Waste Management Research: Projects
Development of Air Emission Standards for Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities
Client/Agency
US EPA Office of Solid Waste
Description
In support of this project, we developed background information and assisted EPA in preparing the proposal and promulgation materials for regulations applicable to owners and operators of facilities for the treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste. Regulations for air emissions were developed pursuant to RCRA, with supplemental authority under the CAA. Pollutants included volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, and specific toxics (organics and metals) listed under RCRA Subtitle C. The objectives of this project were to
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Develop the technical data and perform technical analyses needed to provide a basis for EPA to regulate air-polluting emissions from hazardous waste facilities
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Help EPA prepare regulatory documents, including the rationale for decisions, responses to comments by the public, and actual regulations published in the Federal Register.
We visited hazardous waste management facilities, extracted data from surveys of such facilities, developed emission models to project organic air emissions from waste management units, developed process simulations of devices for recovering organics from waste, conducted special studies of control techniques applicable to waste management operations, generated estimates of capital and operating costs for air pollution controls, constructed a national impacts computer model, and estimated the impacts of numerous potential control strategies for EPA decision makers.
In this high-visibility rulemaking activity, we assisted EPA by preparing briefing packages, including presentation-style graphics and text slides, for internal decision makers at all levels. Under the guidance of EPA staff, we prepared drafts of regulations and the rationale for EPA decisions for review by EPA work groups. Our staff reviewed and summarized public comments received by EPA on the proposed rules and made recommendations on technical issues to EPA. RTI also provided technical and informational support to EPA in response to litigation brought against EPA following the promulgation of rules.
With our assistance under this contract, EPA proposed and promulgated rules under RCRA authority to reduce organic air emissions from hazardous waste management facilities (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 264 and 265, Subparts AA, BB, and CC). Using many of the above-described RTI activities, EPA also proposed and promulgated rules limiting emissions of benzene from benzene waste operations under the CAA authority (40 CFR Part 61, Subpart FF). The promulgated rules establish a mechanism to achieve substantial reduction of air pollution from hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. Emissions of organic compounds with significant carcinogenic and toxic potential were reduced by this action, thus providing health benefits to the general public.
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