Office of Solid Waste
Environmental Protection and Emergency Response
v°/EPA Environmental
Fact Sheet
EPA Seeks Public Involvement
In Implementing Draft Strategy
On Hazardous Waste
Minimization And Combustion
Background
Ibis Fact Sheet provides Information on a series of public out"
events and actions associated with the implementation of the Draft
Strategy on Hazardous Waste Minimization and Combustlonreteased by
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Carol M. Browner on
May 18.1993.
Through these events and acttons.EPA is seeking to stimulate the
widest range of Involvement and comment from all stakeholders toasslst
EPA and the States to developing a national waste management strategy
that will- (1) better Integrate waste minimization Into the national
hazardous waste management program under the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA) and (2) ensure that our hazardous waste
combustion standards are fully protective of human health and the
environment at all RCRA hazardous waste incinerators and boilers and
industrial fumances.
Action
The following listing of events and actions provides Interested parties
In a variety of EPA activities that will be
associated with Implementing the Strategy:
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1. National Roundtable on ^fayardpus Waste Minimization
Combustion. A National Roundtable will be held November 15-18, 1993,
in the Washington, D.C. area at the Dulles Airport Renaissance Hotel.
The purpose of the Roundtable is to engage members of invited
representative groups in an open dialogue on key waste minimization and
combustion issues. Observers will also have an opportunity to contribute
viewpoints at specified periods in the discussions. The Roundtable will
include two major sessions, one on waste minimization (November 15 and
16) and the other on technical combustion standards (November 17 and
18). Discussion documents, which will frame the issues for the
Roundtable dialogue, will be distributed to participants in late October or
early November. For copies of the discussion documents or additional
information on the Roundtable, including registration information, contact
the EPA's RCRA/SF Hotline at 1-800-424-9346.
2. Regional Waste Minimization and Combustion Roundtables. In an
effort to reach an expanded range of interested parties, particularly local
citizen and environmental organizations across the country, EPA plans to
host three Regional Roundtables. These Regional Roundtables will
address the same key waste minimization and combustion issues as the
National Roundtable. The Regional Roundtables are currently planned for
the months of February and March 1994. Further information will be
available at a later date from the RCRA/SF Hotline at 1-800-424-9346.
3. Waste Minimization Activities.
a. Public Avflllfflfotlitv of Waste Mjnlmiiifflfl011 PlfrHff 0^ ffti^ar^ous
Waste Generators. As announced at the May 18 release of the Draft
Waste Minimization and Combustion Strategy, Administrator Browner will
soon send a letter to all large quantity hazardous waste generators
(including generators of wastes destined for management in all types of
facilities, not Just combustion units) reminding them of the RCRA
requirement to certify that they have a waste minimization program in
place and encouraging them to make their waste minimization programs
available to the public. These disclosures are voluntary. The manner and
timing for doing so will be up to individual generators.
b. Public Availability of List of Generators with Waste Minimization
Programs. EPA plans to make available to the public a list of those
organizations that have reported to EPA that they were large quantity
generators of any type of hazardous waste, and, thereby, required to
certify that they have a waste minimization program in place. This list will
be arranged by geographic location and should be available by mid-1994.
Making this information available to the public will enable them to learn
about generator waste minimization efforts in their respective areas.
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c. PiihHr Availability of Final Guidance on Waste Minimization
Programs in Place. As part of the May 18 Draft Strategy on Hazardous
Waste Minimization and Combustion announcement, EPA also released
for public review and comment Interim Final Guidance for Generators on
Hazardous Waste Minimization describing the basic elements of a
hazardous waste minimization program. The guidance includes waste
prevention and certain forms of recycling. Following the currently ongoing
analysis of public comments, utilization of information obtained through
the National and Regional Roundtables, and further internal analysis, we
anticipate that Final Guidance will be issued in late 1994.
4. Notice and Comment on EPA Rulemakings.
a. Technical fitflTlfl^d5 f°r Combustion.
We anticipate the publication of a proposed rule to announce the specifics
of EPA's efforts to upgrade the technical standards governing hazardous
waste combustion units in 1995, with a final rule anticipated in 1996.
Public comments will be requested.
b. Public Participation and Permitting under RCRA.
We anticipate publication of a proposed rule to enhance earlier and more
effective public participation during the permitting process for hazardous
waste facilities in mid to late 1994 and a final rule in mid to late 1995.
Public comments will be requested.
5. Piihlir Availability of EPA's Indirect Exposure Risk Assessment
Guidance. The Agency's draft guidance on indirect exposure risk
assessments is expected to be released in late 1993. Indirect risks are
those usually associated with ingestion of soil, crops, livestock, fish, etc.
that have been contaminated by deposition of pollutants. This document
is an addendum to an earlier EPA document published in 1990. Until a
final version of the guidance addendum is issued, EPA anticipates that
this document may be used in conducting full risk assessments in
connection with all new RCRA permits for hazardous waste combustion
facilities as called for in the May 18th Draft Strategy. Following external
public and scientific peer review, a final version of the guidance
addendum is anticipated in 1994.
6. Final Hazardous Waste Minimization/Combustion Strategy.
A final Hazardous Waste Minimization and Combustion Strategy is
anticipated to be ready for release in late 1994. This Strategy will be
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based in part on the public dialogue that occurs during the National and
Regional Roundtables on hazardous waste minimization and combustion,
and also upon EPA's own analyses of waste generation and management
in the United States.
For More Information
For additional information on specific activities covered by this release,
contact EPA's RCRA/SF Hotline at 1-800-424-9346.
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