Civil Enforcement

The effective implementation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the RCRA Regulations depends on whether or not the people, companies, and other entities (i.e., the regulated community) comply with the various requirements.

EPA's RCRA Enforcment Programs are as follows:

RCRA Subtitle C – Hazardous Waste

The Hazardous Waste Enforcement program has been developed to insure that the regulated community comply with the requirements of Subtitle C of RCRA and the implementing regulations, in essence the "cradle to grave" system for the management and treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. The enforcement program has many components, including planning and setting priorities, targeting, developing and prosecuting administrative and civil judicial cases, program evaluation, and working closely with our Regional and State partners. The enforcement program also works closely with other agency offices on new regulations and on matters of interpretation which affect enforcement actions. In the enforcement program, we seek to use all tools available to gain compliance– from informal actions to administrative orders to civil judicial actions. Moreover we continue to work to better measure and document the environmental results of our efforts. Please see other sections of our web site for discussions of the law and the regulations, our authorities, our enforcement priorities, and environmental results. (Additional Hazardous Waste Enforcement Information) (Hazardous Waste Enforcement Requirements)

Projects:

The Industrial Organic Chemicals Compliance Incentive Program, was developed and carried out as a Compliance Incentive Program under the Audit Policy which encouraged proper reporting and handling of these chemicals by industry.

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RCRA Subtitle I – Underground Storage Tanks

The Underground Storage Tank (UST) enforcement program is designed to ensure that owners/operators of regulated underground storage tanks comply with the requirements of the law and the regulations, particularly the upgrade and leak detection requirements. This program has many components including planning and setting priorities, targeting, developing and prosecuting administrative and judicial cases, program evaluation, and working closely with our Regions and States. This program has a very large universe (approximately 800,000 tanks nationwide) and this represents a challenge to both EPA and the states. As with other programs, we seek to use all tools available to gain compliance and we work to better measure and document the results of our efforts. Please see other sections of our web site for discussions of the law and the regulations, our authorities, our enforcement priorities, and environmental results. (Additional UST Enforcement Information) (UST Enforcement Requirements)

Improper Drumming of Hazardous Wastes		Improper Hazardous Waste Disposal

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