As per the HWM Rules, 2016, for the Hazardous Waste Management Authorization, anyone involved in handling, generating, storing, transporting, or disposing of hazardous waste must apply for authorization from the State Pollution Control Board within 60 days of the publication of these rules. Authorization applications must include copies of documents showing that the applicant has received consent to establish and operate under the Water and Air Acts and a self-certified compliance report if renewing authorization. People who were authorized under the previous rules and those recycling or reprocessing hazardous waste in Schedule IV with registration are exempt from applying until their authorization or registration expires. The State Pollution Control Board will conduct an inquiry and site inspection and ensure compliance with guidelines before granting authorization within 120 days. The authorization will be valid for five years and subject to conditions.
Importance of HWM Authorization
- The State Pollution Control Board must approve facilities for managing hazardous and other wastes.
- The Board can refuse to grant authorization for specific reasons.
- Occupiers authorized under these rules must maintain records of hazardous and other wastes and submit annual returns to the Board.
- The Board must maintain a register of the conditions imposed for managing hazardous and other wastes, which interested or affected persons can inspect.
- The authorized actual user of hazardous and other wastes must keep records in a passbook issued by the State Pollution Control Board.
- Utilization of hazardous & other wastes as a resource or after pre-processing requires authorization from the State Pollution Control Board based on guidelines or standard operating procedures provided by the Central Pollution Control Board.
- The CPCB may issue guidelines or standard operating procedures for the environmentally sound management of hazardous and other wastes.
- No trial runs are required for co-processing waste in cement plants if the Central Pollution Control Board guidelines are available, but compliance with environmental standards must be ensured.
Technical Requirements Hazardous Waste Management Authorization
Transportation of Hazardous Waste Management Authorization:
- Authorization from the Board is required to transport drums of hazardous waste, and transport should have safeguards to prevent pilferage or leaks.
- The sender or receiver is responsible for safe transport and should obtain the necessary authorization.
- GPS-mounted vehicles must be used, and the vehicle’s movement should be displayed on XGN.
- The waste generator, transporter, and receiver should follow the manifest system strictly.
- The vehicle used for transport should display “HAZARDOUS WASTE” in Vernacular Language, Hindi, and English.
- In case of any spillage, leakage, fire, or accident during transportation, the waste generator and receiver are jointly responsible for any damages caused to the environment or third party.
- Drums, barrels, containers, or liners for decontamination from other states are not allowed.
- The drum decontamination facility should provide separate storage for different types of waste.
- Compatibility tests should be carried out for drums contaminated with hazardous chemicals/waste before cleaning.
- Well-trained staff should supervise storage sheds, and flammable, ignitable, reactive, and non-compatible wastes should be stored separately.
- Adequate storage capacity and ventilation, exhaust, and suction blowers should be provided, along with PPE for workers to prevent vapour liberation during handling.
- A compound wall should be provided around the facility with no provision of an outlet for effluent discharge.
- Storage areas should be designed to withstand the load of material stocked and any damage from material spillage.
- A separate covered storage area for contaminated containers should be provided with adequate fire-fighting systems.
Decontamination Process as Per Hazardous Waste Management Authorization
- The drums/containers must be cleaned using steam/cold water/hot water/jet spray/detergents/caustic solutions/solvents.
- Two-stage cleaning will be done – caustic/surfactant cleaning followed by freshwater cleaning with a fixed nozzle arrangement.
- The number of nozzles with multiple jet systems shall not exceed 03 in 1 HP pump. A sufficient number of nozzles and pump capacity shall be installed for the permitted quantity of drums to be washed daily.
- Water-soluble organic solvents like acetone may be used, and the wastewater generated must be treated adequately.
- No chemicals shall be used during handling, cleaning, and decontamination that become spontaneously reactive/flammable or give off flammable/toxic gases in contact with the contaminated drums.
