Notification requirement under Florida State Statute 403.7234 Small Quantity Generator (SQG) notification, assessment and verification program are part of your Local Business Tax Receipt renewal.  This statute mandates counties to notify all businesses of their legal requirements in regard to any hazardous waste they generate. The information on this page will help you become more familiar with the waste(s) your business may generate that is hazardous or regulated.  For detailed guidelines of specific industries please refer to the Publications page.

Information on hazardous waste generator categories and applicable regulations can be found on Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Hazardous Waste Compliance main page.

Waste is any material, solid, semisolid, liquid, or contained gas, that is discarded, abandoned, or no longer of use for its intended purpose. Waste can be the by-product of a manufacturing process, cleaning operation, expired goods, or even recycled goods depending on the material and manner of recycling.

Many wastes can be further categorized as hazardous wastes – wastes that cannot just be discarded in the trash. Most businesses have the potential to generate hazardous waste. Depending on your business type and the products you use or produce, you may generate waste that must be disposed of as hazardous waste or universal waste.  Hazardous waste requires special management, storage and disposal. This often means documenting that the waste was disposed of according to regulatory requirements and maintaining disposal records.

Materials that are ignitable, corrosive, reactive, toxic, or specifically listed by law as hazardous waste are considered hazardous waste when they can no longer be used for their intended purpose or are disposed of.

Ignitable: flashpoint less than 140°; and or greater than 24% alcohol content

Corrosive: pH less than or equal to 2.0 or greater than or equal to 12.5

Reactive: explosive, unstable, reacts violently with air or water, generates toxic vapor or gas

Toxic: fails laboratory testing for one or more of forty specific toxic substances listed in 40 CFR Part 261.24.

Listed: 40 CFR Subpart D and adopted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection through Chapter 62-730, FAC. Lists include the F-, K-, U-, and P- lists. P-listed wastes are acute hazardous wastes.

Universal wastes are hazardous wastes that are so common that they can be found in nearly every business. Despite their widespread use, they are prohibited from disposal as regular trash; typically, these wastes are not considered hazardous waste if properly recycled. Mercury-containing lamps (ex. Fluorescent lamps), electronic waste, rechargeable batteries, and aerosol cans are typical universal wastes that businesses may produce.

Become familiar with your businesses process, products used, and waste generated.  Product labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) can help determine if your waste is hazardous. Reviewing a product’s label or SDS can provide information on hazardous characteristics of the product. Especially helpful are the Globally Harmonized System’s (GHS) pictograms displayed on product labels and SDS.

Always consider the process. A waste may become a hazardous waste due to the process that generated the waste or other materials that may have come in contact with the waste. For example, a rag or wipe is not hazardous on its own, but when used to clean up hazardous solvents the rag becomes a hazardous waste.

• Hazardous waste may never be disposed of in septic tanks, to the sewer, or on the ground.

• Do not dispose of hazardous waste by evaporation.

Please contact the Pollution Prevention Program (P2) at 239-533-8821 if you would like P2 staff to schedule an educational assessment for your business.