Executive Overview of Wiper Rule

  CURRENT PROPOSED RULE RECOMMENDED FINAL RULE
ELEMENT OF RULE NON-LAUNDERED WIPES LAUNDERED WIPES ALL WIPES
(Non-laundered And Laundered Wipes)
Regulatory Status Conditionally Excluded from Hazardous Waste Regulation. Conditionally Excluded from Solid Waste Regulation. Conditionally Excluded from Hazardous Waste Regulation.
Performance Standard to Meet “No Free Liquids” Condition No liquid drips when a wipe is held by a corner and transferred from one container to another. No liquid drips when a wipe is held by a corner and is transferred from one container to another. No liquid is released from a wipe when the person managing the wipe hand wrings it prior to sending it away from the generator’s facility.
Landfill Disposal Must Meet a 5 gram Limit. 11 “Nasties” can never go to Landfills No conditions. Either:
  1. Identify a list of “nasties” that applies to both laundered and non-laundered wipes based upon potential risks for exceeding Risk Thresholds. Wipes with these nasties must be handled as hazardous waste. All other solvents on soiled wipes (meeting the hand wringing condition) could be either processed by industrial laundries or sent to municipal landfills, or
  2. Apply a 5 gram condition to non-laundered wipes destined for landfills and apply the same 5 gram condition to laundered wipes prior to their entering the laundering process.
On-site Storage Conditions Non-leaking covered containers. Non-leaking covered containers. Non-leaking covered containers.
Shipping Container Conditions
  • Containers designed, constructed and managed to minimize solvent loss to the environment.
  • Labeled “Excluded Solvent-Contaminated Wipes.”
  • Containers designed, constructed and managed to minimize solvent loss to the environment.
  • No Label Requirement.
  • Impermeable containers, designed to prevent solvent loss to the environment.
  • All containers transporting conditionally excluded industrial wipes should have labels indicating: “Exempt solvent-soiled wipes.”