PROCESS MATERIAL DATA SHEETS
Process Material Data Sheets contain specific information for each process material. The PMDSs are divided into the following five sections:
- Material Type - Common name of the process material Example - Petroleum Containing Soil (PCS).
- General Description of Material - General description of the physical make up and potential sources of the material.
- Pre-qualification Requirements - Requirements necessary for acceptance at the CRS facility are described and listed in this section. The pre-qualification requirements are specific to each process material and are required for all materials except for demolition debris.
- Handling Methods - Transportation and handling requirements for the process materials from the source areas to delivery at the CRS facility. Specific on-site handling methods for each process material are also described.
- By-Pass Materials - Description of potential by-pass materials which may be included with the primary process materials and the eventual processing or disposal of these by-pass materials are included in this section.
PRE-QUALIFICATION PROCEDURES FOR SPECIAL WASTE
All special wastes accepted by CRS for recycling must be prequalified following the pre-qualification process contained in this section. Each special waste process material type has its own pre-qualification requirements. Pre-qualification procedures are an integral part of the CRS Operations Manual.
The responsibility for fulfilling the requirements of the pre-qualification process is with the generator of the source material. No special waste materials are accepted by CRS until all of the requirements of the pre-qualification process have been conducted and required information is received by CRS. CRS has the final authority to accept or reject any material. No hazardous materials, as defined by the 38 MRSA SEC. 1301 (5), RCRA, or CERCLA, will be accepted at the CRS facility.
Purpose of Pre-qualification The purpose of the Special Waste Process Material Pre-qualification Program is to assure that only special wastes for which the facility has been designed and permitted by the MEDEP are accepted. The process materials and the specific analytical requirements necessary for each material accepted for recycling at the CRS facility are outlined elsewhere in this Pre-qualification Section. The prescreening information provided by the generator on the application supplies CRS information from which a determination may be made to accept or reject the material.
Pre-qualification analytical requirements and the Generator Special Waste Pre-qualification Form were designed to prevent unsuitable materials, hazardous materials, or materials that have not been permitted for acceptance at this facility from being accepted at the facility. Only waste material for which the facility has been specifically designed and permitted by the MEDEP and the Town of Scarborough shall be accepted for processing. Additionally, the prescreening process prevents CRS from receiving materials unsuitable for recycling or which will generate large amounts of unprocessed by-pass materials.
Pre-qualification Approval Procedures
This section summarizes the procedures for pre-qualification and acceptance of special waste for processing and recycling at the CRS facility in Scarborough, Maine. A flow chart illustrating the CRS Material Acceptance Decision Tree process is included as Figure 2.
A. Initial Screening
Upon receiving a request for the processing of a special waste from a generator, a Generator Special Waste Pre-qualification Form (see Appendix III for Pre-qualification Forms) and support documents will be sent to the generator. If necessary, a representative from CRS will go to the site and inspect the material.
In order for CRS to authorize acceptance of the process material, all available information concerning the source, generation processes, chemical and physical properties and any analytical results shall be included with the Pre-qualification Form. Supporting documentation such as laboratory analysis results, regulatory manifest letters, and volume estimation calculations shall be included with the form.
B. Generator Special Waste Pre-qualification Form
The Pre-qualification Form is a waste characterization profile sheet specific to each type of special waste. This form, which should be filled out as completely as possible provides the following information:
- Generator Information - Descriptive information pertaining to the generator and generation activities that produced the special waste. Information pertaining to the involvement of state regulatory agencies (when applicable), is requested in this section.
- Type and Amount of Waste - This is an estimate of the type and amount (cubic yards or tons) of process material. The method and specific calculations used for the volume calculations may be requested as an attachment to this form.
- Waste Characterization - The results of the required pre-qualification waste characterization analyses for each specific type of special waste along with reference to testing procedure.
- Generator Certification - This section is signed by the generator and certifies that sampling has been done according to CRS's requirements, and that the material does not contain any hazardous waste, hazardous substances, toxic substances or toxic pollutants. Pre-qualification Forms are availble to download and print from this site.
