Have you ever tried completing your EPA ID Number Verification Questionnaire on your own? Quite confusing isn’t it!
We often get asked by our clients for help on how to correctly complete the series of forms they get every year. Since they only have to complete the forms once every year, it can be easy to forget how to correctly fill them out. So we have put together a video that walks you through the process from start to finish.
In the first section of the video, we outline why it is important that you’re hazardous waste manifests are filled in correctly and what to do with them once you have all the signed copies. If you know all about that process, you can skip to approximately the 4 minute mark in the video to see exactly how to complete the EPA forms.
Instructions for Completing your EPA ID Number Verification Questionnaire Forms
When you receive your forms in the mail, typically towards the end of the calendar year, your package will usually include three items,
1. EPA Verification Questionnaire
2. Schedule A Manifest Calculation Sheet
3. Schedule B Fees Summary Sheet.
You also have a FAQ sheet from the DTSC to help you answer some questions you may have.
All of this information has to be completed and returned to the DTSC, with your fees, to the DTSC within 30 days.
As we have indicated in the video, you should have all your documents in a closed file ready to reference when you need to complete your EPA questionnaire. Your closed file should contain the following:
1. Your original hazardous waste manifest signed by you and the transportation driver.
2. A copy of the hazardous waste manifest that you received from the disposal facility, after your waste has been disposed of, with specific codes in Section 19 completed, signed and dated by the facility.
(**IMPORTANT NOTE**)
If your Company EPA Number is registered to an address that is different from your location, the completed manifest form from the disposal facility will be mailed to the EPA Number address they have on file. You will need to request a copy of that manifest from your corporate office to place in your file. You will need it, especially if you get audited by the DTSC.
(**IMPORTANT NOTE**)
Some facilities do not automatically generate a certificate of disposal for you, make sure you request one.
Let’s now take a step by step approach in completing the questionnaire forms.
Step 1.
Check on the EPA verification questionnaire that the information that the DTSC has provided is correct. Check your EPA number, check your location address and check your board of equalization number. You BOE number will be used to send you a nice little bill for additional fess if you generated hazardous waste in excess of 5 tons in that calendar year. Make sure you sign and date the questionnaire at the base of the form.
Step 2.
Next we are going to fill out your Schedule A Manifest Fee Calculation Sheet. Make sure you fill in the required information for your organizational name and your Federal employer identification number. You’ll see in the rectangular box section of the form, information is given about the calendar period in question and the number of manifests that the DTSC has recorded for the EPA number they have on file for you. It is up to you to calculate how many of your manifests are considered recycled and non-recycled. This is where most folks get a little confused!
In order to determine which of your manifests qualify for recycled or non-recycled manifests, you have to go back to the manifest form that came from the disposal facility and locate the information that the disposal facility put into section 19. There will be several codes placed in the 4 boxes of Section 19 that correspond to the 4 waste description boxes in Section 9.
Next look up those codes in the DTSC hazardous waste manifest handling codes list to determine if these manifests are considered recycled or non-recycled.
(**IMPORTANT NOTE**)
If any of the 4 waste streams on the manifest are considered recycled, then all the waste streams are considered recycled. You cannot have one non-recycled stream, out of four, on a manifest and claim that manifest as a non-recycled. You have to claim it as a recycled manifest.
Now match up the codes from the manifest to the DTSC Code List. The far right column will tell you if the waste stream was considered recycled or not.
Once you have completed schedule A, then move on to completing schedule B.
Step 3.
Again fill in the information concerning your organization and your Federal employee identification number. You must also indicate the number of employees you have for your company. This is important in that you may be paying additional fees based on the number of employees you have
Complete sections four through seven based on the number of employees you have. Then take the amount you owe from Schedule A and place it into Section B 1. Next in Section B 2 put in the first four hazardous waste manifest tracking numbers, of the non-recycled manifests, that you are claiming for free. (There will be instructions on the back of the form to help you) You can only claim the first four manifests as free if you have less than 100 employees and if the manifests listed are from waste derived from air compliance solvents. Do not call the DTSC for those manifest numbers that is your responsibility. If you have any issues with trying to determine which ones they are, you should be able to contact your hazardous waste transporter for help on this.
Complete the remainder of Schedule B and date the form.
Now write your check for all the fees you owe and return all the necessary forms to the DTSC.
Please keep in mind that even if you do not owe any fees, you still need to complete the forms and return them to the DTSC.