Relationship to Federal Regulations - Washington

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) has adopted the federal Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 100 – 199, including any future appendices and amendments. This adoption applies to the transportation of hazardous materials by highway, to the handling and storage operations incident to such transportation, and to the highway portion of an intermodal shipment of hazardous materials. The Washington State Patrol has also adopted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, Part 397.

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) has adopted the federal HMR, Title 49, CFR, Parts 170 – 189, as well as Part 397 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, including all appendices and amendments, in effect since October 1, 1998.

The WSP and the Washington UTC exercise regulatory control over the transportation of hazardous materials within the state. The WSP is the major regulatory agency for the transportation of hazardous materials. The Washington UTC has authority over common carrier brokers and household goods carriers.

The Department of Ecology is the lead agency in developing and administering the hazardous waste program within Washington.

Washington uses the term “dangerous waste” more than the federal law’s term of “hazardous waste.” This is because Washington’s dangerous waste regulations are more protective than federal laws. The definition of “dangerous waste” is more expansive than “hazardous waste.”