Job Openings - CDL Drivers - Warehouse Personnel Overview of the Universal Waste Program EPA’s universal waste regulations streamline the hazardous waste management standards for certain categories of hazardous waste that are commonly generated by a wide variety of establishments. The streamlined regulations: promote the collection and recycling of universal waste, ease the regulatory burden on retail stores and other generators that wish to collect these wastes and transporters of these wastes, and encourage the development of municipal and commercial programs to reduce the quantity of these wastes going to municipal solid waste landfills or combustors. Types of Federal Universal Waste The federal regulations identify five specific categories of materials that can be managed as universal wastes: batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment, lamps and aerosol cans. The part 273 regulations define the type of materials that fall under the universal waste categories and specify in what situations that material can be considered a universal waste. Batteries Pesticides Mercury-Containing Equipment Lamps Aerosol Cans EPA.GOV U.S. State Universal Waste Programs Adopting the Federal Program The universal waste regulations can vary from state to state in the United States. The majority of states have adopted the full federal universal waste program, however, others have only adopted some of the federal universal wastes. A state does not have to include all of the federal universal wastes when they adopt the universal waste regulations. If a state doesn’t adopt a certain universal waste and the waste meets the definition of a hazardous waste, then it must be managed under the applicable hazardous waste regulations in that state. EPA.GOV Find out more State-Specific Universal Wastes Additionally, states may add additional universal wastes to the state's universal waste program. A more detailed list of state-specific universal wastes and more information about state additions are available on our U.S. State Universal Waste Programs Web page. EPA.GOV Find out more Copyright © 2021 LEI, Inc. - All Rights Reserved. We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data. Accept