§ 25201.5. — 25201.5. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 89, Sec. 3.)

(a)
Notwithstanding any other law, a hazardous waste facilities permit is not required for a generator who treats hazardous waste of a total weight of not more than 500 pounds, or a total volume of not more than 55 gallons, in any calendar month, if both of the following conditions are met:
(1)
The hazardous waste is not an extremely hazardous waste and is listed in Section 67450.11 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 1992, as eligible for treatment pursuant to the regulations adopted by the department for operation under a permit-by-rule and the treatment technology used is approved for that waste stream in Section 67450.11 of Title 22
of the California Code of Regulations for treatment under a permit-by-rule.
(2)
The generator is not otherwise required to obtain a hazardous waste facilities permit or other grant of authorization for any other hazardous waste management activity at the facility.
(b)
Notwithstanding any other law, treatment in the following units is ineligible for exemption pursuant to subdivision (a) or (c):
(1)
Landfills.
(2)
Surface impoundments.
(3)
Injection wells.
(4)
Waste piles.
(5)
Land treatment units.
(6)
Thermal destruction units.
(c)
Notwithstanding any other law, a hazardous waste facilities permit or other grant of authorization is not required to conduct the following treatment activities, if the generator treats the following hazardous waste streams using the treatment technology required by this subdivision:
(1)
The generator mixes or cures resins mixed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, including the mixing or curing of multicomponent and preimpregnated resins in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
(2)
The generator treats a container of 110 gallons or less capacity, which is not
constructed of wood, paper, cardboard, fabric, or any other similar absorptive material, for purposes of emptying the container as specified by Section 66261.7 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, as revised July 1, 1990,
or treats the inner liners removed from empty containers that once held hazardous waste or hazardous material. The generator shall treat the container or inner liner by using the following technologies, if the treated containers and rinseate are managed in compliance with the applicable requirements of this chapter:
(A)
The generator rinses the container or inner liner with a suitable liquid capable of dissolving or removing the hazardous constituents that the container held.
(B)
The generator uses physical processes, such as crushing, shredding, grinding, or puncturing, that change only the physical properties of the container or inner liner, if the container or inner liner is first rinsed as provided in subparagraph (A) and the rinseate is removed from the container
or inner liner.
(3)
The generator conducts drying by pressing or by passive or heat-aided evaporation to remove water from wastes classified as special wastes by the department pursuant to Section 66261.124 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.
(4)
The generator conducts magnetic separation or screening to remove components from wastes classified as special wastes by the department pursuant to Section 66261.124 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.
(5)
The generator neutralizes acidic or alkaline wastes that are hazardous solely due to corrosivity or toxicity resulting from the presence of acidic or alkaline material from food or food byproducts, and alkaline or acidic waste, other than wastes containing
nitric acid, at SIC Code Major Group 20, food and kindred product facilities,
if both of the following conditions are met:
(A)
The neutralization process does not result in the emission of volatile hazardous waste constituents or toxic air contaminants.
(B)
The neutralization process is required in order to meet discharge or other regulatory requirements.
(6)
Except as provided for specific waste streams in Section 25200.3, the generator conducts the separation by gravity of the following, if the activity is conducted in impervious tanks or containers constructed of noncorrosive materials, the activity does not involve the addition of heat or other form of treatment, or the addition of chemicals other than flocculants and demulsifiers, and the activity is managed in compliance with
applicable requirements of federal, state, or local agency or treatment works:
(A)
The settling of solids from waste where the resulting aqueous stream is not hazardous.
(B)
The separation of oil/water mixtures and separation sludges, if the average oil recovered per month is less than 25 barrels.
(7)
The generator is a laboratory that is certified by the State Water Resources Control Board or operated by an educational institution, and treats wastewater generated onsite solely as a result of analytical testing, or is a laboratory that treats less than one gallon of hazardous waste, which is generated onsite, in any single batch, subject to the following:
(A)
The wastewater treated is hazardous solely due to corrosivity or toxicity that results only from the acidic or alkaline
material or is excluded from the definition of hazardous waste by subparagraph (E) of paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of Section 66261.3 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, or both.
(B)
The treatment meets all of the following requirements, in addition to all other requirements of this section:
(i)
The treatment complies with all applicable pretreatment requirements.
