Category: Hazardous and Solid Waste

Moving Forward with Reverse Distribution—Retail Hazardous Waste

Are reverse distribution operations moving forward for retailers? If you manage a retail operation, you are confronted with waste and hazardous materials problems that can be confusing for even the most seasoned manager. Today we will look at reverse distribution and how even one of the largest retailers with legal and environmental health and safety […]

What They’re Saying About the Pesticide Worker Protection Standard

At this writing, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is close to issuing a final rule amending the Worker Protection Standard (WPS). Yesterday we recapped some of the changes the EPA has proposed to update this standard, which is meant to protect farm workers and their families from exposure to pesticides. Today we will review […]

What to Expect with the Pesticide Worker Protection Standard

At this writing, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is close to issuing a final rule amending the Worker Protection Standard (WPS). Today we will recap some of the changes the EPA has proposed to update this standard, which is meant to protect farm workers and their families from exposure to pesticides. Tomorrow we will […]

Is Bio-oil Mixed with Motor Oil Used Oil?

Changing environmental situations often requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revisit policies and interpretations of regulations even if the rules themselves are not amended. A case in point is a 1997 EPA policy that precluded the regulation of bio-oils (e.g., vegetable and animal oils) that have been used as lubricants, or for other […]

Used Oil FAQs

The RCRA used oil management standards can serve as a road map to guide used oil handlers (generators, transporters, burners, marketers, processors, and re-refiners) through the various storage, recordkeeping, and cleanup procedures to ensure used oil is handled safely. The used oil regulations are based on the presumption that used oil (i.e., oil contaminated by […]

The Inside Scoop on Vapor Intrusion

The EPA suggests that the guides be used to help identify and consider key factors related to VI assessments, risk management decisions, and mitigation. Vapor intrusion is also of particular concern to property owners, municipalities, and real estate developers, especially those involved in revitalization of a perceived brownfield. Note. While the recommendations in these guides […]

Why and How to Get in on Your Community’s Brownfield Action

Note: This article is directed toward businesses looking to build or expand possibly on remediated brownfields, not those that are interested in purchasing a site and cleaning it up themselves. EPA Grants The EPA recently announced its latest round of brownfields grants. Grants investments totaling $54.3 million went to 243 projects in 147 communities nationwide. […]

Understanding Coal Ash and the New Final Rule—Part 2

Understanding Coal Ash and the New Final Rule—Part 2 Coal ash will not be considered a hazardous waste. The final requirements for coal ash disposal were established for nonhazardous waste under Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), rather than under Subtitle C that covers hazardous waste. As one result, under RCRA, […]

Understanding Coal Ash and the New Final Rule—Part 1

Understanding Coal Ash and the New Final Rule—Part 1   The makeup of coal ash:  Coal ash is essentially the byproduct of the combustion of coal at power plants that contains contaminants like mercury, cadmium, and arsenic associated with cancer and various other serious human health effects. Coal ash is disposed of in wet form […]