What are Hazardous Wastes?

Hazardous Wastes are those wastes which, due to their nature and quantity, are potentially hazardous to human health and/or the environment and which require special handling, storage, transportation and disposal techniques to eliminate or reduce the hazard.

Hazardous Wastes are primarily generated by industrial and manufacturing processes. They can also be generated from commercial and institutional sources, including many government activities. Many chemicals whose "best before" date has expired meet the test of being Hazardous Wastes. More...

News

CHARGED! - BC Ministry of Environment Gets Tough on Improper Hazardous Waste Management  

ABBOTSFORD – Edward Ilnicki, doing business as Valley Demolition and Design and Repair, faces 52 separate charges under the Environment Management Act and Hazardous Waste Regulation for failing to comply with the proper handling, storage and processing of hazardous wastes. 

32 charges relate to the construction, use or operation of a hazardous waste facility, 17 relate to contravening Orders from the Ministry, while the remaining charges stem from a variety of hazardous waste management offences such as improper storage.  The maximum sentence of not more than $1,000,000 and/or imprisonment for not more than 6 months may be sought by the authorities.    

This is Mr. Ilnicki’s second run-in with the law; having been fined $10,000 under a similar set of circumstances in 2005 which led to the emergency evacuation of an Abbotsford industrial park. 

First appearance is scheduled for May 29, 2008 in the provincial court at Abbotsford.

B.C. Expands Waste Electronics Plan

Vancouver, April 26, 2008 (HazMatMag.com) - The government of British Columbia intends to add mercury-containing products such as light bulbs and thermostats to the provincial Recycling Regulation, Environment Minister Barry Penner has announced.

"Recycling waste and other discarded items protects both public health and the environment," Penner said. "After extensive consultations with industry and stakeholders, we have identified priority products to add to the Recycling Regulation, enhancing B.C.'s role as a leader in recycling initiatives."

In addition to adding mercury-containing items, an expansion to the existing list of recyclable electronic products is also being planned. This will allow the current list of recyclable electronics to go beyond televisions, computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards, printers and computer periphery, and cover products such as stereos, cell phones and other hand-held devices. More

Canadians Still Trashing TVs, Batteries and Meds
CTV.ca News Staff Updated: Thu. Mar. 27 2008 11:40 AM ET

Most Canadians get rid of dead batteries, old medication, computer equipment and leftover paint by throwing them in the trash -- despite the environmental and health risks associated with doing so, according to a new Statistics Canada study.
Titled "Disposal of household special wastes," the study compiled information gleaned during the agency's 2006 Households and the Environment Survey, which asked householders how they disposed of the "special waste" items. More

The complete Environment Study is available for viewing at the Statistics Canada website here.

Provincial Government Increases Enforcement of Hazardous Wastes With New Hires
Victoria - The Government of British Columbia will be hiring 5 new officers in a move to shore up protection of the Province's environment.  The officers will be stationed in Surrey, Nanaimo, Golden, Vernon and Fort St. John with a mandate to enforce provincial regulations pertaining to hazardous wastes, mining, wildlife, health and oil & gas sectors.

The Golden station is a newly expanded jurisdiction -slated to include both Invermere and Revelstoke- while the Fort St. John station will increase the scope of environmental protection in the BC North. 

Recycle your rechargeable batteries and old cell phones
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) has a national program to help you recycle your used portable rechargeable batteries and old cell phones. Rechargeable batteries are commonly found in cordless power tools, cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, camcorders, digital cameras, and remote control toys. RBRC recycles the following battery chemistries: Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion) and Small Sealed Lead (Pb, smaller than 1 kilogram in weight). RBRC is a voluntary program dedicated to keeping rechargeable batteries and cell phones out of our nation’s solid waste stream. For a drop off location near you please click here.

Clean Harbors Announces Acquisition of Universal Environmental Inc.
In a move expected to strengthen its share of the West Coast market, Clean Harbors Inc., a leading provider of environmental and hazardous waste management services, has acquired Universal Environmental Inc. More.