Source: http://register.dls.virginia.gov/details.aspx?id=5223
Timestamp: 2019-07-20 18:04:28
Document Index: 652776275

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 10', 'art 261', 'art 273', 'art 273', 'art 261', 'art 273', 'art 273', '§ 38', 'art 273', 'art 273', 'art 273', 'art 273', 'art 273', 'art 273', 'art 273']

Vol. 32 Iss. 5 (Proposed Regulation) 9VAC20-60, Virginia Hazardous Waste Management Regulations November 02, 2015
Title of Regulation: 9VAC20-60. Virginia Hazardous Waste Management Regulations (amending 9VAC20-60-261, 9VAC20-60-264, 9VAC20-60-265, 9VAC20-60-273, 9VAC20-60-1505).
Public Comment Deadline: January 4, 2016.
Agency Contact: Debra Miller, Policy and Planning Specialist, Department of Environmental Quality, 629 East Main Street, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 698-4206, FAX (804) 698-4346, TTY (804) 698-4021, or email debra.miller@deq.virginia.gov.
Basis: Section 10.1-1402 of the Code of Virginia authorizes the Virginia Waste Management Board to issue regulations as may be necessary to carry out its powers and duties under the Virginia Waste Management Act (Act). Subdivision 11 of § 10.1-1402 states that the board is authorized to "Promulgate and enforce regulations, and provide for reasonable variances and exemptions necessary to carry out its powers and duties and the intent of this chapter and the federal acts, except that a description of provisions of any proposed regulation which are more restrictive than applicable federal requirements, together with the reason why the more restrictive provisions are needed, shall be provided to the standing committee of each house of the General Assembly to which matters relating to the content of the regulation are most properly referable."
Purpose: The Virginia Hazardous Waste Management Regulations (9VAC20-60) provide requirements for the effective management of hazardous waste in the Commonwealth, including the management of mercury-containing lamps by recycling facilities or universal waste handlers. This proposed amendment is intended to revise the current management requirements for these lamps to provide for better protection of human health and the environment.
Substance: In order to obtain U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) authorization for Virginia's universal waste program for mercury-containing lamps, this regulatory action (i) revises and adds additional requirements for mercury-containing lamp recycling facilities including testing, operational, closure and recordkeeping criteria, and if applicable, financial assurance requirements and (ii) revises and adds requirements for small and large quantity handlers and destination facilities that manage mercury containing lamps.
Issues: The primary purpose of this regulatory action is to develop a set of performance standards and requirements that allow for the crushing of mercury-containing lamps (fluorescent bulbs) in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment. Crushing of mercury-containing lamps has several benefits for businesses and will help to encourage recycling by making it more economical as compared to recycling intact lamps. Recycling results in the reduction of mercury in the environment, which is important for protection of public health.
The advantages to businesses include (i) reducing storage space over that needed to accumulate intact lamps, (ii) reducing time and labor costs, (iii) reducing emissions from lamp breakage that can occur during storage as well as during transportation, (iv) reducing transportation costs, and (v) making recycling more economical. Advantages to the general public include a reduction of mercury in the environment.
Disadvantages to businesses may include additional regulatory requirements associated with lamp crushing, particularly the annual mercury monitoring requirements and associated costs and additional recordkeeping requirements. These may be offset by the cost advantages.
Advantages to the Commonwealth are the promotion and encouragement of recycling, particularly the recycling of mercury that has known public health and environmental consequences if not disposed of properly. In addition, recycling promotes the Commonwealth's stated waste management hierarchy (i.e., recycling is preferred over incineration or landfill disposal).
This regulatory action is needed in order to obtain federal authorization for lamp crushing. Under federal rules, crushing is not allowed, but states can demonstrate that they have regulatory requirements and controls in place that provide the same level of protection. Currently, businesses in Virginia that are crushing mercury containing lamps may not comply with the federal requirement and risk possible enforcement action by the EPA.
Summary of the Proposed Amendments to Regulation. The Virginia Waste Management Board (Board) proposes to amend its regulation to set criteria for private businesses and governmental entities (known collectively as universal waste handlers) to safely crush mercury containing lamps (fluorescent bulbs). The Board also proposes to make the rules for entities that recycle mercury containing lamps more specific.
