United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5305W)
EPA530-S-99-036
September 1999
&EPA Executive Summary
The National Biennial RCRA
Hazardous Waste Report
(Based on 1997 Data)
j—/ •
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Printed on paper that contains at least
'V 30 percent postconsumer fiber.
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the
States1, biennially collects information regarding the generation, management, and final
disposition of hazardous wastes regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
of 1976 (RCRA), as amended. The purpose of The National Biennial RCRA Hazardous Waste
Report (Based on 1997 Data) is to communicate the findings of EPAs 1997 Biennial Reporting
System (BRS) data collection efforts to the public, government agencies, and the regulated
community.2 The Report consists of six volumes:
Executive Summary provides an overview of national hazardous waste generation
and management practices;
National Analysis presents a detailed look at waste-handling practices in the EPA
Regions, States, and largest facilities nationally, including (1) the quantity of waste
generated, managed, shipped and received, and imported and exported between
States and (2) the number of generators and managing facilities;
State Summary Analysis provides a two-page overview of the generation and
management practices of individual States;
State Detail Analysis is a detailed look at each State's waste handling practices,
including overall totals for generation, management, and shipments and receipts,
as well as totals for the largest fifty facilities;
List of Large Quantity Generators identifies every hazardous waste generator in
the United States that reported itself to be a large quantity generator in 1997; and
List of Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities identifies every hazardous
waste manager in the United States that reported itself to be a treatment, storage,
or disposal facility in 1997.
The term "State" includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Navajo Nation, the Trust Territories, and the
Virgin Islands, in addition to the 50 United States.
Some respondents from the States of Georgia and Connecticut submitted Confidential Business Information (CBI)
pursuant to §40 CFR 260.2(b). While not included in any public BRS database, CBI has been incorporated into the Executive
Summaryandt National Analysis volumes of this Report wherever possible. Where CBI has been omitted from these volumes, a
footnote has been provided.
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading. Refer to the Executive Summary (ES-2) for a complete
explanation.
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE
Throughout this Report, the term RCRA hazardous waste refers to solid waste assigned
a Federal Hazardous Waste Code and regulated by RCRA. Some States elect to regulate
wastes not regulated by EPA; these wastes are assigned State Hazardous Waste Codes and
are not included in this Report. The reader can find more detailed explanations in the RCRA
Orientation Manual (http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/general/orientat/) and in the Code of Federal
Regulations in 40 CFR Parts 260 and 261 (http://www.epa.gov/docs/epacfr40/chapt-
l.info/subch-l/). Please refer to Appendix E of this Report for a complete list of EPA Hazardous
Waste Codes used by the regulated community for their 1997 Biennial Report submissions.
Details about the information submitted by the regulated community can be found in the 1997
Hazardous Waste Report Instructions and Forms (http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/
data/brsforms.htm).
CHANGES TO 1997 BIENNIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
AND THE NATIONAL BIENNIAL REPORT DATA
PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT
In accordance with EPAs efforts to reduce the record keeping and reporting burden on
the regulated community, EPA streamlined the Federal data collection forms (1997 Hazardous
Waste Report Instructions and Forms) for the 1997 Biennial Report cycle by eliminating the
Process System (PS) Form. EPA would like to caution all readers of this Report that the
change to eliminate the PS Form, along with the changes to the reporting requirements for
aqueous wastes, commonly called wastewaters, managed in treatment systems regulated by
the Clean Water Act (CWA) and not by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA),
will make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial Report to earlier National Reports
misleading.
Wastewaters are defined for biennial reporting as wastes that have a particular form
and/or are managed on-site or off-site in treatment systems typically used to manage
wastewater. All wastes bearing one of the following wastewater Form Codes (B101-102; B105,
B110-116) and/or System Type Codes (M071-079; M081-085, 089; M091-094, 099; M121-125,
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading. Refer to the Executive Summary (ES-2) for a complete
explanation.
