ARCHIVED REPORTS_ROY'S AUTO - HISTORICAL

Home Browse Search

There are several listed hazardous wastes from nonspecific sources (40 CFR 261.31), specific sources (40 CFR 261.32), and discarded commercial chemical products, off-specification species, container residues, and spill residues thereof(40 CFR 261.33) that are regulated under RCRA. RCRA waste types and Land Disposal Restrictions (LDRs) required treatment standards are summarized in Appendix E. Wastes contaminated with metals may be determined to be characteristic RCRA wastes as defined in 40 CFR Part 261, Subpart C, If the waste exhibits one of the following characteristics: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. J.4.1 Lend Disposal Restrictions RCRA prohibits land disposal of untreated hazardous wastes. For treated hazardous waste to be disposed on land (e.g., in a landfill or by deep-well injection), Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) required EPA to develop, on a phased schedule, contaminant concentration levels or waste treatment methods that would reduce substantially the toxicity or mobility of hazardous constituents. Alternatively, untreated hazardous waste could be disposed in a unit from which there would be 'no migration.' By May 1990, EPA had developed restrictions and waste treatment standards for all wastes listed or identified as hazardous at the time that HSWA became law in 1984. Requirements to comply with these restrictions and standards were phased in over a period of several years; the last became effective in May 1993. In addition, on August 8, 1992, EPA published a final rule establishing treatment and recycling standards for 20 'newly listed'wastes that were identified or listed after HSWA was signed into law. In addition to normal wastes or contaminated soils and water, debris such as wood, rocks, or manmade materials that has been contaminated may be present at CERCLA sites and pose difficulties for cleanup. Under RCRA, debris contaminated with hazardous wastes is treated as hazardous waste and Is regulated under the land disposal regulations. EPA finalized the treatment standards for debris in 57 FR 37194 (August 18, 1992). Hazardous debris is prohibited from land disposal (40 CFR 268.35) unless it has been treated to the standards specified in 40 CFR 268.45. Under 40 CFR 268.45 hazardous debris must be treated for each 'contaminant subject to treatment' as defined In the regulation using the technology or technologies specified in the regulations (see Table 1 in 40 CFR 268.45). 'Contaminants subject to treatment' include toxicity characteristic debris, debris contaminated with listed waste, and cyanide- specified extraction or destruction technologies and that does not exhibit a characteristic reactive debris. Hazardous debris that has been treated using one of the of hazardous waste after treatment is not a hazardous waste and does not need to be managed in a Subtitle C hazardous waste facility. However, hazardous debris that is treated with an immobilization technology specified in the regulations is considered hazardous waste and must be handled in a permitted facility. Residue from treatment of hazardous debris must be separated from the treated debris using simple physical or mechanical means and generally is subject to the waste-specific treatment standards for the waste contaminating the debris, with a few minor exceptions. The EPA renewed the exemptions of debris contaminated with hazardous wastes from LDRs beyond the May 8, 1993 expiration. The extension was granted due to limited capacity availability. To use the exemption, the generator must show that a genuine effort was made to locate treatment capacity. The estimated volume of hazardous debris generation in 1994 was 1.2 to 1.8 million tons. About 30% of this amount would come from Superfund sites (Superfund Week, 1993). The EPA has proposed alternative treatment standards for soil contaminated with LDR-prohibited hazardous wastes. The proposed standards are intended to encourage consideration of the full range of 9 9 t innovative technologies available to treat contaminated soil. Several approaches are proposed as a basis for review and comment (58 FR 48092, September 14, 1993). J-2