By their very nature, some businesses -- such as drycleaners, printers, furniture manufacturers, and construction firms -- create hazardous waste or work with hazardous materials on a regular basis. (In general, a waste is considered hazardous if it's ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic.) You might be tempted to conceal that waste in your regular trash or dump it in some out-of-the-way place, but that strategy can backfire in the long run and place your business in big trouble. By knowing and following the governmental waste-handling laws, you can:

1. Protect the health of your employees.
2. Stay in the good graces of the state and federal EPA.
3. Present your business as an environmentally-responsible firm.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Meet the federal regs

The term 'hazardous waste' has a specific definition under government regulations, and you need to know whether your manufacturing by-products fall into this category.

I recommend: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gives short descriptions of the different types of hazardous wastes. For an extensive list of hazardous wastes, look at the Code of Federal Regulations, which includes the EPA waste number for each type of waste. The EPA also has an easy-to-read single page chart of hazardous waste in PDF format.

Meet the state regs

Most states have their own department of solid and hazardous waste with regulations that might differ from the feds. Learn the laws for your state in case you need to register or report waste generation.

I recommend: The Environmental Compliance Assistance Program (ENVCAP) has links to every state hazardous waste department (and a state environmental agency when no waste department exists). Employees of local waste departments can visit your company and advise you on the proper steps to take.

Get registered

Unless you're keeping all your hazardous materials on site, you need to hire someone to cart it away, which means you need to register with the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

I recommend: Check the requirements for hazardous waste generators. If you fit this category, register online, clicking the "Initial" category if this is your first time.

Check your volume

Your responsibilities differ depending on your volume of waste. If you produce less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste per month, you are a conditionally exempt small quantity generator (CESQG) and federal laws don't require you to keep waste records, although they're still recommended. Produce between 220 and 2,200 pounds monthly, and you're a small quantity generator (SQG). Any more than that, and you're a large quantity generator (LQG).

I recommend: Florida's Department of Environmental Regulation has a checklist of requirements for SQGs that's generally applicable for SQGs in all states. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has an employee training form that covers the handling of hazardous waste that's required for SQGs. The regulations for LQGs are more extensive and include a biennial hazardous waste report that you must file. The short version of the LQC regulations (PDF) runs only four pages, while the user-friendly version (PDF) spans 335 pages. The EPA has helpfully posted a list of common violations by LQGs.

Keep on truckin'

Transporting the waste yourself to a treatment plant is an expensive job that requires a ton of paperwork. You're better off hiring a transporter that specializes in the waste your company produces.

I recommend: The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has a list of almost 200 hazardous waste transporters from a variety of states. If you can't find a company near you on that list, contact your state hazardous waste department and request a list of transporters.

Give waste a new home

You need to ship the waste to an authorized treatment, storage and disposal facility (TSDF). Each TSDF will handle different materials, so you need to find one that's right for you.

I recommend: CHWMEG, Inc., a non-profit trade association that conducts independent reviews of treatment facilities has a TSDF search engine on its Web site.

Find a buyer

Believe it or not, another business might be eager to buy your hazardous waste -- or at least take it off your hands for free, which is the next best thing.

I recommend: Industrial Materials Exchange services are available in Illinois, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Texas, and Washington/Oregon/Idaho among other states. Search Google for "materials exchange" and your state to find a nearby IME. The EPA maintains a list of state-specific exchanges, but not all of these handle hazardous waste.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Train employees to handle waste with care, post the appropriate warning signs, and have safety equipment available at all times.
• •  Monitor your waste volumes to make sure you don't cross from a CESQG to a SQG -- and if you do, take the appropriate action.
• •  Watch for production improvements that can lower your waste volume. If you don't produce it in the first place, you don't have to transport and treat it.

Hazardous materials management education and training is key to ensuring that you have the necessary skills to protect public safety. Hazardous materials management certification courses and hazardous materials management training can help you prepare to hold such responsibility.

Hazardous materials management education and training can consist of HAZMAT certification classes, hazardous materials technician training or even a hazardous materials management degree. However in depth you want to take your training will help push your career forward and look to cover the best interest of the people.

