If your facility or business generates any hazardous waste, it's important to conduct periodic inspections of the storage and storage areas. For Small and Large Quantity Generators of hazardous waste, it’s a regulatory requirement that these inspections be done weekly.  Performing weekly inspections of hazardous waste storage will not only help manage waste streams and minimize the risk of state and federal fines, but it will also help identify any small problems within the storage areas and prevent them from turning into big, costly problems.

With guidance from the EPA, the Iowa Waste Reduction Center has provided a checklist for inspecting hazardous waste storage. The checklist consists of the following:

1. Are containers closed?

2. Are containers properly labeled and dated?

3. Are containers free of spillage and leaking?

4. Are containers and waste compatible?

5. Is there adequate aisle space between storage containers?

6. Are required signs legible and posted?

7. Is spill equipment available?

8. Is internal communion functional?

Following this easy checklist will help you and your facility steer clear of any potential hazardous waste accidents while also making sure you are meeting the intended EPA requirements. To download the IWRC’s weekly hazardous waste storage checklist click here or to download their monthly hazardous waste log click here.

For more information on hazardous waste, check out https://iwrc.uni.edu/regulatory-information/hazardous-waste.

About the Author
Abby Palmer
General/Marketing Intern
Iowa Waste Reduction Center