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March 21, 2024
This e-newsletter delivers announcements from EPA's Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery on rulemakings, guidance documents, reports, research, upcoming webinars, and more.
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EPA Proposes Rule to Reduce Open Burning and Open Detonation of Waste Explosives and Welcomes Comment by May 20th
On March 20, 2024, EPA proposed changes that would amend the standards for facilities to use open burning/open detonation to treat waste explosives. Unlike technologies that are designed to capture and treat emissions released during the treatment of hazardous waste, OB/OD occurs in the open, and emissions are released directly into the environment. Reports published in 2019 by EPA and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine show that technology has improved and that several safe alternative technologies are now available to treat many waste explosives.
The proposed rule would improve implementation of requirements for how facilities must evaluate and use alternative technologies determined to be safe and available for treating waste explosives in lieu of OB/OD. EPA is also proposing changes to the OB/OD requirements for waste analysis and characterization, wastes prohibited from OB/OD, minimum technical standards for OB/OD units, potential de minimis exemption to evaluating and implementing alternative treatment technologies, delay of closure applicability to OB/OD units, applicability to emergencies, timelines for implementing alternative treatment technologies, and permitting of mobile treatment units. Read about this proposal.
Comment period: EPA welcomes comment on this proposal through May 20, 2024.
Webinar: During this comment period, EPA will host a webinar about the proposal on April 18, 2024 from 1:00 - 2:00 PM Eastern time. Register now.
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Publishes New Household Medication Disposal Website
On February 26, 2024, EPA launched a new website to provide information to households about proper disposal of leftover medications, including how to use various pharmaceutical take-back programs. This new website helps the public understand why proper disposal of household medication is needed and what households should and should not do with their unwanted medications.
The website also provides collectors of household medications with information about what they should do with the medications they collect. Check out the new website.
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Recommends that Consumers Dispose of E-Cigarettes at Household Hazardous Waste Collection Sites
On February 23, 2024, EPA published a new fact sheet on how individual consumers can dispose of e-cigarettes safely. Individuals should take e-cigarettes to their household hazardous waste collection sites to dispose of them safely. They should not put e-cigarettes in household trash or recycling bins. The lithium batteries inside of e-cigarettes can become damaged and cause fires. And the nicotine inside the devices is toxic and poses a risk to both workers and the environment. Read through the new fact sheet.
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