Planning For End of Year Clean-Outs
October 14, 2020

Coming into the 4th quarter of the year means it is time to begin planning your end of year clean-outs. This process can become an overwhelming task, but necessary to ensure that your facility remains clean and safe for your employees. Year-end clean-outs are instrumental for you to maintain and even increase your facility’s productivity.

As the year draws to a close, other facilities will also be completing their end of the year clean-outs of hazardous waste. The final two weeks of the year include holidays and times when the hazardous waste disposal service will not be operating. Planning now and scheduling your final hazardous waste pickup can avoid delays caused when too many companies try to get their pickup at the same time.

If you are responsible for disposing of hazardous waste generated in a school or college, you may have run into backups due to COVID 19. Should this be your situation, you may find it necessary to schedule a clean-out at the end of your fall semester. Every semester break increases the workload for on-site hazardous waste services. If there is additional waste from the past semester that was not handled, you should check with the generator and determine the specific deadline these wastes need to be disposed of. Plan early so all your hazardous waste is handled safely, properly, and according to all state, local, and federal regulations.

Annual Hazardous Waste Clean-Out Tips

With the end of the year comes new challenges to managing your hazardous waste materials. Local, state, and federal regulations are known to change frequently, but your facilities operators must stay updated on any industry changes. The professionals at Environmental Marketing Services can help you with changes if you have questions.

With over seven billion tons of industrial hazardous waste being generated and disposed of every year in our country, there is much cause to make sure it is regulated and disposed of in a compliant and safe manner. Manufacturing plants, health care facilities, and educational laboratories are all accruing more hazardous waste materials in their storage and work areas. Necessary steps must be taken in planning how to guarantee your hazardous waste is properly managed. Part of those plans includes planning early to avoid delays at the end of the year when disposal services become backlogged.

Working with Environmental Marketing Services and scheduling an end of the year clean-out will kick start your process. Following these tips on annual hazardous waste clean-out will also make the process less stressful for your facility.

Identify Your Hazardous Waste

Your plant managers or those in charge of managing your waste material disposal and storage need to understand which are defined by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) as hazardous. This understanding will ensure your facility is managing its waste in an organized and compliant manner.

RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act), under the EPA states that you are responsible for your waste materials. This responsibility begins when you generate the waste material until the time they are finally destroyed. Regulations must be followed so that your materials are managed and handled in a way that protects human health and your environment. If you are unsure of any handling procedures, check with the professionals at Environmental Marketing Services.

Follow Best Practices 24/7

If your facility is performing a year-end clear-out annually, you are encouraged to ensure you stay compliant year-round. Federal, state, and local regulations can sometimes be overwhelming and challenging to adhere to, but following best practices 24/7 will keep your facility prepared for the year-end clear-out. These practices include:
– Keep your incompatible chemicals segregated
– Label all your containers
– Keep all containers closed or sealed
– Ensure all materials are properly stored
– Keep all records up to date and in a correct order
– Understand the Penalties for Non-Compliance

Your facility can incur serious penalties for improperly handling hazardous waste. If your handlers do not understand the regulations set forth by local, state, and federal governments, your facility can face environmental contamination and cause safety and health risks. These contaminations and risks put your facility at risk for penalties as well as lawsuits. Not only will you face a financial burden for non-compliance, but there is also the negative impact these public fines will have on your brand’s or facility’s brand perception.

Suppose you do not have routine hazardous waste disposal services throughout the year at your facility. In that case, you still have to understand the importance of staying compliant and should seek advice and help from Environmental Marketing Services. The average cost of having this proactive compliance program for your hazardous waste outweighs the millions of dollars you could face in potential fines for non-compliance practices.

Use an Industry Expert

Regulations for handling hazardous waste vary from state to state, as well as on the federal level. Your best practice for managing your materials is to have a highly trained industry expert, such as Environmental Marketing Services, come on-site, and identify your procedures for handling, storing, and disposing of hazardous waste materials. This practice is much more practical and beneficial to your facility than waiting for a state or other government official showing up at your door.

Another practice for your facility to follow would be to strive to minimize your generation of hazardous waste materials throughout the year. When you manage hazardous waste in a compliant and safe manner and schedule a year-end clear-out early, you help your facility maintain safety measures for the public, your employees, and the environment.

Non-hazardous and hazardous waste disposal is one of the most carefully government-regulated industries. The pressures from these regulations continue to increase each year, and Environmental Marketing Services is here to help ensure your facility complies. With the end of the year fast approaching, talk with the EMS professionals, and learn how you can handle your year-end clear-out timely and efficiently.

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