Transportation of Solid Waste Military Munitions

When solid waste military munitions are transported, special criteria must be considered (refer to 40 CFR 266.203). If the solid waste military munitions exhibit a hazardous waste characteristic, or if they are listed as hazardous waste under 40 CFR 261, the munitions must be identified as hazardous waste. When a military munition is identified as hazardous waste under 40 CFR 261, the military munitions are subject to regulation under 40 CFR parts 260 through 270. The only exceptions to the regulations are when the munitions meet all of the following conditions:

• The waste military munitions are not chemical agents or chemical munitions.
• The waste military munitions are transported in accordance with the Department of Defense shipping controls that apply to the transport of military munitions.
• The waste military munitions are transported from a military owned or operated installation to a military owned or operated treatment, storage, or disposal facility.
• The transporter of the waste provides oral notice to the EPA director within 24 hours from the time the transporter becomes aware of any loss or theft of the waste military munitions. Similarly, the transporter must notify the EPA director of any failures to meet these conditions that endanger human health or the environment.

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