RCRA
What does "RCRA" mean in law?
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.), enacted in 1976, governs the management of hazardous and solid waste from generation through disposal, creating what is often called a "cradle-to-grave" regulatory system. RCRA Subtitle C establishes a comprehensive permitting and tracking regime for hazardous waste generators, transporters, and treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs), requiring detailed manifests that follow waste from its point of origin to final disposition. Subtitle D addresses non-hazardous solid waste, primarily regulating municipal landfills, while Subtitle I governs underground storage tanks. Unlike CERCLA, which addresses past contamination at abandoned sites, RCRA is forward-looking and regulates the ongoing handling of waste to prevent future contamination, though Section 7002 allows citizen suits against parties contributing to an imminent and substantial endangerment from solid or hazardous waste.
Definition
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.), enacted in 1976, governs the management of hazardous and solid waste from generation through disposal, creating what is often called a "cradle-to-grave" regulatory system. RCRA Subtitle C establishes a comprehensive permitting and tracking regime for hazardous waste generators, transporters, and treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs), requiring detailed manifests that follow waste from its point of origin to final disposition. Subtitle D addresses non-hazardous solid waste, primarily regulating municipal landfills, while Subtitle I governs underground storage tanks. Unlike CERCLA, which addresses past contamination at abandoned sites, RCRA is forward-looking and regulates the ongoing handling of waste to prevent future contamination, though Section 7002 allows citizen suits against parties contributing to an imminent and substantial endangerment from solid or hazardous waste.
Example
A chemical manufacturer must track each drum of hazardous solvent waste with a RCRA manifest from the moment it leaves the factory floor until it arrives at a licensed treatment facility for incineration.