Permit Requirements for Hazardous Waste Facilities
The NHDES Hazardous Waste Management Bureau issues permits for certain hazardous waste activities. The four main hazardous waste activities that require a permit are:
Treating wastewater in an elementary neutralization unit, wastewater treatment unit or evaporator (Limited Permit).
Treating a waste that poses an imminent and substantial endangerment to human health or the environment (Emergency Permit).
Operating a Treatment, Storage or Disposal Facility (Standard Permit).
Operating a Transfer Facility (Transfer Facility Permit).
Limited Permit
The purpose of a Limited Permit is to allow generators of hazardous waste to treat their own wastes onsite. A Limited Permit authorizes the treatment of hazardous waste by one or more of the following methods:
Use of elementary neutralization units to remove the corrosive (i.e., acidic or caustic) characteristic of a waste.
Use of wastewater treatment units to remove the hazardous waste constituents (e.g., heavy metals or organic solvents) from the process wastewater.
Use of wastewater evaporation units to reduce or consolidate hazardous waste constituents.
Go to our NH Online Forms Portal for permit guidance, fees and to apply for a Limited Permit.
Emergency Permit
The purpose of an Emergency Permit is to provide timely authorization to treat hazardous waste in response to a specific, unexpected incident that NHDES determines may cause an imminent and substantial hazard to human health or the environment. Emergency Permits may be issued for a non-permitted facility to treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste or for a permitted facility to treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste not covered by an existing permit. Most permits are issued to hazardous waste generators to allow for treatment of a hazardous waste that is too dangerous to transport in its current condition.
Go to our NH Online Forms Portal for permit guidance, fees and to apply for an Emergency Permit.
Transfer Facility Permit
The purpose of a Transfer Facility Permit is to establish conditions to safely transfer, bulk, or consolidate hazardous waste in transit and is applicable to facilities that temporarily store for 10 days or less, bulk, or consolidate hazardous waste from off-site generator locations prior to transferring the waste to an authorized hazardous waste treatment, storage or disposal facility.
A Transfer Facility Permit may be obtained by contacting the Hazardous Waste Permit Engineer at hwpermits@des.nh.gov or (603) 271-5328. It is strongly suggested that the applicant meet with the NHDES Waste Management Division representatives before submitting an application to review Transfer Facility Permit application requirements, including the siting requirements of Env-Hw 304.09.
Fee: The initial fee is $4,500. The renewal or modification fee is $3,000.
Processing Time: 12 to 18 months after the application is deemed complete.
Term/Renewal: The term is five years. To obtain a renewal, a new application must be submitted to the NHDES Waste Management Division, Hazardous Waste Permitting Section before the expiration of the existing Hazardous Waste Transfer Facility Permit. NHDES recommends submitting the permit renewal at least 180 days prior to the expiration date of the existing Hazardous Waste Transfer Facility Permit.
Modification/Amendments: Modifications may be requested through a written submission to the NHDES Waste Management Division, Hazardous Waste Permitting Section accompanied by supporting technical information.
Transferability: The new owner must notify abutters and submit a request for a permit modification to the NHDES Waste Management Division, Hazardous Waste Permitting Section at least 90 days prior to the scheduled ownership change.
Standard Permit
There are no active Standard Permits issued in the State of New Hampshire. The purpose of a Standard Permit is to establish conditions under which hazardous wastes can be safely treated, stored or disposed and applies to any facility that treats, stores or disposes of hazardous wastes. These facilities are commonly referred to as TSD facilities. Standard Permit application submitted to NHDES are also subject to concurrent evaluations by the Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Board established pursuant to RSA 147-A:4-a and the Municipal Hazardous Waste Facility Review Committee established pursuant to RSA 147-C.
A Standard Permit Application for a Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage or Disposal Facility may be obtained by contacting the Hazardous Waste Permit Engineer at hwpermits@des.nh.gov or (603) 271-5328. It is strongly suggested that the applicant meet with the NHDES Waste Management Division representatives before submitting an application to review Standard Permit application requirements, including the siting requirements of Env-Hw 304.09.
Fee: The initial fee will range from $2,000 to $7,500, depending on the type of facility. The renewal or modification fees range from $1,000 to $4,000. The governing body of a host community may also levy a fee on a TSD facility and require it to report the amount of hazardous wastes stored, treated, or disposed by the facility as per Env-Hw 304.07 Permitting Hazardous Waste Facilities/Fees.
Processing Time: The estimated processing time after the application is deemed complete is 1-2 years, depending on the scope and complexity of the application and the length of time needed by the Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Board and the Municipal Hazardous Waste Facility Review Committee to reach a final decision.
Term/Renewal: The term is five years. To obtain a renewal, a new application must be submitted to the NHDES Waste Management Division, Hazardous Waste Permitting Section before the expiration of the existing Standard Permit. NHDES recommends submitting the permit renewal application at least 270 days prior to the expiration date of the existing Standard Permit.
Transferability: The new owner must notify abutters and submit a request for permit modification to the NHDES Waste Management Division, Hazardous Waste Permitting Section at least 90 days prior to the scheduled ownership change.
Any person aggrieved by a final decision can appeal to the Waste Management Council in accordance with RSA 21-O:9.
Status of Current Applications
For hazardous waste permit applications currently under review or recently approved or denied, please contact the Hazardous Waste Permit Engineer at hwpermits@des.nh.gov or (603) 271-5328.
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