Universal waste destination facilities

• The universal waste rules include only two specific universal waste requirements for destination facilities.
• Owners and operators of destination facilities must keep the same records for receipt of universal waste shipments as those kept by handlers of large quantities of universal wastes.

Destination facility means a facility that treats, disposes of, or recycles a particular category of universal waste, except those management activities described in paragraphs (a) and (c) of 273.13 and 273.33. A facility at which a particular category of universal waste is only accumulated is not a destination facility for purposes of managing that category of universal waste.

The universal waste rules include only two specific universal waste requirements for destination facilities. In general, however, these facilities are subject to the same requirements that are applicable to treatment, storage, and disposal facilities under the full hazardous waste regulations. This includes permitting as well as general facility standards and unit specific requirements.

In addition to the full hazardous waste requirements, there are three sections specifying universal waste requirements for destination facilities. For the most part these requirements simply mirror universal waste handler requirements for receipt of universal waste, since destination facilities also receive universal waste.

Owners and operators of destination facilities must keep the same records for receipt of universal waste shipments as those kept by handlers of large quantities of universal wastes. Section 273.62(a) requires the owner or operator of a destination facility to keep a record of universal waste received at the facility.

The record must include information on the name and address of the universal waste handler or foreign shipper from whom the universal waste was sent; the quantity of each type of universal waste received; and the date of receipt of the shipment of universal waste. Section 273.62(b) requires that these records be retained for at least three years from the date of receipt of a shipment of universal waste.

This provision will complete the record of universal waste shipments, providing documentation of receipt, and allowing comparison of outgoing shipments from handlers against received shipments at destination facilities. No specific form is required for maintaining these records, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) believes that standard business records that would normally be kept by any business will fulfill this requirement.