Generators are individuals that produce hazardous waste, usually as a result of an industrial process. Transporters are individuals or entities that move hazardous waste from the generator off-site to a facility that can recycle, treat, store, or dispose of the waste.
Hazardous waste may be transported to another location to be treated, stored or disposed, or may be managed at the place of generation. When waste is to be transported off-site, the generator prepares a shipping document called a manifest. This tracking form must accompany the waste to its final destination, and is used to track the waste from "cradle-to-grave."