Criminal Provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
General descriptions of the criminal provisions under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act:
Treatment, storage, or disposal without a permit
Treatment, storage, or disposal in violation of a permit
Transportation of Hazardous Waste without a Manifest
Transportation to a Unpermitted Facility
RCRA False Statement
Knowing Alteration, Destruction, or Concealment of Records
Knowing Endangerment
Illegal Export of Hazardous Waste
Treatment, storage, or disposal without a permit
Elements:
- A person
- Knowingly
- Treats, stores, or disposes of a hazardous waste without a permit
- Knowingly
Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A)
Penalty:
- 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
- Penalties double for subsequent violations
Relevant Regulations:40 C.F.R. 260 - 265
Treatment, storage, or disposal in violation of a permit
Elements:
- A Person
- Knowingly
- Treats, stores, or disposes of a hazardous waste in knowing violation of a material permit condition
- Knowingly
Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(B) and (C)
Penalty:
- 2 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
- Penalties double for subsequent violations
Relevant Regulations: 40 C.F.R. 260 - 265
Transportation of Hazardous Waste without a Manifest
Elements:
- A Person
- Knowingly
- Transport or causes to be transported a hazardous waste without a manifest where one is required by the regulations
- Knowingly
Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(5)
Penalty:
- 2 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
- Penalties double for subsequent corrections
Transportation to a Unpermitted Facility
Elements:
- A Person
- Knowingly
- Transports or causes to be transported a hazardous waste to a facility that does not have a permit
- Knowingly
Statute:42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1)
Penalty:
- 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
- Penalties double for subsequent violations
Relevant Regulations:40 C.F.R. 260 - 265
RCRA False Statement
Elements:
- A person owns or operates a source
- Knowingly
- Omits material information or makes any false statement in any document filed or used for purposes of compliance with Subtitle C (RCRA hazardous waste regulations) a document
- The false statement or representation is material
- Knowingly
Statute:42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(3)
Penalty:
- 2 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
- Penalties double for subsequent violations
Knowing Alteration, Destruction, or Concealment of Records
Elements:
- A Person
- Generates, stores, treats, transports, disposes of, exports, or otherwise handles hazardous waste and;
- Knowingly alters, destroys, conceals, or fails to file records required to be maintained or filed pursuant to Subtitle C
Statute:42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(4)
Penalty:
- 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
- Penalties double for subsequent violations.
Relevant Regulations: 40 C.F.R. 260 - 265
Knowing Endangerment
Elements:
- A Person
- Knowingly
- Transports, treats, stores, disposes of, or exports a hazardous waste in violation of 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1) - (7) and;
- Knew that such acts put another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury
- Knowingly
Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(e)
Penalty:
- 15 years and/or up to $250,000 or $1,000,000 if an organization
Relevant Regulations: 40 C.F.R. 260 - 265
Illegal Export of Hazardous Waste
Elements:
- A Person
- Knowingly
- Exports a hazardous waste without consent of the receiving country or in violation of an international agreement between the United States and the receiving country
- Knowingly
Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(6)
Penalty:
- 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
- Penalties double for subsequent violations
Relevant Regulations: 40 C.F.R 260 - 265