Standard Operating Procedure for

De-Contamination Facility for Barrels/

containers used for handling of wastes/
chemicals

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I. Introduction:

Gujarat is a highly industrialized State and houses almost all types of industries
including chemical, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, dyes & dyes intermediates,
petrochemicals etc. in large numbers which have very high potential to generate
barrels / containers / liners contaminated with hazardous chemicals / waste. These
industries are procuring their raw materials including hazardous chemicals from
various countries in different packing materials including barrels / containers /
liners. Once raw materials are decanted; these empty barrels / containers / liners
becomes waste. In State of Gujarat, there are approximately 27,000 operational
industries; among which approximately 13,000 Industries generate approximately
1,20,00,000 nos. of such empty drums/ barrels/ container/ liner every year against
which presently there are only five dedicated Drum Decontamination facilities
available.

II. Need of SOP:

In absence of any laid down procedure for the management of such contaminated
barrels / containers / liners coupled with less number of proper dedicated
decontamination facilities available across the State; majority of such waste items
ultimately finds its way to the informal unorganized sector which has mushroomed
all along the chemical estates. Management of these barrels / containers / liners
which is normally not environmentally sound at such informal unorganized sectors
not only thereby poses threat to the environment but also put the life of workers
and surroundings in danger. Washings generated from these activities have also
been observed discharged at many locations in nearby docile environment and
pollutes the natural water bodies. There are several incidents where inadequate
handling / cleaning activities has resulted into fire / explosion etc. and thereby
caused damage to life & property. Additionally, decontamination of barrels /
containers / liners carried out at such unorganized sectors may not guarantee
complete decontamination as it is not being supervised / controlled by any
competent agency and if further used for some other purposes like storage of food,
water etc may ultimately pose danger to the end users.

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III. Aim of SOP:

The objective of this Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is to establish

consistent methods for management of such barrels/ containers/ liners
contaminated with hazardous chemicals/ waste which includes procedure of
labeling, handling and decontamination and thereby to curb menace possibly
caused owing to handling at such informal unorganized sectors. This SOP
provides procedures and standards which are in addition to applicable regulatory
requirements and industry standards.

IV. Roles and Responsibilities of Stakeholders:

1. Generators:

The roles and responsibilities of the generators of the contaminated containers/

barrels/ liners/ are is under:

1.1. Labeling for contaminated drums/ barrels/ containers/ liners.

i. The drums/ barrels/ containers/ liners contaminated with hazardous chemicals /

waste shall be properly labeled as below:
a. Generator’s information (i.e., name, address, contact telephone number);
b. Date on which empty discarded drums/ barrels/ containers/ liners
contaminated with hazardous chemicals/ waste generated.
c. Description of waste material contained earlier in the drums/ barrels/
containers/ liners;
d. Characteristics of waste material contained earlier in the drums/ barrels/
containers/ liners*;
* When the final characterization of a material is unknown, a notification label
should be placed on the drum with the words “waste characterization pending.”
(In case of unknown waste characterization, the compatibility test shall be
carried out by the drum decontamination facility before decontamination &
shall maintain record for the same.)
ii. Material of label should be weather proof and marking made shall be long
lasting and shall not fade away with the exposure to the sunlight and / or rain
water etc.

Labels shall be placed at the middle on outside of the container as top of the container will
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expose the label to the weathering effect the most.
iii. Each barrels / containers / liners contaminated with hazardous chemicals / waste
generated shall be recorded in the field notebook used by the person responsible
for labeling the waste.
iv. In case of multiple containers accumulated together, labels on the top of the
containers shall be allowed.

2. Drum Decontamination facility.

2.1. Location criteria:

i. There shall be at least a common decontamination facility in each of the

chemical cluster OR in the vicinity of such cluster i.e. it shall not be permitted
in remote / scattered location.
ii. Common decontamination facility shall establish along with Common
TSDF/CHWIF.
iii. General siting criteria shall be applicable.

