Tribal Waste Management Program
On this page:
- Background about the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
- Technical Assistance, Trainings and Tools
- Partnerships
- Data and Resources
RCRA Background
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act addresses nonhazardous (Subtitle D) and hazardous (Subtitle C) waste management activities. Under the authority of the RCRA, the EPA’s Tribal Waste Management Program encourages environmentally sound waste management practices that promote resource conservation through recycling, recovery, reduction, clean up, and elimination of waste. The Tribal Waste Management Program provides national policy direction, and partners with the EPA Regions and other federal agencies to assist tribes with the management of their waste. The Tribal Waste Management Program also provides technical assistance, training and funding, facilitates waste program peer matches among tribes, education, and outreach to tribes. For more information on the RCRA program and tribes, see the RCRA Information for Tribes fact sheet.
The EPA’s main tribal solid waste priority, intended to address the most pressing waste-related environmental issues on tribal lands, is the promotion of sustainable tribal waste management programs through the development and implementation of Integrated Waste Management Plans (IWMPs). Tribes are encouraged to develop and implement sustainable waste management programs in Indian country that are protective of human health and the environment.
Technical Assistance, Trainings and Tools
- National Tribal Waste Management Peer Matching Program
- Developing Tribal Integrated Waste Management Plans
- Tribal Waste Management Codes and Ordinances
- Tribal Community-Based Social Marketing Training Guide and Recycling Toolkit
- Tribal Green Casinos
- Green Building Tools for Tribes
- Tribal Waste Management Sustainability Evaluation Tool
- Abandoned Mobile Home Toolkit
- Roadmap for Funding Sustainable Solid Waste Programs in Rural Alaska
- Tribal Waste Journal
- Tribal Waste Management Contacts
- Fact Sheet: Sustainable Materials Management on Tribal Lands - A Life-Cycle Approach to Managing Materials
Partnerships
Federal Infrastructure Task Force
In 2007, a multi-agency tribal Infrastructure Task Force was created to develop and coordinate federal activities in delivering water infrastructure, wastewater infrastructure and solid waste management services to tribal communities. EPA and the Indian Health Service have a memorandum of understanding to improve open dump data, solid waste projects and programs in Indian country.