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Hazardous Waste Permitting Accomplishment Reports
Highlights
Six Line Summary Reports| Detailed Reports | Frequent Questions
Six Line Summary Reports
Shows status of facilities with approved controls in place (meaning it meets the GPRA goal) for the permitting program. The report shows the EPA Region with state breakouts. Process codes and terms
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- Permitting Status Report (PDF) (12 pp, 1794K)
- Renewal Status Report (PDF) (12 pp, 169K)
Detailed Reports
Shows facilities with approved controls in place (meaning it meets the GPRA goal) down to the unit level for both baselines (operating permit and post-closure) in each EPA Region below. Process codes and terms
The
information for each region is sorted by state.
Region 1 (PDF) (40 pp, 106K) || Region 2 (PDF) (56 pp, 139K) || Region 3 (PDF) (75 pp, 183K) || Region 4 (PDF) (188 pp, 433K) || Region 5 (PDF) (138 pp, 352K) || Region 6 (PDF) (178 pp, 381K) || Region 7 (PDF) (60 pp, 138K) || Region 8 (PDF) (38 pp, 85K) || Region 9 (PDF) (83 pp, 195K) || Region 10 (PDF) (34 pp, 78K)
Frequent Questions
How do facilities count as being under control?What facilities are included in this permitting baseline?
What are hazardous wastes?
What is a hazardous waste management facility?
What laws and regulations govern TSDFs?
What is a RCRA permit?
Who needs a RCRA permit?
Who does not need a RCRA permit?
How do facilities count as being under control?
For a facility to count as being under control, it mainly needs to be issued a permit, or to have an enforceable document to address closure of hazardous waste units at the facility. If a facility is tracked as being under control, it may not yet have met all of its regulatory obligations, but it has to have "approved controls in place to prevent dangerous releases to air, soil, and groundwater."
The reports above show the progress towards getting the permitting baseline facilities under control.
If you have noticed an oversight in the data, please contact the state agency. As a secondary measure, you can e-mail the correction to EPA Headquarters at permitting.gpra@epa.gov
More detailed information on how facilities count as being under control.
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What facilities are included in this permitting baseline?
In general, the baseline includes the facilities that had or needed an operating permit or post-closure permit as of 10-1-97. Many facilities were in operation before RCRA permitting requirements were effective, those facilities were allowed to operate under "interim status" standards until they were permitted (or to clean up the facility if they did not wish to continue operating). The baseline consists mainly of these interim status facilities, permitted facilities, and the newer units/facilities that with permit applications pending before 10-1-97.
The baseline was updated in 2005. Facilities were added that started on the permit track since the baseline was set, superfund facilities were removed and other corrections were made.
The baseline was established to show status for the permitting goal under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA).
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What are hazardous wastes?
Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, or sludges. They can be by-products of manufacturing processes or discarded commercial products. If hazardous wastes are not handled properly, they pose a potential hazard to people and the environment. To ensure that companies handle waste safely and responsibly, EPA has written regulations that track hazardous wastes from the moment they are produced until their ultimate disposal. The regulations set standards for the hazardous waste management facilities that treat, store, and dispose of hazardous wastes.
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What is a hazardous waste management facility?
Hazardous waste management facilities receive hazardous wastes for treatment, storage, or disposal. These facilities are often referred to as treatment, storage, and disposal facilities, or TSDFs.
Treatment facilities use various processes (such as incineration or oxidation) to alter the character or composition of hazardous wastes. Some treatment processes enable waste to be recovered and reused in manufacturing settings, while other treatment processes dramatically reduce the amount of hazardous waste.
Storage facilities temporarily hold hazardous wastes until they are treated or disposed of.
Disposal facilities permanently contain hazardous wastes. The most common type of disposal facility is a landfill, where hazardous wastes are disposed of in carefully constructed units designed to protect groundwater and surface-water resources.
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What laws and regulations govern TSDFs?
EPA has written detailed regulations to make sure that TSDFs operate safely and protect people and the environment. EPA wrote these regulations to implement the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984. The U.S. Congress passed these laws to address public concerns about the management of hazardous waste. EPA can authorize states to carry out the RCRA program. To receive authorization, state requirements must be as strict, or stricter, than the federal requirements. Federal or state agencies that implement RCRA are known as "permitting agencies."
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What is a RCRA permit?
A RCRA permit is a legally binding document that establishes the waste management activities that a facility can conduct and the conditions under which it can conduct them. The permit outlines facility design and operation, lays out safety standards, and describes activities that the facility must perform, such as monitoring and reporting. Permits typically require facilities to develop emergency plans, find insurance and financial backing, and train employees to handle hazards. Permits also can include facility-specific requirements such as ground-water monitoring. The permitting agency has the authority to issue or deny permits and is responsible for monitoring the facility to ensure that it is complying with the conditions in the permit. According to RCRA and its regulations, a TSDF cannot operate without a permit, with a few exceptions.
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Who needs a RCRA permit?
All facilities that currently or plan to treat, store, or dispose of hazardous wastes must obtain a RCRA permit.
New TSDFs must receive a permit before they even begin construction. They must prove that they can manage hazardous waste safely and responsibly. The permitting agency reviews the permit application and decides whether the facility is qualified to receive a RCRA permit. Once issued, a permit may last up to 10 years. Operating TSDFs with expiring permits must submit new permit applications six months before their existing permits run out. TSDFs operating under Interim Status must also apply for a permit. Congress granted "interim status" to facilities that already existed when RCRA was enacted. Interim status allows existing facilities to continue operating while their permit applications are being reviewed.
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Who does not need a RCRA permit?
There are certain situations where a company is not required to obtain a RCRA a permit. Businesses that generate hazardous waste and transport it off site without storing it for long periods of time do not need a RCRA permit. Businesses that transport hazardous waste do not need a RCRA permit. Businesses that store hazardous waste for short periods of time without treating it do not need a permit.
