California DTSC Adds Accident Reports to Waste Rule Record with Access Issues

California's Department of Toxic Substances Control added hundreds of pages of federal reports detailing hazardous materials accidents on public roads to the record for a proposed rule change, but provided the public with a broken website link and instructions to file formal records requests for access. The move, which occurred during a public comment period that closed on February 17, has drawn criticism from environmental advocates who argue it limits transparency and undermines safety regulations for transporting hazardous waste.

The proposed rule, introduced last year, would exempt companies from certain state-mandated tracking and documentation requirements when moving hazardous waste along public roads between properties they own. State regulators stated the change aligns California's standards with less stringent federal rules, which permit such exemptions for on-site transfers that cross public routes. Officials said the adjustment would reduce paperwork burdens, particularly for large institutions like the University of California system, which generates hazardous waste in research labs and needs to move it to on-campus storage before off-site disposal. Companies...