2.2. Legal requirements:

i. The CTE/CCA shall be granted exclusively for drum –decontamination facility

and no other production activities shall be allowed on the site.
ii. Unit shall obtain authorization and passbook as per the Hazardous and Other
Waste (M&TM) rules 2016.
iii. For the every Decontamination facility, a preliminary hazard analysis should be
conducted. Safety Audit internally by the Operator every year & externally once
in two years by a reputed expert agency should be carried out and same should
be submitted to the Board.
iv. The occupier of the Decontamination facility shall submit the notarized
undertaking that unit shall comply all the provisions of the CPCB guideline
on “Implementing Liabilities for Environmental Damages due to Handling &
Disposal of Hazardous Waste and Penalty.

2.3. Technical requirements:

2.3.1 Transportation:
i. The transportation of the aforesaid drums shall be carried out in vehicles
after obtaining authorization from the Board under the Hazardous and other

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Waste (Management, & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 with
requisite safeguards ensuring no pilferage of the wastes or leachates, if any.
ii. The responsibility of safe transport shall be either of the sender or the
receiver whosoever arranges the transport.
iii. The necessary authorization for transport shall be obtained by sender or the
receiver.
iv. Transportation shall be carried out on GPS mounted vehicles; the movement
of vehicles shall be displayed on XGN.
v. The manifest system shall be strictly followed by the waste generator,
transporter and receiver.
vi. The words “HAZARDOUS WASTE” shall be displayed on all sides of the
vehicle during transportation in Vernacular Language, Hindi and English.
vii. In case of spillage, leakage, fire, accident occurred during transportation,
there shall be a joint responsibility of the waste generator and the receiver to
pay for all damages caused to the environment or third party.
viii. Drums/ barrels / containers / liners for decontamination from the other state
are not allowed in any case.

2.3.2 Segregation & Storage and testing of Contaminated Drums:

i. Drum decontamination facility shall provide separate storage based on type

and category of waste.
ii. The compatibility test of Drums/ barrels / containers / liners contaminated
with hazardous chemicals / waste shall be carried out before executing
cleaning activities.
iii. Operator of facility shall not accept the contaminated drums/ container/
barrel & empty liners and bags when quantity of materials (contamination) in
containers in excess quantity.
iv. Loading and unloading of wastes in storage sheds shall be carried out under
the supervision of the well trained and experienced staff.
v. Flammable, ignitable, reactive and non-compatible wastes should be stored
separately and never should be stored in the same storage shed.
Storage area may consist of different sheds for storing different kinds of Incinerable hazardous
wastes and sheds should be provided with suitable openings.
vi. Adequate storage capacity (i.e. 50 % of the annual capacity) should be
provided in the premises.
vii. Adequate ventilation, exhaust and suction blowers and PPE to workers shall
be provided so as to prevent ill effect of vapor libration during opening of

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drum caps in handling area.
viii. Compound wall in the periphery shall be provided around the facility and
there shall no provision of outlet for discharge of effluent outside the plant
premises.
ix. Storage area should be designed to withstand the load of material stocked
and any damage from the material spillage.
x. Separate covered storage area for contaminated containers along with closed
shed, proper slope and spillage collection system channelized with ETP/MEE
shall be provided.
xi. Adequate fire fighting systems should be provided for the storage area, along
with the areas in the facility.

2.3.3 Operational requirement:

i. The decontamination shall be carried out through steam/ cold water/ hot
water/ Jet spray/ detergents/ caustic solutions/ solvent only.
ii. There should be two stage cleaning i.e. caustic/ surfactants (detergent)
cleaning followed by fresh water cleaning with fixed nozzles arrangement.
iii. For washing of the drums/containers in both stages, the number of nozzles
with multiple jet system shall not exceed 03 in 1 HP pump. Hence, adequate
number of nozzles and pump capacity shall accordingly be installed for the
permitted quantity of drums to be washed/day.
iv. In case of usage of solvent required for cleaning, water soluble organic
solvent like acetone may be used and waste water generated may be imparted
adequate treatment.
v. No any chemicals shall be used during handling, cleaning and
decontamination which become spontaneously reactive/ flammable or give
off flammable/ toxic gases in contact with the contaminated drums.
For decontamination of barrels/ containers/ liners contaminated with hazardous chemicals/
waste/ oil residues; proper absorbents or adsorbents like bentonite etc. may be used and it shall
then dispose to CHWIF.

