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Environmental Protection
Agency
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and Emergency Response
Washington DC 20460
EPA/530-SW-89-033C
Office of Solid Waste	
EPA Environmental
Fact Sheet
1985 NATIONAL BIENNIAL REPORT OF HAZARDOUS WASTE
GENERATORS AND TREATMENT, STORAGE AND DISPOSAL
FACILITIES
BACKGROUND
Effective management of the nation's hazardous waste^e^fffrelS'tliaf theT
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state environmental offices
have and maintain responsible and accurate information regarding the
generation, handling, storage, and ultimate disposal of those wastes.
The 1985 Biennial Report (two volumes) summarizes nationwide data on
hazardous waste generation and management activities regulated by the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The regulated community
is required to submit this information to the states by Sections 3002 and
3004 of RCRA.
Although EPA started collecting Biennial Report data in 1981, this is the
first time that the Agency has published the information.
ACTION
The 1985 Biennial Report has been published by the EPA in two volumes:
the summary (Volume I) overviews national, regional and limited
state-by-state analyses of the generator and facility data provided by the
states (and territories) in their 1985 "State Biennial Program Reports;"
and the Methodology and Data report (Volume II) provides a more detailed
assessment of the study's survey approach and data, particularly
state-by-state data profiles and relationships among states.
CONCLUSIONS
Historically, it has been difficult to obtain uniform and consistent data
among all the states. The 1985 Biennial Report provides more

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comprehensh/d and improved data over earlier studies. Additional
improvements are being addressed in EPA'S planning efforts for future
reports. Overall, however, the 1985 Biennial Report is regarded by EPA as
a benchmark for future comparative analyses of hazardous waste
generation and management data.
CONTACT
		- ¦
contact the RCRA Hotline Monday through
fen. EST. The national toll-free number is (800)
:	^ 'the number is (202) 382-3000. To order a
copy of the report please write or call the National Technical Information
Service (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161. The
NTIS telephone number is (703) 487-4650.

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