Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
At this writing, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is close to issuing a final rule amending the Worker Protection Standard (WPS). Yesterday we recapped some of the changes the EPA has proposed to update this standard, which is meant to protect farm workers and their families from exposure to pesticides. Today we will review […]
At this writing, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is close to issuing a final rule amending the Worker Protection Standard (WPS). Today we will recap some of the changes the EPA has proposed to update this standard, which is meant to protect farm workers and their families from exposure to pesticides. Tomorrow we will […]
President Obama introduced EPA’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) for existing power plants by calling it, “The single most important step America has ever taken in the fight against global climate change.” Once published, the CPP triggered a flood of reactions from ardent supporters, opponents, and those who say they must study the plan before taking […]
Changing environmental situations often requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revisit policies and interpretations of regulations even if the rules themselves are not amended. A case in point is a 1997 EPA policy that precluded the regulation of bio-oils (e.g., vegetable and animal oils) that have been used as lubricants, or for other […]
#1. What Went Wrong A California-based poultry company with a facility in Kelso allegedly did not meet the deadline in 2013 for reporting chemicals stored at its facility. The company apparently failed to report that it stored over 500 pounds (lb) each of ammonia and sulfuric acid, and over 10,000 lb each of carbon dioxide, […]
Since 1988, the UST regulations required that tanks be made of or lined with materials that are compatible with the substance stored. Since that time, many new biofuel blends have come on the market. The 2015 UST amendments add new compatibility notification, demonstration of compatibility, and recordkeeping requirements concerning certain biofuels. Notification. UST owners and […]
No longer deferred The 1988 UST regulations deferred several types of USTs from regulations. Under the 2015 amendments, three types of tanks were removed from the referral list and must comply with the 2015 UST regulations. USTs for emergency power generators. The new UST amendments removes the deferral for USTs solely to store fuel for […]
If you have hazardous waste at your facility, you are a generator of hazardous waste. If you decide to manage some of it as universal waste, you are automatically a universal waste handler by virtue of being a generator of universal waste. Generated universal waste is not counted in a generator’s hazardous waste quantity if […]
Problem # 1: Have you crossed the line to hazmat offeror? You’re a hazardous waste generator and you have hired a hazardous waste transporter to pick up your waste and haul it off. You’ve checked everything off your Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) checklist and you’re ready for the waste to be out of […]
An oil production company operating in Big Horn County, Wyoming was recently fined for the discharge of approximately 162 barrels of oil into a tributary of a major river. The discharge came from a leak in a pipeline at its pumping facility. The facility is on an onshore oil gathering, pumping, and storage station that […]