&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of
Public Awareness (A-107)
Washington DC 20460
OPA 57/9
Environmental
Information
riarch 1979
Hazardous
Waste
Facts
Hazardous Waste
Definition
Quantities of
Hazardous Wastes
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976
requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) to institute a national hazardous waste
regulatory program. Key provisions are for develop-
ment of criteria to determine which wastes are
hazardous; institution of a system to track wastes
from point of generation to point of disposal; and
standards for operation of disposal facilities.
States may obtain EPA authorization to conduct their
own regulatory program. In States that choose not
to develop a hazardous waste program, or do not gain
authorization for a program, EPA must administer the
program.
Proposed Federal regulations list about 160 wastes
and waste streams, in addition to four characteri-
stics for identifying a waste as hazardous:
ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and toxicity.
"Hazardous waste" includes acids, toxic chemicals,
caustics, explosives, and other harmful or potential
harmful wastes.
EPA estimates that 10 to 15 percent of the annual
production of about 34.5 million metric tons (wet)
of industrial waste is hazardous. Quantities of
hazardous waste are expected to increase by 3 per-
cent annually.
EPA estimates that 90 percent of hazardous waste is
managed by practices which will not meet new Federal
standards.
Major hazardous waste generators, among 17 indus-
tries EPA has studied in detail, are:
Million Metric
Tons (Wet Basis)
(1977 Estimates)
Organic Chemicals.. 11.7
Primary Metals 9.0
Electroplating 4.1
Inorganic Chemicals 4.0
Textiles 1.9
Petroleum Refining..1.8
Rubber & Plastics...1.0
Other 1.0
Total 34.5
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70 to 80 percent of these industries' hazardous waste is disposed of on
the generator's property:
80 percent is disposed of in nonsecure ponds, lagoons, or landfills
10 percent is incinerated without proper controls
10 percent is managed acceptably as compared to proposed Federal
standards, i.e., by controlled incineration, neutralization,
secure landfills, and recovery.
About 60 percent hazardous waste is in the form of liquid of sludge.
Ten States generate 65 percent of all hazardous waste: Texas, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee,
West Virginia, California.
How Damage Occurs
Major routes for damage are:
(1) direct contact with toxic wates
(2) fire and explosions
(3) groundwater contamination via leachate
(4) surface water contamination via runoff or overflow
(5) air pollution via open burning, evaporation, sublimation, and
wind erosion
(6) poison via the food chain (bioaccumulation)
EPA has information on over 400 cases of damage to health or the
environment due to improper hazardous waste management.
Technology and Facilities
Environmentally adequate technology options are feasible for treat-
ment and disposal of hazardous wastes; their costs are substantially
in excess of1 inadequate practices (e.g., open dumping). Secure
chemical landfills are significantly less expensive than other
treatment options; however, costs vary according to type and volume
of waste handled.
Secure chemical landfill.... $30-55/Metric Ton
Incineration (land based)... $75-26S/Metric Ton ($110 typical)
Landspreading $2-25/Metric Ton ($6 typical)
Chemical fixation $10-30/Metric Ton
Physical, chemical, \
biological treatment variable
The 17 industries EPA has studied in detail now spend $155 million
annually for hazardous waste management; this will increase to an
estimated $750 million a year under proposed regulations, according
to EPA estimates. Cost of proper hazardous waste management will be
about 0.28 percent of annual value of production (approximately $267
billion) for the 17 industries.
At least 20 industrial waste exchanges, i.e., information clearing-
houses that provide information on specific wastes to companies
interested in using the wastes as raw materials, are now in operation,
2
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Federal Regulations
Seven sets of regulations and guidelines have been proposed and/or
are being developed by EPA under Subtitle C of the Resource Conser-
vation and Recovery Act:
Proposed in
Subtitle Section Title of Regulation Federal Register
3001 Identification and listing of December 18, 1978
Hazardous Waste
3002 Standards-Applicable to December 18, 1978
Generators of Hazardous Waste
3003 Standards Applicable to April 28, 1978
Transporters of Hazardous Waste1
3004 Standards Applicable to Hazar- December 18, 1978
dous Waste Facilities
3005 Permits for Treatment, Storage February 1979
or Disposal of Hazardous Waste2 (tentative)
3006 Guidelines for Development of February 1, 1978
State Hazardous Waste Programs2 (to be reproposed in
February 1979
(tentative))
3010 Notification System July 11, 1978
Cradle-to-grave control via manifests and reporting is the keystone
of the program; only permitted sites may treat, store, or dispose
of hazardous waste.
EPA anticipates an estimated 285,000 notifications from generators,
transporters, and those who treat, store, or dispose of hazardous
waste. An estimated 30,000 permits will be issued by EPA and the
States over the next 5 to 6 years to those who store, treat, or dis-
pose of hazardous waste.
Other EPA Acts related to hazardous waste controls:
Clean Air Act—sets standards for hazardous air pollutants.
Clean Water Act—prohibits discharge of toxic pollutants in toxic
amounts into navigable waters of the United States.
Department of Transportation also proposed regulations pursuant
to the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act pertaining to trans-
portation of hazardous waste, which were published in the Federal
Register, May 25, 1978.
2Sections 3005 and 3006 will be integrated with proposed rules under
the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
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Safe Drinking Water Act—authorizes EPA to set maximum contaminant
levels for public drinking water systems.
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act—authorizes EPA
to regulate registration, treatment, disposal, and storage of all
pesticides, including labeling requirements.
Toxic Substances Control Act—authorizes EPA to obtain data on
health effects of chemical substances and to regulate the manufac-
ture, use, and disposal of a chemical substance or mixture where
warranted.
State Programs
EPA anticipates that 41 States will apply for "interim authorization,"
which allows States to operate the program for a period of 2 years
after promulgation of the Federal regulations while upgrading their
programs.
Within 2 years of promulgation, States must apply for and secure
"full authorization." The three criteria for "full authorization"
are: (1) equivalence to Federal program; (2) consistency with other
State and Federal programs; and (3) adequacy of enforcement.
FY 79 grants specifically for hazardous waste program development
total $15 million. The President's FY 80 budget requests $18.4
million.
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