Washington Administrative Code › Title 173 - Ecology, Department of (See also Titles 197, 317, 372, and 508) › Chapter 173-303 - Dangerous waste regulations › Section 173-303-280 - General requirements for dangerous waste management facilities

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) Applicability.
			 The requirements of WAC
			 173-303-280 through
			 173-303-395 apply to all owners
			 and operators of facilities which store, treat, or dispose of dangerous wastes
			 and which must be permitted under the requirements of this chapter 173-303 WAC,
			 unless otherwise specified in this chapter. Whenever a shipment of dangerous
			 waste is initiated from a facility, the owner or operator of that facility must
			 comply with the requirements for generators, WAC
			 173-303-170 through
			 173-303-230.
(2) Imminent hazard. Notwithstanding any
			 provisions of this chapter, enforcement actions may be brought in the event
			 that the management practices of a facility present an imminent and substantial
			 hazard to the public health and the environment, regardless of the quantity or
			 concentration of a dangerous waste.
(3) Identification numbers. Every facility
			 owner or operator must apply for an EPA/state identification number from the
			 department in accordance with WAC
			 173-303-060.
(4) The owner or operator must comply with
			 the special land disposal restrictions for certain dangerous wastes in WAC
			 173-303-140.
(5) Salt dome formations, salt bed
			 formations, underground mines and caves. The placement of any noncontainerized
			 or bulk liquid dangerous waste in any salt dome formation, salt bed formation,
			 underground mine or cave is prohibited.
(6) The requirements of WAC
			 173-303-290 through
			 173-303-360 and WAC
			 173-303-395 do not apply to
			 cleanup-only facilities. Instead, owners/operators of cleanup-only facilities
			 must comply with the following requirements.
(a) Obtain an EPA/state identification number
			 in accordance with WAC
			 173-303-060(2).
(b) Obtain a detailed chemical and physical
			 analysis of a representative sample of the dangerous remediation waste to be
			 treated, stored or disposed at the site. At a minimum, this analysis must
			 contain all information that must be known to treat, store or dispose of the
			 dangerous remediation waste according to WAC
			 173-303-140(2)(a),
			 173-303-280 through
			 173-303-395 and WAC
			 173-303-600 through
			 173-303-695 and must be kept
			 accurate and up to date.
(c)
			 Prevent people who are unaware of the danger from entering, and minimize the
			 possibility for unauthorized people or livestock to enter onto the active
			 portion of the remediation waste management site, unless the owner or operator
			 can demonstrate to the director that:
(i)
			 Physical contact with the dangerous remediation waste, structures or equipment
			 within the active portion of the remediation waste management site will not
			 injure people or livestock who may enter the active portion of the remediation
			 waste management site; and
(ii)
			 Disturbance of the dangerous remediation waste or equipment by people or
			 livestock who enter onto the active portion of the remediation waste management
			 site will not cause a violation of the requirements of WAC
			 173-303-280 through
			 173-303-395 or WAC
			 173-303-600 through
			 173-303-695.
(d) Inspect the remediation waste management
			 site for malfunctions, deterioration, operator errors, and discharges that may
			 lead to a release of dangerous constituents to the environment or a threat to
			 human health. Inspections must be conducted often enough to identify problems
			 in time to correct them before they harm human health or the environment.
			 Problems must be remedied before they lead to a human health or environmental
			 threat. Where a hazard is imminent or has already occurred, remedial action
			 must be taken immediately.
(e)
			 Provide personnel with classroom or on-the-job training on how to perform their
			 duties in a way that ensures the remediation waste management site complies
			 with the requirements of WAC
			 173-303-280 through
			 173-303-395 and WAC
			 173-303-600 through
			 173-303-695 and on how to
			 effectively respond to emergencies.
(f) Take precautions to prevent accidental
			 ignition or reaction of ignitable or reactive dangerous remediation waste and
			 prevent threats to human health and the environment from ignitable, reactive
			 and incompatible dangerous remediation waste.
(g) Develop and maintain a construction
			 quality assurance program for all surface impoundments, waste piles and
			 landfill units that are required to comply with WAC
			 173-303-650(2)(j) and
			 (k),
			 173-303-660(2)(j) and
			 (k)    or
			 173-303-655(2)(h), (i) and
			 (j). The construction quality assurance must
			 meet the requirements of WAC
			 173-303-335.
(h) Develop and maintain procedures to
			 prevent accidents and a contingency and emergency plan to control accidents
			 that occur. The procedures must address proper design, construction,
			 maintenance and operation of remediation waste management units at the site.
			 The goal of the plan must be to minimize the possibility of, and the hazards
			 from, a fire, explosion or any other unplanned sudden or nonsudden release of
			 dangerous remediation waste or dangerous constituents to the air, soil or
			 surface water that could threaten human health or the environment. The plan
			 must explain specifically how to treat, store or dispose of the remediation
			 waste in question and must be implemented immediately whenever a fire,
			 explosion or release of dangerous remediation waste or dangerous constituents
			 occurs and could threaten human health or the environment.
(i) Designate at least one employee, either
			 on the remediation waste management site premises or on call (that is,
			 available to respond to an emergency by reaching the remediation waste
			 management site quickly), to coordinate all emergency response measures. The
			 emergency coordinator must be thoroughly familiar with all aspects of the
			 remediation waste management site contingency plan, all operations and
			 activities at the site, the location and characteristics of dangerous
			 remediation waste handled, the location of all records within the site, and the
			 site layout. The emergency coordinator must have authority to commit the
			 resources needed to carry out the contingency plan.
(j) Develop, maintain and implement a plan to
			 meet the requirements of this subsection.
(k) Maintain records documenting compliance
			 with this subsection.