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Hennepin County recognizes generators and facilities for having a hazardous waste program that is in full compliance with hazardous waste rules and regulations.
Since September 2018, the county has conducted 38 inspections where generators have been in full compliance. The no violations listing not only shows that it is possible for any size generator or facility to be in full compliance at the time of the inspection, but that it also happens with some frequency.
Click here for a printable list of the 38 generators without a violation (PDF). This list also contains generator size.
The following is a list of enforcement outcomes from recently resolved civil and criminal cases, including fines and penalties assessed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) or Hennepin County. All of the cases involve hazardous waste generators, hazardous waste facilities or tank operators located in Hennepin County.
This list is intended to reinforce the importance of compliance with hazardous waste and tank regulations.
Luminaire Environmental and Technologies, Plymouth*
Violations: Mail fraud (1 count)
Generator size: Facility
Outcome: $10,000.00 fine; 5 years probation with special conditions, including Environmental Compliance Plan
John D. Miller, JR., Plymouth*
Violations: Conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud (1 count)
Generator size: Facility
Outcome: 36 months in prison; $15,000.00 fine; $1,049,848.78 in restitution
Joseph V. Miller, Chanhassen*
Violations: Falsification of documents with intent to obstruct a federal matter (1 count)
Generator size: Facility
Outcome: $3,000.00 fine; 2 years probation
Tenenz Inc., Bloomington
Violations: Failure to close hazardous waste containers
Generator size: VSQG
Outcome: $878.00 fine
*Learn more in the Department of Justice news release. For more information, contact Mike Risse at michael.risse@hennepin.us or 612-348-5790.
Click here for a printable list of these enforcement outcomes (PDF).
The MPCA regulates a variety of environmental programs, including but not limited to hazardous waste, solid waste, construction stormwater, industrial wastewater and air quality. Each quarter the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) highlights its concluded enforcement cases in an online news release.
For large quantity, small quantity and very small quantity hazardous waste generators, annual generator licenses are valid from May 1 of the license year through April 30 of the following year. To be eligible to receive your 2019 Hennepin County hazardous waste generator license, you must submit a hazardous waste management plan summary and pay your license fee.
Generator licenses are created for eligible generators beginning in mid-April. Once your license is created, the person designated as administrator in the hazardous waste portal will be notified via email that your license is available for printing. You must print your license and post it at the licensed site.
The following is a guide to when licenses will be available in 2019, based on when your payment is posted:
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Payment posted on or before March 31: license created mid-April
- Payment posted April 1 to 16: License created first working day in May
- Payment posted April 17 to May 16: License created first working day in June
- Payment posted after May 16: Licenses continue to be created for eligible generators on the first working day of each subsequent month
See the licensing schedule and fees for more information about the licensing process.
Hennepin County has about 2,000 generators that presently qualify for Minimal Generator (MIG) status. If you are a MIG, you are not subject to the same annual licensing process as larger generator sizes. Instead, you are issued a license that is valid for a five-year license period. The current license period for MIGs runs through December 31, 2019.
About 30% of MIGs are already registered in our customer portal. Those generators may log into the portal and view the wastes covered by their license, they may add new wastes to their license, they may review and update the site contact and mail contact information for their operation and they may print a copy of their current (2015) MIG license.
As we prepare in the coming months for issuing MIG licenses for the 2020 license period, we would like to get the remaining 70% of our MIGs registered in the customer portal. To register, you need to know your operation ID, your PIN number and you need a valid email address. Operation IDs and PINs were printed on the back side of licenses when current MIG licenses were mailed to you at the beginning of the license period.
If you are a MIG, are unsure whether or not you are already registered in the portal and require further assistance, please email your questions to HWGLicensing@hennepin.us or call 612-348-3777 and ask for the inspector on call.
Hennepin County online hazardous waste training
Hennepin County first launched our free online hazardous waste training modules in late 2015. We have received positive feedback on the training content over the years and want to remind you that the training can be accessed and reviewed anytime online.
The training is split up into the following sections:
- Introduction
- Step 1: Evaluate your waste and determine your generator size
- Step 2: Notification and licensing
- Step 3: Storage
- Step 4: Transport and disposal
- Step 5A: Emergency prevention planning and training (for all generator sizes)
- Step 5B: Emergency prevention planning and training (SQG & LQG requirements)
After a participant successfully reviews each section, a certificate of completion can be downloaded and printed to document that the supplemental training was completed.
The online training format allows you and others in your company to go through the training at your own pace without needing to spend an entire day at an in-person class. Take advantage of this free training opportunity.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 10-steps to compliance training
Similar to Hennepin County’s training, The MPCA’s online hazardous waste training, “10 Steps to Hazardous Waste Compliance” was not available for some time but is now back online and ready for use. There were some minor content changes made in this version and the MPCA plans to make some more significant content changes in the near future. Access the training here.
Minnesota Technical Assistance Program
MnTAP has offered some online webinars for the past few years on painting and degreasing operations, check them out here.
The Recycling Association of Minnesota and the Solid Waste Association of North America, Land of Lakes Chapter, have hosted the very successful and well attended RAM/SWANA conference for over twenty years. This year's conference will be held on October 14 & 15 at the Minneapolis Marriott NW, located in Brooklyn Park, MN.
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