To find the right HAZMAT management education courses for you:

1. Assess your need. Do you just need a refresher or continuing HAZMAT management training education course? Do you want to earn a certificate or degree in it?

2. What is your budget for training?

3. Can you take your courses online, or if not, what are the travel requirements?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Understand more about the field before trying for hazardous materials management training

Make sure that you have a grasp on the field and a desire to learn many new and exciting things before jumping into hazardous materials management training.

I recommend: Find a number of hazardous materials resources through the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association. Take the Online Essentials of Hazardous Materials Management (EHMM) Course from the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers. Find out even more about Hazardous Materials Management for the US General Services Administration.

Pursue a hazardous materials management training degree program

Instead of just taking only one hazardous materials management course, consider taking it a step further. Invest your time and money into a hazardous materials degree program for the biggest career impact.

I recommend: Earn an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science through the two-year Hazardous Materials Management Program through Barton County Community College. Earn a M.S. in Environmental Science, with a Major in Hazardous and Waste Materials Management from Southern Methodist University.

Use your hazardous materials management training to earn certification

Pursue hazardous materials management training in order to obtain industry certification.

I recommend: Earn Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) credential through the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management. Try for a Certificate Program in Hazardous Materials Management through the Applied and Natural Sciences Department of the University of California Extension program. Pursue a certificate in Hazardous Materials Management through Georgia Tech. Arizona State also offers a Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Certificate.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before pursuing HAZMAT management training, come to a conclusion about your career path. Pursuing continuing education or a degree for the first time can be a costly endeavor in terms of time and money. You want to make sure that you have the time, funds, and support of your family to help you pursue this path.

Hazardous materials management education involves learning how to identify hazardous materials, convey the potential risks to the environment and humans and formulate a plan of action to minimize those risks through the proper cleanup and disposal of the hazardous materials. Industries that utilize hazardous or toxic chemicals such as manufacturing, industrial and transportation require hazardous materials management. Hazardous materials managers who have completed a hazardous materials management course pertaining to federal hazardous materials regulations and have completed other hazmat management training are in demand to ensure the organization complies with all regulations.

There are a variety of resources to obtain hazardous materials management education and training. For beginners, one can:

1. Contact institutions offering hazardous materials management certification courses.

2. Familiarize themselves with the hazardous materials tables as part of their hazmat education and training.

3. Attend hazardous materials management seminars, workshops and conferences.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Contact institutions offering hazardous materials management certification courses

Expand career opportunities by obtaining a certification in hazardous materials management. For beginners, certification signals to employers that you have the knowledge and abilities to identify and characterize hazardous materials and assess the risks of the hazardous materials to humans and the environment, even though you may not have experience. In addition, you will be responsible for the management of hazard materials, ensuring their proper handling, storage, and transportation and verifying that the organization complies with regulations pertaining to hazardous materials.

I recommend: The Institute of Hazardous Materials Management offers a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager certification program. Barton County Community College offers a Hazardous Materials Management Program that an individual can earn an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science upon program completion.

Get hazardous materials training to learn how to use the hazardous materials tables

It is nearly impossible for anyone to learn everything about every hazardous material and their attributes and be able to quote it off the top of their head at the completion of their hazardous materials management education and training. For beginners, one must be able to reference information about such as the Hazardous Material Description and Proper Shipping Name, hazard classification, identification numbers, label codes and special provisions when the need arises. For this reason, it is important when you take hazmat classes that you thoroughly understand how to read and comprehend a hazardous materials tables.

I recommend: Seton Resource Center and Environmental Chemistry provide an online hazardous materials resource table that one can utilize well beyond their hazmat management education courses.

Attend conferences, seminars or workshops as part of your hazardous materials management training

Hazardous materials seminars, workshops and conferences often include hazmat management courses that include hazardous materials regulations, hazardous materials safety issues and hazardous material manager training programs which enable individuals to provide hazardous materials education and training to others.

I recommend: The North American Hazardous Materials Management Association and the Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals provide Hazardous Materials Management Education and Training through their sponsorship of seminars, workshops and conferences.