xvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
November 2008
EPA530-F-08-027
www.epa.gov/wastes
EPA Finalizes Rule to  Help
Academic Laboratories Safely
Manage Their Hazardous Waste
                EPA is finalizing the Academic Laboratory Rule to help improve the environmental
             performance of teaching and research laboratories at eligible academic entities. This
             rule provides these laboratories with increased regulatory flexibility, while helping them
             safely manage their hazardous waste.

         Action
                EPA is adding a new subpart — Subpart K — to the Resource Conservation
         and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste generator regulatory requirements.
         This alternative set of regulations allows eligible academic entities the flexibility
         to make hazardous waste determinations in the laboratory; at an on-site central
         accumulation area;  or at an on-site treatment, storage, or disposal facility (TSDF).
         Also, this rule provides incentives for eligible academic entities to clean-out old and
         expired chemicals that may pose unnecessary risk.  Further, this rule requires the
         development of a Laboratory Management Plan (LMP) which is expected to result in
         safer laboratory practices and increased awareness  of hazardous waste management.
         Eligible academic entities may also choose to remain subject to the pre-existing
         hazardous waste generator requirements.  Eligible academic entities are colleges and
         universities, and teaching hospitals and nonprofit research institutes that are either
         owned by or formally affiliated with a college or university.

                EPA is finalizing this alternative because the Agency believes laboratories at
         eligible academic entities have different hazardous waste generation patterns than
         typical industries. Industrial waste generators typically produce large volumes of
         a few waste streams. Eligible academic entities' laboratories, on the other hand,
         produce a relatively small volume of many different types of waste.  As such,
         academic laboratories find it challenging to manage these wastes under the  existing
         regulations. The Academic Laboratory Rule gives  eligible academic entities more
         flexibility, while helping them safely manage their  hazardous waste.
          For More Information
             More information is available about the Standards Applicable to Generators of
          Hazardous Waste; Subpart K;  Standards Applicable to Academic Laboratories Final
          Rule at: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/generation/labwaste/index.htm. To find
          more detailed information or to ask a question, please go to www.epa.gov/wastes, and
          click on Find an Answer or Ask a Question.

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