for facilities that generate between 220 and 2,200 pounds a month (100 and 1,000 kilograms.)
– LQGs (Large Quantity Generators) This classification is for facilities that generate more than 2,200 a month (1,000 kilograms.)
No matter which category your facility falls under, it must comply with chemical waste rules specific to that category. Most states have their own specific regulations on how chemical wastes are handled which are based on federal hazardous waste laws. Some states have more stringent regulations than the federal government imposes, in which case, your facility would be required to follow whichever are more stringent. If you are unsure which rules apply to your chemical waste disposal, storage, or transport, talk to the experts at EMS LLC.
Why Your Facility Needs Chemical Waste Inventory System
When a facility does not have an accurate inventory system for its chemical waste, it will be difficult or impossible to learn if there are discrepancies between perceived expenditures and your actual chemical inventory. The EMS LLC template will allow your lab managers to track your chemical waste inventory so they are able to create a plan within a budget and ensure the resources and needs of your lab are aligned.
Without a proper system in place to track your chemical waste, your facility could face significant issues, such as:
– Cause incorrect materials to be ordered
– Make your Toxic Release Inventory more complicated
– Put your permits at risk for using incorrect chemicals
Another problem with not having a proper system in place for your chemical waste is it will cause your facility valuable time and money. The first cost is the purchase of the chemical which could cost more if it is needed to meet an urgent deadline. A traditional purchase will have to be documented upon delivery and then added to an inventory list by a designated employee. This delivery also results in additional time and money needed to follow compliance measures, such as employee training, storage measures, and safety data sheets.
The time this chemical remains in your facility is known as the ‘lifespan’, and there will likely be multiple lab personnel who will share its container. If this container is needed by two or more personnel members or if the container gets misplaced, the lab manager may end up ordering more supplies of it. A system for tracking your chemical waste using the EMS LLC template will prevent the over-ordering of this material.
Without the system for tracking chemical waste designed by EMS LLC your facility will spend unnecessary funds stockpiling unnecessary and unused bulk surplus. The chemical waste inventory system is a cost-effective plan so you order ‘just in time’ or ‘as needed’ instead of having too many chemicals on hand. When ordering ‘when needed,’ it will eliminate the risk of having too many chemicals on hand in your site and cut down on your costs of sending unused containers to disposal.
When your facility holds excess chemicals in your lab, it creates a host of hidden costs. There are a lot of chemicals the laws regulate as to what quantity you can store. If your lab exceeds these quantities, you could face substantial fines. Other dangers are involved when your labs store excess chemicals as it increases the risk of spills and workplace injuries. Another cost is using precious lab storage space especially if these chemicals need special storage arrangements.
Importance of Tracking Chemical Waste Inventory
Letting chemical waste inventory take a back seat in your facility is not cost-effective nor safe for your lab. If your lab uses chemicals during daily tasks, then a chemical waste inventory system must be kept up-to-date minute by minute. When your quantities are used, or they approach their expiration date, all data should be documented and be current to the time of the day.
The data entered for used or expiring chemicals should be used for reordering or ordering. Do not wait until these chemicals are expired or depleted. Using the EMS LLC system will help you track your chemical waste and keep your supplies at the proper supply levels.
Where to Learn More About Tracking Chemical Waste
Environmental Marketing Services, LLC invites you to talk to one of our experts and learn how to track your chemical waste. We have more than ninety years of combined experience in the waste disposal and recycling industry and are ready to help you develop a cost-effective system to track your chemical waste and make your lab more efficient and safer.
