Proactively managing biohazardous medical waste at your facility not only protects public health and the environment, it prevents violations and can save owners and operators sizable costs related to enforcement. Following are the most common violations and requirements and best practices to prevent them.

Improper disposal¹

Biohazardous medical waste needs to be transported by an approved biohazardous medical waste transporter to an approved disposal facility. Do not unload, reload or transfer biohazardous medical waste to another vehicle in any location other than an ADEQ-approved facility, except in emergencies.

Biohazardous Medical Waste Transporters Registered with ADEQ | Download >

Lack of proper tracking documentation²

Any person who accepts biohazardous medical waste must keep a signed tracking form for a minimum of two years after the acceptance of the waste. The tracking form must be signed by a transporter and comply with state requirements,² which include:

• Name and address of the generator, transporter, and medical waste treatment, storage, transfer, or disposal facility, as applicable.
• Quantity of biohazardous medical waste collected by weight, volume or number of containers.
• Identification number attached to bags or containers.
• Date the biohazardous medical waste is collected.

Improper delivery and/or storage³

Any person who transports biohazardous medical waste must deliver the waste to an approved biohazardous medical waste storage, transfer, treatment or disposal facility within 72 hours of collection or refrigerate the waste for no more than 90 days at 40°F (or less) until delivery.

Visit the biohazardous medical waste page for more information | Learn More >

¹A.A.C. R18-13-1401(18)
²A.A.C. R18-13-1406(B)
³A.A.C. R18-13-1408(C), R18-13-1409(G), R18-13-1409(I), R18-13-1411(5) 

Proactively managing solid waste at your facility not only protects public health and the environment, it prevents violations and can save owners and operators sizable costs related to enforcement. Following are the most common violations and requirements and best practices to prevent them.

Solid waste not adequately covered at the end of each operating day¹

At the end of each operating day, municipal solid waste landfills must cover waste with a minimum of 6 inches of earthen material, such as soil or dirt. Coverage may also be applied more frequently as needed but varies by site. Applying coverage helps control and decrease the likelihood of disease vector breeding, fires, odors, blowing litter and scavenging.

Operation of, or discharge from, a solid waste facility without an Aquifer Protection Permit (APP)²

Unless otherwise determined, any person who discharges or who owns or operates a facility that discharges must obtain an Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) from ADEQ. This includes solid waste disposal facilities, such as a municipal solid waste landfills | Visit APP Page for More Information >

Lack of controls for wind and other surface dispersion of solid waste³

Facilities need to operate in a manner that controls for wind and surface dispersion of solid wastes from a facility's property. When solid waste is scattered around, it is not only a public nuisance, but can pose as a threat to public health and the environment. Visible solid waste that is beyond the property line of a facility must be collected by an operator on at least a daily basis.

Visit the landfills page for more information | Learn More >

¹40 C.F.R. § 258.21(a) | View > and A.R.S. § 49-761 (B) | View >
²A.R.S. § 49-241(A) | View > and A.R.S. § 49-241(B)(2) | View >
³A.R.S. § 49-762.07(F)(1) | View >

Proactively managing solid waste at your facility not only protects public health and the environment, it prevents violations and can save owners and operators sizable costs related to enforcement. Following are the most common violations and requirements and best practices to prevent them.

Lack of controls for wind and other surface dispersion of solid waste¹

Facilities need to operate in a manner that controls for wind and surface dispersion of solid wastes from a facility's property. When solid waste is scattered around, it is not only a public nuisance, but can pose as a threat to public health and the environment. Visible solid waste that is beyond the property line of a facility must be collected by an operator on at least a daily basis.

Inadequate notification to ADEQ²

Solid waste facilities need to submit a notice of operation to ADEQ that contains:

• Facility name and mailing address.
• Legal description by township, range, and section and county assessor’s book, map, and parcel number.
• Description of waste storage, treatment equipment, and waste management methods, including types and volumes of waste handled and time the waste remains on site.
• A diagram of the property showing the location of the solid waste facility or facilities.

Lack of controls for vector breeding and fire hazards³

Solid waste facilities must be operated in a manner that controls vector breeding (i.e., rodents, flies, etc.) and fire hazards throughout the facility.

Visit the waste transfer station page for more information | Learn More >

¹A.R.S. § 49-762.07(F)(1) | View >
²A.R.S. § 49-762.07(A) | View >
³A.R.S. § 49-762.07(F)(3) | View >

Proactively managing waste and used tires at your facility not only protects public health and the environment, it prevents violations and can save owners and operators sizable costs related to enforcement. Following are the most common violations and requirements and best practices to prevent them.

Improper storage of waste and used tires

• Waste and used tires cannot be within 50 feet of any area in which smoking is permitted.¹ “No Smoking” signs should be posted within those areas.
• Tire storage areas must include proper placement of fire extinguishers.² A class “2A-10BC” type fire extinguisher must be placed within 75 feet from any point of a tire pile.
• Tires stored on-site must be a minimum of 3 feet from any property line.³

Lack of registration⁴ & associated fee payment⁵

All waste tire collection sites, including outdoor facilities, must register with ADEQ and pay the registration fee. Documentation should also be available at the time of inspection.

