AEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Solid Waste
and Emergency Response
(OS-305)
EPA/530-F-92-030
November 1992
Office of Solid Waste
Environmental
Fact Sheet
Background
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 directed
EPA to develop and implement a program to protect human health and the
environment from improper hazardous waste management practices. The
program is designed to control the management of hazardous waste from its
generation to its ultimate disposal—from cradle-to-grave. In 1984, the
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) to RCRA were signed into
law, mandating even more stringent requirements and expanding the scope of
EPA's hazardous waste regulatory program.
One of the requirements of HSWA was that EPA issue final regulations
that (1) "minimize the disposal of containerized liquid hazardous waste in
landfills/ (2) "minimize the presence of free liquids in containerized hazardous
waste to be disposed of in landfills," and (3) "prohibit the disposal in landfills of
liquids that have been absorbed in materials that biodegrade or that release
liquids when compressed as might occur during routine landfill operations."
On April 30, 1985, EPA
issued a final rule requiring use
of the Paint Filter Liquids Test
(PFT) to determine the presence
of free liquids in either bulk or
containerized waste. On Decem-
ber 24, 1986, EPA proposed a rule
addressing the biodegradation and
compressibility of sorted liquid
wastes in containers. On June 24,
1987, October 29, 1991. and May 1.
1992, EPA issued supplemental
notices regarding the December 24,
1986 proposal.
Sorbents, Adsorbents and
Absorbents: What's the
Difference?
As described in EPA's rule-makings,
"adsorbents" are materials that retain liquids on
(he surface of their particles by capillary action
and surface tension. "Absorbents", mean-while
retain liquids within their molecular structure.
This Fact Sheet and the rule itself use the term
sorbent or "sorb" to refer to materials that are
used to treat free liquids that are either adsorbents
or absorbents, or both.
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On March 8, 1989, the Environmental Defense Fund sued EPA for missing
a number of HSWA rulemaking deadlines. In the settlement of this lawsuit EPA
made a commitment to promulgate the final Liquids in Landfills rules by October
31, 1992.
Action
rule lists classes of sorbent materials that the Agency has
determined to be nonblodegradable and therefore acceptable to be placed in
containers that will be landfilled. In addition, the rule provides two approved
methods for testing those sorbent materials not listed or not within the classes
listed. Passing either of these tests means the sorbent is nonbiodegradable *
and is acceptable to be placed in containers that will be landfilled.
This rule also specifies the Paint Filter Liquids Test which is already
required, as the appropriate regulatory test to measure the efficacy of sorbed
materials under pressure.
Because this rule is HSWA based, it will be implemented initially by the
EPA Regions. As EPA-authorized States incorporate these regulations into
their State program. Implementation authority will be turned over to them.
The effective date of the rule is six months after its publication in
Register.
For More Information
For further information, or to order a copy of the Federal Register notice,
please call the RCRA Hotline Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
EST. The national toll-free number is (800) 424-9346. or TDD (800) 553-7672
for the hearing impaired. In the Washington, D.C., area, the number is (703)
920-9810 or TDD (703) 486-3323.
Please send all written requests to:
RCRA Information Center (OS-305)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
4O1 M Street, S.W.
Washington. D.C. 20460.
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