Some dealerships face hazardous waste reporting requirements

You may have seen information about hazardous waste reporting requirements, including a September 1 deadline to notify/re-notify the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) of your generation category. DEQ recently sent an email to its entire mailing list of generators in all categories as well as potential generators of hazardous waste who may not yet have notified at all.

Car dealerships with repair bays and painting capabilities generate hazardous waste that can lead to environmental reporting requirements.

Car repair locations generate waste when parts and cleaning machines are emptied, so when a machine is emptied after three months of service, it generates all that waste at one time, says the Virginia DEQ.

Paint spray booths waste and aerosol cans also count towards a business' overall hazardous waste count, DEQ says.

Many larger dealerships are considered Small Quantity Generators, meaning they generate between 220 to 2,200 pounds of hazardous waste per month, which is enough to fill up to five 55-gallon drums.

Those larger dealerships that are Small Quantity Generators are required to notify environmental regulators that they generate hazardous waste. They must also obtain an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identification number and comply with Small Quantity Generator requirements, which includes re-notifying environmental officials every four years, starting on Sept. 1, 2021.

Many smaller dealerships are considered Very Small Quantity Generators, meaning they create less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste a month, which is 37.5 gallons. Those Very Small Quantity Generators are typically not required to notify environmental officials or obtain an EPA identification number, according to the Virginia DEQ.

Sometimes those Very Small Quantity Generators have a hazardous waste transport or management company they use that will require them to get an identification number.

For more details on the hazardous waste reporting requirements, visit this web page on the Virginia DEQ website.