The acceptability of the process material is determined from the waste characterization information included in the Pre-qualification Forms and from the visual observation of the material by a CRS representative. If possible, the acceptability of process materials is based upon two criteria:
Physical Properties - The process material must be capable of being processed by CRS processing operations, as necessary. The material shall not contain significant quantities of metal, wood, or other debris, and shall not contain free liquid such that it will yield liquid leachate during transport or processing. Materials requiring stabilization that contain silts and clays with grain size smaller than 1 x 10-5 may not be acceptable for the recycling process without some additional drying or bulking agents.
Certification - The documentation required to demonstrate that the process materials are both non-hazardous and acceptable for processing is contingent on the type, chemical composition and source of the process material. The pre-qualification analytical documentation required for each process material is specified in Table II, Materials Analytical Requirements. Any oil-containing soil generated at a MEDEP supervised spill clean-up in Maine will be accompanied by a MEDEP manifest letter.
Final acceptance is based upon the criteria for acceptance described in the preceding section and upon the needs of the facility.
D. Pre-authorization For Shipping
If the special waste process material meets the criteria for acceptance, the Recycling Coordinator will notify the generator that they are authorized to ship and establish a schedule with the Operations Manager and Dispatcher as necessary. Section A of the CRS Material Processing Control Form is initiated upon acceptance of any load from a new site. This form is used to track the material throughout the processing operations. A sample Material Processing Control Form is included as Appendix V of this manual.
E. Verification And Acceptance
The driver of the truck delivering the first load of material to CRS shall stop at the CRS office and pick up a copy of the Material Processing Control Form identifying this material. This form must accompany the first load of material to the weigh scale. Each shipment of this process material that arrives at the weigh scale will have the paperwork (associated with the load) verified, and will be inspected for recycling suitability and by-pass material content. The Yard Supervisor, Weighmaster or their designee will inspect each load. If the special waste process material is acceptable to CRS, the load is weighed in, the weigh bill is signed by the Weighmaster and a copy of this is returned to the generator. After final acceptance at the CRS facility, the material is unloaded in a predesignated storage area.
If the inspector is not satisfied with the physical condition of the material or the accompanying documentation, the Operations Manager is contacted. Process materials that are physically unsuitable (e.g., too wet, or too much by-pass) or do not have the proper written documentation will not be accepted for processing or storage and the driver is directed to return the process material to the generator. CRS does not accept any material that they are not permitted to accept, that could be classified as a hazardous material, or that they do not wish to accept. No special waste materials are shipped to or received by CRS without the prior receipt of a Pre-qualification Form signed by the generator or pre-approval from the General Manager or Safety and Compliance Director.
SAMPLING PROTOCOL FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION PROCESS
This section contains the sampling protocols for collecting a special waste materials sample for waste characterization. All process materials, with the exception of virgin petroleum oil-containing soil with a manifest letter from the MEDEP, glass, rubber, and demolition debris need to have analytical tests conducted in order to be accepted by CRS. The objective of pre-qualification sampling protocols is to collect and analyze samples that are representative, both physically and chemically, of the material that is to be processed. Sample acquisition and Chain-of-Custody documentation needs to be completed to show CRS that the standard operating procedures were followed. The sampling analyses required for each process material is described in the Pre-Qualification Forms (Appendix III), and in Table II. The following sampling protocols shall be supplied to the generator if the generator is conducting the sampling.
Sampling and Analytical Plan
A. Calculation of Material Volume
Estimating the volume of material in a stockpile or in-situ is necessary to confirm the amount to be processed and to determine how many samples and subsamples need to be collected.
If the process material is stockpiled or containerized prior to the collection of any samples, a scale drawing of the pile or container can be used for volume calculations and referencing individual grab sample locations.
The specific CRS procedure for calculating volume of a stockpile is included in Appendix III. The volume calculations should be included with the Pre-qualification Form. If possible, the volume of the stockpile should be checked against the estimated volume of the excavation. When confirming volume calculations, it is necessary to realize that the volume of excavated soil increases approximately 15-25% after is has been excavated and stockpiled.