Visit the waste/used tire facilities page for more information | Learn More >

¹A.R.S. § 44-1304.01(A)(5) | View >
²A.R.S. § 44-1304.01(A)(7) |  View >
³A.R.S. § 44-1304.01(A)(3) | View >
⁴A.R.S. § § 44-1303 |  View > and A.R.S. § 44-1304.01(A)(8) | View >
⁵A.A.C. R18-13-1212 | View >

Proactively managing used oil at your facility not only protects public health and the environment, it prevents violations and can save owners and operators sizable costs related to enforcement. Following are the most common violations and requirements and best practices to prevent them.

Improper labeling¹

Containers and above-ground tanks that store used oil at generator facilities must be labeled or marked clearly with the words “Used Oil" affixed to the tank.

Improper clean-up²

Upon used oil release detection into the environment, a generator must perform the following cleanup steps:

1. Stop the release.
2. Contain the released used oil.
3. Properly manage and clean up the released used oil.
4. If necessary, repair or replace any leaking used oil storage containers or tanks prior to returning them to service.

Improper storage³

Containers and above-ground tanks used to store used oil at generator facilities must be in good condition, meaning no severe rusting, apparent structural defects or deterioration, and not leaking or no visible leaks.

Visit the used oil page for more information | Learn More >

¹40 C.F.R. § 279.22(c) | View > and A.R.S. § 49-802(A) | View >
²A.R.S. § 49-802(A) and 40 C.F.R. § 279.22(d) | View >
³A.R.S. § 49-802(A), 40 C.F.R. § 279.22(b) | View > and 40 C.F.R. § 279.45(b) | View >

Proactively managing used oil at your facility not only protects public health and the environment, it prevents violations and can save owners and operators sizable costs related to enforcement. Following are the most common violations and requirements and best practices to prevent them.

Improper storage¹

Used oil processors/re-refiners may not store used oil in units other than tanks, containers or units subject to regulation.² The containers and above-ground tanks used to store or process used oil at processor/re-refining facilities must:

• Be in good condition, meaning no severe rusting, apparent structural defects or deterioration.
• Not leak or show signs of visible leaking.
• Be equipped with a secondary containment system. At minimum this must include dikes, berms, or retaining walls and associated flooring, or an equivalent secondary containment system. The entire containment system must be sufficient in preventing the release of used oil into surrounding soil, groundwater and surface water areas.

Unsafe or improper facility conditions³

Owners and operators of used oil processing and re-refining facilities:

• Must maintain and operate facilities to minimize the possibility of a fire, explosion, or any unplanned sudden or non-sudden release of used oil to air, soil or surface water, which could threaten public health or the environment.
• Should have a form of internal and external communication devices at facilities, such as an internal alarm system and telephone to communicate with emergency services.
• Should have portable fire extinguishers, fire control equipment, spill control equipment and decontamination equipment present at the facility.
• Should have water at an adequate volume and pressure to supply water hose streams or foam producing equipment or automatic sprinklers present at the facility.
• Must maintain aisle space to allow unobstructed movement of personnel, fire protection equipment, spill control equipment and decontamination equipment to any area of the facility.
• Must have a contingency plan for the facility to be designed to minimize hazards to public health and the environment.

Lack of an up-to-date contingency plan³

Owners and operators of used oil facilities must prepare a contingency plan and emergency procedures protocol. The contingency plan must be designed to minimize hazards to public health or the environment from fire, explosions or any unplanned sudden or non-sudden release of used oil to air, soil or surface water. Some aspects of a contingency plan include:

• A description of actions facility personnel must take to mitigate a release of used oil or respond in the event of an emergency situation.
• A description of arrangements agreed to by local police departments, fire departments, hospitals, contractors, and State and local emergency response teams to coordinate emergency services.
• A list of names, addresses and phone numbers of all individuals qualified to act as emergency coordinator.
• A list of all emergency equipment at the facility, such as fire extinguishing systems, spill control equipment, communications and alarm systems. This list must also indicate the physical location of all emergency equipment.
• An evacuation plan for all facility personnel where there is a possibility that evacuation could be necessary (including signals, evacuation routes and alternate routes).

Visit the used oil page for more information | Learn More >

¹40 C.F.R. § 279.54(b) | View > and A.R.S. § 49-802(A) | View >
²40 C.F.R. §264 | View > and 40 C.F.R. §265 | View >
³40 C.F.R. § 279.52 | View > and A.R.S. § 49-802(A) | View >

Proactively managing used oil at your facility not only protects public health and the environment, it prevents violations and can save owners and operators sizable costs related to enforcement. Following are the most common violations and requirements and best practices to prevent them.

Lacking a quarterly report containing tracking information¹

Transporters, processors, marketers, and re-refiners of used oil must submit quarterly reports to ADEQ within 30 days after the end of the quarter. It must contain a copy of the tracking information and must be kept for three years.²

Records not properly retained³ 

Used oil transporters must follow applicable rules and regulations and keep a record of each used oil shipment accepted for transport. Records for each shipment must include all of the following:

• Name and address of the generator, transporter or processor/re-refiner who provided the used oil for transport
• EPA identification number, if applicable
• Quantity of used oil accepted
• Date of acceptance
• A signature dated upon receipt of used oil.

Records must be maintained for at least three years.

Visit the used oil page for more information | Learn More >

¹A.R.S. § 49-802(C)(3) | View >
²40 C.F.R. § 279.46 | View >
³40 C.F.R. § 279.46(a) and A.R.S. § 49-802(A) | View >