ADEQ: Arizona Department of Environmental Quality AZ.gov, Arizona's Official Web Site
Our mission is to protect and enhance public health and the environment
Waste Programs Division: Solid Waste Management: Plan Reviews

Biohazardous Medical Waste Facilities

"Medical waste" means any solid waste that is generated in diagnosing, treating or immunizing a human being or animal or in any research relating to that diagnosis, treatment or immunization, or in producing or testing biologicals, and includes discarded drugs.

"Biohazardous medical waste" is medical waste that is composed of one or more of the following: cultures and stocks; human blood and blood products; human pathologic wastes; medical sharps; and research animal wastes.

ADEQ adopted specific rules for handling biohazardous medical waste and discarded drugs. Non-biohazardous medical waste is handled as solid waste.

Composting Facilities

Composting facilities shall submit a notice to ADEQ. In addition, composting facilities may be subject to Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) requirements, if there is potential for discharge of pollutants to the groundwater.

Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (MSWLFs)

A municipal solid waste landfill is defined as any solid waste landfill that accepts household waste, household hazardous waste or conditionally exempt small quantity generator waste. MSWLFs are required to obtain Solid Waste Facility Plan approval. The Arizona Revised Statutes adopt the federal criteria for MSWLFs (40 CFR 258 or "RCRA Subtitle D") by reference.

Non-Municipal Solid Waste Landfills

Non-municipal solid waste landfills (non-MSWLFs) include facilities commonly known as construction and demolition debris (C&D) landfills as well as private landfills. C&D landfills typically accept solid waste derived from constructing, repairing or remodeling of buildings or other structures or demolishing buildings or other structures. Private landfills accept only permitted wastes generated onsite.

These facilities are subject to Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) requirements and the federal requirements of 40 CFR Part 257.

Special Waste Facilities

Waste from shredding motor vehicles and waste that contains petroleum contaminated soils (PCS) is defined as special waste. Special waste facilities are facilities at which special waste is treated, recycled, sorted, stored, or disposed. All special waste facilities are required to obtain Solid Waste Facility Plan approval.

Transfer Stations

A transfer station is a site that is owned, operated or used for handling or storing solid waste for 90 days or less, or solid waste that was generated off-site for the primary purpose of transporting that solid waste. Transfer stations must submit a Solid Waste Facility Notice pursuant to A.R.S. § 49-762.07. or a Registration for Self-Certification.

Rules effective July 01, 2012, applicable to Self-Certification facilities, require the owner or operator of a transfer facility with a daily throughput of more than 180 cubic yards, including a material recovery facility, to pay registration fees for new or existing facilities and annual registration fees thereafter.

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