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THE ]DESIGNATED LEVEL. METHODOLOGY ' FOR WASTE CLASSIFICATION AND CLEANUP LEVEL DETERMINATION October 1986; Updated —June 1989 SUMMARY OF THE STAFF REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD, CENTRAL VALLEY REGION California is a state that is significantly limited by designated level,the waste or soil is assumed to pose a the availability and quality of its water resources. site-specific threat to water quality. Improper waste management practices and contami- nated sites pose significant threats to the quality of WASTE CLASSIFICATION California's usable ground and surface water re- In California,the classification of wastes is per- sources. The purpose of this narrative is to outline a formed by two separate Cal/EPA state agencies with system for selecting numerical limits,consistent with separate regulatory authority. The Department of these standards,that may be used to assess impacts Toxic Substances Control(DISC;formerly the Toxic from waste management activities and pollutant re- Substances Control Division of the Department of leases on the quality of waters of the state and the ben- Health Services)classifies wastes as hazardous or non- eficial uses of these waters. hazardous based on their direct threat to public health. This paper summarizes information contained in a The State Water Resources Control Board,together staff report of the California Regional Water Quality with the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards, Control Board,Central Valley Region entitled The.Des- classify non-hazardous wastes as"designated","non- ignated Level Methodology for Waste Classification and hazardous solid"or"inert",based on the threat that Cleanup Level Determination. This report establishes a each waste poses to the beneficial uses of ground and framework for classifying wastes so that water quality surface waters,as required by the Porter-Cologne Wa- protective treatment,storage,and disposal practices ter Quality Control Act and regulations,water quality may be selected and for determining water quality pro- control plans and policies set forth by the Water tective soil cleanup levels. Boards. To determine whether a particular waste manage- As shown in Figures 2 and 3,Water Board regula- ment activity or pollutant release has caused or threat- tions divide wastes into four categories which,in turn, ens to cause pollution,staff of the Regional Water determine the classes of waste management units to Quality Control Boards must apply California's water which their discharge is permitted for treatment,stor- quality standards,contained in the Water Quality Con- age or disposal. Detailed criteria are contained in Title trol Plans,to select applicable numerical water quality 22 of the California Code of Regulations,Division 4.5, limits for each pollutant involved. At concentrations Chapter 11 for determining whether a waste falls into equal to or greater than these numerical limits, the hazardous category. These criteria fall under the California's water quality standards have been ex- headings of toxicity,ignitability,reactivity,corrosivity, ceeded and the pollutants are considered to have ad- and listing under the federal Resource Conservation versely impacted the beneficial uses of waters of the and Recovery Act(RCRA). Hazardous wastes may be state. To further assess the impact or potential impact discharged only to Class I waste management units of waste materials or contaminated soils,"soluble des- which provide both natural geologic and engineered ignated levels"may be calculated from the water qual- containment features to isolate the wastes from the ity numerical limits,using information specific to the environment,unless a specific variance has been waste or pollutant and to the site of waste discharge or granted by DTSC from California's hazardous waste pollutant release. If the soluble concentration of a pol- management requirements. lutant in a waste or soil exceeds its calculated soluble "Nonhazardous solid waste"is the regulatory