Hazardous Waste Manifest System
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EPA launched a new electronic manifesting system (e-Manifest) on June 30, 2018, see NYSDEC's e-Manifest webpage for more information.
EPA tracks the movement of hazardous waste generated and managed within the United States from "cradle to grave" - from when it leaves the place of generation until it gets to the place where it is managed. A uniform hazardous waste manifest (EPA Form 8700-22) is used to track hazardous waste. The manifest travels with the hazardous waste and must be signed by the generator, transporter, and the receiving facility.
EPA's new e-Manifest system launched on June 30, 2018. e-Manifest is a national web-based system, developed and maintained by EPA, that will allow hazardous waste shipments to be tracked electronically. e-Manifest allows the use of three different types of manifests:
- Paper - generator, transporter, and receiving facility all sign on paper
- Hybrid - starts as paper manifest signed by the generator and then is signed electronically by the transporter and receiving facility
- Electronic - created in e-Manifest and electronically signed by all entities listed on the manifest
If a shipment of hazardous waste is being exported to a foreign country, New York State requires the generator to mail a copy of the manifest form for that shipment to DEC after the shipment leaves the generator's site. Beginning on June 30, 2018, receiving facilities are no longer required to mail a copy of the final manifest form to DEC.
Since 1980, DEC has entered manifest information from hazardous waste transportation into a DEC computer system where the data from the manifests is maintained and hazardous waste tracking is accomplished. The original paper manifest forms are scanned into an electronic image storage system to maintain a permanent document record. Beginning on June 30, 2018, DEC will obtain data for all electronic manifests and all final manifests from EPA's e-Manifest system.
Manifest data and images are used by DEC personnel and law enforcement officials for enforcement of federal and state hazardous waste and transportation regulatory requirements. Manifest data is also used for auditing special assessments, supporting the hazardous waste regulatory fee program, and annual hazardous waste reports.
Hazardous Waste Manifest Forms
Hazardous waste manifests are required to transport hazardous waste across the nation. Generators can use electronic, hybrid or paper manifests for shipments of hazardous waste. A generator that is interested in using electronic or hybrid manifests should contact their hazardous waste transporter and receiving facility to determine if those manifest formats are available for the generator to use. If an entity wishes to use paper manifests, they must obtain paper manifest forms from printers approved by the EPA to print the forms. A link to a list of these approved printers can be found in the right-hand column of this page under "Links Leaving DEC's Website." Hazardous Waste Manifest Forms not available from DEC.
Under the e-Manifest system a newly revised (5-copy) manifest will be required. However, EPA will allow the regulated community to use up any remaining copies of the current (6-copy) manifest form that they may have.
DEC has additional information on hazardous waste manifesting training and hazardous waste reporting training available on this website.
Contact Information for DEC's Waste Transport and State Assistance Section
All hazardous waste manifest forms and related correspondence should be mailed to:
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Materials Management
RCRA Compliance & Technical Support Section
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-7252
Contact Information:
RCRA Compliance & Technical Support Section
Phone: (518) 402-8730
Fax: (518) 402-9024
E-Mail: [email protected]
Generators Must Continue to Submit Hazardous Waste Manifest Forms to DEC for Exported Shipments
Generators located in New York State must continue to submit a paper copy of the generator copy of hazardous waste manifest forms to DEC if the waste on the manifest is exported to a foreign country. Generators who use the EPA e-Manifest system for entire manifest transactions (electronic manifest from the generator to the receiving facility) will not be required to submit paper copies of electronic manifest forms to DEC. Instead, DEC will have access to the manifest data in the EPA e-Manifest system.
Additionally, if a Transfer, Storage, or Disposal Facility (TSDF) rejects a waste shipment back to the original Generator or rejects-on to a second TSDF, the Generator or second TSDF will sign Box 18c to certify receipt of the rejected waste. Please visit the "Fee Obligations" section of EPA's e-Manifest General FAQ (link leaves DEC's website) for more information about the process that entities need to follow for fully and partially rejected loads.
Generators must ensure that the hazardous waste manifest forms they submit to DEC are postmarked within 10 days of the waste shipment date.
