Solid Waste Management GoalsLaws, Regulations, and Policies
EO 13514 Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance expands on the energy reduction and environmental performance requirements for Federal agencies identified in EO 13423. The goal of EO 13514 is "to establish an integrated strategy towards sustainability in the Federal Government and to make reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) a priority for Federal agencies." In addition to guidance, recommendations, and plans which are due by specific dates, EO 13514 lays out a number of numerical targets for agencies that the Department addresses in its Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan. For more information on EO 13514. Reference: FedCenter
According to EO 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management, pollution prevention primarily consists of:
EO 13423, Section 3(a) further stipulates that pollution prevention is done by implementing sustainable practices for pollution waste prevention and recycling, as well as the reduction or elimination of acquisition and use of toxic or hazardous chemicals. Reference: FedCenter
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) gives EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from the "cradle-to-grave." This includes the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. RCRA also set forth a framework for the management of non-hazardous solid wastes. The 1986 amendments to RCRA enabled EPA to address environmental problems that could result from underground tanks storing petroleum and other hazardous substances. HSWA - the Federal Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments - are the 1984 amendments to RCRA that focused on waste minimization and phasing out land disposal of hazardous waste as well as corrective action for releases. Some of the other mandates of this law include increased enforcement authority for EPA, more stringent hazardous waste management standards, and a comprehensive underground storage tank program. For Access to the RCRA Online database. “The RCRA Online database is designed to enable users to locate documents, including publications and other outreach materials, that cover a wide range of RCRA issues and topics.” Reference: EPA Departmental Goals – Strategic Sustainability
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