Written on: July 1, 2021 by SprayTM
Clean Earth, a division of Harsco Corp. and a provider in environmental and regulated waste management services, announced that its Morgantown, WV location is immediately able to process and recycle aerosol cans in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Aerosol Cans as Universal Waste Rule that has now gone into effect in West Virginia, effective July 1.
The Aerosol Cans as Universal Waste Rule allows aerosol can waste to be managed as universal waste under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste rules (40 CFR 273), instead of classifying them as hazardous waste. Some of the objectives of this rule are to promote recycling of aerosol cans, thereby reducing the number being sent to landfills, as well as to ease regulatory burdens on retail stores and others discarding aerosol cans.
The EPA finalized this new rule on Nov. 15, 2019 and published it in the Federal Register on Dec. 9, 2019. The rule became effective on Feb. 7, 2020 in non-authorized States but had to be adopted in authorized states such as West Virginia.
Clean Earth’s hazardous waste facility in Morgantown is a Part B permitted Treatment, Storage & Disposal Facility (TSDF) capable of receiving a large variety of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes in drums, totes and bulk. The treatment, disposal and recycling process combine leading edge concepts with proven technology to provide reuse and recycling options without higher costs. The Morgantown facility’s capabilities include the processing and recycling of aerosol cans. With the ability to batch process and isolate equipment systems, Clean Earth can process waste and non-waste materials based on customer needs.
“We processed more than 11 million aerosol cans last year, and one of our biggest keys to success was our Morgantown facility, which processes aerosol cans received from coast to coast. We have the ability to properly manage, process, and recycle the aerosols we acquire in a safe, environmentally compliant, and efficient manner,” said Clean Earth President David Stanton.
“Because universal waste regulations are less burdensome on customers, we anticipate that the rule will lead to an increase in the amount of aerosol cans collected and available for us to manage through our facilities. Generators are now incentivized to manage aerosols sustainably as universal waste to avoid more complicated hazardous waste regulations and enforcement.”
Clean Earth’s goal is to help its customers move toward more sustainable methods of handling their wastes. Managing aerosols as universal wastes through a recycling process is one such example of a more sustainable management method because all of the components of the aerosol can be recycled instead of ending up in a landfill or incinerator.
Clean Earth will continue tracking new laws and regulations across the U.S., as well any interim steps.
To learn more about Clean Earth, visit www.cleanearthinc.com or follow Clean Earth on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
