RCRA Orientation Manual: Table of Contents and Foreword
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RCRA Saving Resources and Energy Orientation Manual 2014 RCRA Orienta Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Managing Materials Safely Promoting Recycling and eCycling Promoting Recycling and eCycling Reducing Priority Chemicals tion Manual 2014 tion Manual Forming Partnerships Forming Partnerships Reducing Priority Chemicals Reusing Industrial Materials Preventing Waste Reusing Industrial Materials United States Environmental Protection Agency Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5305W) Washington, DC 20460 Official Business Preventing Waste Penalty for Private Use $300 EPA530-F-11-003 October 2014 Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on www.epa.gov/epawaste 100% (Minimum 50% Postconsumer) Recycled Paper RCRA Orientation Manual THIS MANUAL WAS DEVELOPED BY: THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY OFFICE OF RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, AND ANALYSIS OFFICE 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. WASHINGTON, DC 20460 TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword ........................................................................................................................................... i Chapter I: Introduction to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act .................................... I-1 Chapter II: Managing Solid Waste—RCRA Subtitle D ................................................................ II-1 Chapter III: Managing Hazardous Waste—RCRA Subtitle C ...................................................... III-1 Hazardous Waste Identification ................................................................................. III-3 Hazardous Waste Recycling and Universal Wastes ................................................ III-29 Regulations Governing Hazardous Waste Generators ............................................ III-39 Regulations Governing Hazardous Waste Transporters .......................................... III-49 Regulations Governing Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities ...................... III-53 Land Disposal Restrictions ..................................................................................... III-87 Hazardous Waste Combustion ................................................................................ III-97 Permitting of Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities .................................... III-107 Corrective Action to Clean Up Hazardous Waste Contamination ......................... III-119 Enforcement of Hazardous Waste Regulations ..................................................... III-125 Authorizing States to Implement RCRA ............................................................... III-135 Chapter IV: Moving Forward: Materials Management and Resource Conservation .................... IV-1 Chapter V: Miscellaneous Statutory Provisions ............................................................................ V-1 Federal Procurement Requirements ............................................................................ V-3 Medical Waste Regulations ......................................................................................... V-9 Chapter VI: Other Environmental Statutes ................................................................................... VI-1 Legislative Framework for Addressing Hazardous Waste Problems ........................ VI-3 CERCLA—The Hazardous Waste Cleanup Program ............................................... VI-9 Chapter VII: Public Participation .................................................................................................. VII-1 Appendix A: Hazardous Waste Manifest .......................................................................................... A-1 Appendix B: Land Disposal Restrictions Notification Requirements .............................................. B-1 Appendix C: Glossary ....................................................................................................................... C-1 FOREWORD This manual supersedes the 2008 RCRA Information about RCRA’s past, present, and Orientation Manual. The Manual has proven to be future are contained in two other documents. For a popular and valuable resource for anyone working a look ahead, Sustainable Materials Management: with EPA’s solid and hazardous waste management The Road Ahead suggests a roadmap for the future program. Since the manual’s initial publication in based on materials management—fulfilling human 1990, the RCRA program has evolved dramatically. needs and prospering, while using less materials, As a result of changes in the dynamics of solid and reducing toxics and recovering more of the hazardous waste management, as well as changes materials used. For a look back at past successes, in the regulatory expectations and demands of the report 25 Years of RCRA: Building on Our Past government, public, and private entities, the RCRA to Protect Our Future commemorates RCRA’s 25th program has been modified through new regulations, Anniversary in October 2001 and highlights the policies, Agency-wide initiatives, and Congressional accomplishments of RCRA’s protective framework mandates. The Manual’s revision reflects the to date. In addition, RCRA: Reducing Risk from progress that has been made in the program and Waste provides an overview of RCRA including: the documents its changes. history of RCRA, the role of EPA and the states, the At this time, the RCRA Subtitle C hazardous waste regulated community, and municipal and industrial regulatory framework is completely in place, and waste issues. almost all states are implementing large portions of the program. EPA has achieved significant progress in establishing provisions to fully protect both ground water and air resources. Under Subtitle D, the establishment of municipal solid waste landfill criteria ensures adequate protection of human health and the environment from solid waste disposal practices. In addition, the Agency has significantly expanded initiatives to reduce the amount of waste generated and to make waste management more efficient. i CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT RCRA also regulates underground storage tanks Overview ................................................................. I-1 (USTs) that store petroleum or certain chemical RCRA: What It Is .................................................... I-1 products under Subtitle I. Requirements exist for – The Act ............................................................ I-2 the design and operation of these tanks and the – Regulations ..................................................... I-2 development of systems to prevent accidental – Guidance and Policy ....................................... I-3 spills. Examples of facilities using these tanks RCRA: How It Works .............................................. I-4 include petroleum refineries, chemical plants, and – Subtitle D—Solid Waste .................................. I-4 commercial gas stations. – Subtitle C—Hazardous Waste ......................... I-4 Who Is Involved in RCRA? ..................................... I-5 The Medical Waste Tracking Act of 1988 was a RCRA Today ........................................................... I-5 2-year demonstration program that expired in June – Looking to the Future ...................................... I-5 1991. It created a Subtitle J program designed to – Conserving Natural Resources ....................... I-6 track medical waste from generation to disposal. – Preventing Future Waste Problems ................ I-6 At present, no federal EPA tracking regulations are – Cleaning up Problems from Past Practices ..... I-7 in effect for medical waste, but many states have Outline of the Manual ............................................. I-7 adopted their own programs. Summary ................................................................ I-7 The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (known as Superfund or CERCLA) is a related statute that deals with cleaning up inactive and abandoned hazardous OVERVIEW waste sites. RCRA, on the other hand, deals with The Resource Conservation and Recovery materials that are currently destined for disposal Act (RCRA), an amendment to the Solid Waste or recycling. Disposal Act, was enacted in 1976 to address the huge volumes of municipal and industrial solid waste generated nationwide. RCRA: WHAT IT IS The term RCRA is often used interchangeably The goals set by RCRA are: to refer to the law, regulations, and EPA policy • To protect human health and the environment and guidance. The law describes the waste from the potential hazards of waste disposal management program mandated by Congress that • To conserve energy and natural resources gave EPA authority to develop the RCRA program. EPA regulations carry out the Congressional • To reduce the amount of waste generated intent by providing explicit, legally enforceable • To ensure that wastes are managed in an requirements for waste management. These environmentally sound manner. regulations can be found in Title 40 of the Code I-1 Chapter I: Introduction to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 239 through HSWA provisions Figure I-1: The Evolution 282. EPA guidance documents and policy directives are emphasized of Significant RCRA clarify issues related to the implementation of the throughout this Legislation regulations. These three elements are the primary manual. Congress SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL parts of the RCRA program. also revised