According to federal and Indiana statutes the term "hazardous waste" means a solid waste, or combination of solid waste that, because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical or infectious characteristics may:
Hazardous wastes come in many forms. They can be liquid, solids, semisolid, or contained gases. They can be manufacturing process byproducts, sludges or spent materials or simply discarded products. Whatever their form, proper management is essential to protect human health and the environment. In 1976 congress passed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). 
Subtitle C of this act directed the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. U.S. EPA) to develop comprehensive, cradle to grave management standards for hazardous waste.
Under the broad statutory definition, the universe of potential hazardous waste is extremely large and diverse. As a result, Congress directed the U.S. U.S. EPA to develop regulations to specifically define the universe of hazardous waste for regulatory purposes under RCRA. The U.S. U.S. EPA developed four defining characteristics of hazardous waste and four lists of specific hazardous wastes. If a waste meets the definition of solid waste, and has not been excluded by rule from the definition of hazardous waste, it is considered a hazardous waste if:
Some wastes are identified in the rules as hazardous waste by simply listing them. A waste is listed because it has been shown to be harmful to human health and the environment when not properly managed. The regulations list over 400 hazardous wastes. These lists are organized into three categories:
A waste is hazardous if it exhibits one or more of the following characteristics:
IDEM has been authorized by the U.S. U.S. EPA to implement the majority of the federal RCRA Subtitle C hazardous waste management program in Indiana. Indiana's hazardous waste management rules are codified at 329 IAC 3.1. Indiana has adopted most of the federal hazardous waste management standards codified federally at 40 CFR Parts 260-270, and 273. Exceptions and additions to the federal rules are specifically noted in the state's hazardous waste management rules.
Some waste commonly considered hazardous, such as PCB's, infectious waste, and asbestos, are regulated under rules specifically tailored to those waste rather than the hazardous waste rules referenced above. Used oils may be regulated under the hazardous waste rules when disposed, but are subject to another set of rules when recycled.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Indiana Department of Health also have rules that cover certain types of waste that are hazardous if improperly managed. For example, the management of infectious waste at medical institutions is under the jurisdiction of the Indiana Department of Health. Certain mining and oil exploration waste is under the jurisdiction of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. IDEM works closely with these other state agencies to coordinate our activities.
The best management option for hazardous waste is to eliminate or minimize the generation of hazardous waste to begin with. Where hazardous waste generation can not be avoided, recycling is preferred to treatment and disposal. OLQ and the IDEM's Office of Pollution Prevention and Technical Assistance work together to further these goals of pollution prevention, waste minimization, and recycling.
The Industrial Waste Compliance Section conducts regular inspections at RCRA regulated facilities. Compliance records from the last 3 years can be found at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ECHO (Enforcement and Compliance History Online) website. Please note that the ECHO application is updated on a monthly basis, so very recent inspections may not yet be shown.
If you need more detailed information about compliance records you may contact one of the OLQ staff listed below.
For specific inspection reports or compliance issues:
Joyce Billington
Industrial Waste Compliance
Jbilling at idem.in.gov
(317) 308-3131
For further information about enforcement activities:
Nancy Johnston, Chief
Hazardous Waste Enforcement
Njohnston at idem.in.gov
(317) 232-7207
For data lists:
Jenny Ranck Dooley
Data Services Section
Jrdooley at idem.in.gov
(317) 232-8925
Fax: (317) 234-0428
A variety of guidance, policy, interpretations and related compliance assistance information can be found on the Hazardous Waste Resource page.
For regulatory questions:
Compliance/Inspection Section
(317) 308-3103
Fax: (317) 308-3063
The Hazardous Waste Group supports the reporting and recordkeeping standards outlined in State and Federal Regulations. The applicable regulations are 40 CFR 262, 263, 264, and 265 and 329 IAC 3.1. This group also provides data quality services to the hazardous waste program staff to meet their tracking and planning needs.
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