Waste Management and Radiation Control
2021 State of the Environment Report

The Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control (DWMRC) works continuously to ensure the proper management of solid and hazardous waste, guarantees the safe management of radioactive materials, provides education and outreach, and promotes recycling efforts.

DWMRC works closely with facilities to clean up waste-contaminated areas and establishes permit and licensing conditions that ensure that waste treatment, storage, and disposal practices protect human health and the environment. Health physicists safeguard citizens from exposure to radiation through equipment inspections and oversight of the industrial and medical uses of radioactive materials.

DWMRC responsibilities  include:

  • Safe management of solid, hazardous, and radioactive wastes
  • Health and safety inspections of X-ray equipment and other sources of radiation
  • Assisting  property owners in the cleanup of contaminated property to return it to beneficial use
  • Waste management assistance through public education and outreach
  • Safe recycling systems for used oil and waste tires

“We value the partnership that we have built with The Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control. The entire team at the agency has been instrumental in assisting Clean Harbors reach new levels of achievement in meeting our customers’ ever-changing needs while maintaining high standards of environmental stewardship. At times this has meant detailed discussions regarding the interpretation of regulations in which all parties maintained an open mind and transparency in communication. Other times this has meant assisting in the modification of permit requirements to take regulatory changes and industry standards into consideration. The agency is always open to providing guidance upon request and has truly partnered with us in our mission to be a premier provider of disposal services.

We look forward to many more years of this collaborative effort in order to provide for safe destruction of waste for industry in Utah and the surrounding area.” 

–William Simmons, Clean Harbors Environmental Services

“We work extensively with the Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control to ensure proper compliance and protection of human health and the environment at our Clean Harbors Grassy Mountain landfill. Due to the dynamic nature of our operations, we are in near-constant communication with the agency. We are always very impressed with, and grateful for, the guidance provided by our on-site inspectors and their management team. The breadth of our work with the agency is immense, from regulatory inspections of hazardous waste operations to landfill unit construction and closure to groundwater monitoring, and we’ve consistently found representatives of DWMRC to be informed, fair and objective in their approach to regulating our industry. Their responsiveness and expertise help us achieve our goal of managing waste safely and effectively.”

–Shane B. Whitney, Clean Harbors Environmental Services

104 inspections completed in accordance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
90% violations returned to compliance within required timeframes

Success Story: Collaborative Efforts Prevent E-Cig Waste Pollution

The Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control in coordination with the Utah Department of Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP) developed informational booklets on how to properly manage electronic cigarette (E-cigarette) waste for Utah schools and retailers.

Utah Code 53G-8-203(3) requires Utah’s local education authorities to “include policies or procedures for the confiscation or surrender of electronic cigarette products”, which is anticipated to result in E-cigarette waste being collected at Utah schools. Our informational booklet for schools has already been distributed to high schools, middle school/junior high schools and K-12 schools throughout Utah.

An outreach effort was initiated, targeting retailers, in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Deeming Rule that requires E-cigarette products that do not receive an FDA affirmative marketing order to be removed from retailer shelves and disposed of. Additionally, a recent Utah Administrative Rule change prohibits retailers from selling E-cigarettes with a nicotine concentration greater than 3% by weight. These regulations are anticipated to result in increased E-cigarette waste production by retailers. 
Booklets and useful information on how to manage e-cigarette waste are available at ecigwaste.utah.gov