Closed Waste Units Inconsistently Monitored by EPA, OIG Reports
On March 29, 2021, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report on its findings of an audit of the EPA’s oversight of hazardous waste units closed with waste in place.
Category: Hazardous and Solid Waste
Tire Recycling and the Environment: Benefits and Challenges
The scrap tire industry has come a long way from nothing. Just 30 years ago, there were mountains of used tires littering communities throughout the United States. With the average tire weighing 20 pounds and an estimated 1 billion stockpiled tires in the United States, it was a heavy and growing problem.
A Look at EPA’s 10-Year Goals for RCRA Cleanups
Peter Wright, assistant administrator of the EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), announced the 2030 Vision and Goals for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action hazardous waste facility cleanup program at the Association of State And Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials 2020 RCRA Corrective Action Virtual Conference on September 1, […]
Smart Waste Management: A Q&A with Contelligent’s Keith Woodward
Smart technology has been making impacts on business worldwide, and its use in streamlining efficiencies in hazardous and solid waste management should be of great interest to environment, health, and safety (EHS) and facilities management (FM) professionals.
Avoid Common (and Costly) Hazardous Waste Violations
The EPA has assessed approximately $84 million in hazardous waste material violations in the last 5 years, according to the Agency’s ECHO database. Risk managers are tasked with understanding and ensuring compliance with numerous EPA regulations. Failure to adhere to these regulations can result in expensive penalties and, in some cases, prison time.
EPA Plans to Study Incineration of PFAS Waste
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are also known as forever chemicals due to their near-indestructible nature. They were used in everything from firefighting foam to nonstick cookware and food packaging to furniture.
A Look at Title V Permits for MSW Landfills Under the Clean Air Act
The EPA must improve oversight of how states implement air emissions regulations for municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills, according to a report published by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) on July 30, 2020. The OIG serves as the EPA’s watchdog.
Hazardous Waste: Final Rule from EPA Modernizes Ignitable Liquids Determinations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule on June 8, 2020, that revises the hazardous waste regulation at 40 CFR 261.21, which addresses how the characteristic of “ignitability” is identified as a hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
Explaining the Episodic Event Option for Hazwaste Generators
Regulations the EPA has issued under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) make important distinctions between the compliance obligations of large quantity generators (LQGs) and small quantity generators (SQGs) of hazardous waste.
U.S. Faces Uphill Battle Against Plastic Waste
More than 2 years after China instituted its National Sword policy, which banned the import of most forms of plastic waste for recycling, the United States has yet to implement environmentally friendly approaches to managing these materials.