United States Environmental Protection Agency Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OS-305) EPA/530- F-93-003 June 1993 Office of Solid Waste &EPA Environmental Fact Sheet Background The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) creates a comprehensive program for the safe management of solid waste. Among the elements of this program are criteria for identifying and listing hazardous wastes, along with standards for storing, treating and disposing of those wastes. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) first published the guidance document SW-846, Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods, to support RCRA's associated testing requirements. The document's methods are intended to promote accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and comparability of analyses and test results. Several of the hazardous waste regulations under Subtitle C of RCRA require that specific testing methods described in SW-846 be employed for certain applications. In other situations, this publication functions as a guidance document, setting forth acceptable, although not required, methods for use, as appropriate. EPA continually reviews advances in analytical instrumentation and techniques, periodically incorporating them into SW-846 to support changes in the regulatory program and to improve method performance. Since the document's inception in 1980, EPA has published three Editions of the Test Methods manual. Concurrently with this action, EPA is incorporating the Third Edition of the manual, along with it's first update, into the RCRA regulations. In situations where the regulations require the use of appropriate SW-846 methods, the regulations now specify use of the Third Edition of EPA's SW-846 manual as amended by Update I. Update to Third Edition of RCRA Test Methods Document SW-846 Proposed ------- Action This rule, which is the second update to the Third Edition of SW- 846, proposes revisions to several methods in the Third Edition of the Test Methods manual. In addition, several new methods that allow more flexibility of method selection are added, and methods for additional analytes are provided. The number of wastes and constituents which can be accurately analyzed are increased, providing greater flexibility to the regulated community in its selection of analytical methods. Public Comment EPA is requesting public comment on this proposed rule. Comments will be accepted for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. The public should submit an original and two copies of their comments to the RCRA Docket Clerk at the address below. For More Information For additional information, or to order a copy of the Federal Register notice, please call the RCRA Hotline Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., EST. Please send all written requests to: RCRA Informaton Center (OS-305) US Environmental Protection Agency 401 M Street, SW Washington, D.C. 20460 National Toll-Free: For the Hearing Impaired (TDD): Washington, D.C. Area: TDD: (800) 424-9346 (800) 553-7672 (703) 412-9810 (703) 412-3323 ------- |