Household
Hazardous
Waste
SOP 4.1: Receiving Wastes from
Participants
Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Introduction......................................................................................1
Regulatory and contractual requirements ...........................................1
Health and safety requirements .........................................................1
Equipment and supplies ....................................................................2
Procedures for receiving wastes .........................................................3
1. Introduction
This standard operating procedure (SOP) shall guide this Program to ensure safe receipt and proper
management of HHW.
2. Regulatory and contractual requirements
The acceptance of hazardous waste (HW) is governed by the requirements established in the HHW
program and state agency contract (Exhibits A and B).
3. Health and safety requirements
3.1 Program staff may choose to implement a more restrictive PPE policy. Engineered solutions to
environmental conditions and experienced staff judgment shall be used for unique conditions and
situations; see SOP 2.4: Personal Protective Equipment.
While accepting waste, staff shall wear:

safety glasses with side shields or goggles

footwear protection

protective gloves

long-sleeved shirt and pants or the equivalent

protective apron or equivalent

reflective vests for event collections
4.1: Receiving Wastes from Participants
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3.2 Proper ergonomic techniques shall be used while handling wastes; see SOP 2.11: Ergonomics.
Proper techniques may include:

Avoid bending and twisting while lifting materials from vehicles.

Be aware of weak containers holding HW. Cardboard boxes and paper bags may appear to be
strong, but may tear when lifted.

Participants shall be permitted to assist in unloading paint containers (e.g., 5-gallon buckets, 1gallon cans), but shall not be permitted to unload or handle any other type of chemical waste.

This facility does not provide any type of protective gear for participants.

Use a cart to move waste from the vehicle to the waste sorting area.
3.3 Staff shall prescreen waste for potential hazards and be aware of suspicious activities or behaviors;
see SOP 4.15: Security Issues.
3.4 Precautions for the overall health and safety of staff shall be addressed, (e.g., training, PPE). Staff
shall be trained within six months of hire or starting a new position or shall be supervised by trained
and experienced staff.
3.5 Dispute resolution training for unruly participants is recommended; see SOP 2.3: Employee Right to
Know.
3.6 Staff shall prevent HW impacts to the environment.
4. Equipment and supplies
4.1
Carts: made of non-porous materials to provide secondary containment.
4.2
Secondary containment: Place leak-proof containers (Tupperware) in pre-sort areas and label with
the applicable waste type. Staff shall ensure incompatible waste types are not placed in close
proximity; see SOP 4.2: Waste Sorting.
4.3
Presort tables: Set up in areas utilizing good material process and flow handling. Ensure enough
tables are in place for all incoming waste.
4.4
Spill kits: stocked and readily available; see SOP 2.6: Spill Response.
4.5
Signage: prohibits smoking and directs traffic control.
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5. Procedures for receiving wastes
5.1 Customer service
Acceptance of event waste provides an opportunity to provide customer service and education,
including how to:

be a good consumer of chemicals with hazardous properties

remove the lid and place empty containers in the solid waste (vs. bringing to Facility)

be courteous and provide efficient service; respond to participant complaints, suggestions, and
questions within three working days

be sensitive and informative to the needs of all utilizing the Program’s service

present a neat and clean appearance

avoid confrontation, if possible

provide printed publications, facility hours, or other educational materials
5.2 Verify participant or county residence
5.2.1
Participants dropping off waste shall complete a form attesting that the waste is generated
from a household (e.g., sign a Verification/Survey Form). This documents how many
households are represented and the compiled data shall be submitted to the State in annual
reports.
5.2.2
This Program may verify the identity of an individual by requesting to see a driver’s license
or other acceptable proof of residency.
5.3 Determining if waste type is acceptable
5.3.1
Common acceptable household waste types may include paints, fuels, aerosols, pesticides,
and cleaners; see SOP 4.2: Waste Sorting.
5.3.2
Participants with questionable loads may be required to sign a form certifying the waste
was not generated from a business. If participant indicates the load is generated from a
business, the participant shall be asked questions to determine generator size as only
minimal quantity generator waste acceptance is allowed. This Program may accept VSQG
waste if licensed by the State; see SOP 3.8: VSQG and OTG Generator Waste AcceptanceLicensing. Business generated waste shall not be accepted as HHW. When a suspicious
waste is brought in, ask the participant questions and be alert for waste that:

is transported in a commercial vehicle

contains unusually large quantities of a single product (greater than 5 gallons)

includes types of hazardous waste not normally used in residential homes
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
5.3.3
is in containers displaying the markings “for commercial use only”
Protocol to determine business waste qualification may include:

Apartment buildings and other multi-unit housing: If the waste is from routine
maintenance of individual residential units, it shall be accepted as household generated.
However, if the materials were used in the course of construction or demolition or
renovation by a contractor, then waste is considered business generated. See SOP 3.8:
VSQG and OTG Generator Waste Acceptance-Licensing.