Estimated Economic Impact. Currently neither the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nor the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has rules in place that allow businesses and governmental entities (military bases, local governments or state government agencies) to crush mercury containing lamps. Currently both EPA and DEQ rules require these entities to box up spent fluorescent lamps and ship them to recycling centers. Because the EPA has been working with DEQ to formulate acceptable rules for universal waste handlers to be able to safely crush such lamps for several years, entities in the Commonwealth currently do crush this waste with the tacit approval of the EPA. Universal waste handlers are, however still currently subject to punishment (if the EPA chooses to change its non-enforcement policy) until these regulatory changes are promulgated and have become effective.
Currently, universal waste handlers crush mercury containing lamps using equipment that crushes the lamps, while filtering out any mercury vapor that is released, and then drops the crushed lamps into a drum. Costs associated with this activity include the costs of the bulb crushing unit(s) - $4,100 per unit, drums (which are reusable and are returned to the entity producing the waste after they are emptied at a recycling center) and HEPA filters - $177 per filter. The number of filters used per year will vary directly with the volume of lamps crushed by any particular universal waste handler. Costs also may include the cost of buying or renting monitoring equipment for universal waste handlers that crush large volumes of lamps. Board staff estimates that fewer than 100 entities will be required to monitor mercury vapor levels and that the costs of monitoring will likely range between $500 and $1,500 per year. Board staff also reports that effected entities that crush very large volumes of lamps may incur costs for writing a closure plan and costs associated with obtaining financial assurance. The one-time cost of preparing a closure plan will likely be less than $5,000 and obtaining financial assurance will likely be less than $500 per year. Board staff estimates that only about 10 affected universal waste handlers in the Commonwealth will crush enough lamps to meet the threshold for requiring a closure plan and financial assurance and that all of those will likely be governmental entities. Affected entities may also incur some additional bookkeeping costs that may range up to $1,000 for entities that have very large volumes of waste lamps that they crush.
If affected entities choose to crush, the costs of crushing will almost certainly be outweighed by savings universal waste handlers will experience on account of not having to box up spent bulbs whole and ship the boxes to recycling facilities. Board staff reached out to affected entities who report that crushing lamps and then sending the much less bulky drums to recycling facilities costs them 50% less (on average) when compared to conventional recycling. In particular, these entities report that crushing saves up to 20 hours of labor per 1,000 bulbs crushed and takes up 80% less space. Savings are also realized because drums are very sturdy and reusable but the boxes used to store and ship intact lamps rarely survive a trip to the recycling center and back to the universal waste handler and so, in effect are one time use storage that must be replaced at some cost.
Businesses and Entities Affected. Board staff estimates that approximately 500 entities will be affected by this proposed regulation. These entities will likely include local governments, state agencies, military facilities and medium to large businesses that would have large numbers of mercury containing lamps to dispose of. Board staff estimates that less than 10% of these entities would qualify as small businesses.
Effects on the Use and Value of Private Property. To the extent that these regulatory changes lower some expenses for businesses, the value of those businesses will likely increase slightly.
Small Businesses: Costs and Other Effects. Since the crushing requirements in this regulation represent an alternative to EPA and DEQ rules for recycling mercury containing lamps, no small businesses is likely to choose to crush lamps under these rules unless such a choice has more utility (is cheaper or more convenient or both) than recycling. Thus, these small businesses are unlikely to incur any net costs on account of this proposed regulation.
Small Businesses: Alternative Method that Minimizes Adverse Impact. Since the crushing requirements in this regulation represent an alternative to EPA and DEQ rules for recycling mercury containing lamps, no small businesses is likely to choose to crush lamps under these rules unless such a choice has more utility (is cheaper or more convenient or both) than recycling. Thus, these small businesses are unlikely to incur any net costs on account of this proposed regulation.
The proposed amendments address the management of mercury-containing lamps by recycling facilities or universal waste handlers, including (i) testing, operational, closure, and recordkeeping requirements, and if applicable, financial assurance requirements and (ii) requirements for small and large quantity handlers and destination facilities that manage mercury-containing lamps. The amendments qualify the Virginia mercury-containing lamp universal waste program as a state-equivalent program that permits the crushing of mercury-containing lamps.
B. In all locations in these regulations where 40 CFR Part 261 is incorporated by reference, the following additions, modifications, and exceptions shall amend the incorporated text for the purpose of its incorporation into these regulations:
1. Any agreements required by 40 CFR 261.4(b)(11)(ii) shall be sent to the United States Environmental Protection Agency at the address shown and to the Department of Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, Virginia 23218.
5. No hazardous waste from a conditionally exempt small quantity generator shall be managed as described in 40 CFR 261.5(g)(3)(iv) or 40 CFR 261.5(g)(3)(v) unless such waste management is in full compliance with all requirements of the Solid Waste Management Regulations (9VAC20-81).
