Michigan Hazardous and Liquid Industrial By-Products (formerly Liquid Industrial Waste) Management Program Overview

A. Program Statement

The Hazardous and Liquid Industrial By-Products (formerly Liquid Industrial Waste) Management Program regulates companies and businesses that generate, store, treat, and dispose of hazardous waste in Michigan. The Program administers the hazardous waste management requirements of Part 111, Hazardous Waste Management, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended (Act 451). The Program is also authorized to administer the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) hazardous waste requirements on behalf of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Region 5 Administrator. The Program also regulates companies and businesses that generate, transport, store, treat, and dispose of liquid industrial by-products (formerly liquid industrial waste) in Michigan under Part 121, Liquid Industrial By-Products, of Act 451.

B. Major Objectives to Be Achieved

To protect human health and the environment in Michigan by ensuring the proper handling, tracking, storage, treatment, and disposal of hazardous waste and liquid industrial by-products (formerly liquid industrial waste)

C. Population Served

The Program ensures the safety of Michigan citizens by regulating proper manifesting, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous wastes. This Program regulates approximately 4,600 generators of hazardous waste, 350 used oil handlers, 650 universal waste handlers, and 240 hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs).

D. Types of Services/Activities Provided

Program staff perform a variety of activities, many of which are statutorily required, including:

1. Processing manifests for the tracking of hazardous waste from generation to disposal.
2. Reviewing construction and operating license applications and making recommendations for the approval or denial of permits and operating licenses for treatment, storage, and disposal facilities accepting hazardous waste
3. Reviewing plans for permanent closure and cleanup of regulated hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities.
4. Conducting public participation in the form of public meetings and submittal of written documentation as part of the license review and recommendation process.
5. Performing inspections and conducting sampling at TSDFs to ensure facilities are in compliance with permit and regulatory requirements specifications.
6. Conducting inspections of hazardous waste generators to ensure proper waste characterization and management.
7. Conducting inspections of liquid industrial by-products (formerly liquid industrial waste) generators to ensure proper waste characterization and management.
8. Reviewing and developing waste determinations; reviewing and approving or denying delisting petitions and land disposal restrictions treatability variance petitions; and providing the public and regulated community with interpretations concerning requirements for waste recycling, reuse, and proper management requirements and reviewing recycling variance petitions.
9. Managing the cleanup of approximately 115 high priority hazardous waste sites in Michigan by meeting the cleanup schedules set by Congress in the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA).
10. Managing additional cleanups at non-GPRA hazardous waste sites in Michigan.
11. Conducting corrective action inspections of long-term remediation controls to verify land use conformance, operations, and maintenance compliance.
12. Negotiating administrative resolution of high priority violations to achieve compliance and secure monetary penalties through an enforceable document.
13. Initiating and supporting escalated civil and criminal enforcement actions for high priority violations when administrative resolution is unsuccessful or as necessary due to the circumstances of the violation.
14. Coordinating, with assistance from the Michigan Department of Attorney General, handling of contested case hearings petitions filed on licenses or permits issued pursuant to Part 111, and lawsuits filed against the EGLE regarding the Program.