The Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule

Recent changes were made to certain provisions of RCRA. The EPA Administrator signed the Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule on October 28, 2016, with an effective date of May 30, 2017. The rule, which introduced more than 60 changes to the Hazardous Waste Generator Program, went into effect in Iowa, Alaska, U.S. territories, and tribal lands on the effective date. Authorized states run RCRA in their state and will go through the state adoption and authorization process for this new RCRA rule. Authorized states must pick up the more stringent provisions either by July 1, 2018, or by July 1, 2019, if changes are needed in their state law. Authorized states may choose to adopt the less stringent provisions and those that are considered equally stringent.

The requirements in the rule that are more stringent include the following:

• Small quantity generator re-notification
• Identification and labeling of hazards of wastes being accumulated
• Notification of facility closure
• Closure as a landfill for large quantity generators that are accumulating hazardous wastes in containers that cannot meet closure performance standards
• Biennial reporting for the whole year, not just for the months the generator was a large quantity generator
• Biennial reporting for recyclers who do not store hazardous wastes prior to recycling them
• Quick reference guide for contingency plans

Less stringent new provisions of the Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule include the following:

• Consolidation of very small quantity generator waste at large quantity generators
• Episodic generation to enable flexibility to address an "episodic" change in generator category
• Waiver from 50-foot requirement for containers holding ignitable or reactive waste

The primary intent of the foregoing provisions is to foster improved compliance by hazardous waste generators and, as a result, improve protection of human health and the environment.

To learn more about RCRA safety standards visit our RCRA Refresher Online Training web page.