
The simple answer to this question is “peace of mind.” Altiras employs beneficial reuse industry leading processes that ensure safety, health, environmental, and regulatory compliance, resulting in minimal risk for our suppliers. These processes include the reuse industry’s most comprehensive product stewardship process, along with detailed Safety, Hazard Communication, Industrial Hygiene, and RCRA Compliance programs. Unfortunately, many of Altiras’ smaller competitors have none of these programs and are in violation of many federal regulations. Even Altiras’ larger competitors fail to manage beneficial reuse products in such a way as to provide any assurance or documentation about RCRA compliance. Those large competitors also frequently fail in Hazcom and Industrial Hygiene compliance because they do not thoroughly assess the beneficial reuse products. Below is a comparison of Altiras and its competitors in critical areas of risk:
ALTIRAS | Brokers/Traders | Large Chemical Distributors | Large Disposal Companies | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Safety Program | yes | No | yes | yes |
Hazard Communication Program | yes | No | yes | yes |
Industrial Hygiene Program | yes | No | yes | yes |
Provides Training via Learning Management System | yes | No | question | question |
Understanding of Waste Regulations | yes | question | question | yes |
Ability to Produce SDS | yes | question | question | question |
Provides On-site Management where needed | yes | No | No | question |
Detailed Analysis of Product Composition for Risk Assessment | yes | No | No | No |
Identifies Hazardous Constituents that may not be on SDS | yes | No | No | No |
RCRA Compliance Audit of Customers & Use | yes | No | No | No |
Detailed Understanding of Beneficial Reuse Rules | yes | No | No | No |
Provides Written Product Stewardship Letter | yes | No | No | No |
Financially Backed Written Guarantees | yes | No | No | No |
Willing to Invest Capitol to Solve Beneficial Reuse Problems | yes | No | No | No |
Quality Assurance Process for Secondary Chemicals | yes | No | No | No |
Regarded by Suppliers & Customers “Best Problem Solvers in the Industry” | yes | No | No | No |
There are many examples of companies that have had to pay hefty penalties after being fined or sued for compliance failures in their efforts to provide beneficial reuse solutions. Below are just a few examples problems, settlements and illegal recycling:
- Beneficial Reuse Management Settles State Lawsuit
- Duke Energy Cited with Violations at Asheville Coal Ash Reuse Site
- Agrifos Fertilizer pays $1.8 million Settlement
- Air Products Settles Acid Reuse Suit for $1.5 million
- Colorado Survey finds Illegal Recycling Activities are Common (pdf)
Besides the cases above, Altiras staff have observed several competitor violations of RCRA due to violation of 40 CFR 261.2 where products were distilled by end users prior to use. In some cases, the use “as is” was not disclosed to the end user by a broker. In other cases, the end user was notified, but no audit was performed for verification. The Altiras Product Stewardship and RCRA Compliance Processes are the best means of preventing these types of violations. For more information, please contact Altiras at 713-568-3651 or email us at info@altiras.com.