RCRA DOT Flash Cards
Acutely Hazardous Waste
Any hazardous waste which is listed in the P-List (40 CFR Part 261.33) or meets definition in 40 CFR Part 261.11(1)(2).
Administrative Order
An order issued by the Administrator (or his designee) to a violator of RCRA provisions that imposes enforceable legal duties; e.g., forcing a facility to comply with specific regulations.
Air Quality Standard
The level of selected pollutants set by law that may not be exceeded in outside air. Used to determine the amount of pollutants that may be emitted by industry.
BACT
Best available Control Technology, the application of the most advanced methods, systems, and techniques for eliminating or minimizing discharges and emissions on a case by case basis as determined by EPA.
Biennial Report
A report (Form 8700-13A) submitted by generators of hazardous waste, which is due March 1 of even numbered years. The report includes information on the generators activities during the previous calendar year.
CAA
The Clean Air Act is the comprehensive federal law which regulates air emissions from area, stationary and mobile sources. It was originally passed in 1970 and there have been several amendments since 1970, the most prominent being in 1990.
CAAA
The Clean Air Act Amendments were passed in 1990. These amendments added the control of 189 hazardous air pollutants, and caused EPA to publish a list of source categories for which Maximum Achievable Control Technology must be met. The CAAA also address acid rain and stratospheric ozone depletion.
CERCLA
The Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, sometimes referred to as Superfund provides federal funds to clean-up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites as well as accidents, spills and other emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants.
CESQGs
Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators are facilities that generate less than 100kg (220 pounds) of hazardous waste and less than 1kg of acutely hazardous waste in a calendar month. These facilities are exempt from most RCRA regulations.
CFR
Acronym for the Code of Federal Regulations, a document containing all finalized regulations.
Characteristic Hazardous Waste
Wastes characterized in any one of the four categories used in defining hazardous waste: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and toxicity.
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
A periodic publication of the regulations established by US law.
Container
Any portable device in which material is stored, transported, treated, disposed of, or otherwise handled.
Contingency Plan
A document setting out an organized, planned, and coordinated course of action to be followed in case of a fire, explosion, or release of hazardous waste from a facility that could threaten human health or the environment.
Corrosive
A chemical agent that reacts with the surface of a material causing it to deteriorate or wear away.
CWA
The Clean Water Act is the 1977 Amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, and regulates discharges of pollution to navigable waters of the US. The CWA established the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements, and set water quality standards for contaminants in surface waters.
Disposal Facility
A facility at which hazardous waste is intentionally placed into or on any land or water and at which waste will remain after closure.
DOT
Department of Transportation–DOT shares authority with EPA concerning the transportation of hazardous materials, including labeling, marking, and packaging.
EHS
Extremely Hazardous Substance is any of the approximately 366 chemicals or hazardous substances identified by EPA on the basis of hazard or toxicity and listed under EPCRA.
EPA ID Number
EPA Identification Number is a unique code assigned to each generator, transporter, and treatment, storage or disposal facility by EPA to facilitate tracking of hazardous wastes.
EPCRA
The Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act requires States to establish emergency planning committees, and requires facilities with hazardous substances to notify local officials of the quantity and location of the chemicals for emergency planning purposes.
Exception Report
A report that must be submitted to EPA by generators who send their waste off-site, if they fail to receive a copy of the manifest, signed and dated by the TSD facility within 45 days of the date the initial transported accepted the waste.
Flammable
Describes any material that can be ignited easily and that will burn rapidly.
Flash point
The lowest temperature at which evaporation of a substance produces enough vapor to form an ignitable mixture with air.
Hazardous Waste
Any solid waste material which meets the definition found in 40 CFR Part 261. A substance can be hazardous due to toxicity, reactivity, ignitability, corrosivity, or if it is “listed” by EPA or the state as hazardous.
Hazardous Waste Manifest
The shipping paper that must accompany all off-site shipments of hazardous waste from a generator to the transporter and eventually to the final TSD facility.
Hazardous Waste Determination
Method generators must undertake to determine if their solid waste is hazardous waste. Determine if a waste is excluded under 40 CFR 261.4, listed as a hazardous waste in Subpart D of 40 CFR Part 261, or exhibits a characteristic as found in Subpart C of 40 CFR Part 261.
HSWA
Acronym for the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984, which significantly expanded both the scope and coverage of RCRA
Incineration
The destruction of solid, liquid or gaseous wastes by controlled burning at high temperatures. Hazardous organic compounds are converted to ash, carbon dioxide and water.
Ignitable
Capable of burning or causing a fire.
LDR
Land Disposal Restrictions is mandated by the 1984 amendments to RCRA; prohibits the disposal of hazardous wastes into or on the land.
Listed Hazardous Waste
Wastes listed as hazardous under RCRA but which have not been subjected to the Toxic Characteristics Listings Process because the dangers they present are considered self-evident.
LQG
A Large Quantity Generator is a person or facility that generates more than 1,000 kg (2,200 pounds) of hazardous waste in a calendar one month.
MACT
Maximum Achievable Control Technology is generally the best available control technology taking into consideration cost and technical feasibility.
Manifest
The shipping document, Form 8700-22, used to identify the quantity, composition, origin, routing, and destination of hazardous waste during its transportation from the point of generation to the point of treatment, storage or disposal.
MSDS
Material Safety Data Sheet. Standard information required by OSHA to be prepared by manufacturers of chemicals and chemical products, identifying any hazards associated with the product.
National Response Center
the primary communications center operated by the US Coast Guard to receive reports of major chemical and oil spills and other hazardous substances into the environment
PPA
The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990
RCRA
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act was passed in 1976 and is one of the federal laws controlling hazardous wastes. RCRA established a cradle to grave management system for controlling hazardous wastes.
RQ
Reportable Quantity Amount of a hazardous or extremely hazardous substance that if released into the environment, must be reported to the National Response Center.
SARA
The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act amended CERCLA. SARA provided additional funds for clean-up actions. SARA also contained additional provisions aimed at providing communities with information about hazardous chemicals used by facilities in their area. This provision is often called EPCRA.
SWDA
The Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965
Solid Waste
Any discarded material that is abandoned by being disposed of, burned or incinerated, recycled, or considered “inherently waste-like.” A solid waste can be in a solid, liquid, or gaseous state.
SQG
A Small Quantity Generator is a person or facility that generates 100 kg (220 pounds) to 1,000 kg (2,200 pounds) of hazardous waste and less than 1 kg of acutely hazardous waste in a calendar month.
Storage
The holding of hazardous waste for a temporary period of time, after which wastes are treated or disposed of. Storage requires a permit
Tank
A stationary device designed to contain hazardous wastes (different from a container)
TCLP
Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure designed to identify wastes likely to leach hazardous waste or constituents into groundwater as a result to improper management.
TSCA
The Toxic Substances Control Act was passed in 1976 to test, regulate and screen all chemicals produced or imported into the US. PCBs are also regulated by TSCA.
TSD
Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities are those treating, storing and disposing of hazardous wastes. TSD Facilities must be permitted under the RCRA system.
Waste Minimization
Reduction in the volume or quantity of hazardous waste by the generator to the extent economically practicable.?