6. In 40 CFR 261.9 and wherever elsewhere in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations there is a listing of universal wastes or a listing of hazardous wastes that are the subject of provisions set out in 40 CFR Part 273 as universal wastes, it shall be amended by addition of the following sentence: "In addition to the hazardous wastes listed herein here, the term "universal waste" and all lists of universal waste or waste subject to provisions of 40 CFR Part 273 shall include those hazardous wastes listed in Part XVI (9VAC20-60-1495 et seq.) of the Virginia Hazardous Waste Management Regulations as universal wastes, under such in accordance with the terms and requirements as shall therein be ascribed described."
8. Regardless of the provisions of 9VAC20-60-18, the revisions to 40 CFR Part 261 as promulgated by U.S. EPA on October 30, 2008, (73 FR 64757 - 64788) (definition of solid waste rule) are not adopted herein.
9. For the purpose of this chapter, any solid waste is a hazardous waste if it is defined to be hazardous waste under the laws or regulations of the state in which it first became a solid waste.
10. In 40 CFR 261.6(c)(1) and 40 CFR 261.6(c)(2) mercury-containing lamp recycling facilities must also comply with all applicable requirements of 9VAC20-60-264 B 34 and 9VAC20-60-265 B 21.
2. In 40 CFR 264.1(g)(11) and wherever elsewhere in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations there is a listing of universal wastes or a listing of hazardous wastes that are the subject of provisions set out in 40 CFR Part 273 as universal wastes, it shall be amended by addition of the following sentence: "In addition to the hazardous wastes listed herein here, the term "universal waste" and all lists of universal waste or waste subject to provisions of 40 CFR Part 273 shall include those hazardous wastes listed in Part XVI (9VAC20-60-1495 et seq.) of the Virginia Hazardous Waste Management Regulations as universal wastes, under such in accordance with the terms and requirements as shall therein be ascribed described."
10. In 40 CFR 264.143(b), 40 CFR 264.143(c), 40 CFR 264.145(b) and 40 CFR 264.145(c), any owner or operator demonstrating financial assurance for closure or post-closure care using a surety bond shall submit with the surety bond a copy of the deed book page documenting that the power of attorney of the attorney-in-fact executing the bond has been recorded pursuant to § 38.2-2416 of the Code of Virginia.
14. The following text shall be substituted for 40 CFR 264.143(f)(3)(ii), 40 CFR 264.145(f)(3)(ii) and 40 CFR 264.147(f)(3)(ii): "A copy of the owner's or operator's audited financial statements for the latest completed fiscal year; including a copy of the independent certified public accountant's report on examination of the owner's or operator's financial statements for the latest completed fiscal year; and"
c. Before transferring ownership or operation of a facility during its operating life, or of a disposal facility during the post-closure care period, the owner or operator shall notify the new owner or operator in writing of the requirements contained in this section and 9VAC20-60-270. An owner or operator's failure to notify the new owner or operator of the above requirements in no way relieves the new owner or operator of his obligation to comply with all applicable requirements.
(b) At the beginning of each week, the prior week's daily samples that shall be consolidated into one weekly sample which shall be submitted for chemical analysis of total mercury content using an approved EPA methodology. At least three separate daily samples shall be taken in order to obtain a weekly sample. When a facility is not operating at least three days during a week, that week will be dropped out of the 12-week rolling average as calculated under subdivision 34 b (3) (c) of this subsection. However, all daily samples that are in a week that has been dropped out shall be counted towards the very next weekly sample that is included in a 12-week rolling average. The result of this analysis shall be considered the "weekly composite sample of process operations."
e. Testing for mercury releases from lamp crushing units shall be performed using a mercury vapor analyzer that has been approved for the application by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration or the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry or a comparable device that has been calibrated by the manufacturer or laboratory providing the equipment. Mercury vapor monitors used for testing must be capable of detecting mercury at the applicable concentrations provided below or lower in air and must be equipped with a data recording device to provide a record of measurements taken. Mercury monitoring data shall be documented and available for inspection in accordance with subdivision 34 g of this subsection. The acute exposure protectiveness standard is 300 µg/m3 for a 10 minute exposure with the understanding that the acute exposure protectiveness standard is considered a ceiling value and at no time during bulb crushing operation will the air concentrations of mercury exceed 300 µg/m3. The following are risk based protectiveness standards at a distance of five feet from the bulb crushing unit:
300 µg /m3
2. In 40 CFR 265.1(c)(14) and wherever elsewhere in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations there is a listing of universal wastes or a listing of hazardous wastes that are the subject of provisions set out in 40 CFR Part 273 as universal wastes, it shall be amended by addition of the following sentence: "In addition to the hazardous wastes listed herein here, the term "universal waste" and all lists of universal waste or waste subject to provision of 40 CFR Part 273 shall include those hazardous wastes listed in Part XVI (9VAC20-60-1495 et seq.) of the Virginia Hazardous Waste Management Regulations as universal wastes, under such in accordance with the terms and requirements as shall therein be ascribed described."
