United States Solid Waste and EPA530-F-01-008
Environmental Protection Emergency Response May 2001
Agency (5305W) www.epa.gov/osw
Office of Solid Waste
x°/EPA Environmental
Fact Sheet
LOW-LEVEL MIXED WASTE CONDITIONALLY
EXEMPT FROM HAZARDOUS WASTE
REGULATION
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reducing regulatory burdens by
exempting qualified mixed-waste generators from certain hazardous waste
management requirements.
Background
Mixed waste is hazardous waste containing radioactive material. This waste is
regulated by both the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the
Atomic Energy Act. The Department of Energy or the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRG) regulate the radiological components of the waste.
Summary
EPA is providing increased flexibility to facilities for managing low-level mixed
waste (LLMW) and naturally occurring and/or accelerator-produced radioactive
material (NARM) containing hazardous waste. The Agency is exempting low-level
mixed waste from RCRA storage and treatment requirements as long as the waste
is generated under a single NRG license, meets the conditions specified, and is
stored and treated in a tank or container. In addition, LLMW and NARM, which
meet applicable treatment standards, may be conditionally exempt from RCRA
transportation and disposal requirements. This waste may be disposed of at low-
level radioactive waste disposal facilities which are licensed by NRG. The rule also
provides additional flexibility for manifesting these wastes when they are destined
for disposal at such facilities. Although mixed waste meeting the applicable
conditions is exempt from certain RCRA requirements, it must still be managed as
radioactive waste according to NRG regulations. Note that DOE disposal facilities
are not eligible to accept the exempt waste since they are not subject to NRG
regulation.
For More Information
The Federal Register notice, this fact sheet, and related documents are available
on the Internet at . For additional
information, or to order paper copies of any documents, call the RCRA Call Center.
Callers within the Washington Metropolitan Area please dial 703-412-9810 or TDD
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703-412-3323 (hearing impaired). Long-distance callers please call 1-800-424-9346
or TDD 1-800-553-7672. The RCRA Call Center operates weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. Address written requests to: RCRA-Docket@epa.gov or RCRA Information
Center (5305W), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001.
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