A Guide for Baltimore Businesses

Many Baltimore business owners don’t learn what a lab pack is until they’re staring at a storage room full of degrading chemical containers and expired adhesives.

If your business stores hazardous materials that can’t go in a dumpster, and you’re not sure what to do with them, you’re not alone. Unlike homeowners, commercial facilities must follow strict federal and state regulations for handling, transporting, and disposing of hazardous waste.

Here’s what every Baltimore business owner needs to know about safely and legally disposing of hazardous waste without breaking the bank.

The Commercial Hazardous Waste Problem Most Businesses Don’t Know They Have

A lab pack is a service that collects, identifies, packages, documents, and disposes of hazardous materials. Everything from expired chemicals to leaking containers and old adhesives. Despite the name, lab packs are not just for laboratories. They’re used by manufacturers, contractors, schools, property managers, and any business with chemical waste on-site.

Why Residential Drop-Off Rules Don’t Apply to Businesses

Maryland residents can take hazardous waste to local collection sites for free. Commercial generators cannot. Businesses must comply with requirements, including:

• Proper handling and packaging 
• Documentation and manifest tracking
• EPA generator ID numbers
• Certified transportation
• Disposal at approved facilities

Throwing chemicals in the trash or letting them sit until containers fail can lead to fines, environmental violations, and fire hazards.

Eagle Transfer Services (ETS) manages the entire process to keep your business compliant: assessment, packing, transportation, disposal, paperwork, and tracking. 

Learn more about how the EPA classifies hazardous waste generators here.

Common Materials That Require Lab Pack Services

Hazardous waste varies by industry, but common examples include:

• Roofing contractors: two-part adhesives, epoxies, flammable sealants
• Manufacturers: industrial solvents, corrosives, metal treatment chemicals 
• Distribution centers: damaged or expired materials that can’t be sold or returned
• Maintenance departments: cleaning chemicals, old paints, leftover materials from previous tenants

Commercial roofers, in particular, generate large amounts of expired materials that require monthly disposal. Eagle Transfer Services has handled this specialized waste for companies like Citiroof Corporation and Nations Roof. By switching to ETS, after spending far too much with another hazardous disposal company, they simplified their process and made it more affordable.

One facility discovered, during a storage-area cleanout, that unused vape liquid needed to be disposed of in a lab pack. Some materials, like latex paint, may qualify for lower-cost disposal. ETS determines this during a free waste assessment. You only pay for specialized handling when required.

Not every type of waste at your facility requires hazardous disposal. Many businesses also need to remove non-hazardous bulk materials: construction debris, packaging waste, general cleanup materials, etc.

For those situations, ETS also provides roll-off dumpster rentals in multiple sizes, including compactors for high-volume generators. We can handle both hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams, so you don’t have to coordinate with multiple vendors.

Warning Signs Your Materials Need Immediate Removal

Not every stored chemical is dangerous. Certain conditions turn waste into a safety and compliance problem. Understanding the difference saves money and prevents unnecessary complications.

The Real Risk: Degrading Containers

Plastic containers and drums can break down over time. Especially with flammable materials such as epoxy components and roofing adhesives. Once they crack or leak, they become fire and liability risks.

The Unlabeled Container Problem

If you don’t know what’s in a drum or container, it must be sampled and tested before disposal, adding to the cost. Unidentified waste is one of the fastest ways businesses overspend on hazardous waste removal.

A waste assessment from ETS identifies what needs lab packing and what can be disposed of through lower-cost channels.

The Hidden Costs of Waiting Too Long

Delaying disposal increases both risk and cost:

• Transportation fees rise with multiple small pickups versus one planned removal
• Containers degrade, creating emergency cleanup situations instead of routine disposal
• Some disposal facilities have limited capability, forcing waste to be shipped farther at higher prices
• Faded or missing labels trigger paid laboratory analysis

Proactive planning is always cheaper than a crisis response.

Common Mistakes Baltimore Businesses Make

• Holding onto waste because “we’re not sure what it is”
• Trying to dispose of chemicals through regular trash collection
• Waiting until containers leak before calling a professional
• Assuming everything requires expensive hazardous disposal (it doesn’t)

The lesson here? Call ETS when you first suspect you’re dealing with hazardous materials, not when containers are actively leaking.

How ETS Makes Lab Pack Services Simple

Free Waste Assessment

We identify all materials on site, separate hazardous from non-hazardous items, and provide a disposal plan and transparent quote.

EPA ID Number Assistance

If you don’t have an EPA generator ID number, we can help you locate or register one. 

Complete Paperwork + Compliance Management

ETS handles manifests, tracking, and all regulatory documentation. You sign once. Everything else is handled for you.

Getting Started: 3 Quick Steps

If your business has hazardous materials accumulating, here’s what to do:

Step 1: Make Labels Visible

Walk through your storage areas and turn every container so the clear labels are readable. This speeds up identification and lowers cost.

Step 2: Locate Your EPA ID Number

If you’re unsure whether one exists, ETS will verify or obtain it for you.

Step 3: Schedule Your Free Assessment

The on-site review takes about 45 minutes. No prep work beyond visible labels.

Read this blog post to better understand what happens during a waste audit.

Stop Worrying About That Storage Room

Hazardous waste only gets more expensive to deal with over time. Containers degrade. Disposal options narrow. Compliance risks increase.

Baltimore-area businesses trust ETS to remove years’ worth of stored chemicals and expired adhesives. Safely. Legally. And without disruption

Ready to clear your storage area and eliminate the risk? Contact ETS today to schedule your free waste assessment.