United States \ Solid Waste and
Environmental Protection EEmergency Response EPA530-F-96-026
Agency (5305W) April1996
Office of Solid Waste ~~
4>EPA Environmental
Fact Sheet
AGENCY EXTENDS POLICY ON REDUCED ENFORCEMENT
PRIORITY FOR STORAGE OF MIXED WASTE FOR WHICH
TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY OR STORAGE CAPACITY
DOES NOT EXIST
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces a limited two-year exten-
sion of the "Policy on Enforcement of RCRA Section 3OO4(j) Storage Prohibition at
Facilities Generating Mixed Radioactive/Hazardous Wastes," effective April 21, 1996.
Background
"Mixed wastes" are wastes that contain both a hazardous waste component, regulated
under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and a radioactive component,
regulated under the Atomic Energy Act. Hazardous wastes are subject to the land disposal restrictions
(LDRs) in 40 CFR Part -268. The LDRss require generators to treat hazardous wastes to specified
treatment standards before they can be land disposed. RCRA section 3004(j) prohibits any storage of
a land disposal prohibited waste (includling mixed waste) except"for the purpose of the accumulation of
such quantities of hazardous waste as are necessary to facilitate proper recovery, treatment, or dis-
posal."
The original policy was published August 29, 1991, and extended April 20, 1994 with an ex-
piration date of April 20, 1996. Prior to issuing its original pok'cy on civil enforcement of the
storage prohibition, EPA determined that inadequate treatment technology and disposal capacity
existed to treat or dispose of many types of mixed waste. EPA recognizes that there still exists no
treatment for some mixed wastes, despite developments in treatment technology, and reductions in
mixed wastes generated using waste mimmization, since the policy was first published.
In May, 1995, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory prepared a report for the Department of
Energy (DOE) that reviewed the available treatment options for mixed waste. This report concluded
that while generators used waste minimization and new treatment technologies to reduce the amount
of mixed wastes generated, treatment for an estimated LI 8 cubic meters of mixed waste per year is
not commercially available. Commercial generators and many federal government agencies have
little option but to store some of these wastes until new technologies become available. Thus many
mixed waste generators may be subject to enforcement action or citizen suits even though it is impos-
sible for them to comply with the law.
Action
EPA is extending its "Policy on Enforcement of RCRA Section 3004(j) Storage Prohibition at
Facilities Generating Mixed Radioactive/Hazardous Wastes," until April20,1998. The extension confirms
that storage of mixed waste subject to LDRs is unlawful under the section 3004(j) storage prohibition
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even in the absence of treatment and disposal capacity. The policy states, however, that violators who
(l) are faced with an impossibility of complying with the RCRA regulations and (2) are storing their
wastes in an environmentally responsible manner will be a low enforcement priority for EPA.
The policy defines "commercially available treatment technology and disposal capacity" to
include any facility that""h"as: (1) a RCRA permit or ifateiim"status; (2) a research, development,
and demonstration permit (40 CFR 270.65); or (3) a land treatment permit (40 CFR 270.63).
This definition will help clarify that bench scale and research and development projects may provide
a vehicle for some generators to have their wastes treated. The extended policy clarifies that a "low
enforcement priority** "applies only to wastes for which no treatment and disposal option exists and
Silly so long as no treatment and disposal option exists. The policy states that EPA anticipates using
RCRA section 3007 authorities to ensure that treatable wastes are being sent off-site for treatment
E3 that u'ntreatabie wastes are being stored safely.
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The clarifications added ensure that generators understand the scope of coverage, including the
fact that as new technologies become available, the wastes that can be treated are no longer covered
by this policy. Generators with treatable waste must arrange for treatment and disposal.
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r ' : ' ^ iFor'More rnformaitiicin
|||em| Roister (FR) notice and this fact sheet are available in electronic format on the
ii^^^^^^^^^ throu^ EiPA Public Access Server at gopher.epa.gov. For the text of the FR
"notice" phoose: Sides'^ ReguTationsi and Lgp^^Q-. t^en FH-Waste; finally Year/Month/Day.
This fact sheet is available under: EPA Offices and Regions/Office of Solid Waste and
; of Solid Waste/Hazardous Waste-Radioactive
Waste/Mixed Waste/General.
or to order paper copies of the FR notice, call the RCRA Hotline.
.u,, 5Jg1^.Qlp0g^an 3rea,must dial 755-5I2-58IS or TDD
70!-412-3323 (hearing impaired). Long distance callers may call 1-800-424-9346 or TDD
'" rTSrir." flie RCRA Hotline j^'open ]y|~'(j^y.pri(jaV5 Q.QQ am to 6:00 p.m. Eastern
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