Regulated Waste Disposal

Most industrial, commercial and institutional (IC&I) waste materials are classified as regulated waste materials by the Ministry of the Environment. By definition, curbside household garbage and similar waste generated by businesses and institutions are classified as solid non-regulated waste. This definition also includes construction and demolition wastes such as building debris, roofing materials and yard wastes. However, all liquid wastes are deemed to be regulated waste, whether identified as having a hazardous characteristic or not. This includes fairly innocuous waste materials such as left-over paint from renovations, hydraulic oil, spent coolants and effluent solutions. Any waste materials generated from an industrial process, or waste by-products going for disposal including solids, semi-solids and sludge, are also considered regulated waste and can be regulated by the Ministry of the Environment. Materials like spent lubricating grease, wash water sludge and empty metal drums can't simply be thrown into the garbage bin. The burden of knowing all related federal, provincial and municipal regulations and understanding these responsibilities and their implications lands squarely on the waste generator.

Waste paint and stains

Waste containing solvents (ie. alkyd paints) are classified as hazardous waste and need to be disposed of accordingly. Waste paints and stains made from water based solutions may not have any hazardous characteristics such as heavy metals or flammability, however, they can't simply be poured down the drain or even taken to a municipal waste depot where only household waste is permitted. All industrial, commercial and institutional waste paint materials are considered regulated waste and need to be properly disposed of. The hazardous waste management professionals at Aevitas can assist your company with your regulated waste paint materials needs.

Spent fluorescent lamps

Any industrial, commercial or institutional waste material containing mercury or any other heavy metal is a regulated waste and considered toxic leachable material. Many provinces have recycling exemption programs in place dictating that if spent lamps are going to a recycler, they can simply be shipped on a bill of lading. Otherwise, the regulated waste material needs to be manifested as toxic leachable waste. Please do not throw spent lamps in the garbage, as doing so is a major cause of mercury contaminating our land, water and fish. Aevitas' hazardous waste experts offer the easiest and safest lamp recycling program in Canada. Check out our Recycle-By-Mail program for more details on how easy it is to recycle spent lamps.

Waste oil and lubricants

Some lubricants contain trace heavy metals for added protection, whereas other lubricants utilize viscosity to eliminate the contact resistance between two surfaces. Just because these industrial lubricants don't have any hazardous characteristics, they are still classified as regulated waste. Just one litre of oil can contaminate up to one million litres of drinking water, or cause an oil slick over eight thousand square kilometers in size! For that reason, the province of British Columbia classifies any waste with greater than 3% oil as hazardous waste. This includes solids like contaminated soil, absorbent, waste rags and wipers, electrical equipment, and so on. To learn more about how we can help your company manage your waste oil and lubricants, or any other regulated waste materials, get in touch with us.

Spent batteries

Providing us with lots of portable power, batteries are part of our everyday life and inside almost everything we use. Many batteries are now rechargeable, and contain heavy metals like mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel, etc. Non-rechargeable batteries use a lead and sulfuric acid reaction to create energy. All of these materials are toxic or even corrosive, making it necessary to classify batteries as regulated waste. Even though manufacturers of alkaline batteries have replaced heavy metals with materials like steel, zinc, and manganese, it is still a good idea to recycle them. Similar to the fluorescent lamp program, most provinces have initiated a recycling exemption program for batteries. Batteries with toxic characteristics due to heavy metals or acid can still be transported using a simple bill of lading only if they are to be recycled. Otherwise, they need to be manifested properly and shipped from a registered waste generator. Check out our battery recycling page to learn how easy it is to recycle spent batteries, and our Recycle-By-Mail program for more information on how you can forward your spent batteries to our hazardous waste management professionals.

Waste industrial water

Water used in an industrial process cannot be discharged to a drain without some type of treatment or analytical results proving that the waste material meets discharge criteria. All industrial liquids, including water, are considered regulated waste by the Ministry of the Environment. Introducing water into a process will typically change its characteristics by introducing new constituents; even if they are not hazardous the waste water will still require treatment before going to a discharge drain. Federal, provincial and municipal regulations and discharge criteria can vary by region, but the one thing that remains consistent between jurisdictions is the fact that if waste water is not tested or treated to meet discharge criteria, an investigation will be conducted which may result in heavy fines. Protect your company, and the environment, by contacting our company's hazardous waste management experts to learn just how we can help you effectively implement compliant regulated waste disposal methods.

Empty containers

You can't simply throw an empty metal drum in your metal bin for recycling, and metal companies are not licensed to haul regulated waste. Improperly discarded drums easily catch and hold rain water, and the residue from the material last contained will contaminate this water, creating a liquid waste to dispose of in addition to the regulated waste container. Containers with more than 2.5cm or 3% residue of original volume are classified as regulated waste that must be disposed of by licensed waste transporters in accordance to local regulations. For the management of certain oil fluid containers with less than 50 litres capacity, there are many provincial incentive programs which our organization proudly participates in. Please contact our hazardous waste management professionals to see if your empty containers qualify for an incentive, and to manage your empty containers, and other regulated waste materials, properly.

Unless your company has dedicated resources to manage regulated waste materials properly, it can be overwhelming for someone to manage this portfolio as an added responsibility. To add to the confusion, many provinces and even municipalities have different rules and regulations when it comes to managing IC&I regulated wastes. We are here to help! Don't take chances with the environment, or your companys reputation, and talk to us first. Our team of hazardous waste management experts can evaluate your companys unique circumstances so as to determine the best method of disposal for all your industrial, commercial or institutional regulated waste materials.