12. In 40 CFR 265.193, the federal effective dates apply only to HSWA tanks. For non-HSWA tanks, the applicable date is of January 12, 1987, is replaced with November 2, 1997.
b. A permit application as required under 9VAC20-60-270 to address the post-closure care requirements of 40 CFR 264.117 and for ground water monitoring requirements of 40 CFR 264.98, 40 CFR 264.99, or 40 CFR 264.100, as applicable, shall be submitted for all regulated units that fail to satisfy the requirements of closure by removal or decontamination in 40 CFR 264.228(a)(1), 40 CFR 264.258(a), or 40 CFR 264.280(d) and 40 CFR 264.280(e), as applicable. The permit application shall be submitted at the same time as the closure plan for those units closing with wastes in place and six months following the determination that closure by removal or decontamination is unachievable for those units attempting such closure. The permit application shall address the post-closure care maintenance of both the final cover and the ground water monitoring wells as well as the implementation of the applicable ground water monitoring program whenever contaminated soils, subsoils, liners, etc., are left in place. When all contaminated soils, subsoils, liners, etc., have been removed yet ground water contamination remains, the permit application shall address the post-closure care maintenance of the ground water monitoring wells as well as the implementation of the applicable ground water monitoring program.
(c) A sample of air shall be collected after the first carbon filter (or equivalent technology) and upstream of the second once each operating day while mercury-containing lamps or devices are being processed. The mercury content of the sample shall be determined for comparison with the risk based protectiveness standards provided in subdivision 21 e of this subsection.
e. Testing for mercury releases from lamp crushing units shall be performed using a mercury vapor analyzer that has been approved for the application by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration or the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry or a comparable device that has been calibrated by the manufacturer or laboratory providing the equipment. Mercury vapor monitors used for testing must be capable of detecting mercury at the applicable concentrations provided below or lower in air and must be equipped with a data recording device to provide a record of measurements taken. Mercury monitoring data shall be documented and available for inspection in accordance with subdivision 21 g of this subsection. The acute exposure protectiveness standard is 300 µg/m3 for a 10 minute exposure with the understanding that the acute exposure protectiveness standard is considered a ceiling value and at no time during bulb crushing operation will the air concentrations of mercury exceed 300 µg/m3. The following are risk-based protectiveness standards at a distance of five feet from the bulb crushing unit:
1. In 40 CFR 273.32(a)(3), the term "EPA" shall mean the United States Environmental Protection Agency or his designee.
2. In addition to universal wastes included in 40 CFR Part 273, other wastes are defined to be universal wastes in Part XVI (9VAC20-60-1495 et seq.) of these regulations. Part XVI also contains waste specific requirements associated with the waste defined to be universal waste therein. In 40 CFR 273.1, the definitions in 40 CFR 273.9, and wherever elsewhere in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations there is a listing of universal wastes or a listing of hazardous waste that are the subject of provisions set out in 40 CFR Part 273 as universal wastes, it shall be amended by addition of the following sentence: "In addition to the hazardous wastes listed herein here, the term "universal waste" and all lists of universal waste or waste subject to provisions of 40 CFR Part 273 shall include those hazardous wastes listed in Part XVI (9VAC20-60-1495 et seq.) of the Virginia Hazardous Waste Management Regulations as universal wastes, under such in accordance with the terms and requirements as shall therein be ascribed described." Any listing of universal wastes in 40 CFR Part 273 shall incorporate the universal wastes set out in Part XVI in a manner identical to those included in the federal text; whether, for example, as in 40 CFR 273.32(b)(4), 40 CFR 273.32(b)(5), 40 CFR 273.39(b)(2), and 40 CFR 273.62(a)(20) or as items to be included in a calculation or requirement as in the definitions of "Large Quantity Handler of Universal Waste" and "Small Quantity Handler of Universal Waste."
