Pennsylvania Code
Title 25 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Part I - Department of Environmental Protection
Subpart D - Environmental Health and Safety
Article IX - Residual Waste Management
Chapter 288 - RESIDUAL WASTE LANDFILLS
Subchapter E - ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CLASS II RESIDUAL WASTE LANDFILLS
ADDITIONAL OPERATING REQUIREMENTS-GENERAL
Section 288.523 - Minimum requirements for acceptable waste

Universal Citation: 25 PA Code § 288.523

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024

(a) A person or municipality may not dispose of residual waste at a Class II residual waste landfill unless the waste meets the following criteria:

(1) The residual waste may not be of a type from which the maximum concentration obtained for a contaminant, based on a chemical analysis of its leachate submitted under § 287.132 (relating to chemical analysis of waste), and approved by the Department, exceeds 50 times the waste classification standard for that contaminant. If analytical quantitation limits prevent determination of the acceptability of a residual waste under this paragraph, the Department may consider the total analysis of the waste as well as the physical and chemical characteristics of the contaminant in making a determination of acceptability of the waste at the facility.

(2) Notwithstanding the limitation in paragraph (1), the Department may authorize the disposal of residual waste at a monofill if the waste is of a type from which the maximum concentration obtained for a contaminant, based on a chemical analysis of its leachate submitted under § 287.132, exceeds 50 times the SMCL for that contaminant, if the SMCL is the waste classification standard for the contaminant. The Department may authorize the disposal of the waste only upon a demonstration that disposal of the waste at the facility will not cause groundwater degradation that exceeds the SMCL for a contaminant at a monitoring point or groundwater degradation that exceeds background levels at the property boundary for the contaminant.

(3) Even if a waste meets the requirements of this section, and the Department has previously authorized the disposal of the waste at the facility, the Department may require that the waste be disposed at a Class I landfill if one of the following applies:

(i) Monitoring data indicate that the waste or contaminants of the waste are migrating from the landfill.

(ii) The approved chemical and leaching analysis no longer accurately predicts the leachability of the waste.

(4) The Department may authorize a facility which disposes of a waste in accordance with a permit under this article to continue to dispose of the waste at the facility although a waste classification standard for a contaminant has been changed so that the waste would no longer meet the criteria for disposal of the waste at the facility under paragraph (1), if the operator of the facility demonstrates to the Department's satisfaction that disposal of the waste will not cause groundwater degradation that exceeds the waste classification standard for a contaminant at a monitoring point or groundwater degradation that exceeds background levels at the property boundary for a contaminant.

(5) If more than one type of waste or waste contaminants are identified in the chemical and leaching analysis, the waste shall be disposed at the most protective type of facility required for the waste types and waste contaminants identified in the analysis.

(6) Neither residual waste nor leachate from the waste will adversely affect the ability of the liner system to prevent groundwater degradation.

(7) Leachate generated from the residual waste will be treated by the facility's leachate treatment system under applicable laws in a manner that will protect public health, safety and the environment.

(8) The residual waste will not react, combine or otherwise interact with other waste that is or will be disposed at the facility that will adversely affect the ability of the liner system to prevent groundwater degradation.

(9) Except to the extent that leachate recirculation is allowed in the permit, residual waste may not be bulk or uncontainerized liquid waste. Containers holding free liquids may not be accepted unless the container is less than 1 gallon in size, except as otherwise provided in the permit.

(10) The residual waste shall have a pH between 5.0 and 12.5 unless otherwise specified by the Department in the permit. The pH may be adjusted to meet this requirement.

(11) The residual waste may not be allowed to react, combine or otherwise interact with other waste or materials to endanger public health, safety and welfare or the environment by generating extreme heat or pressure, fire or explosion, or toxic mists, fumes, dusts or vapors. The potential for the interaction shall be determined using the procedure in the EPA's "A Method for Determining the Compatibility of Hazardous Wastes" (EPA-600/2-80-076) or another equivalent method approved by the Department in the permit.

(12) The physical characteristics of the waste will not cause or contribute to structural instability or other operating problems at the site.

(b) A person or municipality may not dispose of municipal or special handling waste at a Class II residual waste landfill, except as follows:

(1) The Department may, in the permit, approve the storage or disposal of the following types of waste generated by the operator:

(i) Construction/demolition waste.

(ii) Water treatment plant sludge.

(iii) Industrial lunchroom and office waste.

(iv) Waste tires.

(2) The Department may permit water treatment plant sludge monofills or waste tire monofills.

(d) A person or municipality may not dispose of solid waste at a Class II residual waste landfill if the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C.A. §§ 2601-2629) prohibits the disposal of the solid waste at the residual waste landfill.

(e) Nothing in this section shall limit otherwise applicable design, construction, and operation requirements under § 288.521 (relating to basic limitations).

This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 288.132 (relating to operation plan); 25 Pa. Code § 288.203 (relating to waste analysis); 25 Pa. Code § 288.515 (relating to water classification plan); and 25 Pa. Code § 288.521 (relating to basic limitations).

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