Sustainability & Risk / Waste/ Waste - Background Data

Waste Categories, Profiles, and Regulated Codes

A waste profile defines the properties of a waste. By completing the details of a waste profile, you will have all of its details available to you when you work with specific instances of this waste. When completing the Waste Profile data for each waste, you should carefully research the transportation requirements and other details of the waste. The more accurately you complete the profile, the more useful the reports that access this profile will be. For example, the Waste Profiles by Category report provides details on waste profiles including the profile's assigned waste codes, by waste category. This enables you to review the waste profiles you are using to handle specific types of regulated waste.

Once your waste categories and profiles are defined, you can associate waste regulation codes with each profile.

Define Regulated Waste Codes

Use this task to enter the regulations that determine how your waste must be handled. This table can be used for any type of regulatory agency or government code with which you must abide.

Regulated Waste Code Enter a value that uniquely identifies the regulation and that you will recognize when choosing this value from a list of regulations.
Regulated Waste Code Type

You can use this field to classify your regulation. You might want to complete it with the name of the regulatory or government agency issuing the regulation, such as EPA or "International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code,"

Description Enter a description of the regulation. You can summarize the regulation in your own words, or enter the exact text of the regulation so that it is conveniently available for future reference.

Define Waste Categories and Profiles

Waste profiles are organized by waste categories. Use the Define Waste Categories and Profiles task to define your general waste categories, and then the waste profiles of each category.

To define a waste category:

  1. Run the Define Waste Categories and Profiles task.
  2. Choose the Add New button and choose Category.
  3. Enter a value that clearly defines the category, and use the Description field to further describe the category. Typical categories are: wastewater, trash and debris, and used oil.

To define a waste profile:

  1. Run the Define Waste Categories and Profiles task
  2. In the left pane, choose the waste category to which the waste profile belongs.
  3. Choose the Add New button and choose to create a waste profile.
  4. Complete these fields:
Waste Category The system will automatically complete this field with the category that you select from the selection list.
Waste Profile Enter an identifying name that you will recognize in selection lists.
Waste Name Enter a descriptive name for this type of waste.
Waste Type

Select if this waste is

  • Hazardous -- Solid, contained gas, or sludge wastes whose properties are dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment.
  • Residual/Non-Hazardous -- Non-hazardous materials that result from the production of goods and products, such as organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals, primary iron and steel, plastics and resin manufacturing, stone, clay, glass and concrete, pulp and paper, food.
  • Municipal -- Everyday items are used and then discarded, such as product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers. This waste is generated by homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses. You can think of municipal waste as items that can go into the regular garbage truck.

For help on classifying your waste, consult your regulatory agencies. For example, in the US, the EPA provides a series of Decision Tools, which help you determine if waste is hazardous or non-hazardous.

Status Indicate if your site is currently producing this waste according to the conventions defined in this profile by choosing Active or Inactive. Waste Profiles that are inactive will not be available for the user to choose in subsequent views.
Default Units Type From the list of available choices (Liquid, Gas, or Mass), choose the type of unit in which this waste will be measured. When you work with a specific instance of this waste, you will be able to select the unit to measure it in according to the Unit Type specified here. For example, choose Gas for this field and when you enter a specific instance of this waste, you can choose only units appropriate for measuring gas, such as cubic feet or cubic meters.
Transportation Shipping Name Enter the name by which the transporter recognizes this waste. For example, the transporter may use a more general name for the waste than you have provided in the Waste Name field.
Transportation Classification Government regulations may control the transportation of this type of waste. Use this field to enter the classification by which the regulatory agency classifies this waste.
Is Transportation Hazardous?

The Waste Type field, above, indicates a waste is hazardous or non-hazardous. However, you may also want to specifically note if the waste is considered hazardous in terms of transportation. For example, waste can be considered non-hazardous but hazardous to transport and therefore subject to regulations by both the Department of Transportation and the EPA (or other similar regulatory agencies for non-US companies).

Is Recyclable? Indicate if this waste is recyclable.
Specific Gravity For this type of waste, enter its specific gravity, as this may be relevant in transporting or processing this waste. For example, if your site is considered by the EPA to be a large generator of waste and you report a waste in terms of volume, you must also report the density when completing biennial reports to the EPA.
CAS Number Use this field to record the CAS Number of this type of waste. This number helps transporters and others involved in processing the waste to clearly identify it.
SDS Code If you are tracking this type of waste with an SDS, type the number here. If you have the Archibus SDS application and have defined SDSs, you can choose an existing SDS from the list.

Assign Regulated Waste Codes to Profiles

Once you define your waste profiles, you will want to associate regulations with them so that you conveniently have at hand the specific regulations regarding each type of waste. You can associate multiple regulations to each waste profile. To assign a regulation:

  1. Choose the Assign Regulated Waste Codes to Profiles task.
  2. In the left pane, drill down through waste category to waste profile.
  3. Choose the Add New button.
  4. In the right pane, use the Select Value (ellipses) button to select a Regulation Waste Type, and then the specific Regulated Waste Code that you want to associate with this waste profile. If you don't want to first select a Regulation Waste Type, you can select the specific Regulated Waste Code and the system will automatically complete its Regulated Waste Type.
  5. Save your assignment.
  6. Repeat to associate as many Regulated Waste Codes with your waste profile as appropriate.

Note: In the left pane, you can drill down to select waste categories and waste profiles. Note that the view displays waste categories for which no waste profiles are defined. If you need to define a waste profile for a category, return to the Define Waste Categories and Profiles view.