If your business didn't generate hazardous waste, your business must apply for:
- A one year waiver, if you did not generate any amount of hazardous waste in the year billed.
- An exemption, if you never generate any amount of hazardous waste.
After we receive your request, we will respond within a few business days by email. We may request additional information in order to make a determination.
Please apply before the due date on your invoice.
Contact the Department of Revenue to update your business mailing address, NAICS code, or other business information. The Department of Ecology is not able to update this information.
Please note that address changes may affect the mailing of your tax information.
Yes, the bill was for last year’s activities under your old tax registration number or business name. If you generated waste during that period, the fee applies. Next year, you will be billed under your new tax registration number and business name, if your business meets the criteria.
You may be seeing this fee for the first time because of changes to the business classification code (NAICS code). The federal government is responsible for the code and updates it every five years. Many businesses have had their classification codes updated during review.
Yes, the fee applies to all businesses that generate hazardous waste in Washington.
Unpaid bills may accrue interest charges at a rate of 1 percent per month. If the bill remains unpaid, we may forward the bill to a collections agency. Collections charges could be up to 50 percent of the original fee, as allowed in RCW 19.16.500(1)(b).
Yes, but be sure to follow the payment instructions and include all invoices with the check. If you do not have the invoices, write your invoice numbers on the check.
We use the funds we collect to help businesses manage their waste safely.
We provide technical assistance to businesses to help them:
Ecology’s toxics reduction specialists offer technical assistance to anyone requesting help. These experts can explain the Dangerous Waste Regulations and help with pollution prevention and effective waste management. Many businesses working closely with our staff have reduced or eliminated the waste they generate.
For the purpose of the fee, dangerous waste and hazardous waste mean the same thing. Hazardous waste is a federal term and dangerous waste is a state term.
We recommend starting with dangerous waste basics: tools and resources to help you understand dangerous waste and your responsibilities.
You can also subscribe to our dangerous waste and pollution prevention newsletter, Shoptalk.