
A solid waste processing facility is any facility where solid wastes are transferred from one container to another or are processed. Types of facilities include transfer stations and material recovery facilities, with or without composting. Transfer stations include, but are not limited to, a site or facility where waste is transferred from a rail carrier, motor vehicle or water carrier to another carrier, if the waste is removed from the container or vessel. The solid waste is temporarily stored or consolidated and then shipped to a waste disposal, processing or storage facility. A material recovery facility processes waste to remove material for further processing. This facility can operate with or without automated processes.
According to Code of State Regulations 10 CSR 80-2, companies that want to construct or operate a solid waste processing facility in Missouri are required to obtain the necessary solid waste permits, as described below. The permits are legally binding, enforceable documents that list what solid wastes can be accepted and identify any special handling requirements. Only solid wastes for which the facility has been specifically designed and performance tested to manage can be accepted. A solid waste processing facility permitted to treat or process infectious waste must follow additional requirements.
Some facilities may be allowed an exemption to operate without a solid waste permit if they are able to salvage, sell, re-use all the materials they accept, do not generate any waste to go to a landfill and do not violate any other environmental requirements while they are operating. Otherwise, these facilities’ waste-processing operations must be done only while operating with a solid waste processing permit.