Past Activity

Meeting with California Grocers Association (CGA) – March 9, 2015

On March 9, 2015, DTSC met with the California Grocers Association (CGA). The CGA provided an overview of the association structure and current activities supporting members’ handling of hazardous waste. The CGA seeks DTSC collaboration as they assist their members in properly managing hazardous waste and being accountable for all hazardous waste management activities. DTSC gave a brief summary of the current ongoing activities and invited CGA and their members to become part of the future Retail Waste Workgroup (RWW) meetings to engage in discussions on hazardous waste management issues for the retail industry.

US EPA (HQ) visit to California – February 23, 2015

From February 23, 2015 through February 26, 2015, staff from US EPHQ (Washington DC) visited California to gather information about the generation and management of hazardous wastes by the retail industry. Like DTSC, US EPA HQ has been evaluating the hazardous waste management standards that apply to the retail generators to assess whether those standards should be modified to account for the unique circumstances faced by retail industry. DTSC hosted various meetings with USHQ staff, staff from US EPA region 9 office, staff from Attorney General’s office (AGO), some district attorney’s (DA), staff from Certified Unified Public Agency (CUPA), and retailer representatives. DTSC also accompanied US EPA HQ staff on retail store site visits to Costco, CVS, Lowe’s and Inmar (Reverse Logistics facility) at Manteca, California

US EPA HQ staff was interested in the approach or “system” used to manage retail products that become wastes when discarded and for which a hazardous waste determination was made in support of ultimate disposition; relationship (including any written agreements or contracts) that exist between sts) and manufacturers/suppliers, support organizations such as third-parties that may have provided waste characterization assistance, reverse logistics centers (if applicable) and any other organizations involved in the management “system.”

US EPA HQ staff was also interested in discussing with the state regulators DTSC,CUPA and DA’s and learning from their experiences to date in managing electronics and aerosol cans as universal wastes. DTSC staff also accompanied US EPA HQ staff on a site visit to Onsite Electronics Recycling in Stockton to gather information on the process of electronics recycling in California.

US EPA HQ staff from Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery has been working on the stakeholder comments received on their Notice of Data Availability (NODA). TNODA is part of the US EPA’s efforts to better understand stakeholder concerns and viewpoints regarding the challenges faced in ensuring compliance with RCRA hazardous waste regulations at retail stores. The comment period was February 2014 through May 2014 and US EPA received 44 comments. US EPA reviewed the comments and identified following major issues based on the comments:

1. Management of pharmaceuticals
2. Universal waste management of retail products
3. Episodic generation/hazardous waste quantity determinations
4. Point of generation and hazardous waste determination for retail products (relating to reverse distributions process)
5. Household hazardous waste exemption for retail products.

Meeting with Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA) – November 12, 2014

On November 12, 2014, the Retail Waste Team met with the Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA) and two of their members, the Clorox Company (Clorox) and the Proctor & Gamble Company (P&G), at the CalEPA Building in Sacramento. CSPA gave a presentation on the industry’s efforts to support retailers’ handling of hazardous waste. CSPA consider themselves a valid stakeholder in the discussion of Retail Waste Management and are looking for opportunities to work with DTSC. P&G provided information on how they, as a supplier, partner with retail customers. Clorox discussed the company’s goals and practices of brand stewardship, sustainability and environmental responsibility. DTSC Retail Waste Team gave a brief summary of the current information gathering activities. Sign up for DTSC’s Retail Waste Workgroup electronic mailing list (E-list) to receive e-mail notifications of DTSC activities related to the Retail Industry hazardous waste management and information, including web updates, stakeholder meetings, workshops and other related items of interest.