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Importer of Hazardous Waste
Any person who "imports" hazardous waste from Mexico or another
foreign country into the United States must have a U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) identification number and must comply
with various hazardous waste rules.
Hazardous waste regulations, written under the authority of the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), are designed to
prevent environmental pollution from the time the waste is generated
until it is safely disposed of. There are specific rules to follow
for the waste generator, transporter and disposal site. Because
waste generated in another county cannot be tracked until it enters
the U.S., the generator of imported waste is considered by
U.S. EPA to be the "importer." This is an important distinction
because the importer must therefore meet all the rules applicable
to waste generators.
EPA does not strictly define who is the importer. Rather, it
can be any party, who helped arrange for the importation (e.g.,
broker, transporter, disposal facility, etc.). In cases where
there is more than one party that could be defined as the importer,
the EPA recommends that the parties involved decide among themselves
who will act as the importer. However, note that although only
one company is the "importer", that all parties involved
in the transaction are responsible and liable for the safe handling
and disposal of the waste.
The importer's responsibilities include:
- acquiring U.S. EPA and state identification numbers,
- preparing a hazardous waste manifest that stays with the waste
from the time it enters the U.S. until it is safely disposed
of,
- storing waste properly (e.g., in warehouse),
- assuring that the waste arrived at its final destination,
and
- reporting and recordkeeping.
Many of the rules pertaining to hazardous waste are enforced
by state agencies. Although the rules are generally the same
from
state to state, there are some differences, such as forms, registration
requirements and reporting requirements. To learn about state
rules, use the pull-down menu and select the state where the
waste will cross the border into the U.S. Presently, information
is
only available for Arizona, California and Texas.
Importer of Hazardous Waste
Any person who "imports" hazardous waste from Mexico or another foreign country into the United States must have a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identification number and must comply with various hazardous waste rules.
Hazardous waste regulations, written under the authority of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), are designed to prevent environmental pollution from the time the waste is generated until it is safely disposed of. There are specific rules to follow for the waste generator, transporter and disposal site. Because waste generated in another county cannot be tracked until it enters the U.S., the generator of imported waste is considered by U.S. EPA to be the "importer." This is an important distinction because the importer must therefore meet all the rules applicable to waste generators.
EPA does not strictly define who is the importer. Rather, it can be any party, who helped arrange for the importation (e.g., broker, transporter, disposal facility, etc.). In cases where there is more than one party that could be defined as the importer, the EPA recommends that the parties involved decide among themselves who will act as the importer. However, note that although only one company is the "importer", that all parties involved in the transaction are responsible and liable for the safe handling and disposal of the waste.
The importer's responsibilities include:
- acquiring U.S. EPA and state identification numbers,
- preparing a hazardous waste manifest that stays with the waste from the time it enters the U.S. until it is safely disposed of,
- storing waste properly (e.g., in warehouse),
- assuring that the waste arrived at its final destination, and
- reporting and recordkeeping.
Many of the rules pertaining to hazardous waste are enforced by state agencies. Although the rules are generally the same from state to state, there are some differences, such as forms, registration requirements and reporting requirements. To learn about state rules, use the pull-down menu and select the state where the waste will cross the border into the U.S. Presently, information is only available for Arizona, California and Texas.
