Quantum SDS FAQs

The Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest is a crucial document required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for all generators who transport, or offer for transport, hazardous waste for off-site treatment, recycling, storage, or disposal. It contains details about the type and amount of waste, handling instructions, and signature lines for everyone involved in the disposal process, ensuring accountability.

Handlers of hazardous waste (generators, treatment, storage, or disposal facilities) can obtain the Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest forms from any source approved by the EPA Manifest Registry to print and distribute them. Quantum SDS provides Waste Manifests and Labels that are compliant and adheres to the standard of the Depart of Transportation (DOT).

Yes, many states have additional requirements regarding the use of the Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest. Some states may require state-specific waste codes in addition to the federal ones. Hazardous waste generators should contact their state environmental protection agency to understand any specific state requirements for transporting, treating, storing, or disposing of hazardous waste.

The EPA launched the nationwide hazardous waste e-Manifest system on June 30, 2018; several final third rule updates took effect starting January 22, 2025. This system offers generators, transporters, and receiving facilities the option to create and submit hazardous waste manifests electronically. Submission of the e-manifest is the responsibility of the final treatment facility. The paper manifest is still mandatory with a shipment per US DOT regulations, therefore most treatment facilities just scan this and upload to the EPA RCRAInfo site.

A manifest tracking number (MTN) is a unique number pre-printed on each hazardous waste manifest form. Registered manifest printers are required to propose a unique three-letter suffix for their MTNs, which must be approved by the EPA.

The EPA recognizes three categories of hazardous waste generators based on the volume of hazardous waste produced in a calendar month:

- Very Small Quantity Generators (VSQGs): Generate 100 kilograms or less per month of hazardous waste or one kilogram or less per month of acutely hazardous waste.
- Small Quantity Generators (SQGs): Generate more than 100 kilograms but less than 1,000 kilograms of hazardous waste per month.
- Large Quantity Generators (LQGs): Generate 1,000 kilograms per month or more of hazardous waste or more than one kilogram per month of acutely hazardous waste.

Quantum SDS Waste Manifest Software is a tool designed to help users efficiently create, edit, and print waste manifest documents that are compliant with Uniform Manifest standards. It aims to reduce the time and expense associated with staff training and ensure documents are shipment-ready upon finalization.

Create waste manifests quickly.
Autofill frequently used data.
E-signature 
DOT-compliant formatting.
Store and search information on generators, transporters, TSDFs, and manifests.
Save forms and supplementary sheets as PDFs.
Compatible with all browsers.
Attach supplementary files 
Print or download contact details.
Print to any of 28 waste label forms from Reliance Labeling Solutions, LabelMaster, JJ Keller and GC Labels.

The software adheres to DOT Uniform Manifest standards and includes:
An integrated table of DOT-regulated hazardous substances. Including UN Number, Proper Shipping Names and information needed no the label.
EPA and state waste codes.

Quantum SDS provides reliable support, including video tutorials.

Quantum SDS saves a record of the manifest. It can also generate a report of the manifest data.

You can learn more by contacting a member of our sales team at https://calendly.com/quantum_us_demo/quantum-manifest-and-labeling-demo?month=2025-05

The responsibility to author a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) lies with the manufacturer, importer, or distributor of a chemical or product. Here's a breakdown of the responsible parties:
Manufacturer or Supplier: The company that produces or formulates the chemical must author the SDS. They are responsible for ensuring the information is accurate, complete, and compliant with relevant regulations (e.g., OSHA, WHMIS, REACH, GHS).
Importer: If chemicals are imported into a country, the importing company must ensure that a compliant SDS is available in the local language and aligned with local regulations. If an SDS does not exist or is not compliant, the importer must prepare or update it.
Distributor (in some cases): If a distributor relabels or repackages the product, or if there are changes that could affect safety, they may be responsible for updating or creating a new SDS.

The SDS must be authored by someone who is competent and trained in:
Chemical hazard classification
Regulatory requirements (e.g., GHS, OSHA HazCom, WHMIS, CLP)
Toxicology and environmental impact
SDS formatting and 16-section structure

In the U.S., the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates that chemical manufacturers and importers evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import. They must then prepare labels and SDSs to convey this hazard information to downstream users. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) aligns with revision 7 of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, with some elements adopted from GHS Revision 8 and requires a standardized 16-section format for SDSs.

Canada's Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), regulated by Health Canada, requires suppliers—including manufacturers, importers, and distributors—to classify hazardous products appropriately. Suppliers must provide GHS-aligned labels and SDSs in French and English for these products. As of now, WHMIS in Canada (through the Hazardous Products Regulations) is aligned with GHS Revision 7, with some elements adopted from GHS Revision 8.

Quantum SDS authors Safety Data Sheets in 43 languages and offers worldwide compliance and support to our customers in the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan as well as in the United States and Canada.

1. Stay Updated with Regulations: Regularly consult guidelines of OSHA, Health Canada, or the equivalent of any country or region you are selling to, ensure compliance with the latest requirements.
2. Use Clear and Concise Language: Avoid technical jargon where possible to make the SDS accessible to a broader audience.
3. Ensure Accuracy: Double-check all data, especially chemical compositions and hazard classifications.
4. Regular Reviews and Updates: Update SDSs when new information becomes available or when regulations change.
5. Leverage Professional Services: Use expert SDS authoring services or software to ensure quality and compliance.

Authoring an SDS can be complex, with challenges including:
Interpreting Regulatory Changes: Keeping abreast of evolving regulations across different jurisdictions.
Managing Multilingual Requirements: Your requirement is much more complex than a simple translation of the US or Canadian SDS, you must ensure that you are generating an SDS using the regulations and language requirements for international markets.
Ensuring Consistency Across Documents: Maintaining uniformity in information across multiple SDSs.

Addressing these challenges requires a combination of expertise, diligence, and the right tools.

Contact us for a quote. If you have lab analysis completed on the product you need to author, an older SDS, or the components and physical properties, we can quickly get started on a SDS document for you.

You should use SDS authoring software when you need speed, control, scalability, and have some internal regulatory or technical expertise. It may not be the best fit if you don’t have regulatory knowledge in-house. If you only need a few SDSs (in which case a service may be more cost-effective). You don’t have time or resources to train someone to use the software properly. Typical users of SDS Authoring Software include chemical manufacturers or formulators, private labelers, distributors needing white-label SDSs, companies managing large inventories with regional compliance needs, and internal EHS or regulatory affairs teams. Use SDS authoring software when you need to create or maintain SDSs regularly, want control over the content, and have (or can build) in-house expertise. It’s an investment in capability and efficiency—especially valuable for companies with large or growing product lines.