Containment Buildings

A containment building is a completely enclosed structure that is used to store or treat waste that is not in containers. In order to be considered enclosed, the structure must consist of four walls, a roof, and a floor. Such structures are most often used for the management of the types of hazardous waste that are bulky and not easily managed in another type of container. The structure must meet the following requirements:

• It must be strong enough to support itself, the waste, and any personnel or heavy equipment that maybe employed there.
• It must be engineered to withstand the environmental conditions (for example, heavy snowfall) in which it is situated.
• If the structure is used to contain hazardous liquids, it must have a barrier and collection system designed to protect against leakage.
• If the structure is used to contain solid waste in piles, the height of the pile is not greater than the height of any containment wall.

The building must include features that will prevent the escape of dust through opening such as windows, doors, vents, and cracks. The building must also include a decontamination area within the building itself where workers can wash vehicles and equipment that will be leaving the building, in order to prevent the tracking of waste into the outside environment. Owners and operators must inspect the containment buildings weekly, and must log the results of the inspection in the operating record.

Drip pads and containment building regulations previously only addressed TSDFs and LQGs. RCRA now clarifies that SQGs may accumulate hazardous waste in these structures provided they meet the standards found in 40 CFR 265, Subparts W and DD, and the conditions specified in 40 CFR 262.16.

RCRA specifies conditions that a large quantity generator accumulating hazardous wastes in containers, tanks, drip pads, and containment buildings must meet prior to closing a unit at the facility or prior to closing the facility. Refer to 40 CFR 262.17 for these requirements.

To learn more about RCRA visit our RCRA Hazardous Waste Safety Online Training web page.