Your waste service provider’s compliance record is as important as costs and services. If they fail to manage your waste safely and legally, you could end up paying for an expensive and embarrassing cleanup.
Look up a waste service provider's compliance history
The EPA's Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) allows you to see a provider's past history:
- Search by location: Enter the city or zip code of the facility, then scroll through the list or click the map.
- Search by facility name: Click the "Explore Facilities" button. Enter the facility’s name in the search bar.
Violations
Violations that threaten, or have potential to threaten, human health or the environment are serious.
Examples include:
- Unreported spills.
- Drums or containers without secure lids.
- Incorrect waste identification.
Citations
Do they have citations for:
- Poor waste tracking?
- Failing to keep records for waste shipments?
Citations for poor or missing records could impact your compliance as a generator if it calls into question what happened to a hazardous waste shipment.
Classification
Are they classified in ECHO as a:
- Significant non-complier?
- High priority violator?
These types of classifications could indicate the waste service provider has frequently failed to stay in compliance and could be a potential risk to your business.
Financial assurance (also known as financial responsibility) means the waste service provider ensures there is enough money available to cover cleanup costs should the need arise.
- If a waste service provider is cheaper overall, it could be because the amount of financial assurance they offer is low.
- Waste service providers that operate permitted dangerous waste facilities are often more expensive because they offer a high amount of financial assurance.
Remember, if a waste service provider mishandles your waste, you are still responsible for any cleanup costs. Using a waste service provider that offers enough financial assurance can save you peace of mind in the long run.
Permits help mitigate, control, and prevent hazards to human health and the environment. Not all waste service providers have (or require) dangerous waste permits because not all of them operate a dangerous waste facility in Washington.
A permitted dangerous waste facility is a physical site in Washington that is allowed to treat other businesses' dangerous waste or store dangerous waste on a long-term basis.
While all waste service providers must adhere to all state and federal laws that apply to them, only those operating a dangerous waste facility are required to have a dangerous waste permit issued by the Department of Ecology.
If a waste service provider does not have a dangerous waste permit, ensure you research them well.