(a) For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Manifest” means a shipping document originated and signed by a generator of hazardous waste that contains all of the information required by the department and that complies with all applicable federal and state regulations, and includes any of the following:

(A) A California Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest, which was a manifest document printed and supplied by the state for a shipment initiated on or before September 4, 2006.

(B) A Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest, which is United States Environmental Protection Agency Form 8700-22 (Manifest) and includes, if necessary, Form 8700-22A (Manifest Continuation Sheet), printed by a source registered with the United States Environmental Protection Agency for a shipment initiated on or after September 5, 2006.

(C) (i) An electronic manifest, which is the electronic format of a hazardous waste manifest, that is obtained from the electronic manifest system and transmitted electronically to the system, that is the legal equivalent of United States Environmental Protection Agency Forms 8700-22 and 8700-22A, as specified in Section 25160.01.

(ii) A printed copy of the manifest from the e-Manifest system.

(2) “Electronic manifest system” or “e-Manifest system” means the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s national information technology system through which an electronic manifest may be obtained, completed, transmitted, and distributed to users of the electronic manifest, and to regulatory agencies.

(3) For purposes of this section and Section 25205.15, a shipment is initiated on the date when the manifest, is signed by the first transporter and the hazardous waste leaves the site where it is generated.

(b) (1) Except as provided in Section 25160.2 or 25160.8, or as otherwise authorized by a variance issued by the department, a person generating hazardous waste that is transported, or submitted for transportation, for offsite handling, treatment, storage, disposal, or any combination thereof, shall complete a manifest prior to the time the waste is transported or offered for transportation, and shall designate on that manifest the facility to which the waste is to be shipped for the handling, treatment, storage, disposal, or combination thereof. The manifest shall be completed as required by the department. The generator shall provide the manifest to the person who will transport the hazardous waste, who is the driver, if the hazardous waste will be transported by vehicle, or the person designated by the railroad corporation or vessel operator, if the hazardous waste will be transported by rail or vessel.

(A) The generator shall use the manifest shipping document United States Environmental Protection Agency Form 8700-22 and include, if necessary, Form 8700-22A, or an electronic manifest, which is the electronic format of a hazardous waste manifest, that is obtained from the e-Manifest system, and that is the legal equivalent of United States Environmental Protection Agency Forms 8700-22 and 8700-22A, as specified in Section 25160.01.

(B) A manifest shall only be used for the purposes specified in this chapter, including, but not limited to, identifying materials that the person completing the manifest reasonably believes are hazardous waste.

(C) Within 30 days from the date of transport, or submission for transport, of hazardous waste, each generator of that hazardous waste using a paper manifest shall submit to the department a legible copy of each paper manifest used. The copy submitted to the department shall contain the signatures of the generator and the transporter. The generator is not required to send the department a copy of an electronic manifest processed completely through the e-Manifest system.

(2) Except as provided in Section 25160.2 or 25160.8 or as otherwise authorized by a variance issued by the department, a person generating hazardous waste that is transported, or submitted for transportation, for offsite handling, treatment, storage, disposal, or any combination thereof, outside of the state, shall complete, whether or not the waste is determined to be hazardous by the importing country or state, a manifest in accordance with both of the following conditions:

(A) The generator shall use the manifest shipping document United States Environmental Protection Agency Form 8700-22 and include, if necessary, Form 8700-22A, or an electronic manifest, which is the electronic format of a hazardous waste manifest, that is obtained from the e-Manifest system, and that is the legal equivalent of United States Environmental Protection Agency Forms 8700-22 and 8700-22A, as specified in Section 25160.01.

(B) The generator shall submit a legible printed copy of any paper manifest used in accordance with subparagraph (A) to the department within 30 days from the date of the transport, or submission for transport, of the hazardous waste. The generator is not required to send the department a copy of an electronic manifest processed completely through the e-Manifest system.

(3) Within 30 days from the date of transport, or submission for transport, of hazardous waste out of state, each generator of that hazardous waste using a paper manifest shall submit to the department a legible printed copy of each paper manifest used. The copy submitted to the department shall contain the signatures of the generator and the initial transporter. If within 35 days from the date of the initial shipment, or for exports by water to foreign countries 60 days after the initial shipment, the generator has not received a copy of the manifest signed by all transporters and the facility operator or received verification through the e-Manifest system that the shipment has been received by the designated facility, the generator shall contact the owner or operator of the designated facility to determine the status of the hazardous waste and to request that the owner or operator immediately provide a signed copy of the manifest to the generator. Except as provided otherwise in paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section 25123.3, if within 45 days from the date of the initial shipment or, for exports by water to foreign countries, 90 days from the date of the initial shipment, the generator has not received a copy of the signed manifest or verification through the e-Manifest system from the facility owner or operator that the shipment has been received and the manifest has been signed by the designated facility, the generator shall submit an exception report to the department.

