Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

1
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

• SAFE 210

2
Goals

• Protect human health and environment from the
  potential hazards of waste disposal
• Conserve energy and natural resources
• Reduce the amount of waste generated
• Ensure that wastes are managed in an
  environmentally sound manner

3
Major Amendments

• Enacted in 1976 (as an amendment to the Solid
  Waste Disposal Act of 1965)
• 1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA)

4
Major Programs/Subtitles

• Subtitle C Hazardous Waste
• Subtitle D Solid Waste
• Subtitle I Underground storage tanks

5
Subtitle C Hazardous Waste Management Program
6
What is Hazardous Waste?

• Solid waste Any garbage, refuse, sludge from a
  waste treatment plant, water supply treat
• Hazardous waste A solid waste or combination of
  solid wastes that lead to an increase in illness
  or mortality or poses a hazard (or potential
  hazard) to human health or environment when
  improperly stored, treated, transported or
  disposed.

7
Some Excluded Hazardous Waste

• Domestic sewage
• Irrigation waters or industrial discharges
  allowed under the CWA
• Nuclear material regulated by the Atomic Energy
  Act
• Household wastes
• Certain mining and mineral processing wastes

8
What is Hazardous Waste?

• Listed wastes
• F, K, P, and U lists
• Characteristic wastes
• Ignitability
• Corrosivity
• Reactivity
• Toxicity

9
Typical Wastes Generated by Industries

• Chemical manufacturers
• Vehicle maintenance shops
• Printing industry
• Paper industry
• Metal manufacturing

• Acids, bases, reactive ignitable wastes
• Paint wastes, ignitable wastes, spent solvents
• Heavy metals, inks
• Ignitable corrosive wastes, inks
• Acids/bases,, cyanide wastes, sludges containing
  heavy metals

10
Cradle to Grave

• Applies to those who
• generate
• recycle
• transport
• treat
• store
• dispose

11
Generators - Classifications

• Large Quantity Generator
• Generates greater than 1000 kg/mo (5 drums)
• Small Quantity Generator
• Generates 100 kg/mo to 1000 kg/mo (1/2 drum - 5
  drums)
• Conditionally Exempt SQG
• Generates less than 100 kg/mo (1/2 drum)

12
Generators - Responsibilities

• Tracking
• Identification number
• Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest
• Package/mark/label waste
• File biennial reports (LQG)

13
Specific Generator Responsibilities

• Large quantity generator
• 90 day storage limit
• Contingency plan
• Documented training
• 45 day exception reports
• Small quantity generator
• 180 day storage limit (270 days if gt200 miles)
• Undocumented training
• 60 day exception reports

14
Transporters

• Comply with DOT provisions for labeling, marking,
  placarding, and using proper containers
• EPA ID Number
• Maintain manifests
• Spill cleanup

15
Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) Facilities

• Some requirements include
• EPA ID number
• Permit
• Physical and chemical analysis
• Security
• Inspection plan
• Training
• Equipment
• Contingency plan
• Manifests
• Biennial reports
• Closure/post closure

16
Tracking Permitting Systems

• Tracking System
• EPA Identification Number
• Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest
• Permitting System
• Precautions to manage waste

17
Land Disposal Restrictions

• Requires treatment before land disposal
• Types of land disposal include
• - Landfills
• - Surface impoundments
• - Underground injection wells
• - Waste piles

18
The States Role

• Oversee hazardous waste tracking system
• Operate the permitting system
• Ensure public participation requirements are met
• Act as enforcement

19
Subtitle D MSW and Industrial Solid Waste

• Municipal solid waste (MSW)
• Trash generated homes, industries, and
  commercial and institutional offices
• Industrial solid waste/industrial hazardous waste
• Wastes and wastewaters generated by manufacturing
  processes that are not considered hazardous