In Minnesota, commercial entities that produce any amount of hazardous waste are regulated as hazardous-waste "generators." Treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste is regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Minnesota hazardous waste rules.
The MPCA regulates and provides assistance to generators in Greater Minnesota, while county hazardous waste programs serve generators in the Twin Cities metropolitan area (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Scott, Ramsey, and Washington counties).
Hazardous waste generators must report the waste annually to the MPCA or their metropolitan county, pay a fee, and obtain a license for the subsequent year.
Hazardous waste training
Ten Steps to Hazardous Waste Compliance is an introduction to hazardous waste management and compliance. It is designed for newcomers and professionals who need a refresher.
Register for an in-person event or use the free online training option at any time.
Reduce or eliminate your waste
Reducing the amount of hazardous waste you generate or, for smaller generators, eliminating it altogether will remove hazardous waste reporting hassles and save money on licensing fees and disposal.
Can you change your process to make it waste-free? Are there a non-hazardous alternatives to the hazardous products you use? Is there a way to reuse or recycle your hazardous waste?
MnTAP, a free service of the University of Minnesota, can help you find effective product replacements or implement process changes at your business.
Contact
In Greater Minnesota, contact the MPCA office nearest your county.
In the Twin Cities area: