Chemical Waste Disposal Options for Small Businesses*
This guidance document is advisory in nature but is binding on an agency until amended by such agency. A guidance document does not include internal procedural documents that only affect the internal operations of the agency and does not impose additional requirements or penalties on regulated parties or include confidential information or rules and regulations made in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. If you believe that this guidance document imposes additional requirements or penalties on regulated parties, you may request a review of the document.

Form #: 05-184 Guidance Documents Revised: 1/6/23


CHEMICAL WASTE DISPOSAL OPTIONS
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES*

To identify ways that your waste may be disposed, select the appropriate column according to how your waste is regulated, then choose the appropriate row based on the physical state of your waste. The type of facility or treatment process that may be used to manage the waste is denoted in italics. For the purposes of this document, small businesses are defined as anything other than large quantity generators (LQG).



SQG HAZARDOUS
WASTE
CESQG HAZARDOUS WASTE
NON-HAZARDOUS
WASTE
L
I
Q
U
I
D
S
  • Recycling facility; must handle as hazardous waste until sent for recycling.
  • Sanitary sewer if approved by your wastewater treatment plant operator; can treat first to render more suitable for sewer.
  • Treat on-site to render non-hazardous, if:
    1) submit waste analysis plan to NDEE;
    2) treat in closed containers within 180 days. Then handle as non-hazardous; must notify receiving facility of treatment.
  • Hazardous waste management facility.
  • Recycling facility.
  • Sanitary sewer if approved by your wastewater treatment plant operator
  • Mix combustible waste with used oil and burn on-site in a space heater.
  • Hazardous waste management facility.
  • Recycling facility.
  • Sanitary sewer if approved by your wastewater treatment plant operator; can treat first to render more suitable for sewer.
  • Municipal Solid Waste landfill in small quantities, similar to those found in households; or with a special waste permit.
  • Mix combustible waste with used oil and burn on-site in a space heater.
  • Solidify, then handle as a solid.
  • Land application area with a special waste permit.
  • Hazardous waste management facility.
S
O
L
I
D
S
  • Recycling facility, must handle as hazardous waste until sent for recycling.
  • Treat on-site to render non-hazardous, if:
    1) submit waste analysis plan to NDEE;
    2) treat in closed containers within 180 days. Then handle as non-hazardous; must notify receiving facility of treatment.
  • Hazardous waste management facility.
  • Recycling facility
  • Municipal Solid Waste landfill in amounts less than 19.5 kg (43 lbs), or 5 gallons by volume, per day.
  • Hazardous waste management facility.
  • Recycling facility.
  • Municipal Solid Waste Landfill -- may need a special waste permit at some locations.
  • Land application area with a special waste permit.
  • Hazardous waste management facility.

* This Material is intended for guidance purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for the regulations found in Title 128 – Nebraska Hazardous Waste Regulations and Title 132 - Integrated Solid Waste Management Regulations or other applicable Nebraska environmental regulations.
  • Waste may only go to a wastewater treatment plant or municipal solid waste landfill with the approval of the operator. Contact your city treatment works or regional landfill for more information.
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  • LQG means a large quantity generator of hazardous waste according to Title 128, Chapter 10. A LQG is a business that generates waste in amounts greater than that of small quantity generators (SQGs), as listed below.
  • SQG means a small quantity generator of hazardous waste according to Title 128, Chapter 9. A SQG is a business that:
    • generates between 100 kg (220 lbs) and 1000 kg (2200 lbs) of non-acute hazardous waste per month
    • accumulates less than 6000 kg (13,200 lbs) of non-acute hazardous waste on site at any one time.
    • handles acute hazardous waste in accordance with the limits listed below.
  • CESQG means a conditionally exempt small quantity generator of hazardous waste according to Title 128, Chapter 8. A CESQG is a business that:
    • generates no more than 100 kg (220 lbs) of non-acute hazardous waste per month
    • accumulates less than 1000 kg (2200 lbs) of non-acute hazardous waste on-site at any one time
    • handles acute hazardous waste in accordance with the limits listed below.
  • Acute hazardous waste, as specifically listed at Title 128, Chapter 3, §015, Table 6, is subject to large quantity generator requirements unless the person or business handles acute wastes in the amounts listed below:
    • generates less than 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of acute hazardous waste per month; or
    • generates less than 100 kg (220 lbs) of spill residue from acute hazardous waste per month
    • accumulates less than 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of acute hazardous waste on-site at any one time
    • accumulates less than 100 kg (220 lbs) of acute hazardous waste spill residue on-site at any one time.
There is no SQG status for acute waste, if you exceed any of the requirements above, you are an LQG. This is due to the additional waste management requirements of an LQG as related to the necessary due diligence required for acute waste.

  • All hazardous waste generated by a SQG must be handled according to the requirements in Title 128, Chapter 9.
  • All hazardous waste generated by a CESQG is exempt from Title 128, as long as the CESQG:
    1. determines whether the waste is hazardous,
    2. handles the waste in an appropriate manner, which is included on the chart on page one.
    These requirements, and the exemption for CESQGs, are fully described in Title 128, Chapter 8.

  • All used oil burned in space heaters must be handled according to the requirements in Title 128, Chapter 7, §010, including used oil that is mixed with hazardous waste from CESQGs. (See Guidance Documents: Used Oil Collection Considerations and Used Oil and Used Oil Filters Management.
  • Household hazardous waste is not subject to the requirements of Title 128.
  • Recycling is the preferred method of handling wastes. Many businesses in Nebraska that would otherwise classify as SQG, or even LQG, maintain CESQG status through the application of a well-designed recycling program.

  • RESOURCES:

    Useful Websites:


    Contacts:
    • NDEE Hazardous Waste Compliance Assistance (402) 471-8308
    • NDEE Front Desk (402) 471-2186
    • NDEE Toll Free Number (877) 253-2603
    • Materials Exchange Program: Keep Nebraska Beautiful (402) 486-4622
      Toll Free (800) 486-4562

    NDEE Publications:

    Produced by: Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, P.O. Box 98922, Lincoln, NE 68509-8922; phone (402) 471-2186. To view this, and other information related to our agency, visit our web site at http://dee.ne.gov.