Record Keeping In Hazardous Waste Management

The January after becoming the hazardous waste manager is one that I well remember.  My first year in this new role was done; it was time to move on to next year.  Then it happened; the regulators wanted to know how much waste had been generated and shipped.  Wasn’t planning on that one!  After spending several days gathering and verifying the info for my single generator, adding up the numbers, and getting the reporting forms completed, I was determined to never have to do that again.  Ever!  What to do?  Armed with this recent experience, now knowing the type of data the regulators wanted, and fresh Excel training, I sat down and developed a spreadsheet to collect the necessary data as it was generated throughout the year.  A system was also developed where a labeled packet is created for each hazardous waste shipment.  The packet label serves as a checklist for ensuring all required actions are completed.  Over the years, the core spreadsheet data is still there but many other data points have been added.  Since my office now manages several hazardous waste generators, the spreadsheet allows us to name, track, and account for materials in a standardized manner allowing quick and simplified answers to administration’s information requests and regulatory reporting requirements.  This presentation examines the genesis of the record keeping, the data kept, and how it is used in ways not originally envisioned and well beyond simple reporting to the regulators what we generated and shipped last year.