As of Sept. 5, 2006, all hazardous waste generators, and treatment, storage and disposal facilities must use the EPA's standardized hazardous waste manifest form. Since 1980, the form has provided a complete paper trail of a waste's progress from generation to disposal. It also identifies the type, amount and toxicity of hazardous waste being shipped. The standardized form that is being implemented will save waste handlers and regulators time and money, while guaranteeing the continued, safe management of hazardous waste.

The standardized form reduces or eliminates many of the variables in state requirements. The agency's new manifest form also provides check boxes and adds fields that allow for better tracking of complicated shipments, such as container residues, rejected wastes and interstate shipments. The form also makes it easier to collect data for hazardous waste reporting.

The agency has ensured uniformity by authorizing printers and providing them with precise specifications. Like the old form, each standardized form carries a unique preprinted manifest tracking number. The standardized form also allows multi-state waste handlers to register and use their own manifest forms everywhere they do business.

The EPA estimated about 139,000 businesses in approximately 45 industries ship about 12 million tons of hazardous wastes annually. These businesses use between 2 and 5 million hazardous waste manifests.

Visit www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/gener/manifest.