The number of sample analyses required for the pre-qualification of process materials is based upon the weight of the material measured in tons. In order to calculate the weight of material from the known volume for each specific process material, it is necessary to use a conversion factor. The conversion factors are unique for each process material and they can be obtained from the CRS Operations Manager or Recycling Coordinator.
B. Number of Samples
The required number of samples for each process material varies, depending on the type of material to be sampled. The amount and frequency of sampling for each material is described in the following section and in Tables II and III. Unless otherwise authorized by CRS and approved by the MEDEP, a minimum of three subsamples need to be collected and composited per each required sample (with the exception of non residential asphalt roofing material). The number of subsamples per composite sample is described in Table III. The subsamples shall be collected from evenly spaced areas and representative depths of the source material whether stockpiled or containerized. The locations of the subsamples shall be shown on the stockpile sketch, or on the sketch of the container. No subsamples shall be required when sampling asphalt roofing material for asbestos content. Specific guidelines for sampling process materials are included in the sample collection section below.
The number of subsamples per composite sample and the number of composite samples required per weight of material is shown in the following table, Table III. This table applies to non-virgin petroleum containing soil, any soil that does not have a MEDEP manifest letter, non-continuous stream bottom ash, non-continuous stream petroleum based process residue and non-continuous stream blasting grit.
Continuous stream materials are sampled, based upon pre-approved criteria which shall be previously accepted by the MEDEP. The sample criteria for all special waste materials to be accepted at the facility are specified in Table II.
C. Sample Collection
Each sample of material shall consist of a composite of several subsamples based upon the criteria established in Table III above. The composite sample shall consist of evenly spaced subsamples, such that the composite of subsamples is characteristic of the average physical and chemical condition of the material in the stockpile. Each discrete subsample shall be of equal volume and shall be collected in an identical manner. Samples collected for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analyses should not be composited. The following sampling methods are recommended and shall be used unless other methods are approved by CRS.
Soil Collection During Excavation
If soil sampling is to be conducted as the material is being excavated, the subsamples should be collected during the excavation process. The number of subsamples to be collected is based upon the estimated volume expected from the excavation. A minimum of three (3-15) evenly spaced subsamples (as noted in Table III) need to be collected and composited per required sample. It is important to collect subsamples from several representative depths of the excavation.
Soil Collection from Stockpiles
Soil samples collected from stockpiles for Waste Characterization Analyses shall be collected using a suitable soil auger, spade or a backhoe, depending on the size and consistency of the pile. This allows for soil samples to be collected from near the surface of the stockpile and from near the base of the stockpile. When using a soil auger, a one-foot deep hole is to be dug at the start of the soil sampling collection chamber. Subsequent subsamples shall be collected from the same hole at even intervals until the base of the stockpile is reached. The interval distance between subsamples depends on the size of the pile and the depth of the pile.
An alternative collection method for stockpiled soil is to use heavy machinery such as a backhoe or excavator capable of excavating to the base of the stockpiled soils. If heavy machinery is used, the subsamples shall be collected from even depth intervals and the number of subsamples and samples shall be based on the total volume of material as shown in the following table
Material Collection from Containers
Process material such as sandblast grit or process residue that is stored in a container shall be collected in a similar fashion to stockpiled soil. It is very important to collect representative subsamples from throughout the depth of the container. A soil probe or soil auger shall be used to obtain subsamples from the various depths of the container. Three to fifteen subsamples per sample (as noted in Table III) shall be composited from areas evenly distributed throughout the container.
If testing is necessary, Asphalt Roofing material stored in a container shall be sampled while being deposited into the container in accordance with 38 MRSA, Chapter 425, Asbestos Management Regulations.
Composite Sampling Procedures
Subsamples shall be placed in a new, clean plastic bag for compositing. The bag shall be sealed after each subsample is collected to minimize volatilization of the contaminant. When all of the subsamples have been placed in the bag, the contents shall be mixed to obtain a uniform sample.