2.3.4 Waste management (EMS):

i. Decontamination facility shall maintain zero discharge. Effluent discharge at

CETP shall not be allowed.
ii. Effluent generated owing to decontamination activities shall be treated in
primary ETP followed by forced evaporator / MEE incinerator or other

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authorized means. Complete ZLD shall be maintained in all conditions.
iii. Water flow meter at the inlet of ETP and evaporator shall be installed.
iv. Decontaminated pesticides and toxic chemical drums shall not be reused. It
must be cut into piece and disposed off to TSDF/CHWIF.
v. There shall be only trace residue remaining inside in the contaminated
drums/ container/ barrel & empty liners and bags and in no case fully/
partially filled contaminated drums/ container/ barrel & empty liners and
bags shall be accepted by the facility. The left-over or residual material in the
drums/ container/ barrel & empty liners and bags shall be safely transferred
into a separate container for storage and disposal at CHWIF.
vi. The vent of vacuum pump of the evaporator should be elevated at least up to
6 meter above the roof level.
vii. Membership of CHWIF/TSDF shall be obtained for the disposal of
residues. If required to be discharged outside the premises.

2.3.5 Storage of Decontaminated Drums:

i. There shall not be rain water intrusion in the storage as well as

decontamination area.
ii. Separate covered storage area for decontaminated containers along with
closed shed, proper slope and spillage collection system channelized with
ETP/MEE shall be provided.
iii. The decontaminated drums shall be labeled as below:
“Drum Decontaminated by: M/s ; Date: ”
“For industrial use only
NOT for storing any food material”

The above labeling is not applicable in case the cleaned drums are shredded and re-cycled.

2.3.6 Certification of decontaminated drums/container/barrel:

i. Drum decontamination facility shall carry out self certification of

decontaminated drums/container/barrel or
ii. Third Party Certification of decontamination shall be maintained and shall be
produced as and when demanded by the competent authority.

2.3.7 Safety measures:

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i. Signboards showing precautionary measures to be taken, in case of normal
and emergency situations should be displayed at appropriate locations.
ii. The facility shall prepare and submit Emergency response Plan to the Board.
iii. Safety audit shall be conducted at regular intervals.
iv. Storage sites should have adequate & prompt emergency response equipment
systems for the hazardous waste stored on-site. This should include fire
fighting arrangement based on the risk assessment, spill management,
evacuation and first aid.
v. Adequate PPEs shall be provided to the workers.
vi. Regular training regarding EHS, safety and operation shall be provided to the
workers.

V. General Criteria:

i. The manifest system and logbook shall be maintained.

ii. CCTV Camera as per specification given by the board with 15 days backup
system shall be installed in storage and decontamination area. The record shall
be maintained & submit as and when ask by Board.
iii. Proper records with regard to the industry –wise type of waste received,
characteristics as well as the location of the wastes that have been stored in the
facility need to be maintained.
iv. The monthly details of quantity of drums procured & cleaned and its source,
mode of cleaning the drum (i.e. detergent/caustic solution), quantity of waste
water generated, treated & recycled and residue generated ((i.e. left over
residue, Evaporator residue & ETP Sludge) or resources conserved (specifying
the details like type and quantity of resources conserved) shall be submitted to the Board.
v. The unit shall ensure that the cover of the MS drum should also be cleaned and
mutilated. The said cleaned & mutilated cover for recycling may be sold as
scrap to authorized party.
vi. The quarterly monitoring of the effluent and the Ambient Air Quality
parameters through NABL/ MoEF accredited laboratory as specified in the
Consent shall be carried out. The report of the same shall be submitted to the
Board.

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