Terms of Service
Legal Disclaimers
These Terms of Service apply to all content, tools, resources, and information provided by U.S. Waste Industries, Inc. ("U.S. Waste," "Company," "we," "us," or "our") through any medium, including:
- Our website (uswonline.com and all associated pages)
- Blog articles and technical content
- Downloadable guides, reports, ebooks, and checklists
- AI-powered chatbots and automated compliance tools
- Social media posts and communications
- Email newsletters and marketing materials
- Presentations, webinars, and educational sessions
1.1 Agreement to Terms
By accessing, browsing, or using any part of our website, content, tools, or services, you acknowledge and agree that:
- You have read and understood these Terms of Service in their entirety
- You accept and agree to be legally bound by all terms and conditions stated herein
- You consent to our collection and use of information as described in our Privacy Policy
- If you do not agree to these terms, you must immediately cease using our website and services
Continued use of our website after any modifications to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.
2. Educational Tool – Not Professional Advice
2.1 Purpose of Our Content
U.S. Waste Industries provides educational resources and tools to help facility managers, EHS directors, compliance officers, and industrial operations personnel understand environmental regulations and waste management requirements.
Our content is designed to:
- Inform you about regulatory frameworks
- Explain compliance concepts and requirements
- Provide context for environmental decision-making
- Serve as a starting point for your research
2.2 What Our Content Is NOT
Our content is NOT:
- Legal advice or regulatory interpretation
- Facility-specific compliance consulting
- A substitute for qualified professional guidance
- A guarantee of regulatory compliance
- Binding on any government agency or regulatory authority
2.3 No Professional Relationship Established
Accessing our website, reading our content, downloading our resources, or using our AI tools does NOT create:
- An attorney-client relationship
- A consultant-client relationship
- A professional services agreement
- Any ongoing duty or obligation on our part to monitor your compliance status
A formal professional services relationship exists only when you execute a written service agreement with U.S. Waste Industries.
2.4 Your Responsibility to Verify
You are solely responsible for:
- Verifying all information against official regulatory sources
- Consulting qualified environmental attorneys and compliance professionals
- Determining applicability of regulations to your specific facility
- Making informed compliance decisions based on your unique circumstances
- Implementing appropriate waste management practices
Cross-reference all information with:
- EPA official website (www.epa.gov)
- Federal Register (www.federalregister.gov)
- Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR and 49 CFR)
- Your state environmental agency
- Qualified legal counsel and environmental consultants
1. Purpose and Scope
3. Content Currency and Regulatory Changes
3.1 Our Commitment to Accuracy
U.S. Waste Industries researches content thoroughly and updates information regularly to reflect current regulatory requirements. We make commercially reasonable efforts to maintain accurate, current information.
3.2 Regulations Change Constantly
Environmental regulations are subject to frequent change through:
- Federal Register rulemaking (often with little advance notice)
- EPA guidance documents and policy memoranda
- Court decisions and consent decrees
- Congressional legislation
- State and local regulatory amendments
- Agency enforcement policy shifts
A regulation or requirement may change overnight. Content that was accurate when published may become outdated without warning.
3.3 Publication Date Limitations
All content reflects information current as of the date indicated (publication date, last update date, or retrieval date). You must verify that information remains current before relying on it.
Do not assume content is current simply because:
- It appears on our website
- It was recently published
- Our AI tool provided it
- It includes recent dates or references
3.4 State and Local Requirements
Our content primarily addresses federal EPA regulations. Many states and localities impose requirements that are more stringent than federal standards.
You are responsible for identifying and complying with:
- Your state's environmental regulations
- Local ordinances and permit requirements
- Regional air quality management district rules
- Watershed-specific discharge standards
4. EPA Penalty Information
4.1 Civil Penalty Amounts
Our content includes information about EPA civil penalties under statutes including:
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
- Clean Air Act (CAA)
- Clean Water Act (CWA)
- Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
- Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
- Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
- Department of Transportation (DOT) hazardous materials regulations
4.2 Annual Penalty Adjustments
EPA adjusts civil penalty amounts every January pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (28 U.S.C. § 2461 note).
Penalty amounts cited in our content reflect the EPA's most recent published adjustment as of January 2026.
These figures will become outdated in January 2027 when EPA publishes its next annual adjustment.
4.3 Verify Current Penalty Amounts
Before relying on any penalty figure, you must:
- Confirm the current penalty amount with EPA
- Review the most recent Federal Register notice
- Consult the EPA penalty website (www.epa.gov/enforcement/civil-penalties)
- Seek legal counsel to assess your penalty exposure
We are not liable for any reliance on outdated penalty figures, even if the information was accurate when published.