Once the soil has been mixed, the waste characterization samples are to be collected by opening the bag and filling appropriate clean sample containers. Glass jars sized appropriately for the proposed analysis are the preferred sample containers. Sample containers must meet EPA analytical method specification and are usually provided by the laboratory on request.
The sample jars shall be filled completely with tightly packed material to minimize headspace. Each sample shall be labeled with a sample number, sample location, time and date of sample collection, project name, name of sampler, employer of sampler, and name of analysis required.
Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Sampling
Certain materials (petroleum based process residue) require a volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis as part of the CRS pre-qualification process. Due to the nature of VOCs and the potential for rapid loss of volatile compounds during sample material handling, special precautions are necessary during the collection of samples for VOC analysis.
The samples collected for VOC analysis should not be composited. These samples should be handled minimally and placed into the sample containers as quickly and as gently as possible. Special jars are necessary for the collection and storage of materials for VOC analysis. The screw threads of the containers should be wiped clean and sealed as quickly as possible after collection.
The number of samples required for VOC analysis shall be at the rate indicated in Table II.
Identification of Parameters to be Analyzed
Each specific material processed/recycled at the CRS facility has its own set of analytical criteria required for acceptance per CRS's MEDEP solid waste processing facility license S-021243-WK-A-N. These analytical requirements are outlined in Table II and are described in the PMDS for each material.
Chain-of-Custody The Chain-of-Custody provided with the sample containers is to be completely filled out and signed by the sample collector. Each jar will be sealed with a custody seal if the sample is transferred to any other person prior to receipt at the laboratory. When applicable, the samples shall be stored on ice and delivered to the laboratory as soon as possible after sample collection, but in no case later than 24 hours after sample collection.
Sample Equipment Decontamination
Sample equipment decontamination procedures are necessary to prevent cross contamination between individual samples. Before and between each composite waste characterization sample collection, all sample equipment will be field-cleaned using the following five step process: distilled water rinse, a soapy water brush wash, a second distilled water rinse, a methanol rinse, and a final distilled water rinse. The sample equipment does not need to be field cleaned between the subsamples that make up composite soil samples.
Personal Protection
Personal protection for material sampling is the responsibility of the generator unless CRS has been contracted for sampling. If CRS is in any way involved with the on-site sample collection activities, the generator is responsible for providing any information concerning site conditions, contamination, or access issues. CRS personnel will comply with all personal protection standards as defined in CRS's health and safety program.
UNACCEPTABLE WASTE EXCLUSION AND HANDLING PROCEDURES
CRS will not accept any hazardous materials. Generators must sign all pre-qualification forms certifying the following statement:
The undersigned agrees that to the best of his/her knowledge the materials to be processed by Commercial Recycling Systems do not contain any hazardous waste, hazardous substances, toxic substances, or toxic pollutants as those terms are used in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, or any similar state or local law, or any regulation promulgated pursuant thereto, or any other applicable law, except those materials expressly indicated above. Samples obtained by generator for pre-qualification of this material have been obtained in accordance with the requirements of Table 1 and CRS's Sampling and Analytical Plan.
Facility personnel will only accept materials that CRS is licensed to accept. This operations manual serves as a plan to identify, handle and recycle permitted special wastes. CRS is permitted to process those materials listed in Table I Materials Outline, some of which are special wastes. This manual outlines both pre-acceptance and screening procedures that were developed to prevent excluded materials from being received at CRS's recycling facility. Should CRS develop a new process which produces permitted special wastes, this manual will be amended to include appropriate handling procedures.
CRS has developed a Hazardous and Special Waste Exclusion, Handling and Disposal Plan for any solid waste the CRS facility is not specifically designed and permitted for. If hazardous or unacceptable special waste materials are discovered during load inspections or if they are in inadvertently received, CRS will follow the procedures outlined in this Plan which is included in this manual as Appendix VII.