General Description

Summary of Federal Requirements

Tanks at all three types of facilities are required to meet basic requirements including:

1. a hazardous waste may not be placed into a tank if it will cause the tank or its secondary containment system to rupture, leak, corrode, or fail;
2. special precautions are taken for ignitable, incompatible or reactive wastes;
3. the tank is operated using appropriate controls and practices to prevent spills and overflows;
4. periodic inspections are conducted to detect spills, corrosion, leaks, and operator error;
5. at closure, all hazardous waste and residues must be removed from the tank, peripheral equipment and foundation structure.

Tank systems at LQG facilities and TSDFs that store hazardous waste with a high volatile organic concentration must also meet emission standards specified under Subpart CC and BB of 40 CFR 264 and 265. These regulations also require generators to test the waste to determine the concentration of the waste, to satisfy tank and container emissions standards, and to inspect and monitor regulated units.

The following hazardous waste storage tanks are exempt from the air emission requirements if the waste management unit is one of the following:

1. tanks for which all hazardous wastes entering the unit has an average VO concentration at the point of waste origination is less than 500 ppmw. This determination is updated at least every 12 mo.;
2. tanks for which the organic content of all hazardous wastes entering the unit has been reduced by an organic destruction or removal process that achieves any of the following conditions:
   • a process that removes or destroys the organics to a level such that the average VO concentration of the hazardous waste at the point of waste treatment is less than the exit concentration limit established for the process;
   • a process that removes or destroys the organics contained in the hazardous waste to such a level that the organic reduction efficiency for the process is equal to or greater than 95 percent, and the average VO concentration of the hazardous waste at the point of waste treatment is less than 100 ppmw
   • a process that removes or destroys the organics contained in the hazardous waste to such a level that the actual organic mass removal rate for the process is equal to or greater than the required organic mass removal rate established for the process
   • a biological process that destroys or degrades the organics contained in the hazardous waste such that either of the following is met:
     1. the organic reduction efficiency for the process is equal to or greater than 95 percent and the organic biodegradation efficiency for the process is equal to or greater than 95 percent
     2. the total actual organic mass biodegradation rate for all hazardous waste treated by the process is equal to or greater than the required organic mass removal rate
   • a process that removes or destroys the organics contained in the hazardous waste and meets all the following conditions:
     1. from the point of waste origination through the point where the hazardous waste enters the process, the hazardous waste is continuously managed in waste management units which use air emissions controls as applicable to the waste management unit
     2. from the point of waste origination through the point where the hazardous waste enters the process, any transfer of the hazardous waste is accomplished through continuous hard-piping or other closed system transfer that does not allow exposure of the waste to the atmosphere
     3. the average VO concentration of the hazardous waste at the point of waste treatment is less than the lowest average VO concentration at the point of waste origination determined for each of the individual hazardous waste streams entering the process or 500 ppmw, whichever value is lower
   • a process that removes or destroys the organics contained in the hazardous waste to a level such that the organic reduction efficiency for the process is equal to or greater than 95 percent and the owner or operator certifies that the average VO concentration at the point of waste origination for each of the individual waste streams entering the process is less than 10,000 ppmw
   • a hazardous waste incinerator for which the owner or operator has either been issued a final permit under 40 CFR 270 or has certified compliance with the requirements of 40 CFR 265, Subpart O
   • a boiler or industrial furnace for which the owner or operator has been issued a final permit under 40 CFR 270 or has certified compliance with the requirements of 40 CFR 266, Subpart H.
3. a tank used for biological treatment of hazardous waste such that it degrades or destroys the organics contained in the hazardous waste such that either of the following conditions is met:
   • organic reduction efficiency for the process is equal to or greater than 95 percent and the organic biodegradation efficiency for the process is equal to or greater than 95 percent
   • the total actual organic mass biodegradation rate for all hazardous waste treated by the process is equal to or greater than the required organic mass removal rate
4. tanks for which all hazardous waste placed in the unit either:
   • meets the numerical concentrations limits for organic hazardous constituents as specified in 40 CFR 280 has been treated by the treatment technology established by the USEPA in 40 CFR 268.42 or have been removed or destroyed by an equivalent method of treatment approved by USEPA under 40 CFR 268.42(b).

Summary of State Requirements

States may also prohibit the use of an underground storage tank for the storage of hazardous waste.

Laws and Statutes