Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Recap: Under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) rules, and most state variations of the RCRA rules, there are three classes of generators: large quantity generators (LQGs), small quantity generators (SQGs), and conditionally exempt small quantity generators (CESQGs). The classes are defined by the amount of hazardous waste generated each month. If you […]
Along the way, you can take a look at some fun facts and trivia about bees, provided by Pennsylvania Apiculture Inc., the nonprofit that runs National Honey Bee Day. Label Requirements Registrants of certain pesticides that have been deemed harmful to bees are required to include instructions on the labels to applicators on minimizing exposure […]
It’s hard to swallow a huge fine for what might have happened. But, as part of its efforts to comply with the president’s EO to improve safety and security at chemical facilities, the EPA is hunting down companies that are required to develop RMPs but have not even though there has not been a release […]
Although it might seem obvious what renewable energy is, there is some debate about how renewable energy is defined, which has a definite effect on policy and regulation. What seems clear from various readings is that renewable energy does not include resources from fossil fuels or waste products from fossil fuel sources. According to the […]
Note: Industrial facilities that want coverage under the 2015 MSGP must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) by September 2 to be covered by the new permit. No NEPA Review for New Sources The EPA prepared an environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to determine the potential environmental impact of the […]
Who Gets WOTUSed? Do the waterbodies near where you want to either develop or expand meet the new definition of waters of the United States (WOTUS), requiring you to get a permit? Here are some things to consider. You Need to Get a Permit if the Water … Is currently in use, was used at […]
What WOTUS Does Briefly, WOTUS redefines which waters are waters of the United States and, by doing so, decides whether your project will need a permit. According to the EPA, the rule does not alter existing exemptions from Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction, including exemptions for normal farming, ranching, and silviculture activities. The major and most […]
In 1989, the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Program recommended observing July 11 as World Population Day. The reason given was to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues in the context of overall development plans and programs and the need to find solutions for these issues. The world population […]
A refrigerant formulator was recently fined $300,000 by the EPA and the Department of Justice for violations of SNAP regulations. First, let’s look at what the pertinent regulations say, then at what the company allegedly did, and finally what the fix will be. Note: Under SNAP, a “producer” is any person who manufactures, formulates, or […]
Many refrigerants have been determined to be ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and have been targeted for phaseout under the Montreal Protocol. Chemicals used in the Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning industrial sector is one group for which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reviewed and identified substitutes under the Clean Air Act’s (CAA) Significant New Alternatives Policy […]