If you would like to submit an environmental concern to the Southwest District, please fill out this form or contact the District Office at 813-470-5700.
What is a Hazardous Waste?
The definition of a hazardous waste starts with the definition of a solid waste. A solid waste is any solid, liquid or contained gaseous material that is discarded by being disposed of, incinerated or recycled. Solid wastes can also be the byproduct of a manufacturing process, a commercial product that is used in a business or home, garbage, etc.
A hazardous waste is a solid waste that because of its quantity, concentration and/or physical, chemical or infectious characteristics may:
The Waste Cleanup Section is essentially a "Mini-CERCLA" or Superfund Section. We work on cleaning up sites with contaminated groundwater, soil and/or surface water. Most of our sites were contaminated prior to the enactment of environmental regulations or the source of contamination is unknown.
The DEP Southwest District regulates underground injection control wells in Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties.
The Southwest District permits non-major Class V wells (such as closed-loop heat pump/air conditioning return flow wells and stormwater wells). All other wells, including Class I wells and major Class V wells (such as aquifer storage and recovery, aquifer recharge, exploratory and reverse osmosis), are permitted by the Aquifer Protection Program in DEP’s Tallahassee office.
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Sign UpThe Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the state’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship – protecting our air, water and land. The vision of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is to create strong community partnerships, safeguard Florida’s natural resources and enhance its ecosystems.
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