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Any California HAZMAT gurus????

beach

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Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
853
Location
The SoCal Beach
Regarding the HAZMAT disclosure forms required for business' that handle 55 gallons or more of a hazardous material:

I have a small dry cleaning establishment that has one dry cleaning machine that uses Perc. The owner claims that they only use a total of 40 gallons stored in the tanks of the machine, the machine has two tanks, one with a capacity of 31 gallons and one with a capacity of 48 gallons. Upon inspection, it was found that the 48 gallon tank has 22 gallons of perc. and the 31 gallon tank has 15 gallons for a total of 37 gallons.

The obvious choice is to add the total capacity of the tanks and tell the guy that he has to provide a completed HAZMAT disclosure form and pay the fee....... However, the California Health and Safety Code Section 25503.5 states "......if the business handles a hazardous material or a mixture containing a hazardous material that has a quantity at any one time during the reporting year that is any of the following: (A) Equal to, or greater than, a total weight of 500 pounds or a total volume of 55 gallons....."

The business owner claims that he has a company change out his perc once a year and they only add a total of 40 gallons. I realize with the Fire Code, you use the total capacity of the container...but I'm not using the Fire Code.

Do I:

(A) Use the total capacity of the dry cleaning tanks

(B) Ask the owner for paperwork from the past two or three years showing exactly how much perc the chem. company removes and adds once a year, and if it's under 55 gallons, not require a HAZMAT disclosure.

Or?
 
Not a guru just an old beach bum

I think I would ask for the paperwork and then call the company and confirm

Have you asked a few of your neighbors ?????
 
There's only a few perc drycleaners around the County according to CUPA, most others use hydrocarbon machines, etc..... I'm think I'm going to go with the company paperwork idea...... Thanks!
 
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