Special Forms of Permits

If a facility does not meet the criteria for a standard operating permit, then the situation is likely to require the use of a special type of permit. In some cases, facilities must obtain an operating permit in addition to a special form of permit. Some examples of special forms of permits are as follows:

Combustion permits - A combustion permit specifies the operating conditions at a facility where waste is burned.

Emergency permit - The EPA may issue a limited-time emergency permit to a non-permitted TSDF in the event of an imminent and substantial endangerment to human health and the environment.

Land treatment demonstration permits - A land treatment demonstration permit is available to owners and operators of a proposed land treatment facility.

Permits-by-rule - Some facilities are subject to other federal regulations, such as the Clean Water Act. To avoid duplicate regulation, a non-RCRA permit may take the place of a RCRA permit, if the facility complies with that permit and with basic RCRA administrative requirements.

Post-closure permit - A post-closure permit is required for facilities that close their operations while still holding an interim permit. Interim facilities do not yet have the operating permit, which contains the regulatory guidelines for post-closure care. The post-closure permit fills this gap and ensures that an interim status facility will meet the same standards for closure that a permitted facility must meet.

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