ESl
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
129; M134-136) are excluded from the National Report data and the 1997 National Biennial
Report, with one exception: waste waters managed by System Type Code M134
(Deepwell/Underground Injection) are included in the 1997 National Biennial Report.
Refer to Appendix C and D for complete descriptions of the Form Codes and System Type
Codes referenced above.
In previous National Reports, the PS Form was used to separate and exclude from the
National Report data all wastes going to on-site treatment systems exempt from RCRA
permitting requirements. For the 1997 National Biennial Report, EPA included all non-
wastewater data and excluded all wastewater data. The wastewater data was excluded
regardless of whether the wastes were managed in RCRA permitted systems prior to
management in on-site or off-site treatment systems exempt from RCRA permitting
requirements. This is significant, because historically EPA has included only those wastes
managed in units subject to RCRA permitting requirements in the National Biennial Reports.
EPA does not believe the inclusion of all non-wastewaters will distort the RCRA hazardous
waste management picture presented in this Report, because only a small volume of non-
wastewaters are managed in treatment systems exempt from RCRA permitting requirements.
RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE GENERATION
RCRA hazardous waste generation information is obtained from data reported by RCRA
large quantity generators (LQGs). A generator is defined as a Federal large quantity generator if:
the generator generated in any single month 1,000 kg (2,200 pounds or 1.1 tons) or
more of RCRA hazardous waste; or
the generator generated in any single month, or accumulated at any time, 1 kg (2.2
pounds) of RCRA acute hazardous waste; or
the generator generated, or accumulated at any time, more than 100 kg (220
pounds) of spill cleanup material contaminated with RCRA acute hazardous waste.
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading. Refer to the Executive Summary (ES-2) for a complete
explanation.
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
All generators that reported LOG status in 1997 are required to provide EPA with 1997
waste generation and management information. It is important to note that the LQGs identified in
this Report have been included based on the most current information made available to EPA by
the States. Both EPA and the States have made a significant effort to ensure the accuracy of
this data. However, the LOG counts may include some generators that, when determining
whether they were LQGs, used a lower State-defined threshold for LQGs, counted wastes
regulated only by their States, or counted wastes exempt from Federal regulation.
To help provide a more accurate picture of hazardous waste generation in the United
States, EPA requests specific waste generation information from LQGs. For each RCRA
hazardous waste generated, LQGs are required to provide a waste description, the applicable
Federal Hazardous Waste Codes that most accurately represent the waste generated, and the
quantity of waste generated.
In 1997, 20,316 LQGs reported they generated 40.7 million tons of RCRA hazardous
waste. When comparing the 1995 National Biennial Report with the 1997 Report, the number of
LQGs decreased by 551, and the quantity of hazardous waste generated decreased by 173
million tons or 81 %. The decrease in national hazardous waste generation is due in large part to
the exclusion of wastewaters from the 1997 national reporting logic. Fora more detailed
description of the wastewater exclusion, please refer to the section of the Executive Summary
entitled "Changes to 1997 Biennial Reporting Requirements and the National Biennial Report
Data Presented in this Report."
The wastewater exclusion will make cursory comparisons between the 1997 National
Biennial Report and earlier National Reports misleading. To facilitate an accurate comparison,
Appendix B of the National Analysis provides the 1995 National Biennial Report data excluding
wastewater (i.e., the data was compiled using the same national reporting logic used to exclude
wastewater data from the 1997 National Report). As presented in Exhibit B.1, 36.3 million tons
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading. Refer to the Executive Summary (ES-2) for a complete
explanation.
ES4
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
of non-wastewater wastes were generated in 1995; therefore, a more accurate picture of the
change in national hazardous waste generation between 1995 and 1997 is an increase of 4.4
million tons or 11 %. Much of this increase resulted from a change in a few generators'
wastewater management practices. In 1995, a few generators reported managing wastewaters
in treatment systems exempt from RCRA permitting requirements, and, in accordance with the
1995 national reporting logic, these exempt wastewaters were excluded from the 1995 National
Biennial Report. In 1997, the same generators reported managing these same wastewaters in
Deepwell/Underground Injection (M134), a treatment system included in the 1997 National
Biennial Report.
