Contents — April 2000

1. Years ago our company filed a "Notification of Regulated Waste Activity" with KDHE in order to get our EPA hazardous waste generator ID number. How often are we supposed to file one of those?
2. I burn waste oil in my shop to keep it warm in winter. I let people who change their own oil bring it to me to get rid of it. Some other shops in town want me to take their oil, too. Can I do that?

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1. Years ago our company filed a "Notification of Regulated Waste Activity" with KDHE in order to get our EPA hazardous waste generator ID number. How often are we supposed to file one of those?

"You need to file that form only once — unless your wastes change!" said Jean Waters, director of the Pollution Prevention Institute at Kansas State University. "One of the most common waste violations KDHE (Kansas Department of Health and Environment) finds when they do an inspection is that the EPA waste number (characteristic waste code) of the waste doesn't match what's on your notification form." This can happen when you change solvents with your solvent service company, when you change raw materials or when you add new processes. It's a good idea to check your waste codes.

Simply take all your hazardous waste manifests and compare the waste codes to what is on your notification form. If they're different, just fill out a new notification form and send it to KDHE. "Don't expect your solvent service or hazardous waste hauler to notify you when codes change," Waters said. "It's really your responsibility to make sure they're right. You can find a notification form in the back of the KDHE Kansas Hazardous Waste Generator Handbook. The waste codes are also in there. Call us or KDHE for a free copy of this book."

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2. I burn waste oil in my shop to keep it warm in winter. I let people who change their own oil bring it to me to get rid of it. Some other shops in town want me to take their oil, too. Can I do that?

"Kansas has new regulations covering the generation, storage, transportation, recycling, and disposal of used oil," said Jean Waters, director of the Pollution Prevention Institute at Kansas State University. "Previously, you could only take used oil from do-it-yourself oil changers. (Farmers who generate less than 25 gallons per month are considered do-it-yourselfers.) Effective in the fall of 1998, you can take used oil from businesses but you must test it before you burn it. The oil must have a minimum flash point of 100°F and cannot exceed the following contaminant levels:

Arsenic 5 ppm

Cadmium 2 ppm

Chromium 10 ppm

Lead 100 ppm

Total Halogens 1,000 ppm

"If a company wants you to take its oil, have it store it for you in bulk and then test it before you take it," Water said. "The test costs around $130 and usually takes two weeks. The company can pay for the test and you may still be the lowest cost disposal option for that company."

Oil-fired space heaters can be no larger than 0.5 million Btu per hour and combustion gases must be vented outside. Prices for the oil heaters range from $5,000. You can equip such heaters with a boiler for hot water generation.

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