An overview of regulatory issues that affect the development of new waste treatment technologies Page: 27 of 64
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2.0 RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT
Federal regulation of solid and hazardous waste, which previously had
been viewed as an entirely state and local issue, had its beginnings with the
passage of the original Solid Waste Disposal Act, which Congress enacted as a
stand-alone Title II attached to the Clean Air Act of 1965. This initial
effort at federal leadership in solid waste issues dealt primarily with pro-
viding minimum federal criteria for municipal solid waste management.
The first major amendments to the Solid Waste Disposal Act were passed as
RCRA. RCRA created statutory definitions of solid waste and hazardous waste
and established a "cradle-to-grave" system to control the treatment, storage,
and disposal (TSD) of hazardous waste. Control of nonhazardous solid waste
remained primarily the states' purview. In the case of hazardous waste over-
sight, however, RCRA authorizes the lead role only to states that demonstrate
that their regulatory structure is at least as stringent as the federal pro-
gram and then only under the supervision of EPA. Over 40 states currently
have been delegated RCRA hazardous waste authority. The federal government is
generally subject to RCRA requirements, whether administered by EPA or the
states.
Because it established the first substantial federal solid waste regula-
tory authorities, RCRA now is commonly used as an acronym for the body of law
technically known as the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended. Major revi-
sions to RCRA were enacted as the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984
(HSWA), and additional RCRA amendments are likely to pass Congress in the
1991-1992 session. The distinctions between solid waste, hazardous waste, and
non-waste material are extremely important in determining the cost-
effectiveness of specific RDDT&E technology proposals.
(a) For example, assume Technology "A" is capable of treating 100 barrels of
regulated hazardous waste and converting 90 barrels of the original waste
into commercially sellable product, while leaving 10 barrels of residual
waste to be further treated and landfilled. Not including operating
costs, use of Technology "A" could reduce remaining waste management
costs by 90% and provide revenue from a product sold (assuming the new
residual waste is not more expensive to manage than the original waste).
2.1
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Kuusinen, T L; Siegel, M R; Williams, T A & Powell, J A. An overview of regulatory issues that affect the development of new waste treatment technologies, report, July 1, 1991; Richland, Washington. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1093979/m1/27/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.