4.4 Criminal Penalties
Where criminal penalties are referenced, such information is provided for general awareness only. Criminal liability is extraordinarily complex and depends on factors including intent, knowledge, willfulness, prior violations, and environmental harm caused.
Any potential criminal exposure must be evaluated immediately by qualified legal counsel.
4.5 State Penalties Often Exceed Federal
Many states impose penalties that are higher than federal EPA penalties. Our content does not comprehensively address state penalty structures.
You must research your state's penalty framework and cannot rely on federal penalty figures as a ceiling for potential exposure.
5. AI-Powered Tools and Chatbots
5.1 AI Tools We Provide
U.S. Waste Industries offers AI-powered tools including:
- EPA Compliance Advisor chatbot
- Regulatory question-and-answer systems
- Automated compliance checklists and calculators
- Interactive assessment tools
5.2 How Our AI Tools Work
Our AI tools:
- Access maintained knowledge bases covering EPA regulations
- Reference current internet sources and regulatory databases
- Generate responses based on natural language processing
- Provide educational information in conversational format
5.3 AI Limitations and Risks
Despite accessing current sources, AI tools may:
- Misinterpret complex or ambiguous regulatory language
- Provide incomplete or contextually inappropriate responses
- Generate responses that conflict with current law
- Fail to account for facility-specific circumstances
- Contain errors in logic, calculation, or citation
- Miss recent regulatory updates or enforcement policy changes
AI-generated responses are educational starting points, not authoritative compliance guidance.
5.4 Your Responsibility When Using AI Tools
When using our AI tools, you must:
- Treat all responses as preliminary educational information
- Verify every substantive statement against official sources
- Consult qualified professionals before taking action
- Recognize that AI cannot replace human professional judgment
- Never rely solely on AI-generated content for compliance decisions
5.5 No Liability for AI Outputs
U.S. Waste Industries is not liable for:
- Errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in AI-generated responses
- Decisions made based on AI tool outputs
- Compliance failures resulting from reliance on AI guidance
- Penalties, fines, or enforcement actions following AI tool use
- Any damages arising from AI tool malfunction or incorrect responses
You assume all risk when using AI tools and act on AI-generated information at your own discretion and responsibility.
6. Downloadable Resources and Educational Materials
6.1 Types of Resources We Provide
U.S. Waste Industries offers downloadable educational materials including:
- Facility readiness guides and compliance manuals
- Regulatory checklists and assessment tools
- Technical ebooks and whitepapers
- Case studies and project summaries
- Training presentations and webinar recordings
6.2 General Educational Purpose
These materials are general educational resources designed to help you understand compliance concepts and regulatory frameworks. They are not:
- Facility-specific compliance plans
- Substitute for professional environmental consulting
- Binding regulatory interpretations
- Guaranteed to be current at the time you download them
6.3 Publication Date Governs
All downloadable resources reflect regulatory requirements as of the publication date indicated in the document. Regulations may have changed since publication.
Before relying on any downloadable resource:
- Check the publication date
- Verify regulations remain current
- Confirm applicability to your facility
- Supplement with current research
- Consult qualified professionals
6.4 No Ongoing Duty to Update
We have no obligation to update previously published materials when regulations change. Downloadable resources remain as published, even if they become outdated.
You are responsible for monitoring regulatory changes and updating your compliance practices accordingly.
7. Service Descriptions and Capabilities
7.1 General Information Only
Service descriptions on our website are general representations of our capabilities. Actual service availability, methods, pricing, and timelines depend on:
- Your geographic location
- Waste types, volumes, and characteristics
- Regulatory requirements and permit availability
- Site conditions and access constraints
- Equipment and personnel availability
- Project complexity and timeline
7.2 Services Subject to Evaluation and Agreement
All services are contingent upon:
- Technical feasibility assessment
- Waste characterization and profiling
- Regulatory approval and permitting
- Health and safety evaluation
- Execution of written service agreement
- Insurance and indemnification requirements
U.S. Waste Industries reserves the right to decline any project based on technical limitations, regulatory restrictions, safety concerns, resource constraints, or business judgment.
7.3 No Guarantee of Specific Outcomes
While U.S. Waste Industries maintains high standards and a strong compliance track record, we cannot and do not guarantee:
- Avoidance of EPA, OSHA, or state enforcement actions
- Approval of specific disposal methods by regulatory agencies
- Specific project completion timelines
- Particular cost outcomes
- Results of EPA or state agency inspections
Project outcomes depend on numerous factors beyond our control, including site conditions, waste characteristics, regulatory agency discretion, weather, third-party performance, and unforeseeable circumstances.
