Resource Conservation and Recovery Act – RCRA

In 1992, DTSC received authorization from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to implement the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Subtitle C requirements and the associated regulations. Receiving authorization from the U.S. EPA means that DTSC is the primary authority enforcing the RCRA hazardous waste requirements in California. RCRA Subtitle C establishes standards for the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste in the United States. Since receiving its base authorization, DTSC has requested and received authorization to implement additional parts of the federal program.

In determining if delegation should be made to California, U.S. EPA solicits public comment on the request through notices in the Federal Register.

Public Comment Notice

March 5, 2021 opens a 30-day public comment period for a correction that U.S. EPA is making to California’s Authorization of the Universal Waste Program. All comments must be submitted to U.S.EPA directly. The California Proposed Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions Correction can be found in the Federal Register (Federal Register Number 2021-04586) Docket ID: EPA-R09-RCRA-2019-0491-0012. The comment period will end on April 5, 2021.

SUMMARY: The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) approved revisions to California’s federally authorized hazardous waste program by publishing proposed and final rules in the Federal Register on October 18, 2019 and January 14, 2020, respectively. The notice for the proposed rule inadvertently and unintentionally left out citations for approving the State’s authority to adopt additional waste streams as universal wastes in the State Analogues to the Federal Program table. In addition, the scope of the State program that is considered “broader in scope” than the federal program was mis-designated. U.S. EPA is proposing to correct these and related errors. U.S. EPA seeks public comment prior to taking final action.

Since 1992, DTSC has requested and received authorization to implement additional parts of the federal program. To find the status regarding past California’s authorization requests, go U.S. EPA’s Federal Register Notices and State Authorization Tracking System (StATS) Reports for State Authorization under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act page (opens new window).

Authorization Application Update:

On January 14, 2020, U.S. EPA granted California final authorization for its Universal Waste Program. A copy of the final approval can be found on www.regulations.gov, Federal Register Number 2020-00180.

The authorization application submitted by DTSC, the California: Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions, can be found on www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA-R09-RCRA-2019-0491.

To learn more about RCRA or to get more information about California’s authorization status including past authorization requests, go to U.S. EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act page.