Hazardous Waste Manifest Forms Must Be Legible
The legibility of manifest forms is important. In some cases, DEC has received manifests that are difficult to read which can cause processing issues. Manifest forms are often illegible for the following reasons:
- Font is too small - cannot be read - forms are designed for 12 pitch font.
- Mis-alignment when copying - leads to cutting off of the right/left side or the bottom/top of the manifest which results in lost data fields. Please be sure to align forms properly when making copies.
- Mis-alignment of typing - need to make sure that text/numbers are in the boxes, not on the lines.
- Copy is too dark - if words from the back are coming through, the copy is too dark.
- Copy is too light - cannot be read or parts are illegible.
- Use of highlighter - when a form with highlighting is scanned, everything that is highlighted turns black. Please do not highlight your manifest form.
- Use of illegible handwriting on the manifest form - cannot be read. Please make sure that handwriting is clear.
- Inserting "NY=" before the handling code. Do not add any additional text before the handling code; just the handling code will suffice.
If you are a New York State generator who is shipping hazardous waste to a receiving facility using a paper or hybrid manifest make sure you submit a legible copy of your hazardous waste manifest forms to DEC. The generator should make a legible copy of the manifest and mail it to DEC.
Please call DEC at 518-402-8730 or email [email protected] if you have any questions.
Waste Codes
Generators must complete Box 13 Waste Codes. They may designate up to, but not more than, six waste codes. If applicable, DEC's "B" type Waste Codes for PCB wastes must be used.
If the Management Method Code provided in Box 19 does not reflect the ultimate disposal of the hazardous waste, generators must provide a Handling Code for their wastes in Box 13. If a Handling Code is not provided for Management Method Codes H132 and 141, the waste will be assumed to be landfilled. See the Special Assessment Taxes section below for further guidance.
Special Assessment Taxes
Special Assessment taxes are based upon the quantity of hazardous waste and its ultimate disposal method. The ultimate disposal method is ascertained with the use of NYS Handling Codes. In 2006, Management Method Codes were added to the federal manifest form. Most all of the Management Method Codes provide the ultimate disposal method. Please see the Hazardous Waste Management Method Code Conversion Table to determine which Handling Codes DEC has assigned to which Management Method Codes.
Hazardous Waste Management Method Code Conversion Table
Management Method Codes cannot always be used to determine the waste's ultimate disposal method. For example, hazardous waste might be processed by a first TSDF and still be a hazardous waste. Subsequently, this hazardous waste may go to a second TSDF for incineration or landfilling. Though the Management Method Code provided on the first manifest form may convert to a Handling Code of "T" for Treatment, the ultimate disposal would be either "B" for Incinerated or "L" for Landfilled. Additionally, for Management Method Codes H132 and H141, DEC will assume the waste's ultimate disposal method was "L" (Landfilled), unless otherwise notified, and calculate Special Assessment taxes based on this assumption. See the Hazardous Waste Management Method Code Conversion Table for guidance.
Specific Gravity
Specific Gravity may be provided in Box 14 - Special Handling Instructions and Additional Information to assure accurate conversion of volumetric units into weight.
Note: Tons, Metric Tons, Cubic Meters and Cubic Yards should only be reported in connection with very large bulk shipments, such as rail cars, tank trucks or barges.
Container Weights
Generators and TSDF's should be aware that Box 11 Total Quantity ONLY applies to the quantity of hazardous waste, and should never include the waste container or packaging. Please see DEC Policy DSH-HW-03-17 Counting of Container and Packaging Weights PDF, 52 KB).
When completing Box 11 of the manifest, Total Quantity, that the person filling out the manifest only needs to include the weight of the waste contained in the PCB Container or PCB Article Container, not the weight of the container and the waste. Note: PCB Transformers, Capacitors and other PCB Articles are not considered PCB Containers or PCB Article Containers and their total weight (carcass and internal fluid) must be included in Box 11. When reporting PCB weight in Box 11 the weight must be reported in kilograms.
DMM, Bureau of Hazardous Waste and Radiation Management
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233