8. Case Studies and Past Performance
8.1 Project-Specific Results
Case studies on our website describe work performed under specific conditions using methods appropriate for those circumstances. Past performance does not predict or guarantee future results.
8.2 Unique Project Variables
Every environmental project involves unique factors including:
- Site-specific geology, hydrology, and environmental conditions
- Waste stream composition and chemical characteristics
- Applicable regulatory framework and permit conditions
- Available treatment, storage, and disposal facilities
- Budget constraints and timeline requirements
- Client-specific operational considerations
Methods successful in past projects may not be appropriate, feasible, cost-effective, or compliant for your situation.
8.3 No Implied Guarantee
Case studies are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute:
- Promises of similar performance on your project
- Guarantees of regulatory approval for similar methods
- Representations about achievable costs or timelines
- Recommendations that you pursue similar approaches
9. Limitation of Liability and Hold Harmless
9.1 Content Provided "As Is"
ALL CONTENT, INFORMATION, TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY U.S. WASTE INDUSTRIES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
- Accuracy, completeness, or currency
- Merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose
- Non-infringement of intellectual property rights
- Uninterrupted or error-free operation
- Freedom from viruses or harmful components
9.2 User Acts on Own Will and Responsibility
BY USING OUR CONTENT, TOOLS, OR RESOURCES, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT:
- You are acting entirely on your own will and discretion
- You have not relied on any representation or warranty from U.S. Waste Industries except as expressly stated in a signed written agreement
- You are solely responsible for evaluating the accuracy, completeness, and usefulness of all information
- You assume full responsibility for all decisions and actions based on our content
- Your compliance with environmental regulations is your responsibility alone
9.3 No Liability for Regulatory Consequences
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, U.S. WASTE INDUSTRIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY:
- Civil or criminal penalties imposed by EPA, OSHA, DOT, or any regulatory authority
- Fines, assessments, compliance orders, or consent decrees
- Cleanup costs, remediation expenses, or corrective action requirements
- Permit denials, revocations, or modifications
- Facility shutdowns or operational restrictions
- Third-party claims or environmental liability
- Business interruption, lost profits, or lost business opportunities
- Reputational harm or damage to business relationships
9.4 No Liability for Indirect or Consequential Damages
U.S. WASTE INDUSTRIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES arising from or related to:
- Use of our website, content, tools, or resources
- Inability to access our website or use our tools
- Reliance on information provided through any medium
- Errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in our content
- Decisions made based on our educational materials
- Actions taken or not taken based on our guidance
- Performance or non-performance of our AI tools
9.5 Hold Harmless Agreement
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless U.S. Waste Industries, Inc., its officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from:
- Your use of our website, content, tools, or resources
- Your violation of any provision of these Terms of Service
- Your violation of any environmental law or regulation
- Your reliance on information provided by U.S. Waste Industries
- Any environmental contamination, release, or exposure at your facility
- Any penalty, fine, or enforcement action taken against you
9.6 Total Liability Cap
In no event shall U.S. Waste Industries' total aggregate liability arising from or related to your use of our website, content, or tools exceed $100 (one hundred dollars).
9.7 Essential Terms
You acknowledge that the limitations of liability and disclaimers of warranties in this Section 9 are essential terms of this agreement. U.S. Waste Industries would not provide content, tools, or resources without these protections.
10. User Responsibilities
By using any content or service provided by U.S. Waste Industries, you affirmatively agree to:
- Independently verify all information with official regulatory sources before acting on it
- Consult qualified professionals including environmental attorneys, licensed engineers, and compliance consultants for facility-specific guidance
- Monitor regulatory changes continuously and update your compliance practices accordingly
- Confirm current penalty amounts with EPA before assessing compliance risk
- Cross-reference AI-generated responses with authoritative sources
- Conduct facility-specific assessments rather than relying on general guidance
- Maintain your own compliance systems including documentation, training, and recordkeeping
- Seek legal counsel immediately if facing regulatory investigation or enforcement
- Not misrepresent our content as legal advice, professional consulting, or official regulatory interpretation
- Accept full responsibility for your compliance decisions and their consequences
11. Third-Party Content and External Links
Our website may contain links to third-party resources including government websites, industry associations, regulatory databases, and educational institutions.
U.S. Waste Industries does not control, endorse, verify, or assume responsibility for:
- Accuracy of third-party content
- Availability or accessibility of external websites
- Privacy practices of third parties
- Any damages resulting from your use of third-party websites
External links are provided for convenience only. You should review the terms of use, privacy policies, and disclaimers of any third-party website you visit.
