How long can my recycling facility store universal waste from the time it is received?
Within 24 hours of receiving a shipment of universal waste, the shipment must either: • enter the recycling process; or • be moved to a licensed hazardous waste storage area. An incoming shipment of hazardous waste or universal waste is being “stored” if the shipment has not entered the recycling process within 24 hours of receipt. Although the recycling process itself is conditionally exempt from hazardous waste regulation, universal waste destination facilities are subject to the same requirements as fully regulated hazardous waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal facilities (TSD). Therefore, facilities that store universal waste for longer than 24 hours must obtain a hazardous waste storage facility license.
