California Code of Regulations › Title 22 - Social Security › Division 4.5 - Environmental Health Standards for the Management of Hazardous Waste › Chapter 23 - Standards for Universal Waste Management › Article 3 - Standards for Universal Waste Handlers › Section 66273.33 - Universal Waste Management Requirements for Batteries, Lamps, and Mercury-Containing Equipment

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
The requirements of this section apply only to universal
					 waste handlers of batteries, lamps (including M003 wastes that contain lamps),
					 and mercury-containing equipment. The corresponding requirements for universal
					 waste handlers of electronic devices, CRTs, and CRT glass are set forth in
					 section 66273.33.5. Handlers of universal
					 wastes that are both electronic devices and M003 wastes [e.g., an electronic
					 device that contains a lamp [an M003 waste)] shall comply with this section and
					 section 66273.33.5 for the management of
					 those universal wastes. However, once lamp removal is completed on such waste,
					 such waste shall no longer to be managed as M003 waste and it shall be managed
					 as an electronic device pursuant to section
					 66273.33.5, if applicable.
(a) Batteries. A handler shall manage
				  batteries in a way that prevents releases of any universal waste or component
				  of a universal waste to the environment, as follows:
(1) A universal waste handler shall contain
				  any battery that shows evidence of leakage, spillage, or damage that could
				  cause leakage under reasonably foreseeable conditions in a container. The
				  container shall be closed, structurally sound, compatible with the battery and
				  its contents, and shall lack evidence of leakage, spillage, or damage that
				  could cause leakage under reasonably foreseeable conditions.
(2) A universal waste handler may conduct the
				  following activities as long as the casing of each individual battery cell is
				  not breached and remains intact and closed (except that cells may be opened to
				  remove electrolyte but shall be immediately closed after removal):
(A) Sorting batteries by type;
(B) Mixing battery types in one
				  container;
(C) Discharging
				  batteries so as to remove the electric charge;
(D) Regenerating used batteries;
(E) Disassembling batteries or battery packs
				  into individual batteries or cells;
(F) Removing batteries from consumer
				  products; or
(G) Removing
				  electrolyte from batteries.
(3) A universal waste handler who removes
				  electrolyte from batteries, or who generates other waste (e.g., battery pack
				  materials, discarded consumer products) as a result of the activities listed in
				  subsection (a)(2) of this section, shall determine whether the electrolyte
				  and/or other waste exhibit a characteristic of hazardous waste identified in
				  article 3 of chapter 11.
(A) If the
				  electrolyte and/or other waste exhibit a characteristic of hazardous waste, it
				  shall be managed in compliance with all applicable requirements of this
				  division. The universal waste handler is considered the generator of the
				  hazardous electrolyte and/or other waste and is subject to chapter
				  12.
(B) If the electrolyte or other
				  waste is not hazardous, the universal waste handler may manage the waste in any
				  way that is in compliance with applicable federal, state or local solid waste
				  regulations.