Hazardous Waste Management System; Carbamate Production Identification and Listing of Hazardous Waste; and CERCLA Hazardous Substance Designation and Reportable Quantities

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is amending the regulations for hazardous waste management under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to reduce hazards to human health and the environment from the ongoing manufacture of carbamate chemicals, which are formulated for use as pesticides and in the production of synthetic rubber. EPA is listing as hazardous six wastes generated during the production of carbamate chemicals. EPA is providing an exemption from the definition of hazardous waste for certain wastes, if the generator demonstrates that hazardous air pollutants are not being discharged or volatilized during waste treatment. EPA is also exempting from the definition of hazardous wastes biological treatment sludges generated from the treatment of certain wastes provided the sludges do not display any of the characteristics of a hazardous waste (i.e., ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity). The Agency is also adding 58 specific chemicals to the list of commercial chemical products that are hazardous wastes when discarded and to the list of hazardous constituents upon which listing determinations are based. EPA is deferring action on 12 specific chemicals and 4 generic categories. This action is taken under the authority of sections 3001(e)(2) and 3001(b)(1) of the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 (HSWA), which direct EPA to make a hazardous waste listing determination for carbamate wastes. The effect of listing these wastes will be to subject them to regulation as hazardous wastes under subtitle C of RCRA; and the notification requirements of section 103 under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). EPA is not taking action at this time to adjust the one-pound statutory reportable quantities (RQs) for these substances.