Beneficial use determinations

A beneficial use determination is a statewide exemption from Washington’s solid waste permitting requirements. Before a beneficial use determination can be issued, we review the application to:

• Evaluate whether the material proposed for the exemption is a solid, non-hazardous waste.
• Conduct an assessment of the proposed use and determine that it presents little or no risk to human health and the environment.
• Determine that the proposed use meets the conditions specified in the regulations to maintain the exempt status.
• Determine whether any additional terms or conditions should be placed on the application to ensure the use does not impact the environment.

Any exemption from solid waste permitting granted under the Beneficial Use Determination program requires prior written approval from Ecology and are granted solely to the original applicant. The exemption lasts as long as the material and approved use remain consistent with the original proposal.

Approved beneficial uses must still comply with all other local, state, and federal regulations.