United States Solid Waste and
Environmental Protection Emergency Response EPA530-F-93-002
Agency (OS-305) January 1993
Office of Solid Waste
?/EPA Environmental
Fact Sheet
PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS
TO THE HAZARDOUS WASTE
RECYCLING PROGRAM
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a program
under which certain widespread post-user items that are hazardous
wastes would be collected under greatly streamlined requirements, to
facilitate separation of these materials from the municipal solid waste
stream and to encourage proper treatment and/or recycling.
Background
Recent changes in the regulations addressing methods for
identifying hazardous wastes (the Toxlclty Characteristic Leaching
Procedure test or TCN) have caused many people to begin testing the
toxidty of commonly produced waste items. These items, which
previously may not have been considered to be hazardous (such as
nickel cadmium batteries, and pesticides) may exhibit the toxidty
characteristic and thus may be subject to regulation as hazardous
wastes. How to ensure the proper management of such wastes
continues to be an unresolved issue.
These "universal" wastes are characterized by being generated in
many different settings and in vast quantities, typically destined for the
municipal solid waste stream. They are produced by households and
small businesses as well as large industrial operations, and they are
not readily amenable to the comprehensive management requirements
of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Currently, if
these wastes are produced by a regulated hazardous waste generator,
they are subject to RCRA control. If the wastes are generated by
households or conditionally exempt small quantity generators, they are
not subject to RCRA.
-------
United States Solid Waste and
Environmental Protection Emergency Response EPA530-F-93-002
Agency (OS-305) January 1993
Office of Solid Waste
?/EPA Environmental
Fact Sheet
PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS
TO THE HAZARDOUS WASTE
RECYCLING PROGRAM
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a program
under which certain widespread post-user items that are hazardous
wastes would be collected under greatly streamlined requirements, to
facilitate separation of these materials from the municipal solid waste
stream and to encourage proper treatment and/or recycling.
Background
Recent changes in the regulations addressing methods for
identifying hazardous wastes (the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching
Procedure test or TCN) have caused many people to begin testing the
toxicity of commonly produced waste items. These items, which
previously may not have been considered to be hazardous (such as
nickel cadmium batteries, and pesticides) may exhibit the toxicity
characteristic and thus may be subject to regulation as hazardous
wastes. How to ensure the proper management of such wastes
continues to be an unresolved issue.
These "universal** wastes are characterized by being generated in
many different settings and in vast quantities, typically destined for the
municipal solid waste stream. They are produced by households and
small businesses as well as large industrial operations, and they are
not readily amenable to the comprehensive management requirements
of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Currently, if
these wastes are produced by a regulated hazardous waste generator,
they are subject to RCRA control. If the wastes are generated by
households or conditionally exempt small quantity generators, they are
not subject to RCRA.
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