On October 5, 2012, the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act was enacted into law at the federal level.  The act authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a national system for tracking hazardous waste shipments electronically.  This system, known as “e-Manifest,” will modernize the nation’s cradle-to-grave hazardous waste tracking process. 

e-Manifest is set to “go live” in all states on June 30, 2018.  Effective June 30, 2018, Maryland will no longer require facilities to mail copies of the manifest to the Maryland Department of the Environment. All copies must be mailed to EPA. For shipments of hazardous waste that are initiated on or before June 29, 2018, Maryland will still require hard copies of the manifest. 

The e-Manifest Act authorized EPA to collect reasonable user fees for all system-related costs, including development and maintenance. In the final User Fee Rule, EPA determined that the destination or receiving facilities will pay a per manifest fee that will cover the costs of the e-Manifest system. The per manifest fees under the User Fee Rule vary based on the type of manifest (paper or electronic) and the manner of submission (e.g., direct mail, data file upload, image upload). EPA is currently finalizing the Fee Schedule. Once it has been finalized it will be posted on EPA’s e-Manifest Website. 

Use of paper manifests will remain an option. Those using a paper manifest may obtain a blank hard copy of the new 5-page manifest form from EPA-approved printers. Please see the list at:  https://www.epa.gov/hwgenerators/approved-registered-printers-epas-manifest-registry

 There are also links for you to be able to test the e-Manifest system.  https://www.epa.gov/e-manifest/how-participate-testing-hazardous-waste-electronic-manifest-system-system-e-manifest

Hazardous waste handlers (generators, transporters, brokers, and destination facilities) who intend to use electronic manifests will need to register with EPA, and, as part of the registration process, designate a “site manager” for e-Manifest activities.  The e-Manifest site manager is allowed to view, prepare, and sign e-Manifest forms, and approve other persons in their company or organization for various levels of permission with respect to the e-Manifest system. 

The e-Manifest site managers can also designate others in the site manager's organization as additional site managers.  EPA recommends that each company/organization/generator have at least two e‑Manifest site managers.

To register as a Site Manager, please go to https://rcrainfo.epa.gov/ click on RCRAInfo V6 then register.  When completed EPA will approve or deny the Site Manager.

Below are some fact sheets from EPA:

General Public Fact Sheet

Generator Fact Sheet

Transporters Fact Sheet

Receiving Facility Fact Sheet

TSD Fact Sheet 

Broker Fact Sheet​

EPA has a website dedicated to all information regarding e-Manifest.  https://www.epa.gov/e-manifest 

To obtain an EPA ID Number as an Electronic Manifest Broker please download the 8700-12 form from this site: https://rcrainfo.epa.gov/rcrainfoweb/documents/rcra_subtitleC_forms_and_instructions.pdf