As identified in Exhibit 1, the five (5) States which contributed most to the national
hazardous waste generation total in 1997 were Texas (19.0 million tons), Louisiana (4.6 million
tons), Illinois (2.2 million tons), Ohio (1.7 million tons), and Mississippi (1.7 million tons).
Together, the LQGs in these States accounted for 72% of the national total quantity generated.
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading. Refer to the Executive Summary (ES-2) for a complete
explanation.
ESl
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
Exhibit 1 Quantity of RCRA Hazardous Waste Generated and Number of Hazardous Waste Generators, by State, 1997
STATE
ALABAMA
ALASKA
ARIZONA
ARKANSAS
CALIFORNIA
COLORADO
CONNECTICUT
DELAWARE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
FLORIDA
GEORGIA
GUAM
HAWAII
IDAHO
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
IOWA
KANSAS
KENTUCKY
LOUISIANA
MAINE
MARYLAND
MASSACHUSETTS
MICHIGAN
MINNESOTA
MISSISSIPPI
MISSOURI
MONTANA
NAVAJO NATION
NEBRASKA
NEVADA
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NEW JERSEY
NEW MEXICO
NEWYORK
NORTH CAROLINA
NORTH DAKOTA
OHIO
OKLAHOMA
OREGON
PENNSYLVANIA
PUERTO RICO
RHODE ISLAND
SOUTH CAROLINA
SOUTH DAKOTA
TENNESSEE
TEXAS
TRUST TERRITORIES
UTAH
VERMONT
VIRGIN ISLANDS
VIRGINIA
WASHINGTON
WEST VIRGINIA
WISCONSIN
WYOMING
CBI DATA
TOTAL
HAZARDOUS WASTE QUANTITY
RANK
14
47
35
8
12
28
32
39
54
16
20
55
45
9
3
7
37
6
21
2
46
31
27
10
13
5
25
41
56
38
40
44
18
26
15
30
50
4
19
36
17
34
42
43
53
11
1
52
29
48
49
33
24
22
23
51
N/A
TONS
GENERATED
423,968
4,547
53,031
1,052,744
672,946
82,021
60,219
19,353
499
398,535
275,096
412
7,241
1,014,825
2,201,025
1,077,410
33,681
1,333,169
192,318
4,624,829
4,758
63,498
94,467
994,047
427,390
1,654,338
116,705
12,266
150
23,491
12,518
9,751
348,409
99,474
419,899
66,501
2,686
1,693,247
315,296
49,877
370,024
54,120
11,643
10,793
948
745,458
18,973,406
1,101
78,555
4,064
2,811
57,395
126,601
152,843
147,959
1,478
242
40,676,075
PERCENTAGE
1.0
0.0
0.1
2.6
1.7
0.2
0.1
0.0
0.0
1.0
0.7
0.0
0.0
2.5
5.4
2.6
0.1
3.3
0.5
11.4
0.0
0.2
0.2
2.4
1.1
4.1
0.3
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.9
0.2
1.0
0.2
0.0
4.2
0.8
0.1
0.9
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.8
46.6
0.0
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.3
0.4
0.4
0.0
N/A
100.0
LARGE QUANTITY GENERATORS
RANK
25
44
31
27
2
32
15
42
50
17
14
53
47
45
5
9
30
26
20
18
35
23
12
8
24
29
18
46
54
41
39
33
7
48
1
11
51
3
34
28
6
38
37
21
49
13
4
55
40
43
56
22
10
36
16
52
N/A
NUMBER PERCENTAGE
268
50
180
206
1,782
163
404
66
20
378
405
8
41
48
1,058
633
182
215
348
363
137
327
474
682
274
193
363
47
6
68
90
152
819
39
2,772
505
16
1,271
144
203
1,042
106
107
341
21
461
1,219
3
89
65
2
329
595
119
400
15
2
20,316
1.3
0.2
0.9
1.0
8.8
0.8
2.0
0.3
0.1
1.9
2.0
0.0
0.2
0.2
5.2
3.1
0.9
1.1
1.7
1.8
0.7
1.6
2.3
3.4
1.3
1.0
1.8
0.2
0.0
0.3
0.4
0.7
4.0
0.2
13.6
2.5
0.1
6.3
0.7
1.0
5.1
0.5
0.5
1.7
0.1
2.3
6.0
0.0
0.4
0.3
0.0
1.6
2.9
0.6
2.0
0.1
N/A
100.0
Note:
Columns may not sum due to rounding.
