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Module 1

Module Sections

1. What is a Hazardous Waste?
2. RCRA/HSWA
3. CERCLA/SARA
4. Characterization of Superfund Sites
5. Treatment and Disposal
6. Example for the remediation of a superfund site
7. Review Questions
8. Web Resources

Audio Introduction

What is a Hazardous Waste?

A hazardous waste is part of the group called Solid Wastes. A solid waste stream is legally defined as something that

• comes out of a process
• can be stored
• is to be discarded

For example: the liquid that is used to neutralize the acid off gases in a hazardous waste incinerator, is legally a "Solid Waste".

Please take a moment to look at EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER)

OSWER has many tasks, among them the management of hazardous wastes. Basically there are two types of hazardous wastes:

1. wastes that are presently generated are managed from EPA's Office of Solid and Hazardous Waste. These are the so-called "RCRA wastes", after the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1976). RCRA was amended in 1984, the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA)
2. wastes that have been deposited in the past and are often uncontrolled and/or abandoned. For these wastes the Superfund office is responsible. Superfund wastes are governed through two federal laws: CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, 1980) and SARA (Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, 1986).

Here is a brief overview of the major federal laws.

In addition to these federal laws, there are international laws and numerous state laws and local regulations. Hazardous waste is therefor a very complex legal field.

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Module 1 What is a Hazardous Waste? RCRA/HSWA CERCLA/SARA Characterization of Superfund Sites Treatment and Disposal Example for the remediation of a superfund site Review Questions Web Resources Close Module Help