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August 22, 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 Publishes New Guidance on “Creating Disaster-Resilient Buildings to Minimize Disaster Debris”
In July, EPA finalized new guidance: “Creating Disaster-Resilient Buildings to Minimize Disaster Debris.” This document provides actions for communities on planning, designing, improving, and adapting new and existing buildings to withstand natural disasters today and in a changing climate. Community leaders and members, planners, designers, builders, and disaster response experts can use this information to increase the resiliency of homes, businesses, and other buildings to the impacts of natural disaster hazards, including flooding, fire, and high winds.
Creating disaster-resilient buildings presents an opportunity to minimize disaster debris while advancing a circular economy, conserving resources, decreasing waste, and reducing health, social, environmental, and economic impacts.
Access this new document on our website (pdf).
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EPA Announces Next Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Advisory Board Meeting
EPA will convene the Hazardous Waste e-Manifest System Advisory Board for a three-day virtual public meeting from September 17 to 19, 2024. The purpose of the meeting is for EPA to seek the Board’s consultation and recommendations about the e-Manifest system. The meeting theme is “Meeting the Needs of the User Community: e-Manifest Program Priorities and User Fees for FY 2026 and 2027.” All e-Manifest Advisory Board meetings are open to the public.
The meeting will be held virtually from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Time each day. EPA will post the meeting agenda and other background materials in the public docket under docket number EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0307 soon. EPA will also open registration soon.
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EPA Welcomes Two New e-Manifest Advisory Board Members
On August 13, 2024, EPA announced two new e-Manifest Advisory Board members, Dr. Michelle Liu and Dr. Albert Tay. Dr. Liu and Dr. Tay join the Board as the Information Technology experts.
Dr. Liu is a professor at Marymount University’s School of Technology and Innovation in Arlington, Virginia. Dr. Liu's teaching portfolio spans information technology applications, database technology, security and privacy of medical devices, and risk management. Her research delves into the dynamic interplay between emerging technologies and human decision-making, particularly examining the interaction of innovations like telehealth with users, organizational security, and privacy considerations.
Dr. Tay is an associate professor at Brigham Young University. He is an academic and information technology and cybersecurity expert with a diverse background in education, research, and professional practice. Dr. Tay's interdisciplinary expertise spans areas such as data communication, human-computer interaction, management information systems, and organizational communication.
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EPA Opens Registration for Working Sessions on Mid-Format Battery Recycling
Throughout 2024, EPA is hosting a series of working sessions to inform the development of:
- Voluntary guidelines for battery labeling.
- Best practices for state, Tribal, and local governments to collect end-of-life batteries for recycling.
From September through November 2024, EPA will host four meetings on mid-format battery labeling and collection. These sessions will focus on how to label and collect mid-format batteries, which are rechargeable batteries between 11 and 25 pounds and 300 to 2000 watt-hour ratings. This includes e-bikes, e-scooters, portable power stations, and outdoor power equipment.
EPA encourages participation in these meetings from the following groups:
- Battery and battery-containing device manufacturers (e-mobility, outdoor power equipment).
- Battery industry associations.
- Battery and battery-containing device retailers.
- Battery recyclers and processors.
- Non-governmental organizations.
- Government agencies, including fire departments and municipalities and regional solid waste management districts responsible for collection.
Find out more and register for the September, October, and November meetings on our website.
EPA held seven sessions earlier this year on the collection, labeling, storage, transport, education, and outreach for recycling small format batteries. You can find presentation materials and additional information for all of these sessions on our website.
If you are interested in connecting with us about any of these meetings, please use this web form.
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