Louisiana compliance
Louisiana hazardous waste regulations
How LDEQ runs the hazardous waste program, and where Louisiana goes beyond the federal baseline.
Louisiana is authorized by EPA to administer the RCRA hazardous waste program, so LDEQ enforces state rules at Louisiana Administrative Code Title 33, Part V in place of the federal regulations. The state program is at least as stringent as federal RCRA and in several areas goes further.
Source: Louisiana Administrative Code Title 33, Part VWhere Louisiana goes beyond federal RCRA
An authorized state may be more stringent than the federal baseline, and Louisiana is:
- Louisiana hosts substantial commercial treatment capacity, including Class I injection wells serving the petrochemical corridor
- The state regulates exploration and production waste under a separate oilfield waste program administered by the Office of Conservation
- LDEQ operates its own electronic reporting system for generator annual reporting
Federal RCRA is the floor, not the ceiling. Compliance with 40 CFR alone does not establish compliance in an authorized state.
The industry mix that drives Louisiana waste streams
Petrochemical corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, refining, offshore oil and gas support, chemical manufacturing, maritime. That mix determines which waste codes turn up most often and which treatment capacity matters.
Knowing the local stream profile is practical rather than academic. It is why a quote for a Louisiana site is built from the process rather than from a rate card, and why the treatment path is named before anything is scheduled.
Waste streams we see most in Louisiana
- Refinery separation sludge carrying F037 and F038
- Spent catalyst from chemical and refining units
- Tank cleaning and turnaround waste
- Aqueous streams suited to deep well injection
- Offshore support fluids and drilling waste
Common questions
Does federal RCRA or Louisiana law apply to my site?
Both, but in practice you comply with the Louisiana rules. Because EPA has authorized the state program, LDEQ enforces Louisiana Administrative Code Title 33, Part V. Those rules incorporate the federal requirements and add state specific provisions.
Who inspects hazardous waste generators in Louisiana?
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, through the Office of Environmental Compliance, Waste Permits Division. EPA retains oversight and can inspect directly, but routine generator inspections are a state function.
Are there state only waste codes in Louisiana?
Authorized states can regulate wastes the federal program does not. Check the state rule for any state only classifications before assuming a stream is unregulated, particularly for used oil, universal waste and industrial non hazardous waste.
Related services
Generating hazardous waste in Louisiana?
Send a profile, an old manifest, or photographs of the drums. A technical professional will tell you what applies and what it costs.
This page summarizes state and federal requirements and is not legal advice. State rules change. Verify against the current version of the state code and with the state agency before acting. Last reviewed September 2026.