SOLID WASTE POLICY

Raven ElliottSummer 2008

Solid Waste Management Practices

Rama Yadav, Instructor

The purpose of this presentation is to explain through a student’s perspective

key factors of solid waste policies by exploring the federal and state’s role.

The Fundamentals Of the Word

Policy

What is a policy ?

defined as “a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facility, etc. textbook resources “policy statements specify operating procedures that should be generally followed by the agency” policy is synonymous with terms like plan, strategy, system, platform, and procedureMy definition: a policy is existent to give guidance and structure of how an act or situation should be handled in accordance to the policy maker’s vision

Introducing the Policy Makers…

EPA• Environmental

Protection Agency• 1970, the “White

House and Congress worked together to establish the EPA in response to the growing public demand for cleaner water, air and land.

TCEQ• Texas Commission on

Environmental Quality• Formerly the Texas

Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC)

• In 1993, created to be a “comprehensive environmental protection agency” for the state of Texas under the umbrella of the EPA

TCEQ puts programs in place that comply with

the EPA regulations.

What is Solid Waste ?

According to the EPA, a solid waste is defined as “Any garbage, or refuse, sludge from a wastewater treatment plant, water supply treatment plant, or air pollution control facility and other discarded material, including solid, liquid, semi-solid, or contained gaseous material resulting from industrial, commercial, mining, and agricultural operations, and from community activities, but does not include solid or dissolved materials in domestic sewage, or solid or dissolved materials in irrigation return flows or industrial discharges that are point sources subject to permit under 33 U.S.C. 1342, or source, special nuclear, or by-product materials as defined by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 .

Solid Waste

• Industrial solid waste is defined and regulated under a different criteria.

• If the solid waste is “listed” or carries hazardous characteristics then it is deemed hazardous.

Industrial Solid Waste

The EPA and

Solid Waste Policy

• the legislative level functions to establish the policy

• the executive level functions to administer the plans associated with the policy

• the judicial level deals with the enforcement of the policies

Office of Solid Waste

- a division dedicated to solid waste policy

2 Resources Concerning Solid Waste

1. Code of federal regulations (CFR)

2. Resource conservation and recovery act (RCRA)

CFR

• “codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government

• is divided into 50 titles that represent broad areas subject to Federal regulation

• Thus this is a source and a compilation of all the federal policies that are currently in affect.

• 40 CFR is the main regulation that deals with the Environmental Protection .

CFR

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Select and search or browse available CFR Titles or volumes:

RCRA

• first substantial effort by Congress to establish a regulatory structure for the management of solid and hazardous wastes

• Implements the regulations found in 40 CFR

The TCEQ and

Solid Waste Policy

Texas Administrative Codes

Addresses Municipal Solid Waste Rules

Has several factors and applications of the TCEQ policy

concerning solid waste Gives the permits required,

waste collection, operations, and restrictions

All info found in Subchapters A-Y

Title 30 of the TAC Chapter 330

Texas Administrative Codes

Deals with Industrial Solid Waste Rules

Gives the permits, classification, storage, and other aspects of how the policy should

be followed

Title 30 of the TAC Chapter 335

Management of

Solid Waste Policy

Management of Solid WasteFederal

• RCRA subtitles C & D• Subtitle C contains regulations for

management of “hazardous wastes” from the cradle to the grave

• Subtitle D establishes criteria for disposal of solid (mainly nonhazardous) wastes, such as household wastes

• management for the– generators– transporters– Treatment facilities– Storage facilities– disposal facilities from start to

finish Under Subtitle D, the state and

local governments are the primary agencies for

management of non-hazardous solid wastes

State• Texas Solid Waste

Disposal Act • Presently is used as a

method in controlling the management of solid waste

The Technical View

EPA

Solid Waste Disposal Technical Manual

• used to help facilities achieve

compliance EXAMPLE:• technical criterion for how landfills

should be :– Designed– Operate– Implement pollution control

United States Solid Waste and EPA530-

R-93-017Environmental

Protection Emergency Response

November 1993Agency (5305)

www.epa.gov/oswSolid Waste

DisposalFacility Criteria

Technical Manual

EPA

Office of Research And

Development conduct “research that

provides the basis for the formulation of environmental policies and program

The EPA has even created :

TCEQ

Technical guidance documents relating from landfills to Nonhazardous

Industrial Solid Waste Surface Impoundments that

specify methods

In Conclusion:

• We now have a good idea what policy is in relation to solid waste

• It is clear why these steps have been taken to educate, administer programs, and enforce them

• EPA and TCEQ have both labored hard over the years to cover this topic of policy

• They both have put in place arrangements that create, approve, and implement policies

• They have both introduced policies that align with the focus of understanding and managing solid waste

• They have both produced technical guidance documents that channel the reader to the best path of compliance with the solid waste policy

these two entities are working together to

protect our environment

WORKS CITED

www.Dictionary.com June 26th,2008

www.Thesaurus.com June 26th,2008

www.epa.gov June 30, 2008

www.tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us June 30, 2008

www.TCEQ.com June 26, 2008

www.chemalliance.org June 26, 2008

www.gpoaccess.gov June 30, 2008

Pitchel, John, 2005. Waste Management Practices-Municipal,

Hazardous, and Industrial, CRC Press, 2005

O’Leary and Walsh, 1995. Decision Maker’s Guide to Solid Waste

Management. Volume II