(ii)
Neutralization occurs in elementary neutralization units, as defined in Section 66260.10 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations; wastes to be neutralized do not contain any more than 10 percent acid or base concentration by weight, or any other concentration limit that may be imposed by the department; and vessels
and piping for neutralization are constructed of materials that are compatible with the range of temperatures and pH levels, and subject to appropriate pH temperature controls.
(iii)
Treatment does not result in the emission of volatile hazardous waste constituents or toxic air contaminants.
(8)
The hazardous waste treatment is carried out in a quality control or quality assurance laboratory at a facility that is not an offsite hazardous waste facility and the treatment activity otherwise meets the requirements of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).
(9)
Any waste stream technology combination certified by the department, pursuant to Section 25200.1.5, as suitable for authorization pursuant
to this section, that operates pursuant to the conditions imposed on that certification.
(10)
The generator uses any technology that is certified by the department, pursuant to Section 25200.1.5, as effective for the treatment of formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde solutions used in health care facilities that are operated pursuant to the conditions imposed on the certification and that makes the operation appropriate to this tier. The technology may be certified using a pilot certification process until the department adopts regulations pursuant to Section 25200.1.5. This paragraph shall be operative only until April 11, 1996.
(d)
A generator conducting treatment pursuant to subdivision (a) or (c) shall meet all of the following conditions:
(1)
The waste being treated is generated onsite, and a residual material from the treatment of a hazardous waste generated offsite is not a waste that has been generated onsite.
(2)
The treatment does not require a hazardous waste facilities permit pursuant to the federal act.
(3)
The generator prepares and maintains written operating instructions and a record of the dates, amounts, and types of waste treated.
(4)
The generator prepares and maintains a written inspection schedule and log of inspections conducted.
(5)
The records specified in paragraphs (3) and (4) are maintained onsite for a
period of three years.
(6)
The generator maintains adequate records to demonstrate that it is in compliance with all applicable pretreatment standards and with all applicable industrial waste discharge requirements issued by the agency operating the publicly owned treatment works into which the wastes are discharged.
(7)
(A)
Not less than 60 days before commencing treatment of hazardous waste pursuant to this section, the generator shall submit a notification, in person, into the statewide information management system, or by certified mail, with return receipt requested, to the department and to one of the following:
(i)
The CUPA, if the generator is under the jurisdiction of a CUPA.
(ii)
If the generator is not under the jurisdiction of a CUPA, the notification shall be submitted to the officer or agency authorized, pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 25404.3, to implement and enforce the requirements of this chapter listed in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 25404.
(B)
Upon demonstration of good cause by the generator, the department may allow a shorter time period than the 60 days required by subparagraph (A) between notification and commencement of hazardous waste treatment pursuant to this section.
(C)
The notification submitted pursuant to this paragraph shall be completed, dated, and signed in accordance with the requirements of Section 66270.11 of Title 22 of the California Code
of Regulations, as those requirements apply to permit applications, shall be on a form prescribed by the department, and shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following information:
(i)
The name, identification number, site address, mailing address, and telephone number of the generator to whom the conditional exemption applies.
(ii)
A description of the physical characteristics and chemical composition of the hazardous waste to which the conditional exemption applies.
(iii)
A description of the hazardous waste treatment activity to which the conditional exemption applies, including, but not limited to, the basis for determining that a hazardous waste facilities permit is not required under the federal act.
(iv)
A description of the characteristics and management of any treatment residuals.
(D)
The development and publication of the notification form required under this paragraph is not subject to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The department shall hold at least one public workshop concerning the development of the notification form.
(E)
Any notification submitted pursuant to this paragraph shall supersede any prior notice of intent submitted by the same generator in order to obtain a permit-by-rule under the regulations adopted by the department. This subparagraph does not require the department to refund any fees paid for any application in
conjunction with the submission of a notice of intent for a permit-by-rule.
(8)
(A)
Upon terminating operation of any treatment process or unit exempted pursuant to this section, the generator who conducted the treatment shall remove or decontaminate all waste residues, containment system components, soils, and other structures or equipment contaminated with hazardous waste from the unit. The removal of the unit from service shall be conducted in a manner that does both of the following:
(i)
Minimizes the need for further maintenance.
(ii)
Eliminates the escape of hazardous waste, hazardous constituents, leachate, contaminated runoff, or waste decomposition products to the environment
after treatment process is no longer in operation.
(B)
Any owner or operator who permanently ceases operation of a treatment process or unit that is conditionally exempted pursuant to this section shall, upon completion of all activities required under this subdivision, provide written notification in person, into the statewide information management system,
or by certified mail, with return receipt requested, to the department and to one of the following:
(i)
The CUPA, if the generator is under the jurisdiction of a CUPA.
