Public consultation opens for regulation on the cleaning of units with hazardous waste

The Official Gazette of the Federation published this Wednesday, September 23, 2026, the public consultation notice for the Draft Official Mexican Standard PROY-NOM-019-SICT2/2026, regarding the technical specifications and general provisions for the cleaning, handling, and control of remnants and hazardous waste in vehicle units transporting hazardous substances, materials, and waste. The issuance is the responsibility of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT), through the National Consultative Committee for Land Transport Standardization (CCNN-TT). The notice appears on page 38 of the September 23, 2026 edition, corresponding to publication number 258/2026.

The origin: five-year review of the current standard

The project replaces and updates NOM-019-SCT2/2015, “General Provisions for the Cleaning and Control of Remnants of Hazardous Substances and Waste in Units Transporting Hazardous Materials and Waste.” The review was carried out in compliance with Article 32 of the Quality Infrastructure Law, which mandates the review of official Mexican standards every five years, and its modification was determined to harmonize it with environmental provisions related to the subject.

The CCNN-TT approved the project during its Second Ordinary Session, held on May 28, 2026, after complying with the procedure of Article 35, fraction V of the Quality Infrastructure Law. The notice is signed by Tania Carro Toledo, Undersecretary of Communications and Transportation and President of the CCNN-TT, dated July 15, 2026.

Obligations, scope, and exclusions

The objective of the project is to guarantee the cleaning and, where applicable, the control of remnants and the handling of hazardous waste generated in units circulating on general communication routes under federal jurisdiction. It also establishes the requirements that Cleaning Centers must meet and the information that the document certifying the cleaning and control of remnants must contain.

Compliance will be mandatory for:

• Shippers.
• Motor carriers.
• Consignees.
• Those responsible for Cleaning Centers for vehicle units used for the transport of hazardous substances, materials, and waste.
• Inspection Units with involvement.

Class 7 radioactive materials are excluded from the scope of application, as their regulation corresponds to current nuclear legislation and the provisions issued by the National Commission for Nuclear Safety and Safeguards. The project declares road safety and public works and services as a legitimate objective of public interest, and specifies that it is not equivalent (NEQ) to any international standard, as none existed at the time of its drafting.

How to participate in the consultation

Interested parties must submit their comments within 60 calendar days from the date of the notice, using the Word format available on the Comprehensive Technological Platform for Quality Infrastructure. The document can be consulted on the platform portal, on the SICT website, and in the Official Gazette of the Federation (Diario Oficial de la Federación).

Comments shall be sent to the National Advisory Committee for Land Transport Standardization, located at Calzada de las Bombas 411, 2nd floor, Colonia Los Girasoles, Coyoacán Borough, Postal Code 04920, Mexico City; telephone 55 57 23 93 00, extension 20115, and email joshua.cruz@sict.gob.mx. The notice will take effect the day following its publication.

The standard directly impacts carriers, shippers, consignees, and washing center operators, who must adjust their cleaning procedures and their residue control documentation. As this is a public consultation open for 60 calendar days, the sector has a limited window to influence the technical requirements before the project becomes a definitive Mexican Official Standard.

Source: Official Gazette of the Federation, publication number 258/2026, Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Section I, page 38 (official reference: PROY-NOM-019-SICT2/2026).