(1) The purpose of WAC 173-303-800 through 173-303-840 is to establish the requirements for permits which will allow a dangerous waste facility to operate without endangering the public health and the environment.

(2) The owner/operator of a dangerous waste facility that treats, stores, or disposes (TSD) dangerous waste must have a permit issued, or obtain a permit, in accordance with WAC 173-303-800 through 173-303-840. When required by this chapter, the owner/operator of a dangerous waste facility that transfers or recycles dangerous waste must also obtain a permit, in accordance with this section through WAC 173-303-840. The dangerous waste permit must cover the active life, closure period, groundwater protection compliance period, and for any regulated unit (as defined in WAC 173-303-040) or for any facility which at closure does not meet the removal or decontamination limits of WAC 173-303-610 (2)(b), post-closure care period, unless the owner/operator can demonstrate closure by removal or decontamination as provided under WAC 173-303-800 (9) and (10), or obtain an enforceable document in lieu of a post-closure permit, as provided under subsection (12) of this section. If a post-closure permit is required, the permit must address applicable groundwater monitoring, unsaturated zone monitoring, corrective action, and post-closure care requirements of this chapter. The denial of a permit for the active life of a dangerous waste management facility or unit does not affect the requirement to obtain a post-closure permit under this section.

(3) TSD facility permits will be granted only if the objectives of the siting and performance standards set forth in WAC 173-303-282 and 173-303-283 are met.

(4) Permits will be issued according to the requirements of all applicable TSD facility standards.

(5) The owner/operator of a TSD facility is responsible for obtaining all other applicable federal, state, and local permits authorizing the development and operation of the TSD facility.

(6) The terms used in regard to permits which are not defined in WAC 173-303-040 have the same meanings as set forth in 40 C.F.R. 270.2.

(7) Exemptions.

(a) A permit for an on-site cleanup action may be exempted as provided in a consent decree or order signed by the department and issued pursuant to chapter 70.105D RCW.

(b) A permit is not required for an on-site cleanup action performed by the department pursuant to chapter 70.105D RCW.

(i) A person is not required to obtain a dangerous waste permit for treatment or containment activities taken during immediate response to any of the following situations:

(A) A discharge of a dangerous waste;

(B) An imminent and substantial threat of a discharge of dangerous waste;

(D) An immediate threat to human health, public safety, property, or the environment from the known or suspected presence of military munitions, other explosive material, or an explosive device, as determined by an explosive or munitions emergency response specialist as defined in WAC 173-303-040.

(E) In the case of emergency responses involving military munitions, the responding military emergency response specialist's organizational unit must retain records for three years identifying the dates of the response, the responsible persons responding, the type and description of material addressed, and its disposition.

(ii) Any person who continues or initiates dangerous waste treatment or containment activities after the immediate response is over is subject to all applicable requirements of this chapter for those activities.

(iii) Universal waste handlers and universal waste transporters (as defined in WAC 173-303-040) handling the wastes listed below are not required to obtain a dangerous waste permit. These handlers are subject to regulation under WAC 173-303-573, when handling the below listed universal wastes.

(A) Batteries as described in WAC 173-303-573(2);

(B) Mercury-containing equipment as described in WAC 173-303-573(3); and

(8) Each permit issued under this chapter will contain terms and conditions as the department determines necessary to protect human health and the environment.

(9) Closure by removal. Owners/operators of surface impoundments, land treatment units, and waste piles closing by removal or decontamination under 40 C.F.R. Part 265 standards as referenced by WAC 173-303-400 must obtain a post-closure permit unless they can demonstrate to the department that the closure met the standards for closure by removal or decontamination in WAC 173-303-650(6), 173-303-655(8), or 173-303-660(9), as appropriate, and such removal or decontamination must assure that the levels of dangerous waste or dangerous waste constituents or residues do not exceed standards for closure at 40 C.F.R. Part 264.111, as appropriate. The demonstration may be made in the following ways:

(a) If the owner/operator has submitted a Part B application for a post-closure permit, the owner/operator may request a determination, based on information contained in the application, that 40 C.F.R. Part 264.111 standards for closure by removal were met. If the department believes that 40 C.F.R. Part 264.111 standards were met, the department will notify the public of this proposed decision, allow for public comment, and reach a final determination according to the procedures in subsection (10) of this section.

(b) If the owner/operator has not submitted a Part B application for a post-closure permit, the owner/operator may petition the department for a determination that a post-closure permit is not required because the closure met the applicable 40 C.F.R. Part 264.111 closure standards.

(i) The petition must include data demonstrating that standards for closure by removal or decontamination were met, or it must demonstrate that the unit closed under chapter 173-303 WAC requirements that met or exceeded the applicable 40 C.F.R. Part 264.111 closure-by-removal standard.

(ii) The department will approve or deny the petition according to the procedures outline in subsection (10) of this section.

(10) Procedures for closure equivalency determination.

(a) If a facility owner/operator seeks an equivalency demonstration under subsection (9) of this section, the department will provide the public, through a newspaper notice, the opportunity to submit written comments on the information submitted by the owner/operator within thirty days from the date of the notice. The department will also, in response to a request or at the discretion of the department, hold a public hearing whenever such a hearing might clarify one or more issues concerning the equivalence of the 40 C.F.R. Part 265 closure, as referenced by WAC 173-303-400, to a 40 C.F.R. Part 264.111 closure. The department will give public notice of the hearing at least thirty days before it occurs. (Public notice of the hearing may be given at the same time as notice of the opportunity for the public to submit written comments, and the two notices may be combined.)

(b) The department will determine whether the 40 C.F.R. Part 265 closure met 40 C.F.R. Part 264.111 closure by removal or decontamination requirements within ninety days of its receipt. If the department finds that the closure did not meet the applicable 40 C.F.R. Part 264.111 standards, the department will provide the owner/operator with a written statement of the reasons why the closure failed to meet 40 C.F.R. Part 264.111 standards. The owner/operator may submit additional information in support of an equivalency demonstration within thirty days after receiving such written statement. The department will review any additional information submitted and make a final determination within sixty days.

(c) If the department determines that the facility did not close in accordance with 40 C.F.R. Part 264.111 standards for closure by removal, the facility is subject to post-closure permitting requirements.

(11) The department may require a permittee or an applicant to submit information in order to establish permit conditions under subsection (8) of this section and WAC 173-303-806 (11)(d).

(12) Enforceable documents for post-closure care. At the discretion of the department, an owner or operator may obtain, in lieu of a post-closure permit, an enforceable document imposing the requirements of 40 C.F.R. 265.121 as incorporated by reference in WAC 173-303-400 (3)(a). "Enforceable document" has the same meaning as defined in WAC 173-303-040.

PDFWAC 173-303-800

Permit requirements for dangerous waste management facilities.