Percentages do not include CBI data.
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will make
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading. Refer
explanation.
EST
cursory comparisons of the
to the Executive Summary
1997 National Biennial
(ES-2) for a complete
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT
RCRA hazardous waste management information is obtained from data reported by
active, permitted RCRA treatment, storage, or disposal facilities (TSDs). A TSD is defined as any
facility which treats, stores, or disposes of RCRA hazardous waste, regardless of the quantity
managed. Only wastes that were treated or disposed of in 1997 are included in the management
quantities in this Report. Wastes generated and subsequently stored in 1997 are not included in
the management quantities in this Report.
To help provide a more accurate picture of hazardous waste management practices in
the United States, EPA requests specific waste management information from TSDs. For each
RCRA hazardous waste managed, TSDs are required to provide the quantity of waste managed
and the System Type Code which represents the management method used to manage the
waste.
It is important to note that the total quantity of RCRA hazardous waste generated is less
than the total quantity managed. Some of the reasons for this variance include: wastes generated
during non-reporting years but shipped and treated or disposed during a reporting year and wastes
received for management from generators in foreign countries.
In 1997, 2,025 TSDs reported they managed 37.7 million tons of RCRA hazardous waste.
Of the 2,025 facilities, 1,078 were storage-only facilities. When comparing the 1995 National
Biennial Report with the 1997 Report, the number of TSDs increased by 42, and the total quantity
of hazardous waste managed decreased by 170.5 million tons or 82%. This decrease was largely
attributable to the exclusion of wastewaters from the 1997 national reporting logic. For a more
detailed description of the wastewater exclusion, please refer to the section of the Executive
Summary entitled "Changes to 1997 Biennial Reporting Requirements and the Biennial Report
Data Presented in this Report."
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading. Refer to the Executive Summary (ES-2) for a complete
explanation.
ES7
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
The wastewater exclusion will make cursory comparisons between the 1997 National
Biennial Report and earlier National Reports misleading. To facilitate an accurate comparison,
Appendix B of the National Analysis provides the 1995 National Biennial Report data excluding
wastewater (i.e., the data was compiled using the same national reporting logic used to exclude
wastewater data from the 1997 National Report.) As presented in Exhibit B.2, 35.1 million tons of
non-wastewater wastes were managed in 1995; therefore, a more accurate picture of the change
in national hazardous waste management between 1995 and 1997 is an increase of 2.6 million
tons or 7%. A large portion of this increase resulted from a change in wastewater management
practices. In 1995, a few TSDs reported managing wastewater in treatment systems exempt
from RCRA permitting requirements, and, in accordance with the 1995 national reporting logic,
these exempt wastewaters were excluded from the 1995 National Biennial Report. In 1997, the
same TSDs reported managing these same wastewaters in Deepwell/Underground Injection
(M134), a treatment system included in the 1997 National Biennial Report. Other factors
contributing to the increase included increased waste management activities due to a landfill
closing and remediation wastes from RCRA Corrective Action.
As identified in Exhibit 2, the five (5) States whose TSDs managed the largest quantities
of hazardous wastes were Texas (17.4 million tons), Louisiana (4.5 million tons), Ohio (1.7 million
tons), Mississippi (1.7 million tons), and Kansas (1.6 million tons). The TSDs in these five (5)
States account for 71% of the national management total.
In 1997, land disposal accounted for 76% of the national non-wastewater management
total. Land disposal methods include:
Deepwell/Underground Injection 26 million tons
Landfill 1.5 million tons
Surface Impoundment 1 million tons
Land Treatment/Application/Farming 19 thousand tons
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading. Refer to the Executive Summary (ES-2) for a complete
explanation.