(4) For shipments of waste that do not require a manifest pursuant to Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the department, by regulation, may require that a manifest be used.

(5) (A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, except as provided in subparagraph (B), the generator is not required to submit a copy of the manifest to the department for any waste transported in compliance with the consolidated manifest procedures in Section 25160.2 or with the procedures specified in Section 25160.8, or when the transporter is operating pursuant to a variance issued by the department pursuant to Section 25143 authorizing the use of a consolidated manifest for waste not listed in Section 25160.2, if the generator, transporter, and facility are all identified as the same company on the hazardous waste manifest. If multiple identification numbers are used by a single company, all of the company’s identification numbers shall be included in its annual transporter registration application, if those numbers will be used with the consolidated manifest procedure. Nothing in this paragraph affects the obligation of a facility operator to submit information regarding the shipment it receives through a consolidated manifest into the e-Manifest system.

(B) If the waste subject to subparagraph (A) is transported out of state, the generator shall submit a legible copy of the paper manifest to the department that contains the signatures of the generator and the initial transporter. The generator is not required to send the department a copy of an electronic manifest processed completely through the e-Manifest system.

(c) (1) The department shall determine the form and manner in which a manifest shall be completed and the information that the manifest shall contain. The form of each manifest and the information requested on each manifest shall be the same for all hazardous wastes, regardless of whether the hazardous wastes are also regulated pursuant to the federal act or by regulations adopted by the United States Department of Transportation. However, the form of the manifest and the information required shall be consistent with federal regulations.

(2) Pursuant to federal regulations, the department may require information on the manifest in addition to the information required by federal regulations.

(d) (1) A person who transports hazardous waste in a vehicle shall either have a legible copy of the paper manifest in their possession while transporting the hazardous waste or shall have an electronic manifest accessible during transportation that the person forwarded to the person or persons who are scheduled to receive delivery of the waste shipment. To the extent that Section 177.817 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations requires transporters of hazardous materials to carry a paper document, a hazardous waste transporter shall carry one printed copy of the paper or electronic manifest on the transport vehicle. The manifest shall be shown upon demand to any representative of the department, any officer of the Department of the California Highway Patrol, any local health officer, any certified unified program agency, or any local public officer designated by the director. If the hazardous waste is transported by rail or vessel, the railroad corporation or vessel operator shall comply with Subchapter C (commencing with Section 171.1) of Chapter 1 of Subtitle B of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations and shall also enter on the shipping papers any information concerning the hazardous waste that the department may require.

(2) Any person who transports a waste, as defined by Section 25124, and who is provided with a manifest for that waste shall, while transporting that waste, comply with all requirements of this chapter, and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto, concerning the transportation of hazardous waste.

(3) A person who transports hazardous waste shall transfer a copy of the manifest to the facility operator at the time of delivery, or to the person who will subsequently transport the hazardous waste in a vehicle. A person who transports hazardous waste and then transfers custody of that hazardous waste to a person who will subsequently transport that waste by rail or vessel shall transfer a copy of the manifest to the person designated by the railroad corporation or vessel operator, as specified by Subchapter C (commencing with Section 171.1) of Chapter 1 of Subtitle B of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The transfer of a manifest under this paragraph may be completed by either the transfer of a paper manifest or a transfer by electronic manifest transmitted to the facility operator by submission to the e-Manifest system.

(4) A person transporting hazardous waste by motor vehicle, rail, or water shall certify to the department, at the time of initial registration and at the time of renewal of that registration pursuant to this article, that the transporter is familiar with the requirements of this section, the department regulations, and federal laws and regulations governing the use of manifests.

(e) (1) A facility operator in the state who receives hazardous waste for handling, treatment, storage, disposal, or any combination thereof, which was transported with a manifest pursuant to this section, shall comply with the requirements of Section 264.71 or 265.71 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as applicable, pertaining to receipt of that shipment.

(2) Any treatment, storage, or disposal facility receiving hazardous waste generated outside this state may only accept the hazardous waste for treatment, storage, disposal, or any combination thereof, if the hazardous waste is accompanied by a completed paper or electronic manifest.

(3) A facility operator may accept hazardous waste generated offsite that is not accompanied by a properly completed and signed paper or electronic manifest if the facility operator meets both of the following conditions:

(A) The facility operator is authorized to accept the hazardous waste pursuant to a hazardous waste facilities permit or other grant of authorization from the department.

(B) The facility operator is in compliance with the regulations adopted by the department specifying the conditions and procedures applicable to the receipt of hazardous waste under these circumstances.

(4) This subdivision applies only to shipments of hazardous waste for which a manifest is required pursuant to this section and the regulations adopted pursuant to this section.

(f) The department shall make available for review, by any interested party, the department’s plans for revising and enhancing its system for tracking hazardous waste for the purposes of protecting human health and the environment, enforcing laws, collecting revenue, and generating necessary reports.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 133, Sec. 2. (AB 1597) Effective January 1, 2020.)