RCRA Hazardous RCRA Hazardous WastesWastes

COURSECOURSEProfessorProfessor

DateDate

Why Do We Care About Why Do We Care About Hazardous Wastes?Hazardous Wastes?

RCRA Subtitle CRCRA Subtitle C

TRIGGER #1:Is there a solid

waste?

NO:RCRA does not apply.

YES:TRIGGER #2:

Is the solid waste a hazardous

waste?

NO:SUBTITLE D

APPLIES

YES:SUBTITLE C

APPLIES

“Hazardous Waste” = “a solid waste, or combination of solid wastes, which because of its

quantity, concentration, or physical,chemical, or infectious characteristics may --

(A)cause, or signficantly contribute to anincrease in mortality or an increase in serious

irreversible, or incapacitating reversible, illness; or

(B) pose a substantial present or potentialhazard to human health or the

environment when improperly treated,stored, transported, or disposed

of, or otherwisemanaged.”

Hazardous Wastes and Hazardous Wastes and Solid WastesSolid Wastes

RCRA SOLID WASTES

RCRAHAZARDOUS

WASTES

Characteristic Hazardous Characteristic Hazardous WastesWastes

EPA graphic.

Toxicity Characteristic Toxicity Characteristic Leachate Procedure (TCLP)Leachate Procedure (TCLP)

Generate leachate from the potential Generate leachate from the potential hazardous waste (similar to what would hazardous waste (similar to what would happen if water ran through the happen if water ran through the waste).waste).

Test leachate for 40 listed chemicals.Test leachate for 40 listed chemicals. Compare results to the EPA’s chart. If Compare results to the EPA’s chart. If

a listed chemical is present in a listed chemical is present in concentrations greater than the concentrations greater than the regulatory limit, the waste is regulatory limit, the waste is toxic toxic hazardous wastehazardous waste!!

TCLP, TCLP, continuedcontinued

Office of Solid Waste &Emergency Response,

U.S. E.P.A., RCRAOrientation Manual III-23,

Fig. III-7 (Sept. 2002)

Eliminating Characteristic Eliminating Characteristic Hazardous WastesHazardous Wastes

Concentratedhydrochloric acid

(corrosive)

Concentratedsodium hydroxide

(corrosive)

Listed Hazardous Wastes: Listed Hazardous Wastes: The F ListThe F List

Office of Solid Waste &Emergency Response, U.S. E.P.A., RCRAOrientation Manual III-18(Sept. 2002)

Listed Hazardous Wastes: Listed Hazardous Wastes: The K ListThe K List

Office of Solid Waste &Emergency Response, U.S. E.P.A., RCRAOrientation Manual III-20(Sept. 2002)

Listed Hazardous Wastes: Listed Hazardous Wastes: The P and U ListsThe P and U Lists

Office of Solid Waste &Emergency Response, U.S. E.P.A., RCRAOrientation Manual III-20(Sept. 2002)

Special Hazardous Waste Special Hazardous Waste Rules: The Mixture RuleRules: The Mixture Rule

Office of Solid Waste & Emergency Response, U.S. E.P.A., RCRAOrientation Manual III-25, fig. III-8 (Sept. 2002).

Special Hazardous Waste Special Hazardous Waste Rules: The Derived-From Rules: The Derived-From

RuleRule

Office of Solid Waste & Emergency Response, U.S. E.P.A., RCRAOrientation Manual III-25, fig. III-9 (Sept. 2002).

Activities Regulated Under Activities Regulated Under RCRA Subtitle CRCRA Subtitle C

Office of Solid Waste & Emergency Response, U.S. E.P.A., RCRAOrientation Manual III-2, fig. III-1 (Sept. 2002).

Hazardous Waste Hazardous Waste GeneratorsGenerators

Office of Solid Waste & Emergency Response, U.S. E.P.A., RCRA

Orientation Manual III-39-41, (Sept. 2002).

Hazardous Waste Hazardous Waste TransportersTransporters

Office of Solid Waste & Emergency Response, U.S. E.P.A., RCRA

Orientation Manual III-49, 50, (Sept. 2002).

EPA photo.

TSD Facilities Must:TSD Facilities Must: Maintain Maintain recordsrecords about the wastes about the wastes Comply with Comply with reporting, monitoring, and inspection reporting, monitoring, and inspection

requirementsrequirements Complete the Complete the manifestmanifest Treat, store, and dispose of haz wasteTreat, store, and dispose of haz waste according according

to the EPA’s regulationsto the EPA’s regulations Comply with Comply with location, design, and construction location, design, and construction

requirementsrequirements for facility for facility Generate Generate contingency planscontingency plans Comply with Comply with financial responsibilityfinancial responsibility requirements requirements Get a RCRA Get a RCRA permitpermit Incur liability for Incur liability for corrective actionscorrective actions

Avoiding RCRA Subtitle CAvoiding RCRA Subtitle C It’s not solid waste.It’s not solid waste.

IF TRUE: RCRA does not apply.IF TRUE: RCRA does not apply. It’s not hazardous waste.It’s not hazardous waste.

IF TRUE: Subtitle C does not apply.IF TRUE: Subtitle C does not apply. I’m not treating, storing, or disposing I’m not treating, storing, or disposing

of hazardous waste.of hazardous waste.IF TRUE: TSD requirements do not IF TRUE: TSD requirements do not apply.apply.

City of Chicago v. City of Chicago v. Environmental Defense Environmental Defense

FundFund

Municipal Waste IncineratorPhoto by Environmental Energy Technologies Division,

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory