§ 262.21 - Manifest tracking numbers, manifest printing, and obtaining manifests.

§ 262.21 Manifest tracking numbers, manifest printing, and obtaining manifests.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 60725, July 26, 2024.

(a)

(1) A registrant may not print, or have printed, the manifest for use of distribution unless it has received approval from the EPA Director of the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery to do so under paragraphs (c) and (e) of this section.

(2) The approved registrant is responsible for ensuring that the organizations identified in its application are in compliance with the procedures of its approved application and the requirements of this section. The registrant is responsible for assigning manifest tracking numbers to its manifests.

(b) A registrant must submit an initial application to the EPA Director of the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery that contains the following information:

(1) Name and mailing address of registrant;

(2) Name, telephone number and email address of contact person;

(3) Brief description of registrant's government or business activity;

(4) EPA identification number of the registrant, if applicable;

(5) Description of the scope of the operations that the registrant plans to undertake in printing, distributing, and using its manifests, including:

(i) A description of the printing operation. The description should include an explanation of whether the registrant intends to print its manifests in-house (i.e., using its own printing establishments) or through a separate (i.e., unaffiliated) printing company. If the registrant intends to use a separate printing company to print the manifest on its behalf, the application must identify this printing company and discuss how the registrant will oversee the company. If this includes the use of intermediaries (e.g., prime and subcontractor relationships), the role of each must be discussed. The application must provide the name and mailing address of each company. It also must provide the name and telephone number of the contact person at each company.

(ii) A description of how the registrant will ensure that its organization and unaffiliated companies, if any, comply with the requirements of this section. The application must discuss how the registrant will ensure that a unique manifest tracking number will be pre-printed on each manifest. The application must describe the internal control procedures to be followed by the registrant and unaffiliated companies to ensure that numbers are tightly controlled and remain unique. In particular, the application must describe how the registrant will assign manifest tracking numbers to its manifests. If computer systems or other infrastructure will be used to maintain, track, or assign numbers, these should be indicated. The application must also indicate how the printer will pre-print a unique number on each form (e.g., crash or press numbering). The application also must explain the other quality procedures to be followed by each establishment and printing company to ensure that all required print specifications are consistently achieved and that printing violations are identified and corrected at the earliest practicable time.

(iii) An indication of whether the registrant intends to use the manifests for its own business operations or to distribute the manifests to a separate company or to the general public (e.g., for purchase).

(6) A brief description of the qualifications of the company that will print the manifest. The registrant may use readily available information to do so (e.g., corporate brochures, product samples, customer references, documentation of ISO certification), so long as such information pertains to the establishments or company being proposed to print the manifest.

(7) Proposed unique three-letter manifest tracking number suffix. If the registrant is approved to print the manifest, the registrant must use this suffix to pre-print a unique manifest tracking number on each manifest.

(8) A signed certification by a duly authorized employee of the registrant that the organizations and companies in its application will comply with the procedures of its approved application and the requirements of this section and that it will notify the EPA Director of the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery of any duplicated manifest tracking numbers on manifests that have been used or distributed to other parties as soon as this becomes known.

(c) EPA will review the application submitted under paragraph (b) of this section and either approve it or request additional information or modification before approving it.

(d)

(1) Upon EPA approval of the application under paragraph (c) of this section, EPA will provide the registrant an electronic file of the manifest, continuation sheet, and manifest instructions and ask the registrant to submit three fully assembled manifests and continuation sheet samples, except as noted in paragraph (d)(3) of this section. The registrant's samples must meet all of the specifications in paragraph (f) of this section and be printed by the company that will print the manifest as identified in the application approved under paragraph (c) of this section.

(2) The registrant must submit a description of the manifest samples as follows:

(i) Paper type (i.e., manufacturer and grade of the manifest paper);

(ii) Paper weight of each copy;

(iii) Ink color of the manifest's instructions. If screening of the ink was used, the registrant must indicate the extent of the screening; and

(iv) Method of binding the copies.

(3) The registrant need not submit samples of the continuation sheet if it will print its continuation sheet using the same paper type, paper weight of each copy, ink color of the instructions, and binding method as its manifest form samples.

(e) EPA will evaluate the forms and either approve the registrant to print them as proposed or request additional information or modification to them before approval. EPA will notify the registrant of its decision by mail. The registrant cannot use or distribute its forms until EPA approves them. An approved registrant must print the manifest and continuation sheet according to its application approved under paragraph (c) of this section and the manifest specifications in paragraph (f) of this section. It also must print the forms according to the paper type, paper weight, ink color of the manifest instructions and binding method of its approved forms.

(f) Paper manifests and continuation sheets must be printed according to the following specifications:

(1) The manifest and continuation sheet must be printed with the exact format and appearance as EPA Forms 8700-22 and 8700-22A, respectively. However, information required to complete the manifest may be pre-printed on the manifest form.

(2) A unique manifest tracking number assigned in accordance with a numbering system approved by EPA must be pre-printed in Item 4 of the manifest. The tracking number must consist of a unique three-letter suffix following nine digits.

(3) The manifest and continuation sheet must be printed on 81⁄2 × 11-inch white paper, excluding common stubs (e.g., top- or side-bound stubs). The paper must be durable enough to withstand normal use.

(4) The manifest and continuation sheet must be printed in black ink that can be legibly photocopied, scanned, or faxed, except that the marginal words indicating copy distribution must be printed with a distinct ink color or with another method (e.g., white text against black background in text box, or, black text against grey background in text box) that clearly distinguishes the copy distribution notations from the other text and data entries on the form.

(5) The manifest and continuation sheet must be printed as five-copy forms. Copy-to-copy registration must be exact within 1/32nd of an inch. Handwritten and typed impressions on the form must be legible on all five copies. Copies must be bound together by one or more common stubs that reasonably ensure that they will not become detached inadvertently during normal use.

