What are Hazardous Materials?

Hazardous materials are chemicals, including petroleum products, that when improperly handled can adversely affect public health or water quality if they get into the water supply. Examples include: paints, stains, paint thinners, antifreeze, cleaning and degreasing solvents, fuels and additives, brake and transmission fluids, pesticides, herbicides, industrial and commercial chemicals, and photo processing fluids.

The Ordinance applies to businesses and facilities that have a total of 20 gallons or more of these products stored, handled, used, produced, disposed of, or recycled on their premises at any one time. Storage of chemical products for retail sale in original containers with capacities of 5 gallons or less will not be regulated. The Ordinance defines hazardous materials and deleterious substances as:

Hazardous Materials

Any hazardous waste, hazardous substance, dangerous waste, or extremely hazardous waste that is a physical or health hazard as defined and classified in Chapter 70.105 Revised Code of Washington and Chapter 173-303 Washington Administrative Code whether the materials are in usable or waste condition. Hazardous materials shall also include petroleum or petroleum products that are in a liquid phase at ambient temperatures, including any waste oils or sludges.

Deleterious Substances

Include, but are not limited to, chemical and microbial substances that are not classified as hazardous materials under RCDG 20A.20.080, whether the substances are in usable or waste condition, that have the potential to pose a significant groundwater hazard, or for which monitoring requirements or treatment based standards are enforced under Chapter 246-290 WAC.

Things that you can do to better manage your Hazardous Materials

• Learn how to identify hazardous materials and how to manage them correctly. Information is available online at http://www.govlink.org/hazwaste/business.
• Walk around your facility and process areas and think about how to streamline hazardous materials use, handling and storage to achieve efficiency and the safety of both your workers and our water supply.
• Be sure that hazardous materials are stored correctly and safely, and that there is secondary containment if necessary.
• Begin now by ordering only the exact amount of hazardous material needed so that you are not storing excess.

Hazardous Materials Questionnaire
Taking an inventory of hazardous materials used within the City is an important step in protecting our groundwater resource. All businesses, public agencies, non-governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations located within Wellhead Protection Zones 1, 2 or 3 (Wellhead Protection Zone Map) will be required to complete a Hazardous Materials Questionnaire to help the City determine the types and quantities of materials in use within the most sensitive groundwater areas.

New Businesses
If you are a new business to the City of Redmond and your business will be located in Wellhead Protection Zone 1, 2, or 3 you will be required to submit a Hazardous Materials Questionnaire. Please click on the link in the left hand column for further information.