Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1181102
W EEKLY EDITION OCTOBER 30, 2019 The Pros a nd Cons of Poll ut ion I nsura nce Co ve ra ge By Karleen Kos, PSAI Executive Director Reasons You May Not Need Pollution Insurance If your trucks are all in great shape and have emissions control systems in place that meet or exceed the standards of the state in which they are being driven, you may decide to pass on pollution coverage. Th is is especially true if your state does not have more exacting definitions of "hazardous" than the EPA. In general, portable sanitation trucks are carrying waste pumped out of portable restrooms. This is classified as domestic septage by the EPA . Domestic septage may not be anybody's favorite thing to clean up, but it is not hazardous waste by EPA's definition. For these kinds of spills, your general liability policy should cover the incident – assuming all of your deodorizers and cleaning produc ts are also environmentally friendly. Actions to Ensure You have the Appropriate Coverage The only time a portable sanitation tip over would produce a hazardous waste scenario is if you are pumping or carrying something that is, in fact, hazardous. If tha t happens, the incident would be certified as a hazardous waste situation, and your standard insurance would not cover the portions related to the hazard. The PSAI contacted two insurance brokers that serve our industry. Both stated it is extremely rare fo r an accident in the portable sanitation industry to be certified as a hazardous waste scenario. There is no "one size fits all" answer to the question of whether you need pollution insurance. Whatever happens, your vehicle insurance and general liabilit y coverage will kick in first. Make sure that is adequate. Then, have a discussion with your insurance broker about your needs – and stress that portable sanitation waste is not, in most places, considered hazardous. You may even want to talk to more than o ne broker and compare what you are hearing. Then make a decision based on your company's unique needs. Good luck! - KK P AGE 15