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
Exhibit 2 Quantity of RCRA Hazardous Waste Managed and Number of RCRA TSD Facilities, by State, 1997
STATE
ALABAMA
ALASKA
ARIZONA
ARKANSAS
CALIFORNIA
COLORADO
CONNECTICUT
DELAWARE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
FLORIDA
GEORGIA
GUAM
HAWAII
IDAHO
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
IOWA
KANSAS
KENTUCKY
LOUISIANA
MAINE
MARYLAND
MASSACHUSETTS
MICHIGAN
MINNESOTA
MISSISSIPPI
MISSOURI
MONTANA
NAVAJO NATION
NEBRASKA
NEVADA
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NEW JERSEY
NEW MEXICO
NEWYORK
NORTH CAROLINA
NORTH DAKOTA
OHIO
OKLAHOMA
OREGON
PENNSYLVANIA
PUERTO RICO
RHODE ISLAND
SOUTH CAROLINA
SOUTH DAKOTA
TENNESSEE
TEXAS
TRUST TERRITORIES
UTAH
VERMONT
VIRGIN ISLANDS
VIRGINIA
WASHINGTON
WEST VIRGINIA
WISCONSIN
WYOMING
CBI DATA
HAZARDOUS WASTE QUANTITY 1
RANK
14
12
40
10
7
32
36
43
50
21
26
50
49
8
13
6
42
5
25
2
46
39
37
9
23
4
20
45
50
31
35
50
24
22
15
38
44
3
16
33
11
27
41
19
50
17
1
48
18
50
47
29
28
30
34
50
N/A
TOTAL
TONS
MANAGED
415,166
449,486
4,218
1,001,426
1,160,627
37,658
26,680
2,131
0
207,560
72,558
0
99
1,093,366
445,728
1,357,777
3,349
1,558,943
85,575
4,503,985
718
4,560
16,467
1,075,667
141,292
1,720,718
238,179
987
0
41,231
29,313
0
86,095
189,509
411,616
15,674
1,188
1,739,368
405,898
32,150
496,136
70,188
3,840
302,472
0
403,094
17,371,102
524
325,888
0
659
47,737
49,157
44,438
30,934
0
0
37,723,129
PERCENTAGE
1.1
1.2
0.0
2.7
3.1
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.6
0.2
0.0
0.0
2.9
1.2
3.6
0.0
4.1
0.2
11.9
0.0
0.0
0.0
2.9
0.4
4.6
0.6
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.2
0.5
1.1
0.0
0.0
4.6
1.1
0.1
1.3
0.2
0.0
0.8
0.0
1.1
46.0
0.0
0.9
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0
N/A
100.0
TSD FACILITIES
RANK
15
43
29
29
1
32
25
47
51
14
12
51
48
40
6
17
21
27
21
11
29
26
21
4
27
36
8
39
56
38
43
51
7
37
9
5
40
13
16
40
10
21
48
32
50
19
2
51
35
45
51
18
19
32
3
45
N/A
NUMBER
44
6
23
23
250
22
27
4
1
46
55
1
3
7
86
40
28
24
28
57
23
25
28
113
24
16
83
8
0
11
6
1
85
15
73
100
7
52
41
7
63
28
3
22
2
30
135
1
20
5
1
32
30
22
132
5
1
2,025
PERCENTAGE
2.2
0.3
1.1
1.1
12.4
1.1
1.3
0.2
0.0
2.3
2.7
0.0
0.1
0.3
4.2
2.0
1.4
1.2
1.4
2.8
1.1
1.2
1.4
5.6
1.2
0.8
4.1
0.4
0.0
0.5
0.3
0.0
4.2
0.7
3.6
4.9
0.3
2.6
2.0
0.3
3.1
1.4
0.1
1.1
0.1
1.5
6.7
0.0
1.0
0.2
0.0
1.6
1.5
1.1
6.5
0.2
N/A
100.0
'Quantity managed by storage only is excluded.
