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Recyclers News Press
Environmental Standards
Iowa—Certified Auto Recyclers Environmental Program
I-CARE
“First, it (wastewater) may not be discharged to a
water of the state without or contrary to the condi-
tions of a NPDES permit. It is unlikely that the
department (DNR) would issue a permit authoriz-
ing a discharge from a facility floor drain or wash
bay drain unless the facility could demonstrate
that they were employing the best available treat-
ment technology economically achievable for their
wastewater.”
Based on Iowa DNR correspondence, alternatives
to surface discharge include 1) connecting to city
sewer (preferred option), 2) on site recycling, and
3) collection/transport to a city sanitary wastewa-
ter treatment plant.
While this wastewater recycling equipment is rela-
tively expensive, compliance issues are reduced
and possibly eliminated if no wastewater is dis-
charged. Treating wastewater at the city plant will
require installation of storage tanks and transpor-
tation equipment or contracts and testing of the
water prior to removal. Discussion as to the feasi-
bility of this option should be conducted with the
local wastewater treatment plant superintendent.
Even wastewater discharged to a city sewer sys-
tem can create a potentially hazardous waste as
sludge builds up in the sump of the floor drain sys-
tem at the facility.
Sump sludge may be hazardous because of con-
taminants such as metal particulate or solvents.
As a result, a representative sample of sump
sludge should be collected and tested for TCLP
parameters.
If the sump sludge is found to be hazardous, it
must be disposed of through an EPA-permitted
hazardous waste management company, stored
in sealed and labeled containers, and included in
the facility’s hazardous waste inventory.