3. In addition to the requirements for lamps contained in 40 CFR 273, the following requirements shall apply:
b. Universal waste lamps may be crushed or intentionally broken on the site of generation to reduce their volume; however, breaking, crushing, handling, and storage must occur in a safe and controlled manner that minimizes the release of mercury to the workplace and the environment and must comply with 29 CFR 1910.1000. The procedure for breaking, crushing, handling and storing of the lamps must be documented and use a mechanical unit specifically designed for the process that incorporates the containment and filtration of process air flows to remove mercury-containing vapors and dusts.
c. All handlers of universal waste (large or small quantity) who crush mercury-containing lamps under these universal waste regulations shall comply with the following provisions:
(1) The handler must use a mercury-containing lamp crusher indoors with air pollution controls that capture both particulate and vapor phase mercury. At a minimum, these controls must include, or must be equivalent to the protection provided by a HEPA filter, activated charcoal, and a negative air flow (vacuum) through the crusher unit. The crusher must have documentation from the manufacturer that demonstrates that the unit:
(a) Is capable of achieving the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for mercury of 0.10 milligram per cubic meter in indoor ambient air (under individual site-specific use conditions); and
(b) Achieves a particle retention rate of 99.97% in the HEPA filter (at a particle diameter of 0.3 microns).
(2) The handler must develop and implement a written procedure specifying how to safely crush universal waste lamps. This procedure must include: type of equipment to be used to crush the lamps safely, operation and maintenance of the unit in accordance with written procedures developed by the manufacturer of the equipment, and proper waste management practices. The handler must document maintenance activities and keep records of maintenance. In addition, the unit operator must receive training in crushing procedures, waste handling and emergency procedures (training must be documented).
(3) Residues, filter media, or other solid waste generated as part of the crushing operation, which are not being reclaimed and which exhibit any characteristics of a hazardous waste, must be managed in accordance with all applicable hazardous waste management requirements.
(4) The handler must ensure that spills of the contents of the universal waste lamps that may occur during crushing operations are cleaned up in accordance with 40 CFR 273.13 (d)(2) or 40 CFR 273.33 (d) (2).
(5) The handler must store the crushed lamps in closed, nonleaking drums or containers that are in good condition. Transfer of the crushed lamps to other drums or containers is not permitted.
(6) Drums or containers used for storage of crushed lamps must be properly sealed and labeled. The label shall bear the words "Universal Waste-Lamp(s)," "Waste Lamp(s)," or "Used Lamp(s)."
4. A small quantity b. A handler having a waste subject to the requirements of 40 CFR 273.13(a)(3)(i) or 40 CFR 273.33(a)(3)(l) is also subject to 9VAC20-60-270 and Parts IV (9VAC20-60-305 et seq.), VII (9VAC20-60-420 et seq.), and XII (9VAC20-60-1260 et seq.) of this chapter.
e. The owner or operator of a destination facility that recycles mercury-containing lamps with or without storing the mercury-containing lamps before they are recycled must comply with all applicable requirements of 9VAC20-60-264 B 34 and 9VAC20-60-265 B 21 of this section for mercury-containing lamp recycling facilities.
Note: At this time, there are no universal wastes that are not also universal wastes under 40 CFR Part 273 or 9VAC20-60-273 B.
h. The generator or facility under the control of the generator shall make written notification to the department of the physical location of the crushing operation no later than 30 calendar days after (insert effective date of this section) for all existing operations or 30 calendar days prior to beginning operation of a new crushing operation. The notification shall include the name of the individual or company that owns the operation; the EPA ID number if one has been issued for the facility; the location of the crushing operation; and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the operator and principal contact person or persons. A written notice of changes in the notification data shall be sent to the department within 15 calendar days of the change. The notification shall include the certification required under subdivision 4 (b) of this subsection if applicable.
n. All generators or facilities under the control of the generator that crush mercury-containing lamps, except those generators or facilities that crush two hours or less and no more than 220 pounds/100 kilograms (CESQG equivalent) of bulbs per month, shall provide monitoring as follows:
(3) Any lamp crushing device that, when tested as described above, fails to meet the criteria specified in subdivision 7 n (2) of this subsection, must immediately be removed from service. Lamp crushing devices removed from service under this subdivision may not be returned to service until the device has been inspected and repaired, and in subsequent testing has been shown to meet the specified criteria. Test data and documentation of repairs shall be kept in the facility record and available for inspection per subdivision 8 of this subsection.
9. All requirements of this section shall be immediately effective for all new facilities beginning operations on or after (insert effective date of this section). All requirements of this section shall be effective for all existing facilities no later than 90 calendar days after (insert effective date of this section).
VA.R. Doc. No. R12-3084; Filed October 9, 2015, 2:06 p.m.