Note: Columns may not sum due to rounding.
Percentages do not include CBI data.
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading.
explanation.
make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial
Refer to the Executive Summary (ES-2) for a complete
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
Recovery operations accounted for 10% of the national non-wastewater
management total. Recovery operations include:
Fuel Blending 1.5 million tons
Metals Recovery (for Reuse) 1.1 million tons
Solvents Recovery 617 thousand tons
Other Recovery 443 thousand tons
Thermal treatment accounted for 9% of the national non-wastewater management
total. Thermal treatment units include:
Energy Recovery (for Reuse as Fuel) 1.7 million tons
Incineration 1.7 million tons
The remaining non-wastewater management quantities (5%) were managed in other
treatment and disposal units, including:
Stabilization 1.4 million tons
Sludge Treatment 411 thousand tons
Other Disposal (Specified in Comments) 251 thousand tons
RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE SHIPMENTS AND RECEIPTS
RCRA hazardous waste shipment information is obtained from data reported by both
RCRA LQGs and RCRA TSDs. To help provide a more accurate picture of hazardous waste
shipments in the United States, EPA requests specific shipment information. For each waste
shipped, LQGs and TSDs are required to provide a waste description, the applicable Federal
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading. Refer to the Executive Summary (ES-2) for a complete
explanation.
ES^IO
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
Hazardous Waste Codes, the quantity of waste shipped, and the EPA Identification Number of the
receiving facility. All RCRA non-wastewater shipments reported by RCRA LQGs and TSDs are
included in the waste shipment quantities in this Report, even if the waste was shipped to a
transfer facility. In some instances, waste is transferred within a physical location that has more
than one EPA Identification Number. These waste transfers are treated as shipments.
RCRA hazardous waste receipt information is obtained from data reported by RCRA
TSDs. To help provide a more accurate picture of hazardous waste receipts in the United States,
EPA requests certain receipt information from TSDs. For each waste received, TSDs are
required to provide a waste description, the applicable Federal Hazardous Waste Codes, the
quantity of waste received, and the EPA Identification Number of the facility from which the waste
was received. For each received waste which is subsequently managed, TSDs are required to
provide the System Type Code which represents the management method used to manage the
waste.
RCRA hazardous waste export quantities include wastes generated in one State and
shipped to a receiver in a different State. Exports are calculated from information provided by
waste shippers. RCRA hazardous waste imports include all wastes received by a State which
differs from the State of origin. RCRA hazardous waste imports are calculated from information
provided by RCRA TSDs.
In 1997, 18,029 shippers reported shipping 7.3 million tons of hazardous waste. When
comparing the 1995 National Biennial Report with the 1997 Report, the number of shippers
decreased by 2,468, and the quantity of waste shipped decreased by 3.3 million tons, a 31%
decrease. Some of the decrease in the quantity of waste shipped may be attributable to the
exclusion of wastewaters from the 1997 national biennial reporting logic. However, since
wastewaters are typically managed on-site rather than shipped off-site for management, the
decrease between 1995 and 1997 is more likely the result of other factors. For a more detailed
description of the wastewater exclusion, please refer to the section of the Executive Summary
entitled "Changes to 1997 Biennial Reporting Requirements and the National Biennial Report Data
Presented in this Report."
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading. Refer to the Executive Summary (ES-2) for a complete
explanation.
ES^Tl
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
The wastewater exclusion will make cursory comparisons between the 1997 National
Reports and earlier National Reports misleading. To facilitate an accurate comparison, Appendix
B of the National Analysis provides the 1995 National Report data excluding wastewater (i.e., the
data was compiled using the same national reporting logic used to exclude wastewater data from
the 1997 National Biennial Report). As presented in Exhibit B.3, 6.2 million tons of non-wastewater
wastes were shipped in 1995; therefore, a more accurate picture of the change in national
hazardous waste shipments between 1995 and 1997 is a decrease of 1.1 million tons or 15%.
