With the flexibility of nimble, efficient, and on-demand maintenance available from the mobile fleet services industry providers \u2013 the days of fleet operations being tied to physical locations to have their vehicles serviced are coming to an end. The concept of mobile fleet services providers is a business model that is catching on with fleet owners, which raises new challenges as companies spread out across state lines. Even though mobile fleet service providers aren\u2019t tied to a physical location to service their customer\u2019s vehicles, they ARE tied to the local, state, and federal waste regulations that come along with handling hazardous waste. Failing to meet these regulations can mean big fines for your business, so navigating them becomes a unique challenge for any mobile fleet service company.<\/p>\n
Often times when regulations are concerned, the wording of the regulations can be the murkiest part of the equation. \u00a0The complexities of maintaining compliance when it comes to federal regulations can often times boil down to the specific definitions within the regulation.<\/p>\n
For instance, a \u201cused oil generator\u201d that transports less than 55 gallons of oil at a time doesn\u2019t have to have an EPA ID#. As a service provider, you might consider yourself to be the \u201cgenerator\u201d since you are the one changing the oil. In reality, the \u201cgenerator\u201d is actually the customer because they are the ones that have classified the oil as \u201cused\u201d by requesting it to be changed. As a service provider, if you had assumed you were the generator and didn\u2019t need an EPA ID#, you would be subject to a per vehicle fine.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To complicate things, if your company operates across different states, you have to consider the fact that different states designate the same materials in different ways. For instance, in California antifreeze is considered hazardous waste, has to be labeled as such, and cannot be stored more than 180 days. The exact same antifreeze in Connecticut is considered \u201cstate-regulated waste\u201d, must be labeled as such, and can be stored without a time limit. In Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin it is considered \u201cuniversal waste\u201d, must be labeled as such, and as long as you have less than 5,000kg \u2013 you don\u2019t need an EPA ID# for it. \u00a0When it comes to used motor oil, in California it is a state-regulated hazardous waste, must be labeled, and cannot be stored for more than 180 days. While in Florida, used motor oil is federally regulated, must be labeled, AND requires an annual fee. BUT, Just across the state line, in Georgia, used motor oil is federally regulated but DOESN\u2019T requires an annual fee\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n These are just broad examples of how state and federal regulations can affect your business. Maintaining these compliances is not a \u201cone-size-fits-all\u201d process and requires a vigorous attention to detail.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Quest Guide to Compliance<\/strong><\/h3>\n