- Proper absorbents or adsorbents like bentonite can be used to decontaminate barrels/containers/liners contaminated with hazardous chemicals/waste/oil residues, which must be disposed of at CHWIF.
Waste Management Process
The Waste Management as per the hazardous waste management authorization is as follows:
- The decontamination facility shall maintain zero discharge, and effluent discharge at CETP shall not be allowed.
- The effluent generated due to decontamination activities shall be treated in a primary ETP followed by a forced evaporator/MEE incinerator or other authorized means. Complete ZLD shall be maintained in all conditions.
- A water flow meter at the inlet of ETP and evaporator must be installed.
- Decontaminated pesticides and toxic chemical drums shall not be reused but instead cut into pieces and disposed of at TSDF/CHWIF.
- Only trace residue shall remain inside the contaminated drums/containers/barrels/empty liners and bags, and fully/partially filled contaminated drums/containers/barrels/empty liners and bags shall not be accepted by the facility. Leftover or residual material shall be safely transferred into a separate container for storage and disposal at CHWIF.
- The vent of the vacuum pump of the evaporator should be elevated at least 6 meters above the roof level.
- Membership of CHWIF/TSDF shall be obtained for the disposal of residues if required to be discharged outside the premises.
Storage of Decontaminated Drums
- The storage and decontamination area must not allow rainwater intrusion.
- A separate covered storage area with a proper slope and spillage collection system should be provided for decontaminated containers and labelled accordingly.
- The facility should carry out self-certification of decontaminated drums/containers/barrels, and third-party certification should be maintained.
- Safety measures, including emergency response plans, equipment systems, PPEs, and regular training, should be provided to workers.
- Proper records of waste received and stored, the quantity of drums cleaned and waste generated, and resources conserved should be maintained and submitted to the Board.
- The cover of the MS drum should be cleaned and mutilated for recycling or sold as scrap to an authorized party.
- Quarterly monitoring of effluent and ambient air quality should be carried out and reported to the Board.
Documents Required For Hazardous Waste Management Authorization as Per Rules 6 & 9
As per Rules 6 and 9 of the Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules, 2016, the following documents are required for obtaining Hazardous Waste Management Authorization:
- Form-I: This is the application form for obtaining authorization. It contains details such as the name of the applicant and address, the facility’s location, the type and quantity of hazardous waste generated, the proposed disposal method, and other relevant information.
- Site Plan: A detailed plan of the site showing the facility’s layout, location of various units and equipment, storage areas, access roads, drainage system, and other relevant features.
- Process Flow Chart: A process flow chart showing the flow of hazardous waste within the facility, including storage, treatment, and disposal.
- Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA): An EIA report prepared as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), which includes an assessment of the potential impact of the facility on the environment and human health, as well as measures to mitigate such impact.
- Consent to Establish (CTE) / Consent to Operate (CTO) from the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB): The facility should have obtained the necessary CTE or CTO from the SPCB before applying for Hazardous Waste Management Authorization.
- Authorization/ Registration Certificate under Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016: If the facility generates bio-medical waste, it should have obtained the necessary Authorization/ Registration Certificate under the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016.
- Details of the Operator: The details of the operator, including their qualifications and experience in handling hazardous waste, should be provided.
- Financial Assurance: The applicant should provide financial assurance in the form of a bank guarantee as per the guidelines of the MoEFCC[1], to cover the cost of remediation in case of any accident or environmental damage caused by the facility.
Conclusion
Hazardous Waste Management Authorization is mandatory for any industry dealing with hazardous waste to ensure safe and environmentally sound handling, storage, and disposal of the waste. The authorization process involves several steps, including the submission of necessary documents and compliance with various rules and regulations, as mentioned above in this write-up. Engaging a consultant with expertise in hazardous waste management can be highly beneficial as they can provide guidance in the preparation and submission of documents, ensure compliance with regulations, and assist in addressing issues that can rise during the authorization process.
Read Our Article: Hazardous Waste Management Authorization Norms: An Overview
