Response Action Plan

Before receiving any waste that will be held in a surface impoundment unit, the owner or operator of the hazardous waste facility must have a response action plan in place. The need for a response is determined by the "action leakage rate." This value designates unacceptable rates of leaking based on how efficiently a leak detection system sump can remove any leaking material. The objective is to avoid the overflow and backup of hazardous materials into the surrounding area due to overwhelmed sump systems. At least once a week, the facility must record the amount of liquids removed by each leak detection system sump. When the action leakage rate is exceeded for any sump system, the owner or operator must immediately assess the situation and first notify the EPA regional administrator; then determine the location, size, and cause of any leak; and decide whether new wastes should be slowed or stopped.

To learn more about RCRA visit our RCRA Hazardous Waste Safety Online Training web page.