Waste Regulations & Requirements

Overview

Laboratory operations must comply with state and federal laws protecting the environment. The specific requirements of these laws are published in the Code of Federal Regulations and the New Mexico Administrative Code.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces the federal regulations, and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) enforces the state requirements.

For most of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the Resoure Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, the state of New Mexico has adopted the federal regulations into the state Administrative Code and been delegated authority for enforcing the rules at the state level.

• Emergency Planning & Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
• Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA)
• Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA)

Federal

Federal Requirements

• Federal Requirements
  The EPA has retained authority for the Toxic Substances Control Act. Additionally, while autority for solid and hazardous waste has been delegated to NMED, EPA continues to participate in monitoring and enforcement.
• CERCLA
• Nuclear Facility NQA-1 Standards
• RCRA
• TSCA
• Code of Federal Regulations
• Search Tool
• Federal Register
• Executive Orders
• EO 13148 - Greening the Government Through Leadership in Environmental Management
• DOE Directives
  The Department of Energy (DOE) Directives are official communications of policies, requirements and procedures, and include written policies, orders, notices, manuals, and guides. The following DOE directives are applicable to waste programs.
• DOE Order 435.1 - "Radioactive Waste Management"
• DOE Order 450.1 - "Environmental Protection Program"
• DOE Order 5400.5 - "Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment"
• DOE/EH-0173T - "Environmental Regulatory Guide for Radiological Effluent Monitoring and Environmental Surveillance"
• DOE Order 151.1B - "Comprehensive Emergency Management System"

State

New Mexico Requirements

NMED regulations apply to most generation, accumulation, storage, treatment, and disposal of solid, hazardous, and mixed wastes.

• NMED Regulations
• 20.4.1 NMAC
• 20.4.2 NMAC
• 20.4.3 NMAC
• 20.4.5 NMAC
• 20.9.1 NMAC

Oversight

LANL Waste Regulatory Oversight

Below are links to the agencies having oversight and/or regulatory authority for LANL waste programs.

• Environmental Protection Agency
• EPA Homepage
• EPA - Office of Solid Waste
• EPA Region VI
• RCRA Online Document Search Tool
• New Mexico Environment Department
• NMED Homepage
• NMED Hazardous Waste Bureau
• NMED Solid Waste Bureau
• NMED DOE Oversight Office
• U.S. Department of Energy
• DOE Homepage
• DOE Environmental Policy
• DOE Citizen's Advisory Board

LANL

LANL Requirements