If a health care facility does not receive the signed shipping document, what must it provide to the EPA?

• A. A copy of the manifest along with an explanation of efforts to locate the hazardous waste and the results.
• B. A copy of the manifest only.
• C. A letter from the waste hauler.
• D. A copy of the annual waste log.

Answer: (B)

When a signed manifest isn’t returned for a hazardous waste shipment, the facility must document the missing shipment with EPA by sending both a copy of the manifest and a written explanation of what steps were taken to locate the waste and the results of those efforts. The manifest is the official shipment record, and the regulatory process requires you to show due diligence and the actions taken if receipt cannot be confirmed. A letter from the waste hauler or a general log doesn’t provide the specific missing-shipment documentation EPA needs, and an annual waste log isn’t shipment-specific.