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Hazardous Waste: Large Quantity Generators (LQG)

24 minutesENEnvironmental ComplianceEPA RCRA (40 CFR Part 262); 40 CFR 262.17 (LQG requirements)
Quick Answer

Hazardous Waste: Large Quantity Generators (LQG) is a 24-minute online course that covers the EPA's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requirements for large quantity generators of hazardous waste as specified in 40 CFR 262.17. It is designed for environmental, health, and safety personnel, facility managers, and waste handlers at LQG facilities, and includes a downloadable certificate of completion.

Course Overview

Large quantity generators of hazardous waste face the most rigorous regulatory requirements under RCRA, reflecting the greater volume and risk associated with their operations. LQG facilities - those generating 1,000 kilograms or more of hazardous waste per month - must comply with strict accumulation time limits, detailed contingency planning requirements, and comprehensive personnel training mandates. The EPA's penalty structure reflects the seriousness of these obligations: as of January 2025, civil penalties for RCRA violations can reach $93,058 per day of violation, and criminal penalties for knowing violations include fines of up to $50,000 per day and imprisonment. Training violations are consistently among the most common findings during EPA inspections of generator facilities.

This course provides your LQG personnel with the regulatory knowledge they need to manage hazardous waste safely and compliantly from the point of generation to final disposal. Your team will learn the cradle-to-grave management framework under RCRA, the critical 90-day accumulation rule, satellite and central accumulation area requirements, proper container management and labeling procedures, contingency plan development, and manifest preparation for off-site shipment. The training addresses the specific requirements of 40 CFR 262.17 and prepares your employees for the detailed compliance obligations that distinguish LQG operations from smaller generator categories.

What You'll Learn

  • LQG classification thresholds and how RCRA's cradle-to-grave framework applies to large quantity generator operations
  • The 90-day on-site accumulation rule and what happens when an LQG exceeds this limit
  • Central accumulation area (CAA) and satellite accumulation area (SAA) management, including the 55-gallon SAA limit
  • Container compatibility, closed-container requirements, and weekly inspection obligations for accumulation areas
  • Contingency plan development including emergency coordinator designation and coordination with local emergency responders
  • Hazardous waste manifest preparation, tracking, and Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF) requirements
  • Labeling requirements that communicate flammability, corrosivity, toxicity, and other hazard characteristics
  • Annual training requirements under 40 CFR 262.17(a)(7) and recordkeeping obligations

Who Needs This Training

  • Environmental health and safety personnel responsible for RCRA compliance at large quantity generator facilities
  • Facility managers who oversee hazardous waste accumulation areas and coordinate waste disposal operations
  • Waste handlers who label, move, inspect, or manage containers of hazardous waste in central and satellite accumulation areas
  • Emergency coordinators designated under the facility's RCRA contingency plan
  • Shipping and receiving staff who prepare hazardous waste manifests and coordinate with transporters and disposal facilities
  • New employees at LQG facilities who must complete RCRA training within six months of their hire date

Regulatory Background

Large quantity generators are regulated under 40 CFR 262.17, which permits on-site accumulation of hazardous waste for up to 90 days without a storage permit, provided all conditions for exemption are met. LQGs must designate an emergency coordinator, develop and maintain a written contingency plan that is coordinated with local fire departments and hospitals, and conduct weekly inspections of accumulation areas. Personnel training requirements under 40 CFR 262.17(a)(7) are the most detailed of any generator category: all hazardous waste personnel must complete initial training within six months of hire and annual refresher training thereafter. Training must include classroom instruction, online training, or on-the-job training that ensures personnel can respond to emergencies and perform their duties in compliance with RCRA. As of January 2025, civil penalties for RCRA violations can reach $93,058 per day. Criminal penalties for knowing violations include fines of up to $50,000 per day and five years imprisonment, while knowing endangerment carries up to $250,000 in fines and 15 years imprisonment for individuals. Training records must be maintained until facility closure and for three years beyond the last date of employment for each trained employee.

Frequently Asked Questions

A facility is classified as a large quantity generator (LQG) if it generates 1,000 kilograms (approximately 2,200 pounds) or more of hazardous waste per calendar month, or more than 1 kilogram of acutely hazardous waste per month. Generator status is determined monthly, and a facility that exceeds the LQG threshold in any month must comply with LQG requirements for that month's waste.
If hazardous waste remains on site for more than 90 days, the facility loses its conditional exemption from storage permit requirements. The facility is then considered to be operating a storage facility without a permit, which is a serious RCRA violation. EPA can pursue civil penalties of up to $93,058 per day and may require the facility to obtain a full RCRA storage permit. Extensions may be granted by the EPA regional administrator in cases of unforeseen or temporary circumstances.
Under 40 CFR 262.17(a)(7), all LQG personnel who handle hazardous waste must complete initial training within six months of their hire date and annual refresher training thereafter. During the first six months, employees must work under the direct supervision of a trained person. Training must include classroom instruction, online training, or on-the-job training that teaches personnel to perform their duties in a way that ensures facility compliance and enables effective emergency response.
An LQG contingency plan must describe the actions facility personnel will take in response to fires, explosions, or releases of hazardous waste. It must designate at least one emergency coordinator, include emergency response procedures, describe arrangements with local emergency services (fire departments, hospitals, police), list emergency equipment available on site, and include an evacuation plan. The plan must be submitted to all local emergency responders and updated whenever the facility's operations, waste streams, or emergency arrangements change.
Yes. EPA regulations at 40 CFR 262.17(a)(7) explicitly permit a program of classroom instruction, online training (e.g., computer-based or electronic), or on-the-job training. Online training can fulfill the regulatory requirement when it teaches personnel to perform their duties in compliance with RCRA and to respond effectively to emergencies. However, employers should supplement online training with site-specific instruction on the facility's contingency plan, equipment, and waste streams.
$24.95
per person
Volume Pricing
Team Size Price per Person
1 - 9$24.95
10 - 24$19.95
25 - 49$17.95
50 - 99$17.50
Subtotal $24.95

Certificate of completion included. Downloadable upon passing the final assessment.

$24.95
per person