Of the 7.3 million tons of RCRA hazardous waste shipped in 1997, 4.4 million tons of
waste were exported from the State in which they were generated to other States. When
comparing the 1995 National Biennial Report with the 1997 Report, the quantity of waste exported
decreased by 924 thousand tons or 17%. Some of the decrease in the quantity of waste exported
may be attributable to the exclusion of wastewaters from the 1997 national reporting logic.
However, since wastewaters are typically managed on-site rather than shipped off-site for
management, the decrease between 1995 and 1997 is more likely the result of other factors.
The wastewater exclusion will make cursory comparisons between the 1997 National
Biennial Report and earlier National Reports misleading. To facilitate an accurate comparison,
Appendix B of the National Analysis provides the 1995 National Report data excluding
wastewater (i.e., the data was compiled using the same national reporting logic used to exclude
wastewater data from the 1997 National Biennial Report). As presented in Exhibit B.5, 3.6 million
tons of non-wastewater wastes were exported to other States in 1995; therefore, a more accurate
picture of the change in national hazardous waste exports between 1995 and 1997 is an increase
of 753 thousand tons or 17%.
In 1997, 543 TSDs reported receiving 8 million tons of RCRA hazardous waste. When
comparing the 1995 National Biennial Report with the 1997 Report, the number of TSDs receiving
waste decreased by 101, and the quantity of waste received decreased by 1.3 million tons or 14%.
Some of the decrease in the quantity of waste received may be attributable to the exclusion of
wastewaters from the 1997 national reporting logic. However, since wastewaters are typically
managed on-site rather than shipped off-site for management, the decrease between 1995 and
1997 is more likely the result of other factors.
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading. Refer to the Executive Summary (ES-2) for a complete
explanation.
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NATIONAL BIENNIAL RCRA HAZARDOUS WASTE REPORT: BASED ON 1997 DATA
The wastewater exclusion will make cursory comparisons between the 1997 National
Biennial Report and earlier National Reports misleading. To facilitate an accurate comparison,
Appendix B of the National Analysis provides the 1995 National Report data excluding wastewater
(i.e., the data was compiled using the same national reporting logic used to exclude wastewater
data from the 1997 National Biennial Report). As presented in Exhibit B.4, 7.9 million tons of non-
wastewater wastes were received in 1995; therefore, a more accurate picture of the change in
national hazardous waste receipts between 1995 and 1997 is an increase of 87 thousand tons or
1%.
Of the 8 million tons of RCRA hazardous waste received in 1997, 4 million tons of waste
were imported from other States. When comparing the 1995 National Biennial Report with the
1997 Report, the quantity of waste imported decreased by 1.9 million tons or 32%. Some of the
decrease in the quantity of waste imported may be attributable to the exclusion of wastewaters
from the 1997 national reporting logic. However, since wastewaters are typically managed on-site
rather than shipped off-site for management, the decrease between 1995 and 1997 is more likely
the result of other factors.
The wastewater exclusion will make cursory comparisons between the 1997 National
Report and earlier National Reports misleading. To facilitate an accurate comparison, Appendix B
of the National Analysis provides the 1995 National Report data excluding wastewater (i.e., the
data was compiled using the same national reporting logic used to exclude wastewater data from
the 1997 National Biennial Report). As presented in Exhibit B.5, 5.1 million tons of non-wastewater
wastes were imported in 1995; therefore, a more accurate picture of the change in national
hazardous waste imports between 1995 and 1997 is a decrease of 1.1 million tons or 22%.
WHERE TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
All volumes of The National Biennial RCRA Hazardous Waste Report (Based on 1997
Data) and the 1997 Biennial Reporting System (BRS) data files can be accessed via the Internet
at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/data/Sbrs or purchased from the National Technical
Information Service (NTIS) at (703) 487-4650.
Changes to the 1997 Biennial Reporting requirements will make cursory comparisons of the 1997 National Biennial
Report to earlier National Biennial Reports misleading. Refer to the Executive Summary (ES-2) for a complete
explanation.
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