What Is a TSDF?

The concept of "treatment, storage, and disposal facilities" (TSDFs) is used to describe a wide variety of hazardous waste management operations. In general, a TSDF is defined as any area in which one or more of the following activities take place:

• Hazardous waste treatment - This is any method, technique, or process that physically, chemically, or biologically changes the nature of a hazardous waste.
• Hazardous waste storage - During a temporary period before the waste is treated, moved, or disposed of, it is considered to be stored.
• Hazardous waste disposal - This refers to the intentional placement of hazardous waste on land or in water.

The term "disposal facility" can also refer to any site where hazardous waste is placed and will remain. Disposal facilities must meet minimum technical standards to ensure that their ongoing activities do not endanger human health or the environment. These standards are found in the RCRA regulations at 40 CFR 257 and 258. After any type of disposal facility stops operation, the site is still considered to be a disposal facility. As a result of this, the RCRA regulations focus on the facility owner's or operator's responsibilities for both current operations and post-closure safekeeping.

When a disposal facility does not comply with these regulations, it is a type of disposal system referred to as an "open dump." Open dumps must either upgrade their operation to comply with the RCRA regulations or close.

To learn more about RCRA safety standards visit our RCRA Refresher Online Training web page.