(6) Each copy of the manifest and continuation sheet must indicate how the copy must be distributed, as follows:

(i) Page 1 (top copy): “Designated facility to EPA's e-Manifest system”;

(ii) Page 2: “Designated facility to generator”;

(iii) Page 3: “Designated facility copy”;

(iv) Page 4: “Transporter copy”; and

(v) Page 5 (bottom copy): “Generator's initial copy.”

(7) The instructions for the manifest form (EPA Form 8700-22) and the manifest continuation sheet (EPA Form 8700-22A) shall be printed in accordance with the content that is currently approved under OMB Control Number 2050-0039 and published to the e-Manifest program's website. The instructions must appear legibly on the back of the copies of the manifest and continuation sheet as provided in this paragraph (f). The instructions must not be visible through the front of the copies when photocopied or faxed.

(i) Manifest Form 8700-22.

(A) The “Instructions for Generators” on Copy 5;

(B) The “Instructions for International Shipment Block” and “Instructions for Transporters” on Copy 4; and

(C) The “Instructions for Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities” on Copy 3.

(ii) Manifest Form 8700-22A.

(A) The “Instructions for Generators” on Copy 5;

(B) The “Instructions for Transporters” on Copy 4; and

(C) The “Instructions for Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities” on Copy 3.

(8) The designated facility copy of each manifest and continuation sheet must include in the bottom margin the following warning in prominent font: “If you received this manifest, you have responsibilities under the e-Manifest Act. See instructions on reverse side.”

(g)

(1) A generator may use manifests printed by any source so long as the source of the printed form has received approval from EPA to print the manifest under paragraphs (c) and (e) of this section. A registered source may be a:

(i) State agency;

(ii) Commercial printer;

(iii) Hazardous waste generator, transporter or TSDF; or

(iv) Hazardous waste broker or other preparer who prepares or arranges shipments of hazardous waste for transportation.

(2) A generator must determine whether the generator state or the consignment state for a shipment regulates any additional wastes (beyond those regulated Federally) as hazardous wastes under these states' authorized programs. Generators also must determine whether the consignment state or generator state requires the generator to submit any copies of the manifest to these states. In cases where the generator must supply copies to either the generator's state or the consignment state, the generator is responsible for supplying legible photocopies of the manifest to these states.

(h)

(1) If an approved registrant would like to update any of the information provided in its application approved under paragraph (c) of this section (e.g., to update a company phone number or name of contact person), the registrant must revise the application and submit it to the EPA Director of the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, along with an indication or explanation of the update, as soon as practicable after the change occurs. The Agency either will approve or deny the revision. If the Agency denies the revision, it will explain the reasons for the denial, and it will contact the registrant and request further modification before approval.

(2) If the registrant would like a new tracking number suffix, the registrant must submit a proposed suffix to the EPA Director of the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, along with the reason for requesting it. The Agency will either approve the suffix or deny the suffix and provide an explanation why it is not acceptable.

(3) If a registrant would like to change the paper type, paper weight, ink color of the manifest instructions, or binding method of its manifest or continuation sheet subsequent to approval under paragraph (e) of this section, then the registrant must submit three samples of the revised form for EPA review and approval. If the approved registrant would like to use a new printer, the registrant must submit three manifest samples printed by the new printer, along with a brief description of the printer's qualifications to print the manifest. EPA will evaluate the manifests and either approve the registrant to print the forms as proposed or request additional information or modification to them before approval. EPA will notify the registrant of its decision by mail. The registrant cannot use or distribute its revised forms until EPA approves them.

(i) If, subsequent to its approval under paragraph (e) of this section, a registrant typesets its manifest or continuation sheet instead of using the electronic file of the forms provided by EPA, it must submit three samples of the manifest or continuation sheet to the registry for approval. EPA will evaluate the manifests or continuation sheets and either approve the registrant to print them as proposed or request additional information or modification to them before approval. EPA will notify the registrant of its decision by mail. The registrant cannot use or distribute its typeset forms until EPA approves them.

(j) EPA may exempt a registrant from the requirement to submit form samples under paragraph (d) or (h)(3) of this section if the Agency is persuaded that a separate review of the registrant's forms would serve little purpose in informing an approval decision (e.g., a registrant certifies that it will print the manifest using the same paper type, paper weight, ink color of the instructions and binding method of the form samples approved for some other registrant). A registrant may request an exemption from EPA by indicating why an exemption is warranted.

(k) An approved registrant must notify EPA by phone or email as soon as it becomes aware that it has duplicated tracking numbers on any manifests that have been used or distributed to other parties.

(l) If, subsequent to approval of a registrant under paragraph (e) of this section, EPA becomes aware that the approved paper type, paper weight, ink color of the instructions, or binding method of the registrant's form is unsatisfactory, EPA will contact the registrant and require modifications to the form.

(m)

(1) EPA may suspend and, if necessary, revoke printing privileges if we find that the registrant:

(i) Has used or distributed forms that deviate from its approved form samples in regard to paper weight, paper type, ink color of the instructions, or binding method; or

(ii) Exhibits a continuing pattern of behavior in using or distributing manifests that contain duplicate manifest tracking numbers.

(2) EPA will send a warning letter to the registrant that specifies the date by which it must come into compliance with the requirements. If the registrant does not come in compliance by the specified date, EPA will send a second letter notifying the registrant that EPA has suspended or revoked its printing privileges. An approved registrant must provide information on its printing activities to EPA if requested.

[70 FR 10815, Mar. 4, 2005, as amended at 74 FR 30230, June 25, 2009; 76 FR 36366, June 22, 2011; 83 FR 451, Jan. 3, 2018]