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ECAR
Fact Sheet for Minnesota Regulations BACK to VIRTUAL TOUR The following fact sheet was prepared by the ECAR Center staff. Once prepared, each ECAR Center fact sheet undergoes a review process with the applicable state environmental agency(ies). You can check on the status of the review process here. Please read the disclaimer on the status page. While we have tried to present a summary of the essential information on this topic, you should be aware that other items, such as local regulations, may apply to you. What You Need to Know If your wastewater is currently just going down an unregulated drain, you've got a problem. Even if your activities have gone unnoticed for years, there is an increasing chance that you will be inspected. The federal EPA and the states are starting to look much more carefully at sources of water pollution that have so far remained unidentified, and they have (rightly or wrongly) decided that auto recyclers are a significant problem area. There are a few basic rules to keep in mind. The first is that wastewater from industrial discharges is usually handled by wastewater treatment plants, but you are usually required to conduct "pretreatment" of the discharge. The second is that the storm drains that carry rain and snow runoff from dismantling yards, roof downspouts, parking lots, and other surfaces typically go directly to open waterways, and must never be used for disposal. It is important that all the employees at your yard are aware of these rules, and that they respect them. You will almost certainly need separate permits both for stormwater runoff (see the ECAR Stormwater fact sheet) and for any industrial wastewater that you generate. This page will give you an overview of how to handle your industrial wastewater. Wastewater management – keeping hazardous wastes such as used oil, antifreeze and solvents out of wastewater – is essential in operating an environmentally friendly salvage yard. Because of the potential for waste and wastewater to pollute soil and ground water, environmental laws regarding disposal are very strict. Make sure your facility is using one of the two following wastewater management systems:
Permits. State wastewater discharge permits are required for anyone who discharges waste materials from a commercial or industrial operation to ground or to a publicly-owned treatment plant, and or municipalities who discharge to ground. NPDES permits are required for anyone who discharges wastewater to, or has a significant potential to impact surface waters. Pretreatment. If a facility generates industrial process wastewater that comes from metal-finishing or other industrial processes covered by the EPA categories listed in 40 CFR 413 - 471 and if this wastewater is routed to the sanitary sewer system, you may need to install treatment equipment such as an oil/water separator to prevent oil and sludge from being discharged to the sewer. This is referred to as "pretreatment." The oil and sludge collected by pretreatment equipment will have to be periodically removed and disposed of, possibly as a hazardous waste (you must make a hazardous waste determination). In most instances, wastewater will require some form of pretreatment prior to discharge into the sewer system. You will also have to submit the pretreatment form below to the MPCA directly. Links to the Regulations and Forms. Use the following links to view the regulations and permit forms pertaining to wastewater. Pretreatment State Disposal System Permit Application Federal Safe Drinking Water Act Requirements When an inspector comes to your facility, there are certain things he or she checks to see if you are in compliance with environmental regulations. It makes good sense for you to perform a "self-audit" and catch and correct problems before they result in penalties. Also, there are some compliance incentives associated with self-audits (see Audit Policy Page). Use the following list to audit your wastewater management activities.
Best Management Practices (BMPs) Most regulations tell you what you have to do to be in compliance, but they don’t explain how to do it. That’s where "best management practices" come into play. BMPs are proven methods that help you to get into compliance and stay there. The following BMPs are recommended for wastewater management.
For more information, contact the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Regional Office closest to you:
If you have wastewater questions, call the MPCA Customer Assistance Center at 651-297-2274.
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