(ii)
If the generator is not under the jurisdiction of a CUPA, the notification shall be submitted to the officer or agency authorized, pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 25404.3, to implement and enforce the requirements of this chapter listed in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 25404.
(9)
The waste is managed in accordance with all applicable requirements for generators of hazardous waste under this chapter and the regulations adopted by the department pursuant to this chapter.
(10)
Except as provided in Section 25404.5, the generator submits a fee in the amount required by Section 25205.2, unless the generator is subject to a fee under a permit-by-rule or a grant of conditional authorization pursuant to Section 25200.3. The generator shall submit that fee within 30 days of the date that the fee is assessed by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.
(e)
(1)
Unless otherwise required by federal law, ancillary
equipment for a tank or container treating hazardous wastes solely pursuant to this section is not subject to Section 66265.193 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, if the ancillary equipment’s integrity is attested to pursuant to Section 66265.191 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations every two years from the date that retrofitting requirements would otherwise apply.
(2)
(A)
The Legislature hereby finds and declares that, in the case of underground, gravity-pressured sewer systems, integrity testing is often not feasible.
(B)
The department shall, by regulation, determine the best feasible leak detection measures that are sufficient to ensure that underground gravity-pressured sewer systems, for which it is not feasible
to conduct integrity testing, do not leak.
(C)
If it is not feasible for an operator’s ancillary equipment, or a portion of that equipment, to undergo integrity testing, the operator shall not be subject to Section 66265.193 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, if the operator implements the best feasible leak detection measures that are determined to be sufficient by the department in those regulations, and those leak detection measures do not reveal any leaks emanating from the operator’s ancillary equipment. Any ancillary equipment found to leak shall be retrofitted by the operator to meet the full secondary containment standards of Section 66265.196 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.
(f)
This section shall not abridge any authority granted to the department,
a unified program agency, or local health officer or local public officer designated pursuant to Section 25180, by any other law to impose any further restrictions or limitations upon facilities subject to this section, that the department, a unified program agency, or local health officer or local public officer designated pursuant to Section 25180, determines to be necessary to protect human health or the environment.
(g)
A generator that would otherwise be subject to this section may contract with the operator of a transportable treatment unit who is operating pursuant to this section to treat the generator’s waste. If treatment of the generator’s waste takes place under such a contract, the generator is not otherwise subject to the requirements of this section, but shall comply with all other requirements of this chapter that apply to
generators. The operator of the transportable treatment unit shall comply with all of the applicable requirements of this section and, for purposes of this section, the operator of the transportable treatment unit shall be deemed to be the generator.
(h)
A generator conducting activities that are exempt from this chapter pursuant to Section 66261.7 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, as that section read on January 1, 1993, is not required to comply with this section.
(i)
(1)
Within 30 days of any change in operation that necessitates modifying any of the information submitted in the notification required pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (d), a generator shall submit an amended notification, in person, into the statewide information
management system, or by certified mail, with return receipt requested, to the department and to one of the following:
(A)
The CUPA, if the generator is under the jurisdiction of a CUPA.
(B)
If the generator is not under the jurisdiction of a CUPA, the notification shall be submitted to the officer or agency authorized, pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 25404.3, to implement and enforce the requirements of this chapter listed in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 25404.
(2)
Each amended notification made pursuant to this subdivision shall be completed, dated, and signed in accordance with the requirements of Section 66270.11 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, as those requirements
apply to hazardous waste facilities permit applications.
(j)
A person who submitted a notification to the department pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (d) shall be deemed to be operating pursuant to this section, and, except as provided in
Section 25404.5, shall be subject to the fee set forth in Section 25205.2, until that person submits a certification that the generator has ceased all treatment activities of hazardous waste streams authorized pursuant to this section in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (8) of subdivision (d). The certification required by this subdivision shall be submitted, in person, into the statewide information management system, or by certified mail, with return receipt requested, to the department and to one of the following:
(1)
The CUPA, if the generator is under the jurisdiction of a CUPA.
(2)
If the generator is not under the jurisdiction of a CUPA, the notification shall be submitted to the officer or agency authorized, pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section
25404.3, to implement and enforce the requirements of this chapter listed in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 25404.

Legislative History

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 89, Sec. 3. (AB 1459) Effective January 1, 2026.