Farms: If the waste was generated in the course of farming, it shall be accepted through
an active contract with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture; see SOP 4.17: Aggenerated Pesticides.

Home-based businesses: If the waste results from a current home-based business, it
shall not be accepted as household generated. However if the waste was abandoned at
the home and the person(s) involved in the business are no longer living or their
whereabouts are unknown, then the waste shall be accepted as household.

Hotels and motels, bunkhouses, ranger stations, crew quarters, campgrounds, picnic
grounds, and day-use recreation areas: Waste collected from sites occupied by the
public or is commonly used by households can be considered household generated. If
waste is generated from an area of the facility that the public does not normally occupy
or that does not serve as a temporary or permanent residence, or is a type not
commonly found in homes, the waste shall be considered business generated.
5.3.4
Unacceptable waste types include, but are not limited to:
5.3.4.1
Friable asbestos; see SOP 4.22: Asbestos Wastes. Non-friable asbestos-
containing materials contain asbestos fibers that are bound in tar-like or
petroleum-based materials (such as roofing tar) and shall be accepted for
proper disposal.
5.3.4.2
Infectious or biohazard wastes are not accepted. Sharps disposal options shall
be provided to participant upon request.
5.3.4.3
Non-hazardous waste, empty containers, or regular household trash is not
accepted. This waste can be placed in with trash if brought to a permitted solid
waste facility.
5.3.4.4
Explosives shall not be accepted. In the event explosives are inadvertently
accepted, staff shall be familiar with explosive management. See SOP 4.9:
Explosives Management. For immediate assistance, call the state-contracted
HW disposal company or the local police to notify the bomb squad.
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5.3.4.5
Radioactive material shall not be accepted. Upon discovery of material known
or suspected to be radioactive, staff shall contact the state-contracted HW
disposal company for further directions. However, smoke detectors shall be
disposed of as solid waste. For more information, see SOP 4.19: Managing
Radioactive Wastes.
5.4 Unidentified waste
5.4.1
Staff shall attempt to learn as much as possible about unidentified wastes from the
participant, including:

where the material was stored or located

if the participant had any hobbies, etc., that shall provide clues as to the contents; see
SOP 4.3: Abandoned and Unknown Wastes.
5.4.2
Unknown materials shall be examined for markings and segregated at the time of drop off.
5.5 Condition of materials
Accepting staff shall remain watchful for the condition of incoming waste containers. HW shall be
in sturdy, non-leaking containers. Any leaking containers shall immediately be placed into
secondary containment (e.g., over-pack drums, five-gallon pails, heavy plastic bags, rubber
stoppers, plastic bags, plastic buckets). If material has spilled in the participant’s vehicle, staff shall
assist with cleanup; see SOP 2.6: Spill Response.
5.6 Unloading Vehicles
5.6.1
Participants bringing in waste shall do so in a manner that is generally safe for Facility staff
to access and handle. This Program does not expect or allow staff to expose themselves to
unsafe hazards. If waste is delivered in a manner that is unsafe (i.e., mixed or covered with
other debris or very heavy items, such as refrigerators, broken glass, waste wood with nails
etc.), staff shall inform the participant of these options:
1. unload or remove the materials so the load is safe to handle
2. assistance is needed to ensure the waste is accessible (e.g., move items located at the
rear of the vehicle)
3. dispose of the waste at another time when it is brought in a safe manner
4. that they assume all risks and liability in the event of injury if unloading the material
without assistance from Facility staff
5.6.2
Staff responsible for receiving waste from participants shall perform the following steps:
1. Direct to a designated unloading or receiving area for unloading
2. Ensure that there is no smoking in the receiving area
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3. Complete applicable information or verifications
4. Inspect the waste load and be aware of containers that are:

unlabeled

leaking

posing immediate hazards

possibly commercial waste

other unacceptable waste types
5. Transfer acceptable waste to a cart and bring into Facility receiving area.
6. Containers are generally not returned to the participant. Secondary containers may be
returned upon request of the participant if it does not appear to be significantly
contaminated. Special arrangements may be needed for later return of containers (e.g.,
gasoline cans).
7. Facility may provide the participant with printed information regarding alternatives to
hazardous household products, disposal options for unacceptable materials, and other
information as requested.
8. Segregate materials by waste type and place into pre-sort containers for later labpacking or bulking. See SOP 4.2: Waste Sorting.
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