12. Engaging U.S. Waste for Professional Services
If you wish to engage U.S. Waste Industries for formal professional services including:
- Facility-specific compliance assessments and audits
- Waste characterization, profiling, and management planning
- Hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposal services
- Emergency response and environmental remediation
- Industrial cleaning, tank services, and demolition
- Regulatory consulting, training, and documentation support
Please contact us directly:
U.S. Waste Industries, Inc.
Phone: 800-669-9552 (toll-free)
Local: 843-538-2601
Email: info@uswonline.com
Website: www.uswonline.com
All professional services are provided pursuant to written service agreements that define scope of work, deliverables, responsibilities, limitations of liability, insurance requirements, indemnification, and other binding terms.
Only signed written agreements create enforceable professional services relationships and obligations.
13. Modifications to These Terms
U.S. Waste Industries reserves the right to modify, update, amend, or replace these Terms of Service at any time, in our sole discretion, without prior notice.
Your continued use of our website, content, or tools after any modification constitutes your acceptance of the modified Terms.
Check these Terms periodically to remain informed of updates. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page indicates the most recent revision.
14. Severability
If any provision of these Terms of Service is determined to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be severed and replaced with a valid provision that most closely reflects the intent of the original, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect to the maximum extent permitted by law.
15. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms of Service shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of South Carolina, without regard to its conflict of law principles.
Any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Charleston County, South Carolina.
16. Entire Agreement Regarding Website Use
These Terms of Service, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and U.S. Waste Industries regarding your use of our website, content, and tools.
These Terms supersede all prior or contemporaneous communications, representations, or agreements, whether oral or written, regarding their subject matter.
17. Intellectual Property Rights
17.1 Ownership
All content on this website, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, software, code, data compilations, AI tool algorithms, and downloadable resources, is the exclusive property of U.S. Waste Industries, Inc. or its content suppliers and is protected by U.S. and international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property laws.
17.2 Limited License
We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use our website and content for your personal, non-commercial, educational purposes related to environmental compliance research.
This license does not permit you to:
- Modify, copy, distribute, transmit, display, reproduce, or create derivative works
- Use content for commercial purposes without written permission
- Extract or repurpose substantial portions of content
- Remove or alter copyright notices or proprietary markings
17.3 Trademarks
"U.S. Waste Industries," our logo, and other marks used on this website are trademarks or registered trademarks of U.S. Waste Industries, Inc. You may not use these marks without our prior written consent.
18. Acceptable Use Policy
18.1 Permitted Use
Our website, content, and tools are provided for legitimate business and educational purposes related to environmental compliance and waste management. You may:
- Access content for your own facility's compliance research
- Use AI tools to ask good-faith questions about regulations
- Download resources for internal business use
- Share links to our content with colleagues
18.2 Prohibited Activities
You may NOT:
- Scrape, copy, or systematically extract website content using automated tools, bots, or scripts
- Bulk extract AI-generated responses to create competing products, databases, or training datasets
- Reproduce, republish, or distribute our proprietary content without written permission
- Reverse engineer or attempt to access source code, databases, or backend systems
- Submit malicious queries designed to break, test limits of, or abuse our AI tools
- Use our tools for unauthorized commercial purposes, including building competing services or selling access to our content
- Impersonate U.S. Waste Industries or misrepresent affiliation with our company
- Interfere with website operation through denial-of-service attacks, excessive requests, or other disruptive activity
- Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the website, user accounts, or computer systems
18.3 Intellectual Property Protection
All website content, including text, graphics, code, AI tool outputs, downloadable resources, and proprietary methodologies, is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.
Unauthorized use may result in:
- Immediate termination of access
- Legal action for copyright infringement
- Claims for damages and injunctive relief
- Reporting to appropriate law enforcement authorities
18.4 Monitoring and Enforcement
U.S. Waste Industries reserves the right to:
- Monitor website usage and detect prohibited activities
- Block IP addresses engaged in scraping or abuse
- Terminate access without notice for violations of this policy
- Pursue legal remedies for intellectual property theft
- Cooperate with law enforcement investigations
18.5 Reporting Violations
If you become aware of violations of this Acceptable Use Policy or unauthorized use of our content, please contact us immediately at info@uswonline.com.
19. Questions and Contact Information
For questions regarding these Terms of Service or our content policies, please contact:
U.S. Waste Industries, Inc. Legal Department
- 4420 Jefferies Highway
- Walterboro, SC 29488
- Phone: 843-538-2601
- Toll-Free: 800